Canadian Property Management October 2009

Canada’s Premier Magazine for Building Owners and Managers

VOL. 24 NO. 6 • October 2009

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editor’snote Data can hold expected findings to reinforce researchers’ theories and/or provide evidence that certain actions, policies or programs are achieving anticipated results. Conversely, data can challenge assumptions and reveal that expected outcomes have not been realized. Analysts encountered both scenarios when they looked at the Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) benchmarking tabulations and BOMA BESt energy and environmental results.

There are positive signs of progress among the 144 buildings that participated in the CaGBC’s pilot project to inform development of the LEED Canada rating system for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance and in the more than 450 buildings that have achieved Level 2, 3 or 4 of the BOMA BESt certification program, but the statistics also show some weak links in the implementation of energy conservation initiatives. Notably, energy-efficient technology isn’t always delivering expected savings.

Armed with this information, the Real Property Association of Canada (REALpac), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada and the CaGBC have set a new national target for energy performance in Canadian office buildings. Our Energy Management feature introduces 20 by ‘15 – a campaign to reduce annual energy consumption to a maximum of 20 equivalent kilowatt-hours (ekWh) per rentable square foot by 2015.

Proponents acknowledge that it’s a daunting goal, but they’ve mapped out a strategy including many actions that don’t require major capital investment. Indeed, they stress that capital investment should follow rather than lead the process.

Retrofit case studies in this issue reinforce that theme. Laura Fuller explains how a crossCanada lighting retrofit program in 1,100 TD Canada Trust branches began with a comprehensive energy audit and evaluation. John Dam and Terry Bergen describe the key role that threedimensional energy modelling played in finding the best upgrade options for a heritage building.

And Kevin Taylor recommends a building audit to map and assess the condition of cabling infrastructure prior to new installations and system improvements.

contents

Barbara Carss barbc@mediaedge.ca

Focus: Business Operations 14 Tenant Insolvency 17 Pandemic Preparedness 20 Cash Management 22 Workplace Organization & Dynamics 27 Professional Development Showcase

Articles: 10 Office Building Energy Target 16 Lighting Retrofit Profile 18 Cabling Infrastructure Overhaul 24 Energy Modelling for Building Envelope

Departments 8 Industry Briefs 30 Ad Index

6 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

VOL. 24 NO. 6

October 2009

Editor-in-Chief

Barbara Carss barbc@mediaedge.ca

Publisher

Sean Foley seanf@mediaedge.ca

Contributing Writers Terry Bergen, Mireille Cloutier, John Dam, Laura Fuller, Gregory Gehlen, Paul Goldin, Pat Heydlauff, Carol Kinsey Goman, Ben Kizemchuk, Kevin Taylor, Ashley Ward Senior Designer

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industrybriefs BOMA CANADA 2009 NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS Chuck Stradling, E x e c u t i v e Vi c e President of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Greater Toronto, is the 2009 BOMA Canada President’s Award Winner.

The honour was announced at BOMA Canada’s annual gala to present national building awards and recognize notable achievements in environmental sustainability and service to the real estate industry, which has become a signature event of BOMA Canada’s annual exposition and conference, BOMEX®.

Chuck has served as BOMA Toronto’s Executive Vice President for the past decade and is also a past president of the chapter. He has been a strong advocate for the industry in Toronto and across the Canada and was a major force in launching environmental programs, while also nurturing a growth in membership and revenues.

In 2005 he received a BOMA Canada Special Recognition Award for his efforts in making the National Go Green (now BOMA BESt) program a reality. He also helped to develop BOMA Toronto’s $75-million incentive program for conservation and demand management – negotiating the many details with the Ontario Power Authority.

“Chuck Stradling has been a driving force on so many local and national BOMA initiatives,” says Ian Stewart, President of BOMA Canada. “His efforts to support and promote BOMA Toronto and BOMA Canada have been vital towards raising the profiles of both organizations.”

Chuck holds RPA and CIM accreditation andwastheDirectorofPropertyManagement with GO Transit for 10 years before joining BOMA Toronto in a staff position. He joined BOMA Toronto as a member in 1981, was elected to the Board of Directors in 1991, serving as President from 1996 to 1998.

Nationally, he was Secretary Treasurer of BOMA Canada in 1998-99. Currently, he is a member of the Toronto Board of Trade, the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance and the Ontario Power Authority’s CEO’s Consumer Advisory Council.

Other BOMA Canada award winners for 2009 include Gulf Canada Square in Calgary, the recipient of the EARTH Award in recognition of excellence in resource preservation and environmentally sound 8 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

commercial building management. The three recipients of the Pinnacle Awards for companies upholding standards of excellence that are a role model for the industry are: Ottawa based Allen Maintenance Ltd in the Above & Beyond category; Bentall LP in Calgary for Customer Service; and Bentall LP in Toronto for Innovation.

Winners in 12 building categories include: Constitution Square, Ottawa; E-Commerce Place, Montreal; 2001 University, Montreal; Manulife Place, Vancouver; Hunt Club Crossing, Ottawa; The Cadillac Fairview Tower, Toronto; Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, St. Catharines, Ontario; Kennedy/Kenway Business Park, Mississauga; Red River Road Government Building, Thunder Bay; Pembroke Courthouse, Pembroke, Ontario; Crestwood Corporate Centre, Richmond, BC; and Centre de la Cité Pointe-Claire, Pointe-Claire, Quebec. (More details to f o l l o w i n C a n a d i a n P ro p e r t y Management, November 2009.)

TORONTO BUILDINGS WIN NORTH AMERICAN ACCLAIM Two Canadian buildings were named among The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) award winners at the 2009 annual conference of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International.

Toronto College Park, owned by Toronto College Park Ltd. and managed by GWL Realty Advisors, is the Historical Office Building of the Year. The 81-year-old multiuse complex in downtown Toronto melds heritage with modern amenities.

The Pearson Corporate Centre in Toronto’s west end offers a more contemporary architectural style as winner of the TOBY for Mid-Rise Suburban Office Park. The 24-year-old building is owned by Westpen Properties Ltd. and managed by Bentall LP. Reza Ayel

“We are very excited for Canadian members to see the results of their hard work paying off on the international stage, proving that Canadian companies have a place among the best of the best,” says Ian M. Stewart, Chair of BOMA Canada.

CANADIAN AMONG 30 ACHIEVERS UNDER 30 For the first time, the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) has honoured 30 young professionals under the age of 30 for their professional and community contributions and individual accomplishments in the real estate industry. Reza Ayel, a Commercial Property Manager for ICORR Properties International, is the only Canadian among the field of young achievers.

Reza joined ICORR Properties International in 2004 and has eight years of experienceinpropertyandassetmanagement.

He is a graduate of the University of Guelph with an honours Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in real estate. He has also taught a course on property management at the University of Guelph, and is a member of the Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC) as well as IREM. “The new recognition program supports IREM’s continuing campaign to attract the highly qualified young people the industry needs to meet property owners’ growing demand for top notch management talent as well as to replenish the ranks of our many soon-to-be-retirees,” says Pam Monroe, President of IREM. The 30 achievers were first selected from a pool of nominations made by managers and other professional colleagues from across the United States and Canada, then chosen on the basis of their industry accomplishments, contributions to professional organizations and community service. They will be honoured at IREM’s annual Leadership and Legislative Summit in Washington, DC, next spring. zz

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10 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

energymanagement

Frugality 20 by ‘15 Targets Energy Cuts in Commercial Office Buildings

By Barbara Carss

An ambitious new goal for energy savings in Canadian office buildings is projected to reduce electricity demand by approximately 1,500 megawatts across the country.

The Real Property Association of Canada (REALpac), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) have jointly endorsed 20 by ‘15 – a campaign to reduce annual energy consumption to a maximum of 20 equivalent kilowatt-hours (ekWh) per rentable square foot by 2015.

Recent CaGBC benchmarking data pegs the current average at closer to 38.5 ekWh/ft 2 based on the median performance of 64 commercial office buildings participating in the pilot project to inform the LEED Canada rating system for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (EB:OM).

However, target setters maintain that there are many relatively low-cost saving opportunities to be found and either LEED EB:OM or BOMA Canada’s BOMA BESt performance assessment and benchmarking program could guide building managers and operators to the possibilities.

“It is critical to the success of this initiative that the three organizations support the target,” said Michael Brooks, REALpac’s Chief Executive Officer, as he introduced the 20 by ‘15 concept to representatives of some of Canada’s leading real estate providers in late September. “We want our real estate companies to be among the most sustainable companies in the world and we have some catching up to do.”

Proponents have chosen the target as a clear and consistent alternative to the many existing programs that express goals for conservation and/or emissions reductions as a percentage of energy use and/or carbon output in base years ranging from the 1990s to present day. In contrast, 20 by ‘15 enables standardized measurement and a common point of comparison for all participants.

“Any engineer can compute it. Any owner can understand it,” Brooks said.

COMPLEMENTARY GOALS AND PROGRAMS “For us, 20 by ‘15 is a way to focus,” concurred Nada Sutic, Manager of Environmental Initiatives with BOMA Canada. A recently released overview of BOMA BESt data reports a median energy consumption of 31.5 ekWh/ft2 among the 450 certified buildings that have achieved Level 2, 3 or 4 of the sustainability program. (Comparable to the median of 32 ekWh/ft2 for the 80 government administrative buildings

participating in CaGBC’s pilot project.)

“At this point, 20 by ‘15 is aggressive when you look at our numbers and see that 95% of our members aren’t there now,” Sutic said. “Obviously, it is aggressive, but I think it is achievable.”

Program partners have outlined a strategy for reaching the 20 by ‘15 goal that relies as much on management practices, occupant behaviour and lowercost operational adjustments as on capital investment in retrofits. The three organizations’ established programs and resources such as BOMA BESt, CaGBC’s GREEN UP data base and LEED EB:OM rating system and R E A L p a c ’s g r e e n l e a s e a l r e a d y provide guidance for assessing energy performance, identifying plausible improvements and building rapport with tenants, and are expected to support pursuit of the target.

The 20 by ‘15 target is in sync with the CaGBC’s stated goal for a 50% reduction in energy and water use in 100,000 industrial/commercial/

“You have to partner with your tenants; you have to engage them. Sustainability is great common ground for you all to get together.”

Canadian Property Management | October 2009 11

energymanagement

“Any engineer can compute it.

Any owner can understand it.” institutional buildings by 2015, and it Stewart, Chair of BOMA Canada. supports other goals such as the National Roundtable on the Environment and the ADVANCE ANALYSIS Economy’s call for the commercial Energy management experts caution that building sector to cut annual carbon new technology rarely performs optimally emissions to 53 megatonnes by 2050 (see when it simply replaces outmoded Canadian Property Management, equipment. Rather, building systems March 2009). often have to be reconsidered and “We are very grateful that REALpac redesigned so that energy-efficient has taken this bold step in setting up a innovations can function as intended, and realistic target,” said Thomas Mueller, that requires an initial comprehensive President of the CaGBC. “Really, the picture of how energy is expended. focus has to shift onto existing buildings “Benchmarking is where you begin,” and it has to focus on performance.” advised Ian Jarvis, President of Enerlife Building owners should also be able to Consulting, which oversaw the LEED reap the benefits of energy cost savings, EB:OM pilot project for the CaGBC. “Don’t potential stronger partnerships with even think about capital projects until you get tenants and marketing spinoffs. “It just your working Precise_CPM_OCT issue_halfpgH:Layout 1 organization 10/2/09 11:16 AMwell.”

Page 1 makes good business sense” asserted Ian Examining utility bills and metering

data is a low-cost, but imperative first step to discover undue waste and/or systems that are not operating to full potential and it’s a practical skill that property and operations managers will increasingly need. Jarvis calls it the new literacy that must be mastered in the real estate sector.

Once property managers grasp the concepts that underlie energy intensity and can recognize expected load profiles in differing conditions and at different times of day, they can see patterns that might be adjusted or anomalies that warrant further exploration. They should also have more confidence – backed up with an understanding of the evidence – to talk to their tenants and develop ways to encourage them to conserve.

“You have to partner with your tenants; you have to engage them.

Sustainability is great common ground for you all to get together,” Jarvis noted. “There is a lot of debunking of conventional wisdom [involved].

Everybody thinks it’s about technology, retrofits and capital expenditures. It is all about policy, process and people.”

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energymanagement Notably, audits and benchmarking frequently spur new behaviours simply by highlighting energy consumption levels and a building’s performance in comparison to others. “Transparency of performance saves energy all on its own,” he argued.

Beyond that, he separates energy management improvements into three categories of activity: operational improvements, recommissioning and retrofits. Each represents an escalating level of investment, but, in all cases, preparatory work should determine the best option and an expected payback to justify the business case.

“The building performance audit is a cool tool,” Jarvis added. “It doesn’t tell you how to redesign, but it tells you what needs redesigning.”

SCOPE FOR SAVINGS Details from CaGBC’s database support his hypothesis and provide some insight into where energy savings can be derived. Performance of 144 buildings studied in the initial LEED EB:OM pilot project (64 commercial, 80 government) varied widely with the

commercial buildings at the bottom of the rankings using 2.5 times as much energy as those at the top. Moreover, similar technology delivered different results in different settings, thus highlighting the role of other factors.

Vintage was not a significant determinant of performance, however, with buildings constructed in the 1930s, ‘50s, ‘70s and ‘80s among the best of the sample. “Right now there is so much waste in our buildings that age doesn’t matter,” Jarvis observed.

That degree of waste – with the least efficient consuming around 65 ekWh/ft 2 – indicates that savings should be easy to find. Nevertheless, detailed energy audits reveal that the 10 most energy-efficient buildings in the sample still exhibited excess consumption in at least one of seven key building systems (lighting, ventilation, heating, air conditioning, office equipment, building envelope and water fixtures) despite overall energy use near or below 20 ekWh/ft2 .

“We have not found one commercial building that has lined up all the pieces of the puzzle,” Jarvis reported.

“Even the top performing buildings – and a number of them are at 20 now – have room to improve.”

Mobilization has begun as a new decade rapidly approaches. BOMA Canada now plans to work with the 11 local BOMA chapters across the country to develop a collaborative strategy to support the 20 by ’15 goal, while REALpac will continue to push its members to take leadership roles.

“We’ve tried to promote climate change, greenhouse gas and energy management as a Board and management responsibility,” Brooks explained. “There is a misconception that owners always have to make large capital expenditures to save money. The 20 by ‘15 background research shows that this is more about management than it is about capital.” zz

For more information see the Real Property Association of Canada web site at www.realpac. ca, the BOMA BESt web site at www.bomabest. com, or the Canada Green Building Council web site at www.cagbc.org.

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businessoperations

Assert Standing in Insolvency Process Model Receivership Orders Can Undermine Landlords’ Status

By Gregory Gehlen

Although this model order was never intended to be applied blindly to every receivership, the tendency sometimes is to use the model order as a one-size-fitsall solution, regardless of the peculiarities of the particular case. Unfortunately the model order was not drafted with the situation of an insolvent tenant in mind, and as a result it gives short shrift to the interests of commercial landlords.

The commercial leasing landscape has been rocked recently by business failures that have left employees jobless and suppliers holding the bag. At the top of the list of victims are landlords who have been left to deal with unpaid rent arrears and the challenge of finding acceptable replacement tenants. Aside from the damage caused by a tenant’s insolvency, the insolvency process can victimize commercial landlords all over again.

In a receivership, the receiver focuses on maximizing recovery for the secured creditor. In a bankruptcy, the trustee focuses on maximizing recovery for the general creditors. In either case, the process can leave landlords with little meaningful input despite 14 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

usually being among the most significant stakeholders.

The model receivership orders now in place in a number of provinces are a case in point. Model receivership orders grew out of a desire to standardize receivership orders so that time and energy could be focused on new or contentious aspects of the order sought.

Beginning in Ontario, a committee of judges, lawyers and professional receivers worked to create a model order with the intent that it would become the standard starting point for receivership orders, subject to the specific requirements of any particular case. This model order has now been adopted, with some changes, in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

RECEIVERS’ INTERESTS FAVOURED In most commercial leases, the tenant c a n n o t m o r t g a g e o r c h a rg e i t s leasehold interest without the consent of the landlord. If no such consent is given, no charge granted by the tenant has any effect.

Since most receivers are appointed under security granted to a bank or other secured creditor, the receiver’s powers should be limited to the assets covered by that security. In most cases this will not include the debtor’s interest as tenant under a lease because of the no-charge covenant in most leases.

Despite this, the model receivership order authorizes the receiver to take possession and control of all the property of the debtor/tenant, even leasehold interests. This provision, if not challenged, allows a receiver to take control of the leased premises even without the landlord’s consent.

The model order also creates a charge in favour of the receiver to secure payment of its fees and disbursements (including their lawyer’s accounts).

Again, this charge is over all of the debtor’s property and is in priority to any other interests in the debtor’s property. Where the debtor is a tenant

businessoperations under a commercial lease, this provision gives the receiver a charge on the lease even if the lease itself specifically prohibits any charge without the landlord’s consent.

Controlling the use of premises is a key concern for commercial landlords, especially retail landlords who search for the right mix and image in their retail locations. So-called liquidation, receivership or bankruptcy sales are generally prohibited by the terms of the lease because of the poor impressions such sales can create for the location as a whole.

The model receivership order allows the receiver to sell the property of the debtor/tenant without any restrictions as to the type of sale and without input from any landlord. The order usually provides that any single sale over a fixed amount requires further court approval, but ongoing sales below that threshold do not. In the case of a retail business, a receivership or liquidation sale from the leased premises would not require approval of the court or the landlord.

Another standard provision in the model order authorizes the receiver to change the locks and security codes for any premises in which the debtor has an interest, but does not require the receiver to give the new keys or codes to the landlord in the case of leased premises.

This will be unacceptable to most landlords, if only for security and fire safety reasons.

ANTICIPATE AND ACT The solution for landlords is to press for changes to the model order to ensure that it better recognizes landlord’s rights.

Since the model orders are standard-form documents, it is possible to anticipate ahead of time what changes are needed and to be ready to press for such changes.

As an example, the provision in the order that grants the receiver authority over all the debtor’s assets should be pared down and should instead grant authority over only those assets covered by the security that is the subject of the receivership. This will result in the debtor’s leasehold interest being excluded from the receivership in most cases.

Receivership applications are often brought before the courts on an urgent basis. It is by no means uncommon for a court application to be served one afternoon and heard the next morning.

When landlords become aware of a

pending receivership application, there is no time to lose in pushing for changes to the receivership order.

Although it is possible to come back to court to ask for changes to an order that has already been granted, this is often an uphill battle, particularly where the receiver and others have already begun acting in reliance on the original order.

To obtain the changes necessary to properly protect landlords, the time to strike is at the initial court application.

Landlords and their counsel need to be aware of the ways in which the model order shortchanges landlords, and need to be ready to push for changes to the model order as soon as possible. zz Gregory Gehlen is a lawyer specializing in insolvency issues, including commercial leasing disputes, with Gehlen Dabbs Barristers & Solicitors in Vancouver. For more information, see the web site at www.gdlaw.ca.

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Shining Example

National Retrofit Program Cuts Costs and GHG Emissions

Photo courtesy of TD Bank Financial Group

By Laura Fuller

Lighting plays an important role in any energy conservation strategy.

Buildings account for almost half of the country’s annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Canada reports that lighting accounts for the single largest portion of electric bills for commercial users – as much as 30%.

Advances in lighting technology provide a prime opportunity for reducing energy costs.

This can deliver a 30 to 60% improvement in energy efficiency to reduce environmental impact while increasing the bottom line.

TD Bank Financial Group has focused on the extensive and immediate energy savings opportunities in approximately 1,100 branches across Canada. The project began in 2007 with an initial energy survey and audit of all retail branches to evaluate existing systems and review current energy costs.

Decision makers were looking for an investment payback of five years to make the economic case for a capital program.

However, reducing energy use, thus cutting greenhouse gas emissions, was an overriding concern.

The five-month energy evaluation exercise included a survey of all branches and documentation of goals and concerns at each location. The process included: an energy 16 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

use analysis that identified opportunities for energy savings; recommended lightings system solutions; information about utility, provincial and federal government and other financial incentive programs; and a proposal for recycling existing lighting system components.

The findings were summarized into a nationwide report and energy-efficient lighting proposal for the bank. The accuracy of the process was critical because the findings were used to determine how many locations were eligible for upgrades to energy-efficient lighting products.

The team of lighting specialists recommended the national retrofit program that TD consequently endorsed – an upgrade of existing interior lighting systems from Yellowknife, NWT, to Newfoundland, to the Toronto Dominion Centre in the heart of Canada’s financial district in downtown Toronto.

The first phase targeted branches that had full-wattage 32-watt T8 lamps, replacing them with 28-watt T8 lamps on electronic ballasts. Beginning in February 2009 the second phase of the program covered the remaining branches equipped with inefficient T12 lamps and electromagnetic ballasts.

These were retrofitted with 28-watt T8 lamps

and high-efficiency ballasts. Installation of occupancy sensors and LED exit lights at every branch further reduced energy use.

In total, the entire project involved the installation of 150,000 lamps, 26,000 electronic ballasts, 4,500 occupancy sensors, 800 LED exit lights and 15,000 reflector assemblies. Lamp and ballast recycling options and new products with fewer hazardous materials were a priority throughout the project.

Combining energy-efficient lamps with efficient electronic ballasts not only reduced the amount of overall energy consumed, but also reduced the number of lamps required for TD Canada Trust branch locations. Less frequent replacement requirements for the longer-lasting lamps reduces the number of lamps in the waste stream, significantly lowers maintenance and recycling costs and ultimately reduces the demand for raw materials.

It is estimated that this national project will reduce energy use by at least 25,700 gigajoules. Within each TD Canada Trust branch, improvement in quality of the lighting systems enhances workplace ambience and reduces maintenance costs.

TD Bank Financial Group saves energy and operational dollars, while setting an excellent corporate example by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving work conditions and ultimately reducing its environmental footprint. Those are results to bank on. zz Laura Fuller is Manager of Communications and Marketing Services with OSRAM SYLVANIA LTD., the lighting specialists overseeing re-lamping and retrofit work for TD Bank Financial Group and manufacturers of the energy-efficient lighting products installed in TD Canada Trust branches. For more information, see the web site at www.sylvania.com.

businessoperations

Strategies for Flu Season Planners Alert but not Alarmed

By Paul Goldin Infectious diseases such as colds and the flu are the leading cause of employee absenteeism due to illness. In 2008, fulltime working Canadians took an average of eight sick days – a full day more than just four years earlier, resulting in more than 169 million missed days of work. Lost productivity in the workplace from the flu alone costs employers an estimated $15 billion.

Influenza or the flu refers to an illness caused by a member of the influenza family of viruses. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, sore throat, coughing and weakness and typically appear within two days after infection by a virus. The flu is most active during a particular period every year, which in North America is generally between November and May. A pandemic flu describes a worldwide outbreak of either a new type of the Influenza A virus or a reoccurrence of one that has been inactive for a long period of time. This type of flu spreads easily from person to person and can cause serious illness regardless of age or physical health.

Recent concerns about H1N1 (Swine Flu) have demonstrated the importance of advance planning and preparation. A coordinated effort is required from every organization in order to protect employees’ health and safety and limit the impact of a pandemic.

Here are some suggested steps to prepare for a possible pandemic.

• Establish a centralized emergency communication plan to ensure that information is timely and accurate.

Include identification of key contacts (with backups), chain of communications (including customers and suppliers), and processesfortrackingandcommunicating business and employee status.

• Develop policies, procedures, programs and materials covering pandemic fundamentals (signs, symptom list, mode of transmission), personal and family protection and response strategies (hand hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette, contingency plans). Provide each employee with a personal pandemic

•

•

•

•

kit, complete with hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray or surface wipes for the workstation, gloves and surgical masks.

Provide a clear message indicating that employees must protect themselves and others during the influenza pandemic with proper hand and respiratory hygiene.

Educate employees so that they have a consistent, fact-based understanding of the range of a pandemic’s likely impact, appropriate pandemic planning assumptions, possible mitigation strategies and useful trigger points.

Identify a pandemic coordinator and/or team with defined roles and responsibilities for preparedness response planning.

Identify essential employees and other critical inputs (e.g. raw materials, suppliers, sub-contractors, services/ products and logistics) required to

•

•

• • •

maintain business operations by location and function during a pandemic.

Outline a backup plan. Every essential role should have at least one backup and access to guidelines for decisionmaking.

Establish policies for a flexible worksite (e.g. telecommuting), including treatment of employees who have been exposed to pandemic influenza.

Establish reintegration guidelines for employees who are no longer infectious and can return to work.

Place hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances and exits to buildings/offices with accompanying posters.

Identify products or services that will be essential or in increased demand. zz

Paul Goldin is Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of Marketing and Technical Services with Avmor. For more information, see the web site at www.avmor.com.

Canadian Property Management | October 2009 17

ITmanagement

Prerequisite for Smart Technology

Cabling Overhaul Makes Space for Revenue Stream

By Kevin Taylor Many owners and operators of commercial, multi-residential, and institutional real estate are now updating their building infrastructure through the implementation of new integrated and smart technologies. This might include deploying wireless hotspots throughout the building, linking all proprietary legacy systems together through the use of an automation and control networking protocol such as BACnet over IP, provisioning a common distribution system (CDS) to centralize telecom service providers and/or installing integrated smart environmental controls to maximize energy efficiency.

All of these options may require an overhaul of existing building cabling infrastructure, which could prove to be a daunting project with a major impact on building operations. On the plus side, however, the gains brought by integrated and smart technologies are measurable and can bring real value to any type of building.

18 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

UPGRADE OPTIONS The operational efficiency of legacy systems is often a priority area for investment. The introduction of new IP technologies can integrate formerly independent building functions like lighting, HVAC, life and safety, environmental controls and access control into a single network.

This helps centralize control and reduces the structural impact on the building caused by the congestion of individual systems. It also helps lower operational costs by preventing unnecessary coring and eliminating the costs associated with managing separate, dedicated systems.

Other investments are aimed at improving the delivery of telecom services to tenants. Traditionally, individual telecom service providers (TSPs) run cables from their individual point-of-presence (POP) sites or the main telephone room (MTR) up through the building to the appropriate tenant floor.

This leads to a continual buildup of

vertical cabling, much of which is abandoned when the tenant vacates the suite at the end of the lease.

Alternatively, a common distribution system (CDS) can be deployed, running from the building’s main telephone room up through all of the riser rooms.

A contracted TSP can then use this CDS to deliver service at the appropriate floor within the riser by simply tapping into it on the customer floor. This saves on installation costs and saves time by avoiding long cable runs, allowing for onsite cross-connects and quick turnaround time.

Convenient features such as a buildingwide wireless network can help draw and retain tenants and can create a potential new revenue stream by giving landlords the option to charge for wireless access. Digital signage can also be centrally operated using IP, which could be an advertising opportunity for tenants and another revenue stream for building owners.

Smart technologies allow customized

ITmanagement control over building systems to help improve energy efficiency through a single portal. Temperature can be regulated on a room-by-room basis, lights can be automatically dimmed and controlled by motion sensors to ensure that empty rooms do not use unnecessary power, and even window shades can be configured to track the sun and provide shade when needed.

Smart technology may also support credits toward LEED certification.

INFRASTRUCTURE OVERHAUL CHECKLIST

• Focus on the building’s unique needs and pick the technology that will best address them and provide the most value.

• Perform a building audit to understand the current condition of the building’s infrastructure.

• Prepare the building for the installation by performing any necessary maintenance and cable abatement activities.

• Negotiate license agreements with the telecom service providers in the building.

• Hire the right contractors with the proper liability insurance and WSIB coverage.

• Focus on the future through new technologies that can be adapted to address future CARMA_CondoBusiness_01-19-2009_CS2--F.pdf 2/3/09 5:41:35 PM needs.

AUDIT INFORMS INSTALLATION First though, building owners should understand the existing infrastructure within their buildings. An initial building audit should examine the cabling conditions in all building spaces, including riser closets, point-of-presence (POP) sites, telephone rooms, raised flooring, inside the plenum spaces above ceilings and the rooftop.

Look at the condition of the cabling and perform an evaluation of the amount of abandoned cable within these spaces, which can represent a roadblock to future work. An evaluation of the wireless infrastructure in the building should also be completed to understand how the wireless spectrum would have to be divided so that the entire building can have access to any new networks.

Project rollout typically takes two paths: the physical installation of the integrated systems, and the contractual agreements that can help offset the costs. There are often creative approaches to help pay for overhaul costs – such as using the rooftop and charging a fee for presence to mobile telecom providers to install dishes or antennas. Negotiating a new license agreement with the TSPs that have POP sites in the building can also yield income to help fund new capital projects.

Find a credible contractor with proper liability insurance and WSIB coverage for the physical installation to insure that liability does not fall on the building should anything go wrong during installation. Likewise, ensure that the contractor adheres to all applicable building codes and building-specific standards. zz Kevin Taylor is an Analyst with RYCOM Inc., a firm specializing in security, networking, advanced IP business solutions, and monitoring and IT service management. For more information, see the web site at www.rycom.ca.

Canadian Property Management | October 2009 19

businessoperations

Flexible Cash Stash Returns and Tax Deferral on Parked Funds

By Ben Kizemchuk

Cash management can be a hedge against uncertainty, a temporary hold between strategic acquisitions, or a business capital requirement. These days, cash comes in many forms. Business owners, property managers and investment professionals could be leaving money on the table if they are unaware of the possibilities.

The tax-efficient money market fund was traditionally the realm of financial institutions, but mutual fund companies opened it up to a broader range of investors about a decade ago. Through financial instruments, these funds allow investors to avoid the usual tax implications of holding an income-generating investment, while still benefitting from the return, liquidity and safety of a money market investment. Individual and Canadian-controlled private companies (CCPC) generally experience a 50% reduction in taxes owed on returns when 20 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

boost of $2,695 on a $2 million balance after one year.

Tax-efficient money market funds can also create a tax deferral opportunity for some investors. Regular money market funds and interest-bearing securities are taxed every year that interest is earned, thereby diminishing the amount of interest able to compound from year-toyear, whereas tax-efficient money market funds are primarily taxed only upon disposition of fund units.

Another Toronto-based commercial property manager was drawn by the ability to make a return coupled with the flexibility to act quickly when other investment opportunities arise.

“The easy liquidity and tax deferral was a good combination. When I purchased a building [for $4.2 million in 2009], I figured I saved about $80,000 by the tax-efficient money market instead of rolling GICs,” he notes.

Ontario’s 2009 budget announced plans to decrease general corporate income tax from 14% to 12%, effective July 1, 2010, with subsequent phased decreases to 10% by July 1, 2013. This amplifies the compound interest benefit of a tax-efficient money market fund versus traditional money-market-type investments.

Given the current low-interest environment, tax-efficient money market funds are growing in popularity as investors leave turbulent markets for the safety of government bonds, especially treasury bills. Projections for continued low interest rates and inflation, at least in the short term, continue to drive the trend.

“Money market funds may outperform on a relative basis in these uncertain times,” says Chris Kresic, head of the fixed-income team at Mackenzie and portfolio manager of Mackenzie Sentinel Canadian Short-Term Yield Class. zz

compared to a traditional non-taxefficient money market fund.

For property developers, it can be an option for parking funds between projects. That’s the alternative one Canadian developer chose for $8 million in cash from the completion of one project while he waited several months before investing it in his next acquisition.

With bank accounts offering 0.5%, or 0.26% after tax, and traditional money market funds advertised at 1.25%, or 0.65% after tax, he opted for a taxefficient money market fund offering 1.25%, or 0.95% after tax. This saved almost $25,000 in tax avoidance.

Rates have declined since then, but as of August 2009, tax-efficient money market funds are returning 0.16% annualized after tax, while comparable Ben Kizemchuk is an Investment Advisor with TD money market investments are yielding Waterhouse. He can be reached at (416) only 0.03% annualized after tax. That’s a 308-8831 or ben.kizemchuk@td.com.

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businessoperations

Disorder Distracts in Office Organization a Good Habit to Cultivate

By Pat Heydlauff

The U.S. National Association of Professional Organizations identifies paper clutter as a major impediment to productivity. Some studies have concluded that the average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for papers, which can create distractions in the workplace and undermine concentration. Mishandled paperwork also hinders customer service and can ultimately discourage sales and affect a company’s bottom line.

Huge corporations and one-person offices alike can benefit from dispelling clutter. Better organization can: • Increase productivity and profitability • Keep information confidential and secure • Reduce mental overload and stress • Reduce workplace accidents and spills • Save time and improve effectiveness An information management system is more than just a filing system. Documents and messages arrive from many sources, including via postal service, e-mail, text messages, cell phones and courier services.

First off, it must be categorized – put into permanent archives or thrown away. An efficient office needs tools to streamline that task such as file folders, filing cabinets for current information, boxes for archives and scanners with backup capabilities for managing information electronically.

Here are some suggested practices: • Set aside time weekly to manage and organize information, and adhere to that commitment like an appointment.

• Desks should be cleared at the end of the day so at least 80% of the desktop is visible.

• Remove desktop items that are rarely used. Put everything else into drawers, cubicles or containers that are easily accessible.

• Limit the number of personal photographs.

• Use colour-coded vertical desktop file sorters – i.e. green folders for new clients, red folders for established clients that provide you good business, and yellow folders for less important but still necessary information. That way client information can be more quickly found, which can improve client relations and results.

• Deal with documents as they arrive, making a decision whether they require action or can be thrown out or deleted.

Employers might consider promoting a Clean Desk or Clean Workspace Policy with a reward system for those who comply. Employees could also be encouraged to place one personal, creative item on their desks where the stacks of paper once sat. This will serve as a reminder of how easy it is to stay clutter-free and stress-free.

Clutter must be dealt with routinely and regularly. Information organization will become part of employees’ routine and the corporate culture if practices are carried out daily. zz Pat Heydlauff is a consultant on colour, design and organization principles in workplace environments. For more information, see the web site at www.Energyby-Design.com.

22 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

businessoperations

the Workplace INTANGIBLES INFLUENCE JUDGEMENT & PRODUCTIVITY

By Carol Kinsey Goman All employees bring their emotions to the workplace. According to the neurologist and author Antonio Damasio, the centre of our conscious thought, the prefrontal cortex, is so tightly connected to the emotion-generating amygdala that no one makes decisions based on pure logic.

Emotionally-charged stimuli persist much longer in memory, and people remember the emotional components – fear, joy, surprise, anger, embarrassment – of an experience better than any other aspect. People subconsciously assess a new situation based on past emotions and are then motivated to act on those they have labelled good and reject those deemed bad.

Positive emotions increase energy, learning and motivation. Worry, resentment or boredom decreases physical and mental energy and impairs mental agility. When pressure becomes excessive, soaring cortisol levels combined with adrenaline can actually paralyze mental functions.

Emotions are highly infectious and catching them is a universal human phenomenon. A research study conducted by Peter Totterdell of the University of Sheffield had nurses record their moods each day at work for three weeks. He found that the mood of different teams shifted together over time. Totterdell also found this same tendency of emotions to move in a lockstep fashion in teams of accountants and cricket players.

Researchers at California State University, Long Beach, found that when business leaders were in a good mood, members of their work groups experienced more positive emotions and were more productive than groups whose leaders were in a bad mood. zz Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. is an executive coach. For more information, see the web site www.CKG.com.

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Canadian Property Management | October 2009 23

Energy Performance in a Heritage Context Modelling Points to Best Payback

Photos courtesy of Reed Jones Christoffersen

By John Dam and Terry Bergen

24 September April 2009 2009 | Canadian | Canadian Property Property Management Management

Engineering consultants were recently required to balance thermal performance against heritage concerns in a roof replacement and building envelope restoration project at Church of St. John the Divine in Victoria, BC. Visual or character-defining alterations were largely prohibited on the registered historic building, but there was some room to manoeuvre on the exterior roof, which had been re-clad with asphalt shingles in the 1960s.

As part of the initial condition assessment, consultants used a three-dimensional energy modelling program that can provide a full energy analysis, a c c o u n t i n g f o r a b u i l d i n g ’s geographical location, intended use, construction assemblies and HVAC system specifications. This was used to develop options for increasing the efficiency of the church’s roofing assembly.

The first step was to input the performance of the existing building envelope assemblies.

These included the heritagedesignated mass masonry walls, which are 450 millimetres or 18 inches thick, and the feature windows, consisting of 3.2 mm-thick panes of glass in terra cotta frames.

Two building scenarios were then modelled: 1. T he retained heritage structure with the roof clad in the original slate (effective RSI-Value of 0.52 K•m2/W); or 2. T he retained heritage structure with the roof clad in the original slate but with the addition of

260mm (10.3”) of standard expanded polystyrene insulation (effective RSI-Value of 7.0 K•m2/W) ASSUMPTIONS FOR CALCULATIONS In constructing the computer model, the church was treated as open interior space, eliminating the vestibule spaces in the tower and porches as well as the internal partitions that defined space but not necessarily interior environment. Window dimensions were also simplified by grouping typical three-conjoined assemblies together as one.

Weather data from the 2002 c a l e n d a r y e a r a t Vi c t o r i a International Airport was entered into the model based on four hour i n c r e m e n t s . To s i m p l i f y t h e modelling effort, some assumptions and simplifications were made regarding other data input.

Occupancy was set to reflect relatively light occupancy loads except for shorter periods of high occupancy (100+ persons) occurring during regularly scheduled services. Heating was set to 20˚C for occupied periods and set back to 10˚C when unoccupied. Due to the age of the building, infiltration due to lack of building air-tightness was set to 1.5 Air Changes/Hour (ac/h) to conform with values found for similar structures.

Building and window shading effects were not accounted for given the church’s location, orientation and proximity to neighbouring structures. General lighting energy for the space was

buildingenvelope assumed to be equivalent to the amount of light provided by fluorescent bulbs in an average office space with the lights following the same schedule as occupancy.

The heating system for the church was set as a hot-water radiator heating system with natural ventilation using natural gas for fuel. For the purpose of the simulation, domestic hot water usage was considered negligible, as it would not be affected by a change in roof properties.

SIMULATED EVIDENCE The simulations showed that the main draw on consumed energy over the year is, by a large margin, the generation of heat. The main heat losses are attributed to the lack of air tightness, followed by losses through glazing, roofing and wall systems. The main heat gains are due to the heating of the building and solar heat gain through the windows.

The simulations also provided insight into the potential improvement derived from insulating the roof.

Energy model output indicated this would deliver a 7% annual reduction,

which could not justify the cost of the roof insulation. When applied against the increase in project costs for the addition of insulation, the simple payback period was in the range of 80 years.

Looking beyond the roof, the model showed where more significant losses are occurring and where gains would be needed to create either a more comfortable space or more economically feasible investment in thermal upgrades. Given the unimpressive payback that roof insulation would yield, church officials decided to focus on other areas of the building envelope assembly that would not add significant financial stress to the construction budget – i.e. addressing energy loss from air leakage through the building envelope.

Consultants are now in early stages of preliminary design with the intention of returning the roof to its original construction of slate tile on roofing felt. Preliminary analysis and modelling indicates that reducing the rate of air leakage – perhaps by as much as 33% – could lower the annual energy consumption in the church by more than 15%. Practical measures such as improving the weatherstripping of the windows and doors could potentially yield greater energy savings at a much lower cost than insulating the roof.

Once the restoration is completed, building performance will be monitored via utility billings to determine how closely the improved efficiency of the restored church compares to the construction stage energy models. zz John Dam, P.Eng., LEED AP and Terry Bergen, C.Tech., CCCA, LEED AP, are with the Reed Jones Christoffersen Ltd., the engineering consulting firm overseeing the St. John the Divine roofing and building envelope restoration. For more information, see the web site at www.rjc.ca.

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Canadian Property Management | October 2009 25

Intercon new in today

professionaldevelopment

CREW Cuts Across Real Estate Spectrum Montreal Professionals Network and Learn

By Mireille Cloutier The CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women), with 68 chapters in North America, is an organization of more than 8,000 women employed in a variety of professions related to commercial real estate. The CREW Network was officially launched on January 1, 1989, and is primarily a women’s association, but membership is also open to men.

As its web site affirms, the organization is envisioned as a catalyst for change in the real estate industry, working to achieve parity for women in terms of opportunity, influence and power. In Canada, the CREW Network currently has four chapters in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal.

The Montreal chapter of CREW was inaugurated in 2003, and its membership now counts approximately 145 women, all of whom work in various spheres of commercial real estate. This includes architects, engineers, lawyers, brokers, evaluators and developers.

In order to provide a communication network among its members and to promote the highest ethical and professional standards, CREW Montreal has developed a networking and information program comprised of a number of annual events. The program was created within the vision of the association, which is, among other things, to facilitate business opportunities for its members.

For example, in March 2009, CREW M o n t r e a l o ff e r e d a n e d u c a t i o n a l conference on the art of effective networking. As part of the program, participants were provided with a guide to evaluate their effectiveness in establishing meaningful connections with the people they meet in various settings. They were also shown how to transform casual contacts into mutually beneficial business opportunities.

Among the notable annual events planned by CREW Montreal are the Top Ten and Dine Around series. Open to members and non-members alike, the Top Ten series of conferences are designed to provide participants with a better understanding of the latest strategies, activities and characteristics of a particular field of commercial real estate. This might cover the forecasted economic trends for the year, new environmental developments or an insider’s look at some best real estate projects in the city.

The members-only Dine Around series is structured to encourage and facilitate business and professional opportunities.

Participants are assigned to tables of four or six people – a group size that favours discussion and allows participants to get to know each other a little better than they would have the time for at a reception or conference.

The casual atmosphere encourages the exchange of general (non-confidential) Canadian Property Management | October 2009 27

professionaldevelopment

The organization is envisioned as a catalyst for change in the real estate industry, working to achieve parity for women in terms of opportunity, influence and power.

information that may be beneficial to others. Of course, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to experience the quality and service of different downtown Montreal restaurants, which is both enjoyable and practical since it gives real estate professionals an opportunity to try out new venues before they entertain a client.

C R E W ’s v a r i o u s n e t w o r k i n g opportunities have allowed some members to meet and do business together. Others have been introduced to new contacts that have resulted in new business ventures.

Members can exchange information relevant to their professional practice, such as the reputation of a prospective client, or the vacancy rate in a particular market. Others might be in search of a specialist in a field of expertise other than their own.

Within this spirit of cooperation, members can discuss particular problems or debate questions of general interest.

One member may invite another to host a conference in her/his field of specialty, providing greater visibility for the specialist and perhaps leading to future business opportunities.

This year, for the first time ever, CREW Montreal will recognize excellence among women in the field of commercial real estate in Montreal at a gala to be held on November 24. Three awards will be presented – two to women who have distinguished themselves in the industry and another award to a woman who has supported CREW Montreal by promoting the success of women in commercial real estate.

Beyond business and professional development opportunities, members have forged friendships that they can look to for support and assistance, which is yet another aspect of the vision of CREW Montreal. zz Mireille Cloutier is a commercial real estate lawyer with Holmested & Associés, s.e.n.c. in Montreal and a member of CREW Montreal.

For more information, see the web site at w w w . c r e w m o n t r e a l . c o m .

With this repor t from CREW Montreal, Canadian Property Management introduces a new occasional column to highlight the activities of various real estate industry advocacy groups. To discuss how your group can participate, please contact the editor at barbc@mediaedge.ca.

28 October 2009 | Canadian Property Management

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