Contractor Advantage Nov / Dec 2018

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS AND DOORS INSULATION: KEEPING THE HOT SIDE HOT AND THE COOL SIDE COOL

Columns Inside News & Notes What’s Trending Building Better Business Tech Talk

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Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. is a Canadian member-owned, Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware buying group representing over 300 member locations across Canada.

Contractor Advantage Magazine is the exclusive publication of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. featuring quality Castle vendor brands available at Castle Building Centres locations.

Visit castle.ca to find a Castle location in your area.

Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca Publisher - Espress Labs Inc. Dan Alexander Managing Editor Teresa Christine Art Director AŃ—cha Niazy Contributors Lawrence Cummer Melissa Campeau Danila Di Croce Teresa Christine

Advertising Inquiries Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 jmercieca@castle.ca

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 Volume 23 Issue 6

Material Contact Maryam Bashir Marketing Coordinator Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 mbashir@castle.ca Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.

by Espress Labs Inc.

About Contractor Advantage

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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Contributors

Lawrence Cummer

Melissa Campeau

Danila Di Croce

Lawrence (“Law”) Cummer has more than 20 years of experience writing for trade periodicals, businesses and communications agencies. He writes on topics ranging from contracting and construction, to general business, to information technology, personal finance and occupational safety, and has been a frequent contributor to Contractor Advantage since 2009.

Melissa Campeau is a Toronto-based journalist who regularly contributes to such publications as Yardstick, the OUR HOMES series of magazines, Mortgage Journal, Financial Post and National Post. She lives in Toronto with her husband, seven-year-old son and two-year-old puppy.

Danila Di Croce is a Toronto-based writer with over 10 years of experience in the fields of media and education, including a Masters in Media Production from Ryerson University. Throughout her experience, Danila has worked in the areas of public relations, marketing, radio and television broadcast, and has contributed to various national publications on a wide range of topics including entrepreneurship, building construction, workplace health and safety and hospitality.

Kate Zabriskie Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish

Jeff Foley Jeff Foley is a recognized speaker, executive leadership coach, and author of Rules and Tools for Leaders. He is a West Point graduate and retired as a Brigadier General having served thirty-two years in the Army. Drawing

Baldwin Tom Baldwin Tom is a management consultant, professional speaker, and author of 1+1=7: How Smart Leaders Make 7 Investments to Maximize Value. A medical school scientist, professor, leadership program developer, and founder of an award winning science and technology firm, he leverages his experiences in those

Elena Langdon Elena Langdon is a certified Portuguese-to-English translator and interpreter and an active member of the American Translators Association (ATA). The American Translators Association represents over 10,000

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customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

on his unique military experience, Jeff uses his singular insight to build better leaders. For more information on Jeff Foley, visit www.loralmountain.com.

fields to provide insight and strategies to fit client needs.

Baldwin is a Certified Management Consultant and served as the National Board Chair of the Institute of Management Consultants USA. For more information on Baldwin Tom, please visit www.geoddgroup.com.

translators and interpreters across 103 countries. For more information on ATA and to hire a translation or interpreting professional, please visit www.atanet.org.

Contributors

What’s Inside?

07 News & Notes

The New Super Heroes: Introducing The Intangibles

15 What's Trending

One-on-One Coaching: The Most Effective Way to Develop Your People

19 Building Better Business

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The Right Fit Makes the Difference Ten Steps to

Better Hiring

Insulation: Keeping the hot side hot and the cool side cool As energy efficiency requirements climb, there is no single way to build a better envelope then having many options

23 Supplier Spotlight

Knauf Insulation

33 Supplier Spotlight

Building Products of Canada Corp.

41 Product Platform

Task Tools

43 Tech Talk

The Bots Are Coming!

Automated and AI-driven Programs for Business

34

Swap Out to Save The latest in energy efficient lighting and appliances

55 Design Talk

Sustainable Schools; Going Green For Learning

48

Energy Efficient Windows and Doors

On the Cover Photo courtesy of Jeldwen

Contents

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News & Notes

The New Super Heroes: Introducing The Intangibles Written by Baldwin Tom

There are seven capital investments available for organizations to build value and wealth. These capital investments are Human, Relationship, Spiritual, Customer, Organizational, Physical, and Financial.

In the 1980 winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey team won the gold medal. In order for them to win gold, they had to beat the Soviet Union team ranked #1 in the world. They beat the Soviets on their way to winning the gold in a game that was called the Miracle on Ice. The odds against them winning were the same as if the University of California football team beat the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champions. Impossible!

News & Notes

How did this happen? One can assume that it was not because they skated better than the Soviets. The U.S. team was composed of college students and the Soviets were semi-professionals. Instead, it was some intangible force. Here is a clue: The U.S. coach invested heavily on the intangible side into the team members. He instilled in them aspects of Human, Relationship, and Spiritual capitals. The team took to heart what they heard—they believed. The result of the infusion of these capitals was a powerful Return on Investment of some psychic power that allowed the team to rise above expectations to beat the ‘unbeatable’ Soviet team. The effort by the U.S. team was considered by the International Ice

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Hockey Federation as the most incredible international ice hockey story in the last 100 years! There is power investing in intangibles.

Of the seven investments available to organizations, the five people-side investments are the most interesting. Three of these can be considered as the new super heroes powering success in organizations—The Intangibles. The three are Human, Relationship, and Spiritual investments. These three set up the other investments and the organization for success. They clear the way, they prepare the path, they set the stage, they provide the spark, and they stay the course to provide significant multipliers for high ROI. The Intangibles, when deployed as investments, create energy and activate others toward positive action. Each of the three super heroes has distinct personalities based on their actions.

Each has unique powers in what they initiate in others. Each one will leverage existing opportunities to benefit the organization and to increase ROI from their efforts. The Intangibles interact with each other and with different other investment combinations to create value and wealth for organizations.

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Super Hero #1. Human capital investments: Invest in the capabilities of people, their knowledge, skills, and competencies.

Human investments possess a driver type personality.

Their uniqueness is in their direct action on people to energize, encourage, and support work. The actions may involve new education, advanced training, and psychological support. Through activities of human capital investments, people are more able and prepared to take on new tasks and to be more creative and innovative. From this, people are more satisfied with their work and look forward to new challenges. Accordingly, the investment of human capital generates positive ROI. When Human capital investments are teamed with Customer investments it leads to creativity and innovation and new products and services. When this investment is teamed with Organizational investments, it leads to new intellectual property and corporate memory. When Human capital investments are teamed with Relationship investments it creates high performance teams.

News & Notes

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Super Hero #2. Relationship capital investments: Link people together for interactions that leverage power and influence.

Relationship capital investments involve influencer type personalities. The strength of this investment is focused on people—in linking people together. Relationship capital investments help build meaningful interactive groups, create bonding of personnel, and foster can–do mindsets.

Relationship investments effectively build strength through numbers. High performing teams result from the activities of Relationship capital investments. The results from Relationship investments include facilitated and accelerated actions throughout the organization and with customers and a boost in ROI.

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When Relationship capital investments are teamed with Customer investments, this leads to partnering with customers. When this investment is teamed with Spiritual capital investments, it leads to satisfied people willing to work hard for the organization.

Super Hero #3. Spiritual capital investments: Establish cultural norms that smooth work flow and facilitate people and customer relationships.

Spiritual capital investments have social type personalities. This Super Hero is not demanding or pushy. Spiritual capital is subtle but significant when in place. It’s a lot like spraying WD-40 on all work because the result of Spiritual capital is a smoother and easier effort in getting work done.

News & Notes

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The efforts of Spiritual capital investments are to support the personal side of peoples’ efforts that engender peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment, of satisfaction. The result of this is that people feel valued leading to higher personal motivation and willingness to contribute more.

When Spiritual investments are teamed with Organizational investments, the results lead to refining cultural norms and ethical decision making. When Spiritual capital investments are paired with Relationship investments, it leads to an ethical workplace that fosters positive group chemistries and greater resiliency within an organization. When Spiritual capital is teamed with Human capital it promotes caring and committed people, willing to go the extra mile. When Spiritual investments are teamed with Customer investments, the result fosters value-based customer relations.

Investing on the soft-side intangibles provides the intestinal fortitude to overcome internal and external challenges.

Character comes from the inside. Invest in people and their relationships to build strong teams. Invest in team-focused

News & Notes

spiritual capital to build loyalty and bonding, resulting in strong character. When opportunities arise or challenges surface, the people will do whatever it takes to help move the ball forward. Focusing on the intangibles strengthens an organization, giving it a solid core and foundation.

In 1990, the Wallace Company won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Started in 1987, the award has been given annually to up to three U.S. companies who have implemented successfully quality management systems. Surprisingly, just two years after the award, Wallace filed for bankruptcy. Following the award, instead of working to turn around an already troubled company, top Wallace officials spent time leading tours through their offices and leaving town on speaking tours. Clearly Wallace did everything it could to win the award. Yet, in the end, they lost it all. There is a lesson here. What did they invest in and what did they miss investing in? It’s possible that they did not invest sufficiently in the intangibles. They needed The Intangibles!—

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What's Trending

One-on-One Coaching: The Most Effective Way to Develop Your People Written by Jeff Foley

Effective one-on-one coaching is one of the most important skills a great leader must possess. Effective coaching inspires in others an internal drive to act ethically, without direction, to achieve goals. Effective coaching drives performance, builds competence and confidence, and ultimately enhances relationships. The best coaches help people find ways to make things happen as opposed to creating excuses why they can’t.

Effective coaching also requires you to believe in yourself.

What's Trending

You need to believe that you can have an impact in the workplace, and that you can inspire others to achieve their goals they might not otherwise achieve. The real question is not if you will make a difference, but what difference you will make.

Respectful, transparent, and regular face-to-face communication between leaders and their people breaks down barriers and builds trust. What you can see in a person’s eyes or other body language can be revealing. While technology can

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be effective at times, it will never replace human contact for discovery and inspiration.

The most impactful leaders are adept listeners, and don’t allow their egos to become roadblocks. When egos are alive and well, listening ceases, effective coaching environments disappear, and organizations suffer.

Here are three recommendations that can help you raise the bar on your ability to coach others.

more difficult? When asked with the genuine interest, people respond with more honesty.

Meet with your people regularly helps break down barriers.

Not just in your office, but on the manufacturing floor, outside the operating room, in the cafeteria, or the warehouse.

Talk to folks outside the work area like the jogging track, grocery store or the kid’s soccer game. The informal sessions can be wonderful enablers of opening the line of communication.

1. Create a positive and open environment for communication

2. Establish agreed upon goals and strategies to achieve

People listen to and follow leaders they trust. They engage in meaningful dialog with people they trust. They are not afraid to disagree with people they trust. Trust provides the foundation for a positive and open communication environment where connections between people can thrive.

When people connect, they learn about each other. They enable understanding of cultures, individual strengths and challenges. Knowing your people’s unique capabilities and desires helps focus on how to help them be successful.

Knowing your people also reduces the probability of promoting someone into a management position who does not want it or is not otherwise qualified. Not all physicians want to be managers. Not all sales people want to be sales managers. Not all technicians want to be a shop foreman. The costs can be exorbitant to an organization that wrongly promotes someone into a management position.

There are three questions that can help establish this open line of communication: What is on your mind? What can I do for you? What do you think? How am I making your life

Most people want to know what success looks like. They want to be clear in their goals as an individual and, if appropriate, the leader of a team. Well-defined, measurable, relevant goals on paper help people gain clarity on success for them. Assigning responsibility with authority helps inspire an individual’s commitment to be successful.

Success also includes how to reach their goals. Strategies are developed and agreed upon by the manager and team member so that both understand each other’s roles. The probability of success increases dramatically when strategies and accountabilities are well defined.

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3. Enforce accountability by assessing performance There are many and significant consequences when people are not held accountable for achieving goals or otherwise performing to standard. Integrity disappears. Discipline erodes.

Morale evaporates. Leaders are not taken seriously. Problem employees become a cancer in the organization. The best people leave. Results are not achieved.

What's Trending

Effective coaching demands assessment of performance.

Without this assessment, no system of accountability will be achieved. If the senior leader does not hold his or her executive team accountable, subordinate leaders are likely to think “Why should I?” Consistent, regularly scheduled coaching sessions with your people are the key to ensuring effective follow-up assessments to celebrate successes and identify areas to improve.

Summary Coaching session agendas will vary based on a variety of conditions. A good place to start is outlined below.

First, review the individual goals and those of the organization. Ensure alignment of both to clarify where the individual is contributing to the mission of the organization.

Second, discuss what is going well. Where do both the coach and the individual agree on successes? Provide positive recognition for achievements where important.

Third, discuss the challenges or areas for improvement.

Underwrite honest mistakes in the pursuit of excellence so people can learn. Determine how you as the manager can help. Gain a clear understanding of the shortfall in the individual’s ability and desire to achieve the goal and what re-

What's Trending

sources or assistance the individual needs to be successful.

When unsatisfactory performance occurs, managers must address it. Leaders who never take action to remove an underperformer are doing a great disservice to their institution.

All too often, good people serving in leadership positions fear the task of confrontation. They hope, magically, that something will happen which will turn the underperformer around and all will be well in the end. Hope is not a strategy; the magic seldom happens. Your goal as a leader and coach is to inspire a willingness to succeed. When coaching, it is often easier to criticize and find fault. Think before you speak—find ways to praise.

Fourth, as the manager, seek suggestions for how you can be a more effective leader for them. This question can change the dynamic of the coaching session and can provide powerful feedback for the manager in his or her quest to be the best they can be. Doing so will enhance their trust in you and help build confidence in their own capabilities.

Remember, effective one-on-one coaching can be the catalyst for attracting and retaining the best people, and that will ultimately help your organization to unprecedented results.—

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Building Better Business

The Right Fit Makes the Difference Ten Steps to Better Hiring Written by Kate Zabriskie

I don’t understand what happened. He interviewed so well.

But it’s six months later, and it’s obvious. He’s not a good fit.

We should have known better. She’s just not detail oriented, and this job requires a lot of repetitive work. She’s a creative, she’s bored, and she’s leaving. I wish we had somewhere we could use her talents, but we don’t.

Why do we have such a hard time getting on the same page? We rarely agree on who to hire when we have a new position, and from day one it seems as if only half of us are invested in a new hire’s success. It’s just sad. We could do better. We need to do better.

When bad hiring happens, everyone suffers.

Building Better Business

Finding the right person for a position is part art and part science. While some people certainly have gift for finding good people, everyone can improve their success rate by following a methodical step-by-step process.

Step One: Know what you want.

First and foremost, it’s important to envision what work will look like with a new person. What will he or she do? How do you envision interactions looking and sounding? What do you expect in terms of quality and quantity of work? What temperament do you envision working best? Does the person need to be creative? Is the work basically the same each day? If this person is going to interact with people other than

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you, who are they, and what do they want from a new hire?

Knowing what you want is essential.

Step Two: Create a robust job description.

Once you are clear about the kind of person you want to hire, it’s time to put pen to paper and craft a job description. When you list the duties the person will perform, if you begin each of your sentences with a verb and write in everyday English, you’ll be well on your way to solidifying your expectations.

Step Three: Think about what it’s going to take for someone to be successful.

Experience and education are essential to success in some jobs, and for others, they’re not. If education isn’t a deal breaker, do you want to exclude candidates by making a degree mandatory? What you require can widen or narrow your applicant pool—potentially in ways that could hurt your chances of finding the right person. Think long and hard about what’s essential before moving to the next step.

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Step Four: Create a strong job ad.

Just as candidates are selling themselves, you are selling your company and the position you are filling. An ad is your opportunity to attract talent. Whether you’re working with a recruiter or doing the recruiting yourself, spend time creating strong job title, telling your organization’s story, and briefly describing your essential requirements. If you have a great location, solid benefits, or some other selling point, include that information too. Your ad should quickly paint a robust picture of why you’re great, what you’re looking for, and why they should want to work with you.

Step Five: Promote your position.

The type of job you want to fill should dictate where you’ll promote it. Many options exist. Regardless of which you choose, it’s important to have a plan and to understand how each promotional avenue works.

Building Better Business

Step Six: Craft your screening questions.

In tandem with crafting your ad and promoting your position, you’ll need to develop your questions for screening candidates and interviewing those with whom you eventually choose to meet. This step is essential for several reasons. First, it helps you follow a repeatable process. Second, it helps those who interview to ask relevant and legal questions. Finally, it ensures you are fair and can gather answers you can compare with relative ease.

Building Better Business

Step Seven: Evaluate candidates and set a phone screening schedule.

Once your job closes, it’s time to review the qualifications of those who met your position’s criteria and set a screening schedule. Depending on the number of responses you get, you may choose to screen everyone or rank candidates and screen the top group. Either way, you’ll want to talk to applicants before you bring them in to meet in person. Phone interviews offer several benefits. They allow you to get an initial impression of a candidate without having people’s

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physical appearance influence your thinking. They are also an efficient way to address some basic questions.

Step Eight: Determine who you will invite to interview in person, and prepare your interviewing team.

After you’ve concluded your screening process, it’s time to prepare your interviewing team and invite candidates into the office. Getting ready is essential. Both you and the prospective employees are auditioning. Your interviewing team needs to be just that, a team. You should discuss the welcoming process, the interviewing order, the questions each person will ask, and how you will close your meetings with candidates and send them on their way. Leave little up to chance.

You are on stage. Depending on the position you are filling, you may decide to conduct more than one round of interviews. Regardless of what you choose, you must have a plan.

this should be easier than it could be if you hadn’t.

If you find your team disagrees, think before you make an offer. If none of the candidates is exactly right, again, think before you make an offer. The wrong person now is rarely as good as the right person a little later.

Step Ten: Make your offer.

Assuming there are no obvious roadblocks, it’s time to make an offer. Be excited when you do, and recognize this is only the first step in effectively integrating an employee into the fabric of your organization.

So there you have it. Ten steps can make all the difference. Great hiring is about good discipline and patience.

The better you are at establishing and following a strong inclusive process, the stronger your results will be. Now go find that candidate!—

Step Nine: Gather feedback, and rank the candidates.

When you’ve finished interviewing people, it’s time to rank them. Because you’ve asked each person the same questions,

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Building Better Business

Supplier Spotlight Photo courtesy of Knauf Insulation

Knauf Insulation With nearly 5,000 employees in more than 50 countries, Knauf Insulation is the fastest growing and one of the largest insulation manufacturers in the world. We manufacture a wide range of insulation products to meet North America’s growing demands for energy efficiency and acoustic performance.

Since our founding 30 years ago in Shelbyville, Indiana we

Supplier Spotlight

have grown to become an industry leader by creating glass wool products that make the world a better place today and for future generations. That growth has been driven by our commitment to sustainable products, operations and corporate responsibility. Knauf distributes their glass wool products in Canada through the National CanWel Distribution network.—

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INSULATION: KEEPING THE HOT SIDE HOT AND THE COOL SIDE COOL

Feature

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Feature Story: Insulation: Keeping the Hot Side Hot and the Cool Side Cool

As energy efficiency requirements climb, there is no single way to build a better envelope then having many options.

Written by Lawrence Cummer

e 1 Image

Photo courtesy of Knauf Insulation

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New and emerging building codes are creating mounting pressure to achieve ever-more energy efficient homes, driving an increase in insulation and use of other materials.

Whether on a national or provincial level, standards for R-values—the measure of how well heat transfer is prevented—continue to climb, says Gino Allegro, Canadian Sales Manager for Johns Manville, which manufactures Castlegard insulation.

“This has been going on for some time.

So, if you’re building conventionally, instead of an R-20, it’s now R-22 or R-24 depending on what part of the country you’re in,” he says.

“The same applies to the lids. Up in the attic, there’s been a serious move from R-40 to R-50 and, in most cases now, R-60. The design of the attic has to allow the extra space required to accommodate this.”

Allegro and other insulation manu-

facturers point out that achieving the energy efficiency demanded of new and emerging codes requires looking at the home and heat flow as a system that includes more than mere batt insulation in the walls. Still, proper insulation is critical.

“Insulation is the workhorse of energy efficiency,” says Brett Welch, Senior Product Manager at Knauf Insulation.

“It passively does its job without anyone seeing it. It doesn’t break; it’s not on display. It just works day in and day out.”

Welch notes that while more “glamorous” energy efficiency tools have greater visibility, they are all for naught if the home is poorly insulated.

“Insulation is the foundation for energy-efficient homes and everything else builds from there,” he says. “For example, a high-efficiency HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) in a poorly insulated building envelope will not perform effectively.”

The more stringent codes, in particular in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec, continue to push the envelope, says Marlon Thompson, Senior Product Marketing Manager at CertainTeed Insulation Canada.

“If you look at a cost-benefit analysis of moving to higher R-values versus the loss of internal space (to achieve them), it can be significant,” he suggests. “If you lose ½’ that can be significant square footage lost across hundreds or thousands of homes.”

Though more expensive, insulation with higher R-value, “actually helps them a lot in terms of meeting building codes.” He attributes the building codes changes to Canada’s signing of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreement to curtail greenhouse gas emissions.

That opinion is echoed by Salvatore Ciarlo, Technical Services Director

Photo courtesy of CertainTeed

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Feature Story: Insulation: Keeping the Hot Side Hot and the Cool Side Cool

Photo courtesy of Johns Manville

at Owens Corning Canada. He says the agreement mandates new housing achieve “net zero” by 2030. “This is only to minimize average temperature increase to 2° instead of 6° or 7°. Imagine the impact if we don’t.”

As such, provinces are incrementally increasing code to achieve this, but Ciarlo stresses that 12 years is a relatively short period in the housing arena and builders should be striving to achieve net zero now. “If you’re building a house today, and you know this is coming

down the pike, as well as mandatory labeling, why not forget the steps and go all the way to where you must be in 2030,” he says.

Owens Corning just completed a five-year project with five builders across the country to demonstrate the viability of net zero homes, funded by the ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative (ecoEII), with contributions from each participating builder, and industry suppliers including Owens Corning Canada. Lee notes, “Based costing data from

Feature Story: Insulation: Keeping the Hot Side Hot and the Cool Side Cool

the ECOEII net zero demonstration project, a net zero-ready performance home costs approximately $15,000 more to build than a Code-built house.

A very cost-effective way to futureproof your home.”

Vapour and air barriers Contractors and builders are increasingly recognizing the importance of air sealing to energy efficiency. It goes beyond just fighting obvious drafts.

Knauf, for example, has developed Eco-

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Seal Plus, a water-based, spray-on sealant that adheres to seams and joints and dries to a flexible-but-tough air sealant.

“You can have the best insulation in your house and the most energy-efficient windows, but if you don’t have proper air tightness and moisture management that all affects its thermal performance,” Thompson says.

He points to his company’s MemBrain Continuous Air Barrier & Smart Vapor Retarder, a smart vapor barrier that adapts to humidity to let moisture escape in high humidity (such as summer) and prevents it from entering the cavity in low humidity (as in the winter) while providing a continuous air barrier.

Going outside the box Ultimately, there is a limit to what you can do inside any given wall cavity, although some clever thinking is chang-

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ing that, says Tom Lee, Director of Canadian Residential and Commercial Sales at Rockwool.

For example, walls constructed with 24˝ centres will perform better than those with traditional 16˝ ones due to a greater amount of insulation versus wood studs. As well, exterior continuous insulation is helping to achieve more effective R (or RSI) values, Lee adds. In fact, he says building codes across the country are starting to mandate a minimum amount of it, due to its overall effect on the wall as a system.

“There can be many ways to get to the effective R-value (required), it could be the use of HRVs (heat recovery ventilators), use of exterior insulation, regular batt insulation,” Lee says. “One of the ways inevitably comes to the growing trend towards insulation going to the outside of the house.” For example, his company’s ComfortBoard, a rigid min-

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

eral wool insulation sheathing board that is non-combustible, water-repellent, fire-resistant and sound absorbent.

Renovation opportunities Of course, if we are to achieve the reduction in greenhouse gasses being sought, improved performance cannot be the purview of only new homes. Existing housing stock must be improved, albeit more gradually, Ciarlo notes.

Every cladding replacement or room renovation provides an incremental opportunity to improve energy efficiency through more insulation, vapour barriers and better air sealing.

Allegro reminds remodelers and homeowners there are options that don’t require tearing down walls. “If you don’t want to affect the inside of your home and you aren’t due for some kind of improvement, insulate from the outside,” he urges.

Feature Story: Insulation: Keeping the Hot Side Hot and the Cool Side Cool

Photo courtesy of Johns Manville

Unfortunately, its far from the first area homeowners look when remodeling. “Insulation isn’t really that sexy,” Lee says. “Would a homeowner prefer to spend money on extra insulation that will provide them a return on investment and lower energy bills or would they like nice new granite countertops.”

“People often don’t see the value that’s right there in front of them, since insulation tends to be a long-term play in terms of heating and cooling costs,” Lee says.

The long-term benefit of going from R-20 to R-24 during an existing renova-

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tion is going to be worthwhile, Allegro says. “And in terms of cost, it’s going to be small when compared to those granite countertops.”

In the end, those long-term savings are what contractors need to illustrate, as well as how higher performing homes will improve comfort.

Rising cost of comfort “Energy is not getting cheaper. I don’t care which province you’re living in, the cost of energy is going up,” Thompson says. “But when remodeling, rarely do homeowners think about what’s behind the walls.”

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He suggests that during room or home renovations it is the perfect time for contractors to present opportunities to improve energy performance or prevent the possibility of mold buildup.

“You have a good, better and best approach. You can get by on the bare minimums to meet code, but you can go a bit better and homeowners can save money.”

“It comes down to understanding the alternatives, breaking them down for homeowners and giving them the alternatives.”—

Feature Story: Insulation: Keeping the Hot Side Hot and the Cool Side Cool

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SWAP OUT TO SAVE The latest in energy efficient lighting and appliances.

Written by Melissa Campeau

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Feature Story: Swap Out to Save

If you thought the market was already hot for energy efficient lighting and appliances, just wait. According to global statistics firm Statista, demand for energy-saving products is just in the warm up stage. The worldwide market for smart lighting is predicted to grow from $34.69 billion (US) in 2015 to $81.21 billion (US) in 2022. In that same time period, the market for energy efficient consumer electronics is expected to more than double, from $204.23 billion (US) to $455.14 billion (US).

LED lights the way While LED lighting has been around for several years, its popularity continues to grow. “Light represents 19 per cent of total global electricity consumption,” says Kevin Macrae, Stavridis, Key Account Manager at Signify (makers of Philips lighting products. “In late 2017, Philips hit a milestone of 1 billion LED sales,” says Macrae. He adds, “When compared to outdated light sources these LEDs replaced, the savings realized were the equivalent to the energy generated by 30 medium-sized coal-fired power stations and CO2 emissions from 12 million cars.”

Next-level savings: smart technology When paired with smart technology, energy savings can go even further.

“Connected lighting and the Internet of Things have been game-changers,” says Macrae. “By outfitting our lights for professional use with integrated sensors, each light becomes a point of intelligence that can share information on occupancy, activity patterns, changes in temperature or humidity, and daylight levels.” With this data, lighting levels can be adjusted based on personal preference. “A simple switch to LED will result in significant energy savings, and when combined with connected lighting systems these savings are amplified, with

Photo courtesy of Phillips

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the potential to reduce electricity used for lighting by up to 80 per cent,” says Macrae.

Smart accessories for lighting offer an edge in terms of helping manage energy efficiency when it comes to lighting. “With the wide variety of bulbs now available on the market, it has become important to choose a dimmer wisely since not all dimmers are designed to control all types of bulbs,” says Annie Langlois, Marketing Manager - Retail for Leviton.

“Our Decora smart line of dimmers, switches and plug-in receptacles are very popular,” says Langlois. “They provide safety, comfort and convenience through a user friendly app and they enable the user to enjoy the freedom of controlling their light switches, table lamps, small appliances and more from a smartphone or tablet, any time and from anywhere.”

She predicts there’s plenty more to come. “I believe that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to smart home lighting control,” says Langlois. Greater energy efficiency, she says, will become even easier and more convenient with such developments as voice activated control, schedule functions, remote access from anywhere, and a growing list of IoT partners—including Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Nest.

Commercial buildings: cost savings driving change When it comes to lighting in warehouses and businesses, change has been a little slower, since the scale of the investment is that much bigger. However, energy efficiency is coming more and more into focus thanks to a number of factors.

“A lot of these establishments are running on older technology, and

they have countless lights,” says Arash Amini, Marketing Manager with Dot Lighting Canada. “You’ll find a lot of big lamps sucking up 400 watts of power,” he explains, and they can be replaces with energy efficient 110watt lamps. “When you multiply that one lamp by 200 or 300 lamps, that’s a huge saving on a hydro bill.”

It’s a significant expense to buy hundreds of bulbs at a time, but that’s beginning to change. “Unlike 10 years ago, the products are more affordable now,” says Amini. “And then there are rebates that go hand in hand.” Toronto Hydro, for example, offers incentives of up to 50 per cent of an energy audit (up to $25,000) and incentives of up to 50 per cent of project costs for energy efficient upgrades.

As business owners realize the potential savings, sales of commercial and industrial LED lighting continue

Photo courtesy of Leviton

Photo courtesy of Electrolux

Photo courtesy of Leviton

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Feature Story: Swap Out to Save

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to grow. “Right now, 20 to 25 per cent of commercial and industrial properties are using LEDs. By 2025 that number is estimated to be between 55 and 65 percent,” says Amini. “People are jumping on board because the products are more affordable and they’re seeing a lot of incentives, and with that change, we’re reducing energy consumption and carbon footprints, as well.”

Appliances: innovation and savings Appliances offer another opportunity for home and business owners to save money on energy costs.

With washers and dryers, for example, an “Energy Star” certification means that a washing machine will use 25 per cent less energy, on average, than a standard model, and 33 per cent less water. That’s a signifi-

cant savings, over time, in two areas.

Paired with an Energy Star dryer, energy use takes another dip.

There are savings to be found in the kitchen, as well. Induction innovation, for example, promises both improved performance and reduced energy use. “Induction technology is definitely the technology of the future,” says Meaghan Sansom, Brand and Digital Marketing Manager for Electrolux. Because induction cooktops heat food faster, less energy is used when preparing meals. “Induction delivers approximately 90 per cent of its energy to the food in the pan, while gas uses approximately 30 per cent of its energy to cook, and electric radiant is closer to 70 percent,” says Sansom.

While the popularity of induction appliances is still growing in North America, it’s the norm in other parts

of the world. “Induction technology accounts for over half of the cooking products sold in the European marketplace,” says Sansom. “In some countries, Sweden for example, it accounts for more than 80 per cent.” She adds that with prices lower than ever, the appeal of induction cooking is likely to keep rising.

Options and savings make change easier Whether a consumer or business is considering LED lighting, smart lighting accessories, Energy Star products, or induction appliances, choice is decidedly on the rise. And with prices falling, lucrative government incentives on the table, and customers increasingly comfortable with new technology, its becoming easier and easier to make the leap to investing in energy saving products.

Photo courtesy of Electrolux

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Feature Story: Swap Out to Save

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Tech Talk

The Bots Are Coming!

Automated and AI-driven Programs for Business Written by Elena Langdon

Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are all the rage these days, for good reason. The technology behind once toogood-to-be-true tools like facial recognition and 3D printing has advanced by leaps and bounds. Many of us own or pine for “smart” devices and use dozens of apps a day for personal purposes. So what about business? How far can automation and AI help boost productivity and profit at work? And what are the no-go zones for this exciting area of development?

Tech Talk

First, some terms “Automation” and “AI” are often used interchangeably, but there are important differences. “Automation” refers to processes that can be undertaken through a chain of events that trigger each other, without human interference. We’ve seen it in manufacturing for decades. Simple contemporary business examples would be Hootsuite or Buffer, the programs that help automate a business’s social media participation.

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“Artificial intelligence” refers to machines undertaking processes and making choices, on their own, based on their programming and what they learn from it. There are different levels of AI, and the most powerful two—levels at which a machine can understand human thoughts, and be selfaware, respectively—have not been reached. So what can be accomplished now?

The digital-assistant revolution While C-3PO from Star Wars or Ava from Ex Machina are not in our immediate reality, AI is a driving force behind many business applications.

Personal digital assistants like Siri and Cortana are good examples of AI-driven programs that can boost productivity, save time, and facilitate our lives. With one of these programs you can delegate scheduling, play music, and check the stock market, all without typing, thanks to voice recognition capabilities. Pen, paper, and typing can be eliminated from the entire process.

Google Duplex is a newer digital assistant that takes automation to a whole new level. It makes calls to humans to schedule appointments, request information, and order food.

Instead of speaking with a typical robotic tone, Google Duplex mimics real speech patterns and uses fillers like “um” and “hmm.” Plus, this bot interacts with human responses and can carry on a conversation. Probably for this reason, its reception so far has included a mixture of awe and trepidation.

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Proceed with care Caution might be needed for that type of digital assistant, especially from ethical and privacy standpoints. Should a human receptionist know he is talking to a machine? Is he being recorded so that Google can learn from the exchange?

Nevertheless, most of the tasks accomplished by Google Duplex involve little personal risk. If your haircut gets scheduled at the wrong time, it would be a nuisance, but probably not a big loss.

However, some types of AI-driven programs must be approached with caution when it comes to business because of the risks involved. For example, in language translation, the technology cannot yet match the human capacity for communication. Automatic translation engines are great for getting the gist of a letter or website, but using them for business can result in embarrassment, misinformation, and even financial loss. Most companies put time and money into writing compelling and clear texts; foreign-language copy requires the same attention. Despite recent advances in deep learning, machine translation is not like Google Duplex—it does not “sound” human, much less eloquent. More importantly, accuracy is seriously compromised with automatic translation—just think of all the menus with indecipherable items like, “The water fries the potato” and signs that say, “Beware of safety.”

The same caution is needed for verbal translation, or interpreting, which has made headlines with programs that com-

Tech Talk

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bine machine translation with voice recognition. Holding a conversation with someone in a language you don’t know by using “translator earbuds” might work for casual exchanges with inconsequential outcomes. However, if you need to speak to an employee about her performance or to an international branch manager about next quarter’s sales goals, you cannot rely on AI to accurately transmit your message. Between speech recognition flaws, cultural differences, and the incredible creativity behind any human being’s speech, it’s best to stick to a professional interpreter for bilingual business communication.

puters have apparently learned the skill. That said, even app’s websites make it very clear that the apps will not provide legal advice, and that it should be used only for the specific purpose of reviewing documents. The formulaic language and boilerplate nature of legal documents lends itself well to AI, and frees up time and money for actual legal strategy. In some ways, it’s similar to translation—you can get some entry-level tasks done, just not anything that requires tactics or nuanced meaning. And of course, nothing that involves any risk to your business.

Lawyer up or bot up?

Next time you see an ad for a new app that looks like a miracle cure for what’s ailing your business, by all means, don’t ignore it. There are many good applications for automated and AI-driven programs. Just be sure to research the program and consider its uses. The more complex the task, and the more it involves human reasoning, the less likely it will work for business, at least in an all-encompassing manner. Work patterns and skills are certainly changing, but the bots are not taking over just yet.

If creative speech is one reason not to trust the machines, what about legal discourse? Does it make sense for a business to rely on automated contract-writing programs or document-reviewing apps? As with many machine-based applications, such programs can work, albeit in a limited context for limited purposes.

AI-driven programs will review legal documents at a fraction of the cost of a lawyer. This review process takes humans significant time, and lawyers take years to master it, yet com-

Tech Talk

Look both ways before you leap

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ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS AND DOORS Written by Danila Di Croce

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Feature Story: Energy Efficient Windows and Doors

Photo courtesy of Jeldwen

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When selecting windows and doors for a new build or renovation project, one of the biggest factors to consider is energy efficiency. While windows and doors may not consume energy, they can often be a significant source of energy loss. As the main gateways for mother nature's entry into a home, one must be sure to choose windows and doors that can effectively withstand the elements.

Matt Taylor, Product Manager at All Weather Windows, suggests considering the following: “When choosing energy efficient windows, homeowners should take into account climate, installation and design, as nearly 25-30% of heat loss can occur through windows.”

While it may seem like a lot to consider, thankfully there are systems in place which can help to identify these various factors. In Canada, the energy performance of windows, doors and skylights is tested using the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A440.2 standard. The energy performance of a product is tested using a variety of values, including the thermal rating, or heat transfer rating, of a product. John Arsenault, Director of Sales for Atlantic Canada at Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems, further explains,

“energy performance is based on various materials used to make the window or door, their design and the quality of the components. All of these factors impact heat loss/retention and impact heating/cooling costs.”

Consequently, there are a variety of materials and designs one can select from when choosing energy efficient windows or doors. “When thinking of energy efficient windows, one must consider the frame component and the type of glass used,” explains, Jeff Pigeon, Product Line Manager - Windows at JELD-WEN of Canada Ltd. “The major factor is trying to limit the amount of heat that penetrates through the glass and into the home.”

As such, Pigeon explains that a common choice for energy efficient windows is a dual-glazed window. “This kind of window choice includes two panes of glass with a band around the exterior—referred to as ‘warm edge spacers or warm edge technology.’ The glass panes are covered in a Low-E coating, which helps to reduce the amount of solar energy coming into the home, and a gas, usually argon gas, is used to fill in the spaces between the pieces of glass.”

However, while dual glaze windows have typically been the industry stan-

dard, it seems that is changing as individuals are opting for higher performing products. “We have doubled our sales in triple glazed windows in each of the past three years,” states Arsenault.

What this means, is that consumers are opting for three panes of glass, instead of two. Furthermore, there is also the option of choosing higher level Low-E coatings on the glass, which help to further reduce solar heat gain in the warmer months, and avoid heat loss in the cooler months.

While the construction of the window plays a vital role in it's energy efficient performance, one must consider the style of the window as well.

“The most energy efficient window is a fixed window. It is completely sealed,” explains Arsenault. “As soon as you introduce an operating sash it affects the amount of air and water that can penetrate.”

For those who prefer other styles, Pigeon clarifies the next best choices: “Casement or awning style windows are best for energy efficiency as they have the least amount of moving parts, thus, you get a tighter seal on those style of windows.”

Meanwhile, individuals who have a specific style in mind for their windows, which may not be best suited for energy Photos courtesy of Kohltech

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Feature Story: Energy Efficient Windows and Doors

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efficiency, will have to negotiate with Doors are equally affected by the el- dows or glass doors in the back of the the type of glass used. ements. Although one may have a cer- home, so that they can enjoy the view,” “You can have high performance tain look in mind for their statement explains Arsenault. “The trend calls glass in any window,” explains Arse- door, one must also consider how that for more and larger windows throughnault, “so the energy efficiency can be style will affect the energy efficiency out the home, so as an industry we are high in any style. However, the style of of the product. “Doors are typically fi- continuing to work with our supplies the window will affect the weather per- berglass or steel slabs, and are insulated and engineers to improve energy performance.” Hence, why one must con- extremely well,” explains Pigeon. formance to meet the increasing perforsider the location of the home mance standards.” (ie. suburban home vs. house Such commitment to energy efWhen you start inserting decorative on top of a hill) and the actuficient products in the industry glass elements, energy efficiency can al location of the windows on is extremely valuable. Energy be compromised. So, to remedy that, the home itself (ie. north facefficient windows and doors, he suggests, “If you are selecting a door ing vs. south facing). help to save on the cost of opwith a glass unit, select something that As Taylor points out, “conerating bills, while also affectis visually appealing but that also meets sidering placement of your ing the look and feel of a room. your energy efficiency requirements. windows can help to save monWith the amount of light and ey. For example, front or back heat in a room being subjective elevation would require more to one's window and door selecenergy efficient glazing options, where Thankfully, current trends are indi- tions, it is important to choose wiseside elevations are better protected from cating that full fibreglass or steel doors ly in order to feel comfortable in one's the elements and may not require the are most popular, while glass is being environment and enjoy the beauty of same glass type.” saved for the rest of the home. “People mother nature. are paying more attention to the win-

Feature Story: Energy Efficient Windows and Doors

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Design Talk Photos courtesy of Canada Green Building Council

Sustainable Schools; Going Green for Learning Written by Jennifer Mercieca

The movement towards sustainable design and green building in Canada continues to be a widespread initiative nationwide. The green building industry works towards incorporating sustainability into all forms and as such has recognized the importance of ensuring that every child has access to learning, in a safe and healthy environment. Green experts agree that its simply not enough to make you children environmentally aware, to make the next generation environmen-

Design Talk: Sustainable Schools; Going Green for Learning

tally conscious its important to expose them to green practices both at home and at school.

As part of World Green Building Week, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and the Canada Coalition for Green Schools came together to identify Canada’s greenest school based Canadian schools that are exemplary demonstrations of sustainable learning environments.

Teachers and students came together to pitch in together to

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Design Talk: Sustainable Schools; Going Green for Learning

Photos courtesy of Canada Green Building Council

make their schools eco-friendly through solar arrays, geothermal greenhouses, urban beekeeping and decreasing natural gas consumption. The green building industry experts from across the country were so impressed with the submissions that they were unable to choose just one winner.

Lacombe Composite High School in Lacombe, Alberta, and Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario were both honoured with this years title.

Lacombe and Trinity College stood out from other submissions for their exemplary commitment to sustainability and impressive environmental awareness programs for students and staff. As the 2018 Greenest School in Canada winners, both schools will receive a $1,000 cash award to put toward a new or ongoing sustainability project.

Lacombe High School weaves sustainability throughout the school’s programming in a variety of ways with an EcoVision environmental club, composting and the Adopt-aGarden initiative. “Educational and environmental innovation like what we’ve demonstrated to receive this honour, is impossible without student leaders that are willing to dream, risk and fail – but try again.” says Steven Schultz, Teacher at

Design Talk: Sustainable Schools; Going Green for Learning

Lacombe Composite High School.

For Trinity College School, sustainability is at the forefront of everything they do—including physical building changes and upgrades, and a comprehensive curriculum. A five-year sustainability plan focused on reducing environmental footprint and the creation of a healthy, sustainable community, which provides opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills that foster sustainability literacy as part of academic and co-curricular activities.

Stuart Grainger, Headmaster, Trinity College expressed how thrilled Trinity was to be recognized. “We truly believe our success is due to our collective commitment to weaving sustainability initiatives into virtually every aspect of our learning community, including our curriculum, our campus and our school culture.”

Both schools set a great example for their peers and surrounding communities. The student’s commitment to a more eco-friendly school will help them grow up to be more environmentally conscious individuals, while helping to nurture the next generation of students.—

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