IHM News, Volume 37, Fall 2009

Volume 37, Fall 2009

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement # 40739009

ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Inside President’s Message - Have You Found Your Work/Life Balance?

2 Requirements of Maintaining Lifts in Ontario

3 IHM Certificate in Property Management Course Completions

4 Managing Capital Projects - Capital Planning

5 Conditions that Promote Mould Growth

7 Where Does Mould Grow?

8 New IHM Members

10

P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e

Have You Found Your Work/Life Balance?

Professional training and on the job experience help us to be prepared for the numerous challenges we face in property management operations. What about the external factors not within our control that have an impact on our workload, such as the weather, economic conditions and unexpected changes in staff to name a few. Can we prepare for these challenges?

This summer most areas of Ontario experienced extreme weather conditions, and many wonder did we even have a summer? In the Hamilton area we experienced severe flooding this summer. Many home owners and property management staff worked very long hours to assist residents with evacuation measures, sewer clean ups and the massive task of restoration following flood damages. Property Managers have to wonder if the next challenge will be some nasty winter storms, with winter temperatures expected to be 4 to 5 degrees colder than normal.

Have economic challenges in your area had an impact on your receivables? Have you implemented greater control measures in spending? Are you experiencing shortages in staff coverage due to seasonal influenza? Does all of this result in rising workloads and longer hours on the job?

Property Managers possess many characteristics that are suited to problem solving, crisis management and multi-tasking. One of the most important skills is the ability to establish a balance between professional and personal responsibilities and goals. There is no one-size-fitsall approach to achieving work/life balance. Your success will encompass exploring many options which might include slowing down, simplifying life, delegating more, and eliminating some tasks.

Work/life balance is possible. It has to be, as our family and personal responsibilities are an important part of who we are. Employers need to implement programs that support employees and create healthy work environments. Maintaining your personal health and balance is a priority. The property management challenges will keep coming; that is a given. That is also in part, why we are “housing people” – we thrive on challenge!!!

Regards,

Deborah Filice, FIHM President

2

IHM News • Fall 2009

Feature

Requirements of Maintaining Lifts in Ontario

By Rob Groulx, National Elevator Consulting Ltd.

(c) the frequency and method of use of the device.

T

he term “Lift” or “Passenger Lift” in any other part of the “elevator world” outside of North America refers to the main vertical transportation elevating device used in the primary movement of people or goods within a building. In North America, we refer to these types of primary vertical transportation devices as “Elevators”.

The term “Lift’ then in North America and in Ontario, refers to elevating devices used primarily for the transportation of passengers with physical disabilities. Lift for persons with physical disabilities as defined by the Technical Standards and Safety Act 2000, O. Reg 252/08 means “an elevating device, whether portable or fixed, that travels between fixed points of a building or structure, that is restricted as to access, speed, travel and type of operating device, and that is specifically designed for use by persons with physical disabilities”. Typically lifts used in commercial applications are 750 lbs in capacity, are restricted through key operation, operate at not more than 25 feet per minute, and are installed in either an enclosed or unenclosed environment.

So how are the maintenance requirements for lifts different from regular passenger elevators which require for the most part monthly, annual, and 5 year testing and inspections? To clarify, it is important first to realize that, for regular passenger elevators and lifts, the Technical Standard and Safety Authority (TSSA) is ultimately responsible to ensure all aspects of the elevating device meet with CSA Codes and the Technical

IHM News • Fall 2009

(3) The maintenance of an elevating device shall include, (a) an inspection and examination at regular intervals of all parts and functions of the elevating device; (b) cleaning, lubricating and adjusting all its parts at regular intervals and repairing or replacing worn or defective components in order to prevent the device from becoming unsafe for operation; (c) repairing or replacing damaged or broken parts;

Standards and Safety Act 2000 including operation and maintenance. Under these requirements as they apply in Ontario: (1) An owner of an elevating device shall ensure that the elevating device is not used or operated unless it is maintained by a registered contractor.

(2) The methods and intervals of maintenance of an elevating device shall be determined by the owner or a contractor on behalf of the owner, on the basis of, (a) the inherent quality and age of the device; (b) the specifications for maintenance of the manufacturer, manufacturer’s agent or of the contractor; and

(4) A person who carries out an inspection referred to in clause (3) (a) shall ensure that the elevating device is in a safe operating condition and shall take all steps and reasonable precautions in the circumstances to ensure that the parts and functions will remain in a safe operating condition until the next scheduled inspection and examination.

(5) Where a part of an elevating device is replaced for any reason, the replacement part shall be at least equivalent to the original part as specified in the design submission or as supplied by the manufacturer of the original part.

(6) Despite subsections (1) and (3) above, a person other than a registered contractor may,

3

(a) carry out jobs of a housekeeping nature in the load-carrying unit of an e l e v a t i n g device or in the area giving access to it; and (b) clean an elevator car and hoistway enclosures made of glass if the elevator is p r o vided with equipment referred to in the code adoption document.

While the design, construction, installation, operation, inspection, and testing of regular passenger elevators are covered under the ASME A17.1-2007 / CSA B44-07 and CSA B44.2-07 Codes, it is the CSA B355 Code which applies to lifts installed in commercial or public environments. The latest version of the CSA B355 Code which was issued in March 2009 can be obtained through the CSA Standards website at www.shopcsa.ca.

The Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, O. Regulation 209/01, states where maintenance is carried out on an elevating device that is equipped with a speed limiting safety device (this applies to most lifts), the inspection and tests shall be carried out at intervals determined in accordance with subsection (2) above as long as the interval between the inspections or tests is not longer than 12 months.

In Annex B of the CSA B355-09 Code, maintenance of lifts for persons with physical disabilities is described, but it is important to realize the requirements as outlined are non-mandatory and provided for those wishing to adopt it formally as additional requirements to the CSA B355 Standard. In Annex B, section B.5, testing and inspection of specific components and devices are listed with recommended frequencies every 6 months.

So what does this all mean in terms of the maintenance requirements for lifts installed in commercial or public areas in Ontario? It means: 1. The Technical Standards and Safety Act requires a current maintenance agreement with a TSSA registered and licensed elevating device specialist on file.

2. Your contract should include a minimum of every 6 months inspection and testing with speed limiting devices inspected and tested every 12 months. However, depending on the frequency your lift is being used, you may wish to increase these inspections to every 3 months.

In the end, be wary of elevating device contractors and installers who insist on monthly inspections for lifts stating it is a requirement by Code and, above all, ensure your maintenance agreement is all inclusive of callbacks, parts, labour, and travelling time. â–

IHM Certificate in Property Management - Course Completions Strategic and Financial Planning for Property Managers Oleh Dudko Cliff Grimwood Nadine Jones Geoff Lee Dave Lenarduzzi Danijela Macakanja Sheila Ruttan Darlene Serhan Jelena Slomka Todd Smith Elvira Titova

4

Human Relations for Property Managers

Property & Building Administration

Building Maintenance for Property Managers

Bridget Bayliss Nancy Beatty Paul Bedford Sharona Bookbinder Josh Browne Julie Bertrand-Rioux Marcia Cote Adrian De Porto Joseph Fiore Valerie McGlynn Adam Peckham Ilana Popov Patricia Price Tatiana Pyzhov Suhaib Radwan Debbie Timbers Jing Zhu

Chonita Boardman Julie Bertrand-Rioux June Cannings Christopher Clarkson Adrian De Porto Patricia Fitzgibbons Rick Henderson Natalie Hunzinger Pamela Kartasinski Lief Lahtinen Mike Oswin Ilana Popov Suhaib Radwan Bob Theisz

Sorin Amoraritei Elizabeth Black Sorin Boldan Lynn Guo Dianne Lampi Adam Peckham Michael Pyzhov Tatiana Pyzhov Melissa Sheflin

Program Completion Certificate Bianc Ignat Eniko Pop Sheila Ruttan

IHM News • Fall 2009

Feature

Managing Capital Projects – Capital Planning

Parking?

Balconies?

Roof?

Carpeting?

Lobby?

By Gerry Lichty, P. Eng. Director, Technical Services Social Housing Services Corporation

Sound capital planning is based on a detailed understanding of your facility. It requires making difficult choices, accepting a certain amount of risk, and balancing condition and need with available funding and competing priorities.

Understanding the big picture allows you to focus on the details. It is important to know what you want to do and why you want to do it.

IHM News • Fall 2009

I

t’s 4:30 p.m. on the Friday of a long weekend in the winter and you have just found out that the heating system in your building has failed. A property manager’s nightmare! What do you do? Is the failure the result of poor maintenance, age, or both? Can it be repaired or is full replacement required?

Who do you get to do the work and will they over-charge because it’s the weekend and they have a captive customer?

Was the replacement of the system even part of your long-range capital plan?

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too real. So what can be done about it? Is there a way to protect your facility against major failure? Although there are no guarantees, a diligently applied preventative maintenance program combined with sound long-range capital planning can certainly help.

Effective capital planning begins with an up-to-date building condition assessment (BCA). A condition assessment is simply an evaluation of the physical condition of the facility at a particular point in time and is most often completed by a professional consultant. It is an excellent tool, especially when combined with an energy assessment, that

provides an understanding of the condition of the overall facility.

Based on experience, general knowledge, observations, and the information that you provide, the consultant determines the condition of each building element and system, forecasts how long it will last, and then assigns a cost to repair or replace. In each case, the consultant’s decisions are based on the assumption that the element or system will continue to deteriorate at a predictable rate. However, this is not always so and creating a BCA involves some subjectivity. In other words, the consultant is unable to assess the exact time or year of failure but can reasonably predict it within a specified range of time.

Given these uncertainties, providers and owners should review their BCA annually and re-schedule work based on actual site conditions. Will the roof require replacement next year as the consultant continued on page 6

5

Understanding how and why the capital plan has been determined may be the most critical of all the steps involved in delivering a capital work program. recommended or, based on current conditions, will it last for an additional year or maybe more? It is your building and you have the right to decide. It is also your responsibility to know.

time. Develop a facility inspection checklist and use it. Be thorough in keeping records, both written and photographic – the importance of timely and accurate documentation cannot be over-stressed.

In most instances it is economically prohibitive to have a professional consultant re-work the audit every year and completing this task becomes the responsibility of the provider or the owner. In order to complete this annual review, it is essential that you start with a comprehensive understanding of your facility. Facility and property managers should be the facility’s most important technical resource. It is recommended that you constantly review your building documentation, equipment manuals, warranties, plans, and so forth. Walk the facility frequently, talk to people, ask questions and take notes. Purchase a digital camera and carry it with you at all times to record the condition of building elements and keep a file of your photos so deterioration can be documented over

If you are fortunate enough to have adequate capital funding, the annual capital work program should reflect the building condition assessment report for that year. However, few facilities will have sufficient funding and setting the capital work for each year requires setting priorities and deferring some work to later years.

Typically, a facility manager is required to make decisions about the condition of individual building elements and systems, including determining priorities, identifying jobs that fit together, determining when the work should be done, how the work will impact operations, and what will be the impact on clients and neighbours. Taking information from the BCA and the property inspection results and transferring it into a capital plan is not an easy task. It may help to review each proposed capital job in light of the answers to the following two questions: If this were my building and I were paying for the work with my own money, would I do it now?

If I don’t do the work now, what is the worst that can happen?

Once you have identified what work should proceed and in what order, the realities of financial constraints and funding availability must be addressed. Seldom will the case be that there is enough money available to complete all the recommended capital work. As a result, it may become necessary to defer work of a lesser priority to later in the year in the hope that additional funds will become available, phase the work over several years, reduce the scope of the job, change materials, complete some interim repairs to extend the useful life, and so forth. Each problem and each solution will be unique and will be based on local site conditions. However, each solution should be accompanied by an objective analysis of the risks involved and consideration of how to handle problems that may arise. Keep in mind that it may be unsafe to defer capital work involving life safety or structural integrity without first obtaining professional advice.

Ontario’s social housing providers are able to access the suite of services provided by the Social Housing Service

6

IHM News • Fall 2009

Corporation’s (SHSC) new Technical Services group. Regionally located and offering practical, hands-on advice, SHSC’s project managers will assist social housing providers make important capital planning decisions. Their services include problem solving, developing scope of work, overseeing design and the tender process, bid evaluation and award, and contract administration.

They are also available to respond to project specific needs.

Finally, when preparing the capital plan, it is advisable to maximize the amount of lead time available – do not plan yourself into a corner. Providers and

owners are encouraged to complete the design work in one year and undertake construction the following year. By doing so, you will gain maximum flexibility for planning, designing, fine tuning, and tendering of the proposed work. It also affords time to implement solutions to minimize the impact on the facility’s operation and on staff, clients, and neighbours. Remember that it is never a good idea to schedule a boiler replacement for the winter months or to have the roofer working overhead while the windows below are being replaced.

Always keep in mind that sound planning and a little re-scheduling up front is significantly better than allowing con-

tractors to do it for you after the fact and then claim for additional expenses Understanding how and why the capital plan has been determined may be the most critical of all the steps involved in delivering a capital work program. It is essential that all involved respect the process and the decisions made. The time has passed for second-guessing and advancing hidden agendas. Once you have worked through this step, you can approach the hiring of professional expertise and the delivery of the capital work with confidence. ■

Conditions That Promote Mould Growth All of the conditions needed for mould growth (food sources and appropriate temperatures) are present in the indoor environment with the exception of adequate moisture. Prevention of mould growth indoors can not be achieved without proper moisture control. The following are some of the moisture problems that cause indoor mould growth.

Water Intrusion Rainwater can enter a building through leaks in walls, windows or the roof. Surface or ground water may enter when there is poor foundation drainage. Flooding can, of course, cause catastrophic intrusion. In buildings that have slab construction, water can seep or wick up through the cement floor causing mould to grow on carpet pads or carpet backing. The building envelope (walls, windows, floors, roof, etc.) must be well maintained to prevent water from coming in, both to prevent mould growth and to maintain the structural integrity of the building.

Water Vapor When relative humidity (a temperature-dependent measure of water vapor in air) becomes elevated indoors, building materials and furnishings absorb the moisture.

Those damp materials can then provide a good place for mould to grow. If there are no cold condensing surfaces

IHM News • Fall 2009

and the relative humidity (RH) is maintained below 60 percent indoors, there will not be enough water in those materials for mould to grow. However, if the RH stays above 70 percent indoors for extended periods of time, mould will almost certainly grow.

In the summer, air conditioning can de-humidify indoor space. But if the system is too large or too small for the space it serves, the cooling system can create high humidity by cooling without removing water vapor. A properly sized and maintained system will dehumidify and cool a building.

When there are cold surfaces in a building, water vapor can condense on those surfaces, just as water condenses on the outside of a glass of ice water. Insulation of exterior walls can prevent condensation and mould growth during the winter.

You should always be mindful of indoor sources of water vapor that can be problematic. Clothes dryers must be vented to the outdoors. Unvented gas or kerosene space heaters can generate enormous amounts of water vapor (as well as other air contaminants), and should be used sparingly and never as a primary heat source. Always run the bathroom exhaust fan when showering or bathing, and make sure the vent is exhausted to outdoors. A properly vented kitchen exhaust fan can remove steam created during cooking.

7

Where Does Mould Grow?

Mould spores may be found lying dormant on almost every surface in a building. Unless large numbers of spores become airborne, there is usually little problem. However, when mould spores are on a surface with an appropriate moisture content, nutrients, and temperature, the spores will germinate and mould will grow.

The key to identifying locations where mould is likely to grow is finding where these conditions exist, have occurred, or are likely to develop.

materials that are excellent food sources for mould, such as wallpaper glue, some paints, greases, paper, textiles, and wood products. Indoor dusts may contain fibers, dead skin cells, and other organic matter that can serve as a food source for mould when adequate moisture is available.

Temperature also affects mould growth. Different types of mould have minimum, optimum and maximum temperature ranges for growth.

Many fungi grow well at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which are also ideal temperatures for human comfort. In addition, as mentioned above, temperature gradients often produce the moisture needed for mould growth.

Mould should not grow indoors unless there are moisture problems in the building. Obvious causes of moisture problems include occupant-generated sources, floods, roof leaks, and problems with drainage or plumbing.

A less obvious source of moisture is the effect of temperature gradients (temperature differences), especially in locations where relatively warm and moist air comes in contact with relatively cool surfaces. These conditions can cause water vapor to condense on building surfaces, just as it does on a glass of ice water on a warm, humid day.

In the summer, when air-conditioning is in use, mould growth can occur in buildings where the cooling systems are oversized, undersized or poorly maintained. Unplanned air flow in buildings can also create conditions favorable to mould growth. A competent heating and air conditioning contractor should be able to address these issues.

Most moulds must get their food from the environment, living and feeding on dead organic matter. Outdoors, moulds are very important in decomposing organic materials and recycling nutrients. Indoors, many building components and contents contain

In the winter, when buildings are heated, mould often grows in cold, uninsulated exterior windows and walls, includinguninsulated closets along exterior walls where building surfaces are generally cold relative to the indoor air temperature.

IHM is pleased to present the following educational workshop at PM Expo. See the PM Expo flyer with this IHM mailing for complete show details and session times.

Elevator Maintenance, the Highs and Lows of Maintaining and Modernizing Building Elevator Systems This workshop will help attendees understand the necessary preventive maintenance for building elevator systems and how those systems start to provide indicators on when it is time to modernize your elevator installations. Once it is time to modernize your elevators, attendees will hear some basics on how to ensure the new systems achieve a higher level of tenant service.

Presenter: Rob Groulx, National Elevator Consulting Limited

8

IHM News • Fall 2009

Mark Your Calendar!

IHM News • Fall 2009

9

Welcome to Our New Members New Candidate Members Sorrin Amoraritei Christena Anger Angie Armstrong Chonita Boardman Christina Bonham Tina Buono Rebecca Clothier Darlene Curran Antonia David-Yap Stacey Ferguson Amanda Horn Kelly Jackson Nadine Jones Morrison King Nea Magee

Michael Mahoney Paul McGrory Chandrashekhar Nagarajam Steve Nalli Alezandra Paduraru Adam Peckham Mark Poste Suhaib Radwan Tara Roberts Nicoleta Sima Bogdan Smal Alicia Smith Sandra Stiff Joshua Timbers Elvira Titova Daniela Toader

Monique Tremblay Josh Vinegar Lauren Walmsley Lauren Weese

Accredited Membership Gabriel Dolnieianu Kathy Harris Miroy Hoosein Gwen Howarth-Merwin Claudette Mason Ruttan Sheila

Corporate Membership Comfort Property Management Inc. County of Simcoe

2009-2010 Board of Directors www.ihm-canada.com PRESIDENT:

SECRETARY/TREASURER:

Deborah Filice, R.S.S.W, FIHM CityHousing Hamilton Community Services City of Hamilton 55 Hess Street South, 23rd Floor P.O. Box 2500 Hamilton, ON L8N 4E5 Tel: (905) 546-2424 Ext. 7817 Fax: (905) 546-2762 Email: dfilice@hamilton.ca

Harry Popiluk, FIHM Victoria Park Community Homes 155 Queen St. N., Hamilton, ON L8R 2V7 Tel: (905) 527-0221 Ext.215 Fax: (905) 527-3181 Email: hpopiluk@vpch.com

VICE-PRESIDENT Kevin O’Hara, AIHM, D.P.A. Communications Committee Region of Waterloo Waterloo Region Housing 235 King Street East, 6th Floor Kitchener, ON N2G 4N5 Tel: (519) 575-4800, ext. 1218 Fax: (519) 893-8447 Email: kevino@region.waterloo.on.ca

IHM OFFICE:

10

PAST-PRESIDENT: Greg Grange, FIHM Public Relations Officer Marketing Committee 91 Windsor Drive, Brockville, ON K6V 3H7 Email: greggrange@yahoo.com DIRECTORS: Lynn Alexander, AIHM Communications Chair Region of Durham Housing Services P.O. Box 623, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 Tel: (905) 666-6222 Fax: (905) 666-6225 Email: Lynn.Alexander@durham.ca

Lynn Morrovat, Administrator Josee Lefebvre, Administrative Assistant

Terry McErlean, FIHM Education Committee Social Housing Division, County of Simcoe 136 Bayfield Street, 4th Floor Barrie, ON L4M 3B1 Tel: (705) 725-7215 ext. 1846 Email: tmcerlean@simcoe.ca

Kathi Zarfas, AIHM, MPA Education Committee Chair Social Housing Services Corporation 390 Bay Street, 7th Floor Toronto, ON M5H 2Y2 Tel: (416) 594-9325 ext 215 Fax: (416) 594-9422 Email: kzarfas@shscorp.ca

Deborah Parker, AIHM Marketing Chair Girl Guides of Canada 50 Merton Street Toronto, ON M4S 1A3 Tel: (416) 487-5281, ext. 209 Fax: (416) 487-5570 Email: parkerd@girlguides.ca

CANDIDATE REPRESENTATIVE

Doug Rollins Education Committee City of Toronto, Office of the General Manager, Shelter, Support & Housing Administration Metro Hall, 55 John Street, 6th Floor Toronto, ON M5V 3L6 Tel: (416) 392-8638 Fax: (416) 392-0548 Email: drollin@toronto.ca

Sennan Vandenberg Candidate Rep - Membership Chair St. Lawrence Youth Association P.O. Box 23003 Amherstview RPO Kingston, ON K7N 1Y2 Tel: 613-384-4869, ext 110 Fax: 613-384-8873 Email:svandenberg@slya.ca Michelle Waye Membership Committee City of Toronto Shelter Support & Housing Administration 365 Bloor St. E., 15th Floor Toronto, ON M4W 3L4 Tel: 416-338-8209 Fax: 416-338-8228 Email: mwaye@toronto.ca

2175 Sheppard Ave. East, Suite 310, Toronto, ON M2J 1W8 Tel: (416) 493-7382 / 1-866-212-4377 • Fax: (416) 491-1670 • Email: ihm@taylorenterprises.com

IHM News • Fall 2009