the official publication of the mechanical contractors association of British columbia
SPRING 2016 Vol.6 No.1
Plumbing & Mechanical
PM 40063056
Cadence Condos New Era Plumbing & Heating Ltd. | HVAC | Safety
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Contents
SPRING 2016 Vol. 6 No.1 PUBLISHER Dan Gnocato dang@mediaedge.ca Managing Editor Cheryl Mah Graphic Design Tang Creative Inc. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tracey Block, Robin Brunet Michael Glassco, Leslee Montgomery B.C./ALBERTA SALES Dan Gnocato 604.549.4521 ext. 223
PUBLISHED BY
PRESIDENT Kevin Brown
Features over Story 08 C B:12.5” B:11.25” T:12.25" T:11”
S:10.75”
National Hydronics Group is delivering another successful collaboration with Cressey Development for the Cadence Condos in Richmond.
12 Profile
New Era Plumbing & Heating Ltd. of Squamish, B.C. has grown significantly in only five years, and is now the biggest mechanical company in the Sea to Sky corridor.
16 HVAC
IAQ and Best Practices
vancouver office
2221 Hartley Ave. Coquitlam, BC V3K 6W9 Tel: 604.549.4521 Fax: 604.549.4522
Toronto office
1000-5255 Yonge St. Toronto, ON M2N 6P4 Tel: 416.512.8186 Fax: 416.512.8344
Copyright 2016 Canada Post Canadian publications mail sales publication agreement no. 40063056 – ISSN 0834-3357 Return all undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Suite 1000 – 5255 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 6P4
PRINTED IN CANADA
MCABC Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine is published three times a year by MediaEDGE Communications Inc. REPRINTS: No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form — print or electronic — without written permission from the publisher. Requests for permission to reprint any portion of this magazine should be sent to the publisher. For all subscription inquiries or address changes, please contact customerservice@mediaedge.ca or call 416.512.8186 ext. 259.
17 Safety
Providing Workers with Mental Safety
Departments 04 Executive Vice President’s Message 06 President’s Message 18 Safety Scene 19 Toolbox 20 Association Corner MCABC’s Annual Conference and AGM 22 Industry News ON THE COVER: Cadence Condos, Richmond
Dana Taylor Executive Vice President Jane Andrew Director of Membership Development Services and Event Planning Abigail Thom COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING COORDINATOR Berry Lam Administrative Assistant Mechanical Contractors Association of BC (MCABC) 223 - 3989 Henning Drive, Burnaby BC V5C 6N5 Ph: 604.205.5058 Fax: 604.205.5075 Email: staff@mcabc.org Visit us Online: www.mcabc.org
Plumbing & Mechanical magazine is the official magazine of the Mechanical Contractors Association of BC published three times a year by MediaEdge Communications Inc. Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily endorsed by the MCABC or MediaEdge Communications. Editorial inquiries should be sent to the editor at cherylm@mediaedge.ca.
executive vice president's message
Changing the Formula
E
HVAC | Plumbing | Heating Drain Cleaning | Refrigeration Davidson Bros. welcomes the opportunity to provide our proven expertise from bid specifications work to any new existing HVAC, plumbing or specialized mechanical project that you might require. We would also be pleased to solve any of your urgent HVAC and or plumbing problems with our fully qualified service division. At Davidson Bros. Mechanical we believe the future is bright for British Columbia and look forward to increasing our construction relationships, new or existing, over whatever project requirements you may have.
7388 Hedley Avenue Burnaby, BC V5E 2P9 O: 604-522-4798 F: 604-522-9587 www.davidsonbros.ca
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Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
ach year MCABC provides an opportunity to meet and conduct its requisite business as prescribed in the bylaws. With those obligations met, the remaining time the membership spends together resembles more a family reunion than a convention. Over the years, our once three day affair has been clipped to two days and the hard educational sessions replaced with both education and entertainment. A mainstay of our event has been the Associates Night, a grand scale ice-breaker that enables attendees to participate as a group in some faux competition, the main object of which is simply to enjoy one another’s company. What is certainly appreciated by those who do attend, numbered in recent years between 170 and 200 persons, is the dedication and effort made by our Associate members to ensure that a good time is had by all. Perhaps less known is that a committee of Associates meet, beginning several months in advance of the AGM, to develop and deliver a program. Once a theme is established, assignments are made to the dozen or more committee members, and the group kicks into action. Intelligence is gathered regarding the venue, supplies are sourced and purchased, and leading up to the night itself, a net is cast to invite local associate representatives nearby the host hotel to beef up the volunteers available at the function. The energy expended to make this work is colossal and reflects the generosity of our members to one another. We, of course, wish more would attend, if for no other reason than for colleagues and competitors to enjoy the pleasure of one another’s company under the MCABC tent. Family programs have been introduced over the years providing a mini vacation for the kids and teens and a relief for parents to spend their time with adults while the children are nearby but not underfoot. It seems upon review our ‘family’ conventions may have been too successful. We have managed to attract several families that have made the MCABC event a return destination vacation and companies have made the visit a perk. The result is our numbers come from the same 12 -14 mechanical contractor firms. We are thrilled the convention is so popular — but the number of attending contractors has remained static. The question has popped up: should we do something different? Maybe it’s time to change the formula. MCABC’s new board of directors, installed at the AGM, will have this and other matters to consider in the months ahead. Some suggest we might consider suspending the traditional AGM and convention for a period, and instead conduct the AGM in or near Vancouver, and perhaps do so in conjunction with a major attraction of either a general interest or business nature. We might opt for an afternoon of meetings, a couples’ dinner and a keynote speaker of national or international repute. Readers: if you have an opinion on this, please let us know. We recognize that this association is competing with other activities and organizations for your attention, your interest and your investment in representation of your interests. Rather than being just another roadside attraction, our goal is to organize and host events that rivet your attention and compel your attendance. Should you know a story that begs to be told to a large audience of keen mechanical contracting competitors, pass it on and we’ll make sure it gets heard. Meanwhile we’ll continue to celebrate another successful convention while we mull over the options for a 2017 AGM and just how we might next convene.
Dana Taylor Executive Vice President, MCABC
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president's message
A New Beginning board of directors 2016-2018 EXECUTIVE President Dale Miller Division 15 Mechanical Ltd. Vice President, Lower Mainland Richard McLatchie Lockerbie & Hole Contracting Limited Vice President, Lower Mainland Brian Bradshaw, Altac Services Inc. Vice President, Lower Mainland Mike Ohlmann, Fred Welsh Ltd. Secretary Treasurer / Past President Wayne Davidson Davidson Bros Mechanical Contractors Ltd. Executive Vice President Dana Taylor DIRECTORS Associates Chairman Mark Humphrey Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd. Associates 1st Vice-Chairman John Fu Noble BC Director Brad Haysom Tight5 Insulation Contracting Ltd. Director Henry DeJong, ESC Automation Inc. Director Chad Kinsley R.H Jones and Son Mechanical Director Stuart Morrison Northland Mechanical Director Dan Taillefer Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd. Director Len Voon Aarc-West Mechanical Insulation (2013) Inc. Director Andrew Wong Alpha Mechanical Contracting Ltd. MIRA Rep Mike Vesterback National Hydronics Group IMIRA Rep Dave Erb Erb Technical Contracting (Victoria)
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Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
W
ith the completion of the Mechanical Contractors Association of British Columbia (MCABC) 2016 AGM, the presidency of the organization has been passed to me. I consider this ‘my new beginning’, and I would like to thank the executive board, the board of directors, Dana Taylor, Jane Andrew and the support staff of the MCABC office in Burnaby for their assistance, and having the confidence to appoint me president of the MCABC. It’s been 45 plus years since I started working my way up from being a 1st year apprentice in the plumbing industry. Upon becoming a journeyman I have since worked on a variety of projects in both Alberta and B.C., the last 25 years in the latter. I believe I have the passion and knowledge to promote MCABC to more of our industries’ associates, because I see the benefit our association can provide, whether it is educational programs and courses, networking opportunities, the golf tournaments or the charities we benefit. Members of MCABC also have complimentary membership in the MCA Canada (www.mca.ca). We have been very fortunate to have had numerous great past presidents, and I can only hope to be referred to one myself when my term comes to an end. It would be remiss of me to not mention Wayne Davidson, from Davidson Bros Mechanical Contractors Ltd., Dean Loewen,
from Altac Mechanical, Mike Ohlmann, from Fred Welsh Ltd., and Andrew Wong, from Alpha Mechanical Contracting Ltd. as some of the upstanding gentlemen who have preceded me, along with the subsequent presidents in the preceding years. I thank them for continuing to improve and build our association. These gentlemen have worked hard to create an outstanding legacy for MCABC and I look forward to continuing that tradition, with some of you aforementioned. As my mandate is to increase membership while continuing to provide excellence in educational programs, I encourage you all to share the opportunities you learn about through our website, emails, or good old fashioned word of mouth. All the programs MCABC offers are of a first class calibre and are highly rated with some top notch instructors. These courses continue to assist our members in achieving a high level of professional expertise, and calibre. In order to not only satisfy your clients’ needs, but surpass them, MCABC offers courses that are Gold Seal Certified by the Canadian Construction Association. Having this designation under your belt will differentiate yourself from the competition as well as provide you with a substantial competitive advantage. Along with sustaining our current membership, it is my hope to encourage new contractors to join MCABC and become active members, join a committee, aspire to a board position and make a difference. We welcome new ideas and fresh blood so to speak; in this time of “connectivity” we understand the importance of not becoming “old school.” We understand the familiar mantra “but that’s how we have always done it” and we know it will kill membership growth. I hope my passion for the mechanical industry, being a rewarding and honourable profession, will encourage others to become a part of our professional organization. All of us at MCABC have made changes as society has demanded and I am looking forward to doing my part. Over the next two years as I work with all past and newly elected executive members and directors, I hope our paths will cross while in my term as president. Dale Miller President, MCABC
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cover story
Successful
Collaboration By Robin Brunet
O
ne of the advantages of a long-term relationship between a contractor and a developer is that each is keenly aware the other’s abilities and expectations; this in turn helps streamline the actual construction process — or at least lessens unforeseen problems.
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Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
Such a dynamic is shared by National Hydronics Group and Cressey Development, whose latest project, the Cadence condominiums located in Richmond’s emerging Oval Village, consists of more than 250 homes that deliver the superior design and quality craftsmanship that have become the hallmarks of the Vancouver-based developer.
cover story
The two shimmering glass and steel towers and mixed-use podium of Cadence contain thoughtful elements such as a luxurious rooftop garden with an Oriental theme and a `jewel box’ glass pavilion with entertaining lounge and kitchen; but Rick Musil, project manager for National Hydronics, views the project more as another successful collaboration in what is now a voluminous portfolio.
Cadence is a rare case of a new residence whose construction challenges have been relatively easy to overcome “Cressey and our firm have been working together for over 20 years,” he says. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that as soon as Cressey finalizes its drawings for a new project these days, it automatically contacts us — which is a huge compliment.” Cadence is a rare case of a new residence whose construction challenges have been relatively easy to overcome. “It should be stressed that quality control is always high at a Cressey
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9
cover story
job site, because it is also the builder,” says Musil. “Cadence broke ground two years ago, and about the only significant task was ensuring watertight-ness in the solitary level below grade in the sandy terrain of Richmond. Once that was achieved, construction proceeded smoothly and is still progressing without any hiccups.” National Hydronics, which has been a participating MCABC member since its inception in 1973, provided a complete heating and plumbing mechanical package for the podium, two towers, and a series of 15 townhouses on the south side of the site, the latter built to fulfill Richmond’s affordable housing requirements. “It was a generic package, and I say this because the systems we provided and their configuration have been proven to work well for earlier
...the domestic water, district energy, and controls are DDC.... Cressey projects, and therefore their usage here means we can be assured of achieving high levels of performance,” explains Musil, adding that in today’s fast-track construction market, when one wrong decision can lead to a domino effect of delays and extra spending, a proven way of doing things is the best option for any wise designer and builder. But the plumbing and heating package Musil refers to is for the podium and two towers; different mechanics were installed in the rental townhouses. “We equipped those residences with electric baseboards and hot water tanks, whereas the condos were outfitted with heat pumps,” he says. In Cadence’s common areas, the domestic water, district energy, and controls are DDC, with the capability of off site monitoring. “Again, this is the most efficient system for the type of high rise residences Cressey is building,” says Musil. As of May 2016, construction was at peak and required the attention of about 20 plumbing trades, six sprinkler specialists, eight sheet metal workers, “a few control guys, and a few pipe insulation experts. This is a big project with lots of targets to be met,” says Musil. National Hydronics also provided Cadence with energy recovery systems. Electrical vaults and other heat loads are cooled through the use of the water source heat pumps; this rejected heat, which would normally be exhausted into the atmosphere, will 10
Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
cover story
in Cadence’s case be captured and used to preheat domestic water. Another example of efficiency is Cressey’s implementation of an inspection process whereby each floor of the towers is completed, inspected, and defects corrected as work progresses on subsequent floors. Musil remarks, “That’s typical of Cressey, and we do our testing after the concrete pours so that by the time homeowners move into their suites, there’s very little if any defects that have to be mended.”
Musil singles out Cressey project manager Jay Young and assistant project manager Nelson Quan, as well as mechanical engineer Jason White and his successor Rob Gregg of MCW Consultants Ltd. “for doing a fantastic job and maintaining a high level of professionalism.” Already sold out even though the project won’t be completed until this summer, Cadence promises to advance the superior lifestyle that Richmond has become known for in the 21st century.
Musil, who has worked for National Hydronics for 36 years, pauses to summarize what a client like Cressey means for his firm. “Their name is synonymous with quality in Vancouver’s residential market, and they’re the ideal client to have because we too have built our business based on quality and never walking away from a problem. “Cadence joins a long list of memorable Cressey/ National Hydronics collaborations, including University Marketplace and The Elan, and we look forward to many more.” PM
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604.434.2681 SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
11
profile
Delivering Quality Work by Tracey Block
1665 Mathers Ave
D
o you use social media yet? Well, maybe it’s time to start. New Era Plumbing & Heating Ltd. of Squamish, B.C. not only posts on Facebook and Twitter, but its blog keeps clients, crew and apprentices current on projects, materials and monthly training workshops. Identical twins Kodi and Jhye Hopkins pride themselves on living up to the vision they chose for their company five years ago and strive to take advantage of everything 21st century technology can offer. 12
Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
Pho to s: Top: 3 60 Ho me Tours; i nset: Ema Peter
Kings Plumbing finishing
profile
New Era Plumbing incorporates “old school values with a new-school mindset,” says Kodi, 31, the older of the twins by one minute. “We’ve been raised from a generation of hard workers and we’ve instilled that into our lives, while also following with the times.” According to Kodi, all their employees in the field use iPads, Dropbox [application], management programs and Google Drive. “Everybody has access to real time work orders and changes,” he explains.
Since opening five years ago, the company has quickly grown to a 40-person crew. Since opening five years ago, the company has quickly grown to a 40-person crew. “We started out as small, residential plumbers,” Kodi explains. “We ended up taking on residential homes and we grew into projects. Then we decided to start an HVAC division.” Aaron Loveless was brought in to specialize as New Era’s HVAC division manager and Kodi’s wife, Keli, also a part owner, works as its office administrator.
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SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
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profile
The twins’ father, Brian, has owned a successful plumbing company for more than 30 years, making the work a part of the twins’ lives for as long as they can remember. “We’d been going on job sites since we were two or three years old,” says younger twin Jhye. “Our dad even used to build us plumbing toys . . . so [it’s] been in our lives forever.” The brothers have always been very close and completed their professional educations and apprenticeships alongside each other, attending BCIT. “We took our plumbing levels one through four together and got our Red Seal tickets,” explains Jhye. “That’s our gas tickets as well.” The twins view New Era’s rapid growth from a staff of two to 40 as a testament to customer satisfaction, high quality workmanship and the success of word of mouth. “Now we’re the biggest mechanical company in the Sea to Sky corridor and the work just comes to us,” Kodi continues. “[But] we don’t just hire people to throw bodies on the job site. We look for people who want to make a career out of this.” “We also keep ourselves very involved and do the estimating and quoting in the office,” adds Jhye. “With project managing — we’re on the site three or four days a week.” 14
Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
The twins say they love jumping on new products as they come to market. “We go to the factory and to the wholesalers . . . to keep ourselves on the cutting edge of new technology,” says Kodi. “We’ve done the first reclaimed water system here in Squamish. We’ve done a lot of solar work.” New Era’s flagship project was the Sea to Sky Gondola, says Jhye, where they were responsible for the mechanical side of the job. It was both interesting and challenging maneuvering the old service roads for the logging trucks.
“It was pretty cool getting the materials up there . . . 2,400 feet above sea level. And being the first people to be on the gondola,” he says. “There were just so many aspects of that job that were not typical,” explains Jhye, “such as building a massive restaurant on top of a mountain.” The project took a lot of planning “since it crossed through three jurisdictions: the City of Squamish, the RMOW [Resort Municipality of Whistler] and the native lands.” A large project New Era is just wrapping up proved to be one of its most challenging. “It’s
To p Pho to: Tara L un dri gan P hotography
Sea to Sky Gondola
profile Rainbow Plaza parkade
called the Rainbow Plaza in Whistler and is set at all different heights,” explains Jhye. Their work encompassed the project’s 66 units in three separate buildings set over varying levels of parkade, a grocery store, four commercial units including a coffee shop, and a gas station across the street. “We pretty much have our name on that whole side of the hill,” says Jhye of the breadth of the company’s work. A few setbacks included contractors not having enough information, adds Jhye. “We’re used to things going a little more smoothly. It all worked out in the end, but it was challenging in the process.” New Era has its future sights set on the Squamish Oceanfront Development — a six-phase, 20-year project including hotels, apartments
This Isn’t Practical
New Era’s flagship project was the Sea to Sky Gondola... and single-family units. “It’s basically going to be a Whistler on the water,” says Kodi. “We are definitely hoping to do a lot of work in that.” Since becoming members of Mechanical Contractors Association of BC (MCABC) a year ago, “We’ve been soaking up their advice,” says Kodi. “As we grew bigger, it was time to join.” In addition to MCABC advice and information, Kodi says he and his brother are benefitting by the professional development courses it offers. “We’ve done both estimating courses and are preparing to take an MCA management course this weekend or next.” In the end, Kodi and Jhye say they also owe a big shout out to their father who they believe was a driving force behind their achievements. “For all his help and inspiration all these years,” says Kodi. “We have to thank him.” PM
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SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
15
HVAC
IAQ and best practices By Michael Glassco
M
echanical contractors do have quite the challenge when it comes to providing acceptable indoor air quality to buildings. Balancing the needs of the building with the wants of clients/tenants do not necessarily always agree. Now when we introduce efforts to conserve energy, we have a new dynamic that complicates matters further. As someone in the mechanical contracting business, you are likely knowledgeable in the fact that ventilation rates for buildings have fluctuated over the past 40 plus years and these fluctuations have largely been associated with energy savings concepts. In the late 70s and early 80s, ventilation rates dropped significantly which inadvertently created conditions that led to poor indoor air quality. Some experts have weighed in recently and have suggested that our present energy conservation efforts are repeating the events of the 70s and 80s. So what would be considered best practices for indoor air quality? Well that would vary depending upon the type of building. For larger and mid-sized office buildings, the primary best practice is regular and thorough preventative maintenance on the air handling systems. And this preventative maintenance effort is supported by a third party that conducts annual proactive indoor air quality testing. This testing is conducted to allow someone outside of the property management group or the mechanical contractor to provide verification that the air handling systems are operating well. Or this testing proactively identifies issues in the building that can be addressed before concerns develop or escalate. Considering all the buildings across the country that a mechanical contractor would conduct work on, the large and mid-sized buildings mentioned above likely only constitute a small percentage. So for those smaller buildings or for buildings without full time maintenance staff, what can be done to ensure satisfactory indoor air quality is provided to the workers/tenants? The following is offered and is based on 25 plus years of assessing indoor air quality issues for a variety of buildings and workplaces:
Education — Workers Workers are well versed in the operating and maintenance needs of air handling and mechanical equipment, but these workers should also be educated on indoor air quality and the variety of factors that affect workers/occupants. 16
Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
Education — Clients/Tenants Informing clients and tenants about basic operation of the air handling system and indoor air quality could be very useful. If these clients and tenants understand the importance of managing moisture to ensure no mould develops or if they understand occupant density requirements, they would be able to help maintain acceptable indoor air quality themselves.
Moisture control When it comes to mould, it is very important to firstly ensure moisture is managed - then mould would not occur. This is true for water leaks from windows and doors etc. but it is also true to moisture inside of HVAC units. Except for moisture on the coils or in the condensate drain pan/pipes, there should not be moisture inside an HVAC unit.
Inspections with documentation Part of your service does include inspections on air handling systems to ensure they are operational. But factors like bird droppings near air intakes, water inside of an air handling unit, closed outdoor air dampers, etc. are factors that adversely affect the indoor air quality and should be brought to the attention of clients/tenants in a proactive manner.
Radon Radon has long been thought to have only been an issue for residential homes. However, recent experience has shown that 25 per cent of the commercial buildings tested resulted in radon levels higher than guidelines. Since radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after cigarette smoking), these results suggest that mechanical contractors should be facilitating radon testing for their clients/tenants.
Outdoor air Of course it is common knowledge that one of the primary purposes of the air handling system is to introduce adequate amounts of outdoor air, but we have observed countless situations where outdoor air dampers are closed completely or nearly fully closed. There are a variety of reasons for this but regardless of those reasons, it is a requirement that we introduce sufficient levels of outdoor air to accommodate the number of people occupying the space.
Of course, not all of the above suggestions are practical for every building or every situation. But we provided these “best practices” ideas utilizing our experience in addressing indoor air quality complaints from a variety of different buildings. One of the Environmental Quality (EQ) credits buildings can obtain is an EQ Credit 1.1 and it requires a thorough IAQ audit, compliant with the US-EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (IBEAM), to be completed. The audit is quite a comprehensive assessment and actually does not involve much testing of the indoor air quality. The purpose of the audit is to determine the IAQ status of the subject building and associated grounds by thoroughly assessing the basic conditions of the occupied spaces, mechanical systems, and exterior. The information obtained from the I-BEAM audits has been quite interesting because a building that has been measured to have good IAQ still has a long list of items to address after the audit. Most of these action items are low or no-cost options. However, the lesson learned was that there is always room for improvement. In summary, as buildings become more energy efficient, focus still needs to be given to the indoor environment so that we do not repeat the past. PM
Thermostat settings When there are thermostat controlled rooftop HVAC units or ceiling space mounted heat pumps/ fan coil units, this equipment usually cycles on/off depending upon the temperature demands for the space. From an IAQ perspective, these thermostats should be set to have the fan on at all times ensuring a consistent delivery of air versus the on/off option when the fan is not operating. Ability to adjust supply air diffusers When ventilating systems are operating, many tenants/workers complain about drafts or cold air being directed at them and they become uncomfortable. That is a real challenge for HVAC maintenance workers. Consideration should be given to using supply diffusers where the “throw” can be adjusted so that air is not directed towards workers. This would reduce the occurrence of tenants taping over supply diffusers.
Michael Glassco is president of Sterling IAQ Consultants Ltd. in Vancouver.
safety
Providing Workers with Mental Safety By Leslee Montgomery
T
he construction industry has always been a hard place to work. It is not only physically demanding but emotionally demanding as well. Fuelled by an emotional ego, it is hard to fathom a worksite free from bullying and harassment but as Bob Dylan said “the times they are a changin”. Research into the effects of workplace bullying and harassment began in the 1980s by a gentleman in Sweden named Heinz Leymann who coined the term “mobbing” which referred to hostile and unethical communication at work. The 1990s saw countries like Germany, Finland, and Australia put systems in place to protect people who are targets of workplace bullying. And while Canada may take a hard stand against bullying in the classroom, the workplace is a different story. To date there are only five provinces that have legislation in place to protect workers from workplace bullying and harassment. British Columbia became the latest province to pass legislation in 2012 amending the Workers’ Compensation Act, opening the door for compensation for a mental disorder that is a reaction to being bullied and or harassed at the workplace. So what does this mean? Well ask anyone on the jobsite and they will string a sonnet of profanity together indicating we have to be nice to each other, but it is more than just being nice, it is about creating a workplace that is not only physically safe but is also mentally safe. Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates “In any given year, one in five people in Canada experience a mental health problem or illness, with a cost to the economy of well in excess of $50 billion” and that mental health issues “account for 30% of short- and long-term disability claims” (http://strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca/the-facts). Since 2012, B.C. has accepted 1,227 lost time claims for mental disorders or syndromes (Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada National Work Injury, Disease and Fatality Statistics 2012 – 2014), across Canada there have been 7,089. So if we are starting to recognize there is a growing problem in our workplaces in providing mental safety, what are we doing about it? The first recommendation is to develop policies and procedures that provide respectful workplaces and secondly, employers will need to educate the employees. That is a tremendous start - there needs to be a system of accountability, everyone needs to understand the rules and be held ac-
countable for their actions. But is this enough? In my opinion, no. As a health and safety advisor I have read my fair share of cookie cutter Bullying and Harassment Policies and they all say the same thing. They generally outline what is considered unacceptable behaviour and what employees can do if they are experiencing on the job harassment as well as discussing the levels of
Since 2012, B.C. has accepted 1,227 lost time claims for mental disorders or syndromes. training each level of seniority must go through. The majority of training consists of a short discussion at an orientation possibly followed up with a toolbox talk and nine times out of ten employees will say they are not confident in the system’s ability to support them with a bullying or harassment issue on site. It is estimated there are at least 500,000 construction workers in the province of B.C. putting on their work boots and the rest of their safety gear every day that walk into a verbal minefield of hostility and unethical communication — that is too many workers walking into unsafe conditions daily. Policies and procedures do nothing if we are unable to communicate with one another and work
our differences out. For generations we have avoided dealing with each other (presumably because we don’t understand how to articulate ourselves properly). Instead of confirming with people what we understand or misunderstand, we fill in the blanks in our heads to something that sort of makes sense. We decide people are rude and not nice based on the fact that they don’t talk; when people upset us we scream and yell or go home and drink. If we want to really make some headway with bullying and harassment, we first need to know how to communicate with one another, and we need to understand how to resolve conflict. Employers that invest time in their employees by educating them on the fundamentals of communication skills needed in the workplace and basic conflict resolution are demonstrating sound knowledge and eliminating the hazard at the source. This is the basis of health and safety. With no time in schedules and no money in the budget, how can we achieve this? Possibly too cliché, but every relationship needs trust, and for employees to trust, leadership from the top has to improve. When leadership steps up and sets the example it is not okay to pass jokes at someone else’s expense, then we will start to see a reduction in workplace bullying. PM Leslee Montgomery has been a health and safety advisor in the construction industry for the past 10 years. Now as a professional counsellor her goal is to help make the workplace mentally safe as well. Contact her at Reconstructcounselling@gmail.com. SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
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safety scene
Be Proactive about Construction Site Safety By Mike McKenna
A
lthough everyone on a construction site has a role to play when it comes to safety, it’s the prime contractor who is ultimately responsible for having a system to ensure compliance with WorkSafeBC rules and regulations. It’s a challenging endeavour that involves coordinating all H&S activities; often, say those on the front lines, with little in terms of clear guidelines or policies to guide their efforts. Thus the goal of the Prime Contractor Technical Advisory Committee (PCTAC), which brings together representatives from COR-certified prime contractors to share experiences and develop proactive strategies aimed at meeting compliance. Established in 2012 by the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA), an important focus of the committee is on identifying ways to work effectively with subcontractors to ensure they are able to fulfill their safety responsibilities. For example, members have recently been alerting subcontractors to issues surrounding formwork engineering and Baker scaffolding, both of which must meet CSA standards, as required by WorkSafeBC. TAC Chair Jeff Lyth (also BCCSA’s senior safety advisor) says an uptick in accidents prompted WorkSafeBC to step up inspections, which in turn resulted in some orders being written. The PCTAC, through its member companies, heard about the problems early on and spread the word quickly through their network of projects and trades contractors about the need to be in compliance. “The goal was to bring attention to these matters in a way that was proactive and cooperative rather than waiting for WorkSafeBC officers to visit and potentially cite violations,” says Lyth, adding that the committee’s work in this regard is a good example of how safety can be improved by proactively using the contracting chain to communicate and address safety issues. “The network created by the PCTAC can quickly reach hundreds of trade contractors and their workers.” Members are also actively encouraging subs to ensure their workers get basic safety training before they arrive on a site and, to that end, are recommending BCCSA’s CSTS-09 on-line safety training — recognized industry-wide for providing a solid grounding in construction safety. More widespread adoption of CSTS would not only help improve overall site safety, they say, but could make a big difference to both subs and primes in terms of cutting time and costs asso-
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ciated with site safety orientations — an often frustrating component of compliance that can involve training hundreds or even thousands of workers, depending on the size of the project. “Many orientations are detail heavy and often include information that may not be specific to the job at hand because the prime is trying to compensate as much as possible for those workers who have little or no safety training,” says David Kerr, safety manager with Polygon Construction. “I often hear complaints about how long the sessions take, the cost, and so on, but if a sub was to come to me with documentation that his workers have taken CSTS-09, I can revise the orientation to focus more on site-specific hazards. Imagine the difference to even a smaller employer over multiple workers and job sites.” Jacqueline Spain, regional safety manager at ITC, agrees. “Everyone on a construction site needs basic safety training and the ideal would be for them to get it before they arrive. As it now stands, we are the front line and we have no choice but to provide the training. But workers with CSTS would be eligible for expedited sessions, and in some cases might be able to go straight to work.” Both Kerr and Spain add that employers whose workers complete basic safety training have also taken the right step toward meeting their own due diligence requirements with respect to site safety, which could be important if an accident does happen. PM Mike McKenna is executive director of the BC Construction Safety Alliance.
The Prime Contractor Technical Advisory Committee... brings together representatives from COR-certified prime contractors to share experiences and develop proactive strategies...
tool box
CHEATER PIPE WRENCH Milwaukee’s Cheater Pipe Wrench is the first adaptable pipe wrench in the industry. Through its newto-world, 3-length adaptable design, the wrench offers versatility on jobs that previously required multiple sizes of traditional pipe wrenches.
PULL DOWN FAUCET The sleek and streamlined Edgewater collection of pull-down kitchen faucets from American Standard offer an intuitive 4-function sprayer, plus pause feature with the exclusive SelectFlo patented spray technology.
SMART FLOW DETECTOR The GoControl Smart Flow Detector by Nortek Security & Control is a simple solution that allows homeowners to detect a water leak from a plumbing failure before it becomes damaging — sending alerts to smartphones.
BOSCH BOILER The new Bosch Buderus SSB Series high efficiency stainless steel boiler line includes eight models with inputs ranging from 85 MBH up to 1024 MBH with 5:1 turndown.
INTEGRATED THERMOSTAT The Stelpro KI thermostat for the smart home is the first ever Z-Wave line voltage thermostat in North America. KI thermostats can easily be integrated into the Z-Wave network of homes.
PIRANHA International Wastewater Systems Inc.’s award winning Piranha is a self-contained heat pump that extracts thermal energy from wastewater for domestic hot water production in a wide scope of commercial applications. SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
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association corner
2016 Annual conference and AGM
T
he MCABC Annual Conference and AGM was held April 29th and 30th at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre in Kelowna. The new 2016-2018 board of directors was elected and Dale Miller of Division 15 Mechanical is the incoming president. MCABC raised $1,510 from the Associates’ Night, ‘Casino Royale’ which was donated to The Central Okanagan Foundation (COF). COF is a public foundation created by and for the people of the community. Working with private donors, service clubs, businesses, and charitable organizations, they stimulate charitable giving, establish permanent endowment funds, and support initiatives that make ongoing differences to the community and beyond.
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Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
association corner
Members Corner ECCO Manufacturing is pleased to announce the restructuring of their management team with the appointment of two new positions, Kevin Haine as director of manufacturing sales and Glen Bolger as director of manufacturing operations. Earlier in the year Division 15 Mechanical Ltd. donated $12,860 to the Alzheimer Society. Funds were raised through the company’s annual Christmas charity drive. Div 15’s generous employees donated $6,420 which was matched by the company. A deserving charity is selected each year and in past years, the company has also supported: Covenant House, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, BC Children’s Hospital and the Cancer Society. This year the Fraser Valley Golf Tournament will be raising funds for Holmberg House (Abbotsford). The Vancouver Golf Tournament will be raising funds for Alzheimer’s Society of BC. The CIPH & MCABC Joint Golf Tournament will also be raising funds for a charity of our members’ choice. Please send your choices to athom@mcabc.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS Find complete events listing at www.mcabc.org/events June 10 Vancouver Golf Tournament Northview Golf Club, Surrey June 15 MCABC & BCEA Okanagan Joint Golf Tournament Sunset Ranch, Kelowna
t:604.942.0012
June 17 & 18 Business Management Module 3 & 4 (projects under $100,000) MCABC Burnaby Classroom August 26 Island Golf Tournament Olympic View, Victoria September 17 & 18 Estimating 101 MCABC Burnaby Classroom September 21 CIPH & MCABC Joint Golf Tournament Meadow Gardens, Pitt Meadows
www.div15mechanical.com 604‐214‐8730
Advanced Mechanical Solutions SPRING 2016 | Plumbing & Mechanical
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industry news
BC firm wins AHR Innovations Award International Wastewater Systems Inc. (IWS) has received a 2016 AHR Expo Innovation Award for Green Building Innovation. The product recognized was the Piranha wastewater heat recovery heat pump, which is a self-contained heat pump that extracts thermal energy from wastewater for domestic hot water production. Other Innovation Award winners included: Aeroseal in the ventilation category; Accutrol in the building automation category; Sporlan–Parker Hannifin in the cooling, tools and instruments categories; Victaulic in the heating category; Semco in the indoor air quality, and plumbing categories; Carel Industries in the refrigeration category; and Plasma Air International in the software category. The 2016 AHR Expo in Orlando, FL attracted nearly 61,000 people from 67 countries, including 3,500 Canadians. A highlight of the show, the Innovations Award competition, honoured inventive and original products, systems and technologies showcased at the event. Winners are chosen by a panel of third-party judges from ASHRAE. Prompt Payment Act The Canada Prompt Payment Act has reached a second reading in the Senate of Canada. Bill S-244 will ensure contractors and sub-contractors on federal construction projects are paid promptly. Bill S-224 ensures that the government institution must make progress payments to a contractor on a monthly basis, or at shorter intervals provided for in the respective contract. This payment requirement is consistent down the contractual chain. The bill also accounts for milestone payments, when applicable, and permits contractors the right to suspend work, terminate a contract and collect interest on late payment. The legislation only covers contracts (and the sub-contracts of those contracts) with the federal government, as all other construction projects would fall under the purview of the respective provinces and territories. The progress of the bill is being applauded by the National Trade Contractors Coalition of Canada (NTCCC). “Senator Plett has been a champion on this issue for our industry on Parliament Hill over the last several years. He is from our industry and he gets it,” said John Galt, chairman of the National Trade Contractors Coalition of Canada. “This is a tremendous opportunity for Canada to join virtually every other country in the Western world that has some form of prompt payment legislation in place to address this worldwide problem.” 22
Plumbing & Mechanical | SPRING 2016
Telus Garden achieves LEED Platinum Telus Garden has achieved LEED Platinum certification, distinguishing it as one of North America’s greenest buildings. Developed by Westbank with Telus, the project includes the 22-storey office tower (opened last fall) and a 47-storey residential tower that’s under construction (targeting LEED Gold). TELUS Garden boasts a district energy system, reducing conventional energy demand by 80%, rainwater capture systems to irrigate gardens throughout the development and the city’s largest solar panel array, located on the office tower rooftop. Tenants include Amazon, Accenture and Capstone Mining. National Water Wise Award The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating awarded WaterAid Canada with the inaugural National Water Wise Award to celebrate 2016 World Plumbing Day. This marks the beginning of a new awards program developed to recognize outstanding efforts to improve our relationship with water. WaterAid Canada was selected because of its work to improve access to safe water, hygiene and toilets in the world’s poorest communities. The organization also stood out for its creative approach to raise awareness and connect with Canadians via traditional and social media. WaterAid operates in 37 countries across Africa, Asia, Central America and the Pacific region. Moving to Solar Power The Alberta government is investing over $5 million to help municipalities make the move to solar power. This investment is part of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan. The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre is receiving the money for its solar energy incentive program entitled the Alberta Municipal Solar Program. This program provides rebates of up to $0.75 per watt to a maximum of $300,000 per project, to municipalities for installing solar on municipal buildings. Additionally, a program entitled the On-Farm Solar Management Program has been designed for agricultural producers, however the program, which offered $500,000 in both provincial and federal funding for solar energy on Alberta farms, is presently suspended. “It will re-open later this year, however the exact opening date and budget are still unknown,” explained Kelly Lund, research engineer, On-Farm Energy Systems. The investment is expected to create jobs in the project design and construction sectors, while supporting jobs and growth in the renewable energy supply chain.
CaGBC’s energy benchmarking guide The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) launched a national guidance document for provinces and local governments considering implementing an energy benchmark program within their jurisdiction. Energy, Benchmarking, Reporting, and Disclosure in Canada: A Guide to a Common Framework sets parameters for what a consistent approach to energy benchmarking on a national scale would look like. The paper’s goal is to drive municipalities across the country to establish or enhance local energy benchmarking and reporting requirements, while simplifying the process of policy development and implementation. It provides reliable data that will support the pursuit of strategic investments in achieving building improvements and helping to meet energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. The white paper highlights recommendations to all levels of government, utilities and associations, in several key areas including: • Program Administration: the key roles and tasks essential to program delivery, including the expected time and resource expenditures associated with each phase; • Program Delivery: the steps and considerations necessary for building consistent, effective energy benchmarking programs, from setting building thresholds to encouraging compliance; • Data Quality Control: the challenges associated with the collection of high quality building energy data, and recommendations for their resolution; and • Building Industry Capacity, or identified needs, opportunities and recommendations for providing industry support and training.
2016-2018
MCABC BOARD MEMBERS President Dale Miller Division 15 Mechanical Ltd.
Executive Vice President Dana Taylor
Vice President, Lower Mainland Richard McLatchie Lockerbie & Hole Contracting Limited
Vice President, Lower Mainland Brian Bradshaw Altac Services Inc.
Vice President, Lower Mainland Mike Ohlmann Fred Welsh Ltd.
Secretary Treasurer / Past President Wayne Davidson Davidson Bros Mechanical Contractors
Associates Chairman Mark Humphrey Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd.
Associates Vice-Chairman John Fu Noble BC
Director Brad Haysom Tight5 Insulation Contracting Ltd.
Director Henry DeJong ESC Automation Inc
Director Chad Kinsley R.H Jones and Son Mechanical
Director Stuart Morrison Northland Mechanical
Director Dan Taillefer Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd.
Director Len Voon Aarc-West Mechanical Insulation (2013) Inc.
Director Andrew Wong Alpha Mechanical Contracting Ltd.
MIRA Rep Mike Vesterback National Hydronics Group
IMIRA Rep Dave Erb Erb Technical Contracting (Victoria)
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