OCTOBER 2021
ROBOTS
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SMARTER CARE
CARBON CONSCIOUS
FLOORING
CORTELLUCCI VAUGHAN HOSPITAL IS REDEFINING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
WILL BUILDINGS SURVIVE CLIMATE CHANGE? PA R T O F T H E
RESILIENCE SPOTLIGHTS NEW FRAMEWORK IN B.C.
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PHOTO BY TOM ARBAN
[ contents ]
20 ON THE COVER: The Vic De Zen Family Welcome Centre at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. The facility opened exclusively to COVID-19 patients in February and is now operating as a full-service hospital as of June 2021.
16 NEW RESILIENCE GUIDELINES FORTIFY HOSPITALS Climate change is the overarching theme of a new framework for designing healthcare facilities in British Columbia.
20 THROUGH THE EYES OF THE PATIENT Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in Ontario helps patients to better communicate with care teams in a thoughtfully designed layout that seamlessly blends digital innovations.
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30 WORN OUT Provincial report scrutinizes capital repair and renewal among Ontario’s civic building inventory.
34 ROBOTS FOR HIRE New considerations for a successful automatic guided vehicle system in hospitals.
36 DOWN TO EARTH The latest flooring finds got greener to help meet sustainability requirements.
columns 9 12 14 27 38
MANAGEMENT MEMO FM ERGONOMICS FM EDUCATION FM TECH LAST WORD
department 6 OBSERVATIONS 8 FOUNDATIONS
October 2021 CFM&D 5
[ observations ] A NOT-SO-DISTANT FUTURE
T
he word “pandemic” was tossed around at a conference I attended back in 2016. I distinctly remember one conversation where a couple attendees of the Canadian Association of Environmental Management event were discussing global viruses. Working within the field of infection prevention and control, the likelihood of such an event occurring in our lifetime didn’t seem far-fetched to them.To me, this not-so-distantfuture seemed far away. Five years later, here we are—adapting to what many in the industry predicted. In sync with that, this month’s cover story looks at a brand new hospital that was designed a few years ago with a global emergency in mind.The highly anticipated Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in Ontario, which fully opened in June, was purposefully built with mostly single-patient rooms and areas that make it easier for care teams to separate and isolate patients. Some of these designs incorporated teachings from the SARS outbreak in 2003. Besides pandemics, other healthcare facilities across Canada are being designed with yet another global catastrophe in mind: climate change. In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported new warnings that severe weather conditions and extreme events are going to be more frequent and intense. As this future unfolds, we also take a look at the new climate resilience guidelines in British Columbia.This first-of-its-kind, multi-sector collaboration is said to offer a new framework for how climate resilience is actualized through the design stages of hospitals and long-term care homes in B. C. Weather patterns will shift during the 50-year lifespan of these facilities and anticipating a site’s vulnerabilities is one of the first steps. What has emerged as a subtle theme of this, our healthcare facilities issue, is that many members of the facilities management and design industry are taking crucial issues to heart—from infection control to climate change. They are listening in—creating better strategies for whatever the future may bring. REBECCA MELNYK EDITOR, CANADIAN FACILITY MANAGEMENT & DESIGN REBECCAM@MEDIAEDGE.CA
OCTOBER 2021 Volume 36, Issue No.3
EDITOR: Rebecca Melnyk rebeccam@mediaedge.ca SENIOR DESIGNER: Annette Carlucci annettec@mediaedge.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Thuy Huynh roxyh@mediaedge.ca WEB DESIGNER: Rick Evangelista ricke@mediaedge.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER: Rachel Selbie rachels@mediaedge.ca CONTRIBUTORS: Paul Amendola, Megan Angus, Marcia O’Connor, Adrian Miller, Robyn Munro, Brendan Murphy, Alexandra Stinson CIRCULATION: Rob Osiecki circulation@mediaedge.ca (416) 512-8186 ext. 234 PRESIDENT: Kevin Brown kevinb@mediaedge.ca GROUP PUBLISHER: Sean Foley seanf@mediaedge.ca DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA: Steven Chester stevenc@mediaedge.ca
Canadian Facility Management & Design (CFM&D) magazine is published five times a year by MediaEdge Communications Inc., 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500 | Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 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 2021 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement no. 40063056 ISSN 1193-7505 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: MediaEdge Communications Inc., 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8
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HVAC MAINTENANCE:
KEEPING TENANTS SAFE & COMFORTABLE It’s critical to execute on your building’s mechanical system’s upgrade before the next heating season to make sure you’re providing tenants with fresh, filtered air and a reliable supply of hot water before it’s too late. No doubt, it takes time to plan, order, and install commercial equipment, particularly in light of the current supply chain constraints, and planning replacements in advance of a breakdown will help you manage those risks while ensuring occupants have a safe and reliable heating system in the midst of a global pandemic. “The last thing property stakeholders want to do is wait until it gets cold to turn on your heater and find out it’s not working,” notes Scott Beneteau, General Manager of Commercial Services at Enercare. “Not only do you risk running against tenant guidelines for providing heat if nothing is working come September, but you could also find yourself vying for a repair appointment time, among other properties.” By waiting until heating season, he adds, property managers and landlords will need to work swiftly to complete projects to keep the systems safe and reliable throughout the winter season.
A proactive partnership There are many reasons why it’s critical to stay one step ahead of HVAC repairs and replacements. At the same time, there are reasons why property management teams may lack the time, manpower, or expertise to do so effectively. Delegating HVAC maintenance to a trusted and experienced HVAC maintenance partner can help avoid costly and constant system repairs. This is the thinking behind Enercare’s preventative maintenance program. After working with clients to select a maintenance program that fits, Enercare’s fully-licensed technicians carry out a broad range of inspections and services throughout the year to ensure virtually all heating, cooling, and other HVAC components are operating at peak condition. What’s more, the program grants property teams access to Enercare’s 24/7 Support Centre to handle more timely concerns and emergencies.
In a recent article from The New York Times, over 500 epidemiologists and infectious disease experts suggested that more than 70% of those surveyed had someone in their household who was at high risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. This further highlights the need to provide occupants with clean, reliable fresh air. For more information, please visit: enercare.ca/commercial commercialservices@enercare.ca | 1 855-321-1508
[ foundations ] WORKPLACE HEALTH AND WELLBEING BY THE NUMBERS
TRESPASS CONTROLS FOR ALBERTA HOSPITALS
Jones Lang LaSalle recently released findings from a global survey of office workers across 10 countries to assess their state of mind during the pandemic and identify expectations for workplace health and wellbeing in the months ahead. Here are some stats from the Regenerative Workplace report:
Attempts to thwart access to or destabilize the operations of Alberta hospitals could be met with fines of $10,000 to $25,000 once a promised new regulation under the provincial Critical Infrastructure Defence Act is enacted. The Alberta government has announced that hospitals and other health facilities will be added to the designated list of public and privately owned venues identified for rigorous controls against trespassing.
36%
The share of respondents who are able to maintain strong working and personal interactions with colleagues at a distance.
75%
The number of workers who expect to feel protected at work when expressing their mental health difficulties or concerns.
75%
The share of respondents who say they are struggling to find the time or energy to incorporate physical health into their weekly routine.
68%
37%
The share of employees who felt supported by their employer throughout the pandemic.
The number of workers who believe that the time and effort they put into their company in the past 18 months has not been sufficiently recognized or rewarded.
The move responds to a series of unruly gatherings that dissenters opposed to COVID-19 vaccination have staged at health care campuses throughout the province. The enabling legislation, which came into force in June 2020, includes flexibility for the government to add other types of critical infrastructure, as deemed necessary. Once the new regulation is in place, it will be an offence to willfully obstruct, interrupt or interfere with the use, operation, construction or maintenance of a health care facility. Those convicted of doing so will be subject to fines of up to $10,000 for a first offence and fines of up to $25,000 or up to six months in prison for subsequent offences. Corporations found to be giving support or direction to trespassers face fines of up to $200,000.
VANCOUVER OFFICE RENAMED AFTER INDUSTRY LEGEND The historic MacMillan Bloedel office tower in downtown Vancouver is being renamed to Arthur Erickson Place after its renowned architect, Arthur Erickson. Erickson and Geoffrey Massey created the unique Modernist design of 1075 West Georgia for forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel during a corporate building boom in the 1960s. “It is rare for an architect to be honoured in this way, and I know that Arthur would be very proud to have the building carry his name, as it encapsulates all he strove to achieve architecturally,” said Christopher Erickson of his uncle. The tower was the tallest in Vancouver at 27 storeys when it was completed in 1968. It became a multi-award-winning national heritage landmark due to its construction technique of cast-in-place concrete, striking esthetics of tapered walls and deeply recessed windows. Erickson and his bold design were featured in Time magazine in the 1960s and the building won the esteemed 1970 Massey Medal for Architecture, among many other awards.
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[ management memo ] BY MARCIA O’CONNOR
BOOSTING FM SKILLS—VIRTUALLY Best practices for industry educators and learners
A
fter 20-plus years of developing and deliver ing postsecondary facility management courses, a rapid transition to remote learning gave me the opportunity to move all related courses to a fully online platform. This new reality of virtual education brought various lessons learned—for students, instructors and guest speakers. Looking ahead, virtual training is expected to figure predominantly into the next normal of professional education; it’s a convenient way to learn and brings greater access to quality professional development. To maximize the virtual training experience, both as a learner and educator, here are some best practices gleaned from my experience thus far. TO BEGIN
• Expect the unexpected in classroom delivery. Use lecture format and/or a blend. • Accept the uncertainty about who is present in the room. • Be prepared to miss the “live” aspect during the class session. • Know that there will be limited or no facial reaction to content. • Many learners will be unfamiliar with the technology platform. • Some will have internet connectivity issues. • Dedicate space and time for scheduled classes. Balance home, family and class time. Avoid home distractions; e.g. children, noise, pets, etc.
Interaction and engagement with the entire class was a critical success factor in keeping the learners engaged and attentive. Networking with peers, sharing experiences and support was also an important part of the learning journey. EDUCATOR PERSPECTIVE
Even for a seasoned educator, facilitating, presenting and teaching online was an adjustment.To assess the attention span and expectations of learners was a challenge without the visual body language and facial expressions, which normally help guide energy and enthusiasm and help determine if learners are grasping the information that is presented. Teaching online takes a highly personalized approach to connect and interact with learners. In my experience, we gelled quickly and supported one another during the pandemic. FMs are an island of their own. Sharing their experiences was very important for the learners to feel comfortable to open up and realize they weren’t alone. Every individual’s experience was similar during the pandemic and we supported each other professionally. If you have an opportunity to lead a virtual training session, here are some tips and methods:
• If you are teaching from home, find a dedicated space that minimizes any home disruptions. • Turn off any excess internet connections to minimize connectivity issues. • Use your hands, speak with some movement and be visual in how you engage and speak to the camera. • Keep your camera on and smile. It is important for the learners to connect with you, see you easily and distinguish you from the others. • Encourage student participation. Include comments and opinions in the chat room. Encourage the raising of hands or generate break-out rooms to give learners time to network with their peers. • Vary your voice and look directly into the camera when you speak. Move closer and away from the camera at different points. • Make the presentation visually enjoyable with large fonts, graphs and colour. • Offer stretch or screen breaks. Maximize the learning experience for all. Help your learners to boost their skills and knowledge and expand their virtual learning experience. | CFM&D
LEARNER PERSPECTIVE
It was a tough transition for learners seeking professional development in the virtual world who prefer the ‘live’ or face-to-face learning environment. For many, it was a new experience.
Marcia O’Connor is president of AM FM Consulting Group. She is also lead consultant and instructor for the University of Toronto’s facilities management courses, including the FM Certification Program and many others.
October 2021 CFM&D 9
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THE EVOLUTION OF THE BUILDING DIRECTORY Scot Martin, CEO youRhere There’s an iconic line in automobile advertising that states, “This is not your Father’s Oldsmobile.” It’s a classic slogan that dates back to a series of commercials in the 1980s, which urged people to reconsider what the Oldsmobile brand meant to them by taking a fresh look at how much the model had changed from the previous generation. It's a compelling message, and one that can be applied to another fastevolving (although admittedly less 'sexy') product: digital building directories. Coincidently, around the same time as those Oldsmobile car advertisements were running, the first commercially available touchscreens were beginning to hit the market. Over the next decade, a few brave early adopters started installing directories using touch technology in their buildings. And just as the cars of the 1980s bear little resemblance to the cars of today, those early directories bear little resemblance to today’s models in either form or function. That, however, is where the automobile analogy stops. While no one today would mistake a 1980’s car for a current model, we still struggle to convince a surprisingly large number of people that the directories of today can do so much more than direct visitors to the correct floor. Let me explain. True, like other products with screens (e.g., televisions, computer monitors, etc.), there are some obvious trends in directories from a physical standpoint, with size being the most common. When these first touchscreens entered the market some 20 years ago, screen sizes ranged between 15" and 22" (like televisions, measured diagonally), and this evolved only very slowly. Even
THEN
NOW
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eight to ten years ago, screen sizes had increased only modestly, with 32” perhaps the most common size for “larger format” touchscreens that found their way into shopping malls and other larger venues. Today, that has all changed. 42” – 55” screens are now the most commonly installed sizes and 70” and larger screens are popping up with increasing frequency at much more reasonable price points than even two or three years ago. Touch technologies have also continued to evolve, with touch films being applied to regular, glass fronted monitors to compete with touchscreens which, in turn, have continued to employ increasingly sophisticated (but reliable) technologies. At the same time, those touchscreens are now some 40%+ thinner than those of five
years ago. Picture sharpness is yet a n ot h e r a tt r i b u t e t h a t ’s s e e n significant evolution, with HD being replaced by UHD and 4K resolution, and 8K is on the way. That said, software features and functionality are among the biggest changes we see occurring in digital directories. Over the past decade, digital directories have moved from a place to locate tenants to interactive digital information hubs for the building. Now, the opportunity to provide relevant information to visitors as they enter the building is almost endless. For example, the features we at youRhere now routinely deploy on our building directories would include: • Building amenities such as washrooms, food and beverage options, entrances to underground parking;
• Live local traffic information showing the arrival time of the next bus or train; • Links to third-party data feeds showing news, weather, sports or entertainment; • A neighborhood map showing local restaurants or tourist attractions; • Inter-building connectivity if the building is part of a complex or connected to other properties via underground or elevated walkways or paths; • Accessibility features, and not just for the mobility impaired but also for the visually impaired through the incorporation of headphone jacks and special keyboards; and • Additional languages to ser ve populations whose first language is not English. Finally, while a great deal of the focus of directory information is naturally directed toward building visitors, tenants and employees of the building can also benefit from the information displayed on the directories. Along with a number of the features mentioned above (e.g., transit information, news feeds, sports updates, etc.) we at yourHere have found that sustainability information reflecting efforts by building tenants and management alike to reduce e n e rg y co n s u m pt i o n o r wa ste production generates significant interest and pride among those who work at the property. Similarly, building announcements such as welcoming a new tenant or information about building initiatives (e.g., tenant appreciation events, blood donor clinics, holiday toy or food drives, Earth Day promotions, etc.) foster a sense of community among those who call the building home for a good portion of their day. All told, today’s Digital Information Hub is not your Father’s (or Mother’s) Building Directory indeed.
Scot Martin is CEO of youRhere, a leading provider of interactive digital signage solutions for commercial, retail, healthcare, and educational properties across Canada. For more information, visit www.youRhere.ca.
October 2021 CFM&D 11
[ fm ergonomics ] BY ALEXANDRA STINSON
VIRTUAL SERVICES ARE HERE TO STAY For some, the workplace today looks very different from that of a year ago. A variety of work and work-from-home models have brought new challenges for managing staff, including new ergonomics and health and safety hurdles that organizations must overcome so their workforce continues on the job safely.
Those who have not yet experienced a virtual ergonomic training or assessment may have some questions that can be easily answered. WHAT KINDS OF ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT SERVICES CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY?
O
ne solution is virtual assessment and training services. As cor porations adjusted to new employment strategies, so too did the consulting sector, converting many of its in-house services to online and/or
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virtual platforms. This transition has allowed consultants and employers to start the process of re-evaluating how we engage, train and provide various services to our in-house, at-home and mobile staff, ensuring the ergonomic needs of employees are being met wherever they may be.
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Those services specific to the employee experience, workstation set-up, training and job coaching, and cognitive demands assessments are fair game. Our most common virtual assessment is the office ergonomic assessment.Whether in office, at home or on the road, the virtual office assessment can ensure workers are set up in accordance with ergonomic guidelines.To ensure a full and comprehensive assessment, staff are asked to complete a detailed questionnaire prior to the assessment, giving the ergonomist key data (e. g. pictures, measurements) that will allow them to assist in achieving an ergonomic set-up. The recommendations that result from this assessment (if applicable) can span a broad spectrum. For staff working from home short-term it may include immediate workstation adjustments, implementation of household items (e. g. towel, books) to improve set-up or involve more specialized equipment from the office to be used until they return. All this is achieved through a video-conference call. Another ergonomic assessment that aligns well with a virtual model is a cognitive demands assessment. A cognitive demands assessment is a document that will assist with claims made under work-related mental stress, for the early and safe return to work.This is similar to how a physical demands assessment aids in physical injury claims. As this assessment is primarily interview-based, it has
been easily transitioned to a virtual service, and this is an excellent opportunity to ensure that workplaces experiencing mental health claims have the documentation required so an employee is able to return to work safely and within their cognitive abilities. WHAT TRAINING STRATEGIES CAN BE USED FOR WORKERS?
At-home workers now spend considerably more time at their computers than when they were working in-house. With conference calls, online meetings, emails and reports anchoring them to their computer workstations, ensuring that staff are properly set-up becomes not only a socially responsible decision, but a legislative due diligence and can make an impact on overall claim costs. Thus, home office ergonomic training initiatives should be considered for all organizations that have staff working from home or on the road. Although the past year has focused on at-home office training services, with today’s technology, training initiatives have opened up opportunities for cross-country engagement and networking among employees and even various industry sectors. For example, public ergonomic training sessions for supervisors allows supervisors from many different organizations to come together to discuss their biggest challenges and how they have solved them. Such is an opportunity never offered to this level of administration before. And online breakout sessions for group work, polls and video analysis exercises can be fun. Supervisors are able to achieve many of the same learning experiences as an in-person session, but with greater networking ability to uphold the corporate health and safety objectives.
“A cognitive demands assessment is a document that will assist with claims made under work-related mental stress, for the early and safe return to work.” ergonomic risk assessments, are still best completed onsite. Jobs with multiple tasks or high mobility, such as field workers, sanitation crews and maintenance, are also unfit for a virtual model. Too many details can be overlooked without seeing and understanding the full scope of the job. To ensure efficiency, save money and receive quality and valid data, it
is important to realize when to take advantage of virtual services and when to do it old school. Whether your staff are working from home, in-house or traveling, exploring the array of virtual services available can help organizations provide innovative, necessary assessments and training to all employees—allowing their ergonomics and health and safety programs to flourish. | CFM&D
Alexandra Stinson R.Kin., CCPE is a Certified Professional Ergonomist and CoOwner of PROergonomics. With over 20 years’ experience across North America, she excels in solving diverse ergonomic challenges, lowering injury claims and developing sustainable ergonomics programs, policies and training programs. PROergonomics prides itself on a professional experience that is focused on a proactive, preventative ergonomics model that helps organizations move past a reactive claims-driven approach.
Committed to better performing buildings. Structural Engineering Structural Restoration Building Science Parking Facility Design Structural Glass Engineering Building Energy Modelling
WHAT SERVICES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED VIRTUALLY?
Not all services are well-suited to the virtual world. Services that require taking objective measurements and include information that ergonomists should be able to validate through their own measurements and observations, such as physical demands assessments and
Blusson Spinal Cord Centre | British Columbia
RJC Engineers
rjc.ca
October 2021 CFM&D 13
[ fm education ] BY ADRIAN MILLER
TAKING RISK OUT OF FUTURE WORKPLACE STRATEGY
Do we know exactly what the future of work looks like? Not really, but data can help.
A
s the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, organizations are planning their future facilities and workplace strategy. With one of the highest vaccination rates globally, Canada is closer than almost anywhere else in the world to welcoming people back to the office. However, Canadians seem reluctant to return on a full-time basis. In one recent Leger poll, 40 percent of Canadian employees who have worked from home during the pandemic said 14
they would prefer a mix of office-based days and remote days after the pandemic. A permanent shift to this type of hybrid working model would transform the purpose and function of workplaces, forcing organizations to rethink their approach to facilities management and design completely. Even so, those responsible for developing new strategies must resist the temptation to adopt new ways of working simply because everyone else is doing it. Right now, the world is awash with buzzwords, trends, and experts
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who claim they know exactly what the future workplace will look like. But the truth is nobody does because there is no precedent or data to forecast what comes next with any real accuracy. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
The workplace has become a key recruitment and retention tool in the war for talent over recent years, especially in highly competitive sectors such as technology, demonstrating the risk involved in adopting a future workplace strategy that doesn’t meet employee needs. Usually, one-size-fits-all solutions are built on guesswork and assumptions, leading to expensive mistakes in the
long run.The outlay for many real estate and facilities decisions post-pandemic will be costly, whether that’s investing or divesting in property, redesigning or reconfiguring existing space, introducing new services and amenities, or installing more meeting rooms, focused work pods and video communications technology. So, the insights that inform these important real estate and facilities decisions need to be detailed, accurate and authentic. That’s where occupancy and space usage data come in. By installing sensors in the workplace, organizations can measure utilization, monitor occupancy and identify trends. They can collect data on the movements of people throughout spaces, monitor where people congregate, identify when space needs to be reset or cleaned, measure how amenities are being used, and even send notifications if space capacity is exceeded. Sensors produce real-time data that enable facilities managers to make changes to the workplace on the fly, such as reconfiguring space to support what employees need at any given moment or opening up extra workstations to the employee population. Increasingly, organizations want solutions that allow them to be agile and responsive. As workplaces become more modular, real-time occupancy data enables facilities managers to adapt quickly to events and crises. When used in combination with sophisticated analytics platforms, sensors can help FMs identify historical occupancy and usage patterns, enabling strategic forecasting and planning. By installing occupancy sensors in newly built breakout rooms or huddle space, for example, organizations could analyze their use over time and then make an informed decision on their effectiveness. SAFETY FIRST
Despite the high rates of vaccination in Canada, the virus is still a real threat. A continued limit to how many people can congregate in buildings means employers still have
“Right now, the world is awash with buzzwords, trends, and experts who claim they know exactly what the future workplace will look like.” a legal responsibility to manage occupancy and physical distancing a p p ro p r i a t e l y. M o re ove r, i t ’s impossible to ignore employees’ concer ns. In June, a survey by Canada Life found that almost half of Canadians working from home are anxious about the threat of COVID-19 as they return to the office. Real-time occupancy data can help organizations both manage the risk and allay staff fears. FMs can use sensors to identify when space has exceeded the occupancy limit and reconfigure floor plans and seating arrangements so there is enough distance between employees. Additionally, sensors can alert facilities teams to when a person vacates a workstation, allowing them to manage cleaning and preparing the space for the next user, particularly for flexible or hot-desking areas. ANONYMITY IS POWER
Nonetheless, security and privacy concerns represent one of the most significant barriers to the widespread adoption of occupancy sensors. Many organizations are reluctant to use the technology because they fear their employees will accuse them of spying. In 2016, British newspaper The Daily Telegraph was forced to withdraw occupancy monitors that it had installed under desks in its London headquarters after journalists reacted furiously to the move, describing it as “surveillance.” But these fears are rooted in misunderstandings and bad planning.
Many of the organizations that install occupancy sensors fail to do the necessary change management. To achieve buy-in, employees need to know the organization’s plans in advance. They also need to understand why the organization wants to measure occupancy and the collective and individual benefits in the long term. In addition, many people mistakenly believe that occupancy sensors identify occupants and collect personal information on their movements. With most modern workplace occupancy sensor technology, that is simply not the case. Low-resolution data is processed through the network and converted into totally anonymous information, while all raw data captures are destroyed. People are counted, not tracked. This anonymity isn’t beneficial just because it ensures privacy; it’s also crucial for capturing and analyzing accurate and authentic data that is free from bias or coercion. Employees should not be forced to work in a certain way or use a specific space to generate new data. The goal is to understand macro trends in how occupants use the workplace to inform smarter facilities management. Many organizations are using the return to the office as an opportunity to evaluate how to create environments that employees want to come to, including the design, facilities services, amenities and location. Accurate, detailed and authentic workplace data could be the difference between success and failure in the postpandemic workplace. | CFM&D
Adrian Miller oversees enterprise accounts in Canada for iOFFICE + SpaceIQ, a global provider of workplace experience and asset management software-as-aservice solutions.
October 2021 CFM&D 15
[ sustainability ] BY REBECCA MELNYK
NEW RESILIENCE GUIDELINES FORTIFY HOSPITALS
The threat of climate change is about to play a larger role in designing future healthcare facilities in British Columbia.
T
he pace of r ising temperatures and heavy-rain events is increasing awareness of how climate change could affect healthcare facility operations in British Columbia. Newly released guidelines offer a standard for approaching the planning and designing of capital projects from a resiliency perspective. The Climate Resilience Guidelines for BC Health Facility Planning
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& Design tops off a multi-sector collaboration to develop practicebased guidance for BC Health Authorities. It arises from a series of reports and a provincial climate risk assessment, all with roots in the CleanBC plan, which was tabled in 2018 to meet legislated climate targets of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Doug McLachlan, associate director of IBI Group, was on the task force that helped prepare this
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document, released in December 2020. “Prior to the guidelines, the process in deliverables may have varied depending from project to project,” he said. “There is now a framework established for how we can address climate change and look at going beyond LEED Gold or code minimum requirements on a project.” He was speaking at a seminar in May, “Planning for Climate Resilience in Healthcare Facilities,” hosted by the Canadian Centre for Healthcare Facilities. New RFPs will begin referencing these guidelines, so the discussion covered how they align with key design stages
“For patients and staff, it’s going to become increasingly more difficult if facilities are not designed for future climate conditions.”
and how climate resilience can be actualized. PRIORITIZING RESILIENCE STEP BY STEP
The guidelines include six overarching principles, from anticipating changes with climate hazards to considering co-benefits related to GHG mitigation and pandemic preparedness. Complementing a project’s four design stages, a climate risk and assessment process includes four steps: exposure screen; climate risk assessment; resilient design review; and compliance audit. For instance, an exposure screen is first used to incorporate hazards right into the budget at the masterplanning stage. This informs what hazards the site is exposed to now and in the future. From there, a funneling process refines what is most vulnerable, prioritizes high-risk impacts like the quality of patient care, and confirms what design will move forward—making sure it aligns with other goals like COVID response. Ultimately, the design should comply with any resilience objectives that were flagged for reducing climate risks. The guidelines are relatively new, so no project has implemented all four steps. But there are many ways to realize them on the ground. Lisa Westerhoff, principal at Integral Group, shared her exper ience, speaking as a member of the project team that developed the guidelines. When conducting a hazard output for a long-term care facility in B.C., her team examined various climate data sources, the site itself, and the planning context to narrow down
the scope of hazards and understand how expected changes in climate will affect them over time. “We then cross-checked that list with hazards required to be considered by LEED, so we could support the achievement of the resilient design pilot credit IPPC 98,” she said. “We were able to look at a broad range of hazards and make sure we achieved compliance with other goals as well.”
“As designers, we need to be aware because they are going to determine the ground floor elevations for access and egress out of the underground parking areas as well as determining location for equipment.” Using the best available climate data for rainfall events will help plan a hospital for a lifespan of 50-plus years, he noted.The design should look at the 2100 Intensity Duration Frequency Curves and how those affect a site — exceeding a city’s requirements for its integrated stormwater management plan. This can also impact additional mitigation strategies like permeable pavement and green roofs. A project can also increase stormwater retention and reuse that on-site for non-potable uses— something to consider early on as some aspects will affect the location of the tanks.
DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE
Maintaining indoor thermal comfort
“We need to be aware of the responsibilities of these key deliverables that will now be included on projects, such as climate risk assessment, perhaps additional concept designs early on and energy model options,” said McLachlan. He laid out some design strategies for improving facility resilience. Mitigating flooding
From a site perspective, flooding can overwhelm local stormwater drainage capacity after an extreme rainfall—an event expected to increase in severity and frequency due to climate change. “Many cities, such as Vancouver, had established minimum flood construction levels in flood-prone areas based on climate data,” he said.
Prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather, higher humidity, with increased frequency and intensity figure into a long-term climate reality. “For patients and staff, it’s going to become increasingly more difficult if facilities are not designed for future climate conditions,” McLachlan stressed. The design of the cooling plant, mechanical rooms, and HVAC systems are affected. “As a principal on recent projects, we’ve looked at infrastructure that would be impractical to retrofit in the future, such as chilled water piping, to make sure that it is sized for 2080 peak cooling conditions,” he said. “And making sure there is space in the mechanical room for chillers and pumps to be added in the future as well.” October 2021 CFM&D 17
[ sustainability ] Daylighting and views
Since deep floor plates can create internal heat gains and little natural light, avoid them where possible and incorporate interior courtyards and multi-storey atriums to bring natural light as deep into the space as possible. Doing so will help avoid using artif icial light and mechanically removing the resulting heat gain. Studies also point to a correlation between natural light access, quicker recovery, and staff wellbeing. Building a better envelope
“By building a more efficient building envelope we can reduce the electrical load and therefore GHG emissions,” he said. “This is one of those cobenefits or synergies on the project.” He highlighted the benefits of improving the thermal performance of the windows with triple glazing, such as reducing peak heating loads, GHGs and annual energy use, and better visual and thermal comfort for occupants.
Extreme heat
Robert Bradley, director of energy and environmental sustainability, atVancouver Coastal Health, and another project team member, deciphered between climate shock (extreme events like a heatwave) and climate stressors (prolonged events like a drought or increasing temperatures). Gordon McDonald, principal and director of engineering for Integral Group, and another project team member, urged more passive design solutions, rather than cutting-edge technologies. As he said, “I do believe for a building to be resilient, it needs to be simple.”
To build resilience to warmer summers and longer periods of hot weather, passive design solutions can include building orientation, exterior shading and maximizing windowto-wall glazing ratios. Orientating a building from east-west, rather than north-south removes problematic solar control on the west facade, which leads to large cooling loads. Solar shades above windows are efficient for high sun angles, while planting deciduous trees provides shade in summer and allows sun penetration in the winter. Glazing can also control solar heat gain.As it brightens outside, photovoltaic glass can limit the amount of solar heat coming into a building. As it grows cloudier, it can lighten to allow solar heat gain inside and improve daylighting. Maximizing window-to-wall glazing ratios is also key. While reducing cooling loads buildings must also remain resilient in 2050 and even 2080 when temperatures are no longer at their current levels.
to public release — synthesizes findings from a range of scientific disciplines and draws on ongoing advancements in global and regional climate simulation to track the evolving momentum of climate change. It outlines expected impacts of 1.5-degree and 2-degree increases in the global mean temperature and details the weather-related forces most likely to be in play in regions and topographies worldwide. Cities are identified as the hotspots of climate change where built form, human activity and sparse vegetation combine to engender urban heat islands. Urban dwellers are expected to suffer amplified daytime temperatures
and enjoy a lesser degree of nighttime cooling. They could be exposed to higher levels of air pollution due to heatrelated increases in ground-level ozone, and flash flooding is likely to be more problematic as impermeable surfaces channel cascading water to lower-lying catchments. Although these trends are already well established, scientists now have “high confidence” they will worsen. The scientific team seeks to bolster commitment for an aggressive response. Following this study of the physical science basis for climate change, the pending two reports in the series focus on adaptation and mitigation.
ANTICIPATING CLIMATE STRESSORS
A BLEAK PROGNOSIS
Canadian regions will experience climate change fallout differently, but a global consortium of scientists is warning residents everywhere that severe conditions and extreme events are going to be more frequent and intense. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s newly delivered compendium of physical science factors and their projected outcomes is the first installment of a three-part assessment report planned for release before the end of 2022. The report — which is the product of 234 researchers based in 66 countries and was subject to more than 78,000 expert and government review comments prior
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“I do believe for a building to be resilient, it needs to be simple.”
As McDonald said, there are weather files now available that designers can refer to when calculating how many chillers will be needed in the future. To avoid redundancy and the replacement of broken equipment, the idea is to install them when the time is right, making sure there is ample space in a mechanical room, enough electrical capacity and that chilled water piping is sized for the future to avoid costly and disruptive retrofits.
TARGETED HYGIENE PROGRAM For Workplaces and Public Facilities
Air quality
Design solutions to protect against forest fires and airborne viruses include vestibules on all main entrances and tighter envelopes to hinder air infiltration, thus reducing outdoor contaminates. There should also be space allocated for the installation of future filters, intake louvers on different facades and increased humidity levels of 40 to 60 per cent, as viruses spread more easily in lower humidity ranges. The minimum CSA range stands at 30 per cent. Low-carbon resilience
Lowering the energy associated with buildings comes down to passive design methods like massing, orientation and solar shading, and building better envelopes, roofs and windows, which also reduce carbon emissions. “On the west coast, we’ve seen Passive House get some traction recently, not necessarily in healthcare, but residential, institutional and commercial, said McDonald. “What this is doing is driving down those energy targets, so we’re using less energy inside the building.” Since healthcare facilities move a lot of air throughout the building, a portion of which is outdoor air, the idea is to ensure the energy associated with heating and cooling is minimized.This translates to heat recovery ventilation, energy recovery ventilation, thermal wheels, or active heat recovery, which involves taking energy from the air, sending it through heat pump technology and using that to preheat domestic hot water or heat or cool a building. In B.C., where electricity is hydrogenated, McDonald is seeing a trend where more buildings are choosing heat pump-driven technologies to achieve low emissions. “The move is to green the grid,” he said. “And if we could move to a more electric building solution that would make us more resilient in the long term.” | CFM&D The Canadian Centre for Healthcare Facilities mission is to improve healthcare environments for better care. For more information, contact ritamezei@cchf.net and visit
scjp.com
www.cchf.net.
October 2021 CFM&D 19
FACILITY DESIGN
THROUGH THE EYES OF THE PATIENT At the newly opened Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital: pre-pandemic designs, a stress-free layout, and novel technology that’s changing how patients communicate with care teams. BY REBECCA MELNYK
October 2021 CFM&D 21
FACILITY DESIGN
H
ospitals often feel intimidating for patients. Deep floor plates let little sunshine through to the maze-like corridors. Medical devices can make rooms appear cold and sterile, reminding us of our own mortality. But through the doors of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the first hospital to ever rise in Vaughan, Ontario, life’s health challenges are met with comfort, safety and lots of natural light. The notion of what a hospital should be has evolved greatly over the years, where patient stress now figures highly into early
planning. Such was the case as Stantec began designing this facility—Mackenzie Health’s second full-service hospital. A mix of inpatient medicalsurgical units on top of a diagnostic and treatment podium includes the Magna Emergency department, and core and specialized services, such as a mental health program and the Sorbara Integrated Stroke Unit. The majority of the 350 beds are single, private, with capacity to expand to 500 beds. A more recent addition is the 4,000-square-foot library that hosts all-age events. The five-year, $1.7 billion project, of which the Ontario government doled
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out $1.3 billion, was designed through the eyes of the patient. As architect George Bitsakakis, senior principal at Stantec, notes, much consideration was given to how patients move through the facility and how they are transferred through separate corridors. “Patients are in a very vulnerable state,” he says. “We wanted to make sure they get the dignity and privacy they need so they’re not exposed.” As users navigate the 1,200,000-squarefoot building, light and transparency guide them though, right from the main entrance. The feeling of being lost is an anxiety-causing situation, but there
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Clockwise from left: in a single-patient room, large windows bring views of rollar coasters at Canada’s Wonderland; the cascading garden is located at the underground link, which connects the parking garage and hospital. The earth was scooped out to bring light down and make the connection more pleasant. Photos by Tom Arban.
is a sense of control perceivable in this environment. As Bitsakakis says, “that natural light is both obvious and intuitive. If you walk in and always have the light coming from one direction, your body always adjusts and orients itself.” Courtyards carved into the building bring light and outdoor landscaping down to areas that are typically dark and convoluted. A cascading garden, descending 50 feet down, is visible through a glass-enclosed walkway that leads from the parking garage to the hospital, and to a series of courtyards and a cafeteria. Prominently situated 11-storeys up, at Major Mackenzie Drive and Highway
400, glimpses of roller coasters from Canada’s Wonderland appear through its glass facades. As one moves up the tower by elevator, this view is what they see with each stop. As Bitsakakis says, “it’s still a big hospital, but it feels like you know where you are, at all times.” Patient care also plays out in the way rooms were designed. Upon entering, sliding wood panels seamlessly conceal “intimidating” medical equipment and declutter the area. Natural light streaming from f loor-to-ceiling windows in the critical care rooms helps patients heal and recover, as movable technologies allow care teams to rotate beds to outdoor views.
Outside, walking trails loop around the facility for patients and staff to reflect and heal. They also extend to the single-family residential neighbourhood that lies directly behind the hospital to the north, one element that made for a complicated site. “It was quite a challenge,” says Bitsakakis. “With the housing behind it, we wanted to make sure we gave something back, that we were a good neighbour and gave them an amenity they didn’t have.” Two local requirements for the completed design were to take extra care of the parking garage and facility plant, located directly near the neighbourhood. October 2021 CFM&D 23
FACILITY DESIGN
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Clockwise from left: Magna Emergency department; an operating room. Photos by Tom Arban.
The central utility plant was built with the same materials used for the hospital, with custom perforated screens that are bent to capture the light and large walls of glass that bring educational views to the public. “People can walk around it and get a sense of what it takes to power up a hospital—it’s not a small thing,” says Bitsakakis. “Most people have never seen equipment like this.” Vegetated bioswales sprout through the large asphalt sheet of the parking lot as a way to capture, treat and infiltrate stormwater runoff and replenish it back into the water table. Nature also presents itself in the green roofs that top every building where, over time, planting will grow to hide the mechanical equipment.
SMARTER CARE
As the first smart hospital in Canada, technology factors into patient comfort and is subtly woven into care teams’ daily workflows. As Mackenzie Health says, smart technology ultimately becomes a digital member of the care team, offering a crystal ball into a patient’s health care journey. Patients are given more control to help manage their own care. They can select meals, control room settings, and access their medical data from their bedside tablet. The idea is that information systems communicate with each other to anticipate the needs of patients and health care workers. Many of these smart features were first tested and piloted at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.
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Some include a real-time locating system, which involves tagging patient wristbands, health care workers’ ID badges and hospital devices with realtime locating tags, for staff to quickly track down colleagues and necessary equipment. Inside the rooms, sensors on staff ID badges alert them to patient statistics, which are immediately displayed on a bedside tablet and TV screen. The system integrates with the hospital’s security system, as well. Electronic tags are given to patients at risk of wandering or for keeping new mothers and their babies connected. “We are also making sure patient confidentiality is maintained, but it is an integrated information system that crucial staff have access to and patients
can control to some extent,” adds Bitsakakis. Outside the patient rooms, tablets display crucial data, such as patient allergies or if an interpreter is needed. Inside, smart beds instantly monitor patients through an application, which integrates into other hospital applications like electronic medical records. Smart beds can weigh patients, for instance, to determine medication doses. They also send an alert to care workers’ mobile devices if a patient, at risk of falling, attempts to get out of bed. A smartphone app prioritizes information among staff, such as code alerts, patient status and clinician availability. Patients in medical distress, or in need of washroom assistance, can directly
“The needs and operations of hospitals do evolve, and if there’s no flexibility, they get stuck.” connect to their care teams’ mobile devices through a sophisticated nurse call system. More recently, the hospital became the first in Canada to roll out a digital pathology platform for speedier diagnostics. Prior to this, physical samples were couriered to outside experts if a consultation was required. Mackenzie Health says connecting digitally in this way allows its team to pull up a sample on a screen and have a team of experts view it within hours.
A PANDEMIC PLAN
Infection control also figures into smart technology offerings. Real-time locating sensors in hand sanitizers at the entrance and inside of patient rooms oversee hand hygiene compliance. Features like this bode well with a pandemic. In fact, the hospital was designed with such a global emergency in mind, so when COVID-19 unraveled across the country last year, the hospital focused exclusively on creating more space for critical and acute care patients October 2021 CFM&D 25
FACILITY DESIGN
and pushing its full public opening to June 2021. As Bitsakakis explains, getting ahead of this national emergency meant establishing two command centres: the auditorium was designed for a pandemic, with a secondary centre as a back-up. Units can be isolated with vestibules to activate when a pandemic hits. “This was already built in, and that has to be the way of the future for hospitals designed now,” he says. “A lot of us had gone through SARS, so COVID isn’t the first time we’ve been exposed to this.” The majority of patient rooms are private, with dedicated washrooms—a key to reducing virus transmission. Inside the Magna Emergency department, every unit and pod have an airborne infection isolation room in case patients need to be treated under airborne precautions. Some entire units also convert into negative pressure areas with separate HVAC systems that direct air outside through HEPA filtration. Care teams can subsequently separate and isolate patients by closing off a whole area. WITH CHANGE IN MIND
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The main entrance courtyard is one of many that bring natural light and outdoor landscapes into the building. Photo by Tom Arban.
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Hospitals are in an ongoing metamorphosis. Imagining them as such will carry healthcare into a new era, one that thrives on change. As Bitsakakis says, “we do a lot of renovations in hospitals and what we’ve found is a lot of them have not anticipated change, so we designed a lot of flexibility into this.” At Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, a room could shift for postpartum or physical isolation—but at the heart is the same module and not so specific. The whole facility was located and designed to expand on site, in case a larger wing is needed. Many hospitals, notes Bitsakakis, end up with no land and must regenerate outside of town or purchase expensive properties nearby. “The needs and operations of hospitals do evolve, and if there’s no flexibility, they get stuck,” he says. “The idea of flexibility, adaptability, of regeneration, expansion and design for outbreaks—those are the themes that should now be considered for all facilities.” | CFM&D
[ fm tech ] BY PAUL AMENDOLA
GETTING DIGITAL WITH FIRE SAFETY
F
or the purposes of inspection, fire protection is divided into two categor ies: fire equipment and fire emergency systems. Fire equipment refers to tools like extinguishers that are on-hand for building occupants and emergency response personnel in the event of a fire. Fire emergency systems are built-in lines of defence, which are designed and engineered to prevent a fire from spreading, and to alert occupants and enable timely evacuation. A Fire Watch program is imperative to protecting the facility and limiting liability. Developing and implementing effective procedures to ensure compliance and emergency preparedness will help building/facility managers oversee the many different elements of fire protection. Obstructions marring sightlines to fire extinguishers and hoses are one of the most common non-compliance issues related to fire equipment. Fire extinguishers can be overlooked altogether dur ing inspections, particularly if inspectors do not have an inventory to refer to as they make their rounds. Fire emergency systems typically draw close scrutiny during inspections due to the often complicated rules governing how these systems should function and be maintained. Larger buildings, particularly high-rises, will typically have many critical systems, which must be able to perform as expected and often in tandem with each other. Fire inspectors are tasked with ensur ing: that firefighters can control and operate elevators with a
keyed switch; that egress routes and ventilation are unobstructed; and that alarm systems and emergency power are operational.They’ll likely pay close attention to areas and/or systems with a high rate of non-compliance such as fire doors and sprinkler valves. Fire-rated doors are integral to providing passive fire protection, containing and compartmentalizing a fire and safeguarding the path of egress for occupants.The door, frame, hinges, hardware, glazing, glass kit and glass beads must all be intact, secured and in good working order with no missing parts. Signage must be present and affixed securely, labels must be clearly visible and easy to read and the doors must be unobstructed. Inspectors will check sprinkler valves for signs of physical damage or leaks, and will need to ensure that the water pressure is sufficient to extinguish a fire. Building staff need to be particularly vigilant when there is construction work in progress because sprinkler valves may be shut off to enable the work. In that case, extra checks must be performed to maintain safeguards especially if hot work is occurring in the facility. Digital tracking and coordination of fire protection can streamline logbooks into a more manageable platform and leverage technology to help meet and stay current with regulator y requirements. That includes near-field communication to ensure that each piece of equipment is visited (reducing false reporting) and system integrations can provide
alerts of near-due, overdue and deficient inspection items is an easy way to help ensure compliance. With fire equipment, for example, a digital solution can help keep track of the inspection status for each fire hose cabinet (FHC), including remaining inspections, and take the place of inspection paperwork. Building/facility management teams are informed through automated email notifications with daily, weekly and/or monthly summaries outlining if any FHCs were missed or have deficiencies. Digital solutions also streamline inspectors’ tasks. The dig ital application can alert them about required follow-up inspections. It also allows them to include photos and notes, look up manufacturing information, upcoming service dates, and instructions and information specific to the equipment they’re inspecting. The same possibilities apply for fire doors, sprinkler valves and other fire emergency system inspections. Dynamic questions, fields and instructions can be customized according to individual components and inspection needs for each item. Digitized inspection documents produce building/facility data in an exportable and packaged format that is secure, easily accessible and meets code retention requirements. Inspection data can be collected to generate analytics to forecast future inspection needs and associated costs, and review team performance. | CFM&D
Paul Amendola is Chief Executive Officer of Tap Report, a Toronto-based firm that specializes in creating safer workplaces through software.
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SPONSORED CONTENT
MOVING AHEAD
AT MJW It’s time to look forward at the MJW Team (divisions of Metro Jet Wash Corporation). After one of the most disruptive years on record, the waste equipment cleaning specialist is eager to enter 2022 with fresh insights and renewed optimism. “The facility and property management community hasn’t had it easy over the last year and a half,” says Linda Passarelli, Office Manager with the MJW Team. “We all had to adapt in some way or another, and now the most important thing is how we’re moving ahead.” For Passarelli and the team at MJW, one of the biggest takeaways
from the global pandemic has been the need to double down on workplace health and safety. “We’ve always had very strict rules when it came to cleaning, wearing personal protective equipment, and following hygiene protocols on-site because our jobs take us to some of the dirtiest places in buildings and facilities,” she notes. “That being said, the pandemic reinforced how important those measures were to keeping everyone safe, including the clients and building occupants we encounter every day.” Certainly, adds Brian De Carli, Vice President with MJW, “The MJW Team has always been very strict and has
always strongly enforced health and safety measures prior. We’re definitely evolving more and more each day as a company and not stopping now.” ADAPTING TO CLIENTS Health and safety considerations have become a chief focus for facility management teams. As a result, MJW has seen a surge in demand for its power washing and cleaning services, be it for compactors, chutes, drains, catch basins, or underground garages and parking lots. Moreover, says MJW Team Division Lead Andrew De Bartolo, clients are requesting more extensive and frequent cleanings in order to stay ahead of health risks: “More and more, we’re being asked to go in there and we’re disinfecting chute doors and flaps on every floor just to give occupants that extra level of protection.” As Metro Jet Vac Division Lead Cassandra Mammoliti notes, “When things are visibly clean, it makes everybody feel that the environment is safer and more comfortable to live in. It also gives facility managers (FMs) that extra peace of mind, so it’s a win for all.” For added peace of mind, MJW has rolled out several promotions and campaigns aimed at helping facility management teams tackle their enhanced hygiene obligations. Today, the corporation offers yearly cleaning and maintenance packages, cleaning bundles, and discount offers for new and current customers to make its cleaning services as worry-free and cost-effective for its clients. “FMs have got enough to deal with. There’s so much on their plates managing these buildings, so if we could somehow cut a good portion
SPONSORED CONTENT
of that and take care of it and then make life easy for them, then that’s our goal,” says De Carli. HYBRID COMMUNICATIONS Face-to-face customers interactions aren’t over, but business communications aren’t likely to return to “normal” any time soon. With many property teams still split between on-site and remote offices, service providers like MJW have adapted to a more “hybrid” approach to customer contact. “Before the pandemic, we were mostly communicating with property managers in person. Now, though, a lot of those people are working digitally, so we’ve also started doing things a lot more digitally or over the phone while trying to keep that personal touch wherever possible,” says De Bartolo. Nevertheless, there is a sense that
the work-from-home life is growing thin among facility managers and their staff who have spent a bulk of their time offsite in 2021 and are anxious to get back into action. “A lot of people want to get back into the office or have done so already, so we’re working with a mix of digital and in-person communications,” he adds. “The priority on our end is to recognize how our customers prefer to interact and make it as easy as possible for them to do so.” BUILDING MOMENTUM 2020 and 2021 have kept the MJW Team on its toes. That’s to be expected for a team that specializes in keeping people’s homes, offices, and working spaces clean. And while the job has been far from easy, Mammoliti says it helps to have a solid crew: “We’re lucky in that we have an amazing team that communicates well and
has remained positive throughout this whole crisis. So, while it has been one of our busiest years, we’ve been able to pull together and be there for our clients.” As for what comes next, De Bartolo adds, “We’re continually looking forward and asking ourselves how we can better serve our customers? How can we make the job easier for a facility manager? Like a lot of companies out there, it’s all about evolving and continually learning how we can be better.” Adds Passarelli: “We’re excited for what’s ahead.” Learn more about The MJW Team (divisions of Metro Jet Wash Corporation) at www. mjwcanada.ca or contact the team directly at 416-741-3999 or toll free at 1-844-669-3999.
[ operations & maintenance ]
WORN OUT Ontario’s civic building inventory has fallen the farthest behind on capital repair and renewal among seven categories of municipal infrastructure assets scrutinized in a report from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO).
T
he analysis, which is part of the FAO’s efforts to identify vulnerabilities to climate change hazards, concludes that about 55 per cent of total municipal infrastructure is in a state of good repair, but fewer than 42 per cent of the assets in the “other buildings and facilities” category merit that rating. That encompasses a varied roster of social housing, government administrative buildings, cultural/recreational/sports venues and solid waste handling facilities, with a current replacement value (CRV) pegged at nearly $75 billion. These assets represent about 15 per cent of the total value of locally held infrastructure throughout the province. Additionally, many large buildings such as transit terminals, water and wastewater treatment plants are itemized in other infrastructure asset categories. The FAO estimates the current replacement value of all of
Ontario’s municipal infrastructure at approximately $484 billion. Roads represent the largest share at that tally, at $130 billion or 27 per cent of CRV, followed by wastewater infrastructure (20 per cent) and potable water infrastructure (17 per cent). Transit accounts for the smallest portion — 2 per cent — of infrastructure value. However, nearly 30 per cent or $1.8 billion worth of assets in this category are identified as “buildingtype” structures, including commuter stations, route-side shelters, garages and other maintenance/storage depots. Within the buildings/facilities category, approximately 122,770 social housing units are valued at more than $23 billion. Administrative headquarters and cultural/recreational/sports venues each carry a CRV of more than $19 billion, with the remaining assortment of buildings for justice, health, social services or solid waste management purposes estimated at $13 billion.
Reflective of broad-based municipal responsibilities, building/facility assets include 1,332 community centres, 813 libraries, 382 museums and archives, 76 galleries, 184 materials recovery facilities, 129 composting facilities and 18 anaerobic digestion facilities. Meanwhile, illustrative of the ongoing challenge to manage solid waste and resultant greenhouse gas emissions, Ontario municipalities currently own 242 dump sites, 181 active engineered landfills and 625 inactive engineered landfills and dumps, which are also tallied in this category. INCONSISTENT DATA
Province-wide, the FAO concludes there is a $52-billion backlog of required spending, based on 2020 costs for bringing assets to a state of good repair. That presumption is drawn from multiple sources: municipally supplied data and/or local asset management plans (AMPs) where available; Statistics Canada’s Canadian Core Public Infrastructure (CCPI) survey; the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs’ Financial Information Return (FIR); and the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure’s Municipal Asset Inventory. FAO researchers then derived their own scale to support more consistent
ACCOLADES FOR VANCOUVER’S LEGIONELLA PROGRAM The City of Vancouver, along with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), has received the 2021 Innovation Award for Legionella prevention from the Environmental Operators Certification Program (EOCP). The EOCP is responsible for certifying the thousands of water and wastewater operators across B.C. and the Yukon. Over the last year in Vancouver, half a dozen instances of high Legionella concentrations in building mechanical systems were detected and immediately remediated. In each instance, VCH was notified and used
this information to verify they were not linked to any lab-confirmed illness. Vancouver’s Water System Operating Permit Program helps protect the public from waterborne health risks like Legionella. These operating permits also help health authorities and city staff to rapidly identify and respond to incidents of concern. Since the program’s launch, it has gained much support from both building owners and the tourism industry with more than 1,100 systems registered. Equipment owners are required to complete regular water quality
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testing and reporting, and obtain a water systems operating permit for the following systems: cooling towers; decorative water features; rainwater harvesting and other alternative water systems; and building water treatment systems. Recognized by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network as a leader in Legionella prevention, the city has been contacted by jurisdictions across North America for guidance on responding to and preventing outbreaks.
interpretation. Notably, too, no condition data was available for more than $47 billion worth of infrastructure assets, or roughly 10 per cent of the total CRV. “There is a considerable degree of uncertainty associated with the reported condition data. In some cases, reported condition data was based on engineering site inspections, while in other cases the data may be imputed based on the asset’s age or may simply reflect the municipality’s judgement in the absence of a site inspection.Additional uncertainty comes from the standards by which condition is assessed across municipalities. For example, an asset assessed to be in ‘Good’ condition in one municipality might be assessed as ‘Fair’ based on another municipality’s framework,” the report acknowledges. “To account for this uncertainty, the FAO defined a broader boundary for the condition of each asset. For instance, an asset reported as ‘Good’ could take on a condition from ‘Very Good’ to ‘Fair’. Based on this approach, the FAO developed a range of condition estimates.” The report also reminds municipal officials that they now have less than 11 months to meet the first reporting deadline in a 2017 Provincial regulation, which mandates them to prepare publicly available asset management plans that report the condition of their current infrastructure assets, projects future needs and sets out a strategy for capital upkeep. These are to be filed by July 2022 for core assets related to water, wastewater, storm water, roads and bridges/culverts, and by July 2024 for non-core assets, which include other buildings/facilities. Generally, the FAO analysis found that potable water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure is in the best condition, with more than two-thirds of assets in the three categories classified in good state of repair. After the civic building inventory, roads are the in next worst shape on a percentage basis with more than 56 per cent considered in an inadequate state of repair. On a dollar basis, roads account for 41 per cent of the spending backlog, requiring an estimated $21.1 billion of capital investment to achieve a full state of good repair. Buildings/facilities are
REMOTE INSPECTIONS TO GET CODE CLARITY Authority for remote building inspections could be enshrined in the Ontario Building Code beginning in January 2022. A proposed amendment, currently posted on the provincial regulatory registry, would explicitly allow for alternatives to inspectors’ physical presence on a building site. As outlined in the accompanying discussion paper, some municipal building officials have asked for clarification following their experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, many scrambled to find ways to meet statutory timelines for conducting inspections while minimizing personal interactions on construction sites in keeping with public health protocols. In subsequent months, some building departments have developed their own procedures and policies for remote inspections. The proposed amendment — to
estimated to need a $9.5-billion capital injection, equating to 18 per cent of the spending backlog. BACKLOG-TO-CRV RATIO A TELLING METRIC
Roads and buildings/facilities also emerge notoriously when viewed in terms of the ratio of required repair costs to the current replacement value of the assets in the infrastructure category. The average ratio across all assets in all categories is 11.9 per cent, while the ratio is 17.2 per cent for roads and 13.5 per cent for buildings/facilities. “The backlog-to-CRV ratio indicates the relative state of disrepair of assets.The higher the share, the worse condition assets are in,” the FAO report explains. Interestingly, too, while transit and bridges/culverts contribute relatively modestly to the overall spending backlog — with 2 per cent and 8 per cent quotients respectively — their backlog-to-CRV ratios are much more pronounced at 11.3 and 11 per cent. Potable water infrastructure has the lowest backlog-to-CRV ratio at 7.3 per cent, with ratios for wastewater (8.8) and
be labelled 1.3.5.3 (3.1) in Division C of the code — states that inspectors or code agencies “may choose” to use “alternate means” to conduct inspections rather than attend the site in person. The discussion paper suggests that could include “the use of drones, photos, video, live feed (Zoom, Skype, Facetime, etc.), telephone discussions with on-site constructors or design professionals, reports from constructors or design professionals, or written statements from constructors and design professionals”. Ultimately, building officials will bear responsibility for properly conducted inspections. “Regardless of the methods chosen by building departments and inspectors regarding inspection of construction, it is key that they are satisfied that compliance with the Building Code Act, Building Code and permit has been achieved,” the discussion paper reiterates.
storm water (9.8) on the next rungs up. Regionally, the Greater Toronto Area boasts both the highest percentage of assets deemed to be in a good state of repair (62.3 per cent) and the lowest ratio of repair backlog to CRV (9 per cent). Ottawa has the most catching up to do with just 38.7 per cent of infrastructure assets considered in good repair, while the collection of counties making up the neighbouring Kingston-Pembroke region registers the highest backlog-toCRV ratio at 19.7 per cent. “Keeping assets in a state of good repair helps to maximize the benefits of public infrastructure, and ensures assets are delivering their intended services in a condition that is considered acceptable from both an engineering and a cost management perspective,” the FAO report advises. “Maintaining public infrastructure in a state of good repair is generally the most cost-effective strategy over an asset’s life cycle but is not the only consideration for asset managers with multiple budgetary priorities. However, further postponing repairs raises the risk of service disruption and increases the costs associated with municipal infrastructure over time.” | CFM&D October 2021 CFM&D 31
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BETTER MATS, LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINTS A Q&A With Executive Mat Service
ESG (Environmental, social, and corporate governance) has risen to the top of the facility management agenda. And for a good reason. Pursuing greener operations is not only the right course of action in light of climate change risks, but a proven way of saving money, attracting tenants, and futureproofing assets. This ESG pursuit can take facility owners and managers in many different directions. That includes under one’s feet. For more insights, we reached out to Jeff Grabinsky, Vice President of Development & Sustainability with Executive Mat Service (EMS). HOW IMPORTANT IS ESG FOR TODAY’S FACILITY MANAGERS? WHAT'S INCENTIVIZING THEM TO REDUCE THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS? ESG is a relatively new concept, but it's also becoming a top focus for all building stakeholders, be they investors, clients, or the building occupants themselves. As a result, facility managers (FMs) and property managers (PMs) are motivated to adapt quickly and follow suit. Because there's a growing emphasis on ESG, FMs are incentivized to choose products and services that contribute to ESG objectives and, by extension, result in happier clients and a more sustainable planet. They're also seeing the value supporting companies that are equally committed to ESG values. That aligns well with our team here at EMS, where we are pursuing our own environment and social goals, such as supporting initiatives like the Indigenous start-up ASKIY floor matting, and fostering a diverse leadership team, which include our BC Managing Principal, Rhonda Harris. WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF IGNORING ESG STRATEGIES OR FAILING TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES (GHGS)? There are reputational risks, for one. A majority of asset shareholders and clients recognize that climate change is real
and that Scope 3 embodied carbon and decarbonization are issues that need to be addressed. Because of this, they also want transparency in the way their facilities measure and monitor the carbon-reduction progress and other ESG targets, as well as advice on how to take those goals even further. HOW CAN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS MATTING AND MAT CLEANING SERVICES CONTRIBUTE TO THAT GOAL? Matting plays a significant role in reducing a facility’s carbon footprint and creating a healthier indoor environment. That’s been our philosophy from the start. For example, we produce mats made from 100% recycled products that reduce waste and offer a final product with 60% less embodied carbon than comparable, non-recycled mats on the market. We also rely on a patented mat washing system that uses far less water than traditional means. Additionally, EMS technology has been vetted and approved by the One Billion Pound Challenge while SAIT Polytechnic has validated EMS’s carbon reduction calculations methodology.
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Organic and paper waste converted to biomass bricket
EMS's biomass basil modular farm
Lastly, it’s also worth pointing out that well-maintained mats also play a critical role in managing the dust, grime, and dirt that comes through the entrance of buildings and can negatively impact indoor air quality (IAQ). When you can prevent those elements from getting into the air, everyone breathes easier. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR FACILITY MANAGERS TO VALIDATE THEIR CARBON-REDUCTION CLAIMS? The days of making unvalidated claims are over. The climate crisis is real, and it is important for facility owners to show CO2 reduction with a validated process not only for their shareholders, but to participate in critical industry initiatives like reducing Scope 3 Carbon. To that end, there are initiatives like the One Billion Pound Challenge, where all CO2 meaningful reduction technology models can get validated, that offer a great way for FMs to ensure for stakeholders the data claims are validated. INNOVATION PLAYS A LARGE PART IN "GREENING" OPERATIONS. HOW ARE YOU INNOVATING YOUR PART OF THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT/MAINTENANCE SECTOR? EMS is a specialist in facility floor matting and we are 100%
committed to tackling climate change head-on when it comes to Scope 3 embodied carbon and the War on Methane. Our 100% recycled matting is made from recycled plastic bottles, and our patented CDF wash process uses 95% less water than industry standards. Additionally, our Green thumb daily organics and paper waste recycling program for buildings have been piloted at some of largest managed facilities with great success and coverts everyday landfill waste into thermal energy. Highlighted in case studies through the BEIC. HOW DO YOU ALSO MOTIVATE CLIENTS TO GO FURTHER WITH THEIR ESG GOALS? Providing cleaner and greener environments is already an incentive for ESG. When it comes to matting, however, EMS has taken it one step further by creating an electronic coin (aka e-coin) that customers can collect and redeem for service and material discounts. "To incentive low carbon behavior, building owners and FMs receive 'Pericoins,' which we award to clients based on the number of pounds diverted or reduced through floor matting projects," explains Grabinsky, adding, "Pericoin launch has been a great success and it is the new environmentally-friendly bitcoin. It's incentivizing building owners and managers to make real and sustainable changes." FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, DO YOU SEE ATTITUDES ABOUT GHGS IMPROVING AMONG FACILITY MANAGERS? Yes, especially with the climate issues that we are all seeing first hand. There seems to be a big shift among FMs from focusing solely on price point to a more holistic procurement process that incorporates ESG criteria and building Scope 3 into their purchasing decisions.
Executive Mat Service is Canada’s only ISO14001 (Environmental) & COR Safety Certified mat rental company in Canada. For more, visit www.executivemat.com, email info@executivemat.com, or call 1-877-290-7711.
HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY BY MEGAN ANGUS AND ROBYN MUNRO
ROBOTS FOR HIRE
As health care facilities have expanded their floor plates due to a shift towards a higher ratio of single-patient rooms, they are also grappling with tight operating budgets and a high focus on infection control. Together, these factors create a challenge for hospitals to deliver materials throughout the facility in an efficient and time-sensitive manner.
A
utomated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) can help br idge this gap. AGVs are automated transport systems that autonomously navigate busy back-of-house spaces that are shared with staff, such as corridors and departments. The systems are highly sophisticated and are capable of activating and navigating automatic doors and elevators. AGVs are currently being used for a range of tasks in hospitals, including the pick-up and delivery of meals, waste, linens, supplies and medications. AGVs have become more common in
In hospitals, a large number of users from often siloed departments must interact with the system. healthcare capital projects with hospitals recognizing the value these systems can bring in terms of productivity, safety, reliability and efficiency. DESIGNING A SUCCESSFUL AGV SYSTEM
The design of an AGV system is unique to each project and is dependent on
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the hospital’s overall business objectives and operational goals. Some of these include improved supply management for clinical services, timely medication and food delivery, and efficiency in the overall supply management processes. It is critical that these goals and operational assumptions align with the AGV and
hospital design to ensure a successful system. OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
While AGVs have been in use for some time in other industries, a hospital AGV system differs from these in that its ability to consistently achieve performance parameters and throughput is heavily influenced by both the users and the technical performance of the system. In hospitals, a large number of users from often siloed departments must interact with the system. A key to a successful AGV system is fully defining the operational processes of the AGV users in concert with the AGV system design. An AGV system is heavily dependent upon the human interfaces with the system, such as users respecting the design of the AGV Cart Matrix, prompt removal of carts upon delivery within the scheduled time parameters, keeping all AGV areas free of obstacles, cart alignment, cart loading and removal timing, and having a central operator who monitors the system to proactively ensure on-time deliveries and prevent system backlog. It is also critical that the AGV and associated departmental operations, policies, procedures and staffing are reflected in the basis of the design. TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Throughput of an AGV system is also significantly influenced by the design of the system, which includes space, design of routes, the technical capability of the system, preventive maintenance, WiFi, cellular network (5G), Local Area Network, elevator capacity and integrations with the fire alarm and access control systems. AGVs require wider corridors and pathways to support their turning radius and bi-directional flow, speciallydesigned elevator lobbies that support not only the AGV navigation, but also the cart-associated workflows, specific elevator types and capacity, battery charging locations, maintenance rooms and ‘send and receive’ locations within individual departments for AGVs to pick-up and drop-off carts. The AGV
schedule and cart quantities determine their required spaces, thereby making early planning critical to the end success of the system. If designed with these considerations in mind, hospitals can realize a host of benefits including: Improved productivity. AGVs can reduce supply chain management costs and provide reliability in the transport of supplies compared to non-automated methods. Availability. AGVs can operate on a
24/7/365 basis. Advances in battery technology have significantly shortened charging times, resulting in AGV systems that can be on call throughout the day to respond to demand. Distribution can be scheduled for off-peak hours.
Reduced damage to facilities. With improved collision detection and environmental recognition, welldesigned AGV systems can almost eliminate damage to doors, walls, elevators and other structures in the hospital while also ensuring safety as they are programmed to never collide with other objects (including people). Predictability & Enhanced Traceability.
AGVs are programmed to operate to a schedule, making it easier to deliver complementary resources within the same time periods. By leveraging WiFi, sensors and radio-frequency identification (RFID) or similar, hospitals can minimize the occurrence of adverse events by facilitating the accurate identification of carts, providing real-
time location of materials, and creating a record of all cart movements throughout the facility. FACILITY CONSIDERATIONS
There are a few important distinctions between the implementation of AGVs in new builds versus existing sites. While new builds can incorporate many of the above requirements into early planning by ensuring that the programmed space requirements are captured, there are limitations to retrofitting existing hospital buildings with an AGV system due to narrow hallways, non-compliant elevators and WiFi limitations. While a detailed assessment is needed to determine the options available to existing sites, there have been promising advancements in Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs) that can help automate the transport of specific supply management services such as food, medications and supplies. AMRs do not have the same space requirements as AGVs and, therefore, can mitigate the need for renovations, making it a costeffective technology for organizations interested in automating their supply chain management processes or implementing just-in-time deliveries. With increasing digitalization and pressures on operating costs and infection control, AGV systems will play an increasingly significant role in the hospital setting. The advancement of technology both with the AGVs themselves and the broader AGV environment is rapidly progressing—making these systems flexible, practical and effective elements of a modern healthcare facility. | CFM&D
Megan Angus, is a principal at HH Angus & Associates. She leads Angus Connect, a growing multidisciplinary division that provides a full suite of technology visioning, planning and design engineering services. She is a registered nurse and an experienced management consultant, with over 20 years of industry experience. Robyn Munro is an information, communications and automation technology (ICAT) Analyst at HH Angus & Associates. Also a registered nurse with a Masters in eHealth, she uses her experience as both a front-line clinician and digital health researcher to apply a clinical lens to the planning and design of various ICAT solutions.
October 2021 CFM&D 35
FOCUS ON FLOORING
DOWN TO EARTH Sustainability isn’t laying low with the latest flooring products. Locally-sourced materials, lowcarbon manufacturing processes and some designs inspired by greenhouse gas emissions will fit well into settings that prioritize our planet. Some even look as earth-friendly as they aim to be.
Patcraft introduced its first Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold (V3.1) collection, Reverse. The modular collection uses a carefully curated selection of materials to meet stringent standards for sustainable products. A gold level certification signifies even more rigorous performance standards for material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. Three styles are available in neutral colour palettes
The first collection from nanimarquina’s newly launched contract business division is FORMULA CONTRACT—highly functional and flexible rugs that are hand-made in India and Pakistan by weaver masters. The product uses local fibers, recycled materials and sustainable practices—from conception to the process. Five models and 30 colours make for more than 250 possible combinations for indoor or outdoor use.
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The physical properties of Legato Liquid Linoleum from Mannington Commercial allow small scratches to selfheal as the product re-binds to itself over time. This creates a hygienic floor, eliminating opportunities for bacteria growth and dirt collection at transitions, ideal for demanding healthcare environments. Legato is produced using natural materials and harnesses both the benefits of traditional linoleum and sheet vinyl. It is poured on-site over an existing moisture treated subfloor and sets overnight with minimal preparation. It is available in 54 colors with five visible cork levels.
Cosentino just launched Silestone Sunlit Days, the first carbon-neutral collection in the quartz surfaces and engineered stone industry. It was created using a new manufacturing process that harnesses 99 per cent reused water from production, 100 per cent renewable electric energy and a minimum of 20 per cent recycled raw materials. It is available in five colours inspired by the Mediterranean region and can be used for indoor flooring about 1.2 centimetres thick.
As Interface endeavours to become a carbon negative enterprise by 2040, it recently launched its latest carpet tile collection called Rising Signs. The product is fully recyclable through Interface’s ReEntry program and made with 100 per cent recycled content nylon. All products are carbon neutral across their full life cycle through the company’s third-party verified Carbon Neutral Floors program. This collection combines abstract organic patterns found in nature with geometric elements found in architecture. The eight styles range from large-scale angles with jewel tones to softer flowing patterns and earthy neutral shades. The patterns complement each other and can be combined to delineate space.
Data Tide by Mohawk Group is a newly launched collection that celebrates the unique ecosystem of estuaries where freshwater and saltwater converge to sequester blue carbon and support biodiversity. Mohawk Group’s design team used data sets from environmental studies of greenhouse gases to create biophilic patterns through a custom-built data visualization tool. Available in eight colourways, the product’s 12-inch by 36-inch modular carpet planks feature gradations that flow from light to dark in order to mimic transitioning waters.
Ethnicraft’s new Kilim rug collection uses traditional weaving techniques and carefully selected yarns of the highest quality to ensure that the individual finish and natural texture of each item is maximized. The collection uses 100 per cent locally sourced sheep wool to provide durability and warmth and versatility.
October 2021 CFM&D 37
[ last word ] BY BRENDAN MURPHY
WINTER IS COMING Managing school buildings amid looming cold weather and pandemic concerns
C
anadian educational institutions remain under pressure to perfor m. This school year might have started off smoothly for many; however, a subsequent wave brought on by a new variant of COVID-19 or a spate of heavy winter storms could lead to further school closures. Even with classes in effect and residences open, basic maintenance activities on building systems must continue. Building systems housed in large, and often aging facilities, should work optimally to ease disruptions for students and let them focus on education. With the cold weather coming, it becomes increasingly important for campuses to handle unforeseen circumstances. TAKE THE CAUTIOUS ROAD
Facility managers need to be aware of the steps they will take and how these measures affect health and safety throughout the course of each semester. Every team should create a checklist, and then continually review their internal systems—floor by floor—to reveal any possible failure points. To prevent serious water damage from occurring, first make sure that the roof and drains are in good condition and the building is sealed to protect from water permeation. Moving down into other floors of buildings, checking for running toilets, urinals, and faucets should be a routine activity. It’s important, as well, to ensure that HVAC systems are operational to provide a sufficient number of air exchanges per hour. This will mitigate mould growth and help maintain air quality for pupils and staff.
The effects of low or no occupancy can vary between buildings based on size, systems, and quality of the checks conducted during the lockdown. As property managers head into the winter months, they should also consider the integrity of several areas: • Parking structures that have heat trace cables keeping domestic water lines and sprinkler lines from freezing.These need to be tested in advance of subzero temperatures. • Ice/snow melting systems should be tested to ensure they are in good working order. • Heating systems that use glycol should be checked as these are sometimes at risk of freezing. Having a thermostat that measures outdoor air temperature and integrates with heat trace lines further contributes to mitigating the chance of pipes fracturing. Frozen plumbing lines that fail do not just cause slips, trips and falls
but can cause major damage to concrete and asphalt once ruptures occur. Costs to repair these are typically in the tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. KEEPING UP WITH COMPLIANCE
With large social gatherings and celebrations among students, it’s an important reminder that socialdistancing policies and compliance will be a challenge as students look to connect as they did pre-pandemic. Facility managers can mitigate risks by advising maintenance staff and security teams to look for exterior doors being propped and left open. This can create a security issue, and in winter months, could lead to cold air infiltrating the building, which puts plumbing infrastructure (specifically hydronic heating line and sprinkler pipes) at risk of freezing. Through diligence and systems reviews, along with expert mitigation, facility managers can ensure the smooth running of building infrastructure and business continuity so students can focus on learning. | CFM&D
Brendan Murphy is director of client solutions for First Onsite Property Restoration.
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