Ops Talk Magazine Fall 2018

Covering all aspects of educational facilities and operations.

Talk

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40934510

Fall 2018

Surrey welcomes first new secondary school in 12 years Steam engine at Victoria High School a relic of the past

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In this issue Message from the president of EFMA, Heather Simm............................................... 10 Message from the Minister of Education, Rob Fleming............................................. 12 EFMA member profile: Alex Telford..............................................................................14 2018 EFMA bursary winners..........................................................................................16 Surrey’s Salish Secondary: Modern space for modern learning................................18 New EFMA member profiles......................................................................................... 20 Resurrection of the Victoria High School Steam Engine........................................... 24 Thoughts on: Respect..................................................................................................... 26 Emerging issues on building operations...................................................................... 28 Make your school EPP-ready......................................................................................... 30 The future of cleaning..................................................................................................... 32 Key factors in deciding your classroom amplification devices (CAD) for all your students....................................................... 34 Sustainability and plastic consumption...................................................................... 38 Milliken: The only moisture mitigation solution you’ll ever need............................. 40

Published by: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com President David Langstaff Publisher Jason Stefanik Managing Editor Shayna Wiwierski shayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion Toll Free: 1.866.424.6398 Advertising Sales Gary Barrington | Jennifer Hebert Dan Roberts | Gary Seamans Contributing Writers Markus Hilbert | Chuck Morris Sheila Reynolds | Taryn Rittberg

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Copyright 2018. EFMA. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

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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.

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ON THE COVER: Community Hall on Hornby Island.

4

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF EFMA

Heather Simm

I

t’s October so that means we have all survived the madness of both summer construction season and September start up!

The EFMA executive is ramping up once again and well on its way to planning for another great year and another great conference! We started the fall off with an excellent meeting in Penticton which included our zone chairs. We reviewed some strengths and challenges that were brought to the meeting by all zones and also reviewed our strategic plan. We will be setting aside some time in the near future (and asking for more input from other members) to assist us in revising and revitalizing both our strategic plan and our standards and practices. The conference is shaping up nicely, so mark your calendar for Penticton, May 27-31, 2019!

Our theme for this year’s conference is teamwork; “Working together to help build the future in education”. Our zone meetings are a vital part of our organization and I encourage everyone to participate as this is where the groundwork for teamwork within our association begins. The round table discussions that are a part of every zone meeting have solved several problems and the knowledge gained is invaluable. Your coworkers from other districts are the most valuable resource out there. Furthering the teamwork aspect, I want to invite all our members to participate in the development of an EFMA mentorship program. Watch your email for more information on this, as well as a directors’ workshop that will be open to everyone that is interested.

It is an honour to be president of an association that has been going strong for 54 years. We continue to honour that history and experience as we strive to be on the cutting edge of facility management for the K-12 sector. We are well situated to meet those objectives with the excellent group of dedicated people within our organization that includes our executive, zone chairs, various other committee volunteers, and of course our executive director Glenn Miller and (most importantly) our executive secretary Molly Shipowich. Thank you to all of these people.

Our members are the backbone of this association so please remember to participate in your zone meetings and plan to attend the conference in the spring.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any ideas or concerns. I want to honour the history and knowledge that we have as an association, but also harness all the new ideas and energy we are lucky to have with all our new members that have come from all different backgrounds. Thank you for the opportunity to be the president of this amazing group; I’m looking forward to a great year! n

10 Ops Talk • Fall 2018

Your Learning Spaces,

Better Connected

message from the minister of education

Rob Fleming

A

s we settle into another school year, it is an exciting time to be part of British Columbia’s education sector.

Students and families throughout the province are finally beginning to see the benefits of a properly resourced school system, and we are working to continue our progress until every student is receiving the best educational experience possible. That means learning the new curriculum in safe, healthy, and positive classrooms – and not in portables.

For far too long, there was a lack of investments in schools across B.C. When I started as minister of education just over a year ago, our government laid out an aggressive plan to fix this – and we are delivering on that plan.

Budget 2018 provides $2 billion over three years to build new schools, accelerate our Seismic Mitigation Program, and purchase land for future schools so that students across B.C. will have the best opportunities to thrive in our growing economy. It is the largest capital plan for education in our province’s history, and it puts us on a path to deliver better education to B.C. students.

Clearly, our plan is working. Since September 2017, we have announced more than $823 million in capital investments. That includes more than 5,600 new student spaces in growing communities, and almost 15,000 safer seats thanks to $466 million of seismic upgrades and replacement schools across the province.

Some highlights of these investments include announcing replacement facilities at North Vancouver’s Handsworth Secondary School, Burnaby North Secondary School, New Westminster’s Richard McBride Elementary School, and four replacement schools in Vancouver.

We have also announced new schools and expansions in Surrey, Lake Country, Fort St. John, Chilliwack, and Langford – demonstrating our commitment to reduce the need for portables in fast-growing school districts. To further improve schools for students, we introduced a $5-million annual Playground Equipment Program, and increased the Annual Facility Grant by $5 million – the first increase to the AFG since 2004/05.

For the first time in years, students are looking forward to schools that support modern, 21st century learning that give them the best chance to succeed.

Of course, there is much more to be done, and we are committed to continue working for British Columbians to give students the world-class education they deserve. As always, I invite your feedback. It takes all partners pulling in the right direction to truly make a difference for our students, and I look forward to continuing to build our relationships to deliver a better K-12 education system for everyone. n

12 Ops Talk • Fall 2018

Text from:

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A EFM

ILE F O R PR E B MEM

Pride and performance Alex Telford, manager of facilities and transportation, SD#27

By TARYN RITTBERG

B

orn and raised in Williams Lake, Alex Telford

and now spends his days successfully maintaining the

now lives in the 100 Miles area of British Co-

business side of the facilities and transportation depart-

lumbia with his wife and family where he began

ment in SD#27.

working for School District #27. He first worked

part time as a labourer, pouring retaining walls and sidewalks, but eventually transitioned to full-time work with the school district.

“I worked my way up to tradesman non-certified rate and then challenged my carpenter trades Red Seal certificate,” says Telford.

“I get a lot of satisfaction from my job, because my team and I provide services and support in so many ways to the entire district,” he says.

Telford has been a member of EFMA since 2011, and says that the opportunities he has gotten through the association has been tenfold. He also enjoys planning and managing major projects in his school district. He enjoys oversee-

During his early years with SD#27, Telford independently

ing upgrades and working on out-of-the-box energy man-

learned AutoCAD, a computer-aided design and drafting

agement projects that will help improve the educational

program. He started drawing line drawings of their schools

environment for students and teachers alike.

and gained his managers support and created an on-going project, where he still does the required line drawings for

Although Telford has excelled as the manager of facilities

the district. The next impressive role Telford took on was

and transportation, it did not come without its challenges.

as the carpentry department lead hand, and then the next

Dealing with a large number of employees, budgeting, plan-

year, he also became the manager of facilities and trans-

ning, parent complaints, and looking after schools within

portation for the district.

the district, are just some of the challenges that he deals

This new position provided Telford with fresh challenges, and while he came to the job with 26 years of experience within the school district, he recounts there was indeed a learning curve. With an increased staff, two assistant man-

with quite often. But, with the aid of the EFMA, and particularly the support received at the annual conference and trade show, as well as at Telford’s EFMA zone meetings, he has been able to obtain many helpful insights and ideas.

agers, as well as transportation, custodial, maintenance

“Sharing with colleagues from other districts often pro-

and energy management to look after, there was definitely

vides insight on how to deal with our problems and issues,”

a lot for Telford to learn. However, he rose to the occasion

he says. n

14 Ops Talk • Fall 2018

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The EFMA was pleased to offer five $1,000 bursaries to graduates of the 2017/18 school year. Our association is comprised of administrative and management personnel of school districts who are responsible for construction, maintenance, custodial services, etc.

These bursaries are offered to secondary students completing their Grade 12 year who will enter a recognized post-secondary educational institution in the 2018/19 term. Bursaries are awarded on the basis of academic achievement and/or special needs.

to the 2018/19 bursary recipients!

• Mackenzie Morin, SD#22 Vernon – Honourary George Routley Award • Hailey Dong, SD#38 Richmond – Robert (Bob) Hardy Award • Riley Kadach – SD#22 Vernon • Austin Noda – SD#37 Delta • Niya Kelpin – SD#8 Kootenay Lake

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16

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

SEISMIC RESTRAINT OF NONSTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS IN THE SCHOOLS AND IN THE HOSPITALS

The École Salish Secondary, which opened in September 2018, is located in the Clayton neighbourhood of Surrey. This is the first new secondary school in Surrey in 12 years.

The school was designed by KMBR Architects Planners Inc. and sits on more than 62,500 square metres of property.

Surrey’s Salish Secondary: Modern space for modern learning

By Sheila Reynolds

T

he light. It’s one of the first things you notice when you walk through the doors of Surrey’s newest secondary school.

Even on a rainy day, it’s bright, welcoming, and uplifting. With copious windows, glass walls, high ceilings and intentional, open spaces; there are no dark corners or

dreary rooms at École Salish Secondary.

“It really does have a positive effect on the overall atmosphere of the school,” says principal Sheila Hammond, referencing the sun beaming through a garage-style glass door in the school’s central atrium area. “I don’t think people realize how much of an impact it has on students’ attitudes and well-being.”

Having just opened in September, École Salish Secondary is located in the rapidly growing Clay-

ton neighbourhood of Surrey, where housing development is swift and ongoing, resulting in other nearby secondary schools feeling the pressures of over-crowding for several years.

Designed by KMBR Architects Planners Inc., the $55.2-million school is 13,685 square metres, sitting on more than 62,500 square metres of property.

The open-space design allows for modern learning, inviting collaboration between teachers and students, and integration of subjects, as encouraged in B.C.’s new curriculum. Flexibility of space is key, with features such as retractable classroom walls, sliding glass doors, large and small meeting spaces, and movable, functional furniture, including whiteboard tables and desks.

There are 10 so-called ‘learning pods’ in the school, each colour-coded, with four studios surrounding three collaborative and break-out spaces apiece. Each is organized by grade and subject area. École Salish Secondary has features such as retractable classroom walls, sliding glass doors, large and small meeting spaces, and movable, functional furniture, including whiteboard tables and desks.

18

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

In addition to eye-catching details such as overhead wood beams and artwork by nine First Nations artists on sliding glass doors, other major features include two gymnasiums; music, dance, and art studios; stateof-the-art metal and wood shops; a 200-seat theatre (complete with catwalk); and discovery and robotics labs.

Outside, there are two playing fields, a basketball court, several open patios and plenty of benches. There is even a second-floor outdoor deck that may be used for seating or perhaps a garden or yoga session – whatever

The atrium of the school is awaiting a suitable name, which the school hopes will be chosen by students.

students decide, says Hammond, again emphasizing their involvement in developing the school’s character. Even the atrium, she says, is awaiting a suitable moniker.

“I keep hoping the kids will come up with a name,” Hammond says. “We’re really trying to make it studentled, to give them ownership.”

The spacious school is currently about half full, with many classrooms and spaces unused in this, its first year. With a capacity of 1,500 students – including English and French immersion programs – Salish welcomed about 825 Grade 8-11 students this fall, allowing this year’s Grade 12 students to graduate with peers at their existing secondary

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schools. Grade 12 will be introduced to Salish in fall 2019. The inaugural year also saw 60 staff members (approximately 40 teachers and 20 support staff) walk through the doors.

The school’s opening benefited two other nearby over-capacity secondary schools – Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary and Clayton Heights Secondary, allowing for the removal or reduction of a combined 17 portable classrooms from the two schools’ grounds.

While Salish is the first new secondary school in Surrey in 12 years, there have been numerous school expansions in the ever-growing

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district, as well as several new elementary schools built. Since 2000, there have been 20 new schools constructed in Surrey and White Rock – five of which were replacements for aging schools.

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three elementary – are anticipated to be built by 2020. n Educational Facility Managers’ Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 19

Two new members join the family

A spotlight of two new EFMA members

By Taryn Rittberg

T

he ways in which the members of the Educational Facilities Managers’ Association of B.C. (EFMA) make it possible for students to learn in a safe and secure environment are innumerable. With a strong membership of facility managers across the province, the EFMA is more a community than association, providing members support and encouragement, and allowing members to source information from those with similar experience and knowledge. Here’s a look at two members who joined the family this year.

Don Lee

Manager, Maintenance Services and Trades for SD#41 Don Lee was born and raised in “good old east Vancouver”, British Columbia.

He graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in the electrical field, specializing in telecommunications. He is married and has two children who both attended public school in Burnaby and now are attending Simon Fraser University. Lee is proud to have called Burnaby his home for the past 20 years.

Lee spent the first half of his career in the high-tech private sector, and worked for a variety of companies including Nice Systems, Creo, Kodak GCG, and Honeywell Business Solutions. Initially, Lee worked in engineering, design, and 20

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

production, eventually transitioning to a more managerial position later on in his career. Having spent two decades in the private high-tech sector, Lee decided to go back to school and complete the Sustainable Energy Management Advanced Certificate program at BCIT.

any problems they have. Like most pub-

While Lee rejoined the private sector for a short time after completing the certificate program, he soon was afforded the opportunity to work with the Burnaby Facilities and Maintenance Department to manage the HVAC division. From there he created a policy to re-integrate and re-establish an internal HVAC team. Lee credits this opportunity to good timing and has since been with the Burnaby School District, where he is now one of the managers within the facility team and is responsible for the trades groups within the Burnaby school.

difficult to overcome.

“I really enjoy going out and meeting the folks in our schools and doing our best to address any issues they have with their sites. There is a lot of satisfaction working with all the trades professionals to provide a consistent level of service to the schools and allowing the education staff to focus on teaching the kids in the best possible environment.”

vantage of”.

Lee finds a great deal of satisfaction in having the opportunity to address schools’ issues and hopefully resolving

says Lee. “The ability to give something

lic sector organizations, Lee notes they are always trying to do more with less and to find ways to use taxpayer dollars in the best way possible. There are constant struggles with flat or decreasing budgets and increasing costs, which are

“With buildings continuing to age and the costs to maintain and repair continuing to escalate, it can become a frustrating situation,” says Lee. In 2018 Lee joined the EFMA and attended his first EFMA conference this past June. He found that there was an outstanding amount of knowledge and a wealth of experience to help him with issues that sometimes felt solely his own. The EFMA provided “a whole world of support and expertise across the province that members can take ad-

After working in both the private and public sectors, Lee has a unique view on the importance of jobs within the public field.

“I’m really happy to be back working in the education sector and proud to work for the Burnaby school district,” back and provide a service that makes a small difference is very satisfying.”

of building maintenance, a job which he feels honoured to have.

Justin Taylor

Manager, Building Maintenance for SD#61 Justin Taylor was born on what he refers to with love as the “frozen tundra of Fort McMurray”. From playing road hockey and building forts in the woods, to ice hockey and sledding, Taylor fondly remembers his childhood years.

After moving to Edmonton for his postsecondary education, he returned home and eventually met his wife to be, Maegan, on a road trip to Vancouver Island to visit family. He now lives in Duncan B.C. with his wife and four children, Willow, Asa, William, and Jace.

Taylor started his career as a warehouse worker at a wholesale distributor of plumbing and other waterworks products in Fort McMurray. He was then promoted to counter sales, but recalls that sales just wasn’t what he was looking for. With a passion for building and working on projects, Taylor jumped at the opportunity when a friend offered him a plumbing apprenticeship. Four year later, he received his Red Seal Journeyman ticket and began working in the Alberta construction industry. Ten years after that, Taylor moved to Vancouver Island and began working for the School District #61, an opportunity he feels very lucky to have received. After a few years, Taylor was promoted to mechanical foreman,and then to assistant manager of building maintenance.

He now holds the position of manager

As the manager of building maintenance for SD#61, Taylor’s responsibilities include a vast array of facility oversight, ranging from electrical and HVAC maintenance to building structure and plumbing operation. Taylor is responsible for making sure district schools run smoothly without incident.

In addition to these responsibilities, he also maintains the grounds surrounding district schools, maintaining the grass, pathways and roads on school property. While Taylor is new to the job,and knows he has a lot to learn, he also knows that he has an extremely talented and knowledgeable team assisting him, who he can lean on for advice and support.

There are many aspects of his job that Taylor enjoys, but two in particular stand out to him. One of which is he loves the people that he works with.

“It’s very rare to work in a place where every single person is trying to do things to the best of their ability, while at the same time do things better,” he says.

Even in the midst of introducing new

technology, with the potential to cause chaos, employees rallied and embraced new changes and the organization improved as such. Taylor also appreciates that through his job, he gets to ensure that the taxpayer dollars that are allocated to his sector are used responsibly and as effectively as possible. He has encouraged the push for more transparency with all interest holders, and improved communication and collaboration throughout the entire organization. He is also proud of the quality of informed decisions when handling both large projects, as well as day-to-day maintenance.

It was just this year that Taylor became a member of the EFMA, when he was promoted to assistant manager of building maintenance, and he clearly holds this membership in high regard.

“Having access to [the] massive knowledge base which EFMA holds is priceless,” says Taylor. “Being able to send a communication out asking for advice on an issue and getting to tap into so many highly skilled and experienced people makes solving problems faster and more efficient.” n

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The Troy Steam Engine was installed at Victoria High School in 1914, the year it opened, and heated the school until it was replaced in the late 1920s.

Resurrection of the Victoria High School Steam Engine

V

ictoria High School, where it sits today, began construction in 1914 and opened its doors to students in 1916.

One of the most important facets of this project was the state-of-the-art heating system that was installed and necessary to heat a building of this size. A piece of that heating system is still on site and continues to be in working order where it resides on the fourth floor of Victoria High, the Troy Steam Engine.

In 1914, the Troy Steam Engine began its

duties in the existing boiler room driving the air compressor which supplied heating control air for the buildings.

The steam engine was replaced in the late 1920’s with an air compressor driven by an electric motor. The engine sat idle and neglected until 1946 when it was moved to the machine shop classroom at Fairey Technical building just west of the main Victoria High building.

The machine shop students used this engine as a display and teaching aide from that time until 1986 when chief engineer Jim Connor requested permis-

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Ops Talk • Fall 2018

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sion from the machine shop teacher Bud Brice to move the engine back “home” to the main building boiler room. The request was granted and a five-year project began.

The engine was dismantled down to the flywheel and moved over by the custodial personnel to its original location. During the following five years, the steam engine was slowly assembled and restored as time permitted. On November 15, 1991, the original steam engine came to life again and was restored to operating condition… but not without its moans and groans.

Chief engineer Connor recalls, “I wanted to hook it up to steam again.” This is the basic steam engine that ran the trains and the boats that opened this country up, and here it is for all to see.

The engine is the only one of its kind in working order in any Vancouver Island School, and possibly all of B.C. Jim Connor laughs when he tells the story­about starting the steam engine up for the first time.

“There were several water leaks, water gushing out all over… it was running like a broken radio.”

was without steam for 65 years.” After about a month or so, the engine ran like a Swiss clock.

Connor ended up putting out a call for help to power engineers who were qualified to work in steam plants, as well as calls outside Canada. The Saanich Historical Artifacts Steam Engineers were one of the groups that were extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

For the next number of years, this steam engine was used for teaching and demonstrating purposes, particularly for employees of School District #61 (Victoria) who were students of the Power Engineering Program at Camosun College.

Connor remembers how wonderful people were that helped with this restoration.

“This project has developed into an operating steam engine only because of the contributions from many people supplying time, expertise, and encouragement. Providing special tools, cylinder oil valve rod packing, pouring and fitting of babbit bearing, welding and pipe fittings, as well as help with a phone call to Ernst Gage Co. of New York City was necessary and important for the final restoration of an engine that

In 2009, the steam engine was moved out of the boiler room and relocated for display to the fourth floor of Victoria High. Ernie Wirtanen, a 1937 graduate of Victoria High School, provided the funding for a wooden and glass cabinet and an electric motor that still runs the engine weekly by the current chief engineer, Zain Jaison.

Chief engineer Jim Connor has long since retired as an engineer, but still actively and enthusiastically works with Debbie Blacky in the Victoria High School Archives located on the main floor of Victoria High. n

In 2009, the steam engine was moved out of the boiler room and relocated for display to the fourth floor of Victoria High.

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Thoughts on

W

respect

hile contemplating what is going on south of our border, and the escalation of complete disrespect for individuals; besides being aghast at what I hear and witness on television, I wonder where we are going as a society. Don’t you? We are all on one continent, so a lot of what happens in the U.S. may remain there, but it could escalate to our country.

Of course I am highlighting these problems because it does affect all of us to some degree; but we do live in Canada where respect is much more common and not completely broken down.

Respect starts with you. It is really simple. It starts with you!

How do you get there? Do you respect others in your workplace and do they respect you? Does your staff respect each other?

We strive to do a good job (wherever you may be in the hierar-

By Chuck Morris

chy of the organization chart) and that needs to be respected.

If you are the leader then you better be showing respect to your staff.

If we run a respectful operation we will see the outcome of that. Everyone has problems of some sort and if someone is not in the best of moods or is showing signs of pressure, take note! We do not know what is taking place in most peoples’ lives. Let’s give a little and offer support. That can go a long way with both of you. Be cognizant of life. Don’t lose yourself in the daily rush and pressures you might experience from your director or from the board. Those can be dealt with by pausing once in a while to regain some of your own mental stability.

Respect yourself.

Someone once stated; “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world”.

Let us not lose sight of that. You or any member of your staff may not know what is happening with others. Respect their space. Give a little.

Some inconsequential thing you do may have a profound effect on someone. By doing what you may think as a simple task or action might place you in a position you are completely unaware of, such as supporting someone’s viewpoint, or through dialogue creating an action that may change their life for the better. Your integrity, ethical, and moral behaviour does affect others!

We want to ensure we are practicing respect. It makes your job easier. It may allow you to make good friendships with people you thought were standoffish. We all have our own personal problems. Let’s give some space to others and allow them the space to deal with those issues.

Let’s all be part of the solution. Not part of the problem! n

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Ops Talk • Fall 2018

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Emerging issues in building operations Building Automation / Energy Management / Sustainability

B

uildings today employ a multitude of technologies to automate their systems and maximize the performance of their buildings. However, with such a substantial investment in buildings, has there been a corresponding investment in the people to manage these buildings?

As boards of education bring on new schools with automated technologies, the demands placed on their staff to maximize the performance of these buildings requires individuals who have received training beyond what operational staff have historically received. In addition, those accountable for these buildings must now instill a culture of ongoing education in order for their buildings to achieve the operational goals set out by the systems they employ.

Studies today show that the technical knowledge of staff will be short lived: as individuals master one skill set, new knowledge requirements quickly replace it. In fact, the reality is that just when we start to understand one piece of soft28

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

ware, a new one is available. As buildings evolve and use more and more technology, building operators will be faced with this reality as well.

With an aging workforce, building operators are transitioning from skills dealing with aging technology to those that employ new technology. However, there is still the need to have a foundational knowledge of the old systems in order to maintain buildings with older systems in place.

Tapping into associations that focus on professional development can be a way boards of education can instill a culture of professional development and learning for those assigned the role of operating their buildings at max capacity.

BOMI Canada is one such organization, focusing on training building operators, facility managers and property managers. Within BOMI’s Systems Maintenance Technician designation program, there are certificate programs focusing on general management of buildings, as well as other programs specific to en-

ergy/sustainability initiatives (BEC).

Some of the key trends identified by the Green Building Council for 2018 included: • Going retro(fit) — updating existing buildings and improving their energy efficiency will help Canada meet its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

• Recognizing the value of data — analyzing the data available on building operations will help identify areas for improvement and optimization.

In recognizing these trends and adopting a culture of ongoing training, building operators will play an influential role in achieving the benchmarks required for their buildings. For example, courses such as BOMI’s Energy Management and Controls assists building operators in advancing their knowledge in several key areas. They are able to better: • Apply an energy management plan to their building’s systems

Facing page: Studies today show that the technical knowledge of staff will be short lived, as individuals master one skill set, new knowledge requirements quickly replace it.

Right: BOMI Canada focuses on training building operators, facility managers, and property managers.

• Evaluate new systems with a concentration on retrofitting • Understand traditional and alternative energy systems

the need for retrofitting older buildings.

trained individuals to manage the day-

Additionally, they will be able to employ

to-day operation of the buildings.

data management skills to maximize the performance of older systems, as well as newer ones.

Change is already well underway and more is sure to follow. And, without a strong culture of education within build-

These types of courses will enable build-

As school boards and commercial build-

ing operations, our buildings will not be

ing operators to successfully respond to

ings work to help Canada meet its inter-

able to meet the demands that they will

key operational trends that are emerging

national obligation to reduce its carbon

face in reducing their impact on the en-

in building management as a result of

footprint, there will be a greater need for

vironment. n

Educational Facility Managers’ Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 29

Making your schools EPP-ready

Left: Schools using networked FrontRow classroom soundfield systems have the added benefit that the teacher microphone becomes a ‘smart’ microphone to allow two-way communication with the office, or let the office know of a problem in their classroom without the need to locate a phone or help button. Right: Admin staff should be able to quickly activate any type of emergency scenario, whether it’s to notify children and staff on the playground of a weather emergency, or effectively advise the school of a lockdown situation.

M

any schools use networked systems daily for paging, intercom, and bells. But only in the last several years have they recruited networked technology to support crisis situations where clear communication and speed are critical. As part of an effective emergency preparedness plan (EPP), schools need to support their life-safety systems with communication technologies that help keep staff and students

aware, informed, focused, and out of harm’s way. And to do that, the communication platform must provide three basic functions: 1. Activation: Multiple ways for staff to activate an alert 2. N otification: Redundant ways to inform responders 3. Response: A suite of effective, automated actions

Activation A strong communication system gives teachers and other staff members multiple ways to tell the rest of the school there’s a problem. Ideally, teachers should be able to send an alert from a combination of: their microphone, a call button, a wall control panel, an under-desk panic button, or a virtual button on a computer or mobile device.

These options must also be easy to find

A safer, more efficient school Create a single communications grid for paging, bells, intercom and emergency alerts over your LAN with FrontRow. • Flexible & Expandable - totally customizable with no ongoing or hidden fees • Self-sufficient - use the intuitive interface to manage communications without the need for outside consultants and techs • One system for emergency response - one-click can activate emergency alerts, trigger digital signage, lock doors, send e-mail notifications and much more • Eliminate redundancy - no need for separate wiring, amplifiers, speakers, bell tones, intercom phones, support contracts

30

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

Make your schools EPP-ready with FrontRow Conductor.

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in a stressful situation, and the mic signal must be strong enough to get around most obstructions from furniture or people.

Admin staff should be able to quickly activate any type of emergency scenario, whether it’s to notify children and staff on the playground of a weather emergency, or effectively advise the school of a lock-down situation. And each scenario should be automated with its own pre-recorded message, tone, or trigger events such as initiating strobe lights or door locks.

Notification Just as crucial is ensuring that the school and response team are effectively notified. Automated emergency announcements that override other local audio plus visual cues through digital signage or strobe lights are important to ensure that students and staff are informed regardless of where they are in the school. Also important is to ensure the alert has many ways to reach a group of people who can render help.

The primary delivery point will likely be the front office, but other members of a response team either on or off campus should be informed too (e.g., superintendent’s office, campus security, facilities, etc).

form to cover all their school communication needs. Conductor was designed specifically for the K-12 environment and not only gives schools easy control of their paging, bell schedules, and communication zones, but also ties in the school emergency communication and control platform. Staff can pre-record any number of emergency alerts and decide how those alerts should be activated. When an alert is activated, Conductor can also trigger door locks, visual communication, and even email notification to response teams outside the school.

Schools using networked FrontRow classroom soundfield systems have the added benefit that the teacher microphone becomes a ‘smart’ microphone to

allow two-way communication with the office, or let the office know of a problem in their classroom without the need to locate a phone or help button.

“FrontRow Conductor has been instrumental in raising the standards of our school emergency preparedness,” says Paul Taylor, IT analyst from Luther College High School in Regina.

Getting your communication technology EPP-ready takes planning, but is well within the reach of school personnel. For a free guide to building strong school communication infrastructure, ask for a copy of the Conductor Deployment Guidelines at gofrontrow.com, or for more information call 800.340.9894. n

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The future of cleaning

A

queous ozone cleaning systems are starting to make significant inroads in the professional cleaning industry. One of the initial goals of O3Canada was to prove to the professional cleaning industry that these systems clean effectively, that they can be

used for daily cleaning, and that they offer what is now called “on-demand” cleaning, allowing the cleaning worker to use the system whenever needed/ wherever needed, without needing to gather supplies from a janitorial closet.

Scores of studies have now been released that prove the cleaning effectiveness and value of aqueous ozone systems. Further, as cleaning professionals begin to use our system, they find that we were correct and the systems are equally suited to handle both daily and on-demand cleaning tasks.

But in the process, something else has been uncovered. Aqueous ozone is also a very “green” and sustainable way to clean. In fact O3Canada now refers to aqueous ozone as “greener than green cleaning”. Cleaning with aqueous ozone gets high marks for sustainability because it minimizes or eliminates the following: • Packaging materials – boxes, plastic, etc. – to package cleaning solutions.

• Containers – gallon, five-gallon, and ready-to-use containers that hold cleaning solutions.

• Fuel – to transport cleaning solutions.

• Greenhouse gases – fewer greenhouse gases are released because less fuel is used.

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Ops Talk • Fall 2018

Here is what some of our users are saying: It was my pleasure to give you some feedback. One other testimonial I thought I should share. I’m a natural sceptic, so a couple of weeks ago I was deep cleaning the deep fryers; drained, moved, cleaned floor and sides and thought I’m going to try this ozone stuff on the built-up char at the top of the back chimney…no way it will work. Sprayed it on, waited a few minutes to let it penetrate and took a paint scraper to it.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, it literally peeled off like paint stripper. We’re talking YEARS of built-up grease char. Just thought I’d share.

Alex Wilson, Food Service Manager, Community and Leisure Services Dept., City of Humboldt • Cleaning-related waste is minimized.

• Cold water application – reduces heating costs.

• Discharge – no harmful chemical discharge into the environment.

As the cleaning effectiveness of aqueous ozone becomes recognized, along with their green and sustainability attributes, many more cleaning professionals, building owners, and managers are becoming aware of aqueous ozone cleaning systems and many more are likely to follow.

Our aqueous ozone cleaning systems are wall-mounted and connected directly to a cold water source, under a sink or in a janitorial closet. If using a wall-mounted fill station, the aqueous ozone can be poured directly into a bottle sprayer and then used as you would a traditional cleaning solution.

For cleaning larger floor areas, aqueous ozone can be applied to the floor directly from a caddy system. A caddy is a rolling aqueous ozone system, looking similar to an upright carpet extractor that allows for on-site/on-demand cleaning. From there, the floor can be mopped with a clean microfiber mop, or wet vacuumed directly from the caddy.

From the standpoint of efficacy, sustainability, and safety, few other cleaning systems can match the O3Canada Aqueous Ozone cleaning system. n Educational Facility Managers’ Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 33

Key factors in deciding your classroom amplification devices (CAD) for all your students

By Markus Hilbert, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology What is soundfield audio?

Soundfield audio, also known as classroom amplification devices (CAD), are systems that allow a talker’s voice to be broadcast from a microphone to a limited space through speakers to enable the listener to hear and understand speech better. Most microphone/speaker systems will accomplish this, but not all systems are created equally and will not work for every level of listener. The goal of a soundfield system should be to enhance the key speaker’s voice in the classroom for everyone.

The needs of the student In educational settings there are key principles which should be considered when investing the district’s allocated funds for classroom amplification. Every students’ diverse hearing ability is a consideration that is sometimes overlooked at an alarming rate from an audiological perspective. Here are some key questions that should be asked:

1) D o the speakers provide the right sound for speech understanding at the higher volumes that our classes are subject to? Does the system change volume automatically to give the right sound at the right time, or does the instructor have to raise their voice causing long-term vocal strain?

2) Does the system help in the diverse hearing needs of the disadvantaged student and the early development child’s regular hearing needs at the same time? Does it offer hearing support for students with APD (auditory processing disorder), autism spectrum, UHL (unilateral hearing loss, one sided) and ADHD? 3) D oes the system work directly with the student of the deaf and hard of hearing’s hardware? If not, does the system need to be patched to the students’ devices, resulting in reduced understanding and increased distortion?

4) D o the systems have interference from outside signals resulting in broken speech amplification that is detrimental to speech understanding in learning? Meaning the systems are not used and money is wasted?

5) Does the system contain all seven principles for Universal Design for Inclusion or Learning?

Through this article we look at the needs of the students to help them advance and learn through hearing and learning optimally, and what to consider when selecting a CAD system.

What are the diverse needs of each child When looking for a system there are some key needs that should be addressed for each type of listening student: • A PD (auditory processing disorder).

One in 20 students in your classrooms are affected by this, although it is sometimes misdiagnosed as ADHD. APD is a disassociation of what our ear hears and what signal is sent to the speech centre of our brain. A person with APD can manage in quiet atmospheres but is unable to process language in noise without assistance.

These students are deemed regular hearing in the school system without auditory supports of any kind.

• A SD (autism spectrum disorder): One in 66 students in Canada have been diagnosed as a child with autism. A student with ASD is affected by auditory overstimulation. Loud noises

34

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

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2

and loud rooms create stress and can trigger outbursts or shutdowns due to overstimulation. Students with ASD can benefit from clear, direct, and focused audio instruction. These students are also deemed regular hearing by the school system without auditory supports of any kind.

• A DHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). One in 20 of your students are affected by this disorder. Amplification at the right volume (the optimal signal-to-noise ratio) has been proven to assist in focusing students with ADHD. • Deaf and hard of hearing: Another one in 20 of your students are affected by a form of medical hearing loss. Many are not diagnosed. Lower loss levels benefit from a perfect signal-to-noise ratio in a CAD system and high-loss students benefit from receivers in their hearing aids for the mic signal. Covered when diagnosed in B.C., the Provincial Resource Program – Auditory Outreach (PRP-AO) provides students with Roger X hearing aid receivers and a Roger SoundField Inspiro microphone that sends its signal directly to the receivers.

• Early speech development. All younger children benefit from clear, concise amplification in the classroom for speech development. By hearing articulate 36

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

language through an amplification system, it benefits a child’s developing speech patterns and inflections. In verbal reading practices, students that are amplified through a mic/speaker system improve their verbal reading skills by up to 21 per cent on developmental reading assessments.

Deciding what system to use This question has been affecting the education sector for many years. The question of price, the question of what was here before, and the question of what is best for the students are all valid questions when talking about purchasing CAD systems.

Discusing the choices, the guidelines have been put forward by academia already. Does the system follow the key principles of Universal Design for Learning and Inclusion (UDL/I)? Is the system designed for equitable use (equal/ inclusive to all), flexibility in use (how it adjusts to its environment, other tech), simple and intuitive use, deliver perceptible information (communicates effectively the lesson verbally), have tolerance for error (designed to minimize errors), requires low physical effort in use, and made for size and space by approach and use? Between infrared, FM, dynamic FM and Roger Dynamic DM, purchasers have to consider the up-front cost, long-term costs, impact on student population, and more. The only system

that will meet all UDL/I criteria and be less expensive long-term and benefit the most students, even those deemed to have normal hearing, is Roger Dynamic SoundField (DM).

Roger has proven to be the right choice over and over within the audiological world. This is why the Audiology Outreach Division of B.C.’s Provincial Resource Program uses Roger accessories.

Most hearing aid brands that are involved with pediatric hearing solutions are designed to accept and utilize the Roger receiver in their hearing aids because it is the gold standard. With nominal cost differences between systems and greater longevity of the system, why choose to not use the best for direct hearing aid integration and that offers the easiest in verbal understanding for every level of listener for the rest of the classroom?

As a doctor of audiology, when considering the options available for CADs, Roger is simply the best pediatric solution for the classroom. It includes a 100 per cent UDL/I designation product (the only one), a clinically designed speaker for speech understanding by hearing industry experts, with seamless integration into personal systems, a signal so secure that Roger is even considered for a court system because it is so secure and never has interference (it’s digitally modulating all the time to find the clearest channel), significant expandability (up to 35

mics in a single room if needed), and self regulating volume levels based on background noise in the room, as it saves the teachers voice from over vocalization, the system does it for them and it gives the best signal-to-noise ratio at all times.

Markus Hilbert is a doctor of audiology with over 20 years of experience in private and public health care, academia, and several audiological initiatives. He lives in Kelowna with his wife and three daughters, and is passionate about his family, the outdoors, motorbikes, reading, and his profession. He advocates for best practices and innovative solutions to achieve optimal patient care outcomes for kids, adults, seniors and school, work and play. Email him at markus@soundfieldsolutions.ca. n

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

The basic standard has been raised and all schools are challenged to do more to go green, conserve resources, and take steps to make it easier for students to do the same.

Sustainability and plastic consumption

I

n today’s ever-

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in

pany to introduce the industry-leading

the education space – spanning from

ezH2O Bottle Filling Stations, in direct

elementary schools to colleges and

response to consumer demands and

universities. Many schools have fully

the growing concerns regarding the

developed

initiatives

environmental impact of bottled water.

and are actively looking to implement

Before ezH2O, standard drinking foun-

additional environmentally-conscious

tains found at most education facilities

programs

ba-

weren’t designed for filling water bot-

sic standard has been raised and all

tles. Now, the ezH2O units benefit stu-

from the cars we drive,

schools are challenged to do more to

dents who carry reusable water bottles,

to the products we

go green, conserve resources, and take

allowing them to refill throughout the

steps to make it easier for students to

day, rather than throwing away mul-

consume – our collective

do the same.

tiple plastic bottles a day.

impact on the environment

At Elkay, we’re fully committed to pro-

Elkay’s ezH2O also feature the sig-

is a growing priority.

tecting the environment, schools and

nature Green Ticker, which logs the

communities in which we work and live

number of plastic water bottles saved –

through an ever-present commitment

empowering students and faculty alike

to conservation and sustainability. In

to get excited about sustainability. By

fact, in 2010, Elkay was the first com-

showing the real-time impact of reus-

changing world, consumers are looking for

sustainable improvements to their everyday life –

38

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

sustainability

and

products.

The

At this rate, there’s going to be more plastic in our oceans than fish by 2050. able water bottles, users see a firsthand positive impact for the environment.

While we’re moving in the right direction in terms of sustainability, it’s still concerning that Americans use more than 50-billion single-use plastic water bottles annually – many of which end up in landfills or our world’s oceans.

At this rate, there’s going to be more

The ezH20 units benefit students who carry reusable water bottles, allowing them to refill throughout the day, rather than throwing away multiple plastic bottles a day.

plastic in our oceans than fish by 2050 (according to World Economic Forum’s The New Plastic Economy).

Things need to start changing. As educational facility managers, school administrators, and district decisionmakers, the charge is to continue to place an emphasis on sustainable solutions to benefit the environment. In doing so, both students and schools will make a real impact. Providing fresh, clean water delivery in place of plastic

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Educational Facility Managers’ Association of B.C. | www.efmabc.com 39

Milliken: The only moisture mitigation solution you’ll ever need

The simplest (and most cost-effective) way to mitigate the risk of moisture problems on your next project is through your choice of flooring.

M

oisture causes millions of dollars of damage in the construction industry, and a lot of the time it’s flooring that gets hit the hardest. As a result, many flooring installers are building

have an impermeable backing, meaning that the moisture

moisture mitigation products and processes into their instal-

With the slightest change in temperature, this water vapour

lation quotes as standard.

condenses into liquid water, and causes a wealth of problems,

vapour rises up through the concrete slab, and gets trapped beneath the flooring.

including mould growth, adhesive breakdown, or total floorHowever, many of the most commonly-used moisture mitigation products don’t actually solve or prevent moisture prob-

ing failure.

from the flooring, covering it up so it’s out of sight and out of

Do common moisture mitigation products solve the problem?

mind.

There are a whole range of moisture mitigation products avail-

What causes moisture problems?

able to help manage high-moisture situations: two-part epox-

lems from occurring – they simply isolate the moisture issues

The majority of moisture on a construction site or in a building exists in vapour form; in this state it’s harmless and doesn’t

ies, floor sealants, and adhesive-free installations are just a few of the most common options available.

cause any damage. In fact, you’re unlikely to experience any

However, these products all have one thing in common: they

moisture problems at all, unless the vapour condenses into

don’t prevent liquid water from forming. This means they

liquid water.

don’t deal with the root cause of the moisture problem, but

The concrete subfloor releases a lot of moisture vapour – ei-

rather manage and minimize the problems it causes.

ther from drying concrete on a new construction site, or due

Fortunately, there is an alternative option – one that deals

to fluctuations in the water table if the building is on or below-

with the root cause of moisture problems, rather than simply

grade. However, many flooring products are impermeable, or

acting as a bandage to cover-up the issue.

40

Ops Talk • Fall 2018

The simplest and most effective moisture mitigation solution

risk of liquid water forming, and therefore no risk of moisture problems.

Instead of investing hours into meticulous floor preparation, and thousands of dollars in mois-ture mitigation products, there’s a much simpler way to protect your building against moisture problems. The simplest (and most cost-effective) way to mitigate the risk of moisture problems on your next project is through your choice of flooring.

Instead of selecting impermeable flooring, you can prevent moisture problems by simply selecting a different type of flooring – one that is breathable and allows moisture vapour to pass through. Milliken’s unique open-cell cushion backing does just that. The open-cell cushion “wicks” moisture vapour out of the subfloor, preventing it from condensing into liquid water.

The majority of commercial flooring types are impermeable,and trap moisture vapour underneath until it condenses into liquid water which causes adhesive breakdown, mould growth, or simply ruins your carefully-selected flooring product. But if moisture vapour was simply able to evaporate away from the concrete subfloor instead of being trapped, there would be no

So when you’re comparing moisture mitigation solutions on your next project, remember to consider whether the simplest solution will be the best for you and your clients: mitigating moisture problems could be as easy as selecting the right type of flooring. n

OBEX™ ENTRANCE FLOORING A comprehensive modular entry solution designed as a three-zone barier system reduces safety hazards and keeps outside elements from damaging your overall flooring investment all while enhancing the visual appeal of your space.

millikenfloors.com | mike.pajic@milliken.com | 604.808.6614

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

The safe solution to mowing Interior Turf Equipment offers Spider radio-controlled mowers

I

nterior Turf Equipment (ITE) has provided solutions for turf management since the 1990s. ITE would like to introduce the latest addi-

tion to their family of equipment built to handle extreme slopes, the Spider radiocontrolled mowers.

Spider ILD01 and ILD02 are built in the Czech Republic by Dvorák-Svahové Sekacky Ltd. The Spider ILD02 is currently the best-selling model of Spider mowers, having won many awards all over the world. This machine was first introduced in 2005 and production was launched in 2006.

The radio-controlled slope mower Spider ILD02 is designed for the maintenance of uneven and inaccessible terrain with slopes of up to 55 degrees. It is, however, also excellent for the mowing of flat areas. The construction of the mower allows it to deal with rough seedlings, wild growth, and unkempt grass, but also in

well-maintained park areas, where high quality of cut is required.

The exceptional environment-friendliness of the machine is emphasized by its low weight, as most of its parts are built of light and noble alloys. The four-wheel drive system allows the use of the mower in wetlands and in natural-protected areas, and is very suitable for the maintenance of areas surrounding water reservoirs, rivers, waterworks and dams.

With a Spider mower you can: • Avoid dangerous rollovers on hills, slopes, steep banks, ponds, retaining walls, and more.

• Reduce your exposure to insects such as ticks, bees, wasps, black flies, and mosquitoes.

• Help prevent slips, falls, and injuries on difficult, slippery, and uneven terrain.

• Reduce your exposure to poisonous plants (poison ivy, oak, sumac) and aggressive vegetation.

• Reduce fatigue in your workforce, especially in hot and humid, as well as wet conditions.

The dimensions of the machine allow its transportation, even on a regular car trailer or inside utility vans and trucks.

Spider mowers deliver high productivity, especially in difficult terrain where the Spider ILD02 can replace as many as 15 workers with brush cutters or boom mowers carried by a tractor, but are able to cover larger areas. The patented drive system allows for every move to be productive and eliminates loss of time caused by turning the mower, positioning it in the next line, or by mowing around obstacles.

The Spider is in use in almost 50 countries worldwide, including the U.S. and Canada. Parts are always available and if we don’t have them in stock we can have them shipped directly to you within a few days. n

Security Management

www.reliablecontrols.com/MCP-RCP

The MACH-CheckPoint door access controller is a new Power over Ethernet (PoE) device designed to meet or exceed the BACnet Advanced Application Controller (B-AAC) profile. This fully configurable controller integrates up to two doors and four readers, and ships with the Reliable Controls industry-recognized 5-year warranty. Once programmed with the RC-Passport software, the combination delivers a truly integrated facility solution within the Reliable Controls MACH-System.

Quality, built in.

You’re in safe hands You can be safe in the knowledge that your building automation system is being taken care of by ESC Automation experts. We deliver a comprehensive and meticulous service, from installation to maintenance, ensuring you get a solution that’s right for your building.

Our systems help you manage operating costs effectively by identifying inefficiencies and acting upon them (even remotely) to keep your buildings running smoothly and reduce your energy costs.

Visit our website for more information www.escautomation.com or call us now on (604) 574-7790