Ops Talk Magazine Spring 2013 by DEL Communications Inc.

Covering all aspects of educational facilities and operations.

Ops Talk

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40934510

Spring 2013

EFMA Purpose: To provide technical facility expertise for our members and advice to educational organizations to assist them in providing safe, well-maintained, quality learning environments for all students.

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Ops Talk Covering all aspects of educational facilities and operations.

In this issue

Published by: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com

EFMA President’s Message – Tom Louie, P.Eng., CEFM....................................6 Rocky Mountain Home: District No. 6’s Steve Jackson......................................8 BCCA drives change in public procurement practices................................... 12 Fire forges a new path for Southern Okanagan Secondary........................... 16

President David Langstaff

The future of property management................................................................ 18 Thoughts on: Even better customer service.................................................... 21

Publisher Jason Stefanik

Time in a bottle – M.V. Beattie School............................................................. 22

Managing Editor Katrina Senyk katrina@delcommunications.com

IA technology shops – Safety by the numbers................................................ 24 Greening UBC Okanagan.................................................................................. 28 Fire-side procedures – Multiple condensing boiler plant maintenance....... 31

Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion

Conference agenda, accommodations, registration.............................. 34-41

Advertising Sales Gary Barrington Donna Burner Jennifer Hebert Ross James

When school doors closed for spring break, KidSafe opened....................... 42 Determining a balance....................................................................................... 44 Proving energy and cost benefits in B.C.......................................................... 45 They’re our children, too – Canstar Restorations............................................ 46 Concrete slabs: What are the proper methods for moisture testing?........... 48

Production Services Provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com

Talius offers school security solutions............................................................... 51 Western Bus can help your district’s school bus repairs................................. 52

Art Director / Design Kathy Cable

Routine maintenance of wheelchair/occupant restraints improves safety.... 54 BCIT Sustainable Energy Management program............................................ 56

Advertising Art Caitlyn Haier Dana Jensen Julie Weaver

Improving the long-term performance of the building envelope................. 58 Schoolhouse Products Inc. – Furniture. All kinds. Right here......................... 60 EFMA Vendor Profile: Centaur Products Inc.................................................... 62 The power of polymers – Poly-Mor Canada Inc.............................................. 64 Cutting grass, not corners – Interior Turf.......................................................... 66

Index to Advertisers Ameresco....................................................21 HVAC Systems & Solutions Ltd................18 Roofing Contractors Association Armstrong World Industries......................59 IBC Technologies.......................................33 of B.C........................................................23 B.G.E. Service & Supply Ltd......................42 Interior Turf Equipment Ltd......................66 Royal Stewart Ltd........................................57 Belimo Americas.........................................17 IRC Building Sciences Group....................55 SK Sanitary Services...................................27 Busy-Bee Sanitary Supplies.......................10 JM Bean & Co. Ltd.....................................47 Schoolhouse Products Inc.........................61 Canstar Restorations....................................3 Mapei Inc......................................................7 Shanahan’s..................................................10 Caster Town Ltd.........................................17 McGregor Hardware Distribution............25 Shutters & Shades......................................47 Craven Huston Powers Architects............47 Metal Supermarkets...................................47 Soprema Inc................................................30 D.G. MacLachlan Limited..........................26 Norspec Filtration.......................................14 Spears Sales & Service Ltd........................26 Dafco Filtration Group...............................13 On Side Restoration.....................................5 Stutters Disaster Kleenup..........................29 Erv Parent Group........................................47 Pacific Controls Ltd....................................19 Talius..........................................................IFC ESC Automation & Delta Controls.....OBC Poly-Mor Canada Inc.................................65 Wesco Distribution/Philips Lighting......15 Garaventa Lift B.C......................................43 Progressive Services Ltd............................18 Western Bus Parts & Services Ltd............53 Garland Canada, Inc....................................6 Refrigerative Supply...................................27 Winmar.........................................................11 Grundfos Canada Inc...................................9 Reliable Controls Corporation................IBC Zurn Industries Limited..............................20

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees. Publications mail agreement #40934510 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, MB R3L 0G5 Email: david@delcommunications.com PRINTED IN CANADA 04/2013

DEL

Communications Inc.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

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EFMA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Tom Louie, P. Eng., CEFM When I became president of EFMA B.C., I felt a sense of obligation to lead this organization with the same ideals that had been implanted by its founders. I learned our founders wanted to create organization that would benefit educational facility maintenance officials from all over B.C. and offer a venue to share ideas. During my term as your president my main focus was our membership, in that I wanted to ensure our membership received value for being a member of EFMA, and my main goal was to grow our membership. I am happy to report we have seen a net increase in our membership this year. It’s hard to believe that this last year flew by so fast and that we are already heading into our annual conference. I want to take this opportunity to invite you all to attend the 49th Annual EFMA B.C. Conference in Penticton. The theme for this year’s conference is “Building the Future – Partners in Change”. This venue will offer each of you an opportunity to learn, network and to reconnect with your colleagues.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Another venue at which to be an active participant of EFMA is at your zone meetings. Your EFMA Executive is providing additional financial support for the zones in order to facilitate better speakers and programs. Another initiative that your executive strongly supports is the certification of our members. I am happy to report that we have the support of BCASBO and BCPSEA. When you receive/use the CEFM designation, it will have meaning. I would encourage you to check the EFMA website for information. I would like to thank the current executive and the association membership for the faith you have shown in electing me as your president. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all committee and zone chairs for their dedication and hard work. Please know that it has truly been a pleasure to serve as your president for 2012-13. See you in Penticton! b

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This avid sports enthusiast has always made the most of his mountain home – hiking and biking, snow-skiing, curling, kayaking, coaching soccer and basketball, even water-skiing competitively for a 15-year stint. As anyone who knows Jackson will concur, this positivity is an admirable trait he brings with him to any situation.

Rocky Mountain Home: District No. 6’s Steve Jackson By Jillian Mitchell

In today’s culture of bigger and better, Steve Jackson shows

“When we amalgamated, we had three different mainte-

us that, more often, there is treasure to be found in our own

nance operations, three different transportation operations,

backyard.

and three different custodial operations, and we had to form

This avid sports enthusiast has always made the most of his

one operations department for the entire Rocky Mountain

mountain home – hiking and biking, snow-skiing, curling, kaya-

School District,” he recalls, noting that the new school district

king, coaching soccer and basketball, even water-skiing com-

now spanned over 300 kilometres. “So, working with the op-

petitively for a 15-year stint. And, as anyone who knows Jack-

erations staff, we decided that we were going to take the best

son will concur, this positivity is an admirable trait he brings

practices from each of the three districts and create the ‘Rocky

with him to any situation.

Mountain way’. We had all of our staff work together to articu-

Whether it’s the day-to-day or a monumental event, this

late our purpose and operating principles – which we are still

long-time EFMA member brings the same level of passion

guided by today.”

to his place of work, School District No. 6, as he does to his

Working at his father’s mechanical contracting company,

sports. But perhaps, most notably was the district’s director

Jackson’s Heating and Air Conditioning, laid the groundwork

of operation’s participation in the late-‘90s amalgamation of

for a successful career in facility management. In 1989, Jackson

three school districts – school districts No. 18, No. 4 and No.

earned his first placement as maintenance supervisor in Chilli-

3 – into one exiting district, School District No. 6 (Rocky Moun-

wack, B.C., at School District 33. Two years later, he returned

tain District).

to his beloved Rockies and began his role as maintenance su-

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

OPS Talk Adf 7x9_C.pdf 1 3/1/2013 2:50:18 PM

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pervisor for School District No. 18 (Golden). In 1999, Jackson relocated his family to Invermere, where he currently resides with this wife of 33 years, Brenda. The empty-nesters are proud parents of Chelsey, a registered nurse in Lethbridge, and Brett, a construction engineering technologist in Kelowna. As Jackson recalls, September 2011 marked another proud moment in his career: School District No. 6 received the Owner/Consultant Award from Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA), an award in recognition for promoting fairness and equity in the construction industry. “This is something I am really proud of as well. I have always stood for fair, open and transparent bidding practices. I believe it is one of the many things that highlights the integrity of the facility management profession,” Jackson says. Jackson is, indeed, a true advocate for education. Not only is he certified by the Canadian Construction Association as a Gold Seal owner’s project manager, but he has also completed a diploma from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Air Conditioning Engineering. In addition, he is registered as an applied science technologist (AScT), journeyman refrigeration mechanic, Grade B gas fitter, has a diploma in real property administration (RPA) through the Building Owners’ and Manag-

ers’ Association (BOMA), and he is currently working on an additional diploma in facility management administration (FMA). As Jackson remises, EFMA has been another great resource for his educational pursuits, as he is also a certified educational facilities manager through EFMA. “I really enjoy belonging to EFMA. It’s a great opportunity to meet a lot of people and build relationships. That’s one of the most important things – building relationships,” he says. “There are all sorts of great learning opportunities through EFMA as well,” he adds. “So you combine the relationships you build and the learning opportunities – even the learning you get from the relationships you have built – all of it is extremely valuable.” The two-time past EFMA president (1996-97, 2009-10) is proud to be a part of the educational sector and believes himself to be one of the lucky ones, to have stumbled on the right path so early in life. “When you’re in this business, you’re always enhancing the learning environment for students by maintaining and upgrading buildings. The people who you meet and the relationships that you build along the way, I’ll always treasure.” b

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Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Educational facility managers take note:

BCCA drives change in public procurement practices creating difficulties in any opportunities to reduce future costs or stabilize resourcing of capital asset management functions. This lack of foresight often causes waste in spending, and therefore causes fiscal restraint – thereby preventing adequate planning of pending capital projects by owners, increasing costs and reducing effectiveness of service delivery. The public sector must provide adequate funding for pre-planning operation to prevent these oversights and mismanagement in the future.

The Capital Asset Management Framework (CAMF) was established in 2002 with the best of intentions – improving competition and transparency, and strengthening accountability within the public procurement process. However, haphazard application of the Framework left B.C.’s construction sector with questions about the Province’s commitment to those ideals. It looks like answers – and improvements – may be close at hand. Calling for a long-term infrastructure plan in an opinion paper published in January 2013 entitled Fair and Transparent: Implementing the CAMF for Construction Procurement, the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) took a big step forward to resolve these issues. Within Fair and Transparent, the BCCA outlined its ideals for the planning, execution, operation and disposal of capital assets in the B.C. public sector – calling for implementation of the Framework as true government policy and a set of structured rules and the need for a formal means of industry input on provincial infrastructure planning. Then, at the BCCA Construction Summit on January 25th, 2013, the provincial government and the BCCA announced their commitment to a new Infrastructure Forum that would work to resolve the issues and move industry procurement practices forward. What follows is an outline some of the key issues as identified in Fair and Transparent, with details on the new Infrastructure Forum. CAPITAL PLANNING Long-term planning is too often overlooked, particularly in the B.C. provincial public sector, hindering counter-cyclical spending when stimulus is needed and costs are low, and also 12

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

COMPETITION AND TRANSPARENCY Current practice in public sector procurement is out of line with the construction industry. The CAMF principles demand open, fair, and transparent construction procurement practices, but the lack of application increases the potential for higher construction costs when bidders and competition are restricted. The social and economic benefits of a strong construction industry are a considerable contributor to the province’s wellbeing. Binding government policy must be implemented as policy to ensure procurement is competitive and transparent – this same condition must be applied to local and provincial government, eliminating the “bundling” of projects, and with much greater attention paid to local conditions when projects are packaged. PREFERENCE OF PROCUREMENT APPROACH Current practice within the provincial government has created a prejudice toward the design-build procurement approach. However, the BCCA believes that public procurement practice should avoid the “one size fits all” mentality. The BCCA calls for unbiased criteria in choosing the procurement approach; this must be included in binding government policy, to allow design-build, design-bid-build, construction management or other approaches to suit the current market, opportunities and projects. OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY The current structure in the Framework is based on audits. This has, again, been rendered ineffective for two reasons: because CAMF is implemented as a guideline and not upheld as policy, and because too few audits have been performed (with too few of these being performed independently). Independent performance audits must be implemented on

public capital asset management, including local governments and provincial government agencies. The accountability of government and of government agencies can be vastly improved in three ways: through the creation of a strong group within government who can provide

policy, capital planning and project approval advice, through implementation of independent audit systems through the Auditor General, and to eliminate all conflicts of interest, ensuring that government agencies do not compete with the private sector. b

NOW: A REAL FORUM FOR INPUT Using Fair and Transparent as a guideline, the new 14-member Infrastructure Forum will work to improve government’s infrastructure procurement practices and

• Manley McLachlan, president and CEO, British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) • Philip Hochstein, president, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C. (ICBA-BC)

use of construction industry resources. The committee will have representatives from both government and industry: five construction industry representatives (including members with multiple trade affiliations), two representatives from design consultants’ associations, and deputy ministers representing the ministries of Advanced Education, Innovation & Technology, Citizens’ Services & Open Government, Education, Health, and Transportation & Infrastructure.

• Sarah Clark, president and CEO, Partnerships B.C. The Forum represents greater ability to effect change through the improvements suggested in CAMF, ensuring meaningful communication between industry and government. This is a unique opportunity to enable continued, cost-effective public investment in construction. “The Infrastructure Forum is an important step in strengthening public-sector procurement processes,” says Manley McLachlan, BCCA president and CEO.

The committee will be co-chaired by the Deputy Min-

“With nearly $80 billion worth of construction underway

ister of Finance and the B.C. Construction Association

in the province now, and more expected in the future,

(BCCA) board chair. Three special advisors have been

we’re looking forward to continued, steady progress on

named:

this issue.”

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Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 13

THE CANDIDATES SAY: Premier Christy Clark and MLA Adrian Dix attended the BCCA Construction Summit on January 25th, 2013 and had much to say on B.C.’s construction industry. When asked “Will your government implement bundling on public projects?”, the candidates replied: “I don’t think one-size-fits-all ever works in a province like British Columbia; and I think this idea that ‘bigger is always better’ is actually not accurate. I think it misses lots of the nuances of how the real economy works, so we are not pursuing a mass bundling for procurement, recognizing we want to ensure that the procurement we do benefits not just the people that are going to be using the schools but also the people who are building the schools and the people that work at those businesses.” – Premier Christy Clark (LIB)

“I think generally not. It may be [suitable] in some cases – for example, the case of the hospitals in Comox, Courtenay and Campbell River, there is some utility in that – depending on the model of financing the government has. […] What we need to do is not exclude options, because we have to be cost-efficient. But we must ensure that if we’re going to move to bundling, that it does not preclude the participation of local businesses.” – MLA Adrian Dix (NDP)

Hear the candidates’ full responses to this question and many others from the BCCA Construction Summit – including their commentary on B.C.’s construction sector, and a Q&A session discussing PST, private investment, procurement, trades training, green building, small business and more. Watch the videos at www.bccassn.com/summit2013.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

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Schooled in the art of patience:

Fire forges a new path for Southern Okanagan Secondary

By Melanie Franner The $31-million renovation and addition planned for the Southern Okanagan Secondary School held the promise of delivering a first-class facility that would add yet another chapter to the community institution first built in 1948. The latest project was to be the building’s fourth iteration, coming on the heels of additions that were built in 1966, 1977 and 1982. But in the early hours of September 12th, 2011, a fire broke out on the construction site and almost all of the $25 million that had been spent up until that point went up in smoke. In The Blink of an Eye “We were in the midst of renovating the existing school and building an addition,” explains Mitch Van Aller, director of operations at School District No. 53. “We had torn down one wing and put up a new wing. The new wing was completely finished and had been occupied by the students for only four days when the fire broke out.” Thankfully, there were no injuries. And although the cause of the fire has still not been determined, work was soon underway to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse. “The night after the fire, our first mandate became getting the students back into the classrooms as soon as possible,” says Van Aller, who adds that 16 portables were erected on the site within a week to house the grade 10, 11 and 12 students. The grade 8 and 9 students got their assignments initially at the local church but were back in the school two weeks later. “We knew that the funding for the rebuild was going to be there but we had to go through the whole process again with the Ministry. The first time around, it took us five years. But this one went a whole lot faster.” 16

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

In the end, the fire resulted in approximately $2 million in damages to the new wing that had just been completed. This wing housed the new gymnasium, change rooms, cafeteria, four science rooms and a science lab. Some 60 per cent of the original school that was undergoing renovations had to be rebuilt, including the library, administration area, home economics centre, counseling centre and the drama centre. All of this came to the tune of finding an additional $21 million. The B.C. Government was quick to kick in $19.5 million of the extra money needed, while the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District and Town of Oliver provided another $2.3 million toward the rebuilding of the 397-seat school theatre, which will be jointly operated and maintained by the two entities. “From that point on, it became a whole team effort to get the rebuild done as quickly as possible,” Van Aller says. A Second Opportunity KMBR Architects Planners Inc. was the prime consultant on the initial renovation and new build at the Southern Okanagan Secondary School. The Vancouver-based firm teamed up with Penticton-based Bevanda Architecture Inc. “The original design was a collaborative process between the two of us,” says Gregg Brown, partner at KMBR Architects Planners. “By the time the second project came around, Bevanda Architecture had been purchased by CEI Architecture Planning Interiors Inc. so we worked with them on that part of the project. (CEI merged with Bevanda in September 2010.) The architects took the unfortunate opportunity afforded them to re-think the original designs. “At the time of the fire, we were in the process of renovat-

ing the school to accommodate the Neighbourhood Learning

What a Difference a Year Makes

Centre, as well as reconfigured program areas for the school,”

In order to help speed things along, tenders for the founda-

Brown explains. “In the previous version, this NLC was located

tion and steel aspects of the rebuild were released almost right

in the south wing of the school, but after the fire, we considered

away. Work on these is already underway.

whether it needed to have that direct connection to the school.

“There was an increased level of urgency the second time

We ended up creating a design that made it a freestanding

around,” Brown says. “Before, the existing school was going to

structure instead. This allowed us to open up what was going to be an almost invisible courtyard and make it more accessible to the community. It really changed the look and feel of the school and made it more appealing.” Other improvements that occurred in the second round of planning included a more efficient, compact interior design that was achieved by changing the long directions of the classrooms from being parallel to being perpendicular to the corridors, along with creating a better balance between the the-

remain functional, with the new construction and renovations taking place in phases. Now, the whole project has been fasttracked to get the students out of the portables and back into the facility as soon as possible.” Currently, the students are scheduled to officially occupy the school in September 2013. The theatre and Neighbourhood Learning Centre have a later occupancy date of December 2013.

atre’s stage/backstage and seating areas.

The fire put the original occupancy schedule behind by about

“We also created a more appropriately sized lobby for the

one year, but it also provided the opportunity to incorporate

theatre, one that could handle 400 people at intermission,”

some innovative changes into the rebuild – changes that are

says Brown, who also notes that the layouts for the library and

sure to be appreciated by the many generations of students

administration areas were revised slightly, although they re-

who will eventually walk the halls of the Southern Okanagan

mained in the same location as in the original design.

Secondary School. b

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Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 17

The future of property management

By Tom Brauser

The computing power of desktops and

codes to help simplify and improve how

By tagging assets or spaces within a

portable devices has increased over 200

buildings are managed. They provide a

building, you can collect or deliver infor-

times since the year 2000. An iPhone or

clever means of getting critical building

mation specific to that asset or space ex-

Android smartphone probably has more

information into the hands of the people

tremely efficiently, providing some very

computing power today than most over-

that need it, exactly when and where

effective tools for building and property

all businesses had 12 years ago. Are you

they need it.

managers.

using today’s computing power to your

media collaboration tools are also now

Consider putting a QR code on an

best advantage? Do you even have a

available that greatly improve communi-

asset like a boiler or chiller. That QR

plan to take advantage of mobile tech-

cation within buildings, resulting in posi-

code can be scanned to make a service

nologies and the power of smart de-

tive tenant engagement.

request, to obtain information, or com-

vices?

Building-specific social

QR codes were invented in 1994 by

plete a service or maintenance request.

Until now, most property and facilities

Toyota to track vehicles in the manufac-

If your operations staff notices that your

management systems have been based

turing process. Today they are most of-

chiller is leaking fluid, they could scan

on traditional technologies with applica-

ten seen in advertisements, usually sim-

the code on the chiller with their smart-

tions focused on accounting, work-order,

ply taking you to the company’s home

phone and up pops a screen allowing

and service management. Fortunately,

page. They have since been adapted to

them to place a service request and at-

there now are some very creative appli-

a wide variety of uses, including support-

tach a photo of the leaking fluid. The re-

cations of mobile technologies using QR

ing all aspects of facilities management.

quest can immediately go either to your

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service centre or directly to your HVAC service company. The technician will get an alert on their smartphone with all the appropriate information and the photo. When the tech arrives, he can scan the same QR code, see the work-order as well as other important information such as the service history, operating manuals, technical drawings, special instructions, etc. When finished, he can scan the QR code again to complete the service request, providing a summary of the work completed, which then automatically updates the service history and sends the necessary information for invoicing. It can also automatically notify the building manager that the problem has been solved. There are a large variety of ways that QR codes can be utilized to improve facilities management. Similarly to how QR codes can be used to maintain and manage equipment, they can be used to manage spaces within a building. For instance, by placing a QR code in a conference room, tenants can scan the code

to place a room-specific service request, or obtain information like special instructions (i.e., how to use the audio-visual equipment), a room inventory, a booking calendar for the room, or energy consumption data. Other uses include scanning to describe unique architectural features, or provide information on botanical displays around the building. They can also be used to provide energy transparency, engage tenants in surveys, or provide special event information, etc. QR codes can be made even more powerful by also attaching custom forms, checklists and workflows. You could set up regular maintenance schedules, providing the technician a complete inspection checklist when he scans the equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s QR code. He can complete the inspection form on-site so equipment histories again are easily maintained. Inspections can also be associated with spaces. Examples include deficiency checklists for a construction or renovation project, health and safety site in-

spections, and doing janitorial or other service inspections. Security and privacy of building information is ensured through established role-based permissions.

The system

will know who is scanning the QR code and based on their role in the building, only provide them with access to the information that is relevant to them. This can save a lot of time and greatly reduce data-entry work because of the information that is automatically associated with the code and the user. The QR code-based mobility application combined with the custom forms makes this technology a truly unique and effective way to manage facilities that is easy-to-use and takes advantage of the power of mobile smartphone technology. It is the way of the future, and the future is here now. About the Author: Tom Brauser is COO of BuiltSpace Technologies. Visit www.builtspace.com. b

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 19

THOUGHTS ON:

even better customer service By Chuck Morris

Recently someone close to me entered a medium- to high-end women’s retail clothing store. She was looking around to see what might be nice to add to her wardrobe. After quite a number of minutes had gone by, she realized no one had come to ask if they could help. Looking around, one person was visible and speaking on a telephone, obviously to a friend; the only other person was sitting near the first, eating food and playing with her nails. After waiting for another five minutes and after walking near the two store employees, she left. Walking down the mall a few feet, she looked up the number on her BlackBerry and called the store. A female voice answered. The next few minutes were uncomfortable for the person on the phone, who turned out to be the manager of the store. Needless to say, that retail outlet missed an opportunity to sell something to someone who was intent on making a fairly hefty purchase.

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Whether it be a retail environment or a public sector organization (PSO), customer service is very, very important! Look at a PSO operation; there are vendors that are dealt with constantly (you may be their customer), other PSOs that you may need to deal with – or in the case of education, it would be your students and teachers and other staff (and this includes private schools as well). Let’s not forget about the public, either. In today’s world, many people want to be involved and many of them are members of groups that are involved with the direction their school (K-12) is heading. Do not discount them! Sure, everyone has a bad day once in a while – which includes your customers, not just you! You want to develop and maintain a good rapport with all of them for a number of reasons, no matter how you are feeling. The most obvious is a happy customer, one who does not complain and returns to deal with you again and who, in a roundabout way, promotes you, your department or your organization. One other thing to think about it the fact that you may not really know who it is you are dealing with! Think about a K-12 situation and when you are dealing with the parent advisory council. Who are they and how are they connected? Can they help a situation or, if you are having a “not so wonderful” day, can they create hardship for you or your department? The answer to that is yes and yes! Public-sector jobs and the management of large corporations have their complications and are similar in that sense. Those complications arrive every day in the form of more work from the government department you report to or to the shareholders of the company. Whichever the case may be, your workload increases and your demeanour may suffer because of it. Don’t allow that to happen! You need to share a great attitude with your immediate staff and make sure that goes all the way to whomever your “customer” may be. Smile, sell yourself, be friendly and talk to them. The other benefits from these actions, actions that make your workday better, also affect your friends outside of work and others with whom you interact. Now, isn’t life a little easier when this happens? Remember, this is not a “fantasy world” that has been described here, but it is one of reality. This reality can make your life better and may even open some doors for you down the road. Don’t discount this as trivial nonsense. We all want a better life and that includes your customers. Make them happy and you, too, will be happy. b

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Time in a bottle M.V. Beattie School cornerstone holds unexpected surprise By Melanie Franner When Dan Horochuk, capital projects coordinator for School District 83, took on the role of overseeing the new construction of the M.V. Beattie School in Enderby, B.C., little did he know that it would turn out to be a project with an interesting twist. But, as is fitting for a project that would be the last in his illustrious career, Horochuk took it all in stride and helped make a little history in the process.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

A New Beginning Construction on the new M.V. Beattie School began in May 2010. The building was ready for occupancy in December 2011 and the official grand-opening took place in January 2012. It was an exciting event – made all the more interesting by the fact that demolition of the existing school had brought with it some unexpected news. “The demolition contractor who was

working on the site knew that we wanted to save the cornerstone of the old building and use it in the new building,” says Horochuk. “The crew took out the cornerstone very gingerly because they didn’t want to wreck it. That’s when they suspected that it wasn’t quite what it seemed.” Carl Cooper, principal at the M.V. Beattie School, happened to be on-site at the time and was called over for his opinion.

“During the entire demolition phase, we had talked about how we wanted to honour the history of the school,” Cooper explains. “When the crew discovered the cornerstone, they came over to me and said they thought it was hollow and that it might be a time capsule. At that point, we started videotaping and taking photos. We were all shocked and surprised when we discovered that it was a time capsule. It was a great moment. We didn’t even realize the full extent of it then because there were 100-year-old newspapers in a sealed envelope.” Those newspapers – one of which was dated April 19th, 1912 – covered the story of the sinking of the Titanic, which had just happened the day before. The time

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capsule also contained some business cards, a Victoria Day celebration flyer, some signed pieces of leather and other artifacts from the period. “It had been part of our discussions to create our own time capsule for the new school,” says Cooper. “You can imagine our surprise in finding this one!” A New Tomorrow As part of the commemoration of the new – and old – school, each of the staff and 233 students at M.V. Beattie School (along with 31 students from Ashton

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attending the new school in the autumn of 2012) got to sign a brick from the old school. Those bricks were then used by the mason to create a new time capsule that would include a few of the old newspapers along with some current artifacts, such as memory sticks, CDs and business cards. “The students were all pretty excited to contribute to the new time capsule,” says Cooper. And it turns out that the students aren’t

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the only ones excited about this turn of events. “This was my last project before I retired,” says Horochuk. “I think it’s been

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Safety by the numbers – lucky so far? By Alan Kavanaugh, CRM, CCPI (Member NFPA) Since 2007, we have been providing major safety/conformance audits for various school districts in regard to overall IA technology shop and science lab safety. Many school districts have been involved in the process, including in Northern B.C., the Kootenay area, Vancouver Island, and Saskatchewan, with many more to come. The audits deal with the potential for injury and recommended safety practices for all IA technology shops. In the past, safety inspections have been provided for some IA tech shops, but they tended to be a more direct approach to non-conforming issues and not necessarily a full discussion of what should be provided and what is either a recommendation or a requirement based on current WorkSafeBC or OSHA regulations. The Worksafe and OSHA recommended practices and regulations are designed for “employees” of the school district. We also have an excellent provincial resource for IA shop technology safety for students. This handbook was produced in co-operation with the Ministry of Education, various school districts, staff, and WorkSafeBC. You can acquire a copy of this document at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/resdocs/headsup.pdf. It should be noted that up until now, many of the safety concerns noted are the same in all school districts with regard to a general lack of documented safety policies and safety practices. As discussed above, the two main resources for IA technology shop safety are the WorkSafeBC regulations and standards, and the Heads Up for Safety Guidelines. The WorkSafeBC organization is designed to provide recommendations, guidelines and regulations to ensure a safe work environment is provided for all employees in the workplace. The primary person responsible for safety in a school, based on the WorkSafeBC model, would be the principal as he or she is the direct supervisor. It is their responsibility to ensure that the workplace in which teachers work is kept as safe as possible. (This is consistent with other industries.) Just because WorkSafeBC does not carry out regular inspections of a facility does not mean that local supervisors are off the hook; they are always responsible. As far as students’ safety is concerned, there are many references and guidelines in the B.C. School Act, Heads Up for Safety Guidelines and many others that state the teacher is respon24

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

sible for providing a safe learning environment for all students. In the IA technology shops, there is always an argument that is put forward: which comes first, educational curriculum or safety? This is difficult in most cases, due to the fact that there appears to be no “official” curriculum in any of the school districts we have been involved in up to this point, where there is a stated description of the information to be covered, taught and most importantly supported for the purpose of meeting stated and documented curriculum for IA technology shops. We have also discussed numbers in IA technology shops. What constitutes a safe number of students in an active operating IA technology shop regarding hands-on instruction and supervision? Again, in B.C. at least, we have no hard/fast numbers to review because it has not been a priority in the past. (I should note that several years ago, I attended a B.C. tech education conference in Kamloops, B.C. I found out at the conference that some school districts, in particular the lower mainland, have added a maximum limit to the number of students allowed in various IA technology shops. These limits, assuming they have not changed, tended to run in the low 20s – 22, 23, 24, etc.) Is this a good start? Can we guarantee safety in IA technology shop classrooms just by cutting down on the number of students in the shops? The simple answer is no; and unless we have a major change take place with regard to further discussing the inherent dangers in IA technology shops, I don’t think we will see things change very soon. Several issues have become apparent upon completing and performing a safety conformance audit. They include the lack of documentation related to safety in the IA technology shops and the lack of a documented plan. All safety programs should have a statement of safety policies, procedures and guidelines, references to documentation like WorkSafeBC & OSHA regulations and Heads Up for Safety Guidelines, and an ongoing risk analysis system that is continuing to accumulate information at all times, noting potential risky and hazardous operations so that plans can be developed to mitigate the potential for injury and subsequent losses. The safety audits or conformance audits are designed to accumulate information on all facets of safety within the IA technology shop environment. The audits address issues, situations

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The primary person responsible for safety in a school, based on the WorkSafeBC model, would be the principal as he or she is the direct supervisor. It is their responsibility to ensure that the workplace in which teachers work is kept as safe as possible. (This is consistent with other industries.) and lack of documentation that will affect staff (teachers) and students. Areas discussed include but are not limited to developing a safety program, equipment safety, training, safety programs, PPE, emergency equipment, cutting and welding areas, flammable finishing rooms, storage of compressed gases, oils and flammable liquids, importance of auto-lift safety, dust collection systems and many, many others. We have also put together the IA Technology Shop Design and Safety Handbook, which addresses related regulations and recommended practices from all sources, including WorkSafeBC, OSHA, B.C. School Building Manual, Heads Up for Safety Guidelines and many others. We have seen the lack of safety planning in many different industries result in fires, explosions, injury and even deaths. Safety planning and implementation should be automatic in all workplaces. Let’s change the phrase “Lucky so Far” into the phrase “Safety is Priority”. We should always be thinking in these terms so as to reduce injuries and subsequent losses in the future. MacLachlan Ltd_ad.qxd 12-03-30 9:44 AM Page 1 DGMAd_D.G.

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Conclusion So in conclusion remember the following steps: 1. Conduct a risk analysis or needs assessment; this is the “who, what, where, when, and why” section. 2. Accumulate information on your IA technology shops (audits). The more information you have, the better informed your final decisions will be. 3. Identify all risks/hazards. This makes it easier to develop specific ways of mitigation, turning hazards back into risks. Be specific. 4. Monitor your progress; make changes if needed. Stay informed; many changes take place on a regular basis in regard to safety equipment, facility safety, and the need for continued maintenance and repair procedures for existing facilities. Get involved or take part in standard development, especially those standards that apply directly to IA technology shops and their related equipment and operations. Talk to risk management professionals, people in your industry, other teachers, staff and various other organizations. Some-

one may have already tried an idea that you are thinking about using. Remember: the developing of the system (PLAN) should take the most time. Many people jump right into the hazard mitigation section before accumulating all the information needed. Stay the course, continue to note potential hazardous situations and develop ways and means of reducing exposure. By doing this, you will place yourself ahead of potential lawsuits and injuries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the discussion of avoiding or cancelling an activity will never have to take place. About the Author: Alan Kavanaugh, CRM, CCPI (Member NFPA), is a senior loss control consultant at Suncorp Valuations. Kavanaugh has provided risk management services to school districts, municipalities, industry, and government operations for over 26 years. He has developed a set of training programs (workshops) and safety-related audits to help organizations accumulate and prioritize information and develop short- and long-term compliance plans. He is based out of Prince George, B.C. but provides services throughout Western Canada. If you have any questions or comments in response to this article, reach Kavanaugh by email at: alan.kavanaugh@suncorpvaluations.com, by phone at: 604-689-2099 or by cell at: 250-612-1935. b

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Greening UBC Okanagan By Jill Mitchell Engineering, Management and Education Complex (EME).

UBC Okanagan is taking sustainability

ting-edge,’ but we’re going one step be-

ings in winter and cool them in summer

to the next level. The Kelowna-based

yond that – we’re going ‘bleeding-edge.’

– as the main energy source. Existing

educational institution is receiving in-

The world needs to see what we did,”

Okanagan campus academic buildings

ternational acclaim for its environmental

says Antle. He adds that, to achieve su-

are being retrofitted to include the geo-

initiatives and quickly earning a reputa-

perior indoor environmental quality and

system as well. The geo-exchange tech-

tion on the post-secondary scene as the

reduce energy consumption, passive

nology (which is estimated to eliminate

greenest campus in North America.

design elements were implemented,

38,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emis-

The Engineering, Management and

specifically natural/wind-driven displace-

sions over the next 25 years) will reduce

Education Complex (EME) and the Arts

ment ventilation, high thermal mass, an

the campus’s environmental footprint

& Sciences II building are two new LEED

efficient envelope, radiant slab heating

while meeting the climate-control needs

Gold additions to the UBC Okanagan

and cooling, a district aquifer geother-

of the large campus buildings.

campus. The focus is on the future, says

mal system, efficient fume exhaust sys-

project manager Lorne Antle of UBC

tems and heat reclamation systems.

This technology has never before been used on such a massive scale – and

Properties Trust, with water conserva-

All new buildings on the 8,000-student

it’s working surprisingly well, according

tion, energy reduction and geothermal

campus are designed to incorporate

to Antle. “The return on this has been

energy at the projects’ forefront.

geothermal energy – using water from

exciting!” he enthuses. “It’s expensive,

deep underground wells to heat build-

but it is carbon-free. This place is going

“Everyone’s familiar with the term ‘cut-

Existing Okanagan campus academic buildings are being retrofitted to include the geo-system as well. 28

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Below and centre: Arts & Sciences II building.

to be so clean. It’ll be the greenest campus in North America.” Each of the five new buildings – the EME, Arts & Sciences II, Health Sciences Centre, University Centre and the Fipke Centre – are designed to be carbon neutral, meaning there are virtually no carbon emissions. The efficiency of these new buildings is quite commendable, as buildings can share heat through a distribution system, or energy loop. Even body heat from staff and students or, similarly, the heat from a building’s sunny side can be collected and transferred where needed. The result of this geo-system is a 50 per cent reduction in energy costs. Along with geothermal initiatives, water conservation also ranks at the top of the campus’s list, as the campus is nested on top of a natural aquifer and embraced on three sides by ocean, river and a temperate rainforest. The natural aquifer (a porous, layered bed of sand and gravel that holds water) will contribute to future water self-sufficiency on campus. In addition, storm water will be collected and discharged into an onsite retention pond, where the water is treated through natural measures and emptied only through evaporation. Other than the Fipke Centre, each of the other four new buildings was built to LEED Gold standards. The Fipke Centre was built in accordance with an older sustainability system – the Green Globes system – and earned the highest fiveglobe rating, a rating similar to today’s LEED Platinum. “When you’re building government buildings, you’re required to build LEED

Right: EME interior.

Gold. It’s better to build these buildings to the higher standard, in my opinion, because your carbon footprint is much less and your payback comes quickly,” says the UBCO project manager. According to LEED regulation, environmentally responsible fixtures such as motion sensors, low-energy lights and in-slab heating were introduced into the build. Operations manager Phil Long of Maple Reinders Inc. was in charge of construction for the EME building. As Long reconfirms, the EME project would most definitely qualify as “bleeding edge”. “The architecture and quality of construction was held to very high standards and the result is an extremely impressive building,” Long says. “A four-level atrium with connecting bridges welcomes you as you enter. The complex

includes an exterior tiered landscaped learning centre, exterior benches and numerous seating areas. All landscaping was designed with indigenous, lowmaintenance plants. In fact, all building finishes were reviewed with low future maintenance requirements in mind. The lab equipment in all 30 engineering labs was designed to be flexible, to allow for low-cost future renovations.” At 186,000 square feet, the $68-million EME building is the largest project undertaken as part of the campus master plan – twice the size of the other four buildings. A major development in the Arts & Sciences II project was the addition of a third floor to meet a growing demand. Unique to this project is a high-volume compressed refrigerant system, which also ties in to the geo-energy loop. Eight

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different zones work to transfer heat through the building’s VRF system – an intelligent and complex system. All five of the aesthetically pleasing buildings feature multi-purpose classrooms, project rooms and laboratory facilities with the latest in high-tech teaching tools and energy-saving technologies. From replacing light bulbs to constructing

state-of-the-art

buildings,

UBC Okanagan is committed to sustainability at every level, encouraging others to follow suit. “We’re leading the pack,” says Antle, “and we encourage the pack to show up at our door.” b

From replacing light bulbs to constructing state-of-the-art buildings, UBC Okanagan is committed to sustainability at every level, encouraging others to follow suit. SOPREMA_PubSopraRock-OPSTalk.pdf

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Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Fire-side procedures Multiple condensing boiler plant maintenance By Roy Collver Preventative maintenance programs can help save money and greatly extend the life of boiler equipment while increasing reliability – but how much is enough? As operational budgets tighten, facility managers are looking for ways to trim budgets, and preventative maintenance is often scrutinized. I am a believer in the value of PM programs, and though much of the modern equipment today is designed to be “maintenance free”, is any equipment truly maintenance free? How can we assess what procedures – and at what frequency – are really needed.

A boiler from the bad old days.

Firstly, what does the equipment manufacturer require and/ or recommend? The answer to this question might well affect your boiler purchasing decisions. The manufacturer will advise as to what should be done; which components should be lubricated, which ones should be cleaned or changed – and how often. Some manufacturers are sticklers for frequent and extensive maintenance – citing failure to follow their schedule exactly as reason for warranty denial. Others take a somewhat more relaxed position, requiring regular inspection, but suggesting cleaning only when there is evidence that it is needed. Oil-fired boilers, where still used, require frequent and extensive maintenance; enough said. This article will focus on the boiler rooms that are increasingly using multiple gas-fired condensing appliances. Maintenance of these boilers is less intensive than with oil-fired boilers, and much less painful than was performed on the large high input gas boilers of the past. Gone are the days of rolling up your sleeves, taking a deep breath, calling in all the troops, and shutting down a heating plant for weeks in order to perform an annual “heavy” maintenance, rebuild and inspection. Modern gas-fired boilers (yes, even condensing appliances) are much easier to service, seldom require special equipment or tools, and in the case of multiple boilers, can usually be serviced during the shoulder heating seasons without the need to shut down the whole heating plant. Even though boiler rooms are often monitored through a school district’s building management system on a regular basis, school districts have in-house maintenance personnel available to do a basic boiler room “walk around” once every month or two. This quick procedure is important, and can be done in conjunction with frequent maintenance work of other appliances at the site. It serves to check things like condensate trap cleanliness, fluid fill, venting integrity and security, chemical treatment and air filtration. These checks can give facility managers valuable information as to when they might need to schedule more detailed and extensive inspection and cleaning. Pressure vessel fire-side inspection and cleaning can normally be scheduled once a year, and can usually be done by school district maintenance personnel after they have had a brief manufacturer’s training session. One big benefit of scheduled maintenance is that spare parts, filters, gaskets and wear

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 31

parts can be ordered ahead of time, so that maintenance is a

What can you consider “normal” when you open up a gas-

relatively lightweight and stress-free affair – wrapped up in a

fired condensing boiler and peer into the combustion cham-

matter of hours or days, not weeks.

ber? The only way you can get “stuff” inside the combustion

After the first heating season, the fire-side of a new boiler

chamber is to carry it in through the gas supply or the com-

should be inspected, as this initial inspection will quickly re-

bustion air supply. The gas supply is normally quite predict-

veal any fouling or corrosion issues. For multiple boilers, where

able by region, the main contaminant being various levels of

boiler running times are more or less equal, it may not be nec-

sulphur. It usually looks like a yellowish coating – see “light

essary to open all of them up, every year. If inspection of one

fouling” photo on this page – or precipitates onto the heat

or two shows that cleaning is not required, cleaning frequency may be increased to two or three years. You should always consult with the boiler manufacturer to learn to identify what level of fouling is acceptable, and at what point the boiler needs to be cleaned. Every time you open up a boiler combustion chamber for inspection, you run the risk of damaging gaskets, refractory, igniters and other components. I have seen numerous sites where they tear-down, inspect, clean and re-commission perfectly clean boilers – every single year – whether they need it or not. For each heating plant, I recommend checking at least one boiler every year; but unless that inspection reveals you are past the acceptable level of fouling, or will be before the next inspection is due, you can probably pass on cleaning the whole lot of them. Some sites may need annual cleaning, but not all of them.

exchanger surface as brownish particles that resemble coffee grounds. Condensing boilers with high-grade stainless steel heat exchangers have proven to be quite resistant to the corrosive effects of sulphur, but you do not want it to build up to the point where it might start to plug-up flue passages. Most manufacturers recommend vacuuming and brushing with a non-metallic brush, followed by a thorough rinse with a hose. Again, consult with the boiler manufacturer; aluminum boilers may require special treatment. Air supply contamination will vary widely depending on local conditions. Dust, dirt, and fine particles can make their way right through the combustion fan and burner, and end up coating parts of the heat exchanger. Looking inside burners and combustion fan components can usually confirm the presence of these fine particles, as well as bigger stuff like leaves, tree fluff, insects, small rodents, etc. This junk must be cleaned out before damage to components or a boiler shut-down occurs. Intake air filtration is usually the best fix for these kinds of problems, unless you can remove the source of the contaminants. Chemical contamination is a different kettle of fish, and can “take out” a boiler heat exchanger in very short order – even a stainless steel one. Fortunately, this type of problem is very rare in school environments (the exception being cleaning chemicals stored in boiler rooms). If there are any signs of chemical contamination, the source must be eliminated; filtration will not help you. While you are looking inside the boiler, be sure to examine and replace or repair any damaged refractory, burners, igniters, etc. After re-assembly, test the safety devices, and check combustion values with a properly calibrated combustion analyzer. So what about water-side maintenance issues? Sorry, they didn’t give me enough space to talk

Light fouling after one season; probably OK, but check with the manufacturer.

about it. Look to a future Ops Talk issue. b

You should always consult with the boiler manufacturer to learn to identify what level of fouling is acceptable, and at what point the boiler needs to be cleaned.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

2013 EFMA CONFERENCE PROGRAM PENTICTON TRADE & CONVENTION CENTRE JUNE 4th - JUNE 7th, 2013

“Building the Future – Partners in Change” Corporate Sponsor: BC Hydro

TUESDAY, JUNE 4 Professional Development 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. A. Innovative Technologies for Energy Efficiency ~Cost is $200/person Speakers: BC Hydro representatives Learn about cost-effective ways to reduce your electricity consumption in schools by installing new technologies including: outdoor and parking lot lighting; stairwell and corridor lighting; DDC systems, and Information Technology solutions to achieve significant and sustainable savings. Subject matter experts will present case studies, demonstrate products, and describe funding options to help participants create action plans for their districts. 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. B. E arly and Safe Return To Work Strategies with Your BCSSA and WorkSafeBC Teams ~Cost is $200/person Presenters: Judy Reilly, WorkSafeBC - Key Account Performance Consultant Tai McLavy, WorkSafeBC - Case Manager Valerie Dong, WorkSafeBC - Team Manager Business Process Improvement Sveto Plavsic, WorkSafeBC - Manager Business Process Improvement Marie Tran, District Occupational Safety Officer, School District No. 40 As all school districts encounter the same issues of the Return To Work Program, this working session is aimed at identifying some strategies for managing return to work programs. 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Registration – Members and Exhibitors 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Exhibitors’ set-up

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. EFMA 17th Annual Nine-hole Golf Tournament Skaha Meadows Golf & Country Club 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

President’s Reception

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Hospitality suite – everyone welcome Atrium at the Ramada Courtyard Inn 34

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Registration – Members and Exhibitors

7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.

New Member Orientation

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Zone Meetings – Continental breakfast Please come out support your zones and elect the new zone chair

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Opening Ceremonies

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

New Zone Chair and Executive Meeting

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Visit exhibitors’ booths – coffee

11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Delegates’, Exhibitors’ and Partners’ Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Mark DeVolder

Harnessing the Hurricane – Extreme Change DeVolder, “an expert in the dynamics of organizational change and employee engagement”. With straight-forward strategies and convincing professional examples, DeVolder shows leaders how to drive results to improve the end result. De Volder is the author of Get Engaged! A Practical Guide for Improving Employee Engagement.

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Visit Exhibitors’ booths – coffee

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Handling Disability Management Cases – Return to Work

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions:

1. Custodial Roundtable Chair: Steve Smoroden, Delta School District

2. Maximizing Funding for Energy Projects Speakers: BC Hydro & School District Energy Managers Learn how to maximize your incentive funding from BC Hydro by hearing how school districts have created Revolving Green Funds to finance future projects, secured internal funding for energy-efficiency projects, managed their operating and AFG budgets, and implemented multi-year strategic energy management plans. Field case studies, challenges and successes will be discussed in this interactive session that encourages delegate participation. 3. “ Successful Long-range Facilities Planning” Speakers: Hugh Skinner and Judy Shoemaker The intent of a Long-term Facilities Plan is to provide a strategic framework and direction for the school district’s annual review of its five-year capital plan and the district’s proposed capital projects.

5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Exhibitors’ Hosted Evening Costume: “Star Wars”

9:30 p.m. – Midnight

Hospitality suite – everyone welcome Atrium at the Ramada Courtyard Inn Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 35

THURSDAY, JUNE 6 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.

Delegates’ and Exhibitors’ Buffet Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

EFMA Annual General Meeting

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Exhibitors’ Meeting – appointing new exhibitor representative 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Visit Exhibitors’ Booths/Exhibitors’ Hosted Luncheon

1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions:

5. CAMS/VFA Data Updating Session Speaker: Terry Naylor, VSB Maintenance Planner “Making use of VFA data – a VSB’s perspective” It seems many school districts are only just starting to get a handle on their deferred maintenance issues, and given the age of VSB buildings, we are really involved with using the VFA data/program.

6. Supporting Custodial Services Speaker: Servitech Training How can your custodial management team create healthy cleaning and proactively caring culture? “Managing cleaning risks to promote positive budget solutions”: learn that leading the race to the bottom has no value. Discover and build on school districts’ success stories.

7. Energy Roundtable Speakers: School district energy and facility managers Learn about “real-world” successes and challenges of implementing various energyefficiency projects from insightful presentations by energy managers and other school district representatives. Then share your experiences, ideas and questions about similar projects you’ve done or are planning to do by participating in multiple interactive, informal and engaging roundtable topic discussions.

8. General Shop Safety Selecting air quality monitoring and air sampling equipment. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions:

9. IBM Communications and Web Strategy Speaker: Steve Cuccione, Client Executive, K-12 Education Services Whether you are a teacher in the classroom, a principal, a district consultant or a senior leader, you likely find yourself already fully immersed in the school year. And just as you are working collaboratively with your peers to meet the needs of the students in your district, many of our districts are working collaboratively with us regarding their technology investments, from infrastructure to professional learning.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

10. Ministry Roundtable

THURSDAY continued

11. Managed Services in the Electronic Security Realm Speaker: Greg Harman, “hattrix”, Kantech’s Outsourcing management and monitoring of critical security administration can both reduce labour and expertise required, but also utilize best-practice and improve reliability and efficiency of site security systems.

2. Destination Conservation – 1 Student-based Energy Conservation Program Learn a practical, student-driven, activity-based program that brings environmental education alive in schools.

6:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

Reception, Banquet and Dance

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions:

13. Maintenance Round Table Chair: Peter A. Orjala, Langley School District 14. Health and Safety Roundtable 15. BCPSEA Roundtable 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Ministry Update

EFMA 17th Annual Golf Tournament – Registration Form on page 40. EFMA 2013 Conference and Trade Show – Delegate Registration Form on page 41.

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 37

Partners Program TUESDAY, JUNE 4 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Registration – South Lobby

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Golf

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Presidents’ Reception

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Hospitality suite – everyone welcome

Atrium at the Ramada Courtyard Inn

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Registration – South Lobby

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Opening Ceremonies

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Meet and Greet Breakfast

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Activity

11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Delegates’, Exhibitors’ and Partners Luncheon – Mark DeVolder 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Activity

6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Exhibitors’ Hosted Evening – Costume

Theme: “Star Wars”

9:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Hospitality suite – everyone welcome

Atrium at the Ramada Courtyard Inn

THURSDAY, JUNE 7

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Winery Tours and Exploration

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Reception

7:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

Banquet and Dance

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

EFMA CONFERENCE ACCOMMODATIONS The following hotels have been chosen with block reservations for your benefit. Each hotel is located close to the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre and has issued special discount rates for those attending the conference. Please ensure you reserve prior to the scheduled deadline date April 30, 2013 and that you quote “EFMA Conference” to receive the special discount rate. RAMADA COURTYARD INN (Host Hotel) 1050 Eckhardt Avenue West, Penticton, B.C. V2A 2C3 Tel: 1-800-665-4966/250-492-8926 | Fax: 250-492-2778 Quote Group #4554 Room Rate: Single $117.00 Business Class $137.00 Kitchen/fireplace $192.00/$212.00 THE COAST PENTICTON HOTEL 950 Westminster Avenue, Penticton, B.C. V2A 1L2 Tel: 250-492-0225 Fax: 250-493-8340 Quote Group #CGEF13 Room Rate: Single $109.00 Premium Suite $129.00 PENTICTON LAKESIDE RESORT 21 Lakeshore Drive West, Penticton, B.C. V2A 7M5 Tel: 1-800-663-940 /250-493-8221 Fax: 250-493-0607 Room Rate: Parkview $142.00 Beachview $152.00 | Lakeview $162.00 SANDMAN HOTELS & INN 939 Burnaby Avenue West, Penticton, B.C. V2A 1G7 Tel: 250-493-7151 | Fax: 250-493-3767 Room Rate: Twin/Queen $102.00 to King $122.00 DAYS INN 152 Riverside Drive, Penticton, B.C. V2A 5Y4 Tel: 1-888-999-6616/250-493-6616 | Fax: 250-493-661 Room Rate: Mountain view $114.00 to Balcony $119.00 Complimentary Continental Breakfast Included

Please quote EFMA conference when making reservations. *** Reservations must be made by April 30, 2013*** Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 39

EFMA’s 17th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT SKAHA MEADOWS GOLF COURSE TUESDAY, JUNE 4th, 2013 | 4:00 p.m. This year’s highlights and information: • Nine-hole Texas scramble with shot-gun start • Evened-out teams for scores and fun • Wine cellar • Prizes for long drive/closest to the pin/hole in one/draw prizes • Trophies for winning team • Golf cost $55.00; includes dinner and transportation to and from golf course • Exhibitors who are golfing can set up early • Limit to first 60; please reserve now • Golf Cart reserve on your own: 250-492-7274

Golf Registration: Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Company/School District:______________________________________________________________________________ Handi-cap: Under 15____________________________

Between 15-25_______________________

Rarely golf over 25___________________

Please try to place me on a team with:___________________________________________________________________

Cheques, MasterCard or Visa are accepted; also able to pay via EFMA website. EFMA P.O. Box 19032, 1153 – 56th Street, Delta, B.C. V4L 2P8 Email: society@telus.net | Fax: 604-943-3541 | Website: www.efmabc.com

Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Credit Card # ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ Expire date: ___ ___ / ___ ___ Are you interested in supplying us with a golf prize?? ________________ Please contact Molly at: society@telus.net Enter early so proper teams, assigned holes etc. can be established well-in-advance. How would you like to have an instant wine cellar?

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

EFMA’s 2013 conference & trade show REGISTRATION FORM First Name:____________________________________________ Surname:__________________________________________________ Organization:____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________________________ Postal Code______________________________ Tel:_______________________________ Fax:_____________________________ Email:_______________________________________ Cheques, MasterCard and Visa are accepted via website www.efmabc.com. Forward form with payment. Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. P.O. Box 19032, 1153 – 56th Street, Delta, B.C. V4L 2P8 Fax 604-943-3541 Email: society@telus.net Name on the card: ____________________________________________________________ Credit Card #___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ Exp. Date ______ / ______ Please indicate your vest size:

m X -small m small m medium m large m X-large m XX-large m XXX-large 

Conference Fees Members - Full Conference Package (includes banquet)

$450_________________________

Non-Members - Full Conference Package (includes banquet)

$600_________________________

Members’ One-day Pass

$200_________________________

Non-Members’ One-day Pass

$300_________________________

Professional Development (A m B m) $200_________________________ Partners’ Program

$100_________________________

Additional Banquet Dinner ticket only

$ 50_________________________

Golf Tournament (handi-cap __________)

$ 55_________________________ Total $_______________________

Please indicate your selection of sessions and social events: Tuesday – June 4 President’s Reception . . . . . . . .

Wednesday - June 5 Zone Meeting Breakfast . . . . . . . m Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . m Exhibitors Hosted Evening . . . . . m Concurrent Session 1 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 2 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 3 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 4 . . . . . . . . m

Thursday – June 6 Members Breakfast . . . . . . . . . m Exhibitors Hosted Luncheon . . . . m Concurrent Session 5 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 6 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 7 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 8 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 9 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 10 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 11 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 12 . . . . . . . . m Banquet and Dance . . . . . . . . . m

Friday – June 7 Concurrent Session 13 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 14 . . . . . . . . m Concurrent Session 15 . . . . . . . . m Ministry Update . . . . . . . . . . . m

Cancellation Policy: Cancellation of registration must be received before May 15, 2013 for registration fees to be refunded. A processing fee of $50.00 will be charged on all refunds.

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 41

When school doors closed for spring break, KidSafe opened

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Vancouver 604-526-3154 Prince George 250-564-6178 www.TheFilterShop.com

Manufacturing & Distribution of HVAC Filtration Products Across Western Canada 42

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

While spring break is typically thought of as a carefree time for family fun and travel, vulnerable children living in innercity Vancouver can often have much different experiences. Spring break can be a time of loneliness, boredom and hunger, with socio-economic barriers drastically limiting the childcare options available to parents and caregivers. This leaves many children wondering what they will do, where they will go, and if they will have enough to eat. To ensure that vulnerable children had equal opportunity to feel happy, healthy and supported this spring break, school doors were kept open each weekday of the two-week break for 300 referred children who attend six inner-city Vancouver elementary schools: Queen Alexandra, MacDonald, Florence Nightingale, Admiral Seymour, Mount Pleasant and Grandview/uuqinak’uuh. 2013 marked the 20th anniversary of this vital program, delivered by The KidSafe Project Society, an East Vancouver-based non-profit organization that provides nurturing safe havens to vulnerable inner-city children when schools are traditionally closed. The organization was founded in 1993 by inner-city school principals, concerned citizens and The Vancouver Sun newspaper in response to a brutal tragedy that left an eight-year-old child brutally beaten, then abandoned in a vacant East Side apartment. The community was outraged by the tragedy, then galvanized into action; they were united in their vision to provide vulnerable children with a safe

place to go when school is out. “For the vulnerable inner-city children that KidSafe serves, school is often the safest place in their lives,” says KidSafe’s executive director, Gerhard Maynard. “It’s where they learn, make friends, discover role-models, and find help if crisis arises. It is also the place many children rely on to provide them with their daily meals. When school closes for break, KidSafe ensures that these essential services continue.” Each day at KidSafe, children received their full-day’s nutrition, supervision in a familiar and accessible place of safety, emotional support from child-care specialists, and developmental programming that is often prohibitively expensive and inaccessible to them. Spring break activity favourites include mad-science workshops, a cooking challenge, a musical theatre program delivered in partnership with the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, and field-trips to the Vancouver Aquarium and Britannia Mines. Thanks to the support of a community of donors, KidSafe was able to provide an amazing 21,000 total hours of programming, 1,200 total field-trip admissions and 6,000 nutritious meals at absolutely no cost to children and families. Next on the schedule for KidSafe is the organization’s Summer Break Program, which is its largest and most popular program. KidSafe will welcome 300 children into the eight-week program, with activities spanning five program pillars including Arts & Culture, Science & Nature, Health & Wellness, Literacy and Leadership. Summer break also includes a highly anticipated visit to Splashdown Park, where all 300 children join together for an afternoon of fun. “Field-trips are an extremely important part of KidSafe’s programs,” says Maynard. “They spark children’s interest in new subject areas, and allow them to make lasting positive memories with their friends and KidSafe’s caring adult staff.” “I’ll never forget the reaction of a boy

named ‘Thomas’ when he found out he would have the opportunity to visit Splashdown Park over summer break. He was beyond excited, and started crying happy tears. Thomas could not believe he was going to be able to participate without paying anything. He told us how he had always wanted to go, but limited means and no access to a car meant that he had never been able to visit.” “Seeing Thomas at the park that day was a true testament to the value of KidSafe. Children are given a break from the adult responsibilities and issues they of-

ten face on a daily basis, and just enjoy the carefree freedom of being children. That day at Splashdown Park, Thomas could think of nothing else but enjoying a day as a little boy at the waterslides with his friends.” To learn more about The KidSafe Project Society, and how you can support the KidSafe Summer Break Program as a volunteer or donor, visit www. kidsafe.ca, or phone 604-713-4467. You can also follow KidSafe on Twitter at @kidsafeproject. b

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 43

Determining a balance The difference between planning and actually “doing” can be a pretty wide gap sometimes. As a former director of facilities and operations, I well know the demands placed on someone in any of these positions. The ever-increasing demands from Victoria really do increase your commitment to the job if you want to do a good job. In many districts, the pressures from the board of education sometimes push the balance perhaps a little too far. It is an ever-changing world we work in and to do justice to our commitment to that job of ours, the commitment to the district you work in and the commitment to those who report to you, one needs to have focus. What about some of the “core” work you should be doing? The facilities under your control may be well-aged and possibly have failing infrastructure. The administration in each of those facilities will have things they would like to see done within the buildings and grounds. What about the school planning councils (CPCs)? In many districts, they have a tremendous say in things. One of the necessary tasks you do is to get out a minimum of once per year (though twice a year is better) to visit each facility and do a “walk-through” with one or more of the school administrators. This allows you to see the condition of the building and the seriousness of potential problems. However, the walk-through also allows you to hear from the administrator. Oftentimes, his or her comments are thoughts and wishes not only from them, but also from their staff and very likely the SPC for that school. Collect all this information while you are collecting your own. Of course you will also have in the back of your mind any potential impact on the health and safety of the building occupants and those who maintain the building (custodial and maintenance staff). I daresay that one walk-through of one large facility, including the grounds, can almost terrify you when you tabulate in your mind potential costs for all the work. At times in the past, some districts worked to satisfy the demands from their school administrators. Some of those demands can get fairly repetitive and have large costs attached to them. If you have other areas that require more of your annual facility grant, such as major roofing replacement or HVAC system replacement, you will need to recognize the school’s own wants but place those into your short- or long-term AFG plans for another year. Sometimes those demands are more suited to become part of the five-year capital plan instead, thus alleviating a little pressure off your facility grant. The need to continually upgrade systems is not a “like to have” scenario. If some of those systems are not planned for and upgraded within a given timespan, the costs to your budget(s) will be far greater than ever. You need to ensure 44

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

By Chuck Morris

there is no unplanned downtime. That can impact the operation of the school and if you don’t have a contingency in place to deal with that inevitability, you will be in trouble. That will cost you more than dollars! There are tools in place to assist you with those decisions. The VFA audits identified a number of systems that require attention. No matter what you may think of that process, it is still a tool you should be using as part of your overall planning process, both for the five-year capital plan and for your facility grant’s short- and long-term planning. Some districts had developed their own system to assist with this planning; this is good because information is valuable in whatever we do. The more tools you have available should allow you to make better informed decisions. There may come a time when you will have to rely on one or two main sources because your time is valuable and you do not have the necessary resources at your disposal to run many systems at the same time. Some districts do have people who collect data, enter it and report on it; that is great to have, but remember (and you may be one of them) that there are many districts where all or most of this falls on your desk. There is only so much that you can delegate! We all know what outcome we would like to see. How you achieve that can be quite the road to travel, full of twists and turns. At times your well-thought-out plans will be thwarted because of pressure from the board or other senior administrators. There will be times when this happens and no matter what your argument of support is, you will need to deal with that eventuality to support the new direction demanded of you. That, my friend, can be quite the task! With any luck, you have already thought about the “what ifs” and can do something to alleviate the immediate concern of yours with those changed plans. When faced with all of these things (which include the myriad of new programs and focus emanating from Victoria and the board), it can be very easy to push some of it downstream to your managers and supervisors. Be very careful when you do this. Note I said “when”, not “if”! You will push this work downstream; however, do it with careful thought. Those people have their own troubles they are dealing with and though they wish to help you, you may be over-burdening them. Try not to burn them out. The long and short of it is to determine your balance point. We all work long hours to enable us to deal with the work that crosses our desk. We all should have a life outside of work and that is where you will need to determine what yours looks like. Family must come first – not only for their sake, but for yours, too. Have you found that balance? b

Proving energy and cost benefits in B.C.

As a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the British Columbia provincial government in Canada has provided funding for energy-optimising boiler energy retrofits in their buildings. The Situation The customer had numerous buildings all over the province that had archaic HVAC equipment. Upgrading to incorporate energy-efficient equipment would substantially reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, and with several buildings on board, this would amount to a substantial reduction, as well as savings. Part of the brief was to guarantee savings over a period of 10 to 15 years. To be able to provide such a guarantee, a requirement was the installation of BACnet MS/TP remote monitoring of the new, efficient equipment, to ensure that the savings target was met over this period of time. The Grundfos Solution In association with the design engineers, Grundfos identified pumps that would best serve the purpose. The Grundfos solution included Grundfos-PACO Vertical Inline Pumps operated on Grundfos CUE Variable Frequency Drives for building heating, Grundfos CRE & CRNE pumps on domestic water heating application, and Grundfos MAGNA pumps for heating water circulation. To meet the challenge of continuous monitoring, Grundfos provided CIU 300 BACnet communication units for each of the E-Products supplied, allowing access to critical operational information such as energy consumption, operating hours, flow and head, and to control the pumps remotely from a central building management system via BACnet MS/TP data commu-

nication. For example, this makes possible setting the setpoint, start/stop routines and minimum/maximum performance curve. This was done without any customization to the standard product offering, which was a crucial point for the customer. In terms of replacement of products, the customer expressed the wish that all installed products be available off-the-shelf or as a standard product with manageable lead times. The Outcome These projects are all at the final stages of commissioning and all the pumps have been performing as desired. The consulting engineers, installers, system integrators and the end-user are all quite happy with the performance of this solution. The commissioning process is identifying certain tuning issues for pump adjustment and optimisation, which is only possible because of the critical information received from the CIU 300 units. All in all, the customer is satisfied and has specifically standardized on Grundfos as the equipment supplier of choice on all their projects. “The Grundfos technology looked very complicated when we received it, but once installed and commissioned, we found the products to be the easiest to install and operate.” Site foreman for the mechanical contractor/installer “Grundfos has done a good job with the BACnet MS/TP interface. I had my doubts regarding the functionality but once the initial confusions were cleared, the CIUs worked like a charm!” System integrator for the BMS system architects and installers. b

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 45

They’re our children, too Written by Velvet Cates, Marketing Manager, Canstar Restorations

Canstar has the resources to deliver ample equipment for emergency remediations, from hand-held thermal-imaging cameras to industrial capacity hot-air exchange drying trailers.

Performing restoration services for school districts requires that we follow a strict set of guidelines and protocols. We would expect nothing less. After all, risk management takes on a whole new meaning when lives are at stake, especially those of our children. For Canstar Restoration employees, this means treating the situation with the same careful attention we give each and every task, on each and every job. Let’s begin at the beginning. Each employee is carefully chosen to represent the team. Not only are we chosen by our ability to perform our job functions, but we’re also chosen by our ability to exhibit the traits that make our customers feel safe, secure and confident in our presence in their environment. Once on board, whether their role will 46

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

become an administrative role or a technical field role, orientation takes each new employee through a process of learning not only the company policies and procedures, but also the “company way” as defined by our unique culture of understanding and respect. It is imperative that we carry this willingness into the field on each and every job because it enables our team to easily grasp the critical nature of customized site safety and security. Restoration industry standards and guidelines are put into place to eliminate grey areas and unacceptable practices. Reputable restoration contractors welcome a challenge to confirm that they are indeed following restoration standard protocol. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning,

and Restoration Certification (IICRC) (www.iicrc.org) has a well-recognized written restoration standard called the IICRC S500 that Canstar, along with most professionals in the industry, recognize and adhere to closely. All Canstar field technicians receive ongoing training to make sure they are competent when determining what the procedures are for addressing your water damage claims and whether the restoration project is done according to industry standards. For the lead field technicians, knowing the necessary equipment is available to them at a moment’s notice is vital to the success of their remediation. Having confidence that in a large loss situation, the company has the resources to deliver ample equipment, including industrial trailer-style hot-air exchangers,

Canstar flood trucks.

vortex drying systems, air movers, dehumidifiers, air exchange units – and, of course, manpower – enables the technician to efficiently remediate during the initial emergency and pave the way to a smooth transition to the project’s next phase. The resulting company confiShutterShade_Ad.qxd_ShutterShade_Ad.qxd dence breeds innovative thinking and

non-destructive drying solutions. School district guidelines are also put into place to remove any grey areas where actions could be considered questionable. Behaviour must be transparent, and adherence to safety rules is mandatory. Field technicians must sign 12in and sign out, use only designated

washrooms, refrain from smoking, be mindful of securing open doors and gates, keep all work areas safe, and use spotters to ensure student safety while moving vehicles; all common-sense rules. After all, they’re our children, too. b

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Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 47

Concrete slabs: What are the proper methods for conducting moisture tests? By Pete Robitaille

A problem, a curse, a nightmare… These are just a few of the

until a natural balance is reached. Moisture problems may ei-

terms that flooring professionals use to describe moisture-

ther present themselves soon after the flooring installation is

related flooring failures. The outcome is usually the same,

complete, or down the road, at any time during the lifetime of

whether the source of moisture comes from the concrete slab

the building due to climactic or environmental changes. For

itself, or stems from drainage issues; burst pipes; condensa-

this reason, it is imperative that all concrete slabs, old or new,

tion; aggregate above a membrane; or upward migration from

be tested for moisture vapour emissions.

the ground. The contractor receives the dreaded callback from

Moisture test results are considered to be highly valid for

the building owner or maintenance facility manager, wonder-

installations involving vapour barriers. For those installations

ing why the finish layer is a mess, and the contractor’s night-

that do not use vapour barriers, moisture vapour test results

mare begins.

provide only a snapshot perspective (i.e., they are only valid

Fortunately, today’s construction industry offers well-re-

for that moment in time). Moisture will continue to be emitted

searched test equipment and methods for measuring con-

from one day to the next, from season to season, and year to

crete slab moisture which substantially reduce the risk of floor-

year – creating an unpredictable outcome for a future flooring

ing failure, starting at the subfloor’s surface preparation stage.

installation. The second most common source of moisture is the result

Common sources of moisture in slabs

of capillary action in a new concrete slab. A slab is typically laid

One of the most common sources of moisture in concrete is

in accordance with the building code that specifies use of a

the ground, via capillary action or hydrostatic pressure beneath

vapour barrier directly below or in a steel base. Any moisture

a slab that is not properly protected by a suitable moisture

in the slab is due to residual humidity, which is expected to dis-

vapour barrier. The concrete slab acts like a sponge, drawing

sipate in time. The amount of time this would take depends on

moisture upward from damp areas below toward the surface,

many factors: climatic and environmental conditions that occur

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Above: Moisture damage to wood flooring. At right: Moisture damage to resilient flooring.

both inside and outside the building; the grade of concrete; the water content in the mix; the curing compound used; and other factors. Installing flooring material over the slab, before the damp moisture has had time to evapourate to an acceptable level, will most likely result in flooring failure. Today’s most popular moisture test methods Instead of taking chances by adopting a “wait-and-see” approach, it is smarter and more cost-effective to take preventive steps and perform moisture tests before installing any floor covering over concrete. While several test methods are available in the marketplace, the calcium chloride and probe tests are highly popular and well-documented in literature today. 1) The calcium chloride vapour emission test, performed in accordance with the ASTM F1869 standards, exists to measure the amount of water vapour that is transmitted through a concrete slab. The test result is expressed in pounds per 1,000 square feet (kg per 92,9 m2) over a period of 24 hours. The test method requires grinding and cleaning a 20-inch by 20-inch (51 by 51 cm) area of concrete and letting it acclimate for 24 hours. Then, a Petri dish containing precisely weighed calcium chloride granules is placed under a plastic dome that covers one square foot (0,09 m2) of space, and the dome is carefully sealed to the concrete. Anhydrous calcium chloride is very hydroscopic, meaning that it is attracted to water. This assembly is left in place for 60 to 72 hours, after which the Petri dish is measured for weight gain. The difference in weight reflects the amount of moisture that the calcium chloride absorbed and is calculated using

a standard formula. The result is referred to as the moisture vapour emission rate (MVER) of migration through the slab. The MVER is equal to the pounds of water emitted per 1,000 square feet (kg per 92,9 m2) in a 24-hour period. The test is required to be performed when the building’s HVAC system is in operation and the building has been acclimated. With the calcium chloride test, the MVER can fluctuate due to environmental conditions outside the building envelope. Whatever the moisture flow at any given time, it will migrate until it makes contact with something impenetrable, such as any nonporous finishing material. 2) Alternatively the probe test, performed in accordance with the ASTM F2170 standard, measures the relative humidity (RH) of the slab that is expressed as an overall percentage. The test consists of drilling a hole into concrete to a determined depth and inserting a probe sleeve into the hole. The hole is then sealed so that air from above cannot enter the probe chamber. Electronic probes are inserted into the probe sleeves, which should be allowed to acclimate before taking measurements. Ultimately, the measurement provides the RH of the air space at the bottom of the probe sleeve, giving an indication of the amount of moisture present in the concrete. Conditions that affect moisture test results In order to maintain accuracy and consistency of test results using either the calcium chloride or RH test, be sure to consider the following questions: • Did any of the crystals in the calcium chloride test spill out or get lost during manipulation? • Was the dome properly sealed to the surface of the con-

ASTM Moisture Standards ASTM F1869: Standard Test for Measuring Moisture Vapour Emission Rate of Concrete Subfloor using Anhydrous Calcium Chloride. ASTM F2170: Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs using in-situ Probes. ASTM F710: Standard Practice for Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring.

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 49

Planiseal™ EMB premium epoxy moisture barrier for concrete slabs with MVERs measuring up to 25 pounds (11,3 kg) and 100 per cent RH. Moisture damage to vinyl flooring.

crete? • Were moisture tests conducted over a curing agent, sealant or patching compound? • Does a suitable moisture vapour barrier exist directly below the concrete slab? • Does the depth of the hole for the RH test comply with both the manufacturer and ASTM recommendations? • Did the RH probe have time to acclimate? • Has the building been allowed sufficient time to acclimate to “in-service” conditions? Note that RH readings can vary from one manufacturer to another, depending on the design of the probe and probe sleeves. This discrepancy is being addressed by an ASTM committee, given the major concern to manufacturers of flooring materials – as well as to contractors installing the materials. When both moisture tests are compared, substantial differences emerge as to what the tests actually measure. While ASTM F1869 measures moisture flow of a concrete slab over a period of time, the ASTM F2170 provides a static measurement at one point in time. ASTM F1869 can determine the MVER flow, but it cannot determine how much moisture is in the concrete slab at that specific time. And while ASTM F2170 can provide a measurement of moisture at the time of the test, it cannot indicate how quickly moisture is flowing. In the end, neither test can determine whether moisture is entering concrete from an outside source, which can happen when a breach exists in the vapour barrier below the slab or from plumbing leaks within the concrete slab. This exemplifies the limitations with both moisture test methods. Despite which of the two tests is chosen to measure moisture content, the majority of flooring and adhesive manufacturers recommends that concrete should emit no more than three to five pounds (1,36 to 2,27 kg) of moisture when measured using the calcium chloride test, and 75 per cent to 80 per cent relative humidity when using the RH probe test. For situations when moisture levels exceed recommendations, MAPEI offers outstanding solutions to bring concrete 50

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

slabs within tolerance. Two examples are one-coat 100 per cent solids Planiseal™ EMB premium epoxy moisture barrier for concrete slabs with MVERs measuring up to 25 pounds (11,3 kg) and 100 per cent RH; and acrylic-based Planiseal Easy fresh concrete treatment for MVERs measuring up to eight pounds (3,63 kg) or 90 per cent RH. Note that both solutions reduce transmission rates to three pounds (1,36 kg) or less. What is ultimately important is that moisture in a concrete slab is actually measured before flooring is installed. Some flooring professionals prefer one test over the other, while others choose to conduct both tests given that they both have limitations. In cases where both tests are indeed conducted, it is best to take steps to bring the slab within tolerance using the least favourable measurement, versus risking a costly flooring failure. Whichever moisture test is chosen, make sure to refer to ASTM standards and follow them diligently when employing test protocols. It is vital to take time to research the ASTM standards and fully understand test instructions before proceeding. Hiring a specialized company to conduct either of the moisture tests is great insurance. Such companies help expertly determine whether test results go beyond the flooring manufacturer’s tolerances – providing a window of opportunity to treat the slab before the flooring installation is continued. About the author: Pete Robitaille Having devoted his life to the flooring industry, Robitaille has extensive experience as an installer, sales representative, retail store manager, and residential, commercial and institutional estimator. Robitaille joined Canada’s MAPEI Inc. in 2004 as a technical consultant specializing in the company’s Floor Covering Installation Systems, and has accrued several industry certifications along the way. For more information on the complete line of MAPEI products, call 1-800-42-MAPEI (1-800-426-2734), or visit our website at www.mapei.com. b

Talius offers school security solutions to create safe school environments

Broken windows, glass-covered floors and stolen property can cause expensive replacement and increased operating costs for educational facility officials. Vandalism, break-ins, and theft can also result in declining employee and student morale. You can prevent this from happening at your schools: Talius has the solutions that are right for you. For over 30 years, Talius has been providing educational facility officials throughout Canada with innovative security solutions that work. By offering innovative, durable and highquality products designed to withstand vandalism and forced entry, Talius has earned the reputation of being the trusted leader in school security that will save you time and money and deter the negative consequences of property crime. In fact, Talius’s rollshutters and vandal panels are the most secure products on the market and have been installed on over 500 schools to provide them with security and peace-of-mind against the negative consequences of property crimes during non-operating hours. Talius’s rollshutters and vandal panels are designed to: • prevent glass breakage • deter vandalism • lower maintenance and energy costs • provide unobstructed views during school hours Designed to protect against glass breakage, vandalism, break-ins, and theft, Talius’s rollshutters and vandal panels reduce maintenance, security, and energy costs. Manufactured from roll-formed aluminum with a super-hard resin core, Talius’s rollshutters provide complete protection during nonschool hours and retract completely during school hours. Talius’s vandal panels are an innovative way to prevent vandalism and break-ins without obstructing natural daylight. Strong and durable, vandal panels are custom-made from perforated aluminum and designed to harmonize with your property. Vandal Panels are ideal for door lights, side lights, and transom windows.

Talius’s greatest strength is working closely with you to devise effective approaches tailoured to suit your needs. Our knowledgeable and friendly sales team will listen to you and communicate your unique requirements to our production team and certified engineer to ensure that you will receive the quality and service that you deserve. Relationships with Talius transcend the normal supply and install mantra. Our goal is to nurture a lasting relationship that will simplify your experience with our company throughout the entire process, from specification to installation, and we have taken the appropriate steps to make this process simple yet effective. Our experience in dealing with school districts, architects, and contractors has effectively prepared us to handle any size of project, using a comprehensive customer intimate process which ensures your unique requirements are met from start to finish as we define your requirements, provide you with proper specifications, ensure proper implementation and installation and offer superior after-sales service and support. Don’t let vandalism and break-ins compromise your school’s security and ruin the experience for your staff and students. Let Talius provide you with the best service and highest quality products to secure your schools from break-ins and vandalism. Contact us today at 800-665-5550 for a free, no-obligation estimate. b

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 51

TRANSPORTATION

Western Bus can help with your districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school bus repairs

Final stage of repair: all painting and decal work are completed.

Vehicle in repair bay and the damaged parts begin to be removed.

Western Bus Parts & Service Ltd. has been repairing and servicing buses in Vancouver for over 30 years. Our 40,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art facility includes 22 repair bays, three paint booths and a complete mechanical service centre. During the summer of 2010, our facility accommodated more than 30 school buses; several were repairs as a result of major motor-vehicle accident damage. Many buses were brought in for minor exterior and interior work, including custom seat upholstery. Provincial safety inspections, federal import inspections and all types of mechanical repairs were completed on numerous school buses. Because most highway and transit coaches are rear-engine equipped, front-end accident damage to a Blue Bird frontengine school bus can be an interesting repair. The following is an example of a front end hit and the different stages of the repair:

Engine is removed and sent to Caterpillar for dyno-testing.

Ops Talk â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2013

1) Vehicle in repair bay and the damaged parts begin to be removed. 2) Engine is removed and sent to Caterpillar for dyno-testing. 3) Entire front-end of coach is removed and framing repairs are done. 4) New body parts are installed, fabricated and modified as required. 5) Final stage of repair: all painting and decal work are completed. Whether your school bus has been in a major motor-vehicle accident, engine fire, vandalized, needs updating or simply a provincial safety inspection, Western Bus Parts & Serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team of 25 experienced technicians, specialized equipment and extensive stock of new, used and custom-fabricated parts will meet any repair requirement. For more information, please call 604-980-4844 or email info@westernbus.ca. b

Entire front-end of coach is removed and framing repairs are done.

New body parts are installed, fabricated and modified as required.

TRANSPORTATION

Routine maintenance of wheelchair and occupant restraints saves money and improves safety By Dennis Stokes

As a school transportation profession-

cuts or fraying of the webbing. Any dam-

Next, inspect the restraint compo-

al, you no doubt transport students in

aged components should be replaced

nents for damage to the webbing and

wheelchairs every day. But have you in-

before beginning the route. Never try to

hardware.

cluded your wheelchair tie-down equip-

repair webbing or hardware.

components should be replaced imme-

As before, any damaged

ment in your routine maintenance plans?

Lastly, drivers should make sure re-

diately. If the webbing is dirty, it can be

Maintenance for this often-overlooked

straints are stowed properly when not in

cleaned with a soft brush using a mild

equipment is relatively simple and inex-

use. Wall-mounted pouches provide a

soap with warm water.

pensive in time and money costs.

Make sure all

clean place to store equipment and keep

webbing is completely dry before return-

Your maintenance plan should encom-

it out of the way for easier movement of

ing the component to service.

pass three aspects; daily driver inspec-

wheelchairs and ambulatory passengers.

If needed, moving parts can be lubri-

tion, care during routine vehicle mainte-

Remember, equipment lying loose on

cated with a high-quality spray lubricant

nance, and planned replacement.

the floor can become unguided missiles

that meets your equipment manufac-

1) Daily Driver Inspection should fo-

during sudden braking or an accident.

turer’s specification.

cus on having the proper equip-

2) When buses come in for routine

les should never be lubricated. Finally,

ment and making sure equipment

maintenance, attention to wheel-

check the manufacture date on the com-

is in good working order to per-

chair equipment is just as impor-

ponent tags and replace any equipment

form up to specification.

tant as changing the oil or brake

older than your scheduled replacement

inspections.

cycle.

Drivers should begin each day by mak-

However, buck-

ing sure each wheelchair position has

Start by inspecting the track to make

3) Developing a scheduled replace-

at least four chair tie-downs and a lap/

sure it is clear of dirt and debris. If neces-

ment cycle for wheelchair and oc-

shoulder belt set for occupant restraint.

sary, clean the track with a stiff brush and

cupant restraints is a great way to

All of these components should be of

compressed air. Never clean the track

insure that your equipment doesn’t

the same manufacturer and of the same

with water, as this could cause mud to

equipment series.

collect in the track and prevent restraints

How frequently you replace equip-

outlive its usefulness.

Next, each component should be

from latching properly. All track-mount-

ment depends on how often it’s used

checked to make sure all buckles and

ing hardware should be checked to make

and the environment you work in. For ex-

latches work properly and there are no

sure it is properly tightened.

ample, snowy conditions and extremes

At left: Storage pouches keep equipment clean and out of the way when not in use. Below: Manufacturer’s identification tag showing a manufacture date.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

TRANSPORTATION

Above: Components with worn, frayed or cut webbing should be replaced immediately.

in temperature can affect equipment life. If you are not sure how often your equipment should be replaced, three years from the date of equipment man-

At right: Tracking should be cleaned with a stiff brush and compressed air.

ufacture is a good starting point. Just like with engines and transmissions, the better your maintenance, the longer your restraint equipment will last. Your retired equipment is great to use for driver training. Develop a training station or two with webbing components so drivers and attendants can practice web cutting during evacuation drills. NOTE: If you have a special needs bus involved in an accident that requires the bus to be towed, all restraints in use at the time of the accident should be replaced before the bus is put back in service. These components should be destroyed so there is no opportunity for use in any capacity. Wheelchair restraints are designed and tested to insure they meet rigorous standards, and with proper maintenance and use they can be counted on to restrain and protect passengers and wheelchairs if an accident occurs.

good maintenance program that starts with following the manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations, and enhances them to meet your fleetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s particular demands, can add to your peace-of-mind and cut cost at the same time. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a win-win situation for you, your drivers and most importantly, for our student passengers. b Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 55

BCIT Sustainable Energy Management program to train future energy managers and energy specialists remotely Part-time program is now available online to provide career opportunities all over B.C. Left to right: SEMAC grad Angeles Fremes, now the energy specialist at CMBC, and SEMAC grad Luisa Mora, now the energy manager for the City of Port Coquitlam, take a thermographic photo of the outdoor components of a dust extraction system.

Left to right: SEMAC grad Luisa Mora with BCIT instructor Alvaro Reyes, Prism Engineering, energy engineer.

March 2013, Burnaby, B.C.: The Brit-

fessionals across B.C., BCIT has further

spond to the growing needs of B.C.’s

ish Columbia Institute of Technology

developed a series of sustainable energy

emerging green economy, of which sus-

(BCIT) Sustainable Energy Management

management courses to train future en-

tainable energy management is proving

Advanced Certificate (SEMAC) program

ergy managers and energy specialists

to be an integral part. The program also

will be delivered completely online for

remotely. These part-time courses will

offers graduates excellent job prospects

the next offering, starting in September

focus on ways to reduce the demand

in challenging economic times, signify-

2013. The program was developed in

for energy in commercial, industrial, and

ing BCIT’s importance to the economic,

partnership with BC Hydro and FortisBC

community facilities.

social and environmental prosperity of

– an initiative originally aimed at helping

completion, SEMAC graduates will meet

large B.C. companies identify and imple-

the education requirements to be hired

“B.C. businesses are seeing the

ment sustainable energy management

as energy managers or energy specialists

value in hiring an energy manager to

strategies.

through BC Hydro or FortisBC funding.

implement a comprehensive, holistic ap-

Upon successful

the province.

Now, to help combat the current

The SEMAC program demonstrates

proach to energy efficiency,” says Simon

shortage of energy management pro-

BCIT’s ability to quickly adapt and re-

Vickers, program manager of BC Hydro’s

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Commercial Energy Manager program. “Energy managers champion conservation within their organizations and can make a real difference.” “BC Hydro’s Commercial Energy Manager Program values BCIT’s partnership, educating students to become future energy managers. The BCIT SEMAC course continues to offer a good balance between technical and business skills and has added modules which are pertinent for the energy management profession. Graduates will continue to be well-positioned for a career in energy management,” says Annika Reinhardt, BC Hydro program manager, Business Development and Partnerships. “Providing energy solutions for every customer is something FortisBC strives to do,” says Colin Norman, program manager for FortisBC’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation program. “The Sustainable Energy Management Advanced Certificate (SEMAC) program will train the energy managers and energy specialists of tomorrow, and we are proud to be a part of this innovative educational opportunity.”

BCIT has its own energy and sustainability manager: Alexandre Hebert. Funded through the Energy Manager program, Hebert is exploring how sustainability can further the energy savings for BCIT typically achieved through traditional approaches to energy management. Alexandre assisted BCIT in saving $300,000 in electricity costs for the year ending December 31, 2011 and more savings are on the way. “As we know, over the next 20 years, B.C.’s energy demand could increase by up to 40 per cent,” says Hebert. “Meanwhile, the provincial government has set a goal of fulfilling two-thirds of the new energy demand through conservation by 2020, and to be a carbon-neutral public sector as of 2010. These legislated changes create significant opportunities for BCIT to reduce its ecological footprint.” BCIT’s School of Construction and the Environment, which offers the SEMAC program, is a leader in sustainability education, being concerned with the natural environment, the built environment and the relationship between them.

Left to right: SEMAC grads Alexandre Hebert and Andrea Linsky. Hebert is BCIT’s energy manager. Linsky is now acting director, Strategic Energy Management, at the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association.

For further information, media can contact: Kelly Friday, Manager, Media Relations British Columbia Institute of Technology Tel: 604.432.8773 | Cell: 604.836.6700 | Kelly_Friday@bcit.ca For further information on Sustainable Energy Management courses, please contact: Steve Finn, Program Head Tel: 604.432.8857 | Steve_Finn@bcit.ca | bcit.ca/semac b

Please recycle this publication after you have read and shared it.

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Leaders in Auditorium and Sports Facilities for over 40 years Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 57

Improving the long-term performance of the building envelope By Fred Edwards, P. Eng., LEED AP BD+C

Effective building envelopes, like all aspects of a building, are required to incorporate components and designs which address the forces of nature to which they will be subjected. The physical laws governing thermal performance and the movement of air and moisture over and through materials are complex and not always completely understood. The long-term performance of an envelope is dictated during three distinct phases of a building’s life cycle. The phases, and some of the critical elements that must be considered at each, may be summarized as follows: • Design: Design professionals should know and understand the importance, function, and science of the envelope as well as being familiar the local climate. A façade that works in Arizona will fail in Alberta, and vice versa. Building envelope practitioners who specialize in the building envelope are available and willing to assist with complex and challenging situations. • Construction: Qualified contractors should understand the importance of the envelope and have a high level of attention to detail. Envelope failures tend not to happen in the middle of a wall or roof, but often occur at the interface between elements (windows, slabs, doors, etc.). A high level of construction review by the design team is key at interfaces.

• Maintenance: Envelope systems vary from high to low maintenance assemblies; this is roughly inversely related to the initial investment in the envelope (a low-cost envelope system generally requires a high level of maintenance, whereas a high-performance/cost envelope will generally require a low level of maintenance). In both cases, on-going assessment and the creation of a building envelope maintenance plan will help maximize the longevity of envelope systems. When dealing with an existing facility, it is usually not be possible to impact the design or construction phases. Thus, assessing and maintaining the envelope becomes key to its durability and longevity. Identification of failures, or the potential for a failure to develop, can be difficult and may require a trained eye. But, the first step is almost always visual. Envelope problems will often first show up as a small crack, discolouration, bubbling paint, or damp carpet/wallboard (see Image 1). The more closely and regularly an envelope is scrutinized, the better the chance is that failures can be identified and repaired quickly and cheaply. A comprehensive visual review will usually focus on the transition details (windows, doors, roofs, conduit, etc.) as these are most commonly points of failure. Often, failures in an envelope occur below the skin. Moisture barriers and critical seals can located within the wall assembly

Image 1 - Visual evidence can often trigger a more in-depth investigation.

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

Image 2 - Infrared thermography can be useful in identifying failures that are not visible to the naked eye.

and are not always visible. Detecting failures in hidden compo-

of construction details and environmental conditions, a build-

nents is, consequently, more difficult. Sometimes their effects

ing scientist should be able to pick out the weaknesses of an

are easily visible (leaks through a roof drain), but sometimes

existing envelope and provide recommendations for on-going

failures or deficiencies are not readily apparent to the occu-

maintenance.

pants or maintenance staff. Air leaks, for example, are detrimental to the performance of an envelope, but are not often noticed by occupants or users (Image 2). Issues with hidden components can be uncovered by completing a series of relatively simple and ubiquitous tests. Sealant adhesion tests, infra-red thermography, moisture-meter readings, smoke pencil testing, and humidity/temperature logging are just a few of the available tools used to detect both known and unknown problems with the envelope. These

Depending largely on the quality of design and original construction, the requirements for building envelope evaluation and maintenance can vary significantly from facility to facility. The best approach to maximizing the longevity of a roof or wall assembly is to know what the assembly is and understand its strengths and weaknesses. Visual assessment, aided by various tools and investigation strategies, are the best first step if envelope performance issues are suspected.

tests are mostly minimal impact and easily implemented by a single technician, but more in-depth investigation (dismantling

About the Author: Fred Edwards, P. Eng., LEED AP BD+C, is a

of wall assemblies) can be required to uncover hidden seals

project engineer, Building Science and Restoration, with Read

and to assess as-built conditions. Armed with full knowledge

Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (RJC). b

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Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 59

Schoolhouse Products Inc.:

Furniture. All kinds. Right here.

Schoolhouse Products Inc is Canada’s largest distributor of furniture and related products to the K-12 and postsecondary education market in Canada. When Schoolhouse Products began operations in 1989, its mandate was to bring unique, innovative, value-priced and durable products to the Canadian market. The first manufacturers represented by Schoolhouse Products were Artco Bell, one of North America’s largest manufacturers of classroom furniture, Mity Lite, the pioneer in light-weight folding tables, and Screenflex, the manufacturer of a unique range of moveable partitions and room dividers. All three companies continue to be represented by Schoolhouse Products – along with another 15 to 20 manufacturers of products ranging from library and office furniture to A/V support furniture, outdoor site amenities furniture, etc. Initially, Schoolhouse Products intro60

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

duced new types of chairs and desks to the B.C. market, products that had upgraded ergonomics for improved student comfort, improved aesthetics for better classroom appearance, and lighter weight to provide move flexibility to teachers and students. Yet the furniture was strong and durable, requiring little maintenance – and was backed by long warranties, generally at least 15 years if not longer. This combination led to strong initial sales and dramatic growth in the business. Almost every school in B.C. uses a range of folding tables and chairs to provide for occasional and special event’s usage within the school. Historically, these tables and chairs were heavy and hard for school staff to handle. Schoolhouse Products pioneered the use of lightweight ABS plastic folding tables that could be easily handled by one person without causing back strain. Today, plastic tables have become the standard

product in schools right across Canada, and Schoolhouse Products is the major supplier of these types of tables and accompanying folding chairs. The company’s early years coincided with the introduction of new flooring that had issues of maintenance as furniture was moved within the classroom. Rather than ignore this issue, or replace standard chair/desk glides with temporary solutions like felt-tipped glides that would need frequent replacement, Schoolhouse Products worked with furniture manufacturers to develope glides that solved the problem – including neoprene-tipped glides, floor-saver glides, and more recently Q-Ball glides. The new glides eliminated these issues for both a short-term and long-term basis – and made life easier for teaching and custodial staff in schools. As school programs have changed over the past 25 years, the requirements of school libraries have changed as well,

requiring new types of furniture and related products. To help school districts renew existing libraries to meet these changing needs, or plan libraries for new schools, Schoolhouse Products has designers on-staff to provide this service at no cost to the school district. Schoolhouse Products also represents the widest range of library manufacturers of products, ranging from shelving and flexible tables to lounge and display furniture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; giving our designers unequalled access to a wide range of innovative products. Today, Schoolhouse Products provides a range of products that is unequalled in the industry; all of this is backed up by superior customer service for the B.C. market. Southwestern B.C. and Vancouver Island are handled by Tricia Thomas and Wayne Thomas out of our Vancouver office; Southeastern B.C. is handled by Don Cable from our Calgary office; and Northern B.C. is handled by Gord Nicholson out of our Edmonton office. For more information: 77 Steelcase Road West, Units 1 - 3 Markham, Ontario L3R 2S5 Tel: (905) 475-7753 Fax (905) 475-8380 www.schoolhouseproducts.com. b

Discover Chair & Desk

Call Tricia Thomas - (604) 562-6650

Toll-Free: 866-962-6650 â&#x20AC;˘ www.schoolhouseproducts.com

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 61

6. Insurance EFMA Vendor Profile

OR Safety Program

Centaur Products Inc.: Canada’s most accomplished sport contracting specialist

entaur is a proponent of the COR safety program and has been a pioneer in the COR safety program in Alberta sin s inception several years ago. We have received our Certificate Of Recognition (COR) and our proud of our genu nd rigorous commitment to workplace safety. Centaur employs the COR principles right across the country in ffort to keep all workers as safe as possible on our jobsites. With Centaur you are assured that workplace saf rocedures are not only highly valued but strictly enforced. Our comprehensive safety program extends all the w hrough our organization, from the very top all the way through to our installation technicians.

Richmond Olympic Oval, Richmond, B.C.

Richmond Olympic Oval, Richmond BC

With clients ranging from major universities, professional sporting venues and large recreational facilities to small colleges and K-12 schools, we are highly committed to finding the best solutions for all of our clients’ sport contracting. Regardless of the size or scope of the project, we maintain the same philosophy throughout: a dedication to providing quality workmanship, a willingness to communicate and share our extensive industry expertise and above all else, an unrelenting commitment to providing the most attentive, understanding and accommodating client service possible. Installation Experience Centaur Products Inc. has been in business for nearly 40 years. With regional offices and local installation technicians located in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Guelph, Montreal and Halifax, our extensive network of installation technicians guarantees that your project will be completed on time, and with the utmost in care. Our team offers a range of expertise with combined skills and specialized knowledge that is second-to-none. Centaur Products recruits and trains our installation technicians in-house. Collectively, our installers have hundreds of years and thousands of hours of sport facility construction experience. Centaur’s installation technicians are the core of our organization and the company recognizes this by investing in training and skill development as well as providing them with challenging and unique projects. Our installers are of the best 62

Ops Talk • Spring 2013

in the industry and pride themselves on producing exceptional Centaur Corporate Profile work. Financial Strength Centaur has a long history in the sports construction industry and has full bonding capabilities for large projects. With annual revenue over $30 million and assets over $5 million, Centaur has produced consistent and steady growth throughout our 40-year history. Dedicated and long-standing ownership/ management has maintained its focus on providing continual returns to stakeholders, both internally and externally, and approaching the business with a focus on long-term decisionmaking and maintaining excellent relationships with clients and suppliers. Comprehensive Product Knowledge Centaur specializes in a number of different product categories ranging from large-scale sport surfacing projects to the provision and installation of gymnasium equipment. This includes expertise in a number of different product categories including sports surfacing, spectator seating, scoreboards, electronic message displays, video displays and gymnasium equipment. We are exclusive dealers of Polytan Synthetic Sports Surfacing Systems, Robbins Sports Surfaces, Pulastic Synthetic Surfaces, Daktronics Scoreboards, Message & Video Displays, Irwin Seating Company and Southern Bleacher Grandstand Seating. This comprehensive umbrella of prod-

Contact: Kavie Toor, Associate Athletic Director Tel: 604-822-1688 (Direct Line)

Project Talisman Centre ucts,Name: expertise and supplier relationships allows us to always Client: City of Calgary, Alberta provide the best solution to any sport facility construction need.

derbird Stadium, home to the UBC Thunderbird’s football, soccer and rugby teams, was given the nickname the “mud bowl” as the long, wet B.C. fall and winter would take an enor-

When a fire badly damaged the roof of the Talisman Centre in Calgary, Alberta, much of the interior of the facility also mous toll of the field conditions, rendering it nearly unplayable became badly damaged and the facility was in need of a renovation of their surfaces and sport facility equipment. Methodology at times. This project required seamless communication and timing The construction of high-performance sport surfaces and as much of the work had to occur simultaneously with new To combat this recurring problem, the university considered roof sport construction. Centreand is now homeunderto 8,000 square feet of synthetic sports surfacing, 47,000 square equipment The is a Talisman highly specialized complex artificial turf as an alternative; however, the surface needed to as 5 feet taking. of hardwood court flooring, 2 indoor running tracks, 10,000 square feet of fitness room flooring, as well It requires not only a specialized understanding of cona high-performance stadium-grade artificial turf product basketball scoreboards state-of-the-art display be system. struction principles, butand also ain-depth knowledge video of key athletic performance and safety requirements. Even small variations Contact: Carol selection Kinley, Facility Manager in product and installation techniques can lead to Tel: 403-874-0402 dramatically varied results when it comes to the performance of your sport facilities both from a spectator and athlete perspective. If minor details are overlooked during the planning, design and construction of the products, then they can become victim to premature degradation, unsafe and unpredictable playing conditions and potentially incapable of facilitating high-level competition or training. What makes Centaur truly unique is our ability to assist our clients through every stage of their project. By developing a comprehensive familiarity and involvement with a project Centaur can provide numerous cost and time savings by ensuring seamless coordination of project tasks, enabling the creation of efficient and direct lines of communication and leveraging expertise developed from collaboration between specialists. Above all else however, choosing Centaur assures our clients of the highest levels of accountability and trust throughout every stage of their project. Case Study: Thunderbird Stadium Artificial Turf and Track Installation Client: University of British Columbia Located on the southwest coast of British Columbia, Thun-

that would be capable of hosting high levels of competition, since the facility was often used as a site for high-profile sport events in British Columbia including hosting Canadian International Rugby matches and the B.C. High School Championships. Centaur worked with the UBC to provide and install an artificial turf surface that would achieve both FIFA 2-Star and IRB certification as well as retain this high-quality over the long term. In addition to the artificial turf, Centaur has installed an IAAF outdoor running track at the university. Centaur is Canada’s most experienced sports construction management company and with our extensive experience, clients can rest assured that all stages of the project will be conducted by experienced and knowledgeable professionals. Employing the services of Centaur ensures that all stages

Corporate of your project will be carried out inCentaur the proper way andProfile that any potential problems will be recognized and addressed immediately, long before they can become larger, more costly problems further down the line. For further information, call toll-free 1-888-430-3300 or visit www.centaurproducts.com. b

Centaur specializes in a number of different product categories ranging from large-scale sport surfacing projects to the provision and installation of gymnasium equipment.

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 63

The power of polymers Differentially settled concrete walks causing trip hazards? Settled gymnasium floors? Uneven office/classroom floors? Entrance, foyer and hallway floor settlement? Negatively sloped walks and concrete paved parking lots? Do you have any other slab-on-grade concrete settlement issue or void condition? We have the solution! Over the past 14 years, Poly-Mor Canada has been employing an array of expanding polymer resins to lift settled concrete slabs, fill voided areas, stabilize weak base soils strata and leak seal infrastructure challenges. The Poly-Mor process is fast, clean, precise, environmentally friendly, non-intrusive and cost-effective. How is it done? Poly-Morâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proprietary expanding polymer resin system, in its liquid state, is injected between the concrete slab and the base soils through drilled holes 5/8-inch in diameter (15 mm or the size of a penny). The material immediately (within seven to 14 seconds) fills any voids, and then accurately and controllably lifts the settled slab to its proper elevation. The expanding resin exerts a force of over 10,240 pounds/square foot (50 tons/square metre) and the lifting is monitored using zip-levels or laser levels. The causes for concrete slab settlement and subsidence are many. The following are the most frequently suited to the Poly-Mor remedial technology: 1) Inadequate compaction of base soils during initial construction, predominantly evident around perimeter foundations with resultant walk settlement and negative slope towards the building. 2) Drying out or desiccation of base soils where the moisture in the base soils evaporates and causes shrinkage of the base soils. 3) Leaking water pipes or broken 64

Ops Talk â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2013

Poly-Mor Canada Inc. diligently strives to incorporate safety and environmental awareness into all aspects of work that Poly-Mor undertakes.

storm drainage and sewer pipes which are typically located under the floor slabs; this would also include washout of base soils from under concrete walks due to the down-spouts not carrying rain water far enough away from the building. 4) Compaction of existing base soils due to vibrations caused by heavy traffic patterns or machinery close to the school premises. These and other causes for settlement and weakening of base soils conditions can be treated with Poly-Mors technology and expertise. Poly-Mor Canada Inc. has undertaken many slab-lifting projects on schools across Canada – schools as far east as the Gaspe of Quebec, to Vancouver Island and as far north as Dauphin, Manitoba and the larger southern cities of Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. All the work is carried out by qualified specialist technicians, operating from a totally self-contained and fully equipped mobile workshop. Poly-Mor Canada Inc. diligently strives to incorporate safety and environmental awareness into all aspects of work that Poly-Mor undertakes. We at Poly-Mor are proud to advise that we are COR Certified when it comes to workplace safety for our staff and clients. We also note that Poly-Mor’s expanding polymer resin systems have withstood rigorous environmental testing over time and have gained LEED certification. We understand clients’ concerns for environmental protection; independent studies have demonstrated that Poly-Mor’s resin systems are environmentally benign, causing no soil or water contamination due to leaching nor does the material off-gas, Inclusive of the many benefits of using Poly-Mor technology is our ability and

desire to put the client in control of their slab-lifting and soils stabilization challenges. In this regard, the majority of the work programs undertaken on behalf of schools have been undertaken during “off-school” hours. Work is done either during holiday periods, weekends or during the evening hours. This ensures there will be no inconvenience to staff and student body during teaching time. Poly-Mor Canada Inc. is most pleased

with the relationship it has developed with numerous school boards and school officials over the years, and looks forward to maintaining these relationships and increasing same with other companies and organizations requiring the services of Poly-Mor Canada Inc. For more information, call 1-866-887-3835 or visit www.Poly-Mor.ca. b

Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 65

Cutting grass, not corners!

Introducing a new category in wide-area mowers: the new Hustler Super 104 Interior Turf Equipment (ITE) has been supplying turf care equipment to the municipalities and school districts of B.C. since 1999. Over the years, they have sold and serviced Hustler, Ventrac, Steiner and Bannerman products. Under new ownership since September 2010, ITE continues to aim for customer satisfaction and product excellence. Hustler Turf, the first to manufacture the zero-turn mower, is well-known for their commercial-quality zero-turn mowers. They have a wide line-up of gas and diesel zero-turn mowers, including the Zeon electric mower. The 36HP diesel Hustler 3700 series four-wheel-drive outfront mower can make short work of your mowing requirements with your choice of 60-inch, 72-inch, or their 84-inch articulating, triple-deck option.

Ventrac has two lines, the 3000 and 4000 series, with over 30 attachments available. These tractors can finish mow, brush-cut, plow and/or blow snow; Ventrac has trenchers, leaf blowers, turbine blowers, aerators, edgers and just about any attachment that you can imagine. All attachments can be changed in less than one minute. If you’re still using weed-eaters to cut the grass on your steep slopes, you need to check out the Ventrac lineup. With duals on the 4000 series Ventrac tractor, this is the only tractor that comes factory-rated for continuous safe operation on slopes up to 300. The Ventrac tractor is the one all-season tractor that will exceed your expectations. Bannerman products are Canadianmade and known for their simple yet effective ability to get the job done right.

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Ops Talk • Spring 2013

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The Bannerman line includes aerators, edgers, turf-toppers, hover mowers, groomers, line-painters and many more turf and playing-field care products. If you are looking for replacement bedknives, reels, bearings, rollers and nonOEM quality parts for less, R&R Products offers an extensive list of these products for various mowers including Jacobsen, John Deere, Toro and many more. They also offer irrigation parts and supplies, golf course and field maintenance equipment, and tools. The Super 104 is an affordable widearea mower with the manoeuvrability of a zero-turn. Features include Kawasaki FX1000 engine, 104-inch cutting width, hyper-drive system, Grammar premium suspension seat (standard), simple, service-friendly design, and hydraulic wing deck lift. The Super 104 can mow up to 84 acres in eight hours at 16 km/hr and will mow where most wide-area mowers cannot. Interior Turf Equipment also offers small machine repair as well as relief grinding services for Fairway, Greens and Gang mowers. For more information on these and many more products, go to www.iteequipment.com. Don’t forget to check the used inventory and monthly specials! b

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Working together to control your building energy costs Managing a school isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play. Simple energy concerns are magnified across multiple buildings all trying to react to variable loads. You need real time data, one simple interface, flexible reporting and the power to change every system in your buildings. With a Delta Controls system through ESC or one of its Partners, you can manage operating costs effectively by identifying inefficiencies and acting upon them, even remotely. After all, you have a responsibility for hundreds of students, keeping them safe and comfortable so that they achieve their learning potential.

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Ops Talk Magazine Spring 2013

Articles inside

Cutting grass, not corners – Interior Turf

EFMA Vendor Profile: Centaur Products Inc

The power of polymers – Poly-Mor Canada Inc

Schoolhouse Products Inc. – Furniture. All kinds. Right here

Improving the long-term performance of the building envelope

Routine maintenance of wheelchair/occupant restraints improves safety

BCIT Sustainable Energy Management program

Western Bus can help your district’s school bus repairs

Talius offers school security solutions

Concrete slabs: What are the proper methods for moisture testing?

Proving energy and cost benefits in B.C

They’re our children, too – Canstar Restorations

Determining a balance

When school doors closed for spring break, KidSafe opened

Fire-side procedures – Multiple condensing boiler plant maintenance

Thoughts on: Even better customer service

Fire forges a new path for Southern Okanagan Secondary

The future of property management

Time in a bottle – M.V. Beattie School

Greening UBC Okanagan

BCCA drives change in public procurement practices

EFMA President’s Message – Tom Louie, P.Eng CEFM

Rocky Mountain Home: District No. 6’s Steve Jackson