Building Management Hawaii - September 2020 by trademediahui

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$1.5 MILLION PAINT PROJECT » INSURANCE MARKET HARDENS » MEET A MANAGER: VALORIE LAMBERT

SEPTEMBER 2020 | $5.00

GROUNDS

for P R A I S E Bernardino Mariano turned Honolulu Tower on the edge of Chinatown into a botanical garden. It’s the subject of our new feature saluting great landscaping

appliCation of Waterproofing MeMBrane

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(808) 845-7770 • FAX (808) 845-7447 850 Moowaa Street, Honolulu, HI 96817

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EDITOR’S DESK |

DON CHAPMAN

Saluting Great Grounds

Mailed and Distributed on the 10th of Every Month

As a building manager, are you proud of your property’s landscaping? You should be, because handsome landscaping creates curb appeal, increases property values and enhances the owner/resident sense of well-being. The over-riding message with well-maintained grounds is, hey, this is a nice place to live. Or to work, as the case may be. Trees and other plants also have the added benefit of cooling the ambient temperature and absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That’s why BMH is introducing a new feature with this issue, “Grounds for Praise.” The idea started when Hilary Benefiel, general manager of Honolulu Tower downtown, phoned Lorraine Cabanero, BMH advertising coordinator, a title that understates all she does for the magazine. Lorraine sent me an email detailing the conversation and I followed up with Hilary, who was happy to brag on her in-house landscaper Bernardino Mariano and sent a few photos of his handiwork. I was impressed. Mentioning it to our team, rather than just doing a one-off on Bernardino and Honolulu Tower, we decided to make it a regular feature. So if you’re a building manager—residential or commercial—and you think your grounds are pretty great, please shoot me an email to nominate your landscaper, whether on staff or an outside contractor. Here’s to more beautiful surroundings for us all. ❖

PUBLISHER Amanda Canada EDITOR Don Chapman ASSOCIATE EDITORS Brett Alexander-Estes Priscilla Pérez Billig SENIOR ADVERTISING DIRECTORS Barry Redmayne Charlene Gray SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jennifer Dorman David Kanyuck ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Lorraine Cabanero LEAD ART DIRECTOR Ursula A. Silva

don@tradepublishing.com

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contents September 2020 | Volume 36 | No. 9

FEATURED 4 — Editor’s Desk Introducing a new feature saluting great grounds 8 — Grounds for Praise Landscaper Bernardino Mariano creates an urban oasis at Honolulu Tower 12 — Projects The Villa on Eaton Square’s million-dollar paint job 16 — Meet a Manager For Valorie Lambert of Nauru Tower, good management begins with caring about people 20 — When It’s Time for a Care Home In the first of a two-part series, BMH surveys top senior care facilities 48 — Legal Matters: Jane Sugimura Federal CARES Act provides assistance for condo landlords, tenants 50 — All Things Condo: Carole Richelieu Accessing association documents 51 — Community Corner New pool rules, Kakaako momentum, new facial recognition/temperature scanner, hardening insurance market

16 EV CHARGING 26 — Shawn Moorhead Rebates for installing EV chargers 30 — Jim Burness Four criteria to consider in choosing an EV station installer 32 — Daniel Roberts New city law promotes EV charging stations

PAINTING 34 — Dean Nagatoshi Test before painting over old applications 36 — Karl Van Zandt Six questions that should be asked more often 38 — Stan Perreira Research that boards must do before starting a project

ROOFING 40 — Jon Vaughn Why three plies are better than one 41 — Shane Makalii The benefits of a metal roof

WATERPROOFING/SPALLING 42 — Julia and Jason Komori New-age sealants offer protection and aesthetics 44 — Sean Richardson Why waterproofing concrete surfaces is essential 46 — Bernie Wonneberger and Frank Xiong A pool complicates waterproofing replacement on a rec deck

8 Copyright 2020 with all rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. Building Management Hawaii is published on the eighth day of each month by Trade Publishing Company, with offices at 287 Mokauea, Honolulu HI 96819. Unsolicited materials must be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped return envelope. Publisher reserves the right to edit or otherwise modify all materials and assumes no responsibility for items lost or misplaced during production. Content within this publications is not to be construed

as professional advice; Trade Publishing disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for health or financial damages that may arise from its content. Statement of fact and opinion in articles, columns or letters of contributors are the responsibility of authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Trade Publishing Co. Single copy rate is $5, with subscriptions available at $35 per year. For information, call (808) 848-0711.

6 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

287 Mokauea Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 (808) 848-0711 | TradePublishing.com

Hawaiiana: We Are “Here” for Our Clients, Through Every Circumstance While the current times are unprecedented, challenging and for many heartbreaking, taking some time to see the good can help balance the pressures of the difficult. We are learning to be thankful for what we have, to empathize with others, and just how many things we can do from home! Many have had the delight of catching up with old friends, and learning how to use technology in ways we never dreamed possible. Some are learning how to cook, to sew, and how to relax rather than to rush. And hopefully, we are all learning to cherish our friends and loved ones, and to care for strangers in need. In addition, we are learning that kindness is an inherent trait in so many. Below are a few “silver lining stories” collected from our clients and those working for Hawaiiana:

“One of Hawaiiana’s employees did some research and found a company that would deliver free meals to residents in need at one of our buildings. Those who wished to participate are now having meals delivered to their door by building staff wearing gloves and face masks. It feels great to be able to do things like this in such difficult times!” Bev F.

“In one of the buildings I manage, board members, their spouses, and a few other residents made over 120 fabric face masks for the Institute of Human Services staff.” Keola K. “Recently we asked residents at Kaimana Lanais to donate a dollar per unit to help the Foodbank. We were hoping for $114, but ended up with over $700!” Ruth T., Board President, Kaimana Lanais

“One of our ‘snowbird’ residents, Linda Selbert of Keala o Wailea, purchased a sewing machine on island and ordered a bolt of filter fabric, just so she could sew masks. I am sure she has made hundreds by now, and is sharing them with people on Maui as well as in her home state of Michigan.” Carol G.

Able to find the fun in everything, Hawaiiana employees have made their masks into a fashion statement, carefully color-coordinating with their day’s outfit. Shown are Mele Heresa (left) and Michelline Balisbisana (right).

employees are taken care of. I am so proud to work for a company like this!” Naina O. Deemed an “essential business,” Hawaiiana has maintained its daily hours of operation from 8AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday in its offices on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big

“One condo board voted to give owners a break on one full month of their maintenance fees, just to provide them with economic relief. There are good people out there doing good things!”

Hawaiiana’s website is a great resource which allows clients to conveniently access our services from the comfort and safety of home. Owners can contact their property management team, ask questions about their bill, pay online, change their contact address, access news and educational information and more.

Lourdes D.

“Our company has made a sizeable donation to Hawaii Foodbank, and plans to do more for the community after making sure all of our

Residents at the 114-unit Kaimana Lanais on Oahu were asked to consider donating $1 per unit to the Hawaii Foodbank. Donations exceeded $700!

Linda Selbert, resident of Keala o Wailea (above) made hundreds of masks to share with people on Maui and in her native Michigan.

Island. Most employees are on a rotating schedule which includes some work-from-home days, but when in the office, all are required to wear face masks and practice “social distancing.” As a safety precaution, our offices have limited in-person visitors, but will cautiously reopen as deemed safe. Hawaiiana employees are always available by phone or email.

For more information on Hawaiiana’s award-winning services, contact Mele Heresa, CCIM®, CPM® at meleh@ hmcmgt.com or (808) 5936827. We also invite you to visit our website at hmcmgt. com. We are “here” for you now, and hope to see you in person in the days to come!

Contact: Mele Heresa, CCIM®, CPM® PH: 593-6827 • meleh@hmcmgt.com Visit us at: www.hmcmgt.com

GROUNDS

for P R A I S E

Green Oasis on the Edge of Chinatown Landscaper Bernardino Mariano creates tranquil grounds at Honolulu Tower BY DON CHAPMAN

ocated on the edge of Chinatown, Honolulu Tower provides residents a tranquil oasis uncommon in the very urban area. Give credit, says building manager Hilary Benefiel, to landscaper Bernardino Mariano. “Bernardino has been with the building for 17 years,” says Bernardino Mariano Benefiel. “And he’s the only staff member involved in landscaping. All the plants on our property are hand-cared-for by him.” Grounds surrounding the 396-unit tower that opened at 60 N. Beretania in 1982 create, in effect, a private botanical garden. Its flora includes red ginger, ti leaf, yellow pop, mango grass, mock orange, palm tree, arabis, Hilary Benefiel Blue Lily of the Nile, liriope, crested fern, kaffir lily, pothos vine, Ala Wai fern, bougainvillea spectabilis, mei sui lan, crotons, purple leea, tiare gardenia, brunfelsia pauciflora (yesterday, today and tomorrow plant), natal plum, laua‘e fern, pink enchantress hawthorn, dwarf pittosporum, wax ficus, jatropha, Song of India, monkeypods, Mindinao gum, strawberry guava, St. Augustine grass, mando plant, Mickey Mouse plant, firecracker plant, eldorado, blue ginger, African iris, philodendron, canna, compact dracaena, giant bird of paradise, Australian tree fern, golden bamboo, areca palm, lady palm, fishtail palm, Manila palm, Kentia palm, blue latan palm and MacArthur palm. A native of Ilocos Norte, Philip-

8 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

Honolulu Tower grounds

ASSOCIA HAWAII PROVIDES AWARD-WINNING MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO HAWAII’S CONDO ASSOCIATIONS AND HOAS

Pauli Wong, PCAM®, RS® President of Associa Hawaii, AAMC® Business Leader of the Year Big Business Category, Pacific Business News

2020 US Best Managed Company - The national award program, sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, recognizes private company excellence in four key areas: strategy, execution, culture and financials. Associa, along with other honorees, were credited with “what innovation looks like and achieving excellence...” 2020 Hawaii Best Places to Work - Associa Hawaii was named among the Best Places to Work by Hawaii Business Magazine. Associa Hawaii joins fellow honorees Central Pacific Bank, American Savings Bank, AHL (Architects Hawaii Ltd) and other Hawaii employers. Additionally, Pacific Business News has named Associa Hawaii Best Places to Work two years in a row. Great Place to Work Certification - Nationally, Associa has held the prestigious Great Place to Work Certification three years in a row.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ASSOCIA HAWAI’I’S AWARD-WINNING SERVICES, CONTACT Phyllis Okada Kacher, CPM®, R® | Chief Business Development Officer phyllis@associahawaii.com | 808.837.5273 www.associahawaii.com

GROUNDS

for P R A I S E

Mariano watering and taking care of the foliage at Honolulu Tower.

pines, who came to Hawaii in 1979, Mariano was working at a large landscaping company when a mutual friend introduced him to the thenHonolulu Tower manager, who was in need of landscaping help. It turned out to be his perfect job. “I love plants,” he says. And it’s a big job. The total footprint of Honolulu Tower, affiliated with Hawaiiana Management, is 1.7 acres, of which about 45% is landscaped. Mariano explains the grounds are home to so many species because residents are always bringing him plants and clippings that he propagates in a greenhouse behind the parking garage. “I never have to buy plants,” says Benefiel, who has been on the job for a year. She adds that Mariano doesn’t just have a green thumb—“he has a green body!” The happy result is that “our residents are always telling me they live in a little bit of paradise.” ❖

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PROJECTS

A Well-Planned

Painting Project

The Villa on Eaton Square Manager: John Pampalone, General Manager, ARM, CMCA, CAM, AMS, PCAM Candidate Project: Villa Tower and Parking Garage Painting Project

300 gallons of primer and 600 gallons of paint later, the Villa on Eaton Square Is looking good

When did the building open? 1972. John Pampalone

Number of

units: 428 residential units. What caused this project to be undertaken? In 2005, the exterior of the Villa was painted. The tower began to exhibit signs of normal wear and tear of the exterior paint coating. This capital project was planned and fully funded by association reserves. In addition, the garage traffic coating was overdue for a recoating with Neogard all-weather traffic coating. The board also took the

opportunity to address any concrete spalling that was observed during the project. A few interesting facts about the project: Repainting the exterior of the Villa used over 300 gallons of primer and 600 gallons of exterior paint. Two coats were applied. In addition, the spalling repairs used 280 bags of concrete, each weighing 50 pounds, which translates to nearly 14,000 pounds of concrete.

Number of units and common areas affected? The entire exterior of the building was painted, including the lanai surroundings. The recreation deck was closed in phases to allow for painting, concrete work and picture win-

12 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

dow resealing. Additional work included replacement of more than 40 fire doors and application of new roof coatings on seven roofing surfaces throughout the property. We also took advantage of the closure to perform routine pool tile maintenance and upgrades to our BBQs and recreation deck tile.

How was the management company involved? Hawaiian Properties provided various resources to the AOAO, including lists of potential consultants and painting vendors that specialize in the aforementioned projects. During project execution, they also provided fiscal administration of all the contracts and payment services.

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How involved was the board, and what actions did they take? The board researched and planned this reserve project several years in advance of execution. Once financial requirements were established and funds allocated, the directors interviewed several consultants with a selection process based on both presentations and project experience. Once a consultant was selected, the board worked closely with the general manager and property manager in developing a scope-of-work and prioritized improvement projects as either “must do” or “nice to have.” Once prioritization was complete, the consultant developed and presented the final scope of work in a project handbook to be used in the request for proposal (RFP) bid process.

Did you bring in an outside consultant? Yes, the board hired

Top photo: Work on the pool deck Above: Spalling repair was also conducted

Linn Henniger, AIA. His expertise and institutional knowledge of the industry proved invaluable to the overall success of the project. Linn provided expert guidance and recommendations

to the board during the RFP process and throughout the entirety of project execution.

How did you decide on a contractor to do the repairs, and who was selected? The selection was done through an RFP. Several painting companies competitively bid on the project. It’s never an easy decision in deciding which company to award a project of this magnitude. Rodd Shimamoto of Raymond’s Painting Co. was awarded the capital project.

How/when did you communicate with owners/residents about the issue and then the work? Capital improvement projects of this size and complexity are planned years ahead. Ownership was made generally aware that project planning was underway in 2016, with an official announcement of project commencement in 2017. Notifications were also distributed to the entire building, including non-resident owners at that

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time. As work progressed, several resident notifications were made to keep everyone current on the activities of the vendor throughout the property.

When did actual work on the project begin and end? The project started in late August 2017 and was completed in July 2019.

Cost: Over $1.5 million. Any lessons learned that other buildings could benefit from? There is great value in having all facets of any process working in harmony. As GM, I had the luxury of a dedicated consultant hired by the association to assist me in day-to-day management of the project. Equally, a board of directors that acknowledges and appreciates the value of subject matter experts while empowering their management team to administer the project is essential. As any project starts, it is important to ensure all proper safety and industry protocols are followed for the safety of contractors, employees and residents/ guests alike. I cannot stress enough the value of communicating with your residents. The more they understand the underlying reasons for the work being performed, the more they will appreciate the planning effort and hard work expended during execution. Always be prepared for the unknown, such as weather events. During our project, Hawaii experienced two major hurricanes back-to-back, requiring demobilization and securing of all scaffolding and rigging equipment. Lastly, document the work with pictures and walk the property as the contractor is performing their work. You will learn a great deal by watching and asking questions. ❖

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Workers getting ready to paint

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MEET A

MANAGER |

VALORIE LAMBERT

Caring About People Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where good building management starts for Valorie Lambert BY DON CHAPMAN

16 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

Valorie Lambert TITLE: General Manager, Nauru Tower There is no particular parallel between managing a luxury condominium tower and riding a motorcycle, says Valorie Lambert, though in her experience they are related. “Riding helps me survive this job,” says Lambert, who “started riding dirt bikes as a young kid in California.” She graduated to a street bike about 20 years ago, and during their days on the West Coast she and husband Tony (pictured at right) would go on long rides along the California coast and up through the Sierra-Nevada mountains. Today she proudly rides a beauty of a Harley-Davidson Road Glide. “Riding lets trouble blow away,” she says. “It’s really good stress relief.” She got into property management almost by accident. She and Tony were living on Kauai when they adopted three children to go along with their two biological children. Feeling the kids needed more room, they relocat-

When did Nauru open? 1993.

ed to a 100-acre ranch in southern Oregon—dirt bikes for the boys, horses for the girls. That led to buying a real estate company, which led to property management. When the kids all finished high school, looking for a change, the Lamberts moved to the San Francisco Bay area, where she was soon managing multiple properties. Long story short, they eventually returned to Hawaii: “Of all the places we’ve lived, this was always the favorite.” Though reluctant to “mix my work and faith,” she mentions that she and Tony, an electrical contractor, are members of Sabbath Keeper Motorcycle Ministry. Tony, in fact, is national president. In simpler times for travel, they’ve helped staff booths at large motorcycle events around the country to give away free Christian literature. There’s more than stress relief going on with that bike.

When did you come aboard? November 2019.

Number of units and total property acreage: 314 units, including 10 commercial units, 304 residential condos, on 44 floors located on 3.1 acres directly across from Ala Mona Park.

Management company: Hawaiiana Management.

Number of board members, and how often do you meet? Nine, and we meet monthly.

Number of staff: 26. Do you offer vacation rentals? No.

Amenities: Pool, spa, tennis court, five BBQ/picnic cabanas and a lovely landscaped garden area with meandering walkway.

Do you live on property? No, but I live next door.

Previous building management jobs? Park at Pearlridge, a three-tower property in Aiea, and Woodlake, 990 condo units in six mid-rise buildings in San Mateo, Calif., with 28 elevators, six swimming pools, four tennis courts, a clubhouse and fitness center.

How did you get into the industry? I owned my own property management business in Oregon, then moved to California where everything was condos and HOAs. I specialized in luxury single-family home HOA communities in the Bay Area, where I managed up to 2,100 homes at one time, spread over 11 HOA communities. I was driving hundreds of miles a week. After I just about burned out with so many communities and meetwww.tradepublishing.com/building-management-hawaii 17

ings every week, I requested just one large community, and that was how I ended up at Woodlake.

Other work experience? Medical office management.

Where are you originally from?

Pool and walking path on the grounds of Nauru Tower

West Coast—I have lived in California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

Schooling: Two years of college studying office management.

What do you like about building management? Every day is different. I like problem-solving.

Any current or planned projects? We have a curtain wall investigation project in the works and a corridor remodel project, including wallpaper removal, wall prep, painting, wood panel refinishing and new carpeting.

Most important qualities for a condominium manager? Being pro-active and staying ahead of the issues. Being able to multi-task. Maintaining a respectful and professional relationship with your board, vendors, staff and residents.

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social distancing and use of masks in common areas. We have limited the use of our recreational facilities to just our residents. When they have a question or need, our residents are encouraged to call or email the office, in order to limit face-to-face interactions, and we have rearranged our office spaces to give required social distancing to our staff. Board meetings have been on Zoom. Staff is scanned when they clock in with a digital forehead temperature scanner and are encouraged to change into their uniforms after they arrive. We have been fortunate to remain COVIDfree so far. ❖

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In the first of a two-part series, BMH polls leading senior care facilities on their services

15 Craigside

15 Craigside, 15 Craigside Place Arcadia, 1434 Punahou Street Website: arcadia.org Years in business: 15 Craigside since 2011, 9 years. Arcadia since 1967, 53 years.

Executive Team: 15 Craigside: President and CEO Suzie Schulberg; Chief Operating Officer Bree Komagome. Arcadia: President and CEO Suzie Schulberg; Chief Operating Officer Heidi Pliszka.

Owner: Arcadia Family of Companies. Related companies: Arcadia At Home, Arcadia Home Health Services, Central Union Adult Day Care and Day Health Center. Types of care provided: Both 15 Craigside and Arcadia provide independent living, assisted living, skilled and intermediate care, care for those

with Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and dementia Suzie Schulberg and care for end of life. Most residents live independently in their apartments.

Number of rooms/beds: 15 Craigside: 170 apartments and 41 skilled nursing beds. Arcadia: 250 apartments and 91 skilled nursing beds. Number/type of staff: 15 Craigside: 185 total (assisted living, dining,

20 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

environmental services, finance and accounting, health care, housekeeping, human resources, IT, marketing and sales, programs, reception desk and shuttle, resident services, safety, security, wellness). Arcadia: 298 total (assisted living, dining, environmental services, finance and accounting, health care, housekeeping, human resources, IT, marketing and sales, programs, reception desk and shuttle, resident services, safety, security, wellness).

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Arcadia

One Kalakaua Senior Living 1314 Kalakaua Avenue Website: onekalakaua.net Years in business: 23 years. Executive Director: Michelle M. Kakazu.

Owner: One Kalakaua is a fee-simple condominium licensed as an assisted living facility, the only one of its kind in Hawaii.

We encourage prospective residents to move in while they are still living independently so they can enjoy life. Statistics indicate that older adults who live in senior living communities live longer healthier lives. The minimum age to move into 15 Craigside and Arcadia is 62 years or better.

All events involving external visitors, performers and facilitators were cancelled. All recreational excursions and shuttle runs were suspended, except for medical purposes. All three meals are delivered to the residents and they dine in their own apartments. Daily in-person tours to prospective residents have been discontinued so virtual tours are now available on our website. Our policy for new resident move-ins continues to evolve.

When did you become aware of the threat COVID-19 posed to senior care homes? From the

Have you had any positive cases, and if so how did you handle the situation? Yes, two non-direct

What are the signs that it could be time to move from living independently in a condominium to a senior care home?

onset of COVID-19 in the United States. The loss of life at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., reaffirmed our beliefs.

How has the coronavirus changed your operations and procedures? Does that include testing of staff and residents? All employees and essential contractors are screened with temperature checks and an extensive questionnaire. Daily resident temperature checks are also taken. On June 8-9, 567 employees and a handful of contractors were tested for COVID-19 and all results were negative. Interval antigen testing for all employees and contractors started Aug. 4. All employees and contractors will be tested once a month. Visitors are not allowed in the communities but scheduled visitations are allowed outside following strict safety guidelines. All visitors must wear a face mask, physical distance and practice good hand hygiene.

care dining wait staff employees tested positive at Arcadia. Immediately, we implemented our emergency response plan addressing this specific scenario and worked closely with the state of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) to help ensure the safety of all who live and work within the Arcadia Family of Companies. We identified those who may have been in close contact with the employees prior to his/her onset of symptoms. Based on the contact tracing findings, no direct exposure to residents occurred.

How long do you foresee executing COVID precautions? Our precautions will be on-going and we will continue to follow emergency response protocols, based on guidance from DOH and current national standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in determining what actions are necessary for our residents and employees.

Related facilities: None. Types of care provided: Independent living and assisted living.

Number of units/beds: 166. Number/type of staff: 125 staff (ranges from full-time, part-time and on-call).

What are the signs that it could be time to move from living independently in a condominium to a senior care home? When you cannot do the tasks of daily living without some assistance. Examples of such tasks are eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, transferring (getting in/out of bed, for example). You may also consider a senior facility when the individual is unable to arrange meals for themselves, pay the bills or keep up with the house cleaning.

When did you become aware of the threat COVID-19 posed to senior care homes? In January, when we learned about this, we held our first team meeting to start tracking the locations of all residents and staff who were currently on leave of absence (for travel or illness/hospitalizations) and started to implement stricter protocols on quarantining and the criteria to use to determine when they could come back to the facility. In any type of acute respiratory illness situation, we knew our elderly population would be the most at risk. Thus, we started to meet weekly from January to go over the latest CDC, state/DOH, city and industry regulations/guidelines to make sure we are always in-line or even more conservative in our operations.

www.tradepublishing.com/building-management-hawaii 21

correlation per studies done on what occurred on the Mainland. So we can do a very good job in-house, but if the positive cases in the outside community continue to increase, it’s only a matter of time before we see it in the nursing facilities and many other businesses, which is what we are seeing now. As such, facilities like our own have all been preparing for such a scenario over the past few months. We have a very strict infection control protocol that dictates how to handle the situation from day one until the issue is clear from our facility. It includes steps such as identification/ confirmation of cases, contract tracing/ tracking, isolating, hourly to daily tasks (including medical care coordination, PPE management/usage, disinfecting, meals/supplies management), restricting activities/traffic in our common areas, transferring steps (to hospital or other if necessary), communication to residents, families and staff and so forth.

One Kalakaua Senior Living

How has the coronavirus Michelle M. Kakazu changed your operations and procedures? Does that include testing of staff and residents? You may have already seen our facility on Hawaii News Now, where we explained the steps we have taken and the technology we implemented months ago to protect our facility. We were very forward-thinking from the onset of the pandemic and thought about how we need to do business going forward for this or any pandemic to come in the future. We knew from a lot of research coming out in the prior year that a pandemic was possible. Also, we were already very familiar with the flu and how it spreads each year, and knew it would not be a short-term thing when this occurred. So we immediately implemented a “No Visitor” policy, but did a very thorough screening/documentation of those who needed to enter for urgent medical services, supplies deliveries, emergency repairs and urgent legal matters. Every day these individuals, as well as all of our staff, must go through a detailed iPad screen, as well as a thermal (temperature) screen that also checks to see if they are wearing a mask. Alert

information is sent electronically to our front desk/security and executive director so we can act on it right away, as well as have the information for contact tracing at our fingertips if needed. We implemented this at five entry points that are also under camera surveillance. This allowed us to save money by not having to staff the entrances ourselves 24/7, and no one has to re-input the visitor information (as it automatically documents) as well as protects our staff from being in close contact with visitors. We have many other ways COVID-19 has changed our operations, such as more frequent sanitization, all must wear masks, in-room dining only, fitness classes being cast on the in-house cable channel, activities being held by floor, meetings with doctors and business associates being done online via Microsoft Teams and Zoom. But the iPad and thermal screening is the most visible one and the one that impacts everyone—staff, visitors, residents.

Have you had any positive cases, and if so how did you handle the situation? No positive cases as of yet, thank goodness. However, it can happen to any facility at any time. The probability of a senior facility getting a case increases as the prevalence in the community increases—there is a direct

22 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

How long do you foresee executing COVID precautions? Due to our high-risk/fragile population, it will go on until the great majority of both our residents and the larger community are protected via a vaccine.

Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society at Pohai Nani 45-090 Namoku Street Website: good-sam.com Years in business: 56 years. Manager: Patricia Camero, Executive Director.

Owner: Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Related facilities: We have no sister facilities in the Islands. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is one of the largest not-forprofit providers of senior care and services in the U.S. with 19,000 employees and more than 200 post-acute, skilled nursing, hospice, assisted living, independent living, rehabilitation and home and community-based health facilities in its 24-state network. Types of care provided: Postacute, skilled nursing, hospice, assisted

“Nothing is perfect but this is close to perfection.” –Leroy and Roberta Chang 15 Craigside Residents

We would not be involved in as many activities if we remained at home. When we travel, there’s comfort knowing that when we return, everything will be clean and safe. The staff is accommodating and happy to serve you in whatever way you need. 15 Craigside provides a special warmth, friendliness, and welcoming energy that make us feel like we are at home. It’s wonderful.

533-5416 arcadia.org

Good Samaritan Society - Pohai Nani living, rehabilitation and independent senior living.

Number of rooms/beds: Our 14-story high-rise has 185 apartments, 14 independent cottages, 45-bed adult residential care homes, a 44-bed skilled nursing facility and 24-unit staff quarters. Number/type of staff: Approximately 240 staff consisting of administrative, life enrichment/wellness, dietary, housekeeping, maintenance and nursing personnel. We also contract with the Pacific Health Ministry for a full-time chaplain and chaplain intern. What are the signs that it could be time to move from living independently in a condominium to a senior care home? When you get tired of the upkeep of your home and all the maintenance. If you are looking for a community of seniors, with amenities that are specifically geared for the senior age group and exercise classes geared specifically for your independent needs. If seniors are isolated in their homes, and are looking for companionship, if they are finding they are needing more assistance in performing daily tasks. There are a variety of reasons to choose to move into a senior retirement community—not only for the senior, for care and companionship—but also for the peace of mind for adult children.

When did you become aware of the threat COVID-19 posed to senior care homes? We’ve been educating ourselves on the threat of this insidious virus from early January 2020. We had no idea it would consume our lives as it has these past seven months. We responded quickly to close our community to outside visitors to reduce and prevent the risk of exposure for our vulnerable seniors.

How has the coronavirus changed your operations and procedures? Does that include testing of staff and residents? COVID-19 has changed everything about the way we conduct business on a daily basis. It has increased the work-

load and the documentation we must keep. It has heightened our awareness of wearing masks properly, physical distancing and hand hygiene. Upon reporting to work, before they enter the building, staff are screened with temperature taking and answering questions related to their exposure to anyone with COVID-19. Residents have a staff member come to their apartment every day to temp check them and ask screening questions. We mandate that all vendors who must enter our building are tempchecked and screened. Family members who have requested entry into our high-rise building to perform a medically essential service for their family member are screened and placed on an approval list and permitted limited entry. Everyone must wash or sanitize hands before entering the building. Our skilled nursing facility and our care homes, however, were 100% closed to outsiders. Unless a resident was dying, then there were limited exceptions made. All communal activities were closed. Exercise classes were held in hallways, with residents standing at their doorways—one floor per day. We also did Zoom exercise classes, so residents became very versatile at technology! We offered assistance with technology and FaceTime for residents or families who asked. Additional hand-sanitizing stations are placed around the facility, drinking fountains have been turned off, common area furniture has been Patricia Camero

24 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

taken away to prevent people from sitting close together. Then the elevators. That was a challenge, but we had an idea from, of all places, Thailand. We created a grid of six spaces and asked people to enter the elevator and face the wall. We can accommodate six people at a time, all facing the wall, so while they cannot be physically six feet apart, they are not facing each other. Our life enrichment staff made each elevator into a mini-art museum, and weekly change out the pictures that people face as they “face the wall.” Also, our weekly pep rallies have been very therapeutic, cathartic and fun! Mondays and Thursdays, for 10 minutes, we sing, we cheer, we bang pots and pans and make glorious noise! Even our neighbors have joined in!

Have you had any positive cases, and if so how did you handle the situation? By the grace of God, to this point we have not.

How long do you foresee executing COVID precautions? Until the curve is flat. We have been slowly reopening services (fitness center by appointment; pool, limited number; beauty shop, one at a time; library, limited number of people allowed in and shortened hours; small group movies, small group exercise classes, courtside church services, etc.), but fully re-opening, as we were a year ago, that remains to be seen, but truthfully I cannot wait. ❖

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CONTRIBUTORS | EV CHARGING

Rebates for Installing EV Chargers

SHAWN MOORHEAD

Hawaii Energy is administering $400,000 in funding from the state to finance the installation of shared charging stations

awaii is approaching a turning point in the shift toward the electrification of personal transportation. Hawaii trails only California in the rate of electric vehicle (EV) adoption per capita. As of October 2019, the State Energy Office reports that over 10,000 electric vehicles have been registered across the Islands. According to Hawaiian Electric Co., this number is predicted to increase to 430,000 EVs by 2045. While the rate of EV ownership is accelerating, a common concern regarding EVs is related to “range anxiety.” Prospective buyers wonder what will happen if they run out of battery power. Ironically, the answer requires a conversation about the

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behavior of refilling our gasoline tanks in comparison to the way electric vehicles are charged. When driving a gas-powered vehicle, most people fill up their cars once they approach “empty.” It’s simply the most convenient and least time-consuming way to refuel. With electric vehicles, the optimal charging pattern is more comparable to the way people charge a mobile phone. Every night before bed or during the day in the office, most people plug in their phone regardless of how much battery life is remaining. This leads to a fully charged device whenever you wake up or head out of the office. The same goes for charging an electric vehicle. Installing EV chargers at the home or in the workplace, where vehicles are parked for long periods of time, can ensure you never go without a charge. The option for EV drivers to utilize public charging whenever a quick top-off is necessary is always there, just as many folks quickly plug in their phones for a few minutes at airports, restaurants or coffee shops. But how does one get a personal charger in your home environment? The biggest issue is cost, especially in multi-unit dwellings, since most buildings require an upgrade to their electrical infrastructure to make EV charging possible. If you live in a condo, apartment building or multi-unit dwelling—like almost 45% of the people in Hawaii—this process is even more challenging since you have to contend with the varying priorities and budget restrictions of HOAs, building management boards, property managers and owners.

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The solution comes with the help of power optimization software, which enables buildings to provide more EV chargers on less electrical infrastructure. By using power optimization software, buildings can maximize electrical capacity by managing the flow of electricity to up to 10 times more EV chargers. Overcoming the barrier of having to install transformers and other expensive equipment to ramp up electrical capacity for EV charging solves a major bottleneck in the adoption of personally owned EV chargers. Even in cases where a building or condominium might want to provide a few shared charging stations to residents and guests within their community as a building amenity, electrical capacity in the building and the cost of new infrastructure is always the biggest problem. Hawaii Energy is helping solve this issue by administering $400,000 in funding from the state to finance the cost of installation of shared charging stations. Under this rebate program,

buildings can significantly reduce the cost of deploying EV chargers. Electric vehicle adoption will continue to increase in Hawaii for years to come. EV drivers will require more access to convenient and affordable charging options where they spend most of their time, at home and in the workplace. Data shows that over 80% of charging events take place in the home environment. As a result, building owners and property managers have come to see EV charging as an essential amenity for residents and a competitive advantage in terms of attracting new owners and tenants. Property values even increase when charging stations are available in the area. Now is the time to get ahead of the curve by preparing for the future mobility needs of your community. â?&#x2013;

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CONTRIBUTORS | EV CHARGING

Vetting EV Charging Companies

JIM BURNESS

Four criteria to consider in choosing an EV station installer

he future of transportation, without question, is electric. It is a necessary transition to curbing global warming and achieving the state’s aggressive 2045 energy goals. This means more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will be needed—significantly more than what is in place today. As we plan on how to get there, it is important to look back at the history of EV charging in Hawaii and how it still influences our decisions moving forward. Unfortunately, early EV charging in Hawaii featured a parade of small, upstart charging providers bringing in then-unproven products and business models with too little financial backing. Over time, many have gone out of business, leaving behind a slew of broken and seemingly unfixable and unusable stations. Because of this local history—with similar issues across the country—there are four extremely strict evaluation criteria to consider: safety, financial stability, reliability and features. As with most aspects of life, safety is first and foremost. Products should be listed by one of the nationally recognized testing laboratories, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or Intertek. While this might seem like a no-brainer, the EV charging market is being flooded with cheap domestic and global products that bypass this process. Without client safety, nothing else matters. The second vetting criteria is financial stability. In the early 2010s, a company called Better Place installed 80 charging stations throughout Hawaii with the business model of installing stations on properties for “free” and

relying on profit solely on the markup of electricity. By 2013, Better Place had burned through $850,000,000 in funding and was bankrupt. Virtually all others with this same (third-party ownership) business model have also gone out of business or have struggled to survive. Those still in the marketplace are often too cash-poor to keep their charging stations consistently operational. There is nothing more distressing to an EV driver than a broken station, and the broken unit often reflects badly on the business(es) it’s located near, rather than the company that installed it. Some manufacturers are owned by European utilities. Others are divisions of massive worldwide electronics companies. One is a division of one of the largest auto parts manufacturers on the planet, and another is the dominant player in the commercial charging market with about 70% market share nationwide, and investors such as Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, BMW and a who’s who of Silicon Valley venture capital firms. In other words, if we can’t tell where a manufacturer’s funding is coming from, or if their publicly

30 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

available financial statements are a disaster, we are not interested. The third criterion is reliability. A good portion of work over the last few years has involved tearing out old, non-functional charging units and putting in new, reliable units. This provides perspective on who makes a quality product and who does not. While repairs are occasionally required for any product, keeping those to a minimum is not only good for clients, it also allows the opportunity to accelerate Hawaii’s EV infrastructure. The fourth element is harder to quantify but still very important: features and value. The best companies seek products offering unique features and/or those that are a particularly good value. The goal is to have a solution for any potential scenario, which means giving customers a wide range of products and price points to choose from. With that in mind, products can range from $450 residential charging stations to ultra-fast chargers that can sell for $250,000 or more. Also available are “smart” stations with extensive data collection, user profiles and revenue management. Additionally, there are plug-and-charge products, commonly referred to as “dumb” stations. It is in the customers’ best interest to know which are the best products across the needs spectrum that will result in the best long-term experience— for both station owners and drivers. ❖ Jim Burness, CEO and general manager of Aloha Charge, launched the company in 2012 to facilitate the build-out of Hawaii’s EV charging infrastructure. Reach him at jim@alohacharge.com.

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CONTRIBUTORS | EV CHARGING

City Law Promotes Charging Stations

DANIEL ROBERTS

New buildings and parking lots must now provide infrastructure for EV stations, but rebates and incentives are available to owners

awaii moved a step closer to 100% renewable energy with the City Council voting to pass Bill 25 requiring new building construction to include infrastructure to support electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Most new parking lots must have at least 25 percent of their stalls wired and ready to support chargers. State law already requires places of public accommodation with at least 100 parking spaces to have at least one parking space with an EV-charging

station, but the city ordinance definitely kicks it up a few notches. According to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 12,140 electric passenger vehicles and 23,639 hybrid passenger vehicles in Hawaii as of May 2020. That represents 3.3% of all passenger vehicles in the state. That may seem like a small percentage but the number has increased significantly in recent years and will continue to grow as we move further away from fossil fuels.

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Currently, much EV charging is done at home, but some EV owners—including those residing in condominiums and apartments—do not have easy access to chargers. They rely on workplace or public charging stations. With the new law and growing interest in EVs, for most building owners it’s no longer a matter of if, but when. There are various options to consider when it comes to charging stations, including the type of charger, who will own it, who will operate it and whether charging will be free or not. For workplace charging, employers may choose to own the station and offer charging at no cost to their employees. Building owners, on the other hand, may want to generate revenue from the charger to help offset the cost. Building owners can contract with a third party to arrange for the installation of the equipment as well as operating and maintaining it. Companies such as Aloha Charge, ChargePoint and Mana Monitoring have multiple sites under their control, which gives them brand recognition. In some cases, these third parties own the equipment and either lease the site or pay a fee related to the revenue generated from the equipment. Installation cost varies considerably. One aspect of cost is the equipment, which is dependent on the type of charger: Level 1, Level 2 or DC Fast Charger. Level 1 provides charging through a 120-volt AC circuit. These chargers take a long time to charge a vehicle and are typically used when only 120-volt circuits are available (as in residential applications) or in places where cars will be parked for a long time (such as long-term airport parking). Level 2 chargers typically

output of at least 3 kilowatts (kw) and $3,000 for upgrading an existing station. A larger rebate of $35,000 is available for installing stations with an output of at least 40kw, while upgrades can receive $28,000. There is still funding available under this program. There is also a special EV rate schedule available from HECO that provides lower rates for energy purchased between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (currently 15.9 cents per kilowatt hour on Oahu) and no demand charges. Taking advantage of this rate schedule necessitates the

installation of a separate meter that will add to the cost of installation. Now is a great time to consider an EV charging station to enhance your building and provide additional benefits to employees or tenants. A list of EV charging station contractors can be found at the Hawaii Energy website hawaiienergy.com. ❖ Daniel Roberts is vice president of operations at Hawaii Pacific Solar. Reach him at dan@ hawaiipacificsolar.com.

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use a 240-volt or 208-volt service. DC Fast Charger enables rapid charging generally designed for 480-volt service. For workplace charging, a Level 2 charger is generally sufficient since employees are parked for several hours at a time. In addition to the equipment, the installation itself can add significantly to the overall cost. Upgrading the electrical service, if needed, to provide a dedicated 240-volt circuit and proximity to the electrical service to reduce trenching/conduit are aspects to consider. Cellular strength is another factor since most chargers are networked and/ or require connectivity for reporting faults and collecting payment. Bill 25 attempts to address these costs by including the needed infrastructure at the time of initial construction. Condo boards and building owners should know that there are incentives available to help with these costs. Act 142 signed by Gov. Ige and effective Jan. 1, 2020, made funds available for the installation of and upgrades to existing EV charging stations. Applicants can receive $4,500 for the installation of a new charging station with an

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CONTRIBUTORS | PAINTING

Painting Over Old Applications

DEAN NAGATOSHI

Hawaii’s aging buildings require testing to find the proper primer and paint

awaii’s older buildings have more than likely received multiple coats of paint over the years. This causes a buildup of layers that can peel from the surface like the layers of an onion. Sometimes it can be the failure of the primer from the previous painting project, or the failure of the primer from the original painting project that was done many years ago when the building was built. Existing paint failure can also occur where no peeling of paint is present. After the application of the new paint

system, paint blisters could occur due to the added stress, weight and thickness of the new paint being applied over old paint. Surface preparation to remove peeling paint and paint that has not yet peeled (but is no longer adhering to the surface) can be quite costly. I recall a project where the existing paint was very weathered and chalky, and there was a concern that the new paint system might not adhere to the existing paint. To make thing more complicated, since it was an older building, the existing paint was tested

and determined to be lead-based. The specification called for surface preparation to clean the surface and a primer that was specifically designed to go over chalky painted surfaces. A paint adhesion test was requested, revealing that that the specified primer would not adhere to the prepared painted surface. Several samples were then made with various methods of surface preparation that would not generate dust due to the lead paint. Also, different primers were used to determine which would provide the best adhesion. Additional adhesion tests were

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performed and the appropriate method of surface preparation and primer was selected. There was a small paint mockup made on an adjacent section of the building prior to the adhesion testing. The entire mockup delaminated from the surface with minimal tension. This project specified one coat of primer, one coat of elastomeric waterproofing and two coats of paint for a total four-coat paint system. You can only imagine what the cost could have been for removing the peeling paint, re-preparing the surface and application of another four-coat paint system. Unfortunately, I also remember a project that had experienced paint failures months after being completed. By then, the contractor had gone out of business.

commercial paint system or an industrial coating system may be required, depending on the metal substrate’s exposure to weather and corrosion. Regardless of your specific requirements, it is always good practice to contact a local, licensed and bonded painting contractor that can help provide answers to all of your questions. The PDCA of Hawaii’s website (pdcahawaii.org) contains a directory of Hawaii painting contractors that are not only licensed and insured, but also have completed extensive training

and education on up-to-date safety and craftsmanship standards. ❖ Dean Nagatoshi is executive director of the Painting and Decorating Contractors Association of Hawaii. PDCA of Hawaii membership includes active unionized painting, decorating, waterproofing and industrial coating contractors, associate manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and dealers and affiliate contractors with a multitude of skilled and bonded employees across the state. Reach him at 479-6825 or dean@pdcahawaii.org .

Analyze the Existing Paint Preparation should begin with the testing of the existing paint that is on the surface. If your building was built before 1978, there is a good chance that the existing paint contains lead or is lead-based. This knowledge needs to be provided to the painting contractor prior to bidding to determine the appropriate surface preparation methods that can be used and the primer that should be specified. An adhesion test should also be performed to determine the adhesion of the new paint system to the existing painted surface. Take a small area of the building, and do the specified surface preparation and apply the full paint system. Allow the new paint system to fully cure and perform an adhesion test on the new paint system to confirm that the new paint system has good adhesion to the old paint, without affecting the old paint’s adhesion to the substrate. People always ask, “What is the best paint?” There is no one answer to that question. You are looking for different results on different substrates, and ensuring that the paint system is suitable for its intended use on that substrate—for example, to prevent concrete spalls caused by moisture penetrating into the concrete. A waterproofing paint system may require different primers depending on the existing surface condition, but you wouldn’t use that same system on concrete ceilings. To paint metal surfaces, a

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CONTRIBUTORS | PAINTING

Painting: Not As Simple As It Looks

KARL VAN ZANDT

Six questions that should be asked more often before starting a project

ainting as a process is simple and straightforward. But with so many different paint products and types of surfaces to paint, it’s still easy to make mistakes, even for those with experience. Paint knowledge and expertise is earned the hard way for most of us in the painting industry, sometimes at high cost. The following questions are not necessarily “frequently asked,” but should be a part of the understanding of anyone in charge of maintaining a painted building.

Before

After

How long should a paint job last? Paint manufacturers claim an industry standard for repainting every five to seven years, but they are in the business of selling paint. That timeframe might apply if you have a property that requires a constant premium aesthetic, like a high-end rental or commercial space. A typical home or building should last 10 years between repainting, and that’s usually the timeframe used when creating a maintenance budget schedule. Financial concerns will sometimes dictate you wait a few years longer than that, but you don’t want to wait too long or you’ll find yourself with a lot of expensive repairs in addition to a much higher painting cost due to required additional prep work.

Does color affect durability, and If so what colors fade fastest? Absolutely. Deep, bold colors fade more quickly, especially in a high UV environment like Hawai‘i’s, and they break down more quickly as well. The tint colorants used for bold colors absorb more UV rays and are more

susceptible to UV breakdown than the titanium dioxide used for white tint base. Reds and yellows are especially sensitive. Dark colors also absorb more heat, causing additional stress to the paint system and substrates. Bold colors are currently trending, and can really make a property stand out, but you will sacrifice some durability to achieve your preferred look.

Latex vs. oil, and do people even use oil paints anymore? Oil-based paint, known in the painting industry as alkyd paint, is becoming far less common, and is rarely used for exterior house or building painting now, as water-based paint technology has advanced to provide premium durability and finish and ease of cleanup. Latex paint is now a misnomer

as virtually all water-based paints are made with acrylic resin. Alkyd enamel still has some specialized uses, as it can provide a harder, more durable finish or a more penetrating bond, and is sometimes used for high-use areas like cabinets or railings. A fairly new technological advancement is the development of alkyd hybrid paints, where the alkyd is applied in a water-based delivery system, giving you the cleanup of a water-based paint but the hard finish of an alkyd. Oil-based and water-based paints are still incompatible, and require good surface prep and a primer coat when applying one finish over the other— otherwise poor bonding can result and create an ugly situation where you might need to fully remove the paint before redoing it properly. See Painting on page 39

36 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

CONTRIBUTORS | PAINTING

Getting a Paint Job Off to a Good Start

STAN PERREIRA

Research needs to be done by a board just to get a project off the ground

he start of a painting project may seem easy. All you need to do is call a few contractors and say, “Hey, can you give me a price?” Then again, should you rely solely on those professional applicators, or seek other qualified persons to review your project first? And what if those two or three persons disagree on the way to approach your work and your project ends up confused or too difficult to decipher? Perhaps there is more to the start of

• • • • •

your project than meets the eye. As I suggest, you ask questions first, so that a comparison of all bids provides you with insight into how to review those differences. Since an estimate is primarily a calculation of surface area, materials needed and the labor required to provide such, then the culmination of information should be presented in a manner that allows you to easily review who is guessing and who is providing actual quantities to bid your project. For now, let us assume you accepted a price to paint, say, something as sim-

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ple as a metal handrail that is peeling. (Ugh!) Peel back the layer, or layers, of coating(s) and you possibly see a shiny surface underneath. Or maybe there’s dirt, mildew or other layers of paint that appear to be releasing. Perhaps you see a galvanized surface that did not receive a coat of primer, or you see a new galvanized pipe that neglected to get a metal-etch applied first (a pre-treatment that allows the primer coat to “stick” or adhere well). That could be the story for many surfaces with concern or adhesion issues, where time to pre-treat or prepare surfaces is the true start to a great finish. So where do you begin? Perhaps decide whether your project is large enough for a consultant, architect or engineer to advise, review and make understood the intent of your project, what the needs are and whether to rely on someone with professional liability insurance. These professionals could be the ones to oversee, document and provide drawings and specifications for all bidders to follow instead of assuming your project is a simple one. Your property manager is also a good resource to consider. Perhaps he/she could suggest what direction to take, especially if there are bylaws that require a performance-and-payment-bond, making all bidders responsible to provide proof of their ability to supply one, including their bonding rate, along with adequate insurance levels that do not have certain exclusions. To my understanding, proof of insurance alone may not provide what exclusions their policy might have—another reason to ask questions. Some paint manufacturers provide free specifications, and these are good

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for those simple repaint projects. But should there be structural or special requirements, design, repairs or other needs, then an architect, engineer or certified consultant may be the best place to start. Sure, it is easier to have a few contractors provide their ideas of what should be done, relying on their particular perspective. But then who would be responsible to review and compare apples to oranges if there are no set parameters? This should be easier, right? Can’t you just call a couple of guys and get the cheapest price so you can be on your way to a good job that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Of course, you could. But the words good and cheap normally do not belong in the same sentence. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start with a wellthought-out plan: “What are my goals, my needs and my expected outcome?” That alone may help you eventually achieve something better than good and cheap as you rely on the proper authority figure to review and provide direction from start to finish, helping assure you end up receiving the expected outcome. In the case of those peeling surfaces, whether the reason is labor, application equipment, materials or the surface it was applied to—possibly not the fault of the contractor— should you have specifications and the right professional involved, you should have recourse to remedy things as they arise. This alone may help to assure that your issues are not ignored because of written documents that support the required results. I would hope that your thoughtful preparedness, by heeding the suggestions of the professionals, might provide happy days of sunshine and smiles rather than the alternative of nightmares and frowns for a project that could have gone awry. ❖ Stan Perreira is an estimator with Jade Painting Inc. He has been in the painting industry since 1980 and joined Jade Painting in 1999. Reach him at 677-5233 or Stan@jadepainting.com.

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Elastomeric paints are thick water-based coatings that cure to a kind of rubberized film that bridges small cracks and divots. These coatings are excellent for concrete and masonry structures, as they prevent moisture from working into the surface and rusting the structural rebar and mesh beneath the surface, which can cause spall issues that are costly to fix. While they work quite well for masonry, these paints are typically not recommended for wood siding as they can trap moisture behind the coating, resulting in blistering and peeling on a massive scale, sometimes requiring full removal to fix the issue.

What about lead and asbestos issues? Lead and asbestos are hazardous materials, present in older paint and building materials. Full removal of lead-based paint or materials containing asbestos must be done by a firm certified and licensed for removal. Most painting companies will not be able to perform this work, as it is a separate license for a highly regulated industry, and is not covered by a Hawaii C-33 painting contractor’s license. Painting companies, however, can prepare and paint surfaces where existing lead-based paint is present, provided they are certified under the EPA RRR program—created in 2010 to govern renovation of leadbased paint surfaces—and follow the proper documentation, processes and precautions. Surfaces containing asbestos can be encapsulated (painted over) by a painting contractor, provided they do not disturb the asbestos. More information on lead and asbestos can be found at the EPA. gov website. ❖ Karl and Karina Van Zandt have owned and managed Oahu Pro Painters (formerly CertaPro Painters) for more than 15 years. They paint a blend of large commercial spaces, multi-family community buildings and residential single-family homes.

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CONTRIBUTORS | ROOFING

Why Three Plies are Better Than One

JON VAUGHN

Getting better bang for the buck in low-slope roofing

hen it comes to lowslope commercial roofing, it’s critical to install materials with proven long-lifespan track records in our harsh Hawaii climate. Modified bitumen—mod bit— rolled-cap sheet systems are locally proven to be the longest lifespan systems on the market for low-slope roofing. And they are more cost-effective for two reasons: initial installation and upkeep. Mod bit roofing is proven to last 30-plus years in Hawaii, maintenance-free. It’s usually installed in a three-ply system—two-ply base sheets and a mineral cap sheet. These thick plies protect commercial roofs from damage caused by normal maintenance traffic that can damage single-ply systems. When it comes to wear-and-tear, single-ply systems only give one thin layer—usually 60 milimeters—of protection from leaks, whereas mod bit gives you three heavy layers of protection, usually 500 mils. What would you rather have on your roof, a thin

single-ply system or a robust and proven three-ply system? (One mil equals a thousandth of an inch.) A property manager of a commercial building with a low-slope roof should only experience one re-roofing of that building in his/her career under normal circumstances. If you re-roof your commercial building twice or more during your stint as property manager or AOAO board member, you chose poorly. Simple investigation of unbiased roofing blogs on the internet will tell you the same thing. There is no such thing as a 30-yearold single-ply roof in Hawaii, but there are thousands of 30-plus-year-old mod bit roofs in the Islands. Single-ply salesmen love repeat customers. The litigation I’ve seen when all the penthouses in a high-rise condo building get flooded from failing single-ply are disastrous. Mod bit is the next generation of what used to be known as built-up roofing (BUR). Current mod bit systems are self-adhesive, which makes them labor friendly and cost effective without the need for hot-tar applica-

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tion. Then once the mod bit nears its service life expectancy, it can be coated with maintenance-free silicone for another 30-plus-year life expectancy. When comparing the life-cycle cost analysis of mod bit versus single-ply systems, the most cost-effective system is easily mod bit. It is the responsibility of a property manager to know this. Single-ply systems usually come with strong 30-year warranties, and guess what? You will likely use it, usually within 10 to 15 years. When a single-ply system fails, it’s usually because an air conditioner repairman dragged his tool box across it, or the Hawaii sun burned off the top layer of material or deteriorated the exposed adhesives in various places of the roof, or the whole system just shrank and pulled loose. Some manufacturers of single-ply are always playing with the formulation of the manufacturing process to try and fix the shrink factors and other single-ply problems. Mod bit formulation, meanwhile, rarely changes. Mod bit roofing was developed in the 1960s and was perfected decades ago. Formulation has not changed. Proper roof sloping is crucial for buildings in Hawaii’s tropical climate. Most manufacturers of roofing materials will void your warranty if they send out a technical representative who finds ponding conditions on a failing roof. Architects have designed flat roofs in Hawaii for the past 40 years. This can be remedied with a tapered insulation system. ❖ Jon Vaughn has been an estimating salesman at MRC Roofing for eight years and is a retired Army officer. Reach him at 842-4464.

CONTRIBUTO RS | ROOFING

The Benefits of a Metal Roof of recyclable steel and aluminum, and can offer a longer lifespan than typical asphalt roofs. And they’re sustainable and 100% recyclable. With metal roofing, maintenance is very user-friendly: Just wash off your roof regularly and keep off any accumulated foreign debris. With simple upkeep, maintaining the longevity of your metal roofing investment is easy.

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The roofing industry is implementing the latest International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) energy codes, and building managers should look for energy-efficient materials that will comply with the latest requirements. Metal roofing has finishes and colors that are graded with high Solar Reflective Index (SRI) ratings. In particular, it inteStyle options grates a high-tech, heat-reflective color Metal roofing is increasingly popular finish—Durapon 70—that’s also Energy for facilities of all types, comes in a large Star-compliant. This special coating selection of profiles and styles and can helps curb the power of the sun’s rays, aesthetically simulate many other types which means it can help to better cool of roofing. There are several metal roof- your building and keep energy costs low. ing profiles that mimic asphalt shingles, cedar shakes, concrete and ceramic tile, Choose the best warranty so you can achieve the look you want Most roofing manufacturers have with durable aluminum in the color of maintenance requirements as part of your choice. their warranty, but some warranties are There are also many types of profiles truly exceptional, like a manufacturer’s for metal roofing and it’s important to No Dollar Limit (NDL) warranty. Most know the benefit of each of these styles. of these types of warranties will cover Fasten-through and standing-seam all types of repairs. panels are among the most common. In particular, standing-seam metal roofing Find the right partner Your professional partner is your best has seen a rise in popularity for aesthetresource, so choosing the right people ic appeal and weather-tight design. to work with is crucial for your roofing Built to last, easy to maintain project. Partner with licensed roofing Metal roofing is extremely duracontractors and certified inspectors ble and a smart choice for our Island with reputable companies to ensure that weather. Quality metal roofing can be your roofing complies with building constructed using a high percentage codes and regulations.

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f it’s time to re-roof your facility, carefully evaluate your options and choose quality products for your roofing investment. Whether you manage a residential or commercial facility, a custom metal roof offers style, durability, energy efficiency and long-lasting warranties so you can be confident your facility will stand the test of time. Here’s what to consider when evaluating your roofing choices. Roofing can be made out of a variety of materials from wood, slate, asphalt, clay or metal, with each type offering its own unique advantages. Consider what type of product will work best for your project and what’s best suited to your environment. Metal roofing has been used for decades and has a proven track record in Hawaii.

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SHANE MAKALII

Some roofing contractors are licensed or certified by certain manufacturers, attesting to their professional expertise and familiarity with specific roofing products. ❖ Shane Makalii serves as roofing sales manager for HPM Building Supply, which has seven locations on Oahu, Hawaii Island and Kauai. Reach him at shane.makalii@hpmhawaii.com.

www.tradepublishing.com/building-management-hawaii 41

CONTRIBUTORS | WATERPROOFING/SPALLING

The Evolution of Waterproofing

JULIA & JASON KOMORI

New-age sealants offer both outstanding protection and aesthetics

y definition, waterproofing is a material specifically designed to either keep moisture in or keep water out. For this report, we’ll stick to the latter. Let’s begin with an introduction to waterproofing, from its origin to today’s advanced technology coatings. Looking back, most of the liquid coatings used for “waterproofing” were all-natural bitumen (a tar-like substance) and date back to pre-biblical times. Boats belonging to Vikings have been found with evidence of waterproofing using bitumen on the hulls. By around 1820, the first bitumen-based roof sealants were used. Bitumen was extensively used during the 1800s as the “cure-all” for any leaky problems. Evidence shows that straw and other reinforcements became more prevalent in the 19th century. Waterproofing began moving into factory production in the 1920s. During WWII, the first coalescing latex technology came about in search of synthetic rubbers for war efforts. Shortly after the war, membranes were experimented with and developed. Chemists were experimenting with different resin technologies in the mid1940s to ’50s, and this was the progenitor to the waterproofing we see today. In the 1960s and ’70s, paint manufacturers, not wanting to miss the boat, developed more chemically complex latex derivatives such as acrylics and styrenes (a synthetic chemical, a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell or a sharp unpleasant smell). In 1975, the first waterborne elastomeric waterproofing membranes were introduced to U.S. markets. In the late ’70s, the first 2K roof coatings were developed and gave

Before birth to UV-stable polyester and silicone roof coatings. Solvent-borne styrene-ethylene-butadiene (one of the most widely used thermoplastic elastomers, which exhibits balanced elasticity and processability with good thermal stability) was developed in the ’80s, followed by moisture-cure and amine-cure membranes (the latter being an epoxy.) In the late ’90s, flexible membranes were developed especially for elevated structures such as decks and lanais. Present-day products we most often use are made by The Rust-Oleum Corp. because of their local help, technology and breadth of lineup. Most waterproofing systems we use are high-build 2K epoxy primers and high-build epoxy membranes. Topcoats (referred to as “wear” coats in the vernacular) are fully reinforced by polyaspartic-urethane technologies to provide a “vehicular grade” of waterproofing, creating wear coats suitable for interior or exterior exposure. These coatings are also extremely tolerant of substrate movement, chemical exposure and abrasions. And polyaspartic urethanes offer accelerated curing times, which adds speed and efficiency to lanai, walkway and parking deck applications, espe-

42 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

After cially in the cramped lots of Hawaii. Places where the polyaspartic coatings are used can resume regular operations as soon as the next day. These newage urethanes are applied by standard methods such as squeegee and roller. An aggregate can be added to increase friction, allowing for a slip-resistant texture, able to endure heavy traffic, chemical/stain exposure, thermal shock and dirt/abrasives. It is also designed for wheeled traffic and wet environments, and is sanitary, LEED-compliant and prioritized as a highly aesthetically decorative and durable type of waterproofing/floor coating system. Multiple styles and colors of topcoats are available from popular solid grays and tans to fully decorative systems and finishes such as metallics, quartz, vinyl chips or flakes in different sizes and customizable colors, and so forth. These types of systems are fully customizable to each person’s preference or project situation. ❖ Julia and Jason Komori of Komori Painting & Seamless Flooring Solutions have been in waterproofing, painting and concrete restoration for 12 and seven years, respectively. Reach them at 238-1434 or komoriptg@gmail.com.

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CONTRIBUTORS | WATERPROOFING/SPALLING

Hawaii Weather Takes a Toll on Buildings

SEAN RICHARDSON

Waterproofing concrete surfaces is essential to prevent water intrusion and structural damage

e are blessed in Hawaii to have amazing weather all year round. We are also passionately embraced by the Pacific Ocean, which makes our island one of the most unique places in the world. But with all this beauty, there also come elements that can be very harsh to concrete structures and surfaces. According to a study by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, Hawaii averages 63.7 inches of rainfall throughout our islands annually. Coupled with the salt

in the atmosphere, we have the perfect recipe to create and accelerate spalled concrete. Water intrusion into a bare concrete surface is the primary cause for structural damage or corrosion to the embedded, reinforcing steel. The combination of moisture, oxygen and salt travels into bare concrete and contacts the rebar. This process accelerates corrosion and allows the embedded steel to expand beneath the concrete surface. The expansive force on the surrounding concrete will ultimately

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cause the concrete to delaminate, or spall, which brings a host of potential concerns, including fall hazards, structural failure and the high cost of repair. On high-rise buildings such as condominiums, hotels and commercial buildings, 90% of all concrete spalling typically occurs on horizontal surfaces such as lanais and walkways.

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The recommended course of action is applying a urethane waterproof coating system over the bare concrete. This coating system will protect and exponentially reduce water intrusion. The associated cost to waterproof these surfaces is inexpensive when compared to the cost of repairing spalled concrete before a waterproofing system can be applied. A recent spall repair was done on a concrete deck with a waterproofing system that had surpassed its serviceable life and was allowing water infiltration. This resulted in unexpected time and cost to repair the spalled concrete. The cost to remove

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and install a new urethane waterproof coating was approximately $150,000. Deferred maintenance and allowing rainwater to access the bare concrete resulted in concrete spall repair costs of approximately $700,000. This expense could have been prevented or greatly reduced had the waterproof coating been maintained. Thorough care to the existing surface should be observed when preparing for your waterproofing system. Manufacturer guidelines and specifications should be strictly adhered to while preparing the surface, as adequate surface preparation is a critical component to your waterproofing system. At times, the surface preparation can be the noisiest and most extensive element in the waterproofing preparation process. A properly prepared surface will allow for an aesthetically pleasing system while maximizing its performance and serviceable life. Commonly used waterproofing systems can occasionally produce strong, but nonharmful odors the first few days of its application. Calculated planning and constant pro-active communication with your contracting team should allow ample time for residents/guests to prepare.

First and foremost, start with a comprehensive assessment of the existing condition of your concrete surface to identify the problem and provide a workable solution. The assessment will allow for a well-thought-out and detailed plan of action that includes daily proactive communication, engineered permitting, board approvals, exceptional project execution and knowing your warranties and deliverables before any work is executed. A schedule of the work to be performed and its duration

should also be presented weeks in advance to allow for residents/guests time to prepare for the work ahead. A proactive approach of waterproofing your concrete surfaces will not only protect your investment, but ultimately reduce repair costs in the future. ❖ Sean Richardson is an estimator and project manager with Seal Masters of Hawaii, which specializes in exterior renovation and construction management. Reach him at 841-7602 or smh@sealmastershawaii.com.

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CONTRIBUTORS | WATERPROOFING/SPALLING

To Limit Waterproofing, or Not?

BERNIE WONNEBERGER

FRANK XIONG

Waterproofing replacement of an elevated recreation deck is complicated by a pool

levated recreation decks are common at hotels and condominiums in Hawaii. These decks are typically located over parking and occupied spaces and, therefore, require waterproofing systems. Over time these waterproofing systems can age and fail, resulting in expensive replacement of not only the waterproofing, but also the overburden materials, such as paving and landscaping. In most situations, full replacement of the waterproofing system, as opposed to partial replacement, is preferred to assure a complete edge-to-edge installation for improved quality assurance and single-source warranties. Replacing an existing swimming pool’s waterproofing at the recreation deck is complicated and costly. Because the waterproofing at the swimming pool is often covered

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46 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

by a reinforced concrete shell, demolition and replacement of the existing pool shell is often required to install new waterproofing. The project may also require replacement of light fixtures and various mechanical, plumbing and safety equipment, further prolonging the design and construction schedule. So it is understandable that building owners may consider only replacing the waterproofing up to the pool edge and not continuously through the pool. But there are implications of such a decision that need to be considered. While pool replacement can significantly increase the project’s budget and schedule, deferred action on a leaking pool can result in impacts beyond the initial cost of replacement. Additionally, the decision will require non-warranted integration (splice) details between new and existing waterproofing systems that have potential for water leakage. A feasibility study should be performed to assess the practicality of retaining the existing waterproofing at the pool. For instance, a leak investigation can be undertaken to determine if waterproofing at the pool is leaking. Water spray/ flood testing, inspecting openings and laboratory testing of the leaking water using ion chromatography techniques can assist in determining the sources of active leaks under the pool area. Pool water chemistry includes chloride that will cause accelerated corrosion in steel-reinforced concrete elements. Leaks over an extended period can cause further damages to the building structure. Water leakage in elevated recreation and pool decks can cause a variety of problems, including structural deterioration, mold growth, damaged interior finishes, damage to mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems, and other detrimental conditions. The resulting deterioration of primary load-carrying structural members such as columns, beams and post-tension or pre-stressed elements are prone to exponentially increased repair costs. A continuous waterproofing system through the swimming pool is ideal to provide complete protection. Typically, the waterproofing manufacturer’s warranty will last beyond the pool installer’s warranty. Therefore, if the pool leaks, full replacement of the waterproofing throughout the recreation deck and swimming pool areas should be considered. If the decision is made by the building owner/board to limit replacement of waterproofing to the recreation See Waterproofing on page 49

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JANE SUGIMURA

Assistance for Condo Landlords, Tenants Federal CARES Act provides funding through city, state

he coronavirus pandemic that led to Hawaii’s shelterin-place emergency orders in mid-March effectively shut down many businesses, resulting in the unemployment of thousands of local residents. Many of those who lost their jobs or experienced a reduction in work hours were tenants who lived in condominiums. With no income, these tenants were unable to pay their rent and, as a consequence, their landlords/unit owners were not receiving rental income to pay their maintenance fees to the association or their mortgages and real property taxes. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and enacted on March 27. Part of CARES provides money to state and local governments for rental assistance to tenants who lost their jobs and income as a result of COVID-19. The City and County of Honolulu has $25 million available for rental assistance to tenants. (Rental assistance to tenants are not loans and do not have to be paid back.) Tenants have to show that they were financially impacted by COVID-19, i.e., that they lost their jobs or were furloughed or their hours were reduced due to the pandemic, and that they are making less now than when the governor’s emergency order resulted in the loss of their jobs or reduction in hours, and that they have less than $1,500 in liquid assets. Aloha United Way has been designated the agency to administer the city’s rental assistance program and tenants can call them or go to their website— auw.org/covid-19-assistance program— and complete an application. If they qualify, funds will be available for back

rent and for rent going forward, with payments made directly to the landlord. The state program has $50 million available for rental assistance to tenants. On Oahu, the rental assistance program is being administered by Aloha United Way and on the Neighbor Islands by Catholic Charities. Aloha United Way is subcontracting through local credit unions and health centers, and tenants can submit their applications through these credit unions and health centers. As with the

The CARES Act offers a win-win solution to qualifying tenants who live in condos and their landlords. city program, to qualify for funds tenants have to show that they were financially impacted by COVID-19 and that they are making less now than when the governor’s emergency order first went into effect. This program provides funds for rent only on a going-forward basis—no back rent. On Oahu, tenants can get up to $2,000 a month, and on the Neighbor Islands up to $1,500 a month. Payments are made directly to the landlord and tenants do not have to pay back the amounts received. If a tenant qualifies, he or she will get three months of rent that will be payable directly to the landlord. The tenant will then have to re-qualify to get additional rental assistance for following months.

48 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

The governor’s emergency order included a moratorium on residential evictions and that moratorium has been extended through Sept. 30. Violators can face fines up to $5,000 and a year in jail. Another resource for landlords and tenants who want to access CARES funds and resolve their rental delinquencies is the Mediation Center of the Pacific (MCP), 521-6767. MCP has a Rapid Response Landlord-Tenant Mediation program to assist the parties to access CARES funding and to work out payment plans that will ensure cash-flow to landlords and reassure tenants that they will not be evicted when the governor’s moratorium on evictions expires. The mediation services under this program are free and either party can contact MCP, which will then contact the other party to explain how the program works and how the mediation can result in a written agreement with rent being paid to the landlord and providing the tenant with assurances that they will not be evicted when the moratorium expires. Due to the governor’s mandate for social distancing, MCP conducts very few in-person mediations. Instead, they use Zoom video conferencing, telephone and online email via a secured portal. The CARES Act offers a win-win solution to qualifying tenants who live in condos and their landlords. They should take advantage of the state and city rental assistance programs to minimize the disruption that will occur when the governor’s moratorium on evictions expires. ❖ Jane Sugimura is a Honolulu attorney specializing in condo law. Reach her at ysugimura@paclawteam.com.

Waterproofing Continued from page 46

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ALL THINGS

CONDO |

CAROLE RICHELIEU

Accessing Association Documents State law provides owners and agents with a full range of records

Pexels.com/Pixabay

ondominium association law provides for condominium owner access to a wide variety of association documents. Owners, as well as condominium association boards and managing agents, should be aware of the requirements as codified in sections 514B-152, 153, 154 and 154.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes—a veritable laundry list of what records must be maintained, available or provided. Association records: An association must keep financial and other records which are sufficiently detailed to enable it to comply with requests for information and disclosures related to unit resales. Association records or copies thereof must be maintained on the island on which the project is located. Association records which must be maintained: An association must maintain an accurate copy of the declaration, bylaws, house rules and master lease, if any, sample original conveyance document and all public reports and any amendments thereto. In addition, detailed and accurate records of common expense receipts and expenditures and any other expenses must be maintained, as well as the written managing contract and an accurate and current list of owners and their current (mailing) addresses, a copy of which must be available at cost to any owner as provided in the governing documents and subject to an executed affidavit regarding how the list will be used. The list may only be used by an owner and for the purpose of soliciting votes or proxies or providing information to owners about association matters. Association records which must

be made available: The association’s most current financial statement must be provided to an owner at no cost or on 24-hour loan and the board-approved meeting minutes for the prior and current year must be available or transmitted upon request within 15 days. No cost can be charged without notice. Financial documents, insurance policies, contracts, invoices and election materials must also be available for examination for which an affidavit may be required and may incur costs. Association documents which must be provided: Some of the documents which also must be available to owners and their agents include managing contracts, association minutes, on-site managing contract (redacted for personal information) including job description and compensation, election electronic voting audit (section 514B-121(b)), and financial information subject to specified time limits, affidavit and cost requirements (duplication cannot exceed $1 per standard page) depending upon the requested document. The information may be made available electronically

50 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

or available for cost-free download. How to request documents: Owner requests should be made to the managing agent, resident manager, and/or board through a board member or the association’s representative. It is best practice to make any request in writing and keep a record of the request. As an alternative, the Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO) of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has an online form to request records, as well as sample affidavits and response forms. RICO also accepts complaints from owners who are refused access to association documents which are required by law to be made available. Complaint forms are available online. Complaints may also be resolved through Commission-subsidized alternative dispute resolution. ❖ Carole R. Richelieu is senior condominium specialist in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Real Estate Branch. Contact her office at 586-2643 or go to www.hawaii.gov/hirec.

COMMUNITY

CORNER

Pool Rules Muddled It was unclear as BMH went to press what the impact of Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s latest stay-at-home lockdown, announced Aug. 25 and scheduled to last two weeks, would have on condominium pools and gyms. Days earlier, Caldwell reinstituted a shutdown of parks and other public places due to the spike in COVID-19 cases—including closing city swimming pools—it caught many condominium associations off-guard. What did it mean for condo pools? And what about other common areas? A city spokesperson says that the mayor’s “Act With Care/Do Not Gather” proclamation does not impact condo pools, based on city attorneys determining that condo pools should be treated like pools at single-family homes. But the orders do bring back pandemic-safety practices such as requiring masks (but not in the pool), maintaining social distancing (including in pools) and limiting social gatherings to no more than 10 people. The following day, the city further clarified that, unlike city tennis courts, condo courts could remain open for play.

Kakaako Projects Show Momentum Unlike much of Hawaii’s economy, Howard Hughes Corp. projects in Kakaako

Flickr/Cliff Kimura

Flickr/Gail Frederick

Condo News

Condo Sales Better Than Expected

seem to have avoided the worst of the coronavirus crisis. In a statement issued last month, Hughes said it has maintained “momentum” in sales of condominium units in its Ward Village master-planned development, with 13 sales inked in the second quarter (ending June 30) and six more in July. Though slower than its pace in the first, pre-virus quarter, company officials see reason for optimism. “We are encouraged that Ward Village has continued to resonate with momentum in sales, construction and future development, allowing us to contribute in a meaningful way to the local economy and progress this vibrant neighborhood in the heart of Honolulu,” said Doug Johnstone, who heads Hughes operations in Hawaii. Added CEO Paul Layne: “We saw a continuation of the strong first-quarter results as we continued to execute on sales, most notably at Victoria Place, where we are approximately 69.3% pre-sold as of July 28.” Indeed, the majority of second-quarter sales were at Victoria Place, slated for 349 units with an average price of $1 million. So far, Hughes said, it has sold 88% of units in its seven Kakaako towers.

Sales of condominiums in Hawaii in July compared to July 2019 were down again, but showed signs of rebounding. On Oahu, condo sales were down in July by 17% compared to the same month last year, from 513 to 426. The median price fell 4.7%, from $461,500 to $440,000. But on a positive note, the median for July was the second highest in any single month during 2020. The drop in sales volume in July could also be seen as part of a positive trend, after posting losses versus 2019 of 34% in June, 51% in May and 28% in April. On the Big Island, condo sales dropped 16% compared to July of the previous year, from 64 to 54. The median price dipped just 1%, from $330,000 to $327,500, another positive sign. Kauai sales were down 30%, from 37 to 26. The median was down 13%, from $630,000 to $549,500. Sales on Maui dropped 44% against the previous year, to 91 from 162, while the median cost was up 1.5%, to $502,530 from $494,875. The median is the price point at which half of condos sold for more and half for less. Sources include the Honolulu Board of Realtors, Kauai Board of Realtors, Hawaii Island Realtors and Realtors Association of Maui. ❖

www.tradepublishing.com/building-management-hawaii 51

COMMUNITY

CORNER Keeping Condo Dwellers in Their Homes In response to the economic crisis in Hawaii caused by the pandemic, Hawaii HomeOwnership Center has expanded services with its Foreclosure Prevention and Rental Counseling program—and Executive Director Reina Miyamoto says HHOC stands ready to help. The nonprofit HHOC was created to provide support for first-time home buyers aspiring to own a home, Miyamoto says, Reina Miyamoto “but during the Great Recession, we found ourselves being called by homeowners asking for help in working with their lenders and keeping their homes. “We believe a safe and stable place to live is the foundation for success for individuals and families, including their children, so we felt compelled to provide support through a Foreclosure Prevention Counseling program until it was no longer needed by the community.” Miyamoto says she’ll “never forget the day after Thanksgiving 10 years ago. I answered the door for a man named Keoni, who dropped by on his day off. His work hours were reduced so he met with one of our staff to review his options to save his home and submitted a request to his lender to modify the terms of his mortgage. Keoni arrived at our office in hopes that we could fax some forms to his

lender related to his modification request. While I was preparing his fax, he said in a soft voice, ‘I would have mailed these documents but I didn’t have the postage to send it.’ I was heartbroken hearing that this man didn’t have enough for a postage stamp to submit these very important papers to his lender. “While thoughts of this encounter still bring tears to my eyes, I’m happy to say he was able to obtain a loan modification and visited us a few times afterwards to review his budget and stewardship of his money.” Miyamoto says HHOC’s website “provides access to self-help tools and to schedule an appointment, which is focused on sustaining housing through creation of a crisis budget and a self-implemented action plan to access community resources and stay in their home. For those who choose to move out of their home, our staff can discuss their options, too.” She emphasizes that there is no charge, and urges building managers to refer their residents who may need a confidential housing discussion: “Please let them know that the Hawaii HomeOwnership Center is available to support them. The more friends and neighbors that we can keep in their homes will positively impact our ability to recover from the pandemic as a community.” ❖ For more information: hihomeownership.org/crisis-budgeting.

Scanning for Masks, High Temperatures A new facial recognition and thermal scanner system that accurately identifies a person and measures their body temperature, with or without a mask or glasses, has been adopted by a number of Honolulu condominiums. The BrightScan Thermographic Display System was developed by local digital signage and audio-visual integration company Bright Light Digital to help battle the spread of COVID-19. It comes equipped with a face mask detector and provides an audible alert and flashing message if someone is not wearing a face mask or has an elevated temperature. Through optional Windows software, the system can also send email alerts whenever someone has an elevated temperature. “The BrightScan is perfect for building owners and property managers who want to keep their residents, employees and visitors safe,” says Mark Tawara, president of Manoa-based Bright Light Digital. “Properties that are using the device have it installed at primary entry points, allowing residents, employees and guests to quickly scan their temperature before entering the premises.” The device has an accuracy to within 0.9-degrees F, and can scan a person’s temperature in less than one second. It can also store up to 30,000 faces using its facial recognition software and can be integrated with access-control systems through optional software. Buildings that have invested in BrightScan thermal sensors include Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations, Waihonua at Kewalo, Ewa by Gentry, Kalo Terrace Student Suites and Waikiki Landmark. For more information: 521-3000 or brightlight.biz ❖ 52 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

Hawaiiana Management Named Managing Agent for Koa Ridge Hawaiiana Management Co. has been named as managing agent for Koa Ridge by developer Castle & Cooke Hawaii. The mixed-use, master-planned community on 576 acres between Waipio and Mililani will offer 3,500 new residential housing units, including single-family, multi-family, senior and more than 1,000 affordable homes. “Hawaiiana congratulates Castle & Cooke as they begin home sales for Koa Ridge,” said Hawaiiana president Mike Hartley. “We couldn’t be happier or more proud to participate as managing agent for this thoughtfully master-planned community. Koa Ridge residents will be able to enjoy many amenities within walking distance including shops, restaurants, community and medical centers and plenty of outdoor spaces, making it not only conve-

nient but a great place to call home.”

homes at Koa Ridge. According to Castle & Cooke, construction activity will eventually reach up to 1,000 jobs.

Castle & Cooke Hawaii recently announced that sales for Koa Ridge has drawn a busy turnout. “We have been committed to this project for more than 20 years and are excited that Hawaii families will finally have the opportunity to purchase their own homes and raise their families in a dynamic multi-generational, multi-cultural ‘surban’ community,” said Harry Saunders, president of Castle & Cooke Hawaii. “Hawaii continues to have an extremely short supply of housing across the state. Despite the uncertainty during the pandemic, we anticipate strong demand for new housing in Central Oahu. Koa Ridge will provide housing choices to accommodate residents with varying budgets—including first-time homeowners, young families and senior citizens.” Construction has begun with more than 175 workers on-site working to meet the year-end delivery schedule of the first

The vision for the Koa Ridge community is for residents to work, shop and dine in a walkable neighborhood, according to Castle & Cooke. The $2 billion construction project includes a $500 million investment for community infrastructure improvements, including water, sewer, drainage and roadway upgrades. Infrastructure improvements began earlier this year. ❖

For more information on Hawaiiana Management Co., contact Mele Heresa, vice president of business development and marketing, at meleh@hmcmgt.com or 593-6827. For more information about Castle & Cooke Hawaii and Koa Ridge, visit castlecookehawaii.com.

Local Servpro Owners Honored Andrew and Glenna Maras of Servpro of Kailua were honored with the Chairman’s Silver award during Servpro's 51st annual convention—the company's first "virtual" convention.

Glenna and Andrew Maras

Originally scheduled for July 5-9 in Boston, it was moved to an online event that included a live awards show on July 9.

"It has been a challenging year for our business, because we had to balance delivering the world-class service that Servpro is known for with taking extra precautions to protect the health and well-being of both our team and our clients," said

Andrew Maras. "Working in an uncharted environment, our team, along with Servpro franchisees across the country, responded with professionalism and compassion to serve our communities when they needed us. I'm enormously proud of our success this year, and proud, as always, to be a Servpro franchise owner." This year's convention attracted a record number of registrations. Convention organizers presented 34 pre-recorded workshops and five live workshops that attracted nearly 39,500 workshop views, and 3,000 individual viewers. Servpro's professional services network now includes more than 1,800 individually owned and operated franchises across the U.S. and Canada that respond to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multimillion-dollar large-loss events. ❖

www.tradepublishing.com/building-management-hawaii 53

COMMUNITY

CORNER Hard Times for AOAO Insurance Atlas webinar spells out why policies are getting more expensive and harder to find BY DON CHAPMAN

Alex Montclair

Elaine Panlilio

Ron Tsukamaki

Jim Sipich

Kevin Prak

Sean Satterfield

Condominium association boards in Hawaii have an added reason to get their building’s coronavirus response right. “COVID-19 puts added pressure on D&O (director and officers) rates,” said Alex Montclair, business development manager for Kevin Davis Insurance, during a webinar, “Combating the Hardening Market,” hosted on Zoom by Atlas Insurance that drew 82 participants on Aug. 19. “If a resident catches the virus at the condominium gym or pool, they can sue the AOAO.” Montclair also said many insurers are not offering new exclusions for communicable disease coverage, which means “tougher underwriting.” Also impacting D&O coverage—especially hoped-for renewals—is training for board members. Elaine Panlilio, account executive with Atlas Insurance, said it is crucial for board members and building managers to undergo annual training, and to sign an acknowledgement they understand the association’s governing documents, by-laws and house rules. A global pandemic isn’t the only modern way boards can get into expensive trouble, Montclair said. There’s also changing social consciousness. He cited a condo AOAO that ignored a resident’s repeated complaints that she was being harassed by a male resident. She sued for emotional distress. The association lost and had to buy the woman’s unit in a deal that ended up costing more than $1 million. With ocean rise proving to be all too real, many carriers are now declining to insure waterfront properties, said Ron Tsukamaki, an Atlas consultant. Hawaii’s high rate of associations being involved in lawsuits continues to drive up both premiums and deductibles, and for many insurance carriers to simply bow out of the Hawaii market and decline renewals. Tsukamaki cited the case of an insurance company that had covered a 30-year-old condo deciding the risk of insuring an older, un-sprinklered building was too great. But global events can also impact local rates. Fires in California, East Coast hurricanes, even floods in Europe can have a 10% to 20% effect on rates paid in Hawaii, said Jim Sipich, senior vice president of CRC Group. It’s called “aggregate exposure.”

There’s the case of an insurance company that had covered a

Tsukamaki added that while Lloyd’s of London was once active in the Islands, it has “born the brunt” of several large international losses and is pulling back.

30-year-old condo

Kevin Prak, senior underwriter with Kevin Davis Insurance, said that Hawaii’s short-term rental market could be in trouble because insurers are finding it “tough to be profitable.”

deciding the risk

And although Hawaii is unique in the U.S. in requiring insurance for hurricanes as well as tsunamis (tsunamis are covered in flood or earthquake policies, but these may not be required), said Sipich, “Hawaii is still fairly desirable for property insurance.” Panlilio urged condo boards to be proactive and work with their insurance company starting at least a year before renewal on a policy is due, and show evidence of regular inspections and maintenance of plumbing and electrical systems and roofs, and training of managers and board members in proper response to fire and water emergencies. The webinar was moderated by Sean Satterfield, Atlas business development director. ❖ 54 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | SEPTEMBER 2020

of insuring an older, un-sprinklered building was too great.

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