Temporary is the new permanent Pointblank Installations’ portable classrooms are proving that they have longevity By Cindy Chan
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hen schools need portable classrooms, who are they going to call? Pointblank Installations Inc. Established in 1997, the company transports, installs, and renovates portable classrooms for
school districts in British Columbia. According to Pointblank Installations’ CEO, Shane Constantinescu, portable classrooms are modular buildings that comprise of two units that join together to create a 1,000-square-foot learning environment that house up to 30 students. Constantinescu explains that usually the exterior is metal-clad, while the roof is made of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber. As well, there are two doors and three windows and forced air or electric heating. “Usually, the back wall has no windows because that’s where the whiteboards are,” Constantinescu explains. Other than the fact that the building is portable and located outdoors, Constantinescu says it’s just like a regular classroom. Holes in the exterior in one of the classrooms in SD #36.
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Ops Talk • Spring 2016
A crane with a modular classroom in SD #36.
While portable classrooms are usually brought in as a temporary means – either for when a school is undergoing seismic upgrades or the district just doesn’t have the funding to expand their institution – Constantinescu stresses that portable buildings are here to stay. “People forget they’re just like any other building or house,” Constantinescu adds, that like traditional buildings, portable classrooms require maintenance as well in order to last 30-plus years. “There have been portables that have been on school sites for 20 years now, without regular maintenance.” According to their website, pointblank-inc.com, their services include foundation repair and/or levelling (wood or concrete); custom design and modifications; exterior siding, trim, fascia and skirting; door and window replacement and/or addition; custom stair/steps, deck and railings; interior finishing; interior walls and doorways; heating and cooling system installation; electrical and lighting; roof repairs and replacement; and seasonal maintenance. p
