Ontario School Plant Manager Winter 2017

Winter 2017

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Hats off to facilities management Environmental benefits of lawns

The importance of acoustic treatment in K-12 Schools

Creating a better playground experience

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is published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com President & CEO David Langstaff Publisher Jason Stefanik Editor Lyndon McLean lyndon@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion Advertising Account Executives Gary Barrington Jennifer Hebert Dan Roberts Anthony Romeo

In this issue Message from Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter................................... 6 Hats off to facilities management......................................................................... 7 Reduce waste by working together..................................................................... 8 We just have to care.................................................................................................. 10 Are your students hearing you?.......................................................................... 12 Environmental benefits of lawns........................................................................ 16

Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com Art Director Kathy Cable Layout Dave Bamburak Advertising Art Dave Bamburak Dana Jensen © Copyright 2017, DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this pub­lica­tion may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher­in 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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Finitec Expert gathers performance, durability and aesthetics......................................................................................... 18 Creating a better play experience for children in our playgrounds.................................................................................. 19 N.R. Murphy brings clean air to schools across Canada ...................... 21 Molok revolutionizes waste collection........................................................... 23 Index to advertisers....................................................................................................26

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

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Message from Education Minister Mitzie Hunter In the education sector, we set high expectations and create ambitious plans to make certain that all Ontario students have access to a high-quality education system. Over the past few years, with the help of our partners, we have exceeded expectations and reached a number of important milestones. This includes achieving an 86.5 per cent graduation rate, the highest in our province’s history.

It is thanks to our strong partnerships that we continue to make progress and are able to provide safe, clean and healthy environments for students and staff. Ontario’s school plant managers play an important role in creating and maintaining these spaces, which foster better learning and allow students to thrive.

In our rapidly changing world, improving and modernizing schools is one of the most important infrastructure investments we can make. Since 2013, we have invested $9.3 billion in capital funding for school boards to support more than 120 new schools and more than 140 additions and renovations.

To build on our commitment, we are investing $1.4 billion this year to improve school buildings by repairing and upgrading elements such as roofs, and electrical and plumbing systems. This includes $200 million worth of cap and trade proceeds that were invested into a fund for school boards to install energy-efficient building elements such as new windows, lights and furnaces.

In addition, this investment will significantly improve visible elements of schools that impact students’ well-being and enhance public confidence. That includes elements such as flooring, ceilings, playing fields and more. Not only will this investment create healthier and more comfortable learning environments for all students, it will also help us to build a low-carbon province and fight climate change.

It is the important work of school plant managers that brings these investments to life.

Thank you for all that you do, each and every day, to support student achievement and well-being. Your contributions to Ontario’s publicly funded education system are vital and greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

Hats off to facilities management

By Chuck Morris I believe a career in Facilities is an outstanding choice and one that has all kinds of benefits that go with the job. If you find yourself as a director of facilities or director of operations or as someone in charge of most everything but without those titles, you already know you have an important job. Your job carries with it a myriad of responsibilities ranging from quite minor duties to others that can, in all likelihood, keep you awake at night.

In most cases, you may have very good people working for you as managers of departments looking after a wide range of tasks that their staff carry out. This does not ease your responsibilities at all but does make it easier to shift some of that workload onto their shoulders. If they fail or if they succeed, it will still boil down to the fact that it is your responsibility to ensure things go right and that you can have the work carried out so that it gets done in a timely fashion and resolves whatever issue caused the work to come up in the first place.

Many facility managers may not have the same workload as their counterparts in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, that work is as important as those who have heavy workloads that they struggle to maintain. Sometimes budget constraints force less manpower to be made available to deal with things, causing the work to backlog. Other times, the work that comes in is fast and furious, and it’s easy for others to comprehend that more staff is required to make sure policy is adhered to or issues around compliance are dealt with correctly.

You see, facilities carries a lot of burden. One must know how to multi-task or at least how to use the day in such a way as to know when to deal with the tough jobs and when you can deal with the lesser, more mundane and still get them done. Your job could entail caring for 1 million square feet of floor space or more. That floor space could be spread out over a vast geographical area and require hours of driving, ferries or even flying to get to each locale. With that square footage, you are responsible for building construction, physical organization of employee work spaces, fire protection, energy management, risk/liability identification, and ensuing remedies to mitigate that risk.

You have control of tens of millions of dollars of budgets, operational cost control for utilities, compliance with all government policy and local authorities having jurisdiction,

health and safety programs, and much more. You must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to make good decisions, sometimes on a moment’s notice.

The position requires almost obsessive attention to detail coupled with analytical thinking, flexibility and good problem solving skills. Knowledge of procurement systems, project management, blueprint reading, electrical and HVAC systems, plumbing systems, managerial accounting, and computer skills is a must.

Therefore, consider the job to have a heavy and continuous volume of work while maintaining a constant need for tact and diplomacy and working with multiple conflicting priorities.

While this can seem a little onerous to some, let it be known that this is the case with this type of job if you look after hundreds of thousands of square feet of facility space. With the public education system, you may deal with added work thrust on you by the Board of Education or other bodies as appointed by the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Advanced Education from time to time.

Who would want this job? Really! Just thinking about the tasks noted above leaves one wondering where the time will come from to go fishing or just be with family. That time is there, albeit fleeting at first. However, after determining priorities and learning what could wait and how you can block off time for yourself, you will see where you’ll fit it in; along with dealing with a greater awareness of the total cost of sustainability, how to increase the need for energy efficiency, finally complete that emergency and disaster plan (continuity plan), managing infrastructure with new technologies and searching for new ways of doing business!

Facility management people are a breed of their own and, once ensconced in the position for a few years, know exactly how to cope. They know what can be left to do in the morning, after adjusting their To-Do List, as each day does bring with it new challenges and rewards. The job is rewarding in itself, and that helps to make the overall view of it so much nicer.

My hat goes off to all facility management personnel for a job well done. I know what it is like; I sit in that chair. ¦ Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

7

Reduce waste by working together: Lessons from the Region of Peel

By Frances Darwin Do you notice organics in your recycling? And recyclables in your garbage? Try a “whole-school approach” to reduce waste and limit cross-contamination.

The Region of Peel’s Whole School Waste Reduction Campaign Program is based on this approach. The program, delivered by Ecosource (Mississauga), ecoCaledon (Caledon) and the Region of Peel (Brampton), inspires change in waste practices by creating awareness and action-based change amongst students, teachers, and administrators. By working together, the school community sets a customized waste reduction target within one of four campaign themes: reusable bottle, wasteless lunch, food waste, or recycle right.

For example, in 2016, Ecosource ran a food waste reduction

campaign in collaboration with St. Raymond Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga. After a preliminary waste audit, students and staff, alongside Ecosource facilitators, set a goal of reducing food waste in the garbage and recycling streams by 30 per cent. At the end of the three-month waste reduction campaign, the post-waste audit results surpassed the goal by achieving a 47 per cent overall reduction of food waste, as well as a 43 per cent reduction in garbage and a 21 per cent increase in the recycling capture rate.

As the name implies, a “whole-school approach” requires participation from the whole school in order to succeed in hitting its targets. This collaborative approach is embedded in the entire process, as Emily Kunz Purser, Manager of Ecosource’s School Waste Programs, explains: "When we arrange our first meeting with teachers (to discuss a waste reduction campaign), we encourage them to invite custodial staff, principals, and students who might want to play a role in the campaign. This whole-school approach gives a voice to all stakeholders, builds ownership, and encourages long-term waste reduction practices.”

Each waste-reduction campaign begins and ends with a waste audit, starting with the help of the school custodian. “Custodians collect and sort a full day’s worth of waste into piles of either recycling or garbage," explains Arielle Navarra, one of the Waste Reduction Campaign Coordinators at Ecosource. The next morning, Ecosource facilitators arrive and set up the audit space for further sorting. Then the fun begins: throughout the day, classes volunteer

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

to get dressed up in protective gear and help sort the waste. Student participation throughout this process in invaluable and provides an engaging, hands-on experience that helps students understand how their personal choices contribute to the school’s overall waste production.

After the initial audit, schools focus on achieving their customized waste-reduction targets. In the case of St. Raymond, classes received a food waste bucket for leftover lunch scraps to monitor each class’s progress toward the school’s goal of reducing food waste by 30 per cent. Student volunteers were trained to weigh the bucket contents, record the data and document the results on classroom posters. In addition to surpassing their targets, the overwhelming success and school-wide enthusiasm for the campaign helped St. Raymond’s to earn a gold-level Ecoschool certification and has encouraged continued environmental and waste diversion practices.

These initiatives support the Region of Peel’s strategic goals of increasing waste diversion and help achieve the Regional Council endorsed 75 per cent waste diversion target by 2034. They also support school boards in preparing future citizens and their schools to meet the goals of the Waste-Free Ontario Act, namely, to divert most waste from landfills.

The whole-school approach to waste reduction helps equip us all with the knowledge to embrace a waste-free future. By sharing the work of sorting and managing school waste, custodial staff can better prepare the school community for a less wasteful world.

For more information about the programs please visit www.peelregion.ca/conservation/teachgreen/resource.asp?rid=507. ¦

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Students get a crash course on construction. Materials for the trellises were made from materials found in the yard.

We just have to care

Custodians as advocates for the environment

By Melissa Benner, Ontario EcoSchools As Randy Cousins explains, his passion for the environment began at a young age and was sparked by going fishing with his grandfather. Reflecting back, the hours spent in his grandfather’s fishing boat surrounded by nature is what sparked a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

That was 1980. Now, 37 years later and just two years shy of retirement, Randy continues in this spirit as Charge Custodian and EcoTeam leader at Sir G. E. Cartier Public School in Thames Valley DSB. “I don’t see myself so much as an activist – I am an environmental advocate. The principles I teach to students are the same I have taught to my children and grandchildren,” he explains, and continues on to outline how and why he became one of the key advocates for environmentalism at Cartier Public School.

When Cousins started working at the school six years ago, he quickly realized there were some big issues with waste management. He would have to remove garbage from the classrooms sometimes two times a day, filling the bulk lift, and calling for weekly pick-ups, sometimes more.

“The recycling bins were non-existent or hidden away,” he recalls. “The diversion

10 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

rate was terrible, and often we would only do a recycling pick-up once a month.”

After reaching out to a few staff to assist in the creation of an environmental club, Randy challenged himself to not just ask others to do it, but to take it on himself, with support from the school principal and as part of a team with other deeply committed teachers, Dana Huber and Lisa Scott.

This year, Randy is proud to report that the numbers speak for themselves and that he is able to personally witness the change, with landfill waste cut in half and recycling now being picked up twice a month.

The change, he notes, came from going classroom to classroom explaining the benefits of recycling, regular assemblies and rewards with the kids, getting the students involved, and extending the lesson in very concrete and understandable ways.

“The earlier you start, the better: work with the kids in kindergarten, and by the time they are going into grades 3 and 4, recycling and environmentalism is a habit. I impress upon the students that the ground we have all around is rich with nutrients: we could grow food or choose to dig holes and bury our garbage in it.”

To make this lesson hit home even further, Randy worked with students, local community and his school to create a school ground food garden and classroom compost system. As he sees it, this ability to take an active part in the cycle of waste and growth is essential to changing student behaviours.

In 2016-17, Cartier PS took their environmental initiatives to the next level by certifying with Ontario EcoSchools.

The program allows the school to integrate their existing practices into a framework that acts as a bar of progress and a reward at the end. Randy explains that the EcoTeam sees certification as a very clear reminder of collective effort: “Achieving certification represents a whole year of work from an entire school, and it represents a school-wide accomplishment.”

Environmental initiatives and certification are not without their challenges. Randy is concerned about succession when he retires in two years, and he acknowledges that finding the time to encourage students while completing day-to-day custodial tasks is a “fine balance”. But strong support from the school staff and administration help to acknowledge his dual role as essential. Randy also sits on the Environmental Education and Management Committee of the Thames Valley DSB so can shares insights and

challenges with a whole team of people looking to create lasting change.

Reflecting on advice he would give to other custodians, Randy pauses and thinks back on his own process. Here are his top suggestions: 1. I t’s often easiest to start small, for instance, with the recycling system that is already within your line of work.

4. B eyond the infrastructure, there has to be someone in the school who can advocate and explain recycling. This can be you, teachers, or look for resources from your school board.

Kindergarten indoor planting: students receiving a lesson on bean planting and the differences between why their beans were either white or brown.

5. P ut all the resources in place, get the word out, and then repetition, repetition, repetition.

2. L ook at it from a different perspective and take things into consideration; for example: what recycling containers are made available to classrooms? Where are they located? Can you have students help collect recycling every day or every other day?

Despite the efforts and challenges, being a custodian who respects the natural world is something Randy is deeply proud of. Every day, he shares with the students an ethic he also lives by: “The most important thing we can do for our environment is care. When we care, that’s when we do something about it.” ¦

3. T hen, after this assessment, arrive at some suggestions and go talk to the principal about incorporating recycling bins or other practices.

Melissa Benner is Communications Director for Ontario EcoSchools and is continuously inspired by the work being done behind the scenes to make schools green.

More construction – we had so many tomato plants, over 18 cages were built!

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

11

“We would never teach reading in a classroom without lights.

Why then do then do we teach in ‘acoustical darkness’? Speaking to a class, especially of younger students, is akin to turning out the light.”

- John Erdreich, PhD

Are your students hearing you?

The importance of acoustic treatment in K-12 schools

By James Wright Several generations of students and teachers have battled the inherent problems caused by noise and poor acoustic design in educational settings. Despite the problem having been recognized for over 100 years, acoustics in classrooms remain underaddressed in older buildings and many newer built schools. A 2012 study, Essex Study-Optimal classroom acoustics for all, defines the need and benefits of acoustically treating classrooms. The study looked at the impact of reducing reverberation time in a working classroom environment. The conclusion drawn after several measurements of acoustics and surveys with participants was a demonstrable clear benefit to all by improving the acoustic environment. Simply, uncontrolled reverberations in a classroom have a direct negative effect on health and performance, for both students and teachers.

Reverberation is the echo of sound reflecting from hard surface to hard surface causing noise to build up and creating a confusing, unintelligible mass of sound. The hard surfaces such as windows, blackboards, concrete blocks and gypsum walls found in most classrooms do not absorb sound energy, and as a result, the sound reflects back into the room, arriving at the ear many times at intervals that are milliseconds apart. This creates a sound that is smeared, and the brain has difficulty distinguishing the primary information and disseminating it from the reverberation. This problem is exacerbated when hearing-assist devices and cochlear implants are used. Excess reverberation also affects students with auditory processing issues, ADHD, and other learning challenges. In fact, all students benefit from lowering the reverberation and improving intelligibility.

Reverberation is measured in relation to time. The measurement (RT60) is the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 decibels in a particular space. The greater the reverberation time, the more “echo” in a room, and the greater the listening challenges become.

The reverberation time of a room will depend on variables such as the size of the classroom, the reflective surfaces, and how other absorbent or reflective features in the room may increase the effect.

Consider the following: A typical classroom measures 960 square feet with a ceiling height of 12 feet. This adds up to a wall surface area of 1,488 square feet. The American National Standards Institute

12 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

(ANSI) suggests an acceptable reverberation time for instruction in a classroom be less than 0.7 seconds when unoccupied. If left untreated, a classroom of this size can have a predicted reverberation time of approximately 1.9 seconds, or just about three times greater than the suggested maximum.

The Effect on Students and Teachers Most learning occurs from the verbal communication of information and ideas. Traditionally, classrooms have not been designed with attention to how the room sounds or how it may affect the students and teachers that are using it. It is well known that proximity to the teacher increases student engagement and the comprehension of the material being taught. As most classes have 30 or more students in it, it’s impossible for every student to be close to the teacher.

causing a slight disconnect between the visual stimuli created by teacher’s mouth movement and the late arrival of the information.

The brain then has to differentiate whether the sound being received is the source material or the sound bouncing off the walls.

When one factors in the natural reverberation in the room, the delay in sound reaching the ear, along with distractions such as HVAC noise, the classroom base-level sound and noise seeping in from outside the doors and windows, it’s not surprising to find that many children are simply not hearing the material they are being taught.

And this is only the beginning. As the ambient sound level in the classroom increases, the teacher naturally increases his or her voice level. The “classroom chatter” naturally increases to compensate, and the problem exacerbates to the point where the teacher and students begin to lose concentration. To fully understand the severity of the problem, think of last time you went to a noisy restaurant. In some cases, the sound pressure inside the room is so loud that you cannot even have a conversation with the person across the table. The acoustic energy has increased beyond the room’s ability to dissipate it. We manage to communicate by reading lips and filling in the blanks.

Children do not listen like Adults

Rows of desks can put students up to 27 feet away from the teacher or the instructive source. For students at the rear of the class, the volume level reaching the students will be reduced by as much as 20 decibels compared to when it is created. And due to the time it takes for sound to travel, it will be delayed by 25 milliseconds,

When you consider the acoustic problems described, studies suggest that as many as 30 per cent of students may actually be challenged in understanding their teacher’s message. Poor intelligibility due to proximity to the teacher, excessive reverberation, and noise result in a lack of comprehension of the material being taught.

Most adults would not notice these challenges, as life experience allows us to “fill in the missing words”. Consider the following example:

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Many students miss up to one in four words being spoken by their instructor due to sub-standard room acoustics or poor intelligibility.

Acoustic smearing from poor-sounding classrooms is akin to the changing the order of letters and expecting children to understand the message. Children, however, are not as mature, are not skillful readers, and are not as capable at listening as adults. As such, to ensure the message being transmitted is actually being received, they require optimal conditions for hearing and comprehension.

The solution is to acoustically treat the classroom Right from the early days of radio, broadcasters came to the conclusion that unless the source broadcast was clear and concise, the message would get lost. To address the problem, absorptive acoustic panels were mounted on the broadcast studio wall surfaces to suppress the reflections and improve intelligibility for the listener. This practice continues to this day, and the same rules apply whether you are teaching in a classroom, delivering a message in a house of worship, or broadcasting a distance learning class over the internet.

How sound absorption works

Arocdnicg to rsceearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pcale. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit poberlrm. Tihs is buseace the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Sound, in the form of acoustic energy penetrates the porous acoustic panel where it causes minute internal fibers to vibrate. This causes a thermo-dynamic energy transfer – which in essence converts acoustic energy into heat. High-density panels made from six-pound glass wool are particularly effective as they are designed to absorb energy in the critical voice spectrum. Instead of sound reflecting off the wall surfaces, it is absorbed. This lowers the ambient noise in the classroom and significantly reduces the reverberant field, vastly improving intelligibility.

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The following table describes the average reverberation time of a classroom measuring 960 square feet with a ceiling height of 12 feet. The predicted reverberation time for this room is 1.9 seconds with no acoustic treatment.

Coverage

Treatment Needed Panel Needed

15%

223 sq/ft

Boxes 5

Material Estimate

Cost $2,500

Cost Per $4.17 Student/Year Estimated Reverberation Time

.9 seconds

20%

25%

298 sq/ft

372 sq/ft

6

8

$3,000

$4,000

$5.12

$6.67

.7 seconds

.4 seconds

The wall surface area for this room (1,488 square feet) is determined by Estimating amount treatment multiplying the wall the width or lengthof byacoustic the height.

Reducing the reverberation required to fix theimproves problem time to 0.7 seconds vastly intelligibility, which in turn enables the teacher to communicate source material effectively in an even volume, as well In order to determine how much acoustic treatment is required to fix a room’s acoustics, you must first determine the reverberation time (RT) in your classroom. Simply clap your hands and listen to the decay while counting; if the decay lasts more than one or two seconds, adding acoustic panels to the wall surfaces will be very beneficial. For classrooms, covering between 17 and 25 per cent of the wall surface with six-pound glass-wool acoustic panels will produce a very noticeable improvement in the acoustical behavior of the room.

The following table describes the average reverberation time of a classroom measuring 960 square feet with a ceiling height of 12 feet. The predicted reverberation time for this room is 1.9 seconds with no acoustic treatment.

The wall surface area for this room (1,488 square feet) is determined by multiplying the wall width or length by the height. Reducing the reverberation time to 0.7 seconds vastly improves intelligibility, which in turn enables the teacher to communicate source material effectively in an even volume, as well as helping to keep the ambient noise level of the room significantly quieter. Applying acoustic panels to 17 to 20 per cent of the available wall surface area will deliver effective results.

When wall surfaces are taken up by windows and blackboards, mounting or hanging panels from the ceiling is recommended. A popular solution is to suspend the panels from the ceiling. The added benefit of the airspace created behind the panel when suspended increases the panel’s absorbtive surface area. This is particularly effective in noisy cafeterias. For classrooms with T-bar ceilings, there are acoustic tiles that can replace the original non-absorbtive compressed-fibre tile. Actual panel placement is not as critical as one may think. It is more about using available space to your best advantage by evenly distributing the panels around the room.

A classroom free from excessive reverberation and noise is far more conducive to learning and greatly contributes to better student success – whether the student has learning issues or not. Reducing the ambient sound level also makes it easier to teach, reduces teacher stress and burn-out, and significantly reduces listening fatigue for everyone.

When you consider the teacher-student benefits and the relatively low cost involved to install acoustic treatment, a practical solution for school districts and post-secondary institutions that care about attaining the maximum results from their student body is readily available. ¦

Should I treat the room with

acoustic panels or amplify the teacher?

Amplifying the instructor has become a solution advocated by some audio-visual companies. In most cases, this only serves to exaggerate the pre-existing reverberation problems. While there is more volume of sound created, the increased sound energy creates more reverberation and echo and overexcites the classroom. The Acoustical Society of America, in a 2006 position statement, claims that the “amplification of teacher’s voices, as a general policy, is not a best practice”. The relationship between acoustic treatment and amplification is complementary. Best practice suggests that treating the room acoustically will allow for an accurate assessment of the need for and effectiveness of teacher amplification.

Amplification: • adds more excitement to an already overexcited room; • worsens already poor acoustical conditions, reducing intelligibility; • does not address student-to-student or student-to-teacher issues; and • requires the teacher to be trained for proper functionality

About

acoustic panels

There are many types of acoustic panels made today. The most common is a fabric-wrapped glass wool panel that can be sourced in various densities; acoustic testing has proven that higher-density six-pound panels provide even absorption across the audio spectrum to deliver a more natural sounding room. For public spaces such as classrooms, libraries, cafeterias and gymnasiums, special attention regarding safety must be paid to flame spread and smoke density. Look for panels that are safe for use in commercial applications. They will have been tested by an independent lab to ensure they pass ASTM-E83 (United States), Can/UL S108 (Canada) or EIN-36535 (Europe). It is best to avoid panels made from plastics such as urethane.

The thickness and density of the acoustic panel plays a role in the performance. As rule of thumb, the thicker the panel, the lower the frequency it will absorb. For instance, while a classroom may be treated with a combination of one- and two-inch-thick six-pound fibreglass panels – capable of absorbing sound in the voice range – a multifunction assembly hall may benefit from thicker panels to absorb more energy in the lower registers. This would better manage bass during musical performances.

About the author James Wright is a business development executive, Primacoustic, 604-942-1001, www.primacoustic.com.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

15

Environmental

Benefits of Lawns

By Dr. Eliot Roberts and Beverly Roberts

This overview of some of the many benefits of lawns provides a tribute to the grass plant, truly a gift of nature. Although each plant is small, it contributes so much to our well-being.

Turfgrass thatch acts as a barrier deterring chemicals from

Climate is controlled at ground level by turfgrasses as they cool temperatures appreciably, thus working as exterior “air conditioners.”

50-foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four.

Dust and smoke particles from the atmosphere are trapped by turf, which helps keep the air cleaner.

they intercept raindrops before they disturb the soil, and they

Noise is absorbed by grass areas, which cut down on excessive sound, a growing problem in urban areas. For example, grassed slopes beside lowered expressways reduce noise eight to 10 decibels.

Groundwater is enhanced in two ways by a dense turf.

Pollutants, such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, are absorbed by turfgrasses, thereby rendering the air fit to breathe.

entering the soil profile. Oxygen generation by turfgrasses has a major impact in making our environment habitable. A 50-foot by

Erosion of soil by water is effectively controlled by grasses as also slow the flow of water, which minimizes soil loss.

Turfgrasses increase infiltration of water and clean the water as it passes, which recharges the underground water supplies used by all of us. Run-off of water and pollutants is greatly reduced by a highly maintained lawn. Dense turfgrass cleans the water helping to maintain a high quality environment.

Zones that are stabilized by turfgrasses enhance safety on roads and airfields by reducing run-off, which can cause flooding.

Turfgrasses also diminish soil erosion, which muddies surfaces and they absorb dust improving visibility.

Traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, is directed by lawn barriers in areas of heavy movement of people and on roadsides and medians.

Fire retardation by buffer areas of well-maintained lawn grass around buildings is good insurance.

This information provided by The Lawn Institute – www.

1-800-661-6600 www.casterland.com Toll Free

16 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

thelawnInstitute.org ¦

NATURAL GRASS IS THE CLEAR WINNER When it comes to Sports Fields and Playgrounds Many professional sports teams refuse to play on an artificial field. The main reason for their refusal is the elevated number of players injured on artificial turf.

In addition to getting hurt more, extreme heat at the field surface is a documented problem.

Another downside to artificial turf is that it leaves the job of sanitation to man-made cleansers, which have to be thoroughly flushed before the surface is safe for use.

On the other hand, living soil in natural grass fields contain helpful bacteria that naturally sanitize the surface by decomposing contaminants such as body fluids, (blood, sweat, vomit), algae, and bird/animal droppings. A natural way to sanitize.

Backed by scientific research, Greenhorizons knows that natural grass playing fields are better. Their experienced Turf Management team have a proven track record for getting installs done right the first time. Working together with professionals, they will be as involved with your team as needed throughout the install process. From engineering and grading the site, to laying the last roll of premium specialty sod. Greenhorizons even offers a program to guarantee turf establishment (ProXtablishment™).

Greenhorizons’ natural grass playing fields will meet everyone’s health, safety, and budget GOALS. Call Greenhorizons today and SCORE BIG!

Serving Ontario & Surrounding Areas | 1-800-367-6995 | GreenhorizonsSod.com/sportsfield

Actual photo of real grass temporarily installed at the Rogers Centre

Goal Scored!

Finitec Expert gathers performance, durability and aesthetics Finitec Expert is a division of Finitec Group, a leader in the industry of flooring accessories and solutions. Innovation is at the heart of our success since 1993. With a wide range of products, our distribution network extends throughout North America.

For over 20 years, Finitec Expert has develope waterborne systems that are as resistant as other products on the market. Made in Canada, our finishes, stains and paints are recognized for their superior quality and the impeccable look on wood floors.

LEED certified, we keep searching for the latest techniques and best ingredients to offer the greenest products possible. We keep a balance between eco-friendly and efficient products.

Over time, we’ve developed an expertise for the restoration of wooden and synthetic sports floors. We strongly believe that a great maintenance and restoration plan of your gymnasium floor can reduce the changeover costs and extend the lifespan of your surface.

Talking about restoration, did you know that sanding to the bare wood is not necessary? Did you also know that a synthetic floor can be restored and not changed in full? With Finitec Expert systems, you’ll have the chance to give your floor a new look and preserve your actual flooring in an easy, efficient and fast way.

What we have to offer is a three-step system – clean, screen and coat – that couldn’t be easier to use.

• First, clean the floors properly with a deep cleaner, such as our surface care product.

18 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

• Next, screen the entire surface to scratch the actual finish and ensure a maximum adherence.

• Finally, choose the desired finish depending on your needs and lustre preferences.

Finitec Expert’s products are a combination of eco-friendly and efficient products. Our waterborne formula is safe for the installer and the kids in the school (low VOC), has no smell, and dries quickly. It’s easy to apply and can be rolled on top of any oil or waterborne finish.

The slippery tests have been made on all our products to maximize the safety of the gym users.

When we work on development, we make sure we find a solution that will care for the environment while never compromising on performance and safety. This is why you can use our products without doubting to have made the right choice.

“Finitec Expert has developed and released many new and exciting products, which have continued to meet all expectations,” says Dale Murphy from Brockville Wood Products. “Their customer service, particularly from Jeff Cowx, is another strength. He has all the attributes of an excellent representative: great communication skills, product knowledge and a wealth of practical experience.’’

So if you have any question or comments, contact Jeff directly at jcowx@finitec-inc.com or 416-807-8613 and he’ll be please to assist you. Based in Ontario, he will be more than happy to take an arrangement and visit you if needed. ¦

Creating a better play experience for children in our playgrounds

By Rob Lockhart, CCPI, CPSI Today’s parents and caregivers are paying more attention than ever to the choices of activities for their children – not just in structured activities, but more increasingly in free-play. Parents recognize the need to choose wisely and offer their children the best experience possible. This means that landscape architects, play-space designers, and decision makers are required to more carefully evaluate their choices for commercial playground equipment when preparing new playgrounds and schoolyards.

The motives for good activity choices in free-play are many, starting with the need for children to be physically active to build fit and strong bodies. These incentives extend with the benefits of active play in promoting better academic success, continue in the indirect learning opportunities, and include the enhancement of essential life skills such as decision making and self-confidence.

Physically, children’s daily activities are becoming more sedentary.

An ever-growing volume of studies show alarming trends in children’s wellness, and childhood obesity is on the rise along with a variety of illnesses which appear to be attributed to poor overall health. Experts seem to agree that the one key to solving these health issues is for children to participate in at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Some proponents advocate for organized sports, or for increased PE programs in school. While these are activities which can contribute to the total amount of physical activity a child achieves in a given week, these options cannot completely solve the problem. Many children lack interest or aptitude for organized sports, and even more will avoid any activity if they are told they must do it. The right kind of free play can present an environment which entices children to make their own choice to participate in activities which are inherently filled with beneficial physical activity. If a child feels like they are just having fun, not following directions, they are more likely to be active for longer durations and for repeated periods. The goals when designing play equipment or play spaces to generate this

type of play activity should be to include elements which contribute to the development of coordination, flexibility, dexterity, balance, upper and lower body strength, core body strength, and cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, children don’t want to go to the gym to work out; however, wise choices by playground equipment and play-space designers can present play opportunities that offer most or even all of these key health benefits in the same play space.

The benefits of frequent and extended physical activity are not limited to the physical body. While a trend has been seen recently to reduce recess free play time to focus children more intensely on their studies, an increasing number of people and groups are speaking out about the benefits of the opposite course of action. Frequent short periods of active play can contribute to better learning. Active play, such as running around while pushing friends on a rotating climber, or pumping legs to get the swing to go high, will literally “get the blood pumping”. This increased blood flow brings refreshment to the whole body, most importantly by delivering an increased amount of well oxygenated blood. Fresh flow of oxygenated blood in the brain increases cognitive abilities and generally contributes to a better learning experience. The “body refreshment” also tends to remove doldrums and physical attributes of stress, improving emotional stability and making students more receptive to lessons.

Play can also be more than “just play” when the playground equipment has been designed to offer passive learning opportunities and give playing children more to gain from their play experience.

While traditional play structures were often designed with a linear flow-through plan which encourages users to simply climb up, go down and repeat, many wonderful creations are being designed using nets and flexible materials. These flexible materials are chosen partly due to the many lessons which they contain, inherent in their nature: scientific principles such as cause and effect, perpetual motion, equal and opposite reaction; as well as angles and momentum.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

19

The responsibility we hold as adults is to encourage the development of our children, to build their foundation of confidence and insight which will guide them throughout their lives. A good way to help children down this path is to allow them to think and make decisions; give them goals to achieve; let them fail and work to overcome their limitations. By presenting children with a plethora of play paths and the freedom to decide which they will follow, we let them choose their own way. Giving them practice in thoughtful consideration and decision making by offering play equipment designed with many ways to use it helps them get ready to be leaders and trend setters later in life. By giving them targets and goals that require effort to reach, such as climbing higher and higher in a tower net, we help to build their confidence to reach higher and farther as they continue to mature.

Playground equipment has seen much evolution since its inception.

The first playgrounds were little more than sand boxes; for many years, play spaces featured simple devices such as see-saws, carousels and tall swings. Most people remember playing on modular structures of stairs, decks and slides. One newer form of play design, matrix nets, offers a much better play experience for children by creating a constantly moving platform for play that has unlimited play choices and constant sensory feedback, which inherently encourages children to be more active. While pyramidshaped or exterior-frame net climbers have become more common in the last two or three decades, even newer designs are now being seen: incredible amalgamations which might include aspects of those matrix products as well as free-form, multi-plane net climbers which can also incorporate swinging, swaying, spinning, and more into adventures which really remove any form of linear, one-path play.

KÄRCHER 2017 A YEAR IN REVIEW A MACHINE FOR EVERYCLEANING NEED

This year, Kärcher has continued our long standing tradition of innovation.

We have released several new machines to server the cleaning needs of a variety of industries: -

New Compact and Ride-on Scrubbers Powerful Industrial Sweepers Innovative Battery Powered Backpack Vacuums Revolutionary Dry Ice Blasting Equipment Ergonomic Floor Machines Convenient Hot Water Pressure Washer Trailers Streamlined Electric Cold Water Pressure Washers

We would like to thank our dedicated dealer network and loyal customers for their support, and we are looking forward to an exciting 2018 as a market leader providing complete solutions for all your cleaning needs.

20 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

Another benefit of these newer creations is the ability for each play structure to allow users of all abilities to participate in the same play experience. While providing equipment targeted to special needs users is a laudable step forward, the common practice is to provide specialty equipment targeted to special needs; however, an even better resolution is for equipment to accommodate everyone at the same time, and offer benefits for any user, according to their own desires and abilities.

Play-space designers do have a massive responsibility. The goal of today’s new playground projects is to offer children of all ages a better play experience. The best playgrounds will be very enticing to children, attracting them to go to explore everything there; they will offer a variety of sensations and puzzles that keep children intrigued for long periods of time; they will offer such an amazing experience that children are drawn to return again – making their own decision to leave behind computers or technology to just go out and play. Offering these unique and cutting edge playgrounds made from modern materials and play equipment designs play can allow play-space designers and buyers to make an immense contribution to how our children grow, learn and develop, giving them a better foundation for their future. The experts agree: education is very important, but better play matters too. ¦ Rob Lockhart joined Dynamo Playgrounds in December 2003 and is currently International Sales Director and Safety & Compliance Officer.

A certified playground safety inspector in USA (CPSI) and Canada (CCPI) {since 2009}, Rob is knowledgeable with all major playground equipment safety standards and is an expert in product safety testing for IPEMA and TUV certification.

N.R. Murphy brings clean air to schools across Canada N.R. Murphy has been meeting the dust collection needs of a wide range of industries for more than 70 years, with 14,000-plus installations across the country. The education sector is one of the many industries that rely on the company’s quality products to improve air quality.

Meeting the needs of schools N.R. Murphy is heavily involved in the educational sector and has supplied more than 1,500 of its systems to elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions across Canada.

BCIT, for example, uses N.R. Murphy dust collection equipment to combat the airborne dust resulting from its carpentry and woodworking programs on campus. In addition, Mohawk College uses the company’s dust collectors in the cabinetmaking shop of the school’s Stoney Creek, Ontario, campus.

The company has two models in particular that are geared toward the needs of educational institutions. The FB Series is one of them.

These self-contained dust collectors feature a cylindrical design and tube-style filters with mechanical cleaning. The units fit low ceiling areas, take up minimal floor space, and are suitable for both inside or outside applications. They offer an efficient performance, low maintenance, as well as easy installation and operation.

The MK Series is also an option for schools. These dust collectors are suitable for both inside and outside installations. They feature a heavy gauge all-welded construction in a square or rectangular design, and tube style filters with mechanical cleaning. The self-contained units are flexible and compact, quiet and require minimal maintenance.

The FB and MK Series are available in various sizes to suit a wide range of needs.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

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An industry leader N.R. Murphy is dedicated to solving the air pollution problems of its growing list of customers in a wide range of industries, from education and woodworking to metalworking, textiles and more.

The company continually improves its products and services to ensure that its customers have the best possible air quality – a major reason the company has been in business and has continued to grow since it was founded in 1943.

To learn more about its products and services to school boards, contact N.R. Murphy Ltd at nrmurphyltd.com. ¦

22 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

Molok revolutionizes waste collection ®

Developed in Finland in the 1980s, the Molok® Deep Collection™ system made its way to North America in 1999. Since then, it has spread to public properties in 40 countries helping to clean up the world in a safe, environmentally friendly way that’s also aesthetically pleasing and economically viable.

Vertical, underground storage This inventive system simply follows the rules of nature. The round, covered containers are placed underground so during warm months, the waste is kept cool, significantly decreasing odours; during the winter, it’s insulated so the bottom doesn’t

Schools are benefiting from the Molok® unique system of gathering

freeze.

waste, neatly storing it underground and hygienically disposing of

Vertical storage allows contents to be compacted naturally by

everything from lunch room left overs to non-recyclables – all while

the forces of gravity, which increases compression and also

keeping costs down and areas clean and safe. These priorities are

curtails odours. This is unlike storage in aboveground bins,

welcomed assets by school boards, custodial staff, and students.

where uncovered waste is spread out horizontally and open to

With 77 schools – from elementary to university – across Ontario

the air.

using Molok® Deep Collection™ system, many are appreciating the advantages of these contemporary containers on their properties.

Molok® lids are easy for users to open and they close automatically keeping out wildlife and pests. No open pit is ever

The Molok® system includes a covered container installed 60 per

exposed to the public. With all of these factors in play,

cent underground with a removable receptacle inside that gets

containers don’t need to be emptied as often as their

lifted out by a crane on a truck and emptied cleanly through the

aboveground counterparts. This means less truck traffic on

bottom into the vehicle.

school property.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

23

Lift and dispose: quick, quiet, clean and safe Drivers get out of their distinctively marked trucks upon arrival and guide the entire emptying process so they are aware of the surroundings at all times. Anything not intended to be in or around the container can be detected.

The collector attaches the container cover to hooks on a chain lowered by a crane, which pulls out the waste receptacle inside.

It is then gently guided to the back of the vehicle, automatically opened up at the bottom to dispose of the waste, then replaced into its container. The entire process takes about two minutes.

Because containers are emptied by lifting the inner vessel from the main “well” and the contents are released through the bottom, there’s never any moving or tipping of the container. Tipping can result in unpleasant odours and unhygienic conditions when waste falls onto the ground or liquid drips down.

And because the emptying of Molok® containers is quiet and quick, it greatly reduces noise pollution and doesn’t disrupt classes or daily school operations.

Crane lifted systems are now a standard for new builds and renovations in Waterloo Region public and separate school boards.

More space, less cost Molok® Deep Collection™ system takes as little as five per cent of the land area compared with that of a front-load system.

24 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

The space saved can be used for other purposes, such as playgrounds, parking or landscaping. Containers can be placed close to the building, offering convenience for custodial staff and higher visibility from the school or the street. That visibility lowers incidences of delinquent dumping, therefore decreasing costs of disposal fees.

Convenience and variety Molok® Deep Collection™ systems were created with the end-user in mind and meet national disability guidelines.

Containers are designed round and low for convenient accessibility and easy

The Molok® system goes the extra mile to encompass the needs of all clients. There’s a variety of sizes ranging from 300 to 5,000 litres, and there are lid, lining and framing options to suit different purposes and aesthetic preferences. Made of durable, recyclable materials, the main unit can last

surveillance, which encourages positive

for decades. Some original containers

behaviour, prevents vandalism, and

installed 25 years ago are still in use today.

Another big Molok advantage when

discourages “hangout” areas. The above

managing the waste budget is that there’s

ground portion, however, exceeds the safe

no need to build a secondary enclosure for

railing height of 900 millimetres,

the container, as it does the job of

preventing accidental falls inside. It remains

enveloping the waste-gathering receptacle

in place at all times, even during the

inside.

emptying process.

Molok®ß is revolutionizing waste and recycling collection and is an important tool when designing sustainable, environmentally conscious areas that are pleasing to the eye and pleasant to use. ¦

Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

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Index to Advertisers Alex Magee & Sons Ltd................................................................................................. 11

Reliable Controls Corporation...............................................................................IBC

Casterland...........................................................................................................................16

RTO/ERO............................................................................................................................ IFC

Finitec Expert....................................................................................................................18

System Air..............................................................................................................................5

Greenhorizons Sod Farms.......................................................................................... 17

Union Gas...............................................................................................................................3

Hoskin Scientific Ltd.....................................................................................................14

Viessmann Manufacturing Company Inc.......................................................26

Kärcher Canada Inc.......................................................................................................20

Windsor Kärcher Group............................................................................................... 13

Molok North America Ltd......................................................................................OBC

Yorkland Controls..............................................................................................................9

N.R. Murphy Ltd..............................................................................................................22

DEL Communications Inc. and you,

THE KEY TO SUCCESS. We offer outstanding personal service and quality in the areas of: CREATIVE DESIGN | ADVERTISING SALES TRADE PUBLICATIONS | QUALIFIED SALES & EDITORIAL TEAM

Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 Toll Free:1.866.831.4744 | Toll Free Fax: 1.866.711.5282 www.delcommunications.com

26 Ontario School Plant Manager | Winter 2017

MACH-ProView

™

LCD

NOW with TRENDview

TRENDview SPACEview

Reliable Controls unveils the new MACH-ProView™ LCD with TRENDview. This freely programmable, combination BACnet® Building Controller (B-BC) and BACnet Operator Display (B-OD) resides on Ethernet, Power over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or EIA-485 networks. Backed by an industry-recognized 5 year warranty and a nation-wide network of certified Authorized Dealers, the new MACH-ProView will empower you to stay in touch with your building's performance.

www.reliablecontrols.com/MPV

LISTview

STATview

FUTURE

OF WASTE COLLECTION

TODAY

•Sanitary •Accessible •Attractive •Safe

www.MolokNA.com 519-323-9909