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Focus: Protection, Mitigation & Recovery 6 Fire Zone IAQ: Building operators in British Columbia and Alberta have a summer of difficult ventilation choices.

8 Cannabis Goes Commercial: Landlords ponder a crop of concerns with the pending arrival of new tenant enterprises.

13 Flood Assessment & Planning: Advance preparation and investment in flood control measures protect critical building systems.

20 Cladding Concerns: Tragic fire in a United Kingdom high-rise draws attention to building materials and underscores need for fire safety communications with occupants.

25 Asbestos Legacy: The risk of exposure continues, particularly for trades working in pre-1980s buildings.

29 High-tech Health Risks: 3D printers emit ultrafine particles.

32 Refrigerant Sparks Safety Research: HFC phasedown will add flammability to cooling considerations.

38 Life-safety to Fit Design: Unobtrusive emergency lighting and smoke detection options.

42 Seismic-Friendly Construction: Cross-laminated timber offers earthquake resilience.

44 Policing Clutter: Clean desks thwart opportunities for undue snooping.

46 Eyes Everywhere: Good cyber-hygiene includes covering web cameras.

Departments 4 Editor’s note

contents

VOL. 32 NO. 4

editor’snote NATURAL AND MAN-MADE hazards pose roughly comparable threats to the security and stability of the built environment and the safety and wellbeing of its occupants. However, one is typically embodied in infrequent but attention-getting events, while the other can be more lingering and insidious, propagated through malfeasance, carelessness or simple misguided good intentions. We look at a few examples of each in this issue's Focus on protection, mitigation and recovery.

The horrors of London's Grenfell Tower fire will — and certainly should — reverberate for a long time to come. Although the tragedy occurred beyond our usual geographic zone of coverage, the issues are universal and emphatically underscore the importance of product testing, performance standards and regulatory safeguards. The United Kingdom's promised inquiry is likely to be a difficult and humiliating experience for some who will be publicly called to account. Will that come close to the agony and abject terror of the final minutes of the 80 people who died in the fire? No. The technical and professional workforce of the real estate industry is legally compelled to be trained and competent, but rule-makers in municipal, provincial and federal forums often have a fairly superficial grasp of some of the complexities they're asked to assess and steer into law. Many commentators from the ranks of the U.K.'s building science and life-safety expertise are now asserting that informed advice hasn't been properly considered in adopting, or failure to adopt, that country's building regulations.

The real estate industry's self-imposed performance standards and risk management practices offer a more heartening counterpoint. For example, the Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Institute is currently conducting extensive research on flammable refrigerants — treating combustibility with the caution and respect it should instinctively engender. Growing take-up of a range of voluntary certifications also demonstrates real estate ownership that sees the rationale of providing space that offers more than mere code compliance.

Turning to Mother Nature, the timing of her severe outbursts can be difficult to pinpoint in a long-range plan, but preparedness should be constant. Alexander Hay, a specialist in security and protection of critical infrastructure and a consultant to BOMA Toronto on resiliency and extreme weather adaptation, reiterates that owners/managers need only think about the key operational demands of their buildings and contractual responsibilities to their tenants in order to tally their potential vulnerabilities and plan to respond.

"The consequences are foreseeable," he says. "Claiming surprise is just disingenuous."

Still, that's premised on openness to seeing. As the summer of 2017 may exemplify, natural blowhards easily out-power their human counterparts, but rarely outlast them.

Barbara Carss barbc@mediaedge.ca @BarbaraCarss /cpmmediaedge /CDNPropMgmt /cpmmediaedge

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health&safety

A FIERY SUMMER

FOR IAQ

High-Efficiency Filters Gain Profile in British Columbia and Alberta

By Barbara Carss

OUTDOOR AIR was far from fresh in some areas of British Columbia and Alberta this summer. Smoke from a series of tenacious forest fires prompted public health authorities in both provinces to issue recommendations for avoiding undue exposure.

B.C.’s aptly named Smoky Skies Bulletin, providing a regularly updated list of regions of concern, also directed affected residents to potential relief. “Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air,” it suggested.

Indoor air quality specialists affirm that larger commercial buildings are among the better places to be when outdoor conditions are compromised since HVAC systems typically incorporate air filtration. Depending on the filter’s efficiency level — known as MERV, an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value — that could capture airborne particulate smaller than a micron. Nevertheless, prolonged poor air quality creates challenges for any kind of ventilation system.

“We rely on fresh air to flush out carbon dioxide. In the ideal situation, we’re bringing in lots of fresh air and we’re dissipating it around and flushing it outside,” says Curt LaMontagne, Principal Indoor Environmentalist with C5 Plus Limited in Calgary. “In a situation like we had this summer, you really don’t have good choices.”

At various times and for varying periods, the air quality index registered higher health risk readings in populous urban regions like 6 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary and Edmonton, and many more smaller communities across vast swathes of western Canada.

“The smoke smells like a campfire. You could feel it on the back of your throat,” recalls Julien Poirier, a Project Manager with the engineering consulting firm, WSP Group, also based in Calgary.

Unlike gases, which can be mitigated via biofilters like aesthetically pleasing living walls, the contamination from forest fires is primarily fine particulate matter that humans and animals can inhale deeply into their lungs. Filtration or outright avoidance are the basic and really only operational strategies for controlling its presence indoors.

FILTRATION Buildings certified under the WELL Standard or that have attained LEED credits for enhanced indoor air quality may be better placed to do this since both compliance paths specify MERV 13 or higher filters on intake units for outdoor air supply. That effectively traps particles as small as the nuclei of a sneeze droplet and up to 90 per cent of larger particles.

The MERV rating chart categorizes this as an attribute of “superior commercial buildings”, but it’s a plausible retrofit for a broader range of office stock. “Typically, most air handling systems can accommodate up to a MERV 13 filter,” Poirier says.

health&safety

MERV 15 filters can be found in some high-performance commercial buildings. However, filters with higher ratings are generally used in more specialized applications such as health care facilities or pharmaceuticals manufacturing, and can be beyond the engineered capacity of fan systems found in many office buildings.

Even moving up a few gradients from the more standard MERV 8 or 11 filters will increase energy loads since fans must work harder to draw air, but building owners may see the added energy costs as a reasonable trade-off in parts of the country where forest fires are common and/or increasingly frequent.

“Going from a MERV 8 to a MERV 15 is not going to double the energy load on the fans. It probably amounts to a fraction of a percentage in increased load across the whole building,” Poirier says.

“Buildings should plan for accommodating potential future increases in air pollutants,” concurs Barbara Ciesla, Senior Vice President, Strategic Consulting, with JLL. For example, the WELL Standard’s requirement that HVAC systems have the ability to accommodate carbon or combination particle/carbon filters creates manoeuvring room if outdoor air quality declines in the future. More broadly, the standard embeds the discipline of ongoing quality control and preventative maintenance.

“We design HVAC systems to perform to a certain level, but they must be consistently tested to make sure the actual performance — in this case, air filtration — is meeting intended performance,” Ciesla adds.

MONITORING INTAKE Regardless of filters, higher levels of pollutants outdoors inevitably become an indoor air quality issue. “Even if you’re filtering out 80% of the particles, 20% are getting through,” LaMontagne says.

Adjusting air intake is a more delicate part of the response strategy since it requires a balancing of two less than desirable outcomes.

“If you close the dampers or shut down the fans, carbon dioxide will build up; volatile organic compounds will build up.

People with sensitivities will start to feel the exposure to these contaminants,” LaMontagne warns.

Poirier also reminds building operators that building automation systems aren’t programmed for atypical times and will continue to draw air based on temperature triggers.

“You may want to disable your air-side economizer,” he advises. “Otherwise, if the temperature drops to around 15° to 17° C, the BAS could start bringing in 100% outside air. You want to minimize the outside air.”

By mid August, British Columbia had reached an unwanted new threshold for the province’s worst season for forest fires since records were first kept. Alberta’s woes were perhaps not be so conspicuous, but the province’s extensive coal-fired electricity supply contributed to something of a poor air quality double whammy. zz www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 7

retrofitredevelopments

A CROP

OF CONCERNS Cannabis-related Businesses Expected to Join the Tenant Mix

By Joseph Grignano, Jonathan Kahn, Tara Piurko and Grace Smith

CANNABIS LEGALIZATION has been in the spotlight since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put the issue on the agenda as part of his 2015 campaign. Details have begun emerging around how cannabis production, sale and consumption will be regulated with the recent introduction by the federal government of Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act. However, the Bill does not provide all the answers as it contemplates that the provinces, territories and municipalities, under their own authorities, can set additional restrictions related to production, sale and consumption.

At this time, little is known about the direction which will be taken by the various provinces, territories and municipalities across the country. What

is known is that cannabis legalization will have a profound effect on commercial real estate, including as it relates to the la nd lord /tena nt relat ionsh ip a nd environmental and municipal matters.

COMMERCIAL LANDLORD/TENANT ISSUES Careful thought must be given prior to leasing premises for the production, distribution or sale of cannabis. This is particularly true of multi-tenant commercial properties.

Tenants in the cannabis business should not be held to a higher standard as compared to other tenants and, as such, they should assume responsibility to rectify reasonable and justifiable complaints by others (but not necessarily

8 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

t hose t hat a re u n rea sonable or ungrounded). At a minimum, tenants who intend to produce, distribute or retail cannabis from their leased premises should ensure that their leases do not afford their landlord automatic or unfettered termination rights should a neighbouring tenant take issue with odour, smoke or other issues related to the tenant’s business operations.

Rather, both the landlord and tenant should ensure that the lease includes a workable and realistic mechanism to address and rectify any such issues.

From a landlord’s point of view, some anchor-type tenants may have cannabisrelated restrictions in their leases and, as such, landlords should check that they

riskmanagement are not prevented from leasing to cannabis-related businesses.

Landlords should also review their insurance policies to ensure that a lease to a cannabis-related business does not void any of the landlord’s insurance policies. In addition, leases should expressly articulate who is to be responsible for any increases in the landlord’s insurance due to the tenant’s business.

Are the premises safe and secure enough? The safeguarding of cannabis is important and potentially very costly.

The parties to the lease will want to think about and be clear as to who will bear the responsibility for safety, security and any related property upgrades. For example, slab-to-slab construction and steel mesh sheets attached to the underside of structural joists may be required to ensure security between interior party walls.

Finally, as a further exercise of cost and risk allocation, landlords and tenants will want to determine who will bear the responsibility for upgrading properties to comply with relevant standards in relation to fire and electrical safety, humidity and moisture control, waste management and ventilation. If fixtures and improvements are made to the premises in this regard, ownership must be designated as well as responsibility for removal upon the expiry of the lease term.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Cannabis is a water-intensive crop. Indoor cannabis-grow operations use huge amounts of municipal water, and wastewater often carries heavy nutrient and pesticide loads.

Studies of cannabis cultivation in California show that outdoor cannabis production can also have harmful environmental impacts. In California, water demand for outdoor cultivation is alleged to have drained waterways and damaged fish habitat. Therefore, whether for indoor or outdoor cultivation, water permitting for cannabis producers and management of wastewater will be i mp or t a nt issues for prov i ncia l governments, especially in an era where water ta k ing has become highly controversial as it has in Ontario.

The medical cannabis industry has experienced pesticide regulation issues — testing of medical cannabis products has disclosed the use of unauthorized pest control products. Herbicide and pesticide use will continue to be a significant concern with recreational cannabis production.

Currently, there are 17 registered pesticides that are approved by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for use on cannabis that is produced indoors commercially. If outdoor production of cannabis is permitted, this list will need to be re-evaluated and producers will need to ensure compliance with any regulatory changes.

MUNICIPAL MATTERS In terms of the production, storage, sale and distribution of medicinal or non-medicinal cannabis, municipalities do not have the authority to regulate, but a municipality can regulate where a cannabis operation may be permitted.

While it is important to consider the permitted use provision in any lease for a cannabis-related business, one also has to consider all things municipal. For example, is the business operation permitted from a land use planning perspective? In this regard, is the use permitted under the zoning bylaw? It will be different from municipality to municipality and some municipalities may regulate businesses directly associated with cannabis operations (i.e., Vancouver and Victoria regulate businesses engaged in the advocacy of medical cannabis).

If permitted, what restrictions and regulations are associated with the use?

Would the current zoning allow the business to expand or transform to fit a particular business plan? If the use is not permitted, or the restrictions and regulations associated with the use are not favourable to a business plan, would a rezoning or minor variance application be successful and when can such an application be made? What is the municipal political landscape? What does the neighbourhood look like in terms of public sentiment toward the use?

ZONING & LICENSING Land use planning/zoning is a clear area of municipal jurisdiction that could be used to regulate where licensed recreational cannabis dispensaries can operate. Land use planning by-laws can limit dispensaries’ proximity to schools and playgrounds. They can also define and classify cannabis retail and lounge facilities (if these are allowed in the province/territory) distinctly from other zoning categories such as general retail where alcohol sale is permitted.

Through business licences, municipal authorities can set individual requirements for businesses Business licensing can also correspond to related by-laws such as those for nuisance or zoning.

For example, only a properly zoned building could obtain the required municipal business licence authorizing the sale of federally regulated cannabis.

While density requirements are generally addressed through zoning, setting the maximum number of locations of cannabis retail stores could be a business licensing issue, as is sometimes the case with adult entertainment stores in many municipalities.

Source: Cannabis Legalization Primer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities. For more information, see the website at www.fcm.ca

www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 9

riskmanagement STAY TUNED The recently announced legalized cannabis system is expected to be in place by the end of June 2018. As the legislative process unfolds, it will be interesting to watch and see what all levels of government do, and what constituents and commercial real estate lobby groups bring to elected officials in terms of concerns and objections.

While there may currently be more questions than answers, landlords, tenants and others in the commercial real estate industry should begin preparing themselves so that they are not caught off-guard and are able to adequately deal with and adapt to the unique challenges and issues brought about by the legalization of cannabis. zz Joseph Grignano, Jonathan Kahn and Tara Piurko are Partners practising with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. Grace Smith is a Student-at-law. The preceding article is reprinted from a Blakes Bulletin. For more information, see the website at www.blakes.com.

JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES The federal government will be responsible for regulating the production of cannabis, as well as setting the rules and parameters around possession limits, trafficking, advertising, the tracking of seed to sale, establishing minimum age limits, personal cultivation and the continued oversight of the medical cannabis regime.

Provinces and territories will likely govern many aspects of the legalization framework, including wholesale and retail distribution, the selection of a retail distribution model and workplace safety. Provinces will also have discretion to set higher age limits or more restrictive possession limits.

Municipal regulations stem from the frameworks set out by provinces and territories. Bills C-45 and C-46 provide latitude to provinces and territories to develop their own rules and regulations around the distribution and consumption of fresh or dried cannabis, cannabis oil, plants and seeds. For municipalities, this means that local jurisdiction could vary in a number of ways.

Still, there are common elements across the country for which municipalities are responsible. Based on the pan-Canadian analysis conducted to date, municipalities are likely to be most active in the areas of zoning, business licensing, building code, municipal workplace safety and enforcement of regulations around public consumption and impaired driving.

Depending on how the legislation and regulations are shaped in the coming months, there could be shared jurisdictional responsibility in areas such as public consumption, rules for retail locations, home cultivation, taxation from cannabis sales, public education, public health and law enforcement. The extent to which municipalities will have access to federally regulated production facilities also remains unclear.

Source: Cannabis Legalization Primer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

For more information, see the website at www.fcm.ca.

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FLOOD WATCH

Assessment and Preparation Restrain Troubled Waters

By Tiffany Largey and Dave Swan

Flooding and abnormally high water levels in some of eastern Canada's major lakes and rivers damaged property, displaced residents and disrupted businesses in Quebec and Ontario in the spring of 2017. Later in the summer, Canadians looked with horror to the dramatic inundation in the path of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Mitigation experts warn that 15 centimetres (six inches) of rainfall will likely trigger some issues related to flooding, while evidence clearly indicates storms of this magnitude are becoming more frequent. Property owners/managers in potentially vulnerable waterfront and/or low lying areas in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Windsor, Toronto, OttawaGatineau and Montreal are advised to be aware and vigilant. The intensifying density of development in older city cores could also prove problematic due to aging and/or inadequate infrastructure to capture stormwater runoff and a lack of natural drainage.

In this question and answer format, Tiffany Largey and Dave Swan of Flood Risk Canada outline some recommended actions before, during and after a flood – Editor.

www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 13

riskmanagement What's involved in assessing risk within a building and the surrounding property, and safeguarding them against the probability of a flood?

In order to assess the flood risk of buildings, properties and surrounding areas, a detailed flood risk assessment using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology for flood mapping can be created. This technology provides a survey of the land elevations, which are needed to determine the flood exposure and potential risk of flooding to the subject areas.

Emergency preparedness assessments can help identify systems’ vulnerabilities using a comprehensive flood mitigation approach and plan to account for loss of power. It should educate staff on code requirements, new construction flood code requirements and local emergency management recommendations, and investigate historical flooding on a specific location. Basically, it should ensure that facilities remain operational during and after a major event and reduce damage and disruption.

With this information, owners/managers can develop a flood safety plan, which could also include the use of flood-protective measures such as flood barriers, flood panels and dry/wet flood-proofing. These

It is particularly important to have a strategy to protect mechanical rooms, elevators, escalators, control rooms, and the essential equipment contained in those areas. are easily deployable seals – i.e. a 10-minute installation – that can be placed around openings to the elements, as well as critical equipment and areas within the building.

Coupled with a flood sensory system, owners/managers would have adequate advance warning to get the barriers or panels in place.

It is particularly important to have a strategy to protect mechanical rooms, elevators, escalators, control rooms, and the essential equipment contained in those areas.

One suggestion would be to install flood rated panels over the ventilation areas of rooms that house critical systems, along with sealing any utility perforations.

It’s also important to look at closing the “holes in the boat” – i.e. penetrations in the exterior walls that run directly to electrical, gas, plumbing and hydro. Even if these lines are underground, as water rises, it can fill

below and come up through these holes. A range of other protective measures can come into play such as exterior tube barriers, exhaust vent enclosures, permanent berms or barriers, monitoring and localized warning systems.

In a new construction scenario, past events provide key lessons about holistic thinking and design. Look to examples of facilities that were hard hit because essential equipment was placed in basements, subbasements or ground floor levels that flooded. In other cases, components of vital systems were elevated well above the floodwaters, while other elements such as boilers, fire suppression systems, transformers, transfer switches, fuel tanks, pumps, etc. were placed at lower levels, leaving them susceptible to flooding and rendering the systems inoperative.

FLOODPLAIN MAPPING Floodplain maps identify the boundaries of actual or potential flood events based on probability and likelihood, and can be used to help identify the specific impacts of flood events on structures, people and assets. These maps typically provide information at large scales about topography, land cover, infrastructure, flood hazards and flood risks, and serve as critical decision-making tools in flood mitigation, land use planning, emergency management and general public awareness.

Floods are the most commonly occurring natural hazard in Canada and account for the largest portion of disaster recovery costs on an annual basis. Floodplain mapping that accurately delineates flood hazards serves as the precondition for mitigation activities and is the first step to increasing community resilience.

Four main types of maps cover a wide spectrum of purposes and mapping activities: • Inundation Maps show the extent of potential floodwater coverage during flood events of different magnitudes (i.e. return periods). They are intended to aid in the management of emergency preparedness plans for communities situated within floodplains.

14 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

• Flood Hazard Maps display the results of hydrologic and hydraulic investigations, including the extent of a regulatory design flood. These maps are used for regulatory planning purposes related to land use planning and flood mitigation.

• Flood Risk Maps contain the flood hazard or inundation delineations along with additional socio-economic values, such as potential loss or property vulnerability levels. These maps serve to identify the social, economic and environmental consequences to communities during a potential flood event.

• Flood Awareness Maps serve to inform members of the public regarding the history of flooding in their communities, as well as the potential for future flooding and the risks that such flooding would pose to residential properties, businesses, cultural assets, infrastructure and human life. These poster-style maps include a range of additional content types, such as photographs, descriptive text and graphics.

Source: Natural Resources Canada, Federal Floodplain Mapping Framework, March 2017.

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riskmanagement What are some key considerations for flood recovery?

Contaminated food/water, gas leaks, chemical spills, mould, loose electrical wires and weakened or compromised building structure could all be repercussions of flooding.

Flood water in a parking garage carries in contaminants, while vehicles stuck in the garage contain gasoline that could also float out with the water. This creates an environmental issue where thousands of square footage is polluted. Often, issues within a building take priority, and contamination is left to antimicrobial clean ups that don’t necessarily remove all unhygienic elements.

From an occupiers' liability perspective, the legal right to occupancy could be a risk if life safety equipment, lighting, fire suppression and warning devices become inoperable due to flooding. Authorities having jurisdiction could order the building closed until they have proof the systems have been restored. zz For more information, see the website at www. floodriskcanada.ca.

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REVAMPING CLIMATE DATA FOR FUTURE CODES Historical climate data is losing relevance in Canada’s model national building, energy, fire and plumbing codes as severe storms, drought and intense heat waves become more frequent. Researchers with the National Research Council (NRC) have embarked on a new initiative to evaluate and account for weather-related forces that buildings and infrastructure will need to endure into the future.

“In 2017, it is a necessity to start planning to adapt our buildings and infrastructure to withstand new loads,” says Richard Tremblay, the NRC’s General Manager of Construction.

The project received a $40-million funding allocation in the 2016-17 federal budget, with $20 million earmarked for risk modelling and the development of new guidance documents for buildings and the remainder directed to heavy infrastructure such as roads, bridges and storm water systems. Analysts will be testing assumptions about wind, rain and snow loads, freeze-thaw cycles and forest fire

risks among some of the major considerations for climate resilience.

“We are not looking at historical data.

We are looking at predictive data,” explains Philip Rizcallah, Program Director with the NRC. “We are going to be designing our buildings based on the new data.”

This will be particularly important for renovation guides as owners/managers of existing buildings strive to improve resilience and strengthen their competitive position in the market. “What buildings have had to withstand over the past 100 years may not be what they’ll have to withstand going forward,” Rizcallah notes.

The new climate data and guidelines for resiliency are expected to be ready for 2020, although not all the associated specifications will be in the next editions of the model national codes. NRC is concurrently working with CSA/ULC to update the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code and the Canadian Electrical Code to reflect climate change adaptation.

– REMI Network

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By Matthew Bradford In 2017, the province of Ontario advanced its role in the fight against climate change with the unveiling of its provincial cap and trade program. Launched on January 1, the initiative aims to help the province lower its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by imposing “caps” for GHG emitters and lowering them each year. Program participants who fall under their cap can sell cap and trade permits to those who cannot, thereby incentivizing all partners to explore new and innovative ways of reducing their GHG outputs. Moreover, funds raised by permit purchases are being earmarked for future green initiatives and – ideally – support for cap and trade players.

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While the program is voluntary for low-end emitters, participation is mandatory for e l e c t r i c i t y i m p o r t e r s , l a rg e - s c a l e f u e l s u p p l i e r s , a n d fa c i l i t y o r n a t u ra l g a s distributors that emit more than 25,000 tonnes of GHGs per year. As such, while many cap and trade participants will reap rewards from the program, large-scale emitters will be subject to expenses that will be absorbed t h ro u g h h i g h e r s e r v i c e rat e s t o t h e i r customers – property manager included.

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“All property owners are paying for cap and trade in their natural gas bill,” says Fiona Oliver-Glasford, Enbridge Manager, Carbon Strategy, explaining, “Even though natural gas is a clean burning fuel, it is still a fossil fuel so it does have GHGs associated with its use.

Therefore, when you take action to reduce your use of natural gas through more efficient ways of using your energy, you will reduce the GHGs you emit and thus the carbon price you are paying.”

On average, Ontario's cap and trade program has increased property owners' gas bills by 12%. This, says Fiona, has motivated many to pursue energy efficient changes or retrofits to lower their usage costs: “Natural gas is still the most effective way to heat homes and buildings in this province, and remains so even with cap and trade. The challenge, though, is finding long-term ways to reduce the consumption of natural gas in order to better manage the costs imposed by this program.”

For its part, Enbridge is responding to the challenge with programs that assist customers in accurately assessing their natural gas usage, spotlighting potential savings, and making changes that will have a sustainable impact on their energy bills.

Enbridge's Run it Right program, for example, pairs commercial building stakeholders with Enbridge Energy Solution Consultants (ESC) who can uncover and monitor no-cost or low-cost improvements in a b u i l d i n g t h at w i l l l e a d t o l owe r g a s consumption. What's more, buildings that c a r r y o u t t h e e n e rg y- s av i n g m e a s u re s identified through Run it Right are eligible for thousands of dollars to offset any associated costs incurred.

Property owners eyeing an energy-related re t ro f i t o r c a p i t a l p ro j e c t ( e .g . b o i l e r

replacement) can also receive financial support through Enbridge's Commercial Custom Retrofit Incentive Program. Here again, ESCs work with customers to take an accurate profile of the building's natural gas usage, calculate the savings of potential upgrades or retrofits, assist with project planning, and provide a tiered incentive (tiered chart) based on the cubic metres of natural gas the project is projected to save.

“We're here to help our customers reduce their natural gas consumption. So when one of our customers is considering some form of property retrofit or capitol project, we'll go to that building, we'll look at how much natural

gas they're using and where it's being used, we'll crunch those numbers, and then come back with findings telling them how effective the proposed project will be in reducing their gas consumption,” explains Chris Hamilton, Enbridge Team Lead for Large Commercial Energy Solutions, adding, “Then, once the project is approved and completed at the site, we'll pay them their incentive from day one – no waiting.”

It's thanks to consultations and energy efficiency programs like these that Enbridge has reduced its customers' consumption by a total of 11.1 billion cubic metres of natural gas bet ween 1995 and 2016. In addition to c o n t r i b u t i n g s i g n i f i c a n t l y t o wa rd s t h e province's cap and trade goals (and thereby easing price increases down the road), these reductions have helped property owners and their tenants pursue greener habits and healthier bottom lines.

To keep this momentum going, Fiona adds, “Property managers need to stay engaged and understand how Ontario is evolving the program. The costs will presumably go up, so it's important for all of us to stay active in this discussion and ensure the province is doing its part to manage those costs and put the funds from this program to good use.”

To learn more about Enbridge's energy saving programs and incentives, visit www.enbridgegas.com/commercial or www.enbridgegas.com/corporate/ontario-clean-energy-future/cap-and-trade. To contact an Enbridge Energy Solutions Consultant (ESC), phone 1-866-844-9994 or email energyservices@enbridge.com.

www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 19

CLADDING

COMBUSTIBILITY QUERIED High-rise Tragedy Thrusts Fire Safety into Public Consciousness

20 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

safety/riskmanagement

RECENTLY completed laboratory efforts to replicate the conditions of last June's tragic Grenfell Tower fire, in which an estimated 80 residents died in the rapid conflagration of a 24-storey apartment building, underscore already ominous warnings about the potential combustibility of some wall cladding systems. Investigative analysts with the United Kingdom's Building Research Establishment (BRE) tested seven combinations of commonly available panels and insulation, and found that four did not meet performance criteria set out in guidance documents for high-rise building regulations.

The U.K. Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) reports at least 82 buildings are known to be clad in a system that failed under testing — aluminum composite material (ACM) with polyethylene filler and foam insulation. In contrast, there are no known built examples of cladding with a combination of ACM panels, low-combustibility filler and stone wool insulation now deemed "a possible solution for some buildings with other cladding systems which have been identified as a fire hazard".

The U.K. combustibility tests are part of the government's response to the June 14 catastrophe in London. An inquiry focused on the events and surrounding circumstances at Grenfell Tower and a broader review of building regulations and fire safety have also been launched.

TEST RESULTS DRIVE RISK ASSESSMENT Current U.K. building regulations straightforwardly mandate that exterior walls should not allow fire to spread, but there is flexibility for less resistant components if the system as a whole meets the standard. Fire breaks and cavity barriers were standard to the BRE tests, which involved a 9-metre-high demonstration wall and an ignition source to mimic flames travelling out to the surface of the facade via an apartment window.

ONGOING VIGILANCE REQUIRED

By Michele Farley

The reality of residential buildings is that occupants and staff can be transient, building conditions change and daily inspections will not prevent unwise human behaviour. A complete risk assessment of a building provides great information for life safety planning, however represents snapshot results at one given time.

Although some buildings lend themselves to easy assignment of responsibility, others present challenges.

What the Ontario and national fire codes define as a responsible “owner” of a property to maintain can be a long list. The actual individual or corporate owner can assign the responsibility more broadly by appointing others – property managers, contracted security and service inspection personnel, superintendents, etc – so any of a variety of building representatives may share all or part of the management and compliance for life safety within a building.

In a perfect world, all buildings would undergo an audit (outside the scope of annual testing requirements) and a continued annual fire code compliance review process then immediately address any resident communication needed, supervisory staff training and life safety deficiencies. In general, there is a higher level of fire code compliance and life safety when there is a systematic approach to fire safety plan implementation along with maintenance, testing and documentation of a building's life safety equipment, including fire doors.

An annual professional review of all areas requiring attention and training to address identified knowledge gaps provides assurance of roles and responsibilities going forward. That process also includes communication to residents.

Nevertheless, building staff responsible for life safety often work based on the assumption that occupants rarely attend fire drills or life safety presentations and do

not invest much time in reading initial resident packages that include fire safety within their building. Few fill out and return circulars sent to each suite asking whether anyone will require evacuation assistance in an emergency.

Similarly, how many guests read the fire safety section of the hotel directory when they check into a room? Life safety professionals likely number highly among the minority who do.

Buildings are designed to be safe.

However, lack of fire code maintenance education and consistent fire safety plan implementation pose risks.

Fire and smoke spreads internally and externally due to lack of maintained containment. In hot weather windows are often opened, which allows fire to escape outside. Older single pane windows are more susceptible to heat and may fail earlier than new windows which may contribute to fire spreading to the exterior of the building.

Language barriers, new, aging or complacent long-time occupants, guests unfamiliar with the building layout, cognitive, drug or alcohol impairments will impact fire safety knowledge and actions in an emergency. Safety is diminished if fire doors are propped open, debris accumulates in garbage rooms, doormats are placed in common corridor and/or items are affixed to unit doors. Doors expanding and contracting with varying temperatures also add to fired door challenges, as does vandalism.

Ongoing fire safety implementation provides due diligence, life safety and compliance with the law.

Michele Farley, CCI (Hon's), is President & Senior Code Consultant with FCS Fire Consulting Services Ltd. For more information, see the website at www.fcsfire.com.

www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 21

safety/riskmanagement A specially appointed four-member advisory council recommended the seven combinations to be tested. These paired and compared various core/filler materials and insulation, including unmodified polyethylene, polyethylene with fire retardant and mineral materials as filler, matched with either rigid polyisocyanurate foam or stone wool insulation.

Mineral components figured in all three of the compliant performers, while

unmodified polyethylene cores failed regardless of the insulation pairing. Results of each test were published online as they were conducted throughout late July and August, and a consolidated advice document is promised soon.

Earlier this summer, the U.K. government released instructions for public and private landlords of buildings with any of the types of cladding in question, beginning with compulsory fire risk assessments in cases

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22 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

where they had not been conducted within the previous 12 months. In large part, the directives read like a checklist for any reputable fire safety plan focusing on the integrity of fire separations, maintenance of alarm and control systems, vigilance against accumulating combustible materials on balconies and the surrounding grounds and education of residents.

"If the building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system (or equivalent fire suppression system) you might not need to take any further interim action before replacement of the cladding. If the building is not protected by a suitable suppression system you must consider the need for interim measures. The measures adopted need to be based on an assessment of the risk by a competent person," the instructions state.

DESIGN & PRECAUTIONS Sir Martin Moore-Bick, appointed chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, will be examining both the big picture of the U.K.'s regulatory environment and building level details as part of an eightpoint agenda he presented to U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May in an August 10 letter. This followed his month-long consultation and review of more than 550 written submissions.

"Over 30% of respondents asked that the terms of reference should cover the design and construction of the building and the subsequent refurbishments, including the design process itself, the procurement of contractors and the qualifications and training of those making decisions," he informed May. "Over 30% of respondents suggested that the terms of reference should cover the fire precautions of the building, including features such as escape routes and fire alarms and also the advice given to residents and any evacuation plans in place. Several respondents said the Inquiry should look, in particular, at the arrangements for ensuring the safety of disabled or elderly people."

Terms of reference have also been released for the separate independent review of current building regulations p e r t a i n i n g t o f i r e s a fe t y, a n d particularly in high-rise residential buildings. Dame Judith Hackitt, chair of the U.K.'s national manufacturers' association, will lead that effort, which is expected to have a final report no later than the spring of 2018. zz

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health&safety

MIRACLE MATERIAL TO STEALTH KILLER

Asbestos Leaves Legacy of Miscalculation and Loss

By Rebecca Melnyk

AFTER YEARS OF WORKING in commercial buildings and industrial plants as a journeyman thermal insulator, Fred Clare, Vice President of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, is now undergoing treatment for cancer he believes is related to asbestos exposure. He’s lost friends and colleagues over the years to health effects like asbestosis and one of the most aggressive forms of cancer — mesothelioma.

“It’s like an elephant sitting on someone’s chest until they can no longer breathe,” he says. “They used to say the only people who could pronounce the word mesothelioma

were doctors and insulators. The number of friends I’ve lost is uncountable.”

There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, and anyone is in danger from inhaling the fibrous silicate minerals. These fibres are extremely fine and can remain suspended in the air for hours.

Canada is banning asbestos-containing products for good by 2018, but risk lingers.

Various types of buildings still harbour the known carcinogen in walls, floors, pipes, roofs and electrical insulation. There is a commitment to control it, but the government hasn’t clarified issues related to existing stockpiles.

At one time, asbestos was used in more than 3,000 different applications around the globe. Today, CAREX Canada estimates about 152,000 Canadians are exposed to it at work, from construction workers and electricians to plumbing and heating tradespeople and other specialty contractors. Removing it remains a massive issue.

Found in most industrial plants, and in schools, hospitals and residential buildings, there is a responsibility to ensure it is removed and disposed of properly; however, people still believe it poses no problem if left alone. Clare says www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 25

health&safety

“They used to say the only people who could pronounce the word mesothelioma were doctors and insulators. The number of friends I’ve lost is uncountable.” it’s unfathomable to treat buildings like museums, where it’s alright if nothing is touched.

“We shouldn’t give people a nonchalant idea of asbestos. People think it’s okay if not d ist u rb e d, wh ich is tot a l ly impractical,” he asserts. “Everything we build goes through wear and tear and breaks down over time.”

HANDLING EXISTING STOCK Advocates are urging the federal government to harmonize regulatory standards for asbestos disposal in existing buildings and maintain national registries of contaminated buildings and workers who have been exposed. More expert panels to advise on proper implementation of legislation would also help. This extends to working with provincial governments to change compensation legislation and developing a comprehensive health response to asbestosrelated diseases, including early detection and effective treatment.

Elements like waste management and non-compliance are a multi-pronged problem, according to Fe de Leon, researcher with the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), which provides legal services to people of low income and other vulnerable populations. She sees these issues as a shared responsibility among the provincial and federal government.

Proposed regulations need “much stronger language” around what the government intends to do, for instance, the full life cycle of asbestos in consumer products.

“We have strong advocates in unions and the healthcare field who think there needs to be better 'right to know' provisions that include development and expanding the registries that exist for workers, as well as the registries that demonstrate the existence of asbestos in buildings,” says de Leon. “Those two key things are dealt with in parts of the federal government announcement, but there needs to be more open discussion on what elements are needed to improve those provisions, and how they intend to share the information that is gathered in those registries.”

The clinic de Leon works at has been receiving numerous calls from the public, from parents and students in academic institutions who are concerned they are not fully protected through existing regulations.

They are right to worry.

Members of the public may be exposed to fibres if they occupy buildings where asbestos was present and disturbed during a renovation. They may also come in contact

26 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

with fibres that workers carry on their clothing.

More than 2,000 Canadians die every year from diseases caused by asbestos exposure, such as mesotheliomas and lung, laryngeal and ovarian cancers. The most recent statistics show death from mesothelioma increased 60% between 2000 and 2012. In 2012, there were 560 new cases, up from 276 cases in 1992, as the

NEW REGS FOR HANDLING WORKPLACE ASBESTOS Canada introduced changes to occupational health and safety regulations on asbestos earlier this summer. The federal government also declared new amendments under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, updates to national building codes to prohibit the use of asbestos in new construction and renovation projects and support for listing chrysotile asbestos to the Rotterdam Convention as a hazardous material.

Employers are now required to include an asbestos exposure management program and provide education and training for employees involved in asbestos-related work activities, such as handling, removal, repair or disturbance of asbestos-containing materials that could expose employees. This follows the December 2016 government

announcement that asbestos would be banned by 2018.

These new amendments to the Canada Labour Code, which are “long overdue,” according to Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, are the next step in lowering the risk employees face with asbestos in the workplace. Provisions will ensure consistency with most provincial and territorial regulations for airborne asbestos fibre, while aligning the asbestos exposure standards with the highest, safest standard in Canada and internationally.

Through the Hazardous Substances Working Group, federally regulated employers and employees were consulted on these amendments including the requirements for employers to develop and implement an asbestos abatement and exposure management program.

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health&safety latency period of the disease can be anywhere from 20 to 40 years.

THREAT OF ACCIDENTAL DISTURBANCES Recently, workers set up an asbestos tent for maintenance work in the hallway next to Clare’s hospital room where he underwent a treatment procedure. Dust was visible and there were no warning signs in place alerting patients and staff of danger — a reality that Clare faces every day.

He wants to see more urgency to safely remove asbestos, and flags building materials like acoustic tiles and pipes. If they were installed prior to the 1980s they likely contain asbestos. Yet even a few years ago he was alerted that asbestos piping for drainage purposes was being installed in downtown Toronto and Ottawa. Most likely, the asbestos was non-friable, which means it is not readily subject to crumbling, powdering and becoming airborne.

“When I looked into it, I found it was b e i n g i n s t a l l e d i n b r a n d n ew condominiums,” Clare reports. “There’s no way you’re going to snap asbestos piping without causing dust. They’re not looking at issues like accidents and abrasion. Are owners who are selling

those multi-million dollar buildings letting the public know they’re using this product?”

Canadians may be more aware of hazards today, but non-compliance is still an issue. At a recent health and safety conference, Partners in Prevention, Meghan Kelly, training specialist at Pinchin Ltd., outlined what she sees in the field regarding regulatory compliance.

“Although regulatory compliance in t he i ndust r ia l, com mercia l a nd institutional (ICI) sectors is fairly good a m o ng b u i ld i ng m a n a ge r s a n d employees, it’s not perfect,” she said, and she's highly sceptical of the hypothesis that asbestos-containing materials won’t harm anyone if left alone and managed properly.

“We see over and over again, despite best efforts and intentions, these accidental disturbances continue to happen and work continues to be done improperly,” Kelly observed. "We keep running into repeated risks associated with asbestos exposure.”

Many owners and managers do have asbestos management surveys and programs in place. For Kelly, this represents “pretty good control”, with

asbestos awareness training picking up.

However, gaps remain, such as failing to update information in asbestos records after repairs and renovations, which result in inaccurate records. That's problematic when owners are planning work based on these records.

She also suggests small scale commercial businesses and in northern areas of Canada are more likely to struggle with compliance, most likely due to lack of financial resources and awareness. Big compliance gaps are also evident in the residential sector, where contractors are conducting work without necessary training.

Light and fluffy, asbestos is a silent masquerader, quieter and less expensive than other materials, rendering workers voiceless. Once called a miracle fibre because it was fireproof, durable and said to last forever, it is so long lasting that once inside a body, it cannot be expelled or broken down.

“Once you’re exposed, it goes on for years and years and years and years,” says Clare.

“For the rest of your life.” zz Rebecca Melnyk is Online Editor with the REMI Network at www.REMInetwork.com.

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health&safety

VENTILATION PRIORITIES FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 3D Printers Emit Ultrafine Particles DESKTOP VERSIONS OF 3D printers are now making it possible to turn offices, classrooms and homes into small-scale manufacturing facilities, creating products with just a computer, 3D printer and plastic fibre building material. However, a recent Finnish study reports that printers emit a significant amount of ultrafine and nanoparticles into the air.

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are tiny particles less than 100 nanometers in diameter. (By comparison, a human hair is approximately 60,000 nanometers wide.)

This has health implications as UFPs can penetrate the lungs and lead to inflammation, headaches and negative cardiovascular effects. Inhaled UFPs are deposited throughout the respiratory tract and may pass through different protective barriers into the bloodstream, harming other organ systems.

The most common type of desktop 3D printer technology works by layering thin strands, or filaments, made of plastic or natural materials such as corn. Following a computer-generated image, the 3D printer forces these filaments through a heated nozzle that melts the material into thin layers that then harden to create a solid replica of the image.

Commercially available desktop 3D printers can emit substantial quantities of ultrafine particles. Tests conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the United States found that emission levels peaked a few minutes after printing began and did not return to zero until about 100 minutes after printing ended.

Various materials also registered different levels of emissions.

Filaments made from natural materials like corn emitted smaller particles than plastic filaments. Calculations showed that the risk of particles lodging in the lungs was three times higher for the small particles made from natural substances compared with the larger plastic particles.

Since most desktop 3D printers are not equipped with exhaust ventilation or filtration accessories, it is important to identify the physical and chemical properties of emissions to better understand exposure potential and risk when using this technology in nonindustrial settings. Using the manufacturer-supplied cover for the 3D printer can decrease the number of particles, but additional controls and precautions should still be taken.

Printers should be placed in well-ventilated locations with direct exhaust to the outdoors. Printers and filaments with lower emissions ratings are recommended, and operators should maintain a distance from the printer. All building occupants should avoid spending long periods in the room where the printer is located.

Operators should always use the manufacturer’s supplied controls (full enclosure can be more effective at controlling emissions than a cover). If the printer nozzle jams, turn the printer off and allow it to ventilate before removing the cover. zz The preceding information is supplied by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety. For more information, see www.ccohs.ca www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 29

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“RCACI isn't your typical contractor,” declares Vassallo. “Everyone in the

Alliance is a shareholder, which means they're invested in working together to make RCACI the name clients call when they need a 'one-stop' contact for any roofing solution.”

Without a doubt, says SHANE PERUE, what sets RCACI apart is its members' collaborative approach to roofing services. But if you're still new to the RCACI name, here's what you need to know...

RCACI'S ROOFING SHAREHOLDERS ARE HIGHLY VETTED

RCACI is comprised of a trusted equity partners that own and operate roofing and building envelope construction companies across the country. They're good at what they do, and they've been doing it for a while.

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RCACI'S NETWORK IS NATION-WIDE

From Burnaby, BC, to Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, RCACI's roster of Alliance Shareholders are headquartered throughout Canada. Alone, they are individual experts in their market; but as equity partners of RCACI, they offer industry-leading roofing, waterproofing and building envelope services.

And that network, says Perue, is still growing: “We're always on the look out for new shareholders who want to grow with RCACI and add their experience and expertise to our team. We only take the best.”

THERE ARE EXPERTS FOR EVERY MARKET

The alliance provides tailor-made roofing solutions for large, high-profile property and asset managers with holdings in the industrial, commercial, and institutional markets. From commercial properties to healthcare facilities, mining operations to modular construction projects, its consortium of roofing experts have seen and done it all.

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health&safety

HFC PHASE-DOWN

STUMBLES IN THE U.S.

Canadian Strategy Piggybacks on Market Forces

By Barbara Carss

MANUFACTURERS OF HFC-134a – a refrigerant and blowing agent with global warming potential (GWP) 1,300 times greater than carbon dioxide – have won a perhaps short-lived legal victory that highlights differing regulatory approaches in Canada and United States. Both countries are signatories to the 2016 Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, pledging to reduce current levels of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 85% by 2036, but U.S. efforts have encountered a setback.

The U.S. Court of Appeals recently ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lacks statutory authority to phase out HFC-based products through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, enabled under the U.S. Clean Air Act. For now, that halts the

scheduled phase-down of HFCs south of Canada's border. Notably, HFC-134a is among refrigerants that were to be disallowed in newly manufactured centrifugal and displacement chillers as of January 2024 and prohibited in the manufacture of household refrigerators/ freezers or as a blowing agent even earlier next decade.

Mea nwh i le, a De cemb er 2016 amendment to Canada's Ozone-depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations establishes allowable GWP thresholds for various categories of uses, which will be lowered on a phased scheduled. To begin, there is a prohibition on manufacture and import of chillers using HFC refrigerants with a GWP greater than 700.

32 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

HFC-134a owes its market share to its compatibility with the hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerant, R-22, which has a GWP of 1,760 and was used in a wide range of applications until the HCFC phase-out under the Montreal Protocol pushed it toward obsolescence. The consumption of HCFCs in developed countries has been cut by more than 90% since 1996, heading to a complete stoppage of production and/or imports in January 2020.

After that, a nominal supply – 0.5% of the 1996 volume of consumption – will be available until 2030 to service existing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment that’s still operational.

Currently, the newest equipment that relies on HCFC-based refrigerants would have been manufactured in 2010, which is

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www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 33

health&safety still an early stage in the lifecycle of a chiller, but much more advanced for split and packaged air conditioning systems that typically last 15 to 20 years.

“There are plenty of them out there, but they are rapidly starting to disappear,” observes Warren Heeley, president of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI) of Canada.

Based on the steadily climbing price of the dwindling stock of HCFCs, he sees the phase-down destiny of HFCs as a market disincentive. Illustratively, Canada's regulation establishes allowable GWP thresholds for HFC products used in centrifugal chillers, refrigeration systems and foam blowing, but leaves stationary air conditioning largely to inertia.

The impact analysis accompanying last year's regulatory amendment outlines the strategy. “The domestic air-conditioning industry would not be subject to productspecific controls under the proposed amendments. However, it is expected the end-use would be affected by the proposed bulk phase-down, as the decrease in the availability of refrigerants using HFCs is expected to cause manufacturers to transition to alternatives,” it states.

In The U.S., the EPA is expected to appeal the recent court decision. The presiding justices in that case also pointed to other potential paths to invoke an HFC prohibition.

Since the SNAP list’s original purpose was to target ozone-depleting substances, the challengers, Mexichem Fluor Inc. and Arkema Group, argued that they had replaced ozone-depleting substances with HFCs at a time when it was legal to do so and should not be retroactively compelled to replace them with a different non ozonedepleting substance. Two of the three presiding judges agreed with this interpretation.

“EPA’s authority to regulate ozonedepleting substances under Section 612 (of the Clean Air Act) and other statutes does not give EPA authority to order the replacement of substances that are not ozone depleting, but that contribute to climate change. Congress has not yet enacte d genera l cl i mate cha nge legislation,” they state in their majority decision. “Under the Constitution, congressional inaction does not license an agency to take matters into its own hands, even to solve a pressing policy issue such as climate change…climate change is not a blank check for the President.”

IGNITION RISKS OF FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANTS PROBED Temperature, humidity and room furnishings factor into the risk that flammable refrigerants could pose to buildings and their occupants. The velocity of a refrigerant leak and the degree to which it mixes or settles in the surrounding air volume also affect the probability of ignition and consequent results.

Researchers with the U.S. Airconditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Institute (AHRTI) have found that, in some scenarios, flames can spread more rapidly than the “low flammability” definition of no more than 10 centimetres or 3.9 inches per second, and that leaks might be particularly problematic in reach-in or walk-in coolers since flammable concentrations could build in these confined spaces and disperse outward when the door is opened. They call for more modelling after discovering that a single system could release refrigerant as either vapour or a vapour/liquid mixture, which alters the assumed risk profile of some of the products under scrutiny.

Last year, AHRTI researchers conducted extensive tests of the mildly flammable refrigerants poised as potential replacements for products with high global warming potential (GWP).

The work is part of the low-GWP alternative refrigerants evaluation program and the associated report, released in June 2017, outlines lessons learned thus far, along with recommendations for more research and/or further assessment of safety standards and building codes.

The project included calibration tests of refrigerant leaks to measure and compare the effects of different rates of diffusion, locations of release and sizes of leak openings; and parametric tests to assess how ambient temperature and humidity, physical surroundings, leak magnitude and intermixing with lubricating oil contribute to the likelihood and severity of ignition.

Researchers also devised four commercial and three residential whole-room scenarios — for example, a packaged

Rather, the decision postulates the EPA could accomplish much the same ends if it undertakes the due process to retroactively disapprove HFCs or enacts a regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act, which is within its statutory authority. “Of course, even if EPA concludes that it has cleared those hurdles, EPA’s conclusion many be subject to review in this Court in another case,” it notes.

34 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

terminal air conditioning (PTAC) unit in a motel room — in which they gauged the likely release from a theoretical source then used a candle flame and electrical arcs in an effort to trigger ignition.

“The residential scenarios included refrigerant leakage in residential utility closet spaces; whereas the commercial applications included leakage in a kitchen of a small restaurant, walk-in cooler and convenience store. These applications represent residential split, roof-mounted commercial kitchen air conditioning units and walk-in and reach-in type refrigeration units,” the report explains.

Tests were based on the premise that there is a plausible likelihood of leaks from both idle and operating equipment, including due to accidental ruptures to systems during home renovations and refrigerant release during recharging.

Leaked refrigerant could accumulate in a space where the system is located and/or be drawn into ductwork and disseminated throughout a building. However, researchers explored an extreme and largely unanticipated worst case scenario.

“Because of the way we approached these experiments, some relatively low probability events were forced to occur,” they observe. “Several of the tests would actually be outside of proposed standards — i.e. more refrigerant was leaked into the space without the mitigation proposed for by the standard.”

Those standards are likewise tagged for reassessment and revision as research continues.

“Cursory evaluation of hazard mitigation systems suggests refrigerant detection systems will need to have a faster response time than the 30 second response time that had been originally envisioned. More investigation is needed,” they add.

The complete report can be found with other information about the AHRI 's low-GWP alternative refrigerants evaluation program at www.ahrinet.org/arep.aspx.

Other prom inent ref r igera nt manufacturers were on side with the EPA when the case was argued in Fe b r u a r y 2 017. H o n ey wel l a n d Chemours (formerly DuPont) were i nt e r ve n o r s i n t h e c a s e , wh i le representatives from the current U.S. administration also made p r e s e n t a t i o n s i n f avo u r o f it s predecessor’s initiative. zz

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trane.com/canada www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 35

SPONSORED CONTENT

UNDER ONE

RO

A look inside a family-owned and operated roofing company that's been around for four generations

By Lisa Coxon

ON A CLEAR SUMMER evening in Toronto in 1989, 11-year-old Glenn Hibben hurried inside the newly opened Sky Dome and found his seat. His father was the president of Dean-Chandler Roofing Limited, a family-owned company that had been hired to install the stadium’s newfangled retractable roof.

The seats were packed and the air was electric with excitement. Like a gigantic eyelid opening to look up at the sky, the roof of the stadium split open to the chorus of cheers and fireworks.

Twenty-eight years later, the Sky Dome is now the Rogers Centre, and Hibben is now a fourth-generation vice president at Dean-Chandler. The privately owned Scarborough-based roofing contractor now services the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors across the GTA. Dean-Chandler was founded in 1924 by Hibbens’s great-grandfather, Bert Dean, and James Chandler. They started

operations with just eight roofers, one truck driver, and three sheet metal mechanics.

Today, the mid-size company installs, replaces and repairs roofs on everything from universities to hospitals to sky-high office towers. Dean-Chandler is no stranger to large property managers but the bulk of its work is consultant-based, meaning it puts out tenders via building service engineers. With a staff of only about 50, Dean-Chandler certainly operates on a much smaller scale than its larger competitors, but its well-established reputation has landed it a host of highprofile projects, including the province’s two nuclear plants, Darlington and Pickering, as well as Maple Leaf Gardens and Lester B Pearson Airport.

Family-owned and operated since its inception, Dean-Chandler prides itself on being a close-knit company, evident in its longstanding connections between

36 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

management and staff. Many fathers, sons and uncles have started and finished their careers here, both out in field and in management positions. “We take pride in our ownership,” says Hibben. “Our employees are like family.”

And those relationships aren’t always easy to find at larger companies where clients are often shuffled around from department to department. “Here, the guy who prices the job manages the job, does all the billing and sees it right through,” says Jason Campbell, the company’s second VP, whose own family ties to the company date back about 40 years. “And that goes up right to Glenn and I. We’re really hands-on, so we can react right away.”

While almost all of its contracts today are within the GTA, Dean-Chandler actually has a rather extensive history of international work. Up until 2003, the company was often tapped by the Canadian

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OOF embassy for various projects around the world, including places like Bermuda, Kenya, and Barbados. And this is perhaps one of Dean-Chandler’s most distinguishing qualities—its ability to adapt.

Take, for example, the roof replacement it completed on Lester B Pearson Airport’s Terminal One, a project the company still considers one of its most challenging to date. The company had to replace the roof while the airport was still operating. This meant moving debris and other materials to and from the work site using the same access paths as the airplanes, and keeping a close eye on said debris to ensure it wouldn’t end up in any of the jet engines.

But Dean-Chandler has also had to reorient itself against a fast-changing landscape. The roofing industry is seeing

a significant push away from asphalt, due to the fact that it’s both costly and odorous. Gaining popularity—and now mandated to some percentage by the City of Toronto—are green roofs. After DeanChandler installs the roof membrane, it can then oversee the installation of the green roof. These roofs can be laid down in tray or module form, using sedum mats, or blown-in soil. Recent examples of green roofs the company has overseen include the RBC WaterPark Place building and the University of Toronto’s new faculty of architecture building at 1 Spadina.

Aside from the push to make roofs more environmentally friendly, DeanChandler knows there will be more punches to roll with as the company starts nearing its centennial birthday. There are

no plans to change operation methods anytime soon, says Hibben, but DeanChandler isn’t averse to learning from the formulas of others. “In terms of technology,” says Hibben, “the place for us to be looking at is Europe. Technology always seems to be there long before it comes to North America, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on what’s going on across the sea.”

In the meantime, though, on this side of the pond, management knows that running a company like Dean-Chandler lends itself to some pretty unique opportunities. “Sure, roofing isn’t the most glamorous line of work to be in,” Hibben says, “but it’s very rewarding to see a project through from start to finish, especially if you’re someone who likes construction, architecture and having a pulse on the city.”

Visit http://www.deanchandlerroofing.com/ to learn more about the company. www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 37

safety/riskmanagement

AESTHETIC

LIFE-SAFETY Unobtrusive Applications Blend with Design

By Jeff Elliott

WHEN LIFE-SAFETY and design criteria come into conflict, life-safety m u s t a lway s t a k e p r e c e d e n c e .

However, that doesn't mea n that e m e r ge n c y l ig h t i ng a n d s m o k e detectors can only be obtrusive and utilitarian in appearance. Emerging technologies allow for more discreet or even stylish applications.

A s p i r a t i ng s m o k e d e t e c t i o n technology has shrunk the required footprint for smoke detectors, which has conventionally been up to 15 centimetres in diameter. Meanwhile, alternatives to the traditional bug-eye

emergency lamp can merge emergency and a rchitectural lighting into a somewhat indistinguishable whole.

"The look is very important. It could make a difference in how you experience that space and everything is an experience with architecture,” observes John Decker, an architect and lighting designer with the Lighting Design St udio, a multidisciplina r y f i r m providing consulting services for commercial spaces. “So we try and find aesthetic alternatives to maintain the beauty of the space while still meeting code requirements.”

38 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

EMERGENCY LIGHTING So-called bug-eye emergency lighting is a common and low-cost option consisting of two lamps and a bulky battery pack, but there are sleeker, more high-end product alternatives. Even Exit signs come at various price points and degrees of stylishness.

In other spaces, the architectural lighting can double as the emergency supply with backup power provided via an inverter if the utility grid goes out. This can be augmented with even more covert approaches.

One such product, designed to blend in with the existing décor until it is needed, has

When it comes to the selecting the power delivery systems, such as inverters or generators that will be used, the lighting designer plays no role. Electrical engineers select inverters based on load capacity and size, often with assistance from electrical distribution firms.

“The engineers put together the electrical design but are not responsible for the costing so distributors play an important role working with them to deliver products that will produce a positive result for all involved,” says Ron Doyle of the specialty electrical distributor, Wiedenbach Brown.

In the case of inverters, the units are often installed in a nearby electrical room. The unit is then wired to the specific architectural fixtures that must continue to operate if power is lost.

Pure sine wave inverters – which have a high surge capacity and ensure a power supply equal to or greater than the existing load – provide cleaner, utility grade power than modified sine wave models. They also work better with LED drivers – an important consideration given LED lighting's rapidly growing market share.

Inverters can be sized to meet a variety of load requirements from small 125-watt units to full building power up, to 18,000

watts. The smaller units have wiring schemes that allow for two independently controlled circuits with breakers, with larger units allowing for more.

“There is a value to that design because it gives you the flexibility to control the light fixtures so they are on all the time, off all the time, or to turn it on and off as needed,” Doyle adds.

SMOKE DETECTION Smoke detectors perform critical lifesaving functions – firstly to detect smoke, but also to identify to the loca le of the smoke. Traditiona l smoke detectors are installed in each room or common space and connected to a central fire alarm panel by low voltage electrical wiring. When a sign if ica nt a mount of smoke accumulates in the chamber of the smoke detector, the alarm sounds.

In contrast, aspirating technology consists of small, flexible tubes that draw air through small, unobtrusive sample points in each room. The air is analyzed using sophisticated laser-based technology at the central unit located within 300 feet, which can identify the presence of minute smoke particles.

Building Science & Restoration Consultants Building Envelope

fully recessed configuration behind two flat panel doors. If power is lost, the fully automatic, battery-powered units open up to light the way. Similarly, recessed LED emergency lighting mounted about half a metre above the f loor can unobtrusively illuminate the path of egress more effectively than ceiling or wall-mounted emergency lights.

“Lighting the path of egress from a lower vantage point makes sense in situations where there is a fire because all the smoke rises and it could block some of the light [from higher-level lighting],” says Decker.

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rjc.ca www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 39

safety/riskmanagement DEFINING EXPLOSION-PROOF & WATERPROOF Atmospheric testing is a recommended first step when selecting explosion-proof lighting for hazardous locations, while basic knowledge of IP ratings, which rank perviousness to particles and liquid, can help facilities managers choose appropriate waterproof and submersible equipment.

Explosion-proof fixtures are a safety requirement in industrial and storage facilities where flammable gases and vapours, combustible dust or ignitable fibres may be present in the atmosphere. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) uses class/division/group categories for electrical safety around combustible materials via a three-part label indicating: the substance’s state of matter; the likelihood of its presence; and the temperature that will trigger ignition.

“Understanding the ratings that dictate their applications is a salient step in setting up industrial lighting systems,” advises Andrew Holland of Larson Electronics. “Skipping this step could result in devastating accidents on the site, as well as an increase in spending when purchasing the lights — equipment with higher levels of explosion-proof protection are usually more expensive.”

Seven basic groupings of materials of concern include: acetylene; hydrogen, butadiene, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; ethylene; propane; metal dusts; coal dust; and flour, plastics and chemical dusts. Safety measures are premised on the dual principles of preventing or controlling the accumulation of explosives in the atmosphere (primary prevention) and removing or restricting heat sources that could trigger ignition (secondary prevention).

Explosion-proof lighting is part of the latter. It is tightly sealed to ensure the electrical current and any spark will be contained. It

must also meet stringent standards for maximum surface temperature, which are prorated to the hazard level of the material likely to be present in the atmosphere.

“Using luminaries with incorrect groupings can be both extremely dangerous and expensive,” Holland warns. “This practice is comparable to buying car insurance when you own a bicycle — you’ll end up paying more for something that isn’t entirely useful or applicable to your needs.”

Meanwhile, misinterpreting waterproof ratings is unlikely to be such a critical life-safety risk, but it could result in costly damages.

IP (ingress protection) ratings denote the equipment’s resistance to infiltration of both solids and liquids. For water, that covers a 9-digit gradient. The particle scale tops out at number 6 for dusttight.

“Waterproof protection is subject to specific tiers, including IP55, 1P67 and IP69K. These IP ratings dictate the level of waterproof protection in terms of depth of immersion, exposure to water jets and temperature,” Holland explains. “Next time you see the term ‘waterproof’ on a label, it might be worth digging a bit deeper into the IP rating — typically found in the manual or on the equipment itself — to understand how much exposure to water or dust the unit can take. This precautionary step could extend the lifespan of your lighting equipment and improve safety during operation.”

The preceding article is provided by Larson Electronics. For more information, see the website at www.larsonelectronics.com

As an added potential design perk, the sampling points are much smaller than regular smoke detectors so appear less obtrusive.

They can even be fully concealed behind ventilation covers or within fixtures, making their presence visually unnoticeable to building occupants and visitors.

The technology has long been used in highly sensitive spaces such as cleanrooms, data centres and telecom facilities, but is now appearing in a wider range of commercial applications. Notably, in the refurbishment of an arts/sports performance centre at a major U.S. university campus.

“The designers and the architects responsible for this remodel didn’t want to see any safety devices sticking out of the ceilings,” recalls Bob Pritchard of Convergint Technologies, a company that designs, installs and services integrated building systems. “It was very important for them to see as minimal impact as possible.”

Aspirating technology also streamlines all-important requirements for inspecting and maintaining life-safety systems. Instead of testing each individual component, as is necessary with spot detectors, tests occur at one central unit.

"Testing takes place back in the data closet where the central unit is located,” Pritchard explains. “Not having to do the inspection out in the field saves a lot of time and causes much less disruption.

There’s no need for me to stand on a ladder underneath each sample point and I’m not in people’s way.” zz The preceding article is provided by Isolite, manufacturers of emergency lighting, and Xtralis, manufacturers of aspirating smoke detection systems. For more information, see the websites at www.isolite.com and www.xtralis.com/vea.

40 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network YouRHere_CPM_September_2017.indd 1

2017-09-13 11:39 AM

Coverage that is setting the standard in the Real Estate Management Industry.

Find daily news and online exclusives on our website

September 2017

What are millennials really like in the workplace?

Where the in-crowd lives

Are millennials really the acclaim-craving, job-hopping, social-media junkies they have variously been portrayed as? The answer, apparently, is a resounding no.

As housing prices continue to overwhelm top rated cities like Toronto and Vancouver, a recent Statistics Canada report confirms that more people are opting to move to surrounding regions and neighbourhoods that have favourable amenities and commute times.

Making an impressive stand In 2018, one of the most significant and distinctive cultural institutions in Calgary will open its doors for the first time.

The striking 278,000 square-foot New Central Library, located in the vibrant East Village, will be four-storeys tall and sit over Calgary’s busiest LRT line.

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Better infection prevention needed in schools

Edmonton leads transition to low carbon future

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Infection prevention and control, while taken seriously in healthcare settings, isn’t always a priority in educational facilities.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in commercial buildings is a critical component of Edmonton’s transition to a low carbon, sustainable energy future.

Trees are an underrated natural wonder. Besides providing shelter and shade, they offer environmental, economic and social benefits so it’s important to take care of them.

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safety/riskmanagement

SEISMIC-FRIENDLY SUSTAINABILITY

Designers Embrace Timber for Earthquake Prone Regions

By Robert Malczyk IN FEBRUARY 2011, an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rocked the City of Christchurch, New Zealand. The disaster caused widespread damage across the region, affecting the vast majority of buildings and infrastructure in the central city.

A report recently released from Swiss Re, a reinsurance company, calculated, that similar to Christchurch, those living in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada could face $30 billion in private residential losses should an earthquake hit. In contrast to British Columbia, eastern provinces have significantly more older and heritage buildings that are not up to seismic code.

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42 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

Even earthquakes on a smaller scale could inflict substantial damage. Many buildings constructed using materials that are not seismically durable could not withstand even minor shaking. For new construction and major renovations, national and provincial building codes are now addressing the probability and possible severity of earthquakes in various regions of the country and aligning design requirements with the degree of risk.

Looking west, B.C. is on the brink of the mass timber revolution.

Vancouver is now home to the tallest mass timber tower in the world — Brock Commons — located at the University of British Columbia.

Beyond sustainability and cost-effectiveness, research and testing has demonstrated that mass timber and cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures can meet or exceed the most demanding earthquake and seismic design requirements.

With Canada's west coast sitting on the join of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates, seismic durability is of utmost importance to local construction. This zone has the potential to produce an earthquake registering greater than 9.0 on the Richter scale.

As the threat of the “the big one” looms, building engineers and architects must consider what materials might withstand that reality, and CLT panels are capturing building designers' interest. Engineers and architects are aiming to reduce the structural damage that could occur so that the building can be used as soon as possible following a disaster.

CLT's light weight — approximately six times lighter than the concrete — is key to its seismic durability and cost-effectiveness since a building's weight is directly factored into the forces that will act upon it during an earthquake and the resistance features that will be required.

A primary goal of constructing a seismically durable building is to minimize the amount of time the building is out of service after an earthquake occurs. In Christchurch, 45% of the buildings in the central city had to restrict access to the public following the disaster.

Buildings must also be designed on the assumption that more than one earthquake could occur during their lifespan. If the first event weakens a building's reinforcing, it will have to be condemned and destroyed due to the risk that it cannot be relied on in a subsequent earthquake.

Four years after the Christchurch earthquake occurred, 1,240 demolitions had taken place within a four-block radius. The majority of those buildings were made of concrete. zz Robert Malczyk is Principal at Equilibrium Consulting Inc. in Vancouver. The preceding article is excerpted from Construction Business.

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TIDINESS THWARTS FRAUDSTERS

Messy Desks Can Reveal Too Much Information

By Kevin Pollack

DESPITE A SHIFT TOWARD online storage and the growing popularity of the “paperless office,” paper documents continue to be prevalent in Canadian workplaces. More than half of Canadian C-suite leaders and small business owners (58% and 59%, respectively) believe that the volume of paper they use in their organization will either stay the same or increase in the next year, according to the Shred-it 2017 Security Tracker Survey.

The survey also found that the majority of Canadian businesses have policies in place to ensure formal business documents — such as legal, financial and tax records — are securely stored and destroyed. But all too often organizations overlook everyday paper items in their data protection strategies. These seemingly harmless sheets and slips of paper that accumulate on desks, in open recycling bins and by the printers can contain highly confidential and sensitive information that could subject an organization to fraud.

A simple and cost-effective fraud prevention technique is to implement a clean desk policy, which requires all documents to be stored in locked filing cabinets when employees are away from their desks. This policy not only reduces an

organization’s risk of fraud, but also encourages employees to declutter and often fosters an appreciation for the importance of information security.

In order to have a truly effective fraud mitigation strategy, business leaders need to understand all points of vulnerability within their organization. It’s key for businesses of all sizes to establish information security policies that apply to all sources of fraud or identity theft — including unexpected, everyday paper documents.

POINTS OF VULNERABILITY Consider this: An employee receives a package at the office, removes the contents, breaks down the shipping box and tosses it into the recycling bin. But what about that shipping label still stuck on the box that’s now in an unsecured bin?

Beyond the company address, shipping labels can potentially include tracking codes or account numbers. This information — especially if it’s combined with other information a fraudster may have gathered about the organization — presents a “hidden” security concern that can expose employees or the company to risk.

PowerPoint presentations are another commonly encountered example of risky

44 Canadian Property Management | Part of the REMI Network

everyday documents. While presentation decks are typically developed and delivered digitally, there’s still a tendency to print and distribute hard copies to clients, customers or colleagues. Slide decks can be a prime source of sensitive information about an organization’s finances or intellectual property and there is no way to monitor these printed decks once distributed.

Receipts, resumés and boarding passes are other examples of unexpected — and often overlooked — sources of sensitive information that can leave employees or an organization vulnerable to fraud if misplaced.

DEPLOYMENT AND ENFORCEMENT Consider the following questions when rolling out a clean desk policy in the workplace: What does a clean desk policy look like in practice?

On a daily basis, employees should follow the three Ps of office organization: plan, protect and pick up. Employees should start each day with a few minutes of planning to organize the documents needed and file the documents not needed.

Then, whenever employees step away

security/riskmanagement WASTE REDUCTION: BIN THERE, DONE THAT

By Daniel Montes Conventionally, every office workstation includes a garbage bin. These are lined with plastic liners that janitorial staff typically remove and replace two to three times per week. Some companies are now exploring how to move away from this practice, both as a way to cut costs and rein in their environmental footprints. In turn, contract cleaners have recently been instrumental in pilot programs.

Recycled or recyclable bin liners have yet to emerge as a competitive option because there are still some questions if they are dependable and durable enough to be used in commercial facilities. However, there's no questioning that plastic bags, in general, present a waste dilemma as they accumulate and very slowly decompose in landfill sites.

Productivity studies have shown that the time needed to collect and dispose of garbage from desk-side bins varies little between those that are lined or unlined. In one scenario, cleaning staff pull out and replace the liner; in the other, they dump the bin's contents into a larger collection container.

User education along with some added flexibility for occasionally dealing with problematic wet or sticky contents underpin successful programs to simply eliminate bin liners. First, office workers are asked to place only dry materials in their garbage bins, but, if they slip up, cleaning staff will switch out the bin itself. Ongoing savings from what could be hundreds of thousands of bin liners over the course of a year will balance out the extra time and cost to scrub a few bins.

Once office workers become accustomed to the new practice, plastic bin liners will likely only be necessary in kitchen and food service areas. Janitorial supply closets will also offer new storage opportunities as the space that once held dozens or hundreds of boxes of plastic liners becomes free.

FEEL THE THRILL OF WINNING

Daniel Montes is President and CEO of Brilliant General Maintenance. For more information, see the website at www.brilliantincorporated.com.

from their desk, they should take a look to see if any of the papers left out contain sensitive information. If so, they should place the documents inside a folder out of sight.

Lastly, when employees leave in the evening, they should file all documents or lock them up. As an added benefit, the office will be tidy first thing in the morning.

How does an organization roll out a clean desk policy?

Start at the top, by having senior managers follow and promote the policy. Also put it in writing, making clear instructions available to employees on how to follow the policy and why it’s important.

Recognize, too, that an organization simply can’t have a clean desk policy if employees have nowhere to securely store documents. Consider purchasing small, lockable storage boxes that fit under desks.

How does an organization enforce a clean desk policy?

Post signs in key areas of the office reminding employees to follow the policy and appoint managers from each department as monitors to check everyone’s desk at the end of the day. Keep track of employees who don’t follow the policy, creating and

using a desk tent or a door hanger with a reminder that they left sensitive documents on their desk. Come up with creative rewards for employees who follow the clean desk policy — for example, a contest between departments.

REINFORCEMENT To complement a clean desk policy, organizations might consider implementing comprehensive shredding. This policy eliminates the guesswork of what is and isn’t considered confidential by requiring employees to shred all documents. All shredded paper is then recycled, adding an important environmental benefit.

Canadian organizations must remember to be vigilant about document security and keep in mind that everyday paper documents — if disposed of improperly — can put individuals and businesses at risk of fraud.

Deploying a few simple yet effective information security policies can go a long way toward ensuring businesses protect their customers, their reputation and their people. zz

It’s an exciting time to partner with Hikvision. The world’s leading video surveillance manufacturer, we work hard alongside our team members and our partners so that we all win together.

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Kevin Pollack is Senior Vice President of Shred-it.

For more information see the website at www. shredit.com. The preceding article is reprinted from the REMI Network at www.reminetwork.com. www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 45 Partner.Win.Soccer.indd 8

9/12/17 2:19 PM

security/riskmanagement

COVER UP

Web Cameras are a Common Cybersecurity Vulnerability

By James Scott STEPS TO PREVENT cyber-adversaries from weaponizing the cameras on personal computers, smart and IoT devices are simple. The potential repercussions of leaving them unprotected range from embarrassing to ruinous.

Almost every computer, smartphone, and internet-enabled mobile device has a camera and microphone that even inexperienced malicious players can exploit to surveil and spy on the user. Many devices are vulnerable to outdated malware and, in many cases, spyware has actually been preinstalled, which can monitor the user population without their knowledge, awareness or consent.

Unsecured cameras are commonplace.

Phones, tablets, PCs and other devices are rarely out of the modern consumers’ reach, and these items now frequently boast cameras on both sides of their surfaces.

Many organizations also allow employees and to bring their own personal computing devices into the work environment and to connect those devices to a segment of the corporate network. This could pose a threat to the private sector, to individual users, and to community or national security.

Each and every device within the organization’s environment is a potential espionage vector for sophisticated and unsophisticated adversaries who can infect devices with malware via spear-phishing, watering-hole attacks and other malicious campaigns. Security oversights, poor cyberhygiene or third-party lateral access can lead to the compromise of corporate devices that reside behind sophisticated layered defences.

EASE OF ACCESS Infecting and exploiting the cameras of computing devices was not challenging for

malicious adversaries a decade ago, and it is no more difficult today. Practically every remote access trojan (RAT) and espionage malware has the capability to remotely compromise and activate cameras in order to capture videos and images of the target user.

Smart televisions and other smart devices that feature microphone and camera features are riddled with vulnerabilities that even the most unsophisticated attacker can exploit if they can deliver malware to the device through a poisoned update or watering-hole attack or if they can remotely exploit the device by compromising erroneously open ports that can easily be discovered through an IoT search engine such as Shodan.

Only a slight increase in sophistication is necessary to disable signals, such as the webcam light, that might alert the user and to store and exfiltrate the data. Webcams are arguably one of the easiest system components to remotely access and exploit.

Even without a RAT or more sophisticated malware, threat actors can leverage one of the plentiful vulnerabilities inherent in the webcam software itself because the manufacturers continue to fail to incorporate security-by-design throughout the developmental lifecycle of the component.

Threat actors can capture internal images and videos of employees, work functions, documents, the building layout, physical security measures, proprietary research and/ or Intellectual property. Even knowing who frequents a high-security environment or how often personnel uses a given system could be valuable knowledge to a cunning adversary.

For instance, a script kiddie could use the knowledge of the office behavioural patterns to install a second-stage malware at a time when personnel are not paying attention to the target system. A cyber-terrorist might use

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the workplace surveillance to facilitate a cyber-kinetic attack or a sophisticated nation-state adversary could use captured information such as sensitive documents, strategy meetings, or private user data to further espionage campaigns.

FEW PROTECTIONS BY DESIGN Prospective purchasers will find it difficult to find marketed devices that actually incorporate security-by-design. The future norm will likely entail device cybersecurityby-design, but a cultural shift is still required to get to that state. Currently, it's unrealistic to expect that every user – the vast majority of whom remain cyberhygienically lazy and unaware of cybersecurity risks – avoid every vulnerable camera-bearing device on the market.

An alternative and easier solution may lie in simply prompting users to shutter device cameras when not in use. This can be as easy as affixing something opaque such as masking tape or a post-it note over the lens.

For a more professional look, device owners can choose from a range of personalized, durable and reusable webcam covers now available on the market.

The covers themselves fundamentally function as an “I accept” mechanism for each webcam use – promoting user privacy knowledge, awareness and consent. Users can apply recyclable webcam covers to computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, gaming devices and other products without worry of smudging the device lens or having to find a new cover after each use. zz James Scott is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, a cybersecurity think tank. For more information, see the website at www.icitech.org.

www.REMInetwork.com | September 2017 47

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