Chicagoland Buildings & Environments 03/15 by S//94

CHICAGOLAND

Buildings Environments Âť SPRING 2015

AMA Plaza Offers Green Offices F E AT U R E S

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table of contents COVER STORY

02 AMA Plaza Offers Green Offices By Michael C. Davids A S S O C I AT I O N S A V E N U E

09 Illinois First in Nation for LEED Green Buildings

430 2 WAR R EN AVE N UE | HI L LS I DE , I L L IN O I S 6 016 2

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11 Industry Happenings S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

12 Future Planning… Your Mission and Your Facilities By Nik Clark 14 Editors Message 15 Directory Advertising THE LANDSCAPE BUYER

19 The Weather and Your Landscape By James Fizzell EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

21 Illinois Sustainability Awards By Jim Dexter PROPERTY PROFILE

23 Elmhurst Condo Sustains Window Replacements By Michael C. Davids

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ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

BuilDings & environMents

By M i c h a e l c . D av i D s

AMA Plaza Offers Green Offices historic Building at 330 north Wabash is among Chicago’s most sustainable

Y Shown here is a group touring the green roof located atop the AMA Plaza.

Chicago Landmark building and an icon to modern architecture, 330 North Wabash (also now known as AMA Plaza) is the largest, and last, American building designed by world renowned architect Mies van der Rohe. A bust of Mies, by sculptor Marino Marini, is housed in the lobby, a tribute to the forward thinking designer, whose architecture moves

forward in step with evolving technology. The AMA Plaza/330 North Wabash is fifty two stories and at 695 feet (211.8 meters), the skyscraper is the second-tallest building by Mies van der Rohe, (the tallest being the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower). The structure of AMA Plaza is steel frame with a concrete core. The exterior features a curtain wall of bronze anodized

aluminum and tinted glass. The large floor-to-ceiling windows offer spectacular, panoramic views of the City, the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Its location, at a turn in the Chicago River, offers visibility from all directions from Michigan Avenue, along the river, and from the major expressways. The property is bordered by State Street on the west, and Wabash Avenue on the east, Kinzie Street on the north and the Chicago River on the south. Entry plazas around the perimeter of the building provide easy access from all points for pedestrians, vehicles, public transportation, and even marine vessels. As part of the Riverwalk, the building’s river frontage adjacent to the continuous Riverwalk winding its way through the heart of Chicago - a walk where tourists and business people alike can enjoy nature and Chicago’s renowned architectural skyline. Additional amenities include a hotel, cafeteria, fitness center, messenger center, building conference rooms, and courier services. AMA Plaza features a state of the art fire & life safety system and is fully sprinklered. The HVAC system is a modernized energy efficient variable air volume system with unlimited zone control. The building is served by thirty-two (32) high-speed elevator cabs in three (4) zones in addition to two (2) freight elevators and one (1) shuttle elevator. The hotel utilizes eight (8) of the elevators for their use. Building Security features a security desk that is staffed 24 hours, 7 days per week as well as video monitoring of all entries into the building by CCTV including, but not limited to, the interior and exterior of the Plaza Level, loading dock, and freight areas and elevator cars. An 890 stall parking structure is located across the north end of the Plaza area at 401 North State Street and can be entered from State Street or Wabash Avenue.

Building History The original developer and owner of the building was IBM Corporation, when 2 ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

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the building was known as One IBM Plaza. IBM sold the building to the Blackstone Group in 1996. IBM all but completed its move out of IBM Plaza as of early 2006. Blackstone Group sold the building to the predecessor company of Riverview Realty Partners in 1999. In 2011, Riverview Realty Partners brought an affiliate of Five Mile Capital Partners into the ownership structure of the building as a joint venture partner. AMA Plaza has several design features that are rare in an office building but understandable given its original owner. The building’s electrical system, environmental system, floor strength, and ceiling height (on certain floors) can support large “raised floor” computing centers. Also, the “banked” newly modernized and intelligent elevator system is a model of efficiency and rarely keeps anyone waiting for service. In 2007, plans were announced to convert floors two through thirteen of the fifty-two story building into a high-end hotel. The Langham Chicago was opened in 2013, occupying floors two through thirteen. The building was declared a Chicago Landmark on February 6, 2008 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 26, 2010. It is the newest building in Chicago in terms of age on both lists. On December 9, 2011, the American Medical Association announced it would move its headquarters and entire workforce to 330 N. Wabash from its previous headquarters on State Street. The move occurred in September 2013 and the building was renamed AMA Plaza.

feet. Riverview leases and manages its properties, and also oversees (i) the asset management, leasing and management of various other properties for affiliates of Five Mile, including a portfolio of five properties containing 648,757 rentable square feet in the Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area, a 30-story office tower containing 693,126 rentable square feet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a 20-story office tower containing 439,645 rentable square feet in Houston, Texas, and (ii) the

asset management and property management of a 32-story office tower in Atlanta, Georgia containing 625,424 rentable square feet. “Riverview Realty Partners is proud to align itself with the best in 21st century environmental practices and policies. From reducing our emissions, to cutting excess lighting to installing state-of-the-art ventilation — to switching to HEPA-compliant vacuum cleaners — we know a clean environment is more than good business. It’s

enhancing landscapes for life… • Landscape Maintenance • Landscape Design/Build • Landscape Construction • Seasonal Flower Rotations • Snow and Ice Control

Building Management AMA Plaza/330 North Wabash is managed by Riverview Realty Partners. Riverview is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and is a fully integrated real estate operating and development company, providing its own property management, leasing, marketing and development functions. Riverview is a wholly-owned affiliate of Five Mile Capital Partners LLC (“Five Mile”), a Connecticut-based commercial real estate and alternative investment firm. Riverview currently owns one office property containing 167,756 net rentable square feet and a joint venture interest in the AMA Plaza office building in Chicago, Illinois, comprising approximately 1.14 million net rentable square

spring 2015

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ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

BuilDings & environMents

Y AMA Plaza implemented a food composting program in October, 2013, available to all tenants and to the hotel. This is the first application of composting in a multi-tenant, multi-use building in Chicago. Tenants can participate in the program by establishing a collection site within their space and following a list of compostable items which is provided by the management office along with educational courses which are available throughout the year. A total of six (6) tenants, 20% of total tenants, the building’s café and the hotel’s restaurants participate in the composting program. AMA Plaza successfully diverted 20.64 tons of compost in 2013 for the five months – annualized 50 tons or a 13% decrease in landfilled material. AMA Plaza also utilizes a commercial grade vermiculture composting container utilizing worms which eat a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing food or paper waste. The 40,000 worms eat 5,200 pounds of café waste per year. Compost is then collected and used in the building’s exterior landscaping as a high quality soil.

the key to a viable future for us all,” says Susan Hammer, General Manager of AMA Plaza for Riverview Realty Partners. Hammer leads a management team that consists of Property Manager Courtney Stern, RPA, Tenant Services Coordinator Yordanos Ghdey, Property Management Assistant Valerie Batts, Engineering Manager John Witkowski, Chief Engineer Jim Kyler, and Security Director Carl Reyes. Community Action & Involvement is also an important part of Riverview Realty Partners’ management philosophy. “Just as each one of our properties takes a signature stand in its community, our commitment to serve the surrounding community, as well as the Chicago real estate community, continues to stand strong,” says Jeffrey Patterson, President and CEO. “Similarly, Riverview Realty Partners feels that their efforts to promote public health are also an important part of their role in the community. “As our donations to the American Heart Association, the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Alzheimer’s Society attest, we believe our good fortune is meaningful only to the extent we can share it with others,” Patterson adds.

LEED Gold Certification AMA Plaza has earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold Certification for Existing Buildings (EB) Operations & Maintenance (O&M). LEED is USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient and high-performing buildings. To achieve the LEED-EB O&M designation, buildings are evaluated on exterior site mainte-

CHICAGOLAND’S LEADER IN WASTE, RECYCLING AND ROLL-OFF SERVICES

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nance, waste stream management, energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality, cleaning maintenance, stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. According to USGBC, the largest buildings account for nearly 72 percent of electricity consumption and 30 percent of waste output nationally. AMA Plaza applies a holistic approach to environmental sustainability by successfully integrating green practices into all facets of the building management including tenant relations and operations. As part of RRP’s ongoing commitment to greening AMA Plaza, building management implemented a comprehensive sustainability program focused on the following core elements: • A recycling program that enables AMA Plaza to recycle 96 percent of all office paper waste, 98 percent of newspaper waste and 95 percent of all cardboard waste, totaling more than 300 pounds of recycled material per person per year.

sionals Operations & Maintenance. The LEED® Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the design process, to support and encourage integrated design, and to streamline the application and certification process for buildings wishing to achieve a LEED® Certification. By achieving a passing score on a rigorous and comprehensive examination, LEED® AP’s have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles

and comprehensive knowledge of the LEED® Rating System.

Green Awards AMA Plaza was awarded the 2014 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award. This award is given to companies and organizations that implement techniques or technologies that reduce or eliminate pollutants, toxicity and other environmental impacts, including the amount of and/or toxicity of pollutants that would

• Initiating a sustainable purchasing policy that focuses exclusively on utilizing lowvolatility organic cleaning supplies and an assortment of recycled products to help improve the indoor air quality and reduce AMA Plaza’s carbon footprint. • Deploying automation technology and energy efficient lighting throughout the building, as well as a state-of-the-art HVAC system on redeveloped floors to curtail energy consumption and improve overall efficiency.

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• Promoting the utilization of public transportation with daily shuttle service to and from Chicago’s commuter rail stations. The shuttle, which operates during rush hour, is used by several hundred of AMA Plaza’s building tenants each day, thereby reducing auto emissions and traffic congestion in the Central Business District. • To ensure the success of its sustainability initiatives, RRP placed a priority emphasis on engaging and empowering AMA Plaza’s tenants to green their respective operations, as well. To date, three tenants, Latham & Watkins, Perkins + Will and Thornton Tomasetti, have received LEED for commercial interiors (CI) designation for their office space. Additionally, 100 percent of the building’s tenants are actively participating in AMA Plaza’s recycling program. • AMA Plaza’s General Manager, Susan Hammer and Property Manager, Courtney Farella are LEED® Accredited Professpring 2015

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Y Shown here accepting the 2014 Governor's Sustainability Award for AMA Plaza/330 N. Wabash Ave., L.L.C. and Riverview Realty Partners is (L to R) Eric Heineman, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Governor's Office, Kevin O'Brien, Director, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Susan Hammer, General Manager of AMA Plaza and John Witkowski, Engineering Manager of AMA Plaza. have otherwise been released into the environment. The Governor’s award looks to recognize sustainability programs and processes such as raw material and solvent substitution, preventive maintenance programs, beneficial reuse of by-products, waste reduction and recycling, employee engagement efforts, and comprehensive environmental management systems or governing policies. AMA Plaza was awarded the 2014 Challenge Building Leader Award for hav-

ing the most building tenants participating in the Chicago Green Office Challenge. Hammer also received the Excellence in Property Manager Engagement award for the 2014 Chicago Green Office Challenge. They continue to support and participate in the 2015 challenge and encourage other buildings and managers to participate as well. AMA Plaza holds the IREM Certified Sustainable Building Certification and was the first Chicago building to earn this

Y Shown here is Yordanos Ghdey, Tenant Services Coordinator at AMA Plaza, accepting the IREM Sustainability Certification award from Ronald Gjerde, IREM Vice-President (national office) designation (2nd in the nation). This certification is a mark of distinction for high performing, sustainable buildings recognized by IREM’s internal community of over 19,000 real estate professionals who set the standard for best practices in real estate management. IREM 2014 President Joseph Greenblatt, CPM commented, “We applaud the efforts of AMA Plaza’s management to secure our certification, knowing that it aligns with their commitment to adopt the

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best in 21st century environmental practices and policies. Clearly, we have a common goal, which is to ensure the long-term viability of the precious and increasingly threatened environment that we all share.” “This certification is important to all stakeholders of the building and to the entire Chicago office marketplace,” offered Hammer. “Earning the IREM® Certified Sustainable Property designation demonstrates our continued development of the building’s sustainability profile.” Riverview Realty Partners’ solid commitment to energy savings the past few years has resulted in some very impressive results that were noted in the IREM Sustainability Certification: » Reduced energy consumption, normalizing for occupancy and degree days by 47% between 2012 and 2014. This led to savings of 7,400,000 kwh and $633,347 annually. » Through installation of smart meters, engineers can monitor energy consumption in real time in order to benchmark usage and monitor deviations in equipment.

» A robust composting program involves eight tenants and the hotel and results in diverting approximately 5,000 pounds of food waste monthly. » More than 80%, or 11 tons of demolished tenant finishes were re-used during the renovation. Hammer said keeping up to date on energy saving technologies and innovations is a big challenge for commercial property managers today. “It’s important that managers constantly research sustainable options in order to present the right improvement to owners at the right time,” she said. “And, we must continue to communicate with and engage our stakeholders on the value behind these programs.” The AMA Plaza team incorporated education contests and employs social media and media screens to engage both office tenants and the hotel in its sustainability efforts.

ENERGY STAR Designation In addition to the LEED Gold Certification, the Governor’s Sustainability Award, the IREM Sustainability Certification, and the Green Office Challenge

awards, AMA Plaza also holds the ENERGY STAR designation. ENERGY STAR certified buildings save energy, save money, and help protect the environment by generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings. To be certified as ENERGY STAR, a building must meet strict energy performance standards set by EPA. Specifically, to be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification, a building must earn an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, indicating that it performs better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide. Through Portfolio Manager, EPA delivers 1 – 100 ENERGY STAR scores for many types of buildings. The ENERGY STAR score accounts for differences in operating conditions, regional weather data, and other important considerations. Certification is given on an annual basis, so a building must maintain its high performance to be certified year to year. And the information submitted in the certification application must be verified by a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) to be eli-

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More on Green Cleaning & Recycling AMA Plaza uses 100% post-consumer recycled content paper products in the building’s washrooms. AMA Plaza’s recycling contractor ships paper recycled at the building to a mill in Wisconsin which then turns the recycled paper into paper products for the washrooms resulting in a 100% Closed Loop Recycling program. AMA Plaza provides posters for more information on the closed loop recycling process and recycling facts for tenants to post in their office. Its extensive use of Low Volatile Organic cleaning products and equipment have reduced the building’s carbon emissions by approximately 40,000 pounds per year. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic (carbon based) chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. “When they evaporate or easily get into the air, they can be harmful,” Hammer adds.

Green Transportation The previously mentioned exclusive

shuttle service provided by AMA Plaza to and from the commuter train stations is not the only environmentally friendly transportation the building supports. Scooter parking is allowed on the northeast section of the plaza. Signs are posted on the rails east of the planters indicating the area where scooters can be parked. Bicycle racks are also stationed on the north plaza. A secured enclosure, consisting of 35 bicycle parking spaces, is available at the 401 North State Street parking garage. The AMA Plaza parking garage has several Zip Cars (that can rented by the hour) available.

Green Roof A vegetative roof was installed on the 52nd floor roof of the building. The green roof covers 50% of the available roof space, and consists of 6,400 square feet of sedum mix plants which can withstand the harsh conditions. An automatic control irrigation station equipped with wind and rain sensors regulates the water quantity and duration for the on-going health and stability of the plants while conserving water usage at the same time. The rooftop gar-

8 ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

den is maintained by an outside green roof specialist who also designed and installed the system at AMA Plaza.

Green Leadership Hammer and AMA Plaza have become widely known for their leadership in the Chicago business community and among professionals involved with green buildings in the city. When asked how she became interested and passionate about sustainability efforts, Hammer responded, “I was in the (building management) business when even recycling in commercial properties was in its infancy. I managed one of the first buildings which initiated a tenant recycling program in Chicago, and that started an obsession with providing means to increase recycling rates and to educate tenants. As the sustainability/energy conservation movement evolved, I moved along with it increasing my own knowledge – not only in the many different components of sustainability – but also in understanding how to be creative in communicating and educating tenants as well as others in property management to drive results.” $

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Illinois First in Nation for LEED Green Buildings on February 4, 2015, the u.s. green Building Council (usgBC) released its annual ranking of the top 10 states in the nation for leed, the world’s most widely used and recognized green building rating system, with the state of illinois placing first.

he per-capita list highlights states throughout the country that are making impactful strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation. leed-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. “every story about a green building is a story about people,” said rick Fedrizzi, Ceo and founding chair, usgBC. “usgBC’s annual recognition of the top 10 states for leed goes beyond gross square

feet or number of projects and factors in leed’s potential in a given state to be part of the daily life of the state’s residents. this per-capita approach tells a great story about how leed has become an important benchmark in the transformation of the nation’s built environment. leed certified buildings and the innovations they have driven contribute substantially to our national economic growth, create jobs and improve the quality of life in the communities where they are found. We commend the business and community leaders, policy makers and green building professionals in each of

these states for making the commitment to create a healthier, more sustainable future.” “illinois has so many committed business and community leaders, policy makers and green building professionals who are using leed to transform their built environment, producing many innovative spaces that will improve the health of our shared planet, as well as the health of the people who use those buildings every day,” added Fedrizzi. the per-capita list is based on 2010 u.s. Census data and includes commercial and institutional green building projects that were certified throughout 2014. illinois certified 174 projects representing 42,457,254 square feet of real estate, or 3.31 square feet per resident, in 2014. usgBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of green

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building, allowing for a fair comparison of the level of green building taking place among states with significant differences in population and, accordingly, number of overall buildings. “illinois has long been a green building trend setter where companies have made sustainability part of their business plan,” said Brian imus, executive director of usgBC illinois Chapter. “as a result, illinois is now positioned to be a leading exporter of sustainable technology and design to emerging markets where demand for leed is growing exponentially.”

A sample of notable projects that certified in Illinois in 2014 include: » nBC tower in Chicago, recertified as leed gold » advanced protein Characterization Facility at argonne national laboratory in argonne, leed gold » 540 West madison in Chicago, recertified as leed platinum » ridgewood high school in norridge, leed silver » the aon Center, a 3.2 million-square-foot tower in Chicago owned by Jones lang lasalle, leed silver

The full ranking of the top 10 states includes: Rank

State

Projects certified in 2014

Per-capita square footage

Square feet LEED certified in 2014

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (tied) 10 (tied) *

illinois Colorado maryland virginia massachusetts hawaii California georgia minnesota arizona new York Washington, d.C.

174 102 132 150 99 30 517 87 39 82 250 102

42,457,254 15,816,498 15,583,423 18,617,712 14,662,950 2,657,808 69,762,936 17,748,781 9,511,684 11,152,201 33,691,209 17,716,622

3.31 3.15 2.70 2.33 2.20 1.95 1.87 1.83 1.79 1.74 1.74 29.44

*Washington, d.C., is not ranked as it is a federal district, not a state.

» ge transportation headquarters in Chicago, leed gold » the FBi regional office in Chicago, leed platinum

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» the university of illinois at urbana Champaign’s maudelle tanner Brown Bousfield hall in Champaign, leed platinum there are more than 487 usgBC member organizations with a headquarters in illinois and more than 10,273 leed credential professionals across the state. Collectively, 1,662 commercial and institutional projects became leed certified within the top 10 states in 2014, representing 251.7 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,502 projects were certified in 2014, representing 675.7 million square feet.

more than 26,600 projects representing 3.6 billion square feet of space have been leed-certified to date, with another 42,000 projects representing 8.8 billion square feet in the pipeline for certification. usgBC launched leed v4, the newest version of the rating system, in the fall of 2013. the latest version continues to raise the bar for the entire green building industry, which Forbes magazine projects could be worth up to $960 billion globally by 2023. leed v4 features increased technical rigor; new market sector adaptations for data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, existing schools, existing retail and midrise residential projects; and a simplified submittal process supported by a robust and intuitive technology platform. $

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inDustry happenings

đ&#x;&#x201C;&#x2013; industry happenings Evolutionary Home Builders

Chicago-based, high-performance homebuilder Evolutionary Home Builders (EHB) celebrated a successful 2014 with a company-wide rebrand, multiple awards and first-of-its kind initiatives, including the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first hybrid Passive House & Living Building Challenge certified home and Illinoisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first installation of the DOW POWERHOUSEâ&#x201E;˘ Solar Shingle, resulting in national recognition as a leader in the sustainability sphere. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We recognized a need to reposition our brand in a way that completely reflects our full capabilities and services, hence our name change to Evolutionary Home Builders,â&#x20AC;? notes EHB Founder Brandon Weiss. In addition to changing its company name from Weiss Building & Development LLC to Evolutionary Home Builders, EHB also looked to extend its services by opening the eco-luxe retail space â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Evolutionary Homeâ&#x20AC;? in Geneva, Illinois. The space welcomes homeowners and green building enthusiasts to test new eco-friendly products and envision building their dream healthy home, complete with the highest levels of energy efficiency, building science and indoor air quality EHB has to offer. This is also a source for builders, designers and architects to source building materials from start to finish of construction, which are vetted based on EHBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s level of sustainability, from foundation to finishes to furnishings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The retail space also accommodates for EHB to offer furthering education and we look forward to launching a quarterly workshop series at The Evolutionary Home in January, 2015,â&#x20AC;? notes Weiss. To underscore their commitment to building high-performance homes, EHB also expanded their team with three new expert hires: Operations Manager, Jamie Carr, Project Manager, Patrick Danaher, and Eric Barton, Field Operations. EHBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awards and recognitions also grew, being honored with the 2014 Green Dot Award: 1st Prize in Build Category for "Lema Passive House" as well as the Crystal Key Award for innovation and creativity in energy efficient building for the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on The Adaptation Home. Inspired by these new advances, Weiss set off to build a dream home of his own and is revolutionizing the idea of Passive House, currently building one of the most innovative and healthiest homes in the country, lovingly known as "Ă&#x153;ber Haus.â&#x20AC;? The first-of-its-kind, Uber Haus is a non-toxic Passive House designed to meet the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strictest energy efficiency and building science certification. It is seeking Living Building Challenge and LEED v4 Platinum and would be the first in Illinois to achieve these certifications.

XFINITY Communities

Comcast recently unveiled a new suite of fiber-based products and services - Xfinity's Advanced Communities Network (ACN) - tailored specifically for multi-family properties within its residential footprint. To help multi-family owners, managers and builders compete today and into the future, ACN provides move-in ready gigabit-capable solutions over fiber or coax in existing buildings, greenfields, high-rises or single-family home communities; virtually eliminating the hassle of retrofitting current wiring. In addition to fast Internet speeds, ACN powers the full portfolio of XFINITY products including the innovative X1 platform, the fastest in-home Wi-Fi, XFINITY Home security and automation and digital voice. The services will be sold and delivered to customers by a newly branded sales team within Comcast Cable- XFINITY Communities- dedicated to providing XFINITY services to the multi-family industry. The group currently has more than 1,000 sales and support personnel and serves approximately 14 million homes. XFINITY Communities also offers XFINITY Amenity Services, giving owners and developers the opportunity to provide customized XFINITY services as a differentiating feature for their residents. Current amenity services include XFINITY TV, Internet, X1, XFINITY Wi-Fi for lobbies, event rooms, fitness centers, pools and more.

QCI Restoration

QCI Restoration recently announced itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership with Response Team 1, the 2nd largest restoration company in the nation as of December 19th, 2014. RT1 is a network of companies servicing the Southeast, Midwest and West coast who is dedicated to quality property restoration. QCIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s President Gary Skott stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our promise is to continue to serve our clients at the highest level possible. Disaster recovery has always been the foundation of our business and this partnership will enable us to serve our clients in a higher capacity.â&#x20AC;? QCI has been serving the Chicagoland area since 1978 and is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured fire and flood restoration contractor based in Elgin, IL.

spring 2015

Y Shown above accepting their IREM Sustainability Certification award from IREM Vice President Ronald Gjerde are Katie Sakach â&#x20AC;&#x201C; General Managerand Julia Rabban - Tenant Services Coordinator at 200 West Madison, managed by Transwestern Properties.

IREMÂŽ Sustainability Program

The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREMÂŽ) Chicago Chapter held a Lunch Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Learn program on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustainability Made Easy for Property Managersâ&#x20AC;? on Thursday February 5th at The AMA Plaza located at 330 North Wabash, Chicago. A group of just over 40 attended a seminar that was designed to help managers become more familiar with IREMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sustainability program. IREMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainability program is open to the industry at large to help property managers and other practitioners strive for efficient buildings, enhance financial performance and property values, and make a positive environmental impact. The program has a dedicated website â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.iremsustainability.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and consists of three integrated parts: a web-based platform, a challenge competition, and a new propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; level certification. Representatives from AMA Plaza/330 North Wabash, 200 West Madison, 71 South Wacker Drive/Hyatt Center and 300 South Riverside Plaza were recognized at the event for completing the IREM Sustainability Certification.

đ&#x;&#x201C;&#x2013; industry happenings

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

BuilDings & environMents

B y n i k c l a r k , s u p e r i o r r e s e r v e e n g i n e e r i n g & c o n s u lt i n g

Future Planning... Your mission and your facilities

rganizations of all types, public, private, commercial and non-profit, devote incredible resources to their core mission and strategic planning to pursue that mission. massive resources are devoted to dozens of aspects of carrying out the business of these companies and institutions from financial, accounting, marketing, production, customer service, and more. opportunities and threats to an organizations ability to perpetuate its endeavors are given great consideration, going so far as to make contingency plans for rare catastrophic events like natural disasters or even man-made acts of terrorism, war, or civil unrest. media coverage of these epic occurrences serve as a reminder and motivation for public and private entities to take precautions and to plan.

Age, Use & Exposure Can Be a Threat in spite of all of this deliberate planning, it is notable and perhaps ironic, that one of the most real and unavoidable threats to an organization’s ability to assure its long-term mission is highly predictable yet so often overlooked. this threat is the effect of age, use, and environmental exposure on your facility and your capital assets. natural disasters and acts of mankind, while concerning and potentially devastating, are extremely rare. in contrast, the constant deterioration of your facilities condition from aging, use, and exposure, is as constant, relentless, and unavoidable as gravity.

Critical Questions if posed the question, “have you adequately planned for the long-term repair and replacement of your facilities?” many people reading this article today would not be able to (honestly) answer in the affirmative. how long will your facilities last? is your organization best served by maintaining its existing facility or constructing a new one? has failure to plan for the long-term capital expenditures buildings and properties need affected your organization’s ability to carry out its mission? Will failure to plan for the predictable needs of your facilities interfere with your organization’s ability to carry out its core mission in the future?

Why Some Don’t Plan for Capital Improvements it’s easy to see how we came to a place where so many facilities have not planned for their long-term capital expenditures. elements that have an extended useful life of 5, 20, 50, or even 75 years, enabled property owners to ignore them for years and even decades. modern architecture really hasn’t been around “that long”. urbanization occurred at the turn of the century and with only a few exceptions, buildings constructed prior to that time weren’t capable of lasting indefinitely. advances in building technology including better foundations and structural innovation made possible by better design and the introduction of structural steel, allowed buildings to be built not only larger and taller than ever before, but also “built to last”. Buildings constructed in the 20’s and after were, with appropriate exterior maintenance, capable of remaining structurally sound indefinitely. in the context of civilization, our experience with modern architecture is relatively new. if your organization has not identified your long term capital expenditures *and* put in place appropriate plans for financing those projects to sustain your facilities, rest assured, you are not alone! With all that said, whether you have planned for them or not, these expenditures are coming, and they are unavoidable. as offered previously in this article, public or private, commercial or non-profit, your organization’s ability to carry out its core mission is dependent on having suitable functioning facilities. having suitable functioning facilities will not exist in perpetuity without proper long term capital planning.

Some Example Facility Types Consider the following examples. the mission of a hospital is to serve the critical health and medical needs of their patients. if deferred maintenance or delayed replacement results in hvaC system failures that render portions of a facility unusable, in spite of cutting edge medical technology, the best doctors, and most compassionate staff, the hospitals core-mission is in jeopardy. Consider a church, whose mission is to provide a

12 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

welcoming congregation for fellowship and worship to a growing community. if they are unable to use their sanctuary because of failing masonry and safety concerns, in spite of the most successful outreach and ability to attract new membership, the core role of the organization is sacrificed. a large world-class global manufacturer with the greatest r&d staff, top marketing talent, most skilled salesforce, and most client focused executive leadership team, will fail in its mission if a roof leak onto a manufacturing unit forces a production shut-down that delays critical deliveries of parts and supplies to industrial customers. Whether your facility is a new state-of-the-art high rise, sprawling legacy manufacturing structure, or a non-profit housing complex serving families of disabled veterans, a long-term capital reserve study is a best practice your organization should undertake to ensure that your facilities exist in suitable condition to allow you to carry out your core mission.

Capital Reserve Study What is a capital reserve study? a capital reserve study is an engineering review of your physical assets, their condition, and life-cycle. this engineering analysis is then integrated with a financial analysis creating a 30 year replacement schedule that predicts the cost and timing of expenditures as well as identifying appropriate funding needed to meet those expenditures.

What Does a Capital Reserve Study Include? a capital reserve study should identify all of your building and site assets that require a periodic (non-annual) significant expenditure for their repair or replacement within the next 30 years. this could include building elements like roofs, building exteriors, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems, floor and wall coverings, fixtures, equipment, windows, doors, and many other elements. it can also include site elements like parking lots, sidewalks, retaining walls, site lighting, irrigation system, storm water management assets, monuments, signage and more.

What is Not Included in a Capital Reserve Study? annual operating expenditures like cleaning, mowing, garbage removal, snow removal, and other annual maintenance expenditures that an organization has a relatively good understanding of, due to their ongoing nature, are usually not included. a capital reserve study also does not

spring 2015

s p e c i a l f e at u r e

[ Shown here is a church that had a 30 year capital reserve plan performed that covered all of their capital expenditures. Assets evaluated included everything from roofs, brick facade, parking lots and lighting down to the pews and interiors of the facility. They use the reserve study document for planning and budgeting as well as capital campaigns and fundraising for those future expenditures.

usually include non-annual expenditures that are small enough so-as not to affect the overall capital reserve funding needs of the organization. these expenditures are assumed to be funded from an operating account. sometimes a number of small non-annual capital expenditures are aggregated with other expenditures to be included in the capital reserve plan as an aggregate line item.

The Capital Reserve Study Process. the capital reserve study process begins with a proposal from a qualified firm. the most important aspect of the proposal process is to make sure the scope of work is well defined. make sure you have a mutual understanding with the reserve study provider of which assets will be included in the study. Qualified firms should have illinois *licensed* professional engineers on staff with well over a decade of reserve study experience. these licensed engineers should also have extensive construction engineering experience and they should personally perform the actual site inspections.

Not All Reserve Studies Are Created Equal. many firms provide “standardized” type capital reserve studies. these studies are usually performed by staff who are not licensed engineers. standardized studies have limited utility for general budgeting and planning but do not provide the kind of targeted engineering advice a custom study will. standardized studies are typically boilerplate documents that provide only generic replacement recommendations based on average replacement costs and standardized useful life tables rather than a subjective condition analysis based on an assets actual condition.

Uses and Benefits of the Capital Reserve Study: the primary purpose of a capital reserve study is typically for budgeting and planning. the data within the study will allow you to forecast your capital expenditures and prepare to fund them. a capital reserve study can also help your

spring 2015

organization make decisions regarding renovation vs. building new. as organizations consider the opportunity cost of the enhanced functionality of constructing a new facility, they should bring the data from a capital reserve study into the equation. When some organizations can clearly see the “when and how much” they will need to invest in their legacy facility, the decision of whether to renovate or build new can be a more informed data-driven conclusion.

Benchmarking Contractor Bids. the use of a capital reserve study goes far beyond budgeting and planning. once you have a document that details the timing and cost of your future projects, from an objective third party consultant, you can reference the supporting information as you go out to bid for the projects themselves. a detailed custom capital reserve study should include cost, materials, and scope of work. Compare your bids on any given project to the cost projections from your unbiased capital reserve consultant. Bids that come in significantly different than the study projections should be scrutinized for appropriate scope-of-work and suitable materials. For bids that contain appropriate scope of work and material specifications, the cost projections in the capital reserve study can be used as negotiation leverage if project costs are out of line with your reserve consultant’s unbiased figures.

Timing is Everything: the information in the capital reserve study detailing timing of needed projects allows your organization to coordinate major facility projects in a way to minimize interference with your core mission. unexpected events that occur as a result of deferred maintenance can be prevented. proper planning and a pro-active approach to future capital renovations allows staff to focus on their core responsibilities without interference from building system failures or emergency repairs and remediation projects.

Additional Uses for Reserve Study depending on the revenue sources your organization uses to fund future capital projects, there are additional uses of the capital reserve plan as well. non-profit and charitable organizations use their capital reserve study for fundraising and capital campaigns. the study provides an objective third party documentation of “needs”. it also serves as a testimonial to donors and grant providers that your organization has adept leadership that has a solid strategic plan. a properly maintained facility demonstrates your organizations ability to maximize the benefit of donor’s contributions and fulfills the Board of directors’ fiduciary obligations to the organization.

Vendor Review Process. Conduct a thorough vendor review process. Carefully review the qualifications of the individuals who will actually be inspecting your property. look for appropriate state engineering licenses and industry credentials. less experienced nonlicensed staff indicates a firm will rely solely on standardized cost data from national databases and useful life tables instead of a subjective custom evaluation. look beyond marketing talking points and evaluate sample reports during the proposal process to determine whether a study has genuine engineering advice or boilerplate glossary information. Whether you are a Ceo whose responsibilities include the oversight and leadership of an entire organization, or a facility manager who is tasked with managing your building and physical assets, commissioning a detailed capital reserve plan from an experienced consultant is a best practice with fundamental benefits to your organization’s core mission that should not be overlooked. $

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

eDitor’s Message

Chicagoland

Buildings Environments Volume 10, No. 2, Spring 2015

ince the start of 2015, we have struggled through below average temperatures and for most of us, spring couldn’t get here fast

enough. the past winter started mildly in 2014 but has packed a powerfully cold punch since the new Year. hopefully we are done with the brutal cold now and we can enjoy some pleasant or at least tolerable temperatures. not only does pleasant weather put people in a better mood for the most part, but Volume 21, No. 2, Spring 2015

we need favorable conditions outside to perform exterior maintenance, repair, and restoration projects that buildings all over Chicagoland want to get done. economic conditions in general continue to improve and many properties are now trying to get caught up with necessary maintenance, repair and restoration work.

Editor & Publisher Michael C. Davids

our cover story for this issue of CBe features ama plaza located at 330 north Wabash which is an iconic office building that is among Chicago’s greenest. this property profile article highlights the achievements and

Vice President Sherri Iandolo

leadership that the office building’s ownership and management has shown in their sustainability efforts.

Art Director Rick Dykhuis

panies, institutions and organizations that have been recognized for their leadership and achievements in

Contributing Writers James A. Fizzell, Cathy Walker, David Mack, Pamela Dittmer-McKuen

ings (per capita) with 174 that received this designation in 2014. We’ve also included a list of the winners of

Circulation & Administration Carol Iandolo, Mary Knoll, Arlene Wold

inside this issue we also highlight some recent accomplishments of the growing number of illinois com-

sustainability. illinoisans can be proud that our state ranks first in the nation in usgBC leed certified build-

the illinois governor’s awards for sustainability. Because we have such a diverse readership that includes some that are learning about the fundamentals of property and facilities management, we offer two articles that focus on basic elements of managing

Chicagoland Buildings & Environments (and The Landscape Buyer) is published in Spring and Fall by MCD Media as an independent magazine to inform owners, managers and others involved with commercial, multi-family, institutional and government properties about sustainability as well as property maintenance and restoration. CIRCULATION: Chicagoland Buildings & Environments (and The Landscape Buyer) maintains a circulation of 8,500. Subscriptions are available for $19.95 per year. Group subscriptions are available at $13.95 each, per year (orders of 5 or more). Single issues are available for $10.95. All material herein is copyrighted. No part of this publication may be reproduced whatsoever without written consent from the publisher. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is issued with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or accounting services. If legal advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Contact us at: 935 Curtiss, Suite 5, Downers Grove, IL 60515

buildings. the first is an article on planning for the future in terms of capital improvement projects that will eventually become necessary. the second article is on a suburban condominium building that underwent a complete window replacement project. Jim Fizzell’s regular feature (in the landscape Buyer) on the weather and your landscape provides some helpful tips on preparing your outdoor landscape for the coming season and what to watch for in terms of winter damage on your plants. our regular industry happenings columns along with highlights from a variety of special events can also be found in this issue. We will continue to explore many other green building trends and initiatives in coming issues of CBe. if you have a green story to share please let us know. if your property has a special need or challenge, mCd media produces special events that feature a variety of resources and experts to assist you. many members of our CBe advisory board will attend these events. there are also key resources from our sister publication – Condo lifestyles available at our special events. please consider attending our upcoming mCd golf invitational on July 17 and our luncheon at arlington international racecourse in late summer. You can view photos from various events we produce and others we participate in at the mcd media Facebook page. thanks to the many new subscribers that have found our publications useful and informative. special thanks to the firms, associations and groups that are authorized distributors of Chicagoland Buildings and environments, the landscape Buyer and Condo lifestyles. those of you who are interested in becoming subscribers can obtain subscription information on our website www.chicagolandbuildingsandenvironments.com

Phone us at: 630-932-5551, 630-663-0333 or 630-932-5553. green regards,

E-Mail us at: mdavids@condolifestyles.com Visit us at: www.chicagolandbuildingsandenvironments.com

Michael c. Davids editor and publisher

14 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

spring 2015

Professional Services Directory

ATJ’s Home Improvement 630-432-3238

ACCOUNTANTS

ASPHALT

Frost, Ruttenberg & Rothblatt, P.C. 847-282-6340

FM&J Asphalt Paving, Inc. 630-279-0303

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS Contact: Steve Silberman, CPA

Concrete & Asphalt Paving / Pavers & Color Stamping Drainage Systems & Sewer Repairs Sealcoating, Crack Filling & Striping www.fmjasphalt.com

ARCHITECTS / ENGINEERS

Hard Surface Solutions 815-344-8400 / 630-916-8005

Building Technology Consultants, PC 847-454-8800

www.hsshardsurfacesolutions.com

www.btcpc.com

Coder Taylor Associates 847-382-4100 Architects • Research • Engineering Specifications • Reserve Studies

Full Circle Architects, LLC 847-432-7114

ATTORNEYS Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit 847-537-0500 www.ksnlaw.com Advising and Consulting with Business Owners, Community Association Law & Collection Services, Construction Defects, Real Estate Assessed Valuation Reduction, Litigation, Commercial Restructuring, Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, Real Estate, Business ,Estate Planning

contact: Rob Sternberg RSternberg@ksnlaw.com

Daniel Baigelman, AIA dan@fullcirclearchitects.com Capital Improvements • Reserve Studies • Engineering Reports

www.fullcirclearchitects.com

J. Hershey Architecture 847-549-5900

Superior Reserve Engineering and Consultants 888-688-4560 www.superiorreserve.com

Waldman Engineering 630-922-3000 Energy Benchmarking Studies & Compliance Services, Reserve Studies, Specifications www.waldmaneng.com

www.atjshomeimprovement.com

Bral Restoration, LLC 847-839-1100 Masonry and Concrete Restoration www.bralrestoration.com

Dakota Evans Restoration, Inc. 847-439-5367 Tuckpointing ~ Masonry Repairs Waterproofing ~ Terra Cotta Repairs Caulking & Sealants ~ Structual Repairs Cleaning ~ Balcony Restoration Concrete Restoration www.dakotaevans.com

FM&J Services, Inc. 708-544-2219 General Maintenance & Handyman Services General Carpentry, Flooring, Painting, Concrete & Tuckpointing Parking Lot Maintenance, Striping, Sealcoating Catch Basin & Sewer Repairs Custom Chimney Caps, Flashing, Gutters & Metal Roofs Waterproofing & Pressure Washing

www.fmj-services.com

Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC 312-476-7556 Howard Dakoff / hdakoff@lplegal.com www.lplegal.com

Evaluations/Bid Repair Specificatons/Reserve Studies www.jhersheyarchitecture.com

BUILDING RESTORATION & MAINTENANCE

Riggio/Boron Ltd. A Total Exterior Facade Restoration Company

847-531-5700 www.RiggioBoron.net

BANKING

CARPET CLEANING

Community Advantage A W I N T R U S T C O M PA N Y

Done Just Right Inc. 630-893-0757

847-304-5940

mcorliss@djrcleaning.com | www.djrcleaning.com

Loans, Reserve Investments & Lock Box Services www.communityadvantage.com

CONCRETE Mutual of Omaha Bank Community Association Banking 312-209-2623 HOA Banking - Internet Cash Management HOA Loans - Online Payment Systems Dedicated Customer Service tom.engblom@mutualofomahabank.com www.mutualof omahabank.com

Hard Surface Solutions 630-916-8005 / 847-838-6610 Concrete Flatwork Specialists / Asphalt Paving Curbs & Driveways / Sidewalks / Footings &Foundations Colored & Stamped Concrete / Aggregate Finish Concrete Parking Structure Maintenenace & Repair Contact Tom Frye www.hsshardsurfacesolutions.com

FOR DISPLAY OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY ADVERTISING INFO, CALL (630) 202-3006 spring 2015

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

CONCRETE RAISING

ENERGY GAS & ELECTRIC

CRC Concrete Raising & Repair (847) 336-3400

CenterPoint Energy Solutions (630) 795-2594

We Save Concrete, You Save Money! www.SaveConcrete.com

DOORS

Natural Gas & Electric Energy Reliable Service. People You Trust. Contact: Vickie Farina Vickie.Farina@centerpointenergy.com www.CenterPointEnergy.com/CES

Woodland Windows & Doors 630-529-Door (3667) Window and Related Masonry Interior & Exterior Doors | Siding & Gutters www.woodlandwindows.com

DUCT CLEANING Airways Systems, Inc. 630-595-4242 Cleaning: Air/Laundry/Toilet Exhaust Ducts, Coils, Trash Chutes, Parking Garages. ALso Air Filters, Belts

Oceans Energy 312-870-0580 info@oceanscc.com | www.oceanscc.com

All types of Environmental Cleaning.

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line)

ConTech MSI Co. 847-483-3803 Fire Detection & Signaling Systems Fire Alarm Systems Chicago Life Safety Evaluation Solutions Security Systems/CCTV Card Access Systems www.contechco.com

Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) 866-2NIFSAB (866-264-3722) 708-403-4468 www.firesprinklerassoc.org

ENERGY USE/BENCHMARKING Waldman Engineering 630-922-3000 Energy Benchmarking Studies & Compliance Services, Reserve Studies, Specifications www.waldmaneng.com

www.airwayssytems.com

Brouwer Bros. Services

FIRE SAFETY & PROTECTION

Westside Mechanical Group 630-618-0608 / 630-369-6990 Serving the Tri-State Area Since 1970 Contact: Jackie Loftis * jloftis@wsmech.com www.wsmech.com

EMCOR Services Team Mechanical (847) 229-7600 www.emcortmi.com

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS Balanced Environments 847-395-7120 630-916-8005 www.balancedenvironments.com

HVAC Althoff Industries 312.332.5700

Done Just Right Inc. 630-893-0757

FIRE / FLOOD RESTORATION Brouwer Bros. Services

www.althoffind.com

mcorliss@djrcleaning.com | www.djrcleaning.com

All types of Environmental Cleaning. Air & Exhaust Duct Cleaning • Mold Remediation Garbage Chute Cleaning • Carpet & Drapery Cleaning Photo Inventory, Moving, Storage or Removal

EMCOR Services Team Mechanical (847) 229-7600

ELEVATORS/CONSULTANTS Smart Elevators Co. (630) 544-6800 (630) 544-6829 FAX

smartin@smartelevators.com www.smartelevators.com

Suburban Elevator Co. 847-743-6200 Simplifying Vertical Transportation Contact: Max Molinaro www.suburbanelevator.com

Mechanical - Plumbing - Electrical - Building Automation

www.emcortmi.com

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line) www.bbsteamatic.com

Westside Mechanical Group 630-618-0608 / 630-369-6990

QCI Restoration 847-891-2929 | 866-832-6724

Serving the Tri-State Area Since 1970 Contact: Jackie Loftis * jloftis@wsmech.com www.wsmech.com

www.QCIrestoration.com

The Restoration Group, LLC 630-870-0658 www.trgrestore.com

16 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

The YMI Group, Inc. 847-258-4650 Mechanical - Plumbing - Building Automation - Service www.ymimechanicalinc.com

spring 2015

HVAC CLEANING

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS

PAINTERS

Brouwer Bros. Services (800) CLEAN54

Landscape Concepts Management 847-223-3800

AAA Painting Contractors, Inc. 630-231-8350

www.bbsteamatic.com

www.landscapeconcepts.com

www.aaapaintco.com

INSURANCE

Sebert Landscaping, Inc. 630-497-1000

CertaPro Painters of the North Shore (847) 287-2642

www.sebert.com

Interior & Exterior Painting Wallcoverings • Decorating • Remodeling Drywall Repair • Decks & Staining Tile Installation • Metal & Iron Painting www.certacommercial.com tivanov@certapro.com

Hollinger Services, Inc. 847-437-2184 www.HollingerInsurance.com

Mesirow Financial 312-595-8135 Nancy Ayers

Oceans Advisors 312-508-3032 info@oceansadvisors.com www.oceansadvisors.com

JANITORIAL SERVICE Done Just Right Inc. 630-893-0757 mcorliss@djrcleaning.com | www.djrcleaning.com

Semmer Landscape 708-926-2304 gsemmer@semmerlandscape.com

PAVING

LAWN CARE Spring Green Professional Lawn & Tree Care 800-830-5914

DuBois Paving 847-634-6089 / 800-884-4728 www.DuBoisPaving.com

www.spring-green.com

MOLD REMEDIATION Brouwer Bros. Services All types of Environmental Cleaning.

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line)

FM&J Asphalt Paving, Inc. 708-544-6700 / 630-279-0303 Concrete & Asphalt Paving / Pavers & Color Stamping Drainage Systems & Sewer Repairs Sealcoating, Crack Filling & Striping www.fmjasphalt.com

PEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS Alan Horticultural Services, Inc. 630-739-0205

QCI Restoration 847-891-2929 / 866-832-6724 www.QCIrestoration.com

www.alanhorticultural.com

NUISANCE WILDLIFE

Balanced Environments 847-395-7120 / 630-916-8830

Smithereen Pest Management Services 847-647-0010

www.balancedenvironmentsinc.com

All-Over Pest Solutions (773) 697-1100 Bed Bug Specialists. Results Guaranteed! www.all-overpest.com

Smithereen Pest Management Services 800-336-3500 www.smithereen.com

ILT Vignocchi 847-487-5200 www.ILYTVignocchi.com

OFFICE RENTAL/LEASING PLUMBING The Alter Group 630-620-3600 www.altergroup.com

Christy Webber Landscapes & Kinsella Landscape (773) 533-0477

Lifeline Plumbing 847-468-0069 Plumbing - Heating & Air Conditioning Water Heaters - Sewer Cleaning & Repair Hot Water Drain Jetting www.INEEDLIFELINE.com

FOR DISPLAY OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY ADVERTISING INFO, CALL (630) 202-3006 spring 2015

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

REAL ESTATE TAX ATTORNEYS

SNOW REMOVAL

ACM Community Management 630-620-1133

Worsek & Vihon LLP 312-368-0091

Hard Surface Solutions 630-916-8005 / 847-838-6610

www.acmweb.com

www.wvproptax.com

Contact Tom Frye www.hsshardsurfacesolutions.com

Alter Asset Management 630-620-3600

ROOFING

SOLAR ENERGY

www.altergroup.com

B.T. Lakeside Roofing 630-628-0093

Solar Service, Inc. 847-677-0950

Associa Chicagoland 312-944-2611 / 847-490-3833

www.lakeroof.com

www.solarserviceinc.com

CSR Roofing Contractors 708-848-9119

TREE CARE & PRESERVATION

www.associachicagoland.com

Baum Property Management, LTD. 630-897-0500 www.baumprop.com

Caruso Management Group, Inc.

Industrial/Commercial/Multi Tenant/High Rise All types of Roofing Leak Trouble Shooting/Roof Repairs Roof Check 365 Maintenance Programs Conventional and Single Ply Roofing www.csr-roofing.com

Residential & Commercial

ROOFING

630-717-7188 www.carusomanagementgroup.com

FirstService Residential 312-335-1950 Contact Asa Sherwood or Elena Lugo www.fsresidential.com

Lieberman Management Services 847-459-0000 / 312-202-9300 www.liebermanmanagement.com

Tairre Management (847) 299-5740 tsutton@tairremgmt.com

S&D Roofing Service (630) 279-6600

TV / BULK TV & BULK INTERNET

www.comcast.com/xfinitycommunities For more information E-mail: xfinity_communities@cable.comcast.net

SHEET METAL [CUSTOM]

WASTE SERVICES/REC YCLING

J.J. Superior Sheet Metal, Inc. (708) 544-3757 Architectural Sheet Metal Specialists Coping, Counter Flashing & Specialty Copper Work Gutters & Custom Roofing Accessories www.jjsuperior.com

Elliott & Associates 847-298-8300

SIDING / RENOVATIONS

Property Tax Attorneys www.elliottlaw.com

Woodland Windows & Doors 630-529-Door (3667)

www.LSNLaw.com

Tree Pruning / Tree Installation / Replacement Tree Preservation / Tree and Stump Removal Insect and Disease Control / Tree Protection Mulching / Gator Bags & Watering Services www.landscapeconcepts.com

100,000 roofs installed TEAR OFFS • SHINGLES • FLAT ROOFS Our experience & technical know-how gets the job done right the first time! Serving the area since 1963 www.sdroofing.com | sales@sdroofing.com

REAL ESTATE TAX ATTORNEYS

KSN Tax 847-537-0500

Landscape Concepts Management 847-223-3800

XFINITY Communities 1 800 XFINITY

Lakeshore Recycling Services 773-685-8811 www.LakeshoreRecyclingSystems.com

WINDOWS/REPLACEMENTS Woodland Windows & Doors 630-529-Door (3667) www.woodlandwindows.com

www.woodlandwindows.com

Like us on Facebook/mcdmedia and view past issues at www.chicagobuildingsandenvironments.com

18 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

spring 2015

the lanDscape Buyer

SPRING 2015

By JaMes a. fizzell TH E WEAT HE R & YOU R LANDSC APE

Will Roller Coaster Pattern Continue? The tremendous loss of ash trees throughout our area is a stark reminder of what the plants in our environments mean to us. Sometimes we forget how important plantings are to the pleasure we get from our surroundings. We sometimes take them for granted because they are just there. Historically, our streets have been lined with big trees. Our parks have been beautifully planted with trees, grass, and attractive ornamental plants.

olks thoroughly involved in day-to-day activities may seldom notice plantings until the plants are in jeopardy or no longer there. then people wonder what happened. now the voids where magnificent trees once stood are ample evidence of what these wonderful plants provide. even the most casual observer can see the difference

Importance of Plants Consider how important your plantings are to the impression people have of your buildings. Compare a well-designed and maintained landscape to a building with no plantings. in my travels, i sometimes see unfinished buildings, one result of the recent financial setbacks. the shells are done but they are sadly empty. the spaces around them are ungraded with the ragged silt fences still hanging on. most conspicuous is the barrenness with absolutely no plantings . . . no flowers, no shrubs, no turfgrass or groundcover other than a few weeds, and no trees. even if the building is attractive, a property without landscaping is still is an uninviting site. at one time in urban areas, small spaces such as alcoves, courtyards and entry areas, were simply ignored. they were uninviting places where windblown trash accumulated and people avoided them. today these same areas are planted with trees, shrubs, and flowers, often with planters and benches, making them attractive and inviting for people who just want to spend a few moments outdoors. these spaces now provide secluded areas within the hustle and bustle of the city, but pleasantly detached from it. City planners now intentionally incorporate such areas in their work. most downtown streets were devoid of any plantings. When i was a kid, nobody even thought

spring 2015

about adding plants to a building’s design. the bricks and concrete really were cold and unfriendly. i distinctly remember walking along michigan avenue more than 70 years ago to a War Bond rally next to tribune tower. there were no trees, no plants, just concrete. look at michigan avenue today, or Wacker drive. how times have changed! similarly, buildings in outlying areas, in the past expected to be surrounded by paved parking lots, now are surrounded by park-like environments. Whatever the kind of development or facility in which you work or reside, landscape plantings are important. they soften the hard lines of the structures. they provide shade. they protect from the winter wind. they provide interest and define spaces.

Proper Landscape Management if you are a regular reader of this column, you already realize the importance of plants around your facility. and, you know care of them is not an item to be relegated to whomever has time to do the various chores. landscape design and management are skills taking years to learn and to master. and, care of your plantings is especially important. proper landscape management can make even a poor design look good. Conversely, poor care can ruin the most beautifully designed plantings.

Recent Weather Patterns the weather for the last couple of years has been challenging for our plantings. unforgettable was the tough winter of 2013-2014. however, summer 2014 was not as stressful as was expected with moderate temperatures and plenty of rain, thus allowing winter-damaged plants to recover. Fronts bringing moisture from the gulf of

mexico produced one of the stormiest, wettest summers on record. at our offices, the rain gauge registered 22.5 inches for the 2014 season. no 90-degree temperatures were recorded from June 1 to september 1, the meteorological summer, though temperatures hit 90 degrees on three occasions at o’hare. the summer by all accounts was cool, but temperature averages were normal, not due to warm days but due more so to unusually warm nights. Fall turned dry and cool. september was dry, october was mostly dry with two rain events adding up to normal precipitation for the month. temperatures were in the 70’s in september, dropping to low 30’s in early october with frost developing in the outlying areas the first weekend. We had freezing temperatures with snow flurries for halloween. november was cold, many days failing to get above freezing. precipitation was mostly light, quickly-melting snow mixed with rain showers on milder days. snowfall totaled about 6 inches for the month, but any accumulation quickly disappeared. december was milder than november, temperatures staying in the 30’s and 40’s. early in the month precipitation was mostly rain. the sun was an infrequent visitor. Christmas was mild and green.

Weather Pattern Changed with the New Year things changed the last week of 2014, winter arriving with a vengeance for the new Year. the coldest weather of the early winter was the first week of January with temperatures failing to get above the single digits, hovering around zero with a high of one degree on January 7, and hitting a low of 10 below on the 8th. unfortunately, little snow cover protected plantings and shallow roots. temperatures stayed below freezing for nearly two weeks, then warmed into the 30’s and even hitting 40 on a couple of days. any snow quickly disappeared. Following the mild second half of January, February’s arrival was another shocker. nearly two feet of snow fell across most of Chicagoland in the first weekend, with temperatures dropping to below zero at night and daily highs struggling into the teens. seasonal snow totals already were

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

the lanDscape Buyer

above normal for the season. snow cover made foraging by wild animals increasingly difficult and damage to plantings began to appear.

Expect Snow Damage the heavy snow quickly froze, weighing down branches on evergreens and smashing lowergrowing plantings. damage from snow removal showed up as scuffed turf adjoining pavements. the effects of the heavy salting and piling of salty snow can be expected as turf begins to grow in spring. after a week of the nasty stuff, things moderated the second weekend, temperatures getting into the mid-40’s. much of the deep snow disappeared before it got cold again. Freezing rain and snow flurries put a stop to the spring like respite. temperatures returned to well below the norms where they stayed for the next several weeks with only momentary respite. last fall in this column we suggested that the 2014-15 winter would be a roller coaster weather-wise, with icy, rainy, snowy weather all season, but no extended cold waves or warm spells. that certainly has been true. Weather predictions for 2015 season For an update on expected weather for the rest of the winter, next spring and early summer, we are fortunate again to have the expertise of our weather guru, greg soulje*. according to soulje, the remainder of the winter will continue much as it has since the new Year with temperatures trending below to much below the norms, but with no extended periods of either cold or warmth. this will continue well into spring with the potential for a memorial day freeze. Winds will be easterly much of the time, so we can expect the lake effect cold and precipitation. spring will be wet, soulje says, with sprits of snow and rain. late snows appear to be in the offing with several events in march, and a possible 3- to 4-inch snow in april. total snowfall will be above normal, maybe 40-plus inches. increasingly stormy weather is expected in mid to late spring.

Early Indications for Dry Summer early indications for the summer are not encouraging. the wet weather will switch off about the 4th of July, turning quite dry. soulje is concerned that the spring rain and snow will sufficiently recharge soils instead of running off. We

may need this soil moisture, he says. By the end of the three-month summer period we could be begging for rain, soulje thinks. summer temperatures are expected to be moderate with no extended heat waves.

Be Prepared for Spring Clean Up should the spring turn out wet as soulje predicts, expect a late start to the season. Cleanup and early planting may be delayed, but even in

wet seasons, there are dry days when some work can be done. Be ready to take advantage of these days. often, missing those few early opportunities delays the work for weeks. the difference between those who are prepared and those waiting out the weather can be quite obvious. While most contractors are aware and know the value of an early start, getting the contracts finalized and authorization to start is sometimes a slow process. if your contractor is waiting for management to finalize the arrangements, try to expedite the process now while there is time.

Anticipate Winter Damage anticipate winter damage. plants broken by the weight of the snow and ice will require trimming and shaping. these can be done as early as the crews can get into the sites. the wildly fluctuating temperatures interfered with plants maintaining full dormancy. Cold injury will show up in spring as dying twigs and branches. stems not killed outright may develop cankers that will girdle and kill them during the season. shallowly-rooted trees, especially in irrigated lawns without the benefit of snow cover, may have suffered extensive root damage. occasionally we see trees in these situations killed outright by

20 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

severe cold. plantings clipped back by foraging animals just got a severe trimming, and will regrow. plants girdled by rodents, and yews eaten to the ground by deer will need replacing turfgrass damaged by plowing and salting will need early repairs. leach out or remove salty soil, and either reseed or sod as soon as the soils are workable. re-set scuffed out grass, and firm it down so it can knit. With light, quickly melting snows continuing into spring, expect snow mold. affected grass will be matted down and gray. snow mold rarely kills the entire grass plant, just the leaves. to hasten the recovery, rake to remove the matts and to stand the grass up so it can dry out. although moisture should be adequate, plantings under overhangs or where the snow was blown away may be quite dry. Check these areas and water if needed. get replacement trees planted as soon as possible. small trees will take some time to attain a respectable size. the sooner they are planted, the sooner they will make a contribution to the landscape plantings. if larger trees fit the budget, some local nurseries have beautiful specimens, some up to 12-inch caliper or larger. trees up to 7-inch or 8-inch caliber can be spaded in.

Using Landscape Professionals professional landscape contractors are well aware of the problems such winters present, and are equally well prepared to deal with them. most already are planning for spring. if your contractor has been on-site for at least one season, he or she will have developed some ideas as to what needs to be done to fix some of the problems winter can create, and how to make your site(s) even more attractive. most contractors developed efficiencies that can be incorporated into the maintenance program that will expedite the care, and may even reduce the costs. While some areas on a site will necessarily demand high levels of care, there are others that might look just as good with reduced management. mowing every acre of a large site to 2-1/2 inches every week, for instance, isn’t needed. or, consider incorporating native plants which tolerate our conditions with ease reducing the care they need $. *greg soulje professional meteorologist, hinsdale, il

spring 2015

event highlights

Illinois Sustainability Awards

wenty-four Illinois companies and organizations were honored in late 2014 for their significant achievements in protecting the environment, helping sustain the future, and improving the economy. The Governor’s Sustainability Awards were presented by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) during a ceremony in Chicago. ISTC is a unit of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since 1987, ISTC has presented Governor’s Awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices. Any Illinois public or private organization is eligible to apply for the award. Winners are selected through a rigorous process of review and examination by ISTC technical assistance experts. Twelve additional organizations re-

ceived Honorable Mention Awards to acknowledge organizations whose environmental efforts also embody the spirit of sustainability. Eight college and university campuses were also recognized at the event by the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact for setting and meeting environmental goals on their campuses. The Compact encourages public and private colleges and universities to incorporate sustainability into their campus operations, academic and research programs, student activities and community outreach. “Investing in sustainability creates jobs, boosts our economy and is an investment in our future,” former Governor Patrick Quinn said as he presented the awards. “These awards foster inno-

vation and encourage our universities and businesses to help us build a stronger, greener Illinois.” “The linkage between sustainable policies and success in our businesses, our organizations, and our communities has never been stronger,” said ISTC Director Kevin O’Brien. “We are proud to call attention to these champions of sustainability who help lead the way by improving our quality of life through their responsible stewardship of people, profit and our planet.”

The 2014 award winners are listed below. 2014 Governor’s Sustainability Award Winners ama plaza/330 n. Wabash avenue, l.l.C. — Chicago argonne national laboratory — lemont armstrong World industries —Kankakee Baxter healthcare Corporation —round lake Best Buy Co., inc. —downers grove

rockford park district — rockford savor…Chicago — Chicago sweet Beginnings, llC. — Chicago thomason machine Works, inc. — rockford

Caterpillar inc. — Joliet Facility — Joliet

university of illinois at Y Shown here receiving the Governor's Award are representatives from Baxter Healthcare Corp,. (from L to R) Eric Heineman, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Governor's Office, Glenn Semple, EHS Chicago, Facilities manManager, Baxter, Andrew Wolff, EHS Representative, Baxter and Kevin O'Brien, Director, Illinois agement — Chicago

Caterpillar inc. — reman & Components division — mossville

village of Franklin park —Franklin park

City of arcola —arcola

village of park Forest — park Forest

Carus Corporation —peru

Sustainable Technology Center.

elmhurst park district — elmhurst

City of aurora —aurora City of galena —galena eaton’s B-line Business —troy environmental resources training Center at southern illinois university edwardsville — edwardsville

2014 Honorable Mention Governor’s Sustainability Awards Cabot Corporation —tuscola Caterpillar visitors Center —peoria

gabriel environmental services —Chicago

City of Chicago - department of Fleet and Facility management — Chicago

J.l. Clark —rockford

Comed —oak Brook terrace

midwest energy efficiency alliance —Chicago

Compass(x) strategy — Chicago

nestlé, usa —Jacksonville

dupage County — Wheaton

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public Building Commission of Chicago on behalf of Chicago public schools tmCs inC. & elsBo —Champaign uniCarriers americas Corporation — marengo village of hoffman estates — hoffman estates village of rosemont’s mB Financial park —rosemont

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2014 Campus Sustainability Compact Awards Program the other recognition was for participants in the illinois Campus sustainability Compact, which outlines environmental goals that colleges and universities may adopt on their campuses. the Compact includes objectives such as purchasing renewable energy, implementing green building practices, developing sustainable transportation options, improving water conservation, and incorporating sustainable dining practices. the program offers universities and colleges three levels of participation: • Bronze institutions making a commitment to creating a sustainability program and engaging the campus community. • silver institutions which are ready to make targeted commitments to greening their operations and monitoring performance. • gold for institutions that are integrating sustainability throughout their campus and working towards measured improvement.

The eight Illinois colleges and universities honored, and their recognition level were: gold – College of lake County – grayslake gold – Columbia College Chicago

gold – Knox College – galesburg gold – prairie state College – Chicago heights silver – elmhurst College – elmhurst Bronze – William rainey harper College – palatine Bronze – north Central College – naperville Bronze – oakton Community College – des plaines

Y Shown above are attendees at the 2014 Governor's Award for Sustainabilty.

the prairie research institute at the university of illinois at urbana-Champaign is the home of the illinois state scientific surveys: illinois natural history survey, illinois state archaeological survey, illinois state geological survey, illinois state Water survey, and illinois sustainable technology Center. it was established by statute in 2008 and builds on the surveys’ reputations for basic and applied research and service. www.prairie.illinois.edu. the illinois sustainable technology Center (istC) was established in 1985 and joined the prairie research institute with the other surveys in 2008.

22 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

its mission is to encourage and assist citizens, businesses, and government agencies to prevent pollution, conserve natural resources, and reduce waste to protect human health and the environment of illinois and beyond. www.prairie.illinois.edu. information on the governor’s sustainability awards program, lists of previous winners, and information on technical assistance are available from the illinois sustainable technology Center, one hazelwood drive, Champaign, il 61820, phone 217/333-8940, www.istc.illinois.edu. $

spring 2015

property profile

By M i c h a e l c . D av i D s

Elmhurst Condo Sustains Window Replacements Windows shouldn’t fail after just a decade, but for one Condo building located in elmhurst, illinois, it happened. a few small leaks were signs of widespread issues which eventually led to several window sashes actually falling out of the five story fifty-six unit building that was built in 2002. the condominium building is a structure clad in brick, limestone, cast stone, fiber cement siding, and 192 vinyl-clad wood windows.

he condo board president when the window problems were addressed was loretta Kalina. she had her hands full with complaints about the window leaks from residents of the building while also leading the condo board on a number of other important matters.

Turning a Challenge Into a Positive Kalina reflected on the situation, “i was president of our association Board and it still amazes me how we were able to take on this very challenging problem and turn it into a great positive.”

she adds, “i was one of the very first residents of the building. at the time i had lived in the building for 11 years, so to have a failure of the windows seemed beyond belief to me.” typically windows should have a useful life of 20 years or better, provided they are fabricated and installed correctly, and adequately maintained. one of the biggest reasons that any windows eventually fail is because of water penetration.

Look to Professionals for Solutions Kalina continues, “We did look to our man-

agement company for help in figuring out a solution to our window problems. their suggestion was to hire a consulting engineering company specializing in building envelope issues to study the problem.” “the issues started to become more frequent and window sashes actually fell out of the building,” relates Charles perry of lieberman management services, inc. perry was a senior portfolio manager and responsible for overseeing the property management at the elmhurst Condo building when the window problems came to light. he is now director of Business development for lieberman management. perry and the board hired Building technology Consultants (BtC) in october of 2010 as the engineers to investigate why some of the window sashes were falling out. patrick reicher of BtC served as the project engineer, “We were able to start small with an investigation in a single residential unit, which ultimately led to a larger investigation of the entire complex,” states reicher. “We reviewed 100% of

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spring 2015

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BuilDings & environMents

the windows from both inside and outside the building. From within each residential unit, we opened each operable window to assess the hardware attachment to the window sills.” during the investigation, BtC observed hairline cracks and tears in the vinyl cladding materials at many of the windows. they also observed displaced and/or discontinuous vertical trim strips, unsealed and missing mull end caps, deteriorated window perimeter sealant, and water-damaged interior window trim. exploratory openings through the vinyl cladding revealed rotted wood window framing. reicher adds, “deterioration of the wood window framing was primarily attributed to water penetration at the hinge hardware fasteners and displaced mull strips. during our evaluation, approximately 30% of the windows were found to have loose hinges. at these locations, water can penetrate through the holes in the vinyl cladding and saturate the wood frame. the sashes at many of these locations were not adequately attached to the wood frames, and were susceptible to falling from the building.” subsequent to the investigation, BtC issued reports detailing their findings so management, the board and the residents could have a thorough

understanding of their window issues. “upon conclusion of our investigation, we were able to provide the facts and report the overall condition of the windows to the association. ultimately, we found there were many deficiencies with the existing windows which would either allow water penetration or pose fall hazards to building occupants or others on the ground below.”

Window Replacement Remedy Kalina stated, “they did a very thorough study and came back with very serious proposals to remedy the problems that we had. there were no band-aid or low cost solutions.” reicher echoed Kalina and said, ”any repairs to the existing windows would not have been long term in nature, and implementing such repairs would not be prudent. Window replacement was necessary.” after much discussion and consideration by the board, among residents and with their professional advisors including management and attorneys, the association decided that replacing all the windows at the property would be the proper solution and serve their long term interest best. Certainly there were some unit owners who were not in favor of the window replacement project. “that’s a decision that any board facing a

significant capital improvement project needs to make, ‘what is the best option for the association,’” adds reicher.

Selecting Window & Manufacturer the engineers at BtC worked with marvin Windows to help find a solution using their ultimate Casement Window, an aluminum-clad wood window. marvin’s extensive experience with large scale replacement projects in condos, apartments and dorms was a primary factor in choosing them to get involved in this project. according to reicher, “given the facts, the association ended up choosing aluminum-clad wood windows so that they could keep a similar appearance to the existing windows, while ensuring the new windows met specified performance requirements. the new windows also exceeded minimum illinois energy Conservation Code requirements.” reicher continued, “the original installation did not include properly installed pan flashing below the windows in accordance with industry standards. For the replacement project, it was important to provide pan flashing, but we needed to avoid anchoring the new windows through the flashing material. to accomplish this, we worked with the architectural department at marvin. For the final design, we used

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24 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

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property profile

brackets that could be anchored directly to the rigid pan flashing back dam, thus ensuring no penetrations through the pan flashing horizontal drainage surface. therefore, the pan flashing assembly served two purposes: it provided a drainage system below the windows, and also allowed for window anchorage along the sill. as a quality assurance measure, we specified all windows to be mulled in the factory and shipped to the site as fully assembled units. With the complete assembly of the windows taking place at the factory, we were able to limit some variables that would be present if the windows were mulled in the field. even the largest windows were shipped to the site as fully assembled units. Choosing a manufacturer up front gave us the opportunity to design the project more efficiently, and work out installation details in advance. this was especially helpful during the bidding phase of the project, as each potential contractor was provided detailed information

spring 2015

regarding the proposed installation.â&#x20AC;?

Window Installation once the Bidding documents (drawings and specifications) had been created for the project, an

installer had to be selected before any pre-construction meetings and window mock-ups could begin. perry states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We moved forward with the bid analysis process and the board ultimately selected Woodland Windows and doors as the

ChiCagoland Buildings & environments

BuilDings & environMents

contractor for the project. When we began to implement installation of windows into the building, we were able to get a homeowner in one of the first floor units to agree to be a test case.” this helped overcome the fears and concerns that a few residents had about noise, debris and having workers in their homes. the elmhurst condo resident owners found as the project progressed and they saw the quality of the new windows and the quality control assurances that were going into the construction and installation of the windows that the results and feedback was very positive. Woodland Windows and doors, a third generation family business, employed its second and third generation to manage the window replacement project. Ken mariotti, the current president of Woodland and nephew phil mariotti, project manager for the company, worked together to oversee their aspects of the project. “after we finished the mock-up (test case), we found that everything was coming together very well, with a few minor adjustments, so it gave everyone the ability to see what they’re up against before actually getting into the project,” said Ken mariotti. the project involved a total of 192 openings

that ranged from small twin casements which are 4’X5’ to a larger composite of 7’X7’ in size. mariotti adds, “We actually brought the windows up utilizing our own articulated lift to raise the new windows up to the openings from the exterior.” one aspect that made the installation a lot easier was having marvin apply masonry brackets to the windows before they were shipped to the site. “We had 3 installers on the crew that worked on the elmhurst condo project. they started the job and they finished the job – there were no different faces out there for the entire job so there was a good strong relationship with each of the unit owners. marvin did a really nice job of labeling the windows before they came out. it’s kind of a small feature, but when you get into a project of this size and complexity, if there’s anything specific about a particular unit, it gives the installers the ability to look at the marked label and know which opening it’s supposed to be installed at.”

Communication & Technology “our installation coordinator looked at the entire project and he forecasted the work out for the duration of the project,” mariotti continued. “When we are responsible for interacting with the

homeowner regarding the work schedule it can result in better efficiency and we are glad to take on some of the communication work to assist the property manager in that regard.” another important scheduling item that minimized inconvenience to residents was that the installation crew did not begin work on the next unit until they were completely done with the previous unit on the schedule. “When you are working with property managers and homeowner associations, there’s a lot involved in those relationships because everyone has a different need,” mariotti contends. the use of modern technology and open communication was instrumental to the success of the window replacement project. management and the board held three meetings open to all residents dedicated to discussing the project in advance. additionally, all submittals were required to be completed prior to the project being started which reduced the need for communication on those items during the project. mariotti adds, “When you are dealing in a home environment, you are working around furniture and a lot of valuable personal items. it’s paramount that everyone involved including the actual crews doing the work understand that they have

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26 C h i C a g o l a n d B u i l d i n g s & e n v i r o n m e n t s

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property profile

to respect the resident’s home. so having our own people doing the work becomes very important. on this project, many of the residents came to know our crew members by first name because they were the only three workers that performed the installation of the windows for each resident. some residents were even baking them cookies by the time we were done!” during the installation process, technology was utilized to increase efficiency. as crews came upon any issue of uncertainty, they snapped a photo from their smart phone and immediately sent it to the engineer. “in most cases, we could determine the solution via phone communication without requiring the engineer to perform a site visit. and when it was necessary for the engineer to perform an inspection, it was done that same day”

Y Shown here is the inside of a condo unit protected with plastic covering to avoid any damage during window replacement work.

Y Shown here is one of the window sills that had rotted wood from water penetration and caused a potential hazard of a window falling out.

Y Window perimeter sealant was installed around the interior and exterior of the windows to limit air leakage through the gap between the window frame and building.

Y Shown here is the installation crew using their articulate boom lift to place a new window.

Y Shown here is the pan flashing assembly back dam. Screws were used to attach the back dam to brackets installed along the window sill.

Y Shown here is a view of one of the new windows from inside the condo unit.

Funding the Window Replacements paying for necessary capital improvements is a critical part of achieving a successful solution to a challenge such as having windows falling out of your building. the window replacements at the elmhurst Condo were funded by a loan and a special assessment that was passed by the board and approved by residents of the association. the collateral for the loan was the assignment of association assessments. the loan was secured through Community advantage, a Wintrust Company. the special assessment had two payment options. residents could elect to make payment on the special assessment in one lump sum (saving the owner on interest charges), or they could make payments over a five year period. Community advantage president pete santangelo stated, “We were pleased to provide a loan to fund this window replacement project. one of the significant factors for us to offer financing for the association members was because of the use of the highly credentialed professional management, engineer and contractor that were involved.”

Positive Result perry concluded, “the best thing for me as a manager is to not have to take any complaint calls and not have to make any apology calls. if you can get a project where you can do that you’re very lucky and i can say this is one of those projects.” the use of aluminum-clad wood windows with argon-filled insulated glass units resulted in windows that exceed minimum state of illinois energy Conservation Code requirements. additionally, installation of low-rise foam insulation will reduce thermal loss around the window frames. as such, the replacement windows are expected to provide much greater energy efficiency than the original windows installed just 11 years ago. additionally, due to the proximity of train

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Elmhurst Condo Window Replacement Project Highlights: » marvin Windows consisted of argon-filled insulated glass units with low-e coating. replacement windows had a uFactor=0.29 and a solar heat gain Coefficient (shgC)=0.29, exceeding minimum state of illinois energy Conservation Code requirements. » sheet metal pan flashing assemblies included a thermal break to improve thermal performance of the window systems. » Window perimeter sealant was installed around the interior and exterior of the windows to limit air leakage through the gap between the window frame and building. » low-rise foam insulation was installed along the jambs and head prior to installation of interior perimeter sealant to reduce thermal loss around the window frames. » Windows were mulled in the factory, and shipped to the site as fully assembled units. this limited the possibility for field fabrication errors and installation issues. » Wood window interiors were primed and painted in the factory. this reduced the time required for installation and finishing within units. » due to the proximity of the train tracks to the building, unit owners were provided the option to reduce sound transmission through the windows. sound transmission reduction was accomplished by providing thicker panes of glass and a slightly larger air space between glass panes. For a small increase in window material and fabrication costs, an approximate 30% reduction in sound transmission was achieved.

tracks to the building, unit owners were provided the option to reduce sound transmission through the windows. sound transmission reduction was accomplished by providing thicker panes of glass and a slightly larger air space between glass panes. For a small increase in window material and fabrication costs, an approximate 30% reduction in sound transmission was achieved. Kalina summarized her feelings about the project saying, “the owners that preceded the work done at my unit all praised the operation in spite of the fact that it was so deep into the construction elements of the building. so i went along thinking that everything would work out fine at the end of the project – and it did! the operation of the windows is smoother, easier, giving better performance than what was replaced.” $

(source: Building technology Consultants)

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