The Trowel Summer 2020

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • Summer 2020

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Around the Bend 8 Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction High-Tech Excellence

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The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • Summer 2020

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Around the Bend 8 Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction High-Tech Excellence

The Trowel team Jessica Kirby, Publisher / Editor 250.816.3671 • jkirby@pointonemedia.com Lara Perraton, Acccount Manager / Creatives 877.755.2762 • lperraton@pointonemedia.com

contributing writers Mark Breslin Ellen Chang Andrew Delmonico Ted Lewis Meredith Low Sandra Skivsky Jeff Triggs

cover photo Courtesy of Bochsler Photo Imaging

10

Published bi-monthly by

CONTENTS • SUMMER 2020

Point One Media, Inc. The Trowel P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 t: 877.755.2762 • www.thetrowel.ca

10 Around the Bend

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 ©2020 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 Coquitlam, BC. Return postage guaranteed. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40719512.

The next several months will prove crucial for trade contractors in Canada.

How will you cope, and are you asking the right questions?

13 8 Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction

Changing apartment design will have important implications for contractors.

18 High-Tech Excellence

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Journal of Record for

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.

A high-tech acoustic and ceiling project called for the best in performance and aesthetic..

Departments & Columns 04 editorial

23 contractors’ advice

05 BCWCA update

24 it’s the law

07 industry news

25 strategic planning

22 feature focus

26 advertiser index

editor’s COMMENT TOO HOT TO HANDLE? GET TOO COLD TO HOLD Because it isn’t enough to face a global pandemic, the economic uncertainty that comes with a lockdown, and the emotional turbulence one feels when unable to interact with friends and family, Vancouver’s scortching temperatures are about to bring significant risks to construction workers via heat stroke and heat exhaustion. That’s right: now that the sun is out, it is time to plan how you are going to hide from it.

Heat stroke occurs when your body is exposed to excessively high temperatures, causing its natural temperature regulating mechanisms to fail and resulting in fever or even loss of consciousness. In this case, your body has overheated and simply isn’t able to cool itself down.

By / Jessica Kirby, Editor

Your hard hat is a good first defence, but as soon as you have to take that bad boy off, find a hat and use it.

Symptoms include: •

A core temperature of 104 degrees F or more

•

Confusion, agitation, slurred speech and, in exterme cases, delirium

•

Red skin

•

Vomiting and nausea

•

Headaches

•

Rapid increas in heart rate

Left untreated, heat exhaustion can cause your organs to shut down, ending in a trip to emergency or even death.

Heat exhaustion is heat stroke’s tamer little brother. It, too, is caused by your body overheating and not being able to cool itself; however, the risks are less severe than those associated with heat stroke. At the same time, don’t let your guard down.

Heat exhaustion can quickly become heat stroke if it is left untreated.

Symptoms include: •

Cool skin with goosebumps despite the heat

•

Intense sweating

•

Fainting, dizziness and fatigue

•

Rapid, weak pulse

•

Low-blood pressure

•

Muscle cramps

•

Nausea and headaches

The best way to beat heat stroke or exhaustion is to keep and drink lots of water at the job site. Keep it close by and develop a habit of drinking it whenever you can. Opt for water over pop and iced tea, which are full of sugar and will dehydrate you in no time flat.

4 » The Trowel

Another way to avoid heat stroke is to give Rocky a run for his money and stay fit and healthy. The stronger, fitter your body the less likely excess body fat will cause you to overheat.

While you’re at it, put out the butts. Smoking causes a number of underlying issues that can make you more succeptable to the sun’s penetrating rays.

Don’t forget what your mama told you: eat your greens. The healthier diet, rich in vegetables, lean meats or other protiens, and whole grains, the better your body will perform under the pressure of high temperatures. On this same note, get plenty of restful sleep. Enlist a fan and a blackout curtain if you need it, but whatever it takes, get those precious REMs because they are harder to acheive in the heat.

Heading suddenly from one temperature extreme to another causes a miniature shock effect to the body, which has to adjust. The more often you traumatize your body in this way, the more strain it experiences. Take frequent breaks, expecially if you work in direct heat, but avoid going inside to an air-conditioned space when you take them. Instead, try the shade, drink plenty of water, and look after your head. Your head and neck play a huge role in your natural heat-regulating systems because of the amount of blood that flows to these areas. Because of this, it’s job number one to keep your head covered and out of direct sunlight. Your hard hat is a good first defence, but as soon as you have to take that bad boy off, find a hat and use it. Wet bandanas and nape protetors can do the same for your neck.

Most importantly, watch for the signs and listen to your body.

If you or anyone else starts exibiting signs of heat illness, get into the shade, rehydrate, and look after yourself. With everything we’ve been through this spring, it would be a shame to waste a sunny day getting sick at home or worse.

Good luck and have an amazing summer. ▪

BCWCA UPDATE GETTING THROUGH THIS TOGETHER Finally, summer is upon us! It’s been quite the year so far for us all. The response by Canadians to this pandemic has made me proud. While we have not all agreed on the actions needed to suppress the virus and to support the economy, I have been encouraged how everyone has made their opinions known but in most cases continued to treat others with respect. Our country is going through a real period of social change, a lot of it inspired by the seemingly backwards actions south of the border. President Trump’s rhetoric in many cases is about cutting back what he feels is unnecessary government intervention and the democrat’s deep state control. However, by taking his actions outside of the legal frameworks instilled by the founding fathers of America, he is actually attacking the freedoms that their country was built on.

The impact in Canada is that we are more willing to look at ourselves and correct wrongdoings in society. Whether its Black Lives Matter, Reconciliation, or the recent news on hazing in junior hockey, our society will move ahead stronger together. And not to make it about money, but a united, educated/trained society will be much more productive in the future with a higher standard of living for everyone. Systemic racism has negative societal and economic costs that are shared by all.

Back to association business. The pandemic has turned everything we do here at the association on its ear. A Level 3 Wall & Ceiling Installer class to begin mid-March was postponed. We have rescheduled that class for September and will have fewer apprentices in class and be teaching it out in our warehouse to ensure physical distancing. There will also be an online component that will help us be prepared if we face a second wave and tightening of social controls.

As you know, many of our events have been cancelled or put on hold. By the time you read this, we will have held our BCWCA AGM online (See Board of Directors appointments on page 6). While it is no surprise, many of our members are much less enthused about virtual meetings as they are no substitute for in person contact. Hopefully, as the pandemic lifts, we will be able to get back to a more normal course of business. Our biggest event of the year, The Western Wall & Ceiling Convention to be held in Victoria, has been tentatively rescheduled for September 16-18, 2021.

The association continues to advocate in interest of members, whether it’s operating safely through this pandemic or dealing with the regulations arising from it. Recently we joined an effort to put the brakes on a WorkSafeBC initiative to add COVID-19 and other such diseases to their schedule 1 of covered illnesses. COVID-19 is not a work-place disease; it is a public health pandemic. Those suffering from it should be made whole by provincial and federal governments.

By / Jeff Triggs, BBA Executive Director By sticking together, our membership can ensure that the association remains healthy and can continue to make a positive impact on the industry. Continue to protect yourself, others, and our industry.

Impacts of the Pandemic on Training A planned Level 3 class of the Wall & Ceiling Installer Program was scheduled to start on March 26, 2020. The decision to postpone the class was made on March 20 in the midst of the uncertainty around the pandemic and what became a global shutdown.

The nine-week class has been rescheduled for September 10, 2020 under the assumptions that BC will still be in Phase 2 or 3 of the reopening of the economy. We have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place: for those of you still needing to put one together, you can download a template from the WorksafeBC website https://www.worksafebc.com/en along with signs that can be printed and posted in your workplaces.

Our COVID-19 Safety Plan lays out how the BCWCA will operate to protect staff and students while operating during the pandemic. In addition to the aforementioned signs, we will be hosting a maximum of 12 students, and the classroom will be moved outside to our warehouse area (as opposed to the classroom) so that physical distancing can be more easily maintained. We have plans for separate entry and exit to the building and all students and staff will be instructed not to come to school when feeling sick or under the weather. When physical distancing can’t be maintained, staff and apprentices will be asked to wear face coverings.

We are also planning on holding a portion of the curriculum online. This will allow everyone to gain some experience with online learning in the event we can not continue with classes in the traditional brick and mortar fashion. While not an ideal situation, we may be able to help the Level 3 apprentices prepare for their Red Seal exam.

Have a great summer, and I hope to see you at school in September. ▪

wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 5

BCWCA UPDATE Leesa Matwick Retiring Leesa recently informed us that she will be retiring this fall from her position at the BCWCA. She has been with the organization for 14 years and served in many roles from Accountant to Executive Director to Training Director. Leesa has really been a “Jill of all Trades” over the years. She helped with the finishing of our training center during construction of the facility in 2008. This included painting, decorating, ordering fixtures, and assembling furniture. More recently, she applied a coat of fresh paint. She has organized and operated countless events over the years, including a BCWCA Family Walk for the BC Cancer Foundation. She helped spearhead our participation at the Skills BC competition and has been the glue that has held the event together ever since. This is in addition to organizing all things training and keeping the books in tip-top condition. While the Association will miss

her skills and experience, her colleagues, members, and students will miss her sunny disposition and energy the most.

We wish Leesa and her husband Mike all the best in their retirement. Best wishes and we will miss you! ▪

BCWCA Directors and Executive Officers – Elected June 24, 2020 Area

Company

Lower Main Chapter - 3

Position

Term

Jim Paulsen

Peninsula

Vice President

2019/21

Timo Orava

Avid Contracting

Director

2020/22

Grant Mason

Alpha Drywall

Director

2019/21

Corey Fournier

TAC Wall & Ceiling

Alternate

2019/21

Cathy LaPointe

Dryco Systems

Director

2020/22

John Butler

Slegg

Director

2020/22

Doug Wilkes

FBM

Alternate

2020/22

Jim Gordon

Gordon’n’Gordon

Alternate

2019/21

Darryl Fontaine

Kodiak Drywall

President

2020/22

Jordan Oliver

Kelowna Lite Kast

Past-President

2019/21

Owen Howe

FBM

Alternate

2020/22

Larry Fontaine

Kodiak Drywall Ltd

Alternate

2020/22

Ty Winterbach

Littco Ins & Drywall

Alternate

2020/22

Dan Iversen

Bailey

Treasurer/Secretary

2020/22

Gary Klassen

CGC Inc.

Director

2019/21

Kevin Causey

WSB Titan

Director

2019/21

Sean O’Toole

CertainTeed

Director

2020/22

Mike Carroll

Trowel Trades

Director

2020/22

Michael Lane

OWA Ceilings

Alternate

2020/22

Roger Parker

FBM

Alternate

2020/22

Steve Taylor

FBM

Director

2019/21

Peter Gallagher

AWCC President

Director

2019/21

Jeff Triggs

Executive Director

Ex Officio

Staff

Vancouver Island Chapter - 2

South Interior Chapter - 2

Manufacturer/Dealer - 5

Director at Large - 1 AWCC - 1

6 » The Trowel

INDUSTRY NEWS ­AWC RELEASES NEW ACOUSTICS APP The American Wood Council (AWC) has released a new mobile app to calculate sound transmission based on the “Technical Report 15 (TR 15), Calculation of Sound Transmission Parameters for Wood-Framed Assemblies.”

The 2018 International Building Code provides two parameters to establish minimum acoustical requirements: Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Impact Insulation Class (IIC). Compliance with these requirements may be demonstrated either through testing or through engineering analysis based on empirical test data from other similar assemblies. The Acoustics App uses the AWC empirical model, based on empirical test data, to estimate STC and IIC values, which can be used to demonstrate compliance of wood-frame floor-ceiling assemblies with these coderegulated sound transmission parameters.

“We released the TR 15 to simplify how wood-framed floor-ceiling assemblies can comply with the acoustical requirements,” said AWC Vice-president of Engineering, Brad Douglas. “We’ve now taken it a step further by developing this free app. It is now even easier for code officials and designers to determine what wood-frame floor-ceiling assemblies can comply with code-specified acoustical requirements.”

The free Acoustic Calculator app is the Android, iOS, and Windows app stores.

available

in

AWC also offers an eCourse that covers the basis for the calculation-based analysis approach. The eCourse is accredited by the International Code Council and approved by theAmerican Institute of Architects for continuing education credits. The free eCourse is available at https://www.awc.org/education/ main/lists/bcd-building-codes/bcd800-calculation-of-soundtransmission-parameters-for-wood-frame-assemblies.

▪

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS RANK HIGH IN COVID-19 MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY TORONTO — For the third consecutive month, the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic economically and societally are continuing to have an impact on the mental health of Canadians, according to the latest Morneau Shepell report released July 6.

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But amidst the general decline, the survey shows, construction workers fared better than most other sectors.

The overall Mental Health Index for June 2020 is -11 points noted the Morneau Shepell release. The index represents the deviation from the pre-2020 benchmark. A negative score indicates poorer mental health relative to the benchmark, and a positive score indicates better mental health.

An 11-point decrease from the pre-COVID-19 benchmark reflects a population whose mental health is similar to the most distressed one per cent of the benchmark population.

June is the third consecutive month of an extremely low Mental Health Index. There is little change from April 2020 (-12) and May (-12).

The highest mental health scores for June were observed in those employed in the mining and oil and gas extraction (-7.2), automotive (-8), and construction (-8.6) industries.

The lowest mental health scores are found in full-time students (-21.7), arts, entertainment and recreation (-16.7), and accommodation and food services (-16.1).

The lowest Mental Health Index sub-score is for the risk measure of anxiety (-12.9 points), followed by depression (-12.7), work productivity (-12.1), optimism (-12.0), and isolation (-11.6).

Only 19 per cent of respondents cited being likely to return to previous spending habits following COVID-19.

There were modest improvements across all sub-scores in June, with the exception of general psychological health, which has remained the same as the prior month, the report indicated. A decline in the overall Mental Health Index is observed only for individuals with three or more children, those whose salary had been reduced and those recently unemployed.

Regardless of employment status, there continues to be a lower mental health score for females (-13.9) when compared to males (-9.2). Further, the younger the age group, the lower the Mental Health Index score.

Individuals employed in utilities, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, as well as arts, entertainment, and recreation have had a decline in mental health since last month whereas individuals in automotive, real estate, rental and leasing, as well as information and cultural industries have seen the greatest improvement.

Thirty-four per cent of respondents indicated their employer supported employee mental health inconsistently, poorly, or very poorly during the pandemic. ▪

wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 7

INDUSTRY NEWS ONE THIRD OF INDIGENOUS WORKERS IN CANADA IN JOBS FACING AUTOMATION, SAYS REPORT TORONTO — One-third of Canada’s Indigenous workers are in jobs facing a high risk of automation, a new report has found.

Indigenous workers tend to be more concentrated in these atrisk industries because of historical and geographical factors that have resulted in structural inequality lasting decades, said Wendy Cukier, the founder and academic director at the Diversity Institute and a research lead at both the Future Skills Centre and Women’ Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub.

Researchers at the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre spent roughly a year studying 33 sectors and how advances in automation will affect Indigenous workers in those industries.

“We know that Indigenous people have been disadvantaged in terms of opportunities for developing skills, for example, in the high-end information communications technology sector, where jobs tend to be safer from the risk of automation than other jobs that require lower level skills,” said Cukier.

About 250,000 jobs — or 33.8 per cent of roles held

by Indigenous workers across Canada — are currently concentrated in industries with a high risk of automation, says the report.

In the construction industry, she has already noticed computerization eliminating jobs in architecture, design and surveying and an increase of robotics in the transportation and warehousing sector.

“There’s a lot of research that goes into the economy, but very rarely is there an Indigenous lens put on it,” said Tabatha Bull, chief executive at the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and a member of the Nipissing First Nation.

It’s even become common to see administrative roles eliminated because offices can resort to using iPads at a front entryway to admit people to a facility rather than having a receptionist, Cukier pointed out.

“This really puts a lens on the difficulties and potential barriers Indigenous people face to be on an equal playing field.”

Jobs are at risk for non-salaried workers as well.

Indigenous people in Canada represent four per cent of the total labour force and generate a combined household income of about $30 billion a year, according to Statistics Canada.

Bull’s study showed that Indigenous workers in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Prince Edward Island are more at risk from automation than non-Indigenous workers in these provinces.

The research also found that 131,000 Indigenous workers are employed in sectors with the highest levels of automation risk, including accommodation and food services, retail trade, construction, transportation and warehousing, and management and administration.

Those at-risk industries account for approximately $2.43 billion of Indigenous wage revenue.

About 49,000 Indigenous individuals in Canada are listed as self-employed and many are in at-risk industries.

To protect their work and ensure Indigenous people have an opportunity to pivot or to land jobs that are less at-risk, Bull said the country must look at improving access and the quality of education for Indigenous communities, which have the fastest growing youth rates.

Improving infrastructure and working with policy-makers is key too, she said.

“We really need to look at our corporations and businesses and how are we educating senior leadership, at the board level and government about the history and the gaps that exist.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2020. ▪

Who wants free publicity? You do!

If you have an interesting story idea or would like coverage on a challenging or unusual project you’ve been working on, tell us about it.

Contact our editor, Jessica Kirby, at jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com or call 250.816.3671 8 » The Trowel

INDUSTRY NEWS WORLD’S TALLEST PASSIVE HOUSE GREEN BUILDING APPROVED FOR VANCOUVER A 586-ft-tall, 60-storey, mixed-use residential tower in downtown Vancouver’s West End will become the fourth tallest building in the city, and the tallest Passive House green building in the world.

Henson Developments and UK-based WKK Architects will construct the building slated for 1059-1075 Nelson Avenue, a mid-block site near the northeast corner of the intersection of Thurlow Street and Nelson Street.

The project, with a total floor area of 427,000 square feet, provides a floor space ratio density of 24.7 times the size of the 17,300-sq-ft lot. It will include 102 units of social housing on the lower levels (25% of the building’s floor area), as well as 50 units of secured market rental homes in the floors above. About a third of the social housing units will be set at Housing Income Limits set by BC Housing. ▪

CAGBC ANNOUNCES PROGRAM FOR FALL GREEN BUILDING SERIES The Canada Green Building Council has released details of its upcoming green building series, billed as Building Lasting Change and kicking off Sept. 22.

The event is timed to coincide with World Green Building Week and will feature five half-days in September and October, with three additional webcast symposiums later in the fall.

Registration opens July 15. This year’s themes are focused on promoting a green recovery post COVID-19: Sept. 22 – Ready, Set, Recover: Reigniting Canada’s Economy Sept. 29 – Zero Carbon: Make Zero Today Oct. 6 – Resilience and Adaptation: Responding to Change Oct. 13 – Retrofits: Beyond Energy Efficiency Oct. 20 – Health and Livability: Pillars of Green Building.

Visit cagbc.org for more information. ▪

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Around the Bend By / Sandra Skivsky, Director of Marketing & Business Development for NTCCC member Canada Masonry Centre

The National Trade Contractors Council of Canada (NTCCC) believes the construction industry in Canada has not seen the last of the COVID-19 effects; in fact, the real future of the industry may have only just begun.

To move forward, construction will need a two-phased approach to remaining a leading sector in Canada’s economic recovery. The first is to address the costs and contract issues that are arising from the work being done since mid-March.

The second phase addresses the risks that the industry needs to mitigate in order to operate to its fullest potential during the pandemic and following its resolution.

Phase I – Survival Phase I solutions need to be implemented within four to six months and will ensure the sector remains in a stable position to aid in economic recovery.

Although only Quebec and Ontario construction saw partial shutdowns, all provinces experienced project delays and some shutdowns. Those firms who continued to operate underwent major adjustments to keep workers safe and comply with health and safety directives. Four key problems that are particularly challenging for trade contractors have resulted: 10 » The Trowel

• New and unforeseen costs • Reduced productivity • Schedule delays • Liquidity concerns Keeping workers safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority of the construction industry. However, the contracts under which the industry was and is operating did not include the extraordinary measures required. As companies attempted to obtain the increasingly scarce sanitization and safety items, they have incurred additional costs. Contractors will be expected to absorb additional costs on projects where contracts have already been awarded. There has been a proposal from the Canadian Construction Association for a COVID-19 construction emergency relief fund that would help mitigate these costs.

Worker productivity has also been impacted. The first few weeks were confusing, and the framework provided by public health sources was evolving almost daily. It took time to adapt. There are similarities between jurisdictions, but there persists a variety of rules and guidelines from coast-to-coast.

This, along with declined workforce availability, negatively affected productivity. The industry adapted quickly, but it was

at a cost to the contractors. Even as construction operations become acclimatized to the ‛new normal’, the procedures in place still have an impact on productivity. It means higher costs to trade contractors, as equipment needs to be on a site longer than budgeted, and the timeframe for completing the work is extended, which means contractors are billing less each month while experiencing higher costs. For those sites that had to shut down contractors incurred de-mobilization costs.

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This leads to the issue of contractual obligations around construction schedules. All projects have been delayed, whether they were shut down or continued to operate.

Catching up to those schedules while experiencing reduced productivity will be impossible. In some cases, there may be additional damages associated with missing contractual timelines. Not every contract has a force majeure clause, and those that do may not cover a pandemic. The last thing the industry and the government need is an increase in legal actions to try to resolve. It will further weaken the industry and reduce its ability to respond to new work if stakeholders are tied up in court and facing greater financial and timerelated pressures.

All these factors lead to a concern about liquidity that the industry will face over the next seven months. In construction, payment terms have been averaging nearly 70+ days, and that issue was a driving force in getting federal and provincial prompt payment legislation enacted.

To illustrate, let us assume payments are made on a 60day basis. A trade contractor works in month one, submits the invoice to the general contractor, who submits it to the owner, the owner pays promptly, and the money flows to the trade contractor at the end of month two or early in month three. In January 2020, a trade contractor would be collecting receivables from November 2019, and in April 2020 they would be collecting receivables from February 2020. The impact to cashflow will is now obvious. In May 2020, if were well a contractor would be collecting receivables from March 2020 and that is when the first major impacts of the pandemic appeared. May 2020 is also when construction restrictions were lifted in both Ontario and Quebec; however, it will take time and costs to get the projects re-started.

Our industry is playing catch-up. Trade contractors are restarting projects, finishing the ones that should have been completed by now, and looking for new work. New projects require an investment from the trade contractor for the first 60 days as they await payment. In the meantime, they must pay salaries and benefits, rent or allocate their own equipment, ensure all health and safety equipment is there, and pay for materials. At the same time, cashflow is much lower than normal. The cashflow for June will be even worse. There is a

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wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 11

AROUND THE BEND

strong possibility of payment timelines being stretched, which was increasingly common after the most recent downturn.

Longer payment timeframes will further exacerbate the situation.

The spectre of rising insolvencies looms. An April 2020 Ontario Construction Secretariat survey of general and trade contractors showed that, under current conditions, 44% felt they would be facing bankruptcy in three to six months. Banks should be encouraged to take a longer-term view on the financials of contractors, including looking at receivables that are 90+ days. Public sector owners should review payment terms and contract schedules and ease the impact both can have on the industry. We encourage the federal government to bring this recommendation forward to provincial governments.

This “cash crunch” will limit the ability of construction contractors to hire and train workers, invest in new capital, and take on new work. These limitations will hurt the economy in the short term and create scarring over the longer-term. The severity of the impact will depend on individual companies’ balance sheets, their levels of reserves, and other variables .

The fact remains that the majority of the industry is made up of small companies who do not have the financial reserves to ameliorate diminished cashflow.

These are the risks and damages that the industry is facing within 8 to12 months. All governments should look at how they can work with the industry to mitigate those in a fair and reasonable manner. The stronger and more financially stable the construction industry emerges from 2020, the better the longer-term prospects will be for the economy as a whole.

Construction will also be in a better position to undertake programs that meet governments’ objectives to have a positive impact in a number of socio-economic areas.

Phase II – Recovery The industry cannot afford to wait until all issues in Phase I are resolved before beginning to look at and embrace future

work. The major questions trade contractors and their supply chain are asking are what is coming down the construction project pipeline four to five months from now, what projects will go forward, and which will be postponed or cancelled.

Right now, most areas of the country have work in progress.

In provinces where construction was shut down there is a back-log, and there are some major multi-year projects that will continue to provide some stability. For the construction industry to increase employment opportunities and invest in training and technology, there needs to be a clear, national vision of the next two to three years.

The three necessary factors that the construction industry needs to drive economic recovery are: 1.

A tripartite plan between the federal and provincial governments and industry for deploying stream of projects over the next two to three years.

2. Liquidity—contractors need enough cashflow to meet current obligations and take on more work.

3. A healthy and willing skilled workforce that feels safe on the job.

There are many negative outcomes that trade contractors would like to see mitigated over the months ahead, but actively replacing our aging workforce is absolutely vital.

A new apprentice cannot be expected to enter a job site and increase productivity. In fact, the opposite is true. Businesses must be incentivized to train new workers, and having confidence in the availability of new projects is also vital.

Increased retirements will reduce the availability of mentors for new apprentices, which is why it is important to advance a near-term strategy to recruit talent into the construction sector.

The construction industry has risen to the occasion and met the challenges it has faced. However, at this point no one has the ability to predict the outcome and interaction of all the issues mentioned. Some very basic things the industry and owners can do is communicate, plan in a more holistic and sustainable manner, and insert some flexibility into the system. ▪

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By / Ellen Chang

The construction of new apartment buildings will likely factor in the possibility of people spending more time at home as more companies are allowing employees to work remotely.

Architects will change the design and layouts of apartment buildings to adapt to the new norms caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Common spaces and amenities, such as swimming pools and gyms, will be viewed differently as these areas will need to accommodate social distancing practices and lower the spread of pathogens indoors.

The demand for renting is not likely to decline as more people are hesitant to put their savings toward a down payment to buy a house when it might be needed to pay bills due to the uncertainty in the economy.

Renters could consider larger spaces and additional bedrooms and eschew open floor plans because the number of people working from home is likely to continue in the near term. As more people spend time at home on video meetings or phone calls, the need for more privacy and space will rise.

Here are eight design trends we expect will soon become part of the norm for apartment features, amenities, and layouts for the new construction of apartments.

1. Common spaces need to allow for heavy foot traffic Many apartment buildings feature amenities, such as places for renters to work, use a printer, grab coffee, and socialize with their neighbours.

Places like fitness centers, working spaces, coffee lounges, and leasing centers will need to be able to accommodate both renters and apartment building employees and be designed “with enough space to allow for heavy foot traffic without putting people in confined spaces,” said Patrick Carroll, CEO of Carroll, an Atlanta-based real estate company that owns 30,000 residential and commercial properties.

Social distancing and sanitization considerations for new apartment construction Interior spaces will have to be rethought to accommodate the need for social distancing. “The flow of traffic in and out of these spaces will have to be carefully considered, as well, to avoid bottlenecks around entrances and exits,” Carroll said.

“Unit corridors will likely go unchanged because they are not heavily trafficked, but certainly amenity spaces are on everyone’s mind right now.”

The focus will have to shift so that residents feel safe and that communal areas are sanitary, Carroll said. Another factor is reducing the number of times residents and staff touch surfaces, whether it’s incorporating technology like touchless entry, having the ability to open doors to the community gym or leasing office with feet or switching to lights with motion sensors in communal areas.

“In addition to the design and flow of these specific outdoor and interior spaces, communities will need to make sure the shared amenities are cleaned frequently,” he said. “Not only wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 13

© Can Stock Photo / Bialasiewicz

8

Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction

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8 Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction

“While co-working spaces or coffee-shop replications will not disappear, residents might be more selective in how they choose to occupy those spaces.”

© Canstock / arquiplay77

developer plans to hold or sell the building may dictate how much they are willing to spend on these various upgrades.”

that, but the management team will need to communicate what is being done to keep these spaces clean so that residents feel safe.”

Several apartment building upgrades and add-ons are being implemented, including sanitizing stations, physical barriers at reception and amenity areas, temperature-monitoring stations, touchless faucets, auto door operators, increased air changing and air sanitizing HVAC systems/UV treatment and handsfree elevator technology, said Ryan Keane, vice-president of Nashville Operations for James McHugh Construction Co., a Chicago-based construction manager and general contractor.

2. Better ventilation will be prioritized in apartment construction Ventilation will remain a priority when architects design spaces in a post-pandemic world, said Tyler Davis, director of new construction at Bright Power, a New York-based energy and water management services company for real estate owners and operators.

“Health-savvy developers may investigate increasing ventilation rates or using better filtration to improve indoor air quality,” Davis said. “Better ventilation will increase air quality and create healthier spaces for occupants. While occupants themselves will not see a noticeable shift in their spaces, they will reap benefits.”

Determining where developers will find additional funding to cover better ventilation will be a critical issue, he said.

Funding for affordable housing has already been hit hard by the pandemic, plus there are ever-increasing construction costs.

“It remains to be seen if these will be increasingly value engineered out of building designs in order to keep projects out of the red,” Davis said. “We trust that developers will continue to see the value of higher quality ventilation systems to provide healthy spaces for their occupants.”

“It will be interesting to see if these items come to fruition,” Keane said. “Projects still need to pencil out and whether a 16 » The Trowel

3. Small group meeting space will need to increase Not everyone will want to work from their apartment or will need more space to conduct meetings quietly. The apartment industry will need to offer more workspaces, similar to the shift made by hotel architects and designers incorporating more workspaces and Wi-Fi for business travelers in hotel lobbies.

While co-working spaces or coffee-shop replications will not disappear, residents might be more selective in how they choose to occupy those spaces, said Brad Vogelsmeier, vice-president of Development at Milhaus, an Indianapolisbased, mixed-use development, construction, and property management company that specializes in Class A, urban, multifamily, residential buildings.

“Not everyone is programmed to work in an office and some still want light social interaction that these public spaces provide,” he said. “Getting a small group together and not being on top of other people will be valuable. Amenity areas should be configured to accommodate more than just one group at a time.”

Amenities focused on remote employees Apartment complexes will need to adapt as more people will be working remotely and having this workplace mindset means they can provide tenants the co-working environment they desperately seek, said Mayank Agrawal, CEO of ZenSpace, a Santa Clara, CA-based meeting space company.

“Apartment common spaces will need to think about soundproof workspaces, tech-enabled meeting rooms, quality internet, and options to help maintain social distancing,” he said. “As we’ve seen from the pandemic, working from home just doesn’t work for many people, whether it’s due to noisy levels, multiple family members in a small space, or simply a need to get away.”

“Any interior or exterior common space that can be broken up should be to better facilitate multiple conversations or gatherings in the same place at the same time,” said Vogelsmeier. “We’ve been forced into our own living spaces for so long and having private space is great, but getting a small group together and not being on top of other people will be valuable. Amenity areas should be configured to accommodate more than just one group at a time.”

4. Natural light demand will increase Even before the impact of the pandemic took place, some building designers were already working on adding demands from customers and rethinking natural light is a no-brainer.

Renters have consistently demanded apartment units to have more light, outdoor space and purpose-built office and desk spaces for years, said Jake Dietrich, vice-president of Development at Milhaus.

of units over the years has decreased the amount of surface parking or communal outdoor spaces on the properties.

“This is really pent up demand and developers are trying to figure out how to meet that demand with their products, while still keeping rents affordable and projects in budget,” he said.

7. Larger floor plans will be sought The trend before the coronavirus was to maximize apartment building density with a high percentage of studios or small one-bedroom apartments, Keane said. With the pandemic, there should be an increase in unit square footage in new construction apartments to give residents more space within their own dwellings, and balconies may become a “must,” he said.

5. Apartments will have dedicated workspaces The compact spaces within apartments can be adapted to incorporate more true workspaces into smaller square footage.

“This is where the quality of place comes in — developing near public urban parks and open spaces can provide that communal outdoor space off property, often in a more meaningful way than we can achieve in the little remaining square footage we have on our properties,” he said.

© Canstock / csp38394216

More apartment units could also have a den included, Dietrich said. “A den, hopefully with windows, can provide an urban renter with a work from home space, but also a guest bedroom, a nursery, outdoor gear room,” he said. “In addition to building in a desk, we could also design these rooms with Murphy beds or large built-in storage.”

“Work from home policies are about to get a lot more flexible moving forward and in order to make that sustainable, we’re going to need to get creative,” Vogelsmeier said.

Apartment designs also need to include more private workspaces. Sometimes, the separation between work and home is necessary, especially in an apartment. Some people don’t want to trek to a coffee shop or co-working spaces because they’re seeking a private work area to crank out work alone. Renters will be looking for these spaces and developers that don’t adapt the design of their products quickly will be left behind, Dietrich said.

6. Access to outdoor spaces will become more key People will want to spend more time outdoors so they can easily social distance from their neighbours. Creating communal outdoor spaces can be more challenging for urban properties because of the scarcity of land and pricing for it continues to increase, Dietrich said.

The increase in the floor-area-ratio to maximize the number

8. Touchless fixtures could be more common in new apartment construction Mary Cook Associates, a Chicago-based commercial interior design firm, says they’ve already shifted gears and specifications on a few projects in the works. One example is a renovation in Phoenix for which they’ve revised specifications to include touchless plumbing fixtures, said Mary Cook, founder and president of Mary Cook Associates.

In a Texas project, lighting has been switched to motion sensors that are touchless and save on energy. Model home designs are also being adjusted. In a newly-constructed, multifamily community in New Jersey, the company revised the leasing office furniture selections. They switched from open café tables and chairs to pods with removable partitions separating individual workstations.

How to find new construction apartments Apartment designers and architects have already changed some of their existing plans to adapt to the new norms that were pushed to the forefront because of the pandemic. Renters will increasingly seek more touchless fixtures, elevators, and entry doors, as well as having more space in their apartments so they work from home more efficiently.

New construction apartments will likely offer many of these features to remain competitive. Apartment buildings and architects that adapt to these changes will likely see higher occupancy rates and beat their competitors who stick to standard offerings. ▪ wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 17

Excellence

High-tech Photos courtesy of Bochsler Photo Imaging

Attracting and retaining its high-tech talent,

Plexxis recently opened a new head office in Brampton, Ontario. The 25,000-square-foot facility features a contemporary, open design. Amenities for its 75 employees include an outdoor patio with a grill, an indoor exercise area with a basketball court, and an employee lounge with a kitchenette, movie theater, and game room.

Reflecting Plexxis’ innovative culture and its office’s highperformance, modern aesthetic, Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling products were installed throughout Plexxis’ new building.

18 » The Trowel

“Plexxis has an extraordinarily vibrant culture – encouraging constant discussion and collaboration ... In planning the space, effective sound isolation was a crucial factor in ensuring working comfort and a productive environment.” exciting for our team to be part of such a big step forward in our client’s future growth.”

“Understanding the northern Ontario, dairy farming roots of our founders, it was particularly important to create a space that exuded warmth, while enabling quality work in an inviting, fun environment... quite a challenge to strike just the right tone,” Schleien said.

Sesco Design Build’s project scope included the ceiling design, layout, and specification. DeFrancesco noted, “All of the ceiling systems were specified by Sesco with the assistance of Ryan (Hillier-Spurr at Arrlin Acoustic Supply Inc.) and Rockfon.”

Sesco and Arrlin have worked together for more than 20 years on large office buildings to small office renovations and much more, according to Hillier-Spurr. Many of these projects have included Rockfon’s Chicago Metallic suspension systems and, more recently, the acoustic stone wool ceiling products.

For its Ontario headquarters, Plexxis contracted Sesco Design Build Inc. to provide a full turn-key service—design, permits, buildout, etc. All design was done in-house.

“This space was part of the new flagship look of their rebranding process,” said Sesco Group’s project manager Domenic DeFrancesco, HBA. “During the design of the space, we worked closely with their chief strategy officer, Robin Schleien, who has terrific insight and knowledge of design content throughout the space and how it indirectly reflects the strategic branding of the company. This made the project very

To look after the drywall and acoustics scope for the project, Sesco Design Build hired Sesco Interiors Inc. “There was no specific NRC ratings, or sound engineer required, but several areas needed to be addressed to some degree,” DeFrancesco said. A member of the Drywall, Acoustic Lathing & Insulation, Local 675 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Sesco Interiors also installed the Rockfon ceiling system throughout Plexxis’ new office.

“Plexxis has an extraordinarily vibrant culture – encouraging constant discussion and collaboration,” said Jason Fraser, cofounder and chief operations officer at Plexxis. “In planning a space designed around large open areas flanked by meeting facilities, social areas, and offices, effective sound isolation was a crucial factor in ensuring working comfort and a productive environment.”

In the general office area, NRC was very important, so the team used the tegular edge Rockfon Artic® ceiling tiles. In the wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 19

High-tech Excellence

large game room/lunchroom, Rockfon® Island™ panels were used for sound absorption.

performance was key in supporting functionality and comfort in the employee lounge.

“The change from the more traditional, acoustical ceiling in the office areas to the openness of the exposed plenum and suspended islands in the break/recreation rooms provides a visual queue that separates work effort from relaxation, while maintaining the necessary acoustic control throughout,” said Rockfon’s acoustics specialist, Gary Madaras, Ph.D.

More than just a lunchroom, the lounge serves as a community room with a movie screen, pool tables and arcade games for Plexxis’ employees. As conversations and friendly competition increase in volume, each voice grows louder to be heard and causes the overall noise level to escalate. Rockfon Island ceiling products absorb sound to improve the acoustic experience without diminishing the energetic camaraderie.

Rockfon Artic acoustical ceiling tiles were installed in the hallways, kitchenette, and throughout the majority of the offices at Plexxis. These 2-by-2-foot panels were suspended within Chicago Metallic® 4600 Ultraline™, a 9/16-inch exposed grid ceiling system with stab-end cross tees that are seismically rated.

Rockfon Artic tiles not only provide a professional impression and good sound absorption, they also support high light reflection. The bright white, smooth surface of the ceiling panels reflects up to 85% of the light that hits them. Within the main office area at Plexxis, enclosed offices are positioned against exterior full-height walls and feature windows. The interior walls and doors are floor-to-ceiling glass to further maximize both the electric light fixtures and the available daylight.

Like Rockfon Artic, Rockfon Island ceiling products also provide a very high light reflectance, an aesthetically pleasing, modern appearance, and excellent sound absorption. Acoustic 20 » The Trowel

“As conversations and friendly competition increase in volume, each voice grows louder to be heard and causes the overall noise level to escalate. Rockfon Island ceiling products absorb sound to improve the acoustic experience without diminishing the energetic camaraderie.”

“A very large, open concept design required a modern, acoustic solution and unique ceiling design for the employee lounge,” said Rockfon’s architectural sales manager for Ontario, Isabelle Champagne, CTR. “The tiles blends with the space. They are not a distraction, but rather a piece of art.”

Balancing the multiple performance and aesthetic considerations, DeFrancesco said, “This project ran very smoothly, and any change in design, engineering, etc., our team and the owners of Plexxis were very flexible and accommodating to make the change and keep moving forward with the project.” He added that the project was completed on time and delivered within budget even with additional upgrades added by the owners.

“We’ve actually been quite surprised as to how much impact the ceiling system had in achieving our end goal,” Schleien said. “We’re thrilled with the outcome to say the least.”

Plexxis’ headquarters now is home to nearly 100 dedicated team members, and an elite client advisory group of top performing wall and ceiling contractors. ▪ Plexxis Software Inc., 14 Abacus Rd., Brampton, ON, L6T 5B7 Canada https://plexxis.com Owner: Plexxis Software Inc.; Brampton, Ontario * Design-build contractor: Sesco Design Build Inc.; Bolton, Ontario; http://sescogroup.ca * Ceiling system – installing contractor: Sesco Interiors Inc.; Bolton, Ontario; http://sescogroup.ca * Lighting consultants: Salex Inc.; Scarborough, Ontario; http:// www.salex.ca * Ceiling system – distributor: A Line Acoustic Supply Inc. (formerly Arrlin); Concord, Ontario; http://alineacoustic.com * Ceiling system – manufacturer: Rockfon; Chicago; https:// www.rockfon.com * Photographer: Bochsler Photo Imaging wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 21

feature FOCUS THE EVOLUTION OF FIRESTOPPING

By Don Pilz and Brent Johnson

Firestopping is the process of containing fire and/or smoke through the use of properly installed, UL-tested and certified products and assemblies.

Firestopping as we know it has been around for approximately 40 years. At first, builders used what was readily available—drywall, mineral wool, steel framing, and spray-applied fireproofing were all products known to restrict the passage of fire.

These original assemblies were great for limiting fire transmission but did not do as well when it came to limiting the passage of smoke or protecting against seismic activity. To address this, intumescent tracks were created in 2008. Factory-applied intumescent tape over steel framing members provided a permanent, high-movement seal to building joints.

In 2012, the International Building Code adopted a major change: “Special Inspections� for firestop penetrations and joints. These inspections require visual and/or destructive testing, which involves the special inspector taking a “coupon� (removal of field-installed firestop sealant or fire spray) from a fully cured firestop product at multiple

inspections with no wait time since they arrived fully cured. Today, nearly all major firestop manufacturers offer some type of pre-formed/fully cured products for joints and penetrations.

locations along the bond lines (either at the penetration or perimeter joint of the substrate interface) to verify its depth throughout. This code change was the result the industry wanted to ensure the proper installation of firestopping by qualified professionals.

The most recent evolution of firestopping appeared in 2019, when fire-rated drywall accessories were introduced to the market. These products combine intumescent tape with a flexible, paintable, vinyl drywall bead for an unbreakable seal against uneven concrete and roof decks while minimizing installation error. Since they come fully cured, they offer easier inspections with no wait time.

With this code change, firestopping manufacturers looked to develop products that could be easily inspected and installed while reducing potential installation errors. In 2015, preformed/fully cured firestop products that minimized installation error by providing factory-metered dosage were introduced to the market. They also provided easier and immediate

continued on page 26

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contractors 101 ALL THE DRAMA MOVIES AREN’T ON NETFLIX How many of you, when you are flipping through the channels, will re-watch a movie you have seen 5 or 10 times?

All of us. The Godfather. Shawshank Redemption. Rocky. The Departed. Jurassic Park. Titanic. My weakness is Gladiator.

I’ve watched that probably 10 times. You know what is going to happen. You know the lines. You enjoy its familiarity, not the surprise or shock of something new.

Well, that is exactly the situation our industry finds ourselves in again. One of two movies is going to play for you, beginning later in 2020 and probably though 2021. And it won’t be on Netflix.

These movies represent the economics of our construction marketplace. If you have been at this for any length of time, you have seen them both at least two or three times, and maybe four if you have some grey hairs.

The first movie, most recently re-released in 2008, is rated five stars. Lets call it, Desperately Shoveling Cash. The plot is massive infusions of federal infrastructure dollars to put [people] America to work. Infrastructure is the dependable, proven, and fastest way to put people to work. From the Great Depression to the Financial Crisis, government turns to us to generate economic firepower. If we watch this movie, there is some cheering, fist bumping, the good guys win, and in the end, it bridges the gap to the other side of the recessionary period. If this is happening for us, this will be decided in 2020, and more likely in the next 60-90 days.

The other movie is a one-star, low budget horror flick. Let’s call it, Slashers at the Jobsite. In this one, the feds cannot, or will not, agree on solutions prior to the election, and the states are on their own. So, that starts with a slashing of sources of funding for the entire market.

Except for the bi-polar stock market, the economic indicators says the sky is kinda falling. And if not now, pretty damn soon. Public entities are already getting nervous with tax revenues in steep decline and their capital budgets looking ripe for reassignment. Private construction owners looking ahead probably need Xanax. Industrial expenditures more or less on hold. Building offices in the Zoom world? Maybe later. And finally, uncertainty on the V recovery, U recovery, or the Nike Swoosh recovery. Ok. So, what to do? Watch that crappy movie. Again. Let’s check out your viewing history: U.S. Recessions Impacting our Industry 1980-82 1990-91 2001 2008-09

By / Mark Breslin

Unless you are among the many new apprentices** or college graduate project managers who have never seen a hard down market cycle before (welcome to the real world, sons and daughters), the downturn movie is mostly the same. And that familiarity should be an asset—you know the plot.

So, before we grind through it again, 2020 is a time to time to sit down with your management team and ask the key questions that everyone needs to prior to a market cycle change: What did we learn from watching and living the last versions of the movie? Let us remind ourselves this is not new and market cycles are normal in our business.

What is our operational edge that we need to focus on right now?

What market pivots would be smart to make now that will pay off later?

What are the discretionary vs essential investments we need to make in people, programs, technology, training, or equipment to get to the other side?

What sacred cows, processes, legacy BS, or other barriers need to be eliminated because a good shock to the system is a fine time to enact change?

What sacrifices, economies, or leaning out can and should we do to roll through market instability? Where is the maximum ROI? I have seen both of these market trends and, as an organizational leader, it doesn’t freak me out or leave me wondering what to do. I have always tried to think and act in “what is most important now” mode, so when the situation hits the fan, my organization is not facing conflicting resource priorities.

Disciplined ROI is the name of the game: to improve operational or economic outcomes for your companies.

So, the show is about to start. The coming attractions look mixed. Settle back with your popcorn and take a breath. 2020 will likely be a decent year based on back logs and current continued on page 26 wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 23

it’s the LAW WHEN TO LIEN IF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PARTIALLY TAKES PLACE ON NON-LIENABLE LANDS Although a potentially helpful tool for securing payment, builders’ liens can be tricky to implement in practice. Courts review liens very strictly; if they are not drafted with care and absolute accuracy, they can be invalidated. Among other things, a lien claimant must be able to satisfy a court that it has performed work in relation to an improvement on the specific lands over which the lien is claimed.

The BC Supreme Court recently considered the case of JVD Installations Inc. v. Skookum Creek Power Partnership, in which liens had been filed against lands on which the lien claimants did not perform any physical work, and that comprised only a small portion of the overall project which mostly took place on lands that could otherwise not be liened under the Builders Lien Act (“BLA”). The court confirmed in this case that a lien can be claimed where the work claimed for forms an “integral and necessary part” of an integrated construction improvement, even if a lien claimant cannot actually prove that its work directly benefited the land against which the lien is filed.

The Facts In this case, the plaintiff (the “Subcontractor”) acted as a subcontractor for the construction of most of the components of a run-of-river hydroelectric project (the “Project”). The Subcontractor then further subcontracted its scope of work to another company that was its wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Sub-Subcontractor”).

A number of factors, including delays resulting from unanticipated site conditions and damage to integral components of the Project led to a payment dispute. This dispute led the Subcontractor and Sub-Subcontractor to file claims of lien. However, the Project was located almost entirely on lands owned by the Crown (the “Crown Lands”), which are generally not subject to claims of lien. Only a small portion of the Project consisting of power transmission lines running across statutory rights-of-way on privately

Are you readign a borrowed copy of The Trowel?

By / Andrew D.R. Delmonico (left) and Ted Lewis (right), Kuhn LLP

owned lands (the “Transmission Line Lands”) could be liened. Neither the Sub-Contractor nor the Sub-Subcontractor provided work on the Transmission Line Lands themselves.

Because liens could not be claimed against the Crown Lands, the Subcontractor and Sub-Subcontractor attempted to file liens against the Transmission Line Lands.

The Decision The Court was called on to decide whether these lien claims were valid, ultimately finding both to be proper lien claims in the circumstances. In coming to this decision, the Court noted the BLA “does not require a lien claimant to perform or provide work ‘on’ the lands described in a lien; it requires the lien claimant to perform or provide work ‘in relation to an improvement’ located on lienable lands.” Where, as here, the claimants could demonstrate that the work performed was “integral and necessary” to such an improvement, the lien claims could succeed. Ultimately, the court held that all parts of the Project, including those on the Transmission Line Lands, formed a single integrated improvement. The Subcontractor and Sub-Subcontractor were entitled to claim liens over the lienable portion of that improvement, even if they had not directly supplied work to that part of the Lands.

Lessons Learned 1. If you perform off-site work, you may still have a valid lien claim if your work is sufficiently connected to the actual construction taking place on the lands you are seeking to lien.

2. You may also have a lien claim against lands on which only part of an improvement is taking place. If you work on any part of a project that forms a single, integrated improvement, it may give rise to a valid lien claim on some lands even where claims are prohibited on other parts of those lands. ▪ This article was written by Andrew D.R. Delmonico, Partner, and Ted R. Lewis, articled student, who practise in construction law with the law firm of Kuhn LLP. This

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get legal advice for specific situations. If you have any questions or comments about (Abbotsford) or 604.684.8668 (Vancouver).

strategic PLANNING STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASSOCIATIONS – RIGHT NOW

There is increased risk for most organizations right now— there always is in a recession, let alone everything else that’s going on. Yet, even now, there are strategic opportunities for associations that should not be overlooked.

A chance to connect with everyone Activities have moved to the virtual realm and seem likely to stay there for a while, even if some reopening is taking place. (Just because events might become legal in a particular jurisdiction doesn’t mean that people will be comfortable or able to attend. Unfortunately, there’s still no cure, no effective treatment, and no vaccine for COVID-19.)

Countries like Canada have far more geography than people.

It’s always seemed surprising to me that Canadian associations aren’t absolutely fantastic about virtual access to services.

(Some are great; many have been heavily reliant on in-person events, though.) Now’s a great chance to capitalize on that potential, seems to me.

Think about: • People in remote areas who lack the time or budget to travel to in-person events.

• Those whose interest is relatively low, who may not have bothered to attend an event but who might sign up for a webinar.

• People outside your usual geographic area entirely, for whom now there are no barriers to participating in—and paying you for—content.

• Non-members or former members who don’t see enough value in membership—yet—but who might try out a snack-sized relationship.

Even if you continue to create and develop your activities aimed squarely at, say, your traditional members within your geographic catchment area, you can market them to this

By / Meredith Low

broader audience. Then, think about what you would do with these folks if they do sign up. Do you cultivate, market, try to convert them to membership, or something else?

Mobilize members One of the theories for why people are so willing to engage politically right now is that there is not much else to do.

(Note: this is just one small element of analysis of the current political moment.) Now, your members might be terribly busy with their work, especially if they are in a sector like health care. Many of them have extra demands on their time if they have children at home. But your members perhaps do have a little extra bandwidth or may be craving some novelty in terms of how they engage with you and with each other.

Do you have advocacy goals where you can activate your membership to provide you with stories to tell or with numbers to show to decision-makers? Are there new opportunities to pursue your policy agenda, given the shifting political landscape? Consider whether your members might be open to new ways to engage, precisely because of this situation.

Another analysis of the current political moment is that decades of activism and organizing has made people willing to contemplate previously unthinkable ideas. And of course that’s also an argument to mobilize your members if you can.

You don’t always know when the time will be ripe for your ideas. ▪ Learn more at https://meredithlow.com/

SAVE THE DATE

BC Wall & Ceiling Association Events Please note the Western Wall & Ceiling Convention scheduled in for 2020 in Victoria, BC, has been postponed to SEPTEMBER 2021.

Please watch your email and visit www.bcwca.org for more information and for updates.

wallandceiling.ca » Summer 2020 » 25

advertiser INDEX FEATURE FOCUS

CONTRACTORS 101 continued from page 22

To prepare for these special inspections and achieve the most code-compliant solution for the life of the structure, select and install per tested listed systems as required in section 715 of the IBC. Though expanding product offerings provides contractors and design professionals more options to meet today’s construction demands, listed systems ensure that a building meets code requirements while limiting risk and liability for all parties involved. Additionally, because the special inspector will be required to evaluate any product per ASTM E2393 and will probably be required to perform a visual inspection during the installation, these new product categories help reduce the required steps for inspection in certain tested, listed systems by eliminating the need for mineral wool compression calculations or destructive samples of sealant depth.

For the entire article on the evolution of firestopping, visit wallboardtrim.com. To find more information on passive fire protection, visit the International Firestop Council (IFC), a non-profit association of manufacturers, distributors, and inspectors with over 30 years of firestop expertise. ▪

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • Summer 2020

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continued from page 23

market momentum, but the path ahead is quite clearly one requiring additional forethought and vision. I can tell you that the theatre is packed (social distance doesn’t apply here) as we ride it out together. For the question of ROI, though we cannot guarantee a happily-ever-after ending to the movie ahead, you are going to want your team aligned in the seats behind you, watching your back. ** Note: every apprentice, project manager, or other employee who started work for you in the last 10 years has never seen a downturn. In fact, they have been employed in a period of unprecedented opportunity. The ability to manage expectations, emotions, and compensation will be another management challenge in 2020 and beyond.) ▪ Mark Breslin is an author, speaker, CEO, and influencer at the highest levels of business in North America. He has spent decades advising CEOs and senior leaders in business, government, labour, and non-profit arenas in both the United States and Canada. His five bestselling books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have improved leadership, accountability, profitability, innovation, and engagement for organizations and individuals. See his work at www.breslin.biz

The Trowel is always looking for project stories, business profiles, and other news tips about the things that matter most to its readers. If you have something on the go or know of a topic that needs exploring, please reach out to Jessica Kirby, editor, to share your ideas. jkirby@pointonemedia.com direct: 250.816.3671

Around the Bend 8 Ways Coronavirus Will Impact New Apartment Construction High-Tech Excellence

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Company Bailey Metals Products Demand Products Flannery Trim Georgia-Pacific Grabber Construction Products (Canada) Inc. Steeler Construction Supply Wallboard Trim & Tool 26 » The Trowel

Phone Page 800.818.2666 OBC 800.325.7540 11 818.837.7585 IFC 800.225.6119 14-15 800.567.8876 12 800.275.2279 9 800.590.5799 22

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