The Trowel April / May 2017

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • April / May 2017

Font style: Silom

SECRET OF SUCCESS at Tradeshows Four Key Goals of Acoustic Standards and Guidelines Clean and Green Recycling Ceiling Tiles

Publications Mail / Agreement # 40719512

Cascades Casino Kamloops, BC

PLC4

BYPASS DEFLECTION CLIP

BEST DEFLECTION CLIP IN THE INDUSTRY

The PLC4 Bypass Clip is a premium solution for bypass curtain wall connections. The PLC4’s advanced design provides secure attachment to the main building structure while allowing seamless vertical deflection.

SCAFCO’s PLC4 Bypass Clip was professionally tested and certified by IAPMO Unfirom Evaluation Service.

Structural capacity tests for both compression and tension proved the PLC4’s ability to handle the most extreme exterior wind loads.

• Quicker Installation (Custom Screws)

• Safer Material Handling (Chamfered Corners)

IAPMO • Increased Load Capacity

UNIFORM

• Versatile Secure Attachment ER 0494 Option 4010 6A St. NE Calgary, AB 403-265-9005 Preferred Distributor of SCAFCO and Other Quality Products Contact SCAFCO Technical Services: Technical@SCAFCO.com

IAPMO

UNIFORM ER 0494

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • April / May 2017

Font style: Silom

SECRET OF SUCCESS at Tradeshows Four Key Goals of Acoustic Standards and Guidelines Clean and Green Recycling Ceiling Tiles

Publications Mail / Agreement # 40719512

Cascades Casino Kamloops, BC

The Trowel team

6

8

12

14

Lara Perraton, Group Publisher lperraton@pointonemedia.com Blake Desaulniers, Editor 877.755.2762 •blake.desaulniers@pointonemedia.com Lara Perraton, Advertising Sales 877.755.2762 • lperraton@pointonemedia.com Christina Tranberg, Advertising Sales 877.755.2762 ext 1408 • ctranberg@pointonemedia.com Sharon Hawes, Advertising Sales 877.755.2762 ext 1406 • shawes@pointonemedia.com

contributing writers Ron Coleman Andrew Delmonico Gary Madaras Drew Smith John Wiebe

cover photo Courtesy of the BCWCA.

Published bi-monthly by Point One Media, Inc. The Trowel P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 t: 877.755.2762 • www.thetrowel.ca While information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable, the publisher may not be held liable for omissions or errors.

Contents ©2017 by Point One Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the publisher.

Printed in Canada. Postage paid at Simcoe, ON. Return postage guaranteed. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40719512.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The Trowel Circulation Department P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 e: circulations@pointonemedia.com

Journal of Record for

CONTENTS • april / may 2017 6 Secret of Success at Tradeshows

Discover how to get the most from good planning. Make tradeshows work.

8

Four Key Goals of Acoustic Standards and Guidelines Armed with knowledge and the right science, you’re in control.

12 Clean and Green: Recycling Old Ceiling Tiles Pays Off Cleaner, more efficient, and profitable, ceiling recycling is the way to go.

14 Doing it Right—No Gamble in Kamloops 2016 BCWCA award winner Kodiak Drywall changes the game at Cascades Casino.

Departments & Columns

22 building science

04 editorial

23 contractors 101

05 drew’s rant

25 it’s the law

18 feature focus

26 industry news

21 around the world

26 advertiser index

The Trowel is a registered trademark of the BC Wall & Ceiling Association.

The Trowel is published six times per year expressly for members of the wall and ceiling industry.

In the next issue: Safety Culture • Restoration / Renovation • Interior Finishing

editor’s COMMENT

Back on Track? Maybe so…

It has been a long, hard decade.

Now, after years of false starts, world economies look to be gaining momentum at last. nt style: Silom Since 2008, we’ve suffered through the Euro crisis, sketchy emerging markets, the oil price collapse, and fears of a China meltdown. While the US economy did continue to grow, it has constantly fought economic headwinds. Four times in 2016, the US Federal Reserve chose to forego planned interest rate hikes.

That tune has now changed. In March, the Feds raised rates for the second time in three months—in part because of US growth, but also because of strength everywhere else.

China has come back. Its factorygate inflation rate has hit a nineyear high. Japanese fourth-quarter capital expenditure grew at its fastest rate in three years. The European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Indicator has reached its highest since 2011, and Eurozone unemployment is at its lowest since 2009.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

4 » The Trowel

By / Blake Desaulniers, Editor In South Korea, a proxy for world trade, exports in February rose above 20 per cent. Taiwanese manufacturers have posted 12 consecutive months of expansion. Even in places where recession holds on hard, the worst has passed. Inflation in Brazil tamed, interest rates have been falling. Indeed, Brazil and Russia are both expected to add to global GDP this year, not subtract from it. And, according to The Institution of International Finance, the developing world has hit its fastest rate of growth since 2011.

It will be easy for populist politicians to claim the credit. That would be misleading. This long-awaited recovery has been in the works for years, and populist politics has had nothing to do with it. The US, for example, has been creating net new jobs for 77 consecutive months. Most of the other indicators above reflect policy and action undertaken well in the past—they are largely not related to US government initiatives of the last few months.

In fact, policies such as President Trump’s proposed tax cuts and

threatened protectionist measures could damage or derail growth. A large injection of monetary stimulus at a time when the US economy doesn’t need it will boost inflation and make the Feds’ job harder. Economic nationalism and trade barriers do nothing to promote global economic growth. Trade wars, or even the risk of trade wars, can do plenty to undermine confidence and squelch investment.

At home in Canada, things are looking up. Canada’s job market ended 2016 on a bit of a tear, adding more than 200,000 jobs from August onwards.

Dom Maklerski in Warsaw, the topranked forecaster when it comes to the Canadian dollar, sees the loonie heading higher in 2017. Statistics Canada has reported that Canada swung to a trade surplus for the first time in two years in November, as the economy exported $526 million more than it imported that month. The TSX is at or near all-time highs, and strategist Colin Cieszynski at CMC Markets in Toronto says there’s every reason to think it could go higher.

All of this is, of course, good news.

Yet while things appear to be finally looking up, there remain bumps in the road ahead. Still, if calm heads prevail in the US, and Brexit proceeds in relatively orderly fashion, and Europe rejects the temptation of populism, then we should all have a few good years ahead. That would be welcome by all. ■

drew’s RANT QUALITY BEFORE QUANTITY How tired are we as contractors of spending our hard fought monies on labour and materials, and having to return to our sites, re-visiting work areas to correct silly oversights and/or substandard work? Have we created our own monster? Frankenstein walls and ceilings?

These costs to our companies directly impact our profits, yes?

Although we are all aware that time is money and we need to get it done ASAP, I believe we need to place further emphasis on quality before quantity— there is no logical reason to move quickly through our tasks on site if they are not done correctly the first time. Surely we can all agree on this?

“Backframing” should be considered a four-letter word—a constant concern in our industry.

I receive a lot of feedback from your apprentices when charged with the tasks of “backframing” on their respective sites. Surprise—they don’t like it. Who does? I convey to them that while it is unfortunate, it may also be a blessing for them as the youth in the trade. One, your supervisor has placed his confidence in your abilities to attend the areas in question, review and correct the issue, and document if necessary. Two, it’s an opportunity to learn that there are tradespeople in our industry that either don’t know, suffer a lack of training and supervision, or in a worst case scenario (I hate to say it) don’t care to build things right the first time. Three, the more “backframing” we do, the more we should learn. That’s how we will develop the skills to think outside the box and come to a logical solution to correct a problem.

This is a great learning and trust experience our supervisors have tasked us with and he/she is counting on us for our skills. This will no doubt help us develop into better wall and ceiling

tradespeople, perhaps, than the workers we are following behind, correcting errors or oversights. In that regard, we have a very important job to do.

Yes, “backframing” is a huge cost to our companies as can be our other popular topic: “deficiencies”.

Many of us were fortunate to develop our skill sets in a time that we were taught to do it right the first time. Maybe “taught” isn’t the right word; it was more like a beat down. I digress. A novel idea just the same. When did we lose this idea?

How do we get back on track?

At your classes of instruction at BCWCA, I tell apprentices we must learn the correct way to achieve our tasks when directed. Once we have learned the correct way to complete our tasks, then and only then, can we charge ourselves with increasing our speed and production for our employers.

Think of our work as a chess game. Think a few moves ahead and about the trades that will follow behind us—be they layout to framing, framing to drywall, or drywall to taping, for example. Every move or decision affects another. Can we complete the task faster? How? Will we be able to save our employers some costs if we think outside the box?

By / Drew Smith, BCWCA Photo courtesy of Sarah Dunlop consider the need for speed is resulting in unnecessary and costly mistakes and this is not an acceptable construction process. We are throwing our money away. I like to believe our manpower does not make mistakes or achieve substandard work on purpose. Rather, they are being driven by how much they are expected to get done in a day. Quantity before quality should never be an acceptable construction process.

For the future success of our projects and as a driving force in the industry, let’s continue to strive for quality work complemented with quantity production.

Let’s own our work, put our names on it, and we will be able to proudly stand behind it as apprentices and tradespeople.

Until next time, cheers! ■

We are on our way to being tradespeople.

Journeypeople. This is the goal.

We are an industry that requires speed— production, if you will. An industry that, arguably, is the driving force on the majority of our projects.

When we arrive at our project sites, generally on day one, we are advised that the project is months behind schedule.

“Mac, it’s up to you to get us back on schedule.” That’s reality and a little bit of pressure. On day one!

Reality means we will always have mistakes or oversights on our projects.

To try and mitigate these problems,

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • April / May 2017

Font style: Silom

SECRET OF SUCCESS at Tradeshows Four Key Goals of Acoustic Standards and Guidelines Clean and Green Recycling Ceiling Tiles

Publications Mail / Agreement # 40719512

Cascades Casino Kamloops, BC

Are you reading a borrowed copy of The Trowel? Get your own!

Subscribe online at wallandceiling.ca wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 5

© Can Stock Photo / marcorubino

SECRET OF SUCCESS AT TRADESHOWS PLAN A WINNING STRATEGY AND STICK TO IT By / Blake Desaulniers

R

eady to succeed at tradeshows? Having a clear plan can amp up the return you get on the time and money you invest.

Understanding how to win as an exhibitor and as an attendee is critical to getting the most out of any tradeshow. And, both roles are ultimately about making and collecting contacts.

First and most important—planning and preparation. Before hitting the show floor, find out who will be there and decide who you are going to meet. Don’t overlook social gatherings and speaker presentations. Both are great venues for making new contacts. Meeting other exhibitors, including your competition, can eventually yield benefits.

Tradeshows can be chaotic. You must have a plan of action so you make the most, and the most important, contacts.

If you do plan to exhibit, you’ll incur some costs to create a booth and to rent floor space. Some companies may be inclined to try to cut corners here. This is generally not advisable. You need to break through tradeshow noise and make your booth inviting to most people. You also want to frame

6 » The Trowel

your business and message in high-impact, memorable style.

You’ll want people to come into your booth and engage. So running a table across the front of your show space, for example, probably isn’t the best idea. Give them a reason to step inside and meet you. A video or interactive display can be effective. Be warm, welcoming, and friendly.

Behaviour in the booth also makes a difference. Here are a few tips.

• Prepare three to six engaging questions before the show • Ask open-ended questions beginning with who, what, where, when, why, or how • Relate questions to your industry, product/service, and its benefits, or to a specific situation • Avoid trite questions, such as: “Can I help you?”; “How are you doing today?”; “Are you enjoying the show?”

• Smile • Always stand facing the aisle • No food or drink in the booth • Avoid standing in groups; this can discourage visitors

Positioning can also contribute to success. Main aisles, entrances (without being too close to the entrance), ends of rows, and corner spaces to attract traffic from intersecting aisles are all highly-desirable locations. Also, seek out locations two or three booths up the main entrance aisle. Being close to seminar locations and food services works, too.

If possible, get on the speaker list. Being a presenter at a seminar reinforces your expertise and can stimulate booth visits and introductions.

As an exhibitor/attendee or simply as an attendee, your main goal should be to make friends. You’ve done your preparation and targeted the people you want to meet; now is the time to put your best foot forward and meet them.

According to Scott Ginsberg, author, speaker, and the creator of NametagTV.com, an online training network that teaches approachability, you “should see other people as an opportunity to make friends, to deliver value, to learn something.

If they are an opportunity to sell, to get a referral, or to give a business card to, that’s not the right attitude. I think you need to position yourself as a resource. I’m a firm believer in physically bringing something to give to people.”

It’s not about logo-bearing erasers and water bottles. Ginsberg is talking about a copy of an article you wrote or clipped out, a list of your favourite books, or something that’s relevant to the event—something of real value.

Be social. Attending social functions, receptions, dinners, and the like can be one of the best ways to make new friends.

These days, being social also means using social media. Post to your social media accounts from the show floor, or even live stream Facebook video if you can, using the show’s official hashtags.

Follow Up Follow Up Follow Up

ADD, instant gratification, hyper-speed culture that we think ‘if I went to a networking event on Monday I’m going to get a referral on Tuesday.’ It doesn’t work that way.”

Find out if the people you’ve met would be interested in receiving your newsletter or if they’d like to check out your blog. You could do this at the event or in follow-up. Providing the link to your blog from your email signature is one way to subtly let them know you have one.

Or you could email a reference to a blog post that is relevant to the person you’re sending it to. But, instead of saying, “I think you might be interested in,” try using them in an actual blog post. For example, after a speaking gig in South Dakota, Ginsberg went to a Mexican restaurant with a client and some friends. He blogged about the restaurant and included his client in the blog. Then he emailed the post to his client.

“Because she was part of the story, she ended up emailing it to people she knows,” Ginsberg says.

Follow-up efforts can be leveraged. Take advantage of any of the great contact management applications available to help organize and keep in touch with your contacts.

If you’re well-organized, make new friends, and follow up after the show, your efforts will be rewarded in the end. ■

You work...

to build a home...

and shape your skyline.

Why spend the time and money at a tradeshow if you don’t have a plan to follow up with your contacts? Ginsberg has a few tips to make follow up more productive.

He points out that follow-up is not about saying, “Hey, it was nice to meet you; now we can do business together.” The key is to give value and not expect anything in return. Demonstrate you listened to the person you’re following up with.

Send them an email saying it was nice to meet them and reference the conversation you had at the event. Then, offer a link or a resource, as opposed to saying, “Hey, now you can refer me,” he says.

The point of networking is to build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships, Ginsberg says, so be patient. Don’t expect results right away. “We live in such a fast-paced,

We work for you.

877-678-6565 | steeler.com

[Steel Studs] [Wire Products] [Shaft Wall Studs] [Slotted Stud] [Smooth Corners] [Corner Bead] [Screws & Fasteners] [Pony Wall Supports] [Custom Brake Shapes up to 31’] P: 604-940-1332 | F: 604-940-1334 | 8288 River Way Delta, BC V4G 1C4

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 7

4

Key Goals of Acoustic Standards and Guidelines

By / Gary Madaras, Ph.D., ASA, INCE, Associate AIA, ROCKFON acoustics specialist Photos and charts courtesy of ROCKFON

M

anaging, or even understanding, the acoustic demands of a building can be a challenging task. Even a quick look at acoustics sections in building standards or guidelines can leave anyone aside from acousticians scratching their heads.

To help simplify the subject, most of this information and criteria actually can be distilled to four key goals of acoustic requirements. Knowing these goals and the metrics used to check compliance with each can help design and construction professionals navigate the acoustic requirements in today’s standards and guidelines.

1. Prevent excessive reverberation and loudness inside occupied spaces.

The first goal of acoustic standards is to reduce excessive reverberation and loudness. The best way to do this is to

8 » The Trowel

apply the appropriate amount of soundabsorbing materials over occupied rooms. Additional sound absorbing treatments on the walls or floors also may be required.

decreased and compliance with the standards is achieved with less material.

This results in cost savings and is a more sustainable approach.

• Reverberation Time (T60) – Time required for the sound level to decrease 60 decibels (dB).

Suspended, acoustic ceilings are used primarily, and most effectively, to absorb sound. Additional absorption on the walls and floor only may be required if the ceiling does not provide enough sound absorption; for example, when the NRC is less than 0.70, or when parts of the ceiling are intentionally left sound reflective to project sound.

When NRC values are specified in the standards and guidelines, they generally apply to ceilings in conference rooms and open offices and are in the mid to high range of 0.80 to 0.90. T60 is the more common criterion and values of 0.60 seconds or shorter are typical.

As the NRC ratings of materials are increased, reverberation time is

Shorter reverberation time, achieved through higher NRC values, results in better speech intelligibility. In other words, the room reflects sound less when there is higher absorption and improves speech intelligibility, lowers noise levels, and enhances sound privacy. NRC ratings can be grouped into good, better, and best categories.

How sound absorption is measured: • Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) – Per cent of the noise absorbed by the material.

Good absorption (NRC 0.70) is appropriate for corridors, waiting areas, and private offices. Better absorption (NRC 0.80) is appropriate for classrooms, restaurants, and meeting/ seminar rooms. Best absorption (NRC 0.90 and higher) is appropriate for patient care areas and open offices.

2. Limit occupant noise transmission between interior rooms.

The second goal of acoustic standards is to ensure there is minimal noise transferring between rooms. This is achieved by the sound blocking elements enclosing a room, along with preventing or plugging any penetrations, noise leaks, or holes.

Specific solutions can include glass wall systems and windows that are limited in size and insulated and/ or laminated to increase their sound blocking capacity. Installing doors that swing, rather than slide, and having full perimeter seals will also help achieve sound blocking performance.

How interior measured:

sound

blocking

Full-height interior walls can achieve STC 45, 50, or higher. Extending the demising walls’ full height up to the slab or roof above is the approach required by most standards and guidelines, and leads to the highest level of blocking.

As an added benefit, the noise leaks or flanking paths through the ceilings are mostly inconsequential, and do not need to be remediated.

If full-height walls are unavailable or impractical, recent research shows

that even when the main demising wall between two rooms stops at the height of the suspended ceiling, STC 40, 45, and 50 levels of blocking can be achieved by adding lightweight plenum barriers that begin at the top of the wall and extend up to the underside of the floor or roof above. These plenum barriers can be made of stone wool insulation with foil face, standard gypsum board, or limp mass loaded vinyl. Other materials are possible as well. The studs from the lower wall do

WALLWORKS ACOUSTIC ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS Inc. VANCOUVER – CALGARY – EDMONTON – WINNIPEG – TORONTO – OTTAWA – MONTREAL

Acoustic and Architectural Products, Custom Engineered Acoustical Solutions

is

• Sound Transmission Class (STC) – The sound blocking capacity of a wall or other assembly.

• Noise Isolation Class (NIC) – The total sound blocking capacity between two rooms as measured in the field after construction is complete.

Most standards and guidelines require sound isolation levels of STC/NIC 40, 45, or 50+.

Blocking can be categorized as best at STC 50 or higher, better at STC 45 or higher, or good at STC 40 or higher. Avoid STC below 40 as it does not provide adequate sound privacy.

Standards most frequently require a sound blocking level of STC 45. This means a listener in a quiet room would hear raised speech in adjacent rooms, but would not be able to understand the conversation.

Photo by Brandon Wallis

Fabri-Lok Acoustic Wall and Ceiling Panels - typically used in music studios, boardrooms, classrooms etc.

We offer the following Acoustic and Decorative Products for Commercial and Residential applications: ®

FABRI-LOK / FABRITRAK Stretch Fabric Systems, Panels, Baffles, Diffusers BARRISOL® Decorative and Acoustic Stretch Vinyl Ceiling Systems ShimmerScreen ® Beaded Chain Curtains, Walls, Partitions Daisycake ® Decorative Aluminum Chain-Link Screens, Murals, Partitions ® Rulon International Acoustic Wood Walls and Ceilings ® Richter Wood and Sone Veneer Acoustic Panels ® Tavapan SA Acoustic Wood Products Transformit ® Tensioned Fabric Structures Acoustiblok ® Sound Blocking & Absorbing Technology Bruag ® Custom Designed Acoustic Wood Partitions ® SOUND SEAL Noise Controlling Panels, Barriers and Floor Systems Window Treatment: Solar Shades and Blinds

1.877.829.2550 info@wallworks.com www.wallworks.com wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 9

not necessarily need to extend past the ceiling level either.

The plenum barriers can be frictionfitted against the top of the wall and underside of the slab above or fastened in place by being screwed to metal channels or angles. While higher levels of isolation (e.g., STC 50) require that penetrations through the plenum barriers by pipes, ducts, and conduits be sealed airtight, lower levels of isolation (STC 40) can be achieved by just stuffing large openings with stone wool insulation and leaving gaps and cracks open. Taping and caulking, the timeconsuming part of the installation, is not always required. Lastly, the plenum barriers only need to be used between the two rooms that require privacy.

They do not need to extend horizontally all the way around the perimeters of both rooms. This permits return air to still move freely in the plenum in unducted systems As examples: • Using just one layer of standard 5⁄8-inch gypsum board as a plenum barrier in combination with a stone wool, suspended, modular, acoustic ceiling, can result in STC 45, assuming any penetrations through the plenum barrier are sealed. And, the noise leaks or flanking paths through the ceiling system do not need to be remediated. This is a significant benefit because it saves on costs and allows the ceiling to be optimized for aesthetics and 10 » The Trowel

Better Blocking (STC-45) - Plenum Barrier (Preferred)

Plenum Barrier • 5/8-inch gypsum board (type X) – 1 layer •S ealed install (caulk and tape)

Ceiling System • Tee-bar suspension system • Stone wool ceiling panels – optimized for sound absorption • Noise control measures for noise flanking paths through lights, grilles, diffusers – not required •C AC 46 (with plenum barrier) •L ab test #NGC6015025_R1

absorption, and permits easy access through the ceiling for maintenance.

3. Limit exterior environmental noise transmission into the building.

Once the internal sound qualities are accounted for, think about how the

Wall Assembly • 5/8-inch gypsum board (type X) – 1 layer each side • 3-5/8-inch steel studs (25 gauge) spaced 16 inches on centre • 3-inch-thick stone wool insulation • STC 45 (lab test #TL-93-335) ] • Using two stone wool insulation boards (each 1-1/2 inches thick) standing vertically and spaced apart 1-5⁄8 inch as a plenum barrier can achieve STC 52 without extending the walls full height. See the figure on the next page for further details.

outside world is impacting the acoustic experience inside the building. The roof, façade, windows, and doors all play a key role in this consideration.

How sound blocking is measured: Outdoor Indoor Transmission Class

Limiting the amount of glass facing exterior noise sources is a key design strategy. Selecting acoustically rated windows or curtainwall systems is also effective in limiting exterior or environmental noise. But above all, selecting a quiet site is the wisest and most cost-effective option.

Plenum Barrier • 1-1/2-inch-thick stone wool insulation • 2 layers spaced 1-5/8 inches apart • Screw to each side of 1-5/8-inchwide metal track at top and bottom • Tape vertical seams with metal tape • STC 52 (lab test #NGC6016017) with ceiling

(OITC) – The sound blocking capacity of a roof, window, building façade, or façade component.

OITC values required for the building shell vary greatly based on the use of the building and the noise levels on and around the site. OITC values range from 35-40 for a relatively quiet site, up to 60 for a very noisy site.

To achieve higher OITC values, buildings can be constructed with more massive exterior walls and roofs.

4. Limit noise levels generated by building mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems inside occupied rooms.

The last goal of acoustic standards is to control noise generated by a building’s systems. In addition to serving their immediate purpose, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems ideally should not generate excessive additional noise. Selecting quiet equipment and implementing noise and vibration control measures to limit the background noise levels can help achieve this, but noise control of these systems should not be over designed either. When background sound levels are too low, sound privacy and disturbances can negatively affect occupants.

How system noise control is measured: • Noise Criterion (NC) – Building system background noise level classification.

It’s not right until it’s

Understanding these four key goals will help achieve an effective, nocompromise approach • Weighted decibels (dBA or dBC) – broadband sound level that is either A-weighted or C-weighted to better represent how people hear sound.

NC values for most rooms vary between NC-25 (quiet) to NC-35 (normal). Some open offices, corridors, waiting rooms, and lobbies may have higher values (NC-40). The louder background sound can be beneficial.

Complying with the background noise levels in the standards and guidelines relates mostly to the design of the building systems themselves.

However, having sound absorption inside occupied rooms also can help to decrease perceived background noise that may result from any of these systems.

Understanding these four key goals will help achieve an effective, nocompromise approach that complies with the industry’s latest standards and achieves an optimal acoustic experience at a competitive price. ■

Stucco-Rite ! ®

K-LATH® Stucco-Rite® welded wire sheets provide superior rigidity and easy installation. · Made with a 16 ga 2 x 2 welded wire lath that offers superior strength and rigidity · Designed with an open lug to significantly reduce stucco cracks and installation time · Redline printing on suction paper to ensure quick, easy and correct fastener placement · Compliant with the National Building Code of Canada Other K-LATH® products are available.

Please contact us for more information and pricing.

Canada: 1 (800) 663-0955

USA: 1 (800) 255-6974

www.treeisland.com

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 11

CLEAN AND GREEN: Recycling Old Ceiling Tiles Pays Off By / Blake Desaulniers

I

t goes without saying that we all want to make our renovation projects as green as possible. One of the easiest way to do that is by recycling old ceiling tiles.

Since it first introduced its ceiling tile recycling program in 1999, Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, has diverted 195 million square feet of old ceiling materials from going to landfill. That’s equivalent to more than a million tons of virgin raw materials saved. Armstrong uses those old tiles to manufacture new, Ceiling-2 ceiling panels.

CGC has a similar program and is committed to supporting projects that create sustainable spaces requiring fewer resources to build, operate, and maintain. CGC’s environmental policy calls for “continuous improvement in energy conservation, waste-water treatment, material reclaiming, and recycling programs in order to continue to create and build spaces that not only perform and inspire but reflect environmental priorities.”

Winroc also participates in ceiling tile recycling as part of Armstrong’s program.

Aside from the obvious benefit of environmental responsibility, there are

12 » The Trowel

© Can Stock Photo / Coprid

a number of good reasons to recycle old ceiling panels, including avoiding land fill tipping fees.

Recycling old ceiling tiles qualifies your project for LEED waste diversion credits—specifically MRp Required and MRc1-2 under LEED v4.

The general concept is to recycle and/ or salvage nonhazardous construction and demolition debris, and to develop and implement a construction waste management plan that, at a minimum, identifies the materials to be diverted from disposal and whether the materials will be sorted on-site or co-mingled.

By adding a ceiling recycling program to the waste management plan, a project can divert materials from the waste stream, increasing diversion percentage.

Ceilings qualify as nonstructural material, as a material stream to meet 50-75 per cent diversion, and as a reduction in total waste.

A project gains operational and economic benefits, as well. Jobs sites can be kept cleaner, with no crushed tiles or waste lying around. That can mean a safer work environment. Removing tiles early in the demo process opens ceiling areas to follow-on trades and to mechanical contractors who can more

easily get in to do their job. The end result is a more efficient job site.

Recycling ceiling tiles may initially seem a bit more effort than tossing them down a chute, but there really is very little extra work involved once the preliminaries are out of the way.

In the case of the Armstrong program, the first step is to register the project with the Armstrong Recycling Centre.

All of the resources you’ll need to get started are on Armstrong’s website.

The next step is a review of building and material requirements with the Recycling Centre. The building construction date, an asbestos survey, and a signed recycling agreement are required documentation to approve any recycling project. A project must be approved before removal of the ceiling for recycling.

Once a project is approved, there are two options to return your ceiling panels.

The first is to stack the panels on pallets, label, and stretch wrap or tightly band them. Check with the Armstrong Recycling Centre for bulk return methods that are available in some regions. A project can then coordinate on-site storage and logistics.

The second option is to separate ceiling panels from other construction debris and place them in a designated recycling container. A project can then co-ordinate removal of the container with a local C&D partner.

All brands of dry, pulpable mineral fibre ceiling panels or tiles can be recycled, providing all metal splines have been removed. Others, including some fibreglass, vinyl, glue up, and more can be determined on a case-bycase basis.

Tile that cannot be recycled includes ceiling tiles containing asbestos or installed below friable asbestos or other hazardous material, wet or moldy panels, foil-backed, and a number of others. Again the Armstrong website has complete guidelines on which materials are acceptable for their recycling program.

Recycling ceiling tiles can also go toward helping to meet the 2030 Challenge, to make all buildings, developments, and major renovations carbon-neutral by 2030. Buildings are the major source of global demand for energy and for materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases.

The targets set out in the 2030 Challenge have been adopted and are being implemented by 80 per cent of the top 10, and 65 per cent of the top 20 architecture/engineering/planning firms in the US. In addition, the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the US federal government, and many other organizations as well as state and local governments and agencies have adopted the Challenge.

In Canada, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Ontario Association of Architects, and cities such as Vancouver have also adopted the Challenge targets. ■

Founded on Principle • Built with Purpose

Absorption Plus ® Acoustic Panels

STI Firestop Systems

Your Preferred Commercial & Residental Building Materials Supplier Contact Your Local FBM / Winroc Branch Burlington, ON 905.335.1789

Saskatoon, SK 306.931.0101

Campbell River, BC 250.286.0113

Cambridge, ON 519.653.6111

Calgary, AB 403.255.8157 (East) 403.250.8766 (North)

Kamloops, BC 250.376.5781

Collingwood, ON 705.443.8600 London, ON 519.68.8453 Windsor, ON 519.974.8855 Vaughan, ON 905.660.4456 Winnipeg, MB 204.488.4477 Regina, SK 306.721.2010

Edmonton, AB 780.447.3326 (West) 780.450.3094 (South) Fort McMurray, AB 780.714.9364 Grande Prairie, AB 780.833.7000 Lethbridge, AB 403.327.7566

Kelowna, BC 250.765.6233 Nanaimo, BC 250.760.0240 Surrey, BC 604.513.2211 Vancouver, BC 604.430.1463 Victoria, BC 250.384.1166

Red Deer, AB 403.343.1100

www.fbmsales.com wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 13

DOING IT RIGHT

No Gamble in Kamloops By / Blake Desaulniers Photos courtesy of the BCWCA

G

ateway Casinos’ new Cascades Casino in Kamloops is home to three restaurants, a lounge, and an expansive casino floor featuring 500 slot machines, 18 table games, and three poker tables. The scale of the casino is grand—more like the large facilities in the Lower Mainland or at Tulalip in Washington State than like its previous incarnation as the old Lake City Casino in downtown Kamloops.

The $40 million project has earned distinction, winning wall and ceiling contractor Kodiak Drywall BCWCA’s 2016 Best Acoustical Project Award.

The project consisted of converting an existing warehouse building, formerly home to RONA, into an ultramodern gaming venue. The construction schedule presented some

14 » The Trowel

Much of the bulkhead steel and stud framing was done at the same time the raised computer access floors and gaming machines were being installed.

challenges as the roof structure had to be opened up to accommodate new reinforced roof structural steel supports, which in turn affected the timeline for much of the steel stud framing, drywall for the bulkheads, and installation of the acoustic ceilings.

Some of the bulkhead steel stud framing and drywall was done at the same time the raised computer access floors, carpets, and gaming machines were being installed. All of the specialty acoustic ceilings had to be installed while working over the tops of the gaming machines.

Kodiak Drywall signed on to the project on April 30, 2015 to provide the steel stud framing, gypsum board, acoustic ceilings, and fire-stopping for the new casino. Part owner Darryl Fontaine completed the estimating stage through to procurement of the materials, and maintained regular dialogue with the construction manager and project architects, MGB Architecture Inc. The construction manager for the project was Greg Thompson of Plainsman Companies, located in Kamloops, BC. “We enjoyed working with Greg and his company and found them to be very professional and organized, even under the extremely tight construction schedule,” said Fontaine.

He notes that all the Kodiak personnel on site did an outstanding job of meeting the tight timeline. “The project could not have been completed without the assistance of many, very talented tradespeople,” said Fontaine. “It was a pleasure to watch the framing, drywall, and ceilings coming to shape all in a very professional manner.”

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 15

“One of the things about the casino, when we were developing the design, was to utilize... the natural beauty of Kamloops.”

The casino’s rebranding and relocation came with square footage four times that of its former space. As a result, revenues have increased across the board, including money going to the City of Kamloops. Under provincial revenuesharing agreements, the city gets 10 per cent of net gambling revenue annually from Cascades and Chances on the North Shore, which it can spend however it chooses.

Winroc supplied the project with steel stud product, insulation, and drywall, and BC Ceiling Systems Ltd. supplied the project with CGC Ceilings, each supplier working to coordinate deliveries given the short time frame.

He also credits site supervisor Rob Stevenson, who worked six to seven days a week, relentlessly and through each challenge that arose onsite, managing personnel and coordinating material deliveries.

According to Cascade Casinos CEO Tony Santo, the project design and execution was carried out to take its local surroundings into scope. “One of the things about the casino, when we were developing the design, was to utilize the elements of Kamloops and the natural beauty,” said Santo.

Entries for this year’s BCWCA awards are now in and remain under wraps, as does the precise date and location of the awards ceremony.

More information is available at http://www.bcwca.org. ■

Manufacturer of Specialty Aluminum Trims Flannery is the only manufacturer of aluminum trims with a full line of products for application in each of the following wall systems: • Drywall • Plaster & Stucco • Fiber Cement Panels • Millwork Panels • Composite Siding Systems

Check out our updated website flannerytrim.com to view our expanded trim lines or to download our current catalog.

Tel: 818-837-7585 • Fax: 818-837-1155 • www.flannerytrim.com • info@flannerytrim.com 16 » The Trowel

Where’d the Wall Go?

Missing a Small Detail Can Cost You Big Time Searching through drawings for revisions is a contractor’s version of “Where’s Waldo?” Your profit depends on diligently tracking plan revisions or your crew gets walloped with days of rework on your dime, simply because a wall went from 20’ x 10’ to 10’ x 12’.

It’s time to go digital with the industry’s No. 1 solution, On-Screen Takeoff®. Instantly spot conflicts and details of changes with On-Screen Takeoff’s powerful color-coded overlay feature. The digital plans show you exactly what is new in blue and what is old in red. Hours of comparing paper plans are eliminated with this advanced, easy-to-use software.

Get a Free Trial of On-Screen Takeoff today on.center/freetrial

feature FOCUS SUPERIOR SPRAYED SYSTEMS LIMITED HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM SPRAY SYSTEMS DELIVER EFFICIENCY GAINS Superior Sprayed Systems (SSS Technologies) has built a reputation for excellence in customer service through sales and support of its best-in-class plastering machines, mortar pumps, and screed pumps. In real world operations, the line produces remarkable gains in efficiency for builders. The S48 Easy machine, for example, is capable of spraying 1,200 square feet in one hour.

Using the S48 Easy, productivity can increase by up to four times compared to conventional stucco working procedures.

The German-made Uelzener line of products came into being 134 years ago when the company was founded as a machine factory. The company’s line of spray machines has been in the market since 1953, and arrived in Canada and the USA in 2011 through a distributorship partnership with Superior Sprayed Systems.

Superior takes great pride in its products—from concrete placing equipment, mixers, and pumps to conveyor systems, to name a few. The company embraces innovation and is always looking for new ways to provide solutions and applications for new markets.

Superior supports customers with 24/7 online help and guaranteed 24-hour parts delivery service. The company is also committed to successfully delivering solutions for every customer need. From customizing concrete placing equipment to importing high grade mixers, Superior makes every effort to deliver the perfect equipment.

Andre Eilers, general manager at Superior, emphasizes the company’s focus on value as well as custom solutions. “We’ve been in the industry for many years, so we have the knowledge, experience, and ability to customize construction equipment.

We can customize mixing pumps, conveying pumps, paddle mixers, trailer pumps, and pneumatic conveying systems the way it suits any customer’s specific needs,” he says.

“We are all about providing the highest level of customer satisfaction in Canada and in the USA. Thus, we aim to provide the highest quality construction machine to companies and clients who only want the best.”

All of Superior’s products are manufactured in Germany then adapted to Canadian or US local standards. All

SUPERIOR SPRAYED SYSTEMS LTD. PutzKnecht S48 Easy

The S48 Easy is the only stucco and self-levelling machine available in Canada and the USA. It sprays 1,200 ft2 per hour for higher productivity.

We service the fireproofing industry with high-quality equipment thanks to a partnership with Grace Construction Products (GCP) Applied Technologies. Putzknecht Easy S48 is now compatible with GCP MK-6 and HY-6 products.

Support and training when and where you need it:

1 Free 24/7 online technical support via FaceTime or Skype 2 Free on-site training with the purchase of any machine 3 Part replacement within one business day

9711 - 42 Avenue Edmonton, AB T6E 5P8 Canada Tel: (780) 220-6034 • www.ssstechnology.ca 18 » The Trowel

are built to the highest quality in terms of design and manufacturing process.

When customers purchase machines from SSS Technology, Eilers notes, they can be sure that they can rely on those machines when they need them.

“If you are looking for customized mixing pumps, conveying pumps, paddle mixers, trailer pumps, and pneumatic conveying systems or any other construction technologies and fireproofing support, we’ve got you covered,” says Eilers. ■

feature FOCUS COMPLETE A LEVEL 1 FIREWALL — WITH NO MUD Are you still spending time mudding and taping unseen fire-rated spaces such as elevator shafts, spaces above the ceiling grid, attics, and utility rooms? Save time and money finishing these fire-rated spaces in schools, malls, hospitals, and condos with selfadhesive EZ Flame Fighter. For years, drywall finishers have needed a simple way to fire-proof spaces that no one will potentially ever even see, aside from an inspector or two. EZ Flame Fighter was developed so finishers could stop wasting time with mud and tape while still achieving a fire-rated wall.

One of the first things people notice about EZ Flame Fighter is its colour.

EZ Flame Fighter was developed to speed up jobs, and that’s exactly why it is tinted pink. Inspectors know that if they see pink tinted tape, the seams are approved for a one- or two-hour fire-rated wall. Being able to see the pink tape allows inspectors to visually check a space as opposed to the timeconsuming process of climbing into these hard to reach spaces to check the finish up close.

The self-adhesive strength of EZ Flame Fighter wasn’t an afterthought in the design of this product. One hour after application, EZ Flame Fighter’s bonding strength will cure to full

FLAME

FIGHTER Drywall Finishing Tape

Distributor of E-Z Taping System 800.590.5799•• wallboardtrim.com

City of Calgary Bus Depot. Calgary, Alberta. Project by Steel Soldiers. Courtesy of Wallboard Trim & Tool.

strength. Once cured, the drywall will tear off the wall before EZ Flame Fighter will ever come off. If a wall with EZ Flame Fighter ever needs to be finished, do not try and simply mud over EZ Flame Fighter. The exterior facing surface of Flame Fighter is covered with a thin layer of silicon, to which drywall compound will not adhere. If you do need to finish the wall simply spray an oil-based primer over the tape and you will be able to mud over Flame Fighter.

EZ Flame Fighter tape is used as a finishing component for gypsum board wall and ceiling assemblies approved and listed to ASTM E119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials

or CAN/ULC S101, Standard Methods of Fire Endurance Test of Building Construction and Materials for use in the United States and Canada. ■

ALLOWS FOR LEVEL 1 FIREWALL WITHOUT MUD APPROVED FOR WALLS AND CEILINGS 1 OR 2 HOUR RATING

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 19

feature FOCUS ALPINE AND TRIAD ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO SIMPLIFY EQUIPMENT PURCHASES FOR CUSTOMERS Alpine and Triad announce a partnership allowing component and panel manufacturers to purchase Triad equipment through their trusted Alpine sales representatives.

On March 1, 2017 Alpine added the Triad wood wall panel equipment line to its product portfolio. Alpine is known for providing the industry’s most innovative, productivity-enhancing equipment. Partnering with Triad, the industry leader in panelization, will allow Alpine to offer its customers the same productivity increases on wall panel lines. This further strengthens the competitive positions of both Alpine and Triad, while adding value to customers.

Componentization has become the strongest solution to the construction industry’s labour shortage issues.

Maximizing production efficiency is no longer an option, but a requirement for the industry. Whether it’s for trusses

or wall panels, new equipment will increase productivity and boost the competitiveness of any operation. The experts at Alpine and Triad are available to analyze production and recommend pieces of equipment that will provide the greatest gains.

“We are excited to be able to offer Triad equipment including the popular Generation 3 Framing Table and the Trident Bridge,” said Elizabeth Lisiecki, business manager, equipment at Alpine. “Representing the Triad line will allow Alpine to help our customers throughout their facilities, increasing quality, efficiency, and productivity,” Lowell Tuma, national sales manager for Triad said, “We look forward to working with Alpine towards our goal of continued innovation as the authority in the panelization industry.”

New production equipment has been demonstrated to reduce costs, and reduce the need for skilled labour.

Both actions are needed to remain competitive in the component industry.

Adding Triad, with its 58 years of experience as the leader in wall panel equipment, to the Alpine equipment line reinforces Alpine’s commitment to deliver the latest products to increase plant efficiency and productivity.

For more information please visit www. triadmachines.com. ■

20 » The Trowel

around the WORLD SCHOOLED ON ZERO NET ENERGY STRUCTURES Architects Swift Lee Office’s (SLO) Net Zero Energy High-Performing School Prototype has been successfully completed on three sites in California.

SLO is now a contender to design and manufacture the prototype classroom buildings for the Los Angeles Unified School District at various school sites, where it is shifting the discussion on building cost away from the short term to examine sustainability across the building’s life cycle.

The NZE Prototype uses off-the-shelf components and modular panels to create a system for solar, acoustic, and environmental control customized to achieve a climate-responsive solution for each individual site.

The design has been constructed on three sites. A 1,142-square-meter single-level version was built for the Rocketship Fuerza Community Prep in San Jose, California. From start to finish, construction took 14 weeks. Six workers erected the structural frame in only two days.

Pavarotti of Paving You probably think all construction workers can belt out are swear words and cat calls.

Then this guy in Australia comes along.

David Lopes de Oliveira is a 22-year-old tradie (as they’re called locally) with the voice of an angel. He can jackhammer and sing Pavarotti, as his mate Patrick Keating’s Facebook video clearly showcases.

Oliveira is originally from Brazil, and is working in construction to pay for music classes and English lessons. He apparently aspires to study at Sydney’s prestigious Conservatorium of Music, once he passes the English exam.

And while his rendition of Pavarotti’s “Nessun Dorma” would bring a tear to anyone’s eye, Oliveira’s had no formal vocal training.

See the video here: https://au.tv.yahoo. com/sunrise/video/watch/34589074/thistradie-has-one-hell-of-a-voice/#page1

Two more NZE buildings were constructed for the Twin Rivers Charter School near Sacramento, California. A school building with nine classrooms and a gymnasium comprising 1,770 square meters opened in late 2015, and a 1,950-square-meter elementary school with 12 classrooms, media centre, and administrative offices opened in early 2016.

The NZE Prototype is wrapped with a solar skin that creates a double façade for solar, acoustic, and environmental control. Consisting of modular panels of different aperture, transparency, profile, and directionality, the solar skin allows the prototype to adapt to fluctuating climate, solar orientation, and site conditions to optimize energy performance.

Additionally, rooftop solar panels, skylights, natural daylight and ventilation, and a low-energy heating and cooling systems will enable the NZE Prototype to achieve its net zero energy target.

Ultimately, the NZE Prototype produces as much energy as it uses on an annual basis, harvests rainwater to offset demand on the municipal system, and incorporates resource-efficient materials with low lifecycle impacts on the environment.

The building form and geometry have been kept deliberately simple. The

The NZE Protoype is wrapped with a solar skin that creates a double façade for solar, acoustic, and environmental control. design forgoes grand architectural statements and instead focuses on structural, programmatic, and spatial flexibility within its shed-like enclosure.

Workers assemble the structure from pre-fabricated and factory-built components to reduce construction time, cost, construction-related waste, traffic, and pollution. Prefab, factory production also enables easier and more efficient recycling of surplus construction materials. The building is also designed for disassembly through the use of bolted connections rather than welded, floating concrete slab, and minimal finishes.

By focusing the design of the NZE Prototype on systems and performance, the discussion of building cost is shifted away from the short term cost of construction to lifecycle cost, providing a more comprehensive measure of value, and a more responsible means of assuring maximum return on investment. ■

We manufacture the most extensive line of architectural castings available.

1180 Lakeshore Road East Mississauga, Ontario L5E 1E9 t 1.800.268.4534 t 905.891.9500 f 905.891.2232 plasterform.com

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 21

building SCIENCE Drones in Construction Heavy equipment maker Deere & Co. has forged a strategic alliance with drone-tech startup Kespry, the companies announced last month. The deal could prove a boon for sales of Kespry’s drones and data analytics software.

Based in Menlo Park, Kespry helps mining, construction, and other businesses put drones to work gathering data and images from on high, then using these to decide where and how to cut costs and improve productivity and safety on job sites.

Fingerprint and Face Recognition Technology Control Access in China Country Garden Holdings, a construction firm in Dongguan, a mid-sized city in China’s Guangdong province, has installed a fingerprint and facial recognition access system at its Country Garden-Chashan Mansion project. Reportedly, workers adapted to the system in a matter of days.

The methodic approach to every aspect of the site is immediately obvious. The entrance area is inlaid with grooves so vehicles can be washed and cleaned by an automated car wash. A digital screen, also located in the entrance area, displays current weather information, including dangerous airborne particulate and humidity, constantly monitoring the environment within the site.

Workers on the site can access information about the construction materials by scanning QR codes with their smartphones.

Wearables Fashion Show Highlights Productivity and Site Safety Amid pressures to reduce cost and maximize shrinking margins, construction industry professionals are looking for cost-effective ways to minimize downtime from injury or accident. Recent advances in wearable technology may be the solution.

Technologies on display at CONEXPO 2017 focused on everything from data aggregation tools to embedded sensors and hands-free device controls. But some of the most compelling technologies focus on providing real-time feedback to wearers about exposure to dangerous conditions, such as toxic gas, unsafe altitudes, and too-heavy loads.

© Can Stock Photo / liveslow

or injury quickly and effectively. These innovations range from in-shoe pressure sensors to updated workbelts that alert wearers when they overexert themselves.

Similarly, StrongArm Tech has introduced its new V22 ErgoSkeleton, a lift-assist device designed for heavy lifting and carrying that physically shifts weight from weak muscles to strong ones when users are not displaying proper form.

Other wearable developers are focused on simplified and synchronized communications, such as the new Red Point Positioning Real Time Location and Navigation Vest, which shortens response time in case of an emergency and alerts wearers when they’ve moved outside of safety boundaries; Myo Gesture Control, which allows workers to communicate with their devices via headset and hand gestures; and, NoteVault that streamlines project communications to alert full project staff in case of an emergency or danger in a matter of minutes.

World’ First 3D Printed Excavator Debuts Construction companies recently gathered for a demonstration of the world’s first 3D-printed excavator, known as Project AME (Additive Manufactured Excavator).

Project AME was developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility in Knoxville, Tennessee to create and assemble three components: the cab where the operator sits, the boom (a large hydraulically articulated arm), and a heat exchanger.

A consortium of research teams that are part of the Centre for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) contributed additional design and engineering work for the project.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about 16 per cent of the nation’s 1.2 million workplace injuries in 2015 were back injuries, and 31 per cent were musculoskeletal disorders resulting from overexertion in lifting.

The idea for the excavator came about when CCEFP members toured the Oak Ridge Laboratories in 2014, and there was a 3D-printed car on display. CCEFP members brainstormed how they could make a similar splash for the fluid power and mobile equipment industry, which led to the excavator.

That’s why technologies from Caterpillar and Eni seek to send warning signals to workers in real time to prevent illness

Importantly, the excavator vividly illustrates how quickly the manufacturing and construction industries are changing. ■

22 » The Trowel

contractors 101 BUSINESS DIAGNOSTICS When a mechanical system fails and the contractor is asked to rectify the issue he will likely have the best outcome for both him and the customer when he follows the following steps: 1. Diagnose the problem 2. Recommend a solution 3. Get the customer’s approval 4. Quickly restore the system to working order The customer gets the work done on time, on budget, and to the expected standard—and retains his confidence in his contractor.

The contractor completes a job as above, makes money, and enhances his relationship with the client.

I don’t know anything about diagnosing problems in mechanical systems. I do know that technicians are trained in the process and have specialty tools to assist them and, of course, there are detailed drawings and diagrams of the equipment available. I am not saying that it is simple or that mistakes don’t occur. I am saying that there is a process, and that process has a lot of support.

By / Ron Coleman

Rarely do contractors have a complete set of diagrams to show how their business works. They have bits of the system in a variety of places. The accounting system is comprehensive but rarely accurate or detailed enough to assist in a correct diagnosis. The accounting systems are usually designed for compliance. That means when the Canada Revenue Agency wants information from the company it can be provided.

Likewise, if your bank or bonding company want information it will be available from your accounting records. But the management information is usually lacking.

It’s like giving a customer a brochure about a specific piece of equipment. It highlights certain points but lacks detail.

However, when I talk to business owners about the areas of their businesses that fail, we move into a whole new world.

Like the experienced diagnostic technician, I decided to focus on one key area.

There seem to be no drawings or diagrams, no specialty tools, and no one trained in how to diagnose the problem, never mind fix it.

From my many years of working with HVAC contractors, I had a fairly good idea of where I would find the problem and the solution.

In order to succeed in business we need to start by improving our business diagnostic ability. Where is the pain and what, specifically, is causing it?

I told the client that I believed I could help him get an additional $10 per hour for every hour he bills out on an hourly rate. I asked him to calculate how many hours he bills out in a month and multiply that by $10. I said that will be our solution. It will have a huge impact on his profitability. And, if I can only get him an additional $7 per hour, well, it will still be “wow.”

I was recently asked by an HVAC contractor to help him improve profitability. He is fairly typical of this type of contractor. He does new construction, retrofits, and service and maintenance work. As he didn’t have a specific issue in mind other than “we need to improve profitability.” I wasn’t sure where to start. This the equivalent of the customer who phones and says “no heat.”

Often a technician who is experienced in dealing with diagnostic issues will know what the most likely cause of the failure is, and will start checking out that part of the equipment first. Most of the time he is right and can quickly recommend a solution.

In the case of my contractor I made a judgement call. I didn’t want to spend hours analyzing his financial information because, unlike the diagram for the mechanical equipment, the financials would not be a complete map of the business.

Getting the right outcome is what is important.

The owner of the mechanical system has no interest in your diagnostic process. He wants an outcome—how much it will cost and when will it be operational.

In business, profit is not an activity it is an outcome—a result of a variety of activities.

This is the initial approach I took. I needed the following information in order to diagnose where there are potentials for improvement: • W hat hourly rates do you use? (Please explain if there is more than one rate)

wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 23

contractors 101 • Include minimum rate, travel time allowance, truck charge, and discounts for special customers or situations • Include sample invoices for the different types of work • Do you track hours paid to hours billed?

• Do you know how many un-billed hours you pay for with each payroll?

• How do you track hours for payroll and for billing?

• How do you monitor and record warranty work?

• Do you do any menu pricing or flat rate pricing for service or planned maintenance work?

There are reasons getting this diagnostic information is critical. You can only manage what you measure and if you don’t know how you are doing now, how will you know if it gets better?

Making small improvements to all the variables will have a huge impact on profits.

My diagnostic process included: • How much the company can likely increase its charge out rate • Where and when it can charge more per hour • How to minimize non-billable hours • What other elements can be added to an invoice to make more profit

• How increasing the amount of menu pricing or flat rate pricing can improve the hourly recovery rate.

• I recall Gerald Inch telling me when he reviewed service invoices, they were often understated by 25 per cent Using technology-based tracking systems linked to payroll can easily increase billable time by 15 minutes per day, per technician.

Consider this: an employee starts five minutes late, finishes five minute early, and takes an extra five minutes for lunch and coffee breaks. That’s a total of 15 billable minutes lost per day per person. $25 revenue per day. Spread over 7.5 hours per day, this equates to an additional recovery of $3.34 per hour.

Do you charge for consumables and supplies? If you charged only $10 on a two-hour service call (or increased your current charge by this) you would recover an additional $5 per hour.

If you could improve your scheduling by reducing travel time by 15 minutes per day that would be another $3.34 per hour.

If you ensure you charge all the items you should on an invoice, you could easily pick up $10 per hour. This would include vacuum pumps and other specialty tools and equipment that are not standard on all jobs.

Let’s sum up:

NEWS BITE Drywall Anti-Dumping Relief The Minister of Finance has announced that the Government of Canada is taking action to help Western Canadians in response to the recommendations from the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.

First, the Government is reducing anti-dumping duties on imported drywall from the United States into Western Canada by lowering the minimum import prices by more than 32 per cent. As intended by the Tribunal, this duty reduction is intended to maintain competitive conditions in the Western Canadian drywall market and reduce potential supply shortages, while allowing the domestic producer to obtain a reasonable return on sales.

Second, the Government will use the approximately $12 million in anti-dumping duties collected between September 2016 and January 2017 to provide relief to Fort McMurray residents rebuilding their homes as a result of the May 2016 wildfires, and to Western Canadian builders and contractors adversely affected by higher drywall costs. ■ 24 » The Trowel

• Managing payroll hours: $3.34 • Recovery for consumables: $5 • Reduced travel time: $3.34 • Correctly invoicing: $10 That’s a total of an additional $21.68 per hour and you haven’t even increased your charge out rate. Most contractors could increase their charge out rate by $10 per hour and lose very little business. They would, in fact, make more money doing less work.

I started off telling my client he could get an additional $10 per hour and now I am telling him it is closer to an additional $30 per hour.

In this article I have not addressed other opportunities such as menu pricing, flat rate pricing, higher pricing for specialty work, higher diagnostic rates, building in warranty labour provision, and several other elements that would allow you to make more money without upsetting your clients.

So, multiply the service hours you bill in a month by $31.68 and see how quickly you will make some serious money and become one of the top 10 per cent of contractors in Canada. ■

it’s the LAW DON’T WORK FOR FREE – HOW TO GET PAID FOR “EXTRA” WORK Disputes between homeowners and contractors can often be avoided by the use of a written building contract.

However, a written contract is of limited benefit if its terms are unclear, or the actual work performed deviates significantly from the scope set out in the contract. In the recent case of McCrea v. Fournier, a homeowner (the “Homeowner”) refused to pay amounts claimed by a contractor (the “Contractor”) for “extras”. Although the court ultimately agreed the Contractor deserved some payment for this “extra” work, it found the contract did not clearly establish how the price for this work was to be calculated.

Ultimately, the court awarded the Contractor payment on the basis of what it determined to be fair value in the circumstances.

Facts The Homeowner hired the Contractor to paint the exterior of her house (the “Project”). When the Project completed, the Homeowner refused to pay the Contractor’s final invoice, arguing among other things that she was being billed for “extras” that were already included in the base contract price.

The Decision In its analysis, the Court reviewed three categories in which claims of payment for extra work typically fall: (1) the “extra” work claimed is actually called for in the contract, in which case the contractor is required to

perform it without any additional compensation beyond the contract price, regardless of whether the contractor failed to realize this work would be required when the contract was entered into; (2) the “extra” work is not specifically called for in the contract, but was nevertheless contemplated by the parties when the contract was entered into. If the contract is silent or unclear on how this work is to be paid for, the court may imply a promise that a homeowner will pay a reasonable amount; and, (3) the “extra” work is actually substantially different, or wholly outside, the scope of the work contemplated by the contract.

Again, if the contract does not provide for the amount of payment for this work, the court may imply a promise by the homeowner to pay a reasonable amount.

Luckily for the Contractor in this case, the Court determined the claim for extras fell under the second category. While the claimed extras were originally contemplated by the parties, their contract had failed to include a price for this work. As such, the Homeowner was ordered to pay the base contract price plus a reasonable sum for the claimed extras.

Lessons Learned 1. When preparing the scope of work to be included in a building contract,

By / Andrew Delmonico and John Wiebe

carefully consider all the work that will actually be required. Avoid overly broad descriptions of the scope of work that might result in you being contractually obligated to do more than you intended.

2. Clarify in your building contract the process for documenting extras, and ensure it is clearly stated that all extras fall outside the base contract price. If extras do arise during the course of the project, it is prudent to obtain written confirmation from the client in the form of a change order clearly setting out exactly how much the base contract price will be increased. You should not rely on the amount a court considers to be “fair value” to sufficiently compensate you for your actual costs and profit. ■ This article was written by Andrew D. Delmonico, a lawyer, and John A. Wiebe, an articled student, who practise in construction law with the law firm of Kuhn LLP. This article is only intended as a guide and cannot cover every situation. It is important to get legal advice for specific situations. If you have any questions or comments about this case or other construction law matters, please contact us at 604-864-8877 (Abbotsford) or 604-684-8668 (Vancouver).

Are you working on an interesting or challenging project? Tell us about it. Contact our editor, at 1.877.755.2762 or email editor@thetrowel.ca wallandceiling.ca » April / May 2017 » 25

advertiser INDEX INDUSTRY NEWS BuildForce Promotes Co-operation From company owners and contractors to workers, all sectors and all members of Canada’s construction and maintenance industry are being urged to join a national effort to change the way they plan, work, and build.

The industry-led initiative aimed at boosting productivity was launched by BuildForce Canada.

“A changing global economy, rapidly aging workforce, and slower growth are forcing our industry to take a hard look at every stage of construction in order to stay competitive and attract new investment,” said Rosemary Sparks, executive director of BuildForce Canada. “We’re engaging industry in a national conversation about tackling many of its biggest challenges and that includes productivity.”

ADVERTISER INDEX

BuildForce is raising industry awareness about best practices and how companies can work smarter. A new portal on www.buildforce.ca will link industry to best practices, research, and resources. Productivity is being incorporated into BuildForce’s online training courses and will also be a focus of a national construction industry summit planned for this fall.

Productivity is considered essential to keeping Canada’s economy competitive. Even small practical steps can help improve productivity, from communication between owners and contractors to ensuring equipment arrives on time.

“We’re working with industry to ensure the construction sector stays competitive,” added Sparks. “It’s all about a shift in thinking so that productivity becomes an important part of industry’s culture. How we work, is how we win.”

For more information about new productivity tools for industry visit www.buildforce.ca ■

Saint John Opts for Mid-Rise Wood The City of Saint John has decided to adopt the 2015 National Building Code provisions to allow wood midrise (five- and six-storey) construction.

Joining the list of other jurisdictions such as Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, Saint John is the first Atlantic Canada city to make the decision to provide builders with a new construction choice for taller midrise buildings that should also increase affordability.

Company Bailey Metals Products Demand Products Flannery Trim Foundation Building Materials / SPI Grabber Construction Products (Canada) Inc. On Center Software Plasterform SCAFCO Steel Stud Company Steeler Ltd (Delta BC) Superior Sprayed Systems Ltd. Tree Island Steel TRIAD Wallboard Trim & Tool Wallworks Acoustic Architectural Products Inc.

26 » The Trowel

Six-storey wood buildings provide a lower cost construction option to the regional design and construction industry, while promoting sustainable construction practices and mobilizing local labour forces. “It is encouraging to see a city within the province of New Brunswick taking action to facilitate a progressive development landscape,” says Patrick Crabbe, project coordinator for Atlantic Wood WORKS!.

“It’s great to see the city of Saint John pave the way for the wood mid-rise opportunity in New Brunswick. The Atlantic Wood WORKS! program looks forward to working with the regional development community and the city to ensure a smooth execution of this building option.” ■

Are you looking to reach the wall and ceiling industry on the West Coast?

Contact Christina or Sharon at 1.877.755.2762 to request your copy of our 2017 media guide and to reserve space.

Phone Page 800.818.2666 OBC 800.325.7540 15 818.837.7585 16 714.380.3127 13 800.567.8876 4 888.627.6246 17 905.891.9500 21 403.265.9005 IFC 877.678.6565 7 780.220.6034 18 800.663.0955 11 800.568.7423 ext 126 20 800.590.5799 19 877.829.2550 9

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur Praesent aliquam turpis dictum, adipiscing elit. In ullamcorper laoreet euismod sem vitae, tempus nisi. arcu, at porta turpis lobortis nec. Etiam Praesent sit amet cursus magna. In iaculis eros vitae faucibus suscipit. gravida enim sit amet mi semper Duis rhoncus vitae sapien facilisis elementum quis nec nunc. Ut consequat accumsan. Proin elementum egestas ipsum consectetur hendrerit bibendum. posuere quis nunc at maximus. Aenean velit, at maximus lectus egestas Praesent et odio non nulla ultricies volutpat, orci vitae tincidunt malesuada, 1. idknow where your audience ultricies. Vivamus tincidunt vel est egestas ac in nibh.

Sed ac auctor tellus. is. ex turpis commodo orci, at sodales arcu fermentum. Maecenas id leo eu tellus In ex odio, molestie non cursus eu, quam condimentum enim. Suspendisse gravida semper eget quis sem. Donec auctor a nisi.

Donecaudience eget tellus vel nibh 2. be where your is. blandit, lectus id porta luctus, odio commodo ante non congue sollicitudin. scelerisque convallis vel quis diam. ipsum pellentesque enim, quis finibus Aliquam maximus orci vitae sem Donec suscipit luctus nunc vitae mattis. tortor felis non augue. Fusce pretium a malesuada viverra. Praesent ut gravida mauris sed ultricies. tellus. Duis eleifend porttitor pulvinar.

Sed et suscipit dui. Suspendisse porta Aliquam eget odio sagittis, convallis ante turpis, sed maximus mi sodales Cras blandit urna ac dignissim auctor. elit a, ultricies massa. Curabitur vitae nec. Mauris porttitor feugiat tortor Nunc sed mi porta, malesuada ipsum viverra lorem, quis facilisis neque. nec ornare. Fusce eleifend, nisl a vel, maximus magna. Mauris dignissim In hac habitasse platea dictumst. elementum sagittis, diam risus sodales tempor massa, sed maximus ligula Quisque ac est blandit, posuere purus purus, at finibus quam nisi laoreet convallis nec. Mauris non augue condimentum, bibendum ligula. odio. Fusce egestas convallis euismod. gravida, convallis metus nec, egestas In aliquam diam at scelerisque Sed ac tortor consectetur dolor semper nulla. Morbi venenatis pharetra eleifend. scelerisque. posuere. Morbi feugiat sapien nec lacus Phasellus at justo aliquet, feugiat massa volutpat scelerisque. In placerat quam non, sollicitudin dui. Praesent aliquam Suspendisse a purus varius neque lectus, at accumsan libero dapibus id. turpis dictum, euismod sem vitae, hendrerit efficitur vel rutrum dolor.

In hac habitasse platea dictumst. tempus nisi. Praesent sit amet cursus Donec non ligula malesuada, mollis magna. In gravida enim sit amet mi dolor et, maximus libero. Curabitur Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur semper elementum quis nec nunc. Ut commodo vel lacus non iaculis. Ut adipiscing elit. Sed tincidunt vehicula consequat ipsum consectetur hendrerit semper massa dolor, tristique rhoncus dapibus. Vestibulum id eros ut nisi bibendum. Praesent et odio non nulla lorem bibendum ut. In hac habitasse vulputate consequat. Nunc nec ipsum ultricies egestas ac in nibh. Sed ac platea dictumst. Cras gravida dolor sollicitudin, lobortis ligula in, posuere auctor tellus. In ex odio, molestie non at ligula venenatis egestas. Vivamus sem. Nulla sit amet finibus dui. Praesent cursus eu, auctor a nisi. Donec eget finibus neque sed eros tempus, et vitae massa volutpat, maximus orci ut, tellus vel nibh scelerisque convallis vel elementum erat vestibulum. Phasellus eleifend nisl. Phasellus ligula lectus, quis diam. Donec suscipit luctus nunc finibus, sapien eu aliquam aliquet, leo venenatis quis rutrum sed, rutrum vitae vitae mattis. risus consequat ante, vitae malesuada sapien. Vivamus efficitur hendrerit tortor justo quis magna. Sed posuere augue, vel ornare mi venenatis eget.

Suspendisse a purus varius neque quis nunc at maximus. Aenean volutpat, Quisque vel ornare arcu. Proin in hendrerit efficitur vel rutrum dolor. orci vitae tincidunt malesuada, ex enim id ex suscipit pretium. Fusce Donec non ligula malesuada, mollis turpis commodo orci, at sodales arcu congue, est quis lobortis elementum, Font style: Silom dolor et, maximus libero. Curabitur quam condimentum enim. Suspendisse quam augue ullamcorper quam, id commodo vel lacus non iaculis. Ut blandit, lectus id porta luctus, odio consequat erat ex et sapien.Suspendisse semper massa dolor, tristique rhoncus ipsum pellentesque enim, quis finibus a purus varius neque hendrerit efficitur lorem bibendum ut. In hac habitasse tortor felis non augue. Fusce pretium a vel rutrum dolor. Donec non ligula platea dictumst. Cras gravida dolor mauris sed ultricies. malesuada, mollis dolor et, maximus at ligula venenatis egestas. Vivamus libero. Curabitur commodo vel lacus finibus neque sed eros tempus, et Cras blandit urna ac dignissim auctor. non iaculis. Ut semper massa dolor, elementum erat vestibulum. Phasellus Nunc sed mi porta, malesuada ipsum tristique rhoncus lorem bibendum finibus, sapien eu aliquam aliquet, leo vel, maximus magna. Mauris dignissim ut. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. risus consequat ante, vitae malesuada tempor massa,For seddetails maximusand ligula Cras gravida at today ligula venenatis to reserve your dolor space contact Christina tortor justoTranberg quis magna. Sed posuere convallis nec. Mauris non augue egestas. Vivamus finibus neque sed eros quis nunc at maximus.

Aenean at 877.755.2762 ext 1408 • 250.667.0401 • ctranberg@pointonemedia.com or volutpat, gravida, convallis metus nec, egestas tempus, et elementum erat vestibulum. orci vitae tincidunt malesuada, ex nulla.

MorbiHawes venenatis pharetra Phasellus finibus, sapien eu aliquam Sharon at 877.755.2762 ext. 1406 • 250.619.2693 • shawes@pointonemedia.com turpis commodo orci, at sodales arcu eleifend. Phasellus at justo aliquet, aliquet, leo risus consequat ante, vitae quam condimentum enim. Suspendisse feugiat massa non, sollicitudin dui. malesuada tortor justo quis magna. Sed blandit, lectus id porta luctus, odio

it’s simple.

enough said.