NOVEMBER 2017
SHARED AMBITIONS
MONTREAL TECH COMPANY OFFSETS COSTS BY INCLUDING CO-WORKING SPACE IN HQ
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
ONBOARDING NEW FMS
THE CASE FOR
RECLINED SITTING
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
INTERIOR DESIGN PA R T O F T H E
P A R T
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On the cover: A sensitive design intervention made a heritage building formerly occupied by a bank feel like home for a start-up. Page 16.
[ contents ] 14
PHOTO: ADRIEN WILLIAMS
CANADIAN FACILITY MANAGEMENT & DESIGN
16 Bank teller stands separate co-working space from private offices.
9 KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER Tips for preventing the loss of corporate FM experience amid generational change.
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THE CASE FOR RECLINED SITTING Why a straight back may not be the best seated position.
16 UPSCALE CO-WORKING SPACE When a tech company moved into its new HQ, it invited other entrepreneurs to come along.
20 SUBCONSCIOUS SIGNALS How to leverage lessons from psychology to improve interior design. 28 RAISING THE BAR With more standing-height touchdown tables comes more stools.
20 columns
departments
6 OBSERVATIONS 14 FM EDUCATION 22 LEASING 24 ROOFING FEATURE 30 LAST WORD
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17-15161
[ observations ] BY MICHELLE ERVIN
SHARED AMBITIONS
NOVEMBER 2017 Volume 32, Issue No. 4 PUBLISHERS: Liam Kearney liamk@mediaedge.ca
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f I could only choose one word to describe what organizations of all kinds currently want from their facilities, it would have to be flexibility. Which explains the takeoff of co-working spaces. Traditional long-term leases of five, 10 or more years don’t provide the same flexibility as rental periods of as short as a month, week, day or hour. Co-working spaces may have originally catered to the entrepreneurs who would otherwise touchdown in coffee shops, but they have wider applications. Notably, co-working spaces can accommodate project-based expansions and contractions as organizations staff flexibly in what has been called the gig economy. Cost-efficiency is definitely an important factor in the move to just-in-time space and just-in-time workers. Cost-efficiency was also an important factor in the programming of Crew’s Montreal headquarters, the subject of this month’s cover story. One of the reasons the tech company decided to run a café and co-working space alongside its permanent offices was to generate revenue and offset its real estate costs. The three complementary but distinct program areas, designed by architect Henri Cleinge, have allowed the company to flex within the space as it has sold off one piece of its business to focus on another. Also in this, CFM&D’s design and relocation issue, are articles on applying lessons from psychology to improve workplace interiors and how to navigate lease extensions and renewals. Plus, our regular new products round-up brings you the latest in seating and workstations, including some bar-height stools to accompany increasingly popular standing-height touchdown tables. Despite the flexibility imperative, many organizations will continue to maintain, and in some cases prefer, long-term leases. There are measures these organizations can and do take when they fit out their facilities to pave the way for future changes, such as eschewing drywall in favour of moveable walls.
MICHELLE ERVIN michellee@mediaedge.ca
Sean Foley seanf@mediaedge.ca EDITOR: Michelle Ervin Tel (416) 512-8186 ext 254 michellee@mediaedge.ca SENIOR DESIGNER: Annette Carlucci annettec@mediaedge.ca WEB DESIGNER: Rick Evangelista ricke@mediaedge.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER: Maria Siassina marias@mediaedge.ca PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Elizabeth Nguyen elizabethn@mediaedge.ca CIRCULATION: Aahish Sharma circulation@mediaedge.ca (416) 512-8186 ext. 234 PRESIDENT: Kevin Brown kevinb@mediaedge.ca DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA: Steven Chester stevenc@mediaedge.ca EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Barry Brennand, Merlin Consulting Group; Jaan Meri, P.Eng., Consultant; Alex K. Lam, MRAIC, The OCB Network; Janine Reaburn, LoyaltyOne, LEED ® AP
Canadian Facility Management & Design (CFM&D) magazine is published six times a year by MediaEdge Communications Inc., 5255 Yonge Street., Suite 1000, Toronto ON M2N 6P4; Tel (416) 512-8186; Fax 416-512-8344; email: circulation@mediaedge.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS Canada 1 yr $50* 2 yr $90* USA 1 yr $75* 2 yr $140* Int 1 yr $100* 2 yr $180* Single Copy Sales Canada $15* * Plus applicable taxes. Authors: CFM&D magazine accepts unsolicited query letters and article suggestions. Manufacturers: Those wishing to have their products reviewed should contact the publisher or send information to the attention of the editor. Sworn Statement of Circulation: Available from the publisher upon written request. Although Canadian Facility Management & Design makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information published, we cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions, however caused. Printed in Canada. Copyright 2017 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement no. 40063056 ISSN 1193-7505 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: MediaEdge Communications Inc., 5255 Yonge St., Suite 1000, Toronto, ON M2N 6P4
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» foundations » HAND WASHING BY THE NUMBERS The workplace washroom is more than a necessary fixture of facilities — many employees look to its condition to gauge their worth in the eyes of their employer, according to a recent survey. Here’s a look at some of the figures from Bradley Corporation’s Healthy Hand Washing Survey, which was conducted online, reached more than 1,000 American adults and released ahead of the flu season:
DESIGN STANDARDS KEY TO BENCHMARKING DIVERSITY Accessibility and inclusiveness are on the agenda for a pending update of the model green office lease that has become an entrenched standard in Canada’s commercial real estate sector. Responding to a question about benchmarking diversity at the recent Canadian release of 2017 Global Real Estate Sustainable Benchmark (GRESB) results, Michael Brooks, CEO of REALPAC, identified the green lease, now nearing its 10th anniversary, as a potential effective guide for both landlords and tenants. He suggested the next version may reference Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification, a two-level rating system for commercial, institutional and multi-residential buildings. In addition to credible third-party verification from professionals trained in accessible design fundamentals, participating buildings get a detailed scorecard advising where and how improvements can be made. Green lease drafters are also interested in University of Toronto’s inclusive design research. “It’s looking at ways to make buildings amenable and welcoming to people of different cultural backgrounds,” Brooks reported. Health and well-being specialist Whitney Austin Gray, also speaking in conjunction with the GRESB results release, suggested property and facilities managers can embrace diversity through “canaries” who may have heightened health sensitivities and/or be among the approximately 2.5 per cent of people at either end of the height and weight spectrum. Accommodating their needs will almost invariably appeal to a broader range of building users. She cited task lighting, which is an important visionary aid for cataract sufferers and simply a preference for many office workers with better eyesight. As a spinoff bonus, it can contribute to energy savings by reducing requirements for overhead lighting. Similarly, curb cuts to accommodate mobility devices benefit people pushing strollers or pulling rolling briefcases. “Pay particular attention to the canaries. These are the people who actually have the secret for the rest of us,” asserted Gray, who is senior vice president at Delos Living LLC, the company that devised the WELL Building Standard. “When you design for the extremes, you benefit the means.”
89%
67%
61%
~40%
The share of respondents who see workplace washrooms as a sign of how their employer values them.
The share of respondents who rated their workplace washroom as excellent or very good.
The share of respondents who reported seeing co-workers forgo hand washing in the washroom.
The share of respondents who said a poster reminding employees to wash their hands improved the likelihood of their compliance.
The preceding news brief originally appeared on the REMI Network
November 2017 CFM&D 7
» foundations » IREE CERTIFICATION FOR RETROFITS COMING TO CANADA The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), and the Advanced Energy Centre at MaRS Discovery District (MaRS) are working together to bring the Investor Confidence (ICP) Project and its Investor Ready Energy Efficiency (IREE) certification to Canada. In the Pan-Canadian Framework, the Canadian federal government recognized the role that retrofitting buildings will play in reaching Canada’s targeted emissions reductions. Additionally, CaGBC’s A Roadmap for Retrofits in Canada report found that exisiting buildings could potentially reduce overall emissions by up to 51 per cent by 2030. ICP will help facilitate the mass retrofits required to achieve these goals, while the IREE-certified projects will provide clarity on the long-term performance of energy efficiency technologies and help create greater access to competitive financing, which will be necessary to achieve retrofits on a large scale. ICP is a global underwriting standard for developing and measuring energy efficiency retrofits and is administered by GBCI. Its IREE certification signals to investors that a project has adopted best practices that can help reduce transaction costs and increase savings. The protocols offer investors a consistent roadmap for assessing risk and expected outcomes from deep retrofits. “The Advanced Energy Centre is pleased to play a role in introducing the Investor Confidence Project and supporting the IREE Certification’s launch in Canada,” says Shawn Peterson, senior associate of the Advanced Energy Centre at MaRS. “Our cities need innovative financing mechanisms for improving building performance at scale. Ontario’s large concentration of institutional real estate, financial capital and support to invest in low-carbon building solutions makes it an ideal market for investors.” The IREE certification is currently being used by project owners, investors, engineers and insurance companies in North America and Europe. “We believe that the ICP can play a critical role in the acceleration of Canada’s retrofit economy by instilling investor confidence in green retrofits and by providing a tested, ready-made tool that government and industry can leverage to accelerate uptake across the country,” adds CaGBC President and CEO Thomas Mueller. The preceding news brief originally appeared on the REMI Network.
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2017-10-04 12:35 PM
[ management memo ] BY MARCIA O’CONNOR
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER KEY TO GENERATIONAL TRANSITION As seasoned facility managers get ready to retire, organizations need to make some preparations of their own to prevent the loss of corporate FM experience. Tips for teaching junior professionals lessons that can only be learned on the job
C
hange is coming as the saged generation (age with seasoning) gears up for retirement and millennials move into the workforce, bringing with them top education, great technological skills, innovative ways of thinking and seeking practical working experience. Historically, facilities management, or FM, was learned on the job; there was no training, no courses, no technical platforms or procedures set up. FM established itself through years of development and implementation challenges, of policies and procedures developed on the job with little support, collaboration or teamwork. The saged FM professionals have many years of experience to prove it. This experience, and the accrued knowledge that comes along with it, is irreplaceable and needs to be transferred to the next generation of facility managers. Companies need to embrace some change in their approach to new employees. Millennial facility managers approach their work environment differently than the generation before them. Many millennials are eager to ‘leap’ into the situation without getting to its root. This enthusiasm is great; however, it may take a few attempts to come up with the right solution. Saged FMs know from experience how important it is to follow the routines and be able to respond quickly to potential issues that may arise during the daily life of a FM. Here are three ways companies can prepare for the transition from the saged to millennial generation in the workplace and minimize the loss of corporate FM experience.
1. ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORK
Encourage creative thinking through teamwork. It’s difficult for a saged FM to cover everything they themselves learned on the job. Junior FMs can make the most of their time with saged FMs by asking specific questions versus asking the saged FM to verify or review an existing routine. By doing this, junior FMs will better understand the benefits, reason and expected outcome for the routine. It’s important that new employees feel at ease to ask specific, task-related questions. Weekly huddles or ‘scrums’ of 15 to 20 minutes assist in identifying current priorities, such as new client move-ins, fund-
raising events being planned, recurring customer issues or contractors that are scheduled to be on-site. The weekly huddles keep the FM groups up-to-date on current activities happening at their facility. Also provide a safe place for new FMs to ask questions. 2. LET NEWCOMERS JOB-SHADOW AND ROTATE JOBS
Ensure overlap between incoming and outgoing personnel so new FMs get a chance to follow the daily, weekly and monthly routines of saged FMs before they leave the company. This will make for a smooth transition and ease the new FM into the FM routine. Job shadowing can help the incoming FM identify key areas of the facility that may require special attention, e.g. areas of potential leakage during heavy rain storms or accessibility workarounds. Job rotations can also be beneficial to help millennial FMs gain a better understanding of the diverse role of the FM professional. If the company has more than one facility, encourage junior FMs to walk through other facilities and assess whether it’s at par with or better than their own facility or there are ideas implemented there that they can take back to their facility. 3. CENTRALIZE PROCEDURES FOR CONSISTENT OPERATIONS
Ensure consistency of operations with a centralized platform with key departmental procedures. Include information such as standard operating procedures, current FM plans, business cases, building plans and up-to-date documentation on recent renovations and upgrades. This makes corporate policy and directives available to newer FMs, to help them gain history and/or context to current directives and future directions for the FM department. A repository of standard operating procedures is crucial to help new FMs maintain the same level and quality of service. FMs both new to the profession and seasoned can work together to ensure their facilities are maintained in good condition and meeting the needs of its occupants. By inviting questions, offering job-shadowing and rotation opportunities, and creating a centralized home for key corporate documents, organizations can ensure they don’t lose important institutional knowledge as saged FMs retire and make room for millennial FMs. | CFM&D
Marcia O’Connor is president of AM FM Consulting Group and lead instructor at U of T’s FM certificate program.
November 2017 CFM&D 9
SPONSORED CONTENT
SUSTAINABILITY BY DESIGN True sustainability begins with a solid foundation. That’s why, before shovels break ground, Union Gas helps building developers and teams use the design phase to implement the most up-to-date energysaving practices, technologies, and materials to capture long-term savings from the start. “Making those energy-saving choices in design is critical,” says Mark Glasier, Commercial Sales Manager with Union Gas. “That’s when you can consult with experts and energy stakeholders and incorporate their insights before any major decisions are made. This generates a lot more value for building owners as opposed to adding energy efficient features after a project is completed.” This insight is at the core of Union Gas’ Commercial Savings by Design (CSBD) program, which it launched in October 2016 to help construction developers identify future energy savings and unlock environmental benefits during their design planning. Made for all development stakeholders, the Commercial Savings by Design
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program blends interactive sessions, financial incentives and a wealth of industry resources. Central to Union Gas’ program is the Visioning and Integrated Design Process sessions, which provide advice, insights, and solutions that are tailored to each participant’s project. In the Visioning session, participants are matched with a Sustainable Buildings Canada (SBC) facilitator who reviews their specific project requirements, sustainability targets and development goals beyond energy efficiency. In the Integrated Design Process session, participants work one-on-one with energy and sustainability experts to identify practical
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design and equipment measures that use fewer resources (energy, water), save money and improve building performance. Sustainable Buildings Canada’s Michael Singleton explains, “If you design a building in a manner that first looks at interior loads and ways to minimize those through lower lighting loads or a greater use of passive systems, you might then have lower air conditioning or heating load requirements that allow you to spec for smaller, more energy-efficient equipment.” Topics such as building durability, constructability, resiliency, indoor comfort and other related themes are also highlighted throughout the sessions. As well, participants
SPONSORED CONTENT
“ Programs like this raise the bar for the industry and get people thinking about new ways to do things and apply new technologies.” have an opportunity to work with Sustainable Buildings Canada and its partners to conduct real-time energy modelling to predict the outcomes of proposed design choices. “This kind of information can be difficult, expensive or time-consuming to access,” says Mark Glasier from Union Gas. “By bringing construction developers and experienced subject matter experts into the discussion at the start of a project’s design phase, project proponents can learn about leading-edge products and practical solutions in a single day of focused learning.” What’s more, says Singleton, even when the insights and benefits from these sessions don’t play out in a specific project, the knowledge participants take away from the program can – and have – proven valuable down the road: “That’s where the market transformational aspect comes into play. Programs like this raise the bar for the industry and get people thinking about new ways to do things and apply new technologies. All of that becomes the new norm in how they develop future buildings.”
participants may also be eligible for additional incentives through other Union Gas programs. These incentives and early success have made the Commercial Savings by Design program popular among the construction development community. Since launching
The benefits for participating in the Union Gas Commercial Savings by Design program are equally advantageous. The Visioning and Integrated Design Process sessions combined offer a value of up to $30,000, while additional Energy Performance and Commission Incentives are available, providing up to $15,000 each. Upon completion of construction and once the equipment has been commissioned,
the program in October 2016, Singleton says the feedback from participants has been overwhelming: “It’s been very positive. In every session, we’ve been able to demonstrate 15 per cent or higher than minimum code requirements, and there have always been these ‘Aha!’ moments where someone has learned something critical.” The Commercial Savings by Design program is available to all developer team stakeholders working on commercial, institutional, multi-residential, or industrial buildings over 50,000 sq. ft. and are covered under the Ontario Building Code Part 3. Builders can also have multiple buildings in the program.
For more information on this free program, visit uniongas.com/csbd November 2017 CFM&D 11
[ fm ergonomics ]
This page sponsored by
BY DARCIE JAREMEY
THE CASE FOR RECLINED SITTING Contrary to common misconception, a straight back may not be the best seated position. In fact, the CSA recommends a back rest angle between 95 and 115 degrees. Here’s why
Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) CSA-Z412-00 document — that supports a backrest angle between 95 and about 115 degrees reclined. So this ergonomist always includes reclined sitting in her answer when asked what she thinks is the ‘best possible’ ergonomic set-up. Here’s why: SIMILAR TO STANDING
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Reclined sitting is just one of four principles of ergonomic workstation set-up.
W
hen asked what they think is the ‘best possible’ ergonomic workstation set-up, most people offer the exact same response: a person sitting in their chair with their backrest positioned at approximately 90 degrees. Or, in simpler terms, “sitting as straight as possible.” 12
A lot of people are surprised to hear that this is far from the most optimal ergonomic work position. Considering that 90 per cent of people will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime and that lower back pain is the most common type of chronic pain, there is plenty of room for new ways to improve back health. For quite some time there has been solid evidence — most notably the
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Sitting with a reclined backrest position is another way for organizations that don’t have the budget to adopt sit-stand desk solutions to improve workstation ergonomics. One reason the CSA recommends a back position between 95 and 115 degrees reclined is that sitting in a reclined position puts only a slightly higher amount of pressure on the spine compared to standing. Standing is a kind of gold standard because it places the least amount of load on the spine and its supportive musculature. Subjectively everyone knows this to be true; it’s a lot more comfortable to sit even slightly reclined compared to sitting at 90 degrees (the stereotypical ‘ergonomic’ sitting position) because sitting at 90 degrees places more pressure on the spine. Unsupported sitting postures (i.e. leaning forward in a chair) place the most amount of strain on the spine and are not considered an ergonomically neutral posture. LESS MUSCLE FATIGUE
Reclined sitting positions are associated with less muscle activity in the back compared to sitting in an upright or 90-degree position. This is important to consider as muscle activity can lead to muscle fatigue and tiredness in the back muscles, and a fatigued and tired back translates into a
greater susceptibility to injury and discomfort for most people. It’s not surprising, then, that people have a natural tendency to recline when they need rest.
Darcie Jaremey MSc., R.Kin., CPE is a Certified Ergonomist with ErgonomicsHelp. com. ErgonomicsHelp is an online resource for all things office ergonomics, providing ergonomic information, strategies, and commentary for those who manage their company’s ergonomic program or are looking to improve the ergonomics of their personal workspace. Darcie can be reached at djaremey@ ergonomicshelp.com.
A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
There is no one ‘optimal’ sitting position that should be maintained throughout the workday. As cliché as it sounds, the ‘best posture is the next posture.’ It’s important to vary where the pressure falls on the spine, even within the ‘optimal’ recline position. Reclining just the backrest without adjusting the rest of a workstation is a common mistake seen in offices. Just reclining the backrest without also adjusting the monitor and hand working height introduces ergonomic risk into a workstation, and usually goes unnoticed. Too often it’s the reason why ergonomists get called in to review a workstation. A reclined backrest will likely lower the hand working height and resting eye height for the majority of people, so it’s important to consider workstation adjustability in the design of office workstations and when choosing or purchasing office furniture. The ability to adjust the height of the work surface and monitor position allows the workstation to be adjusted to fit the person as opposed to the other way around. Reclined sitting helps prevent fatigue and injuries, but it reflects just one of four key ergonomic principles that should be applied to any workstation set-up. The top of the computer monitor screen should be positioned slightly below the user’s seated eye height; the user’s back should rest in the backrest; the resting elbow height should be slightly higher than keyboard and mouse height; and the user’s feet should be firmly resting on the floor. Follow these four principles while promoting reclined sitting to keep employees comfortable. | CFM&D
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November 2017 CFM&D 13 PremierElevator_Island_2017.indd 1
2017-04-05 2:15 PM
[ fm education ]
These pages sponsored by
BOMI
BY SUSANNAH PENNAL
C A N A D A
IT SUPPORT FOR WORKPLACE STRATEGY High real estate costs have popularized hoteling and workfrom-home policies. How facilities managers can bridge the physical distance between team members with technology, regardless of where they’re working on any given day
support these new styles of work, it is important to consider how the space will contribute to team cohesiveness. This is essential when teams are spread across large distances and facility managers need to ensure the design will sustain (or increase) productivity across all employees, whether they are in the physical or digital office. These challenges are not insurmountable, especially if these three considerations are kept top of mind when creating a hoteling and workfrom-home friendly workplace: VARIETY OF WORKSPACE OPTIONS
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Equipping office spaces with the right technology lets remote workers participate equally in meetings from afar.
A
s real estate prices continue to rise in Canada, companies are exploring increasingly creative and innovative strategies to shrink their real estate footprint and save money for what really matters — growing the business. Two trends in particular are benefitting from this drive to reduce costs — hoteling and work-from-home policies. When an organization institutes a hoteling policy, employees do not have an assigned desk and sit at whichever cubicle is free on a particular day. A
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work-from-home policy complements hoteling, as employees are given the flexibility to decide where they work. This concept is much broader than a ‘home versus office’ debate. Employees could join a conference while on a long commute, or from the hockey arena during their child’s tournament. The result is fewer employees in the office at once, making a hoteling policy more feasible. And an organization’s real estate footprint can be reduced, even as they add employees. That is not to imply shifting to these policies will be without challenges. When creating office spaces that
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Throughout the course of the day, an employee will likely need to do solo work, make confidential calls, have a one-on-one meeting, and have a larger team or project meeting. Their space needs for each is different, and it is important to plan sufficient, different space usage options to maximize employee productivity. For many organizations, this means a mix of cubicles, small audio privacy rooms, and small to mid-size meeting rooms. But what about employees not in the office who are also part of these meetings? It is essential that office spaces are equipped with appropriate technology, such as video conferencing endpoints, to ensure remote attendees are able to participate on an equal footing. Additional capabilities like co-white boarding, automatic speaker tracking, and background noise detection will further enhance the experience. Loud typing, doorbells, and even dogs can be automatically tuned out so they don’t disrupt meetings. ONE WORK EXPERIENCE
Whether employees choose to work in the office or from home (or from the arena), it is essential the work
experience is the same. Technology can help to smooth the bumps created by distance while also bringing teams together, so it’s important that facility managers and planners work with IT to ensure technology and work spaces complement each other. Teamwork apps that can be used on any device promote flexibility and consistency in workflows while allowing employees to work in a manner they prefer. Look for one that can incorporate the entirety of the workflow — messaging, calling, meeting, and file sharing — to help work become more efficient and streamlined. Secure VPNs (virtual private networks) allow employees to access an organization’s network safely while remote, allowing them to access all their files and applications as though they were in the office. IT leadership may even recommend routers be provided to employees so they can connect to the company’s network from home, ensuring they can access what they need while being protected by the organization’s security policies. Finally, hoteling means employees will not be sitting at the same desk, day in and day out. Single number reach, where employees can log into the phone at their desk for the day or be reached on their cellphone, allows the phone number to follow the employee, not tie them to their desk. By providing mobility and remote working solutions through a collaboration with IT, facilities managers
By providing mobility and remote working solutions through a collaboration with IT, facilities managers enable employees to take full advantage of hoteling and work-from-home policies. enable employees to take full advantage of hoteling and work-from-home policies without negatively affecting productivity, effectiveness, or the team atmosphere. TRACK, ANALYZE, OPTIMIZE
It is vital to understand how employees use the workplace resources supporting these policies so they can evolve to meet employees’ needs. For example, if data suggests the smaller meeting rooms for groups of five are constantly booked, but the larger rooms for 15 are often free, consider future designs that incorporate rooms which convert from one room to two as needed. Many video conferencing and web conferencing solutions provide usage tracking, which allow facilities managers to identify high, early and slow adopters. Office traffic can also be tracked using radio-frequency identification (RFID) to determine the number of people in the office on any given day.
Once enough data is compiled, facilities managers can use this information to determine whether the current split of meeting rooms to cubicles needs to be adjusted. In fact, with hoteling that requires employees to “check-in” to a desk, it is possible to determine the most popular areas of the office. Lastly, speak with employees. Numbers and metrics tell half of the story, anecdotal feedback tells the rest. Maybe web conferencing usage is low because the chosen solution lags and drops calls, not due to disinterest. Put a human story to the numbers. Hoteling and work-from-home policies must be carefully planned before being implementation and, once in place, facility managers and planners must track usage and optimize work spaces to meet the needs of employees. Implemented and well-managed, these new workplace options can prove to be a boon for employees, facilities managers, and an organization’s bottom line. | CFM&D
Susannah Pennal is the collaboration marketing manager for Cisco Canada, responsible for developing go-to-market strategies for collaboration solutions, including channel alignment and content development. Contact her at susscott@ cisco.com.
November 2017 CFM&D 15
FACILITY DESIGN
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Brass-plated steel encloses booths and meeting rooms in the space now home to Crew Collective & Café and Unsplash.
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PHOTO CREDIT: ADRIEN WILLIAMS
UPSCALE CO-WORKING SPACE When Crew moved into its new headquarters, it invited other entrepreneurs to come along. How a sensitive design intervention made a decadent heritage building feel like home for a tech company BY MICHELLE ERVIN
A
heritage building once occupied by a financial institution may not be the likeliest of places to relocate a tech company, but a sensitive design intervention made just such a space feel like home for a start-up. A few years ago, Crew, an online platform connecting freelance web designers and developers with work, decided to relocate to what had been Royal Bank’s long-time home up until about a decade ago. Located in Old Montreal, in the basilica-inspired ground floor of 360 Rue St-Jacques, its interiors reflect the decadence of the era with brass chandeliers, coffered ceilings, marble counters and travertine floors. “On one hand, it was this incredible, neoclassical building from the ‘20s that was rented out by the building owner for film sets because it had tremendous character,” recalled architect Henri Cleinge. “At the same time, the bank had moved out in 2007, but the latest renovations were done either in the ‘70s or ‘80s, so there were these pretty ugly blue carpets and neon light fixtures in this beautiful space, so we ended up ripping all that out and rebuilding from there.”
Cleinge’s namesake firm completed the 12,000-square-foot project in spring of last year at a cost of $60 per square foot, which works out to around $720,000. The sensitive design intervention gave Crew private offices as well as a café and co-working space. The start-up was working only a few blocks away when it set about searching for a new office to accommodate its growing ranks. Including a café and coworking space in the program would give Crew a way to offset its real estate costs by generating revenue and raise the profile of its brand, said Stephanie Liverani, now co-founder and head of supply at Unsplash, an offshoot of Crew. The nature and scope of the intended program dictated the start-up’s requirements as it worked with a broker from Cushman & Wakefield to select the right site. It would need to be big enough to accommodate the café, co-working space and Crew headquarters, and it would need to be on the ground floor, as the café would be open to the public. “When we walked into the space, I asked the broker, ‘So where’s the space we can rent?’” recalled Liverani. “And he said, ‘You’re standing in it.’” She said she was in awe that the space, which she likened to Grand November 2017 CFM&D 17
FACILITY DESIGN
Central Station, was available to lease. It has the same airy, open qualities as the co-working spaces Liverani was most inspired by in her own travels — namely the Ace Hotel in London and Neue House in New York. Crew hired Cleinge’s firm for the project because his work is predominantly residential, and the start-up wanted its headquarters to have a homey feel, she said. Some features of the ground-floor hall, which is served by a grand staircase, would have to remain
untouched, such as the ceiling and light fixtures. The heritage building’s manager and part owner, Gestion Georges Coulombe, who served as contractor on the project, cleaned the bronze and updated the light bulbs to prepare the space for the new tenant. “It was so rich and it had such a presence, we felt that whatever we did had to be subtle, had to be very simple,” Cleinge said of the space. “It could be bold, but we didn’t want the design to rival with the existing shell.”
“It was so rich and it had such a presence, we felt that whatever we did had to be subtle. We didn’t want the design to rival with the existing shell.” 18
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Coulombe also asked that the bank teller stands with marble countertops be retained, which Cleinge used to define the height of the intervention as well as demarcate the different zones. “It wouldn’t have been the same space if we hadn’t kept the tellers,” said Coulombe. “It was part of the bank and part of the history.” On one side of the teller stands are the co-working spaces and on the other side of the teller stands are the private offices, which Cleinge pointed out are situated in the sunniest and farthest-removed area of the hall. The objective was to create three zones, one for each element of the program, that were distinct but complementary and inclusive, said Liverani. “We used glass partitions, which were very transparent, so you can kind of see the entire neoclassical shell from wherever you are in the space,” said Cleinge.
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L to R: The ground-floor hall is served by a grand staircase; brass chandeliers and the coffered ceiling reflect the decadence of the building’s 1920s heritage; brass-plated steel echoed the existing brass features.
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Top to bottom: Glass partitions provide visibility of the neoclassical shell; bank teller stands set the height of the intervention
Brass-plated steel was inserted into the space to enclose booths and meeting rooms, which echoed the existing brass features, he explained. When the blue carpet behind the teller stands was removed, it pulled back to reveal only concrete slab. Logistics made it impossible to bring in travertine flooring, so Cleinge selected white oak instead, picking up on the yellow tones of the brass and chandelier. He carried through the white oak in the custom-designed banquettes and tables, which were paired with Herman Miller task chairs. Today, around 400 people flow through the doors of Crew Collective & Café every day, with the co-working spaces largely operating at capacity. “It’s less of that WeWork feel, where there’s beer on tap,” said Liverani. “It’s more of that Soho House, Neue House feel, where people are coming there not because it has that start-up, community
feel, but because it’s a beautiful space to work out of and they’re inspired by it.” As happens in the world of startups, Crew, the platform for designers and developers, was sold to another company. The nine-person team that continues to work out of its headquarters has turned its attention to Unsplash, a free stock photography website that started out as a side project. And a 20-person team continues to operate the café and coworking space, offsetting what are now Unsplash’s real estate costs.
Crew is not unique in experiencing fast-moving change, and this project has widely applicable lessons, as Liverani explained. “Sometimes start-ups are going to grow from small to large or from large to small, and co-working spaces provide that flexibility,” she said, “where traditional office spaces, when you’re signing a five, 10-year lease, there’s less of that flexibility, so that’s one thing that co-working spaces have really brought to the picture.” | CFM&D
Architectural/custom woodworking: Kastella; Architectural glass/glazing and decorative glass panels/partitions: Techni-Verre; Brass-plated-steel wall panels: LineaP; Cafeteria/ dining seating: stools by EQ3; Cafeteria/dining and conference tables: Mobilier de Gaspé inc.; Conference, task and workstation seating: Herman Miller; Custom built-in seating and upholstery: LineaP; Drywall: CGC (ceiling and walls); Hard flooring: White Oak; Laminate: Formica; Paint: Benjamin Moore; Pendants/chandeliers: Authentik; Recessed and task lighting: Sistemalux; Workstations: custom tables by Mobilier de Gaspé inc.
November 2017 CFM&D 19
[ design ] BY TYLER GILCHRIST
WORKSPACES SEND SUBCONSCIOUS SIGNALS New research into the way the brain registers its surrounding environment confirms that people’s behaviour is influenced by place. How to leverage lessons from psychology to improve interior design
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One of the reasons people continue to come to the office to work when they don’t need to is to interact with and see other people.
E
ver question why some places charm and delight, while others make people feel as if there’s a hidden hand shooing them away? Ever stop to wonder why office workers seek out smaller, more contained spaces to focus and concentrate, while the expanse and openness of, say, the boardroom or large spaces offsite are where colleagues can reliably come up with important new ideas? Is it possible that people think and act differently depending on the building or the room they’re in? A new body of scientific research has emerged on how the brain registers its surrounding environments. Leveraging
respond to a place, Goldhagen argues. And in turn, places nudge people to think or behave in certain ways. Most excitingly, this knowledge can now be leveraged in a practical way to subtly but profoundly shape and alter office environments for the better. Through research with corporate workplace clients, figure3 has uncovered some consistent requirements that persist, regardless of the nature of the business. They’re the things that need to be designed into the space that, for most part, are seen. The fact of the matter is the net effect of the designed environment is (often) invisible. It’s the collective whole that influences people. Designers are concerned with elevating what the designed environment makes possible, what it affords, as well as considering the aesthetic. The seven things designers need to afford people in work environments again and again, though in unique ways depending on the context, constraints and culture of an organization, include the abilities to: SEE PEOPLE AND BEHAVIOURS
insights from several fields — psychology, anthropology, linguistics, and neuroscience — a new understanding of how people live and think in the world has emerged based on “embodied cognition.” “This paradigm,” writes Sarah Goldhagen in her book Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes our Lives, “holds that much of what and how people think is a function of our living in the kinds of bodies we do.” Not just conscious thoughts, but non-conscious impressions, feedback from the senses, physical movement and even split-second mental simulations of forms and shapes factor into how people
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Gone are the days where people come to the office to access equipment or physical resources. In the knowledge economy, people continue to co-locate because interacting with others — with all their non-verbal body language and communication — is valuable. Working with people face-to-face is more effective. And increasingly, people know that socialization is as important a work attribute as any other. By ‘seeing people’ — in both formal contexts, such as meetings, and informal contexts, such as the happy little interactions that happen in the corridor — people feel more connected to each other, strengthen the quality of their communications and collaborations, and are happier at their jobs.
PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE TSAI
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Providing a range of different types of spaces empowers employees to match their environment to their task.
SEE WORK/WORK IN PROGRESS
SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOVEMENT
SEE NATURE
Designing multiple ways for people to visually share their work with others not only increases the chance that colleagues will see people and see ideal behaviours, but it also enables further connection to each other. Making work visible, when a person is physically there and when that person has since moved on, creates the conditions for collaboration and further strengthens working teams.
It’s taken for granted, but most conventional environments create the conditions for sedentary work lives. Getting up, moving and using the physical body contributes substantially to happier, healthier, more productive work.
It’s a simple idea: people are more productive, healthy, energetic and happy when exposed to nature, natural views, and natural variation. Biophilic design has caught on in the design industry for a reason.
SEE PURPOSE AND CULTURE
Coming full circle, people not only need to see other people, people need to feel others see them (including their superiors and organizational leaders). By reframing the job to be done by design through what people need to be afforded functionally and psychologically, it’s possible to reframe what’s conventionally considered to be the role of design, rethink what needs designing, and ultimately transform what kinds of experiences people have within workplaces. | CFM&D
SEE CHOICE AND VARIATION
Though a simple idea, this might be the most overlooked. People no longer come to work and do the same activity all day, every day. Work is varied. One moment a person is deep into a focused task. The next a person is collaborating with colleagues. Yet another has a person engaging in a challenging creative thinking. Enabling choice and variation not only allows people to work in environments that best suit their needs at any given moment, it also provides a sense of control and autonomy that is crucial to good work.
SEE ME
Employee engagement is the Holy Grail for great organizations. Connecting people to the purpose of their work — why the group exists, why it goes out of its way to colocate and interact — increases their sense of engagement significantly. The culture of an organization should physically manifest itself in the environment. What people think about themselves and each other, how they act, what they value, and how they interact with one another is very much influenced by design decisions. Doing so consciously and intentionally is table stakes for good design.
Tyler Gilchrist is VP of design research & strategy at figure3.
November 2017 CFM&D 21
[ leasing ] BY MICHELLE ERVIN
NAVIGATING EXTENTIONS AND RENEWALS Leases are getting longer as provisions are added to prevent past problems, according to a recent panel. Here are five tips for commercial tenants as they review, negotiate and exercise options
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Landlords and tenants can establish a common definition of fair market rent using qualifications such as geography and use.
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hat lease agreements are getting fatter is not a bad thing — quite the opposite, in fact, according to a recent panel of commercial leasing lawyers and a litigator. The rising page counts of these contracts reflect the addition of provisions made to prevent problems that have arisen in the past. Clarity of leases was an overriding theme in the session Renewal Options and Resets in September at the Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference in Toronto. The session had several takeaways for parties on either side of the table. Here are five tips for commercial tenants as they review, negotiate and exercise lease extensions and renewals.
responsibility for defaults by a third party to which it has assigned its rights, thanks to the clean break between contracts. “Obligations on the tenant to restore are theoretically triggered on a renewal,” added McBain, highlighting yet another example. “And while that’s interesting and theoretically true, it’s probably at odds with what the parties intended when they’re renewing the lease.” 2. LEAVE TIME TO SATISFY PRECONDITIONS
1. DISTINGUISH BETWEEN EXTENSIONS AND RENEWALS
Melissa McBain, partner, Daoust Vukovich LLP, cautioned against using the words “extension” and “renewal” synonymously in lease agreements. This occurs frequently, because the options have much the same effect in continuing the relationship between the landlord and tenant. In the eyes of the law, however, an extension extends the existing contract, whereas a renewal creates a new contract — a subtle but important distinction. For example, under an extension, the landlord can cite violations of the agreement that pre-date the current term as grounds to end the lease, as the contract continues uninterrupted. As another example, under a renewal, unless otherwise stated, the tenant bears no
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Sonja Homenuck, partner, Dentons Canada LLP, recommended that tenants who plan to exercise an option to extend or renew their lease talk to their landlords as soon as they’ve made that decision. Tenants should leave themselves enough time to make different arrangements should the need arise, she said. “Depending on the size and uniqueness of the premises you’re in, how long would it take you to find alternative premises?” Homenuck asked rhetorically. Tenants should also leave enough time to address outstanding issues, ahead of the hard deadline for providing notice, in case the landlord asserts that its pre-conditions have not been met. “You may not be able to exercise your option properly until you have complied with them,” said Homenuck. “In the worst-case scenario, you may have lost your option entirely.” Common pre-conditions include that the tenant is in good standing, the tenant personally is exercising the option and the tenant is actually occupying and using the premises. 3. DEFINE FAIR MARKET RENT UPFRONT
Comparable buildings, geography and use are some of the qualifications to consider using to define fair market rent, said Yael Bogler, partner, Owens Wright LLP.
For example, she said, landlords may want to specify that buildings have to possess certain features, such as LEED certification or parking, to be considered comparable. Within comparable buildings, there’s the question of whether to look at deals for extending and renewing tenants, deals for new tenants — whose rates tend to be lower — or deals for both groups. Added Bogler: “If, for example, the tenant has spent a great deal of their own money, and they’re not getting their tenant allowance and they’re the ones building out the space, they don’t want the landlord to use comparably improved premises in looking at comparables in fair market rent, because they’re then effectively paying twice — or paying interest on their improvements.” As for geography, mapping out boundaries with street names is one way to create a common definition of the “area” between tenant and landlord. What constitutes a comparable use is also subject to interpretation without further refining, such as specifying “market rent for a financial institution.” 4. AVOID AND EXPEDITE ARBITRATION IF POSSIBLE
Some options to extend or renew a lease provide for arbitration if the tenant and landlord can’t agree on what is fair market rent. However, Sharon Addison, partner at McLean & Kerr LLP, said it’s advisable to avoid arbitration, citing the cost and time it takes to complete the process, as well as the potential strain it will put on the ongoing relationship. Failing that, the litigator recommended a number of strategies for expediting the process. For one, agreeing to select one arbitrator instead of three arbitrators will simplify scheduling. For another, defining the geographic area that will be examined as each party builds its case as to what is fair market rent will narrow the distance between tenant’s and landlord’s positions. “If you can come to agreement as to what your appraisers are going to look at — what area, streets — that helps,” said Addison. “You have them looking at apples to apples.”
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5. UNDERSTAND THE ALTERNATIVES TO OPTIONS
Lydia Pilch, partner at Goldman, Sloan, Nash & Haber LLP, said that in cases where a landlord does not provide an option to extend or renew a lease, tenants could ask for the right of first option or the right of first refusal. The right of first option requires the landlord to ask the tenant whether it’s interested in meeting the terms on which the premises are going to be offered before taking them back to market. The right of first refusal requires the landlord to give the tenant an opportunity to match any third-party offer for the premises. “These are things you don’t see often, because tenants are typically getting renewal options and there’s a lot of business planning that goes around the timeframe that they’re prepared to stay in the space,” said Pilch. The rarely used alternatives demand the same kind of clarity as clauses containing an option to extend or renew a lease. For example, a right of first refusal should set a deadline for the tenant to match a third-party offer. “It all comes down to drafting … which is why leases have grown,” said Pilch. “There’s a horror story behind every little bit of expansion of language.” | CFM&D
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November 2017 CFM&D 23
ROOFING FEATURE BY DUSTIN BROOKS
SELECTING THE RIGHT LIQUID PRODUCT Coatings used to extend the lifespan of roofs got a bad rap due to widespread failures in the 1990s. The technology has improved dramatically since — it’s just a matter of matching the material type to the application
L
iquids are flooding the roofing industry these days. It’s rare to find a manufacturer or contactor that isn’t promoting a “roof coating” or “liquid membrane.” There’s a difference between a coating and a membrane, and it can be hard to draw the line at times. It can be helpful to consider the human anatomy. Skin is a membrane. It’s tough, flexible, and virtually impermeable and it protects the underlying tissues and organs from the outside. However, skin can be damaged if it’s exposed to the sun too long. Sunscreen is a coating. Its purpose is to protect skin — the membrane — from damage. It’s permeable, so it’s still possible to sweat, and it’s applied relatively thin. It doesn’t last very long, so it needs to be re-applied. Liquid roofing products are not all that dissimilar. There are those that work great as a coating (sunscreen): they are applied in thin layers of 20 to 30 mils (one mil equals one-thousandth of an inch), defend against UV degradation, are permeable, cool things down (thanks to their reflectiveness), but need to be re-coated and touched up often. They do not perform like a long-lasting membrane, but they are great at protecting membranes. Then there are other liquid products that work great as a membrane: they are thick (50 to 80 mils), durable, flexible, strong, and impermeable. They serve as a primary barrier separating the structure from the elements. Some are reinforced, some are multi-layered, but the intended purpose is the same. They have no seams, adhere fully, and self-terminate. These liquid-applied, seamless membranes should act more like skin than sunscreen. Installing a seamless membrane directly over an old roof helps maximize the original investment. However, it’s important to note that restorations or recovers are not recommended on roofs that are past a certain point of deterioration or have saturated insulation. Liquid roofing products are best used for repairs and/or the restoration of existing roof membranes to avoid costly, disruptive, and wasteful roof tear-offs. While they can be used in a full replacement or new construction, the focus of this article will be on their restoration capabilities. 24 CFM&D | Part of the REMI network | www.REMInetwork.com
Too often, liquid products are given the same negative stereotype. In Canada, extensive roof coating failures in the 1990s made building owners leery of anything sold in a bucket or drum. Liquid roof technologies have improved drastically since then, but each serves a very different purpose. Some liquids are better used as a coating, and others as a membrane. Here’s an overview of the applications of some of the most common liquid roof products: ACRYLIC Average Values Elongation – 381% Concrete Adhesion – 360 psf Permeance (water vapor transmission) – 6.8 perms VOC content – 32 g/L Tensile Strength – 253 psi Thickness – 20 mils
Acrylic is best used as a “sunscreen” for UV protection of membranes to extend their life. It’s great for reflectivity to reduce surface temperature and energy costs (depending on insulation in the existing roof). Other pros include that they’re low-cost, come in a variety of colour options, have a good sacrificial/wear layer and are easy to recoat. The cons of acrylic liquid roofing products are that they won’t withstand ponding water, have low strength and have been inappropriately promoted as a membrane. SILICONE Average Values Elongation – 193% Concrete Adhesion – 90 psf Permeance (water vapor transmission) – 5.8 perms VOC content – 47 g/L Tensile Strength – 322 psi Thickness – 20 to 30 mils
Silicone is best used as a top coat over a membrane to prevent premature degradation, extend life, and add reflectivity. Other pros include that it’s reflective, withstands ponding water, resists animal fats, has good tensile strength and experiences minimal degradation. However, it’s very
DECRYPTING THE TECHNICAL JARGON
difficult to repair or recoat, as nothing but silicone will adhere to silicone. Other cons include that it’s not waterbased, picks up dirt (turns yellow/brown quickly), has poor tear resistance and is slippery when wet. POLYURETHANE FOAM
Elongation: the amount of “stretch” a material has before it tears. Considering liquids are fully adhered to the surface, high elongation is important to withstand structural movements or expansion/contraction of underlying materials. Typically, higher elongation equals better puncture, impact, and hail resistance. Tensile strength: the amount of force required to tear a material after it stretches, commonly measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Low tensile strength means the product is more susceptible to damage. It’s important to have a good combination of elongation and tensile strength.
Average Values Elongation – 0% Concrete Adhesion – 90 psf Permeance – 1.5 perms (closed-cell) VOC content – 0 g/L Tensile Strength – 70 psi Thickness – 1-4 inches
Polyurethane foam is best used as insulation material, not as a waterproofing membrane. Its top coat is typically acrylic or silicone and requires constant maintenance to protect the foam from UV exposure. The pros of polyurethane foam are that it provides excellent insulation (it has a high R-value), can be applied to any thickness and is watertight. The cons of polyurethane foam is that it’s not UV stable, requires a top coat to protect it from becoming open-cell, is easily punctured and damaged by foot traffic, birds, and insects, is difficult to install, has no elongation and low strength.
Permeance: how much water vapor (moisture) can travel through the coating or membrane. Essentially it indicates how “breathable” a product is. Higher permeance means the product will not withstand ponding/standing water. It may be water-resistant, but is not truly waterproof. Low permeance (under 1 perm), means it is impermeable and can hold water on top of it forever without moisture transfer. Volatile Organic Compounds: VOCs represent solvents in a liquid material that are harmful to human health and the environment. Many countries have VOC limits for paints and coatings to limit off-gassing. Adhesion: how well a product sticks to a particular surface. The examples below use a concrete substrate and a value in pounds per square foot (psf). This is how much force or pressure is required to remove the product from the surface. It is often used to calculate wind uplift strength.
URETHANE
COLD-PROCESS ASPHALT EMULSION
Average Values
Acceptable Values
Elongation – 376%
Elongation – 70%
Concrete Adhesion – 292 psf
Concrete Adhesion – 120 psf
Permeance (water vapor transmission) – 0.7 perms
Permeance (water vapor transmission) – 2 perms
VOC content – 41 g/L
VOC content – 8 g/L
Tensile Strength – 1,100 psi
Tensile Strength – 322 psi
Thickness – 45 mils
Thickness – 60 mils (with reinforcement)
Urethane is best used as a membrane for parking decks, flooring, plaza decks, and other industrial applications. It’s suitable for use on certain types of existing roofs, but is difficult to repair or recoat. The pros of urethane are that it’s strong and durable, impermeable and has high tensile strength. The cons of urethane are that its installation is sensitive, causes toxic fumes, is flammable in liquid form, can be expensive and has low elongation.
Cold-process asphalt emulsion is best used for roof restoration (with top coat), but only in warm climate zones and over roofs in fair condition. The pros of cold-process asphalt emulsion are that it’s low-cost, easy to apply, withstands ponding and has a proven track record. The cons of cold-process asphalt emulsion are that it cracks in freezing temperatures, requires a top coat, has poor strength and elongation and requires fabric reinforcement. November 2017 CFM&D 25
ROOFING FEATURE
LIQUID RUBBER Acceptable Values Elongation – 1500% Concrete Adhesion – 990 psf Permeance (water vapor transmission) – 0.2 perms
Acrylic is best used as a “sunscreen” for UV protection of membranes to extend their life.
VOC content – 0 g/L Tensile Strength – 750 psi Thickness – 60-80 mils
Liquid rubber is best used as a roof restoration membrane with a reflective top coat. The pros of liquid rubber are that it has high elongation, good tensile strength, can be applied in any thickness in one coat, is impermeable, has excellent adhesion and can be installed to membrane thickness. The cons of liquid rubber are that it only comes in one colour (black), typically requires top coat, is more expensive and cannot be installed in freezing temperatures.
With many liquid technologies available to protect roof assets, it’s important to choose the right product for the application. A new membrane may be needed and a thin coating would only cause further problems. Or a new membrane may not be needed, only a coating to extend the roof’s life. Never hesitate to ask contractors, consultants, or suppliers for physical material samples, independent lab test reports, data sheets, contractor certifications, case studies, and references. Proper due diligence is vital when investing further in existing roof assets. | CFM&D
Dustin Brooks is the director of sales at Triton Incorporated in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His group provides a variety of roofing products and services for building owners/operators throughout the world. Their focus is on protecting existing roof assets through proactive maintenance and restoration. He enjoys speaking engagements, volunteering for non-profits, and visiting his family in Alberta. Dustin can be reached at dustinbrooks@tritonwp.com or 319-861-5233.
From Boiler Room to Boardroom
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November 2017 CFM&D 2017-01-13 11:25 27 AM
FOCUS ON SEATING AND WORKSTATIONS TRACE
RAISING THE BAR Counter, Bar Stool
The Trace bar stools combine a continuous, looping steel wire frame with either a leather sling or moulded plywood seat. Comfortable and supportive, this bar stool is at home in both residential and commercial settings.
With standing-height touchdown tables becoming ubiquitous, it’s only logical that their natural partner would see its profile elevated too. Here’s a look at the latest barstools and other new offerings in seating and workstations
Materials: formed steel wire legs, double stitched leather backed with a reinforcing, fabric substrate or moulded plywood Leg finish options: black,Furniture white, silver, brass Design powdercoat recently introduced the Trace m.a.d. Leather seat finish options: brown, black leather • black, white bicast leather which saddle Plywood seatbar finish and options:counter walnut, black stool, ash, bleached ash, natural ash veneera leather sling or Product testing protocol: ANSI/BIFMA seat X5.1-2011atop formed steel wire legs finished moulded plywood
88 cm
in black, white, silver or brass powder coat. A fabric substrate reinforces the double-stitched leather seat, which comes in brown, black leather and black, white bicast leather. The moulded plywood seat is available in walnut, black or bleached ash and natural ash veneer. 72.5 cm
Working with busk+hertzog, Allseating has developed a new multi-purpose chair called Astute. The back and seat come fully or partially upholstered, or in reinforced polypropylene available in 14 polypropylene colours. Loop or penguin arms are offered in a chrome, smoke or onyx matte, or painted to match the back and seat (glossy). So is the caster, four-leg or sled base, which comes in bar, counter and guest heights.
46 cm
47.5 cm
Trace Counter Stool - G49C
49.5 cm
47 cm
Trace Bar Stool - G49B
© m.a.d. furniture design co., ltd 2017 | www.madfurnituredesign.com | info@madfurnituredesign.com
Poema, new from Koleksiyon, comprises modular seat and worktop units in lower-than-standard heights. The seating units measure 770 millimetres in height and 790 millimetres in depth and length. The worktop unit measures 405 millimetres in height and 790 millimetres in depth and length. Complete with plant units, which measure 380 millimetres in height and 790 millimetres in depth and length, the Studio Kairos-designed system is tailor-made for casual meetings and collaborative work.
New from Peter Pepper Products, the Joe Ricchio and Eric MacDonalddesigned Axcess Mobile Desk features a 3D-laminate work surface that rotates 360 degrees around a storage pedestal made from steel with perforated sides. The pedestal base is enclosed on either side by sliding doors in a powder coat finish and outfitted with an interior shelf, electric module and utility pocket. The unit travels on 3-inch casters that lock.
With Metrik, Wilkhahn has put a modern spin on the cantilever chair which has applications in co-working and multi-purpose areas. Complete with built-in seat cushion, the seat and backrest shell come in black, grey, grey-beige, orange-red, blue-grey and white, matching the coating colours available in a textured matte finish for the chromeplated tubular steel frame. The chair, which stacks six high, is available with optional additional back upholstery.
28 CFM&D | Part of the REMI network | www.REMInetwork.com
Teknion is reintroducing Contessa, its popular synchro-tilt task chair, with a revamped design and upgraded features. Nuova Contessa features a streamlined back and seat frame which retains the flowing lines of the original. It also incorporates an improved version of its Smart Operation feature, which allows users to adjust seat height and reclining angle by activating levers found in the arm rests. The seat is available in newly developed Zahedral mesh or newly enhanced Tri-Durometer foam substrate-supported upholstery.
Herman Miller’s newly introduced Prospect™ portfolio recently earned a Best of NeoCon nod for its collaboration-promoting qualities. Designed by Richard Holbrook, the freestanding semicircular furniture is geared toward groups tackling creative projects in educational and office settings. The portfolio, which features strong but lightweight aluminum structures, includes media display, tackable surfaces and whiteboards. Prospect’s Solo Space provides a private, quiet area for individual work with its curved shape and sound-absorbing surfaces.
Inspired by the 19th-century French Empire Style, Global Contract’s finely tailored Vitrola seating features an accent pillow, classic swoop arms, a standard piping detail and tapered, nine-inch solid wood legs. The series of one-, two- and three-seaters comes in two back heights and includes matching ottomans, with contract-grade construction making it appropriate for commercial applications.
Steelcase recently introduced Effective Elements, a freestanding workstation which comes in 16 wood finishes and has open plan and private office applications. With height adjustability in increments ranging from half an inch to three inches, work surfaces are available in a variety of shapes, such as bullet, keyhole and tapered, and in a blade, bullnose, square or waterfall edge. Storage options include one-high lateral files, which can double as seating when specified with cushion tops, and mobile pedestals.
Inscape recently debuted its Arrivals Wing at NeoCon, where it scooped up a best-of award. The system is equally conducive to collaborative and focused work, with duo and solo configurations that are easy to set up and switch thanks to universal connectors. Its exposed wood divider screens make it possible to carve out acoustic and visual privacy in open offices. The system can be accessorized with features such as availability signs and whiteboards.
The recently revamped version of Coalesse’s SW_1 Collection of lounge-inspired seating retains its original form but bears no transition lines thanks to the use of a new knit. By Scott Wilson and MINIMAL, the seating is a part of the Coalesse Color program, making it possible to match the hue of the knit, textile choice and painted base in gloss or matte finishes. It also creates the opportunity for existing customers to update SW_1 as the redesigned version continues to be offered in the original knit palette of nine colourways.
November 2017 CFM&D 29
[ last word ] BY JIMY BAYNUM
OPTIMIZING WASHROOM MAINTENANCE Facility managers have yet to fully harness technology to improve operations in one of the most-trafficked areas of a building. Solutions with data-collecting sensors support needs-based cleaning
D
ata informs the day-to-day responsibilities of facility managers, from tenant occupancy and supply needs, to the cost of monthly overhead. While facility management already leverages technology extensively in their operations, high-tech innovations aren’t yet being used fully in cleaning and washroom maintenance to help make processes smarter. But data is a powerful change driver and can enable better-
Accurately track how much inventory is being used to base purchasing decisions on actual usage rates, not estimates. This eliminates the need to run out for more supplies before the next shipment.
clock, using wireless technology. By capturing refill levels in real-time and displaying it in a web portal, these numbers cut down on time-consuming tasks such as having cleaning staff visit each washroom to manually check product supply. Here are five ways to positively improve business practices by incorporating smart technology in washrooms: 1. PREVENT COMPLAINTS
Stay informed of washroom traffic, with alerts of exactly when and where issues might arise, to prevent complaints before they happen. 2. STAFF EFFICIENTLY
Use data to make better staffing decisions with a needs-based cleaning approach. When the unexpected arises, quickly assign tasks to the cleaning staff. Have those staff address the situation and mark tasks as “complete” to confirm that all cleaning needs are met. 3. OPTIMIZE SUPPLIES
Accurately track how much inventory is being used to base purchasing decisions on actual usage rates, not estimates. This eliminates the need to run out for more supplies before the next shipment, or the risk of ordering more product than is needed or can be stored. 4. IMPRESS GUESTS
Impress customers with consistently clean and fully stocked washrooms. Seamless experiences can generate positive word of mouth for a venue, and improve its overall reputation as well informed, more efficient, and faster decisions — ones that as increase tenant recommendations. building managers use to create atmospheres that customers deserve, while maximizing cleaning staff performance. 5. REDUCE WASTE While the washroom isn’t the first place that comes to the Reduce the time wasted having facility maintenance staff check mind of the average customer, it is the most often-used facility each washroom and stall with accurate data on washroom stock in any building. Customers expect a clean, fully stocked and and supply needs. enjoyable washroom experience, and since washrooms reflect on the entire business, every impression counts. Historically, As facilities managers strive for greater efficiency in the face facility cleaning and maintenance staff completed tasks such as of increased demands, leveraging data through emerging refilling soap dispensers, restocking bath tissue and managing technology can serve as the backbone to improving overall supply orders manually, room to room, stall by stall — building performance, while benefitting both restroom sometimes hourly, depending on the facility’s size. Today, guests and facility staff. Data has the power to alleviate however, technology is playing a major role in overhauling facilities executives’ pain points by improving reliability and the way that building and facility managers manage washroom efficiency while managing and maintaining users’ seamless maintenance. experiences. | CFM&D Intelligent washroom solutions have become increasingly vital in helping building and facility managers effectively Jimy Baynum, director of market development, North America for manage washroom upkeep. Some of these solutions use sensor- Essity Professional Hygiene Business. equipped dispensers to collect and transmit data around the 30 CFM&D | Part of the REMI network | www.REMInetwork.com
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a quiet harbor Bring people together in a place where ideas, insight and inspiration can be shared. River supports an endless array of curvilinear and rectilinear configurations with three back heights and benches. Seating and tables can be specified with power and USB outlets for mobile devices. An optional HT RIVER SEATING.
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