Building maintenance

When to repair and when to replace structural concrete

It seems a no-brainer on the surface – repairing cracked or spalled concrete in a building, parking deck or dock is an obvious solution to keep ownership costs down. But if the underlying damage is severe, it may be cheaper over the long term to tear everything down and rebuild.

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Save money with toilets that conserve water

As water rates rise across the country, with no end in sight, Canadian property owners are feeling the pinch.

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Dealing with foggy windows

Foggy windows are more than just ugly to look through. The window condensation reduces the window’s ability to insulate you from outside temperatures, defeating the purpose of having thermal pane windows. Furthermore, moisture begins to rot and corrode your glass if not fixed. As fog turns into condensation it leaves white vertical drip lines, etched panes and eventually large patches of white haze.

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Aluminum balconies offer condo companies a waterproof, easy to install solution

For many decades, adding a balcony to a structure typically involved two options: wood or steel construction, from a local metalworking shop. Even with weatherproof protective coatings (and subsequent re-coatings) these materials deteriorate, rot and rust when exposed to the elements. 
 

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New technologies simplify pest management

As bed bugs continue to proliferate through society, entering every business from hotels to hospitals, retail stores to movie theaters, condos must stay abreast of this infamous trend – and technology is the way to do it. The pest control industry is hard at work trying to stop the bed bug bite and new treatments are on the horizon. 

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A property manager’s guide to community organized wildlife management

To maintain a positive relationship with our urban wildlife, we need to appropriately control their access to shelter and food opportunities within our communities. Even when animals already occupy a den site, they are constantly creating entry holes in other roofs as backup nesting areas. To reduce conflicts, a property and building inspection should be conducted to identify what wildlife attractions exist and what prevention measures should be implemented. 

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How to lift condominium sales

A husband and wife were looking at condominiums for sale. They had seen more than 20 units before they finally found one they really wanted. The price was right, the kitchen was terrific, it had great views and the rooms were all generously sized.

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Greenwashed green condo

After investing the time, energy and money to build a green facility, some condo managers have made few changes as to how the buildings are cleaned. They use bleach, conventional window cleaners and floorcare products, low-filtration vacuum cleaners and traditional floor machines. This happens for a variety of reasons and it extends far beyond condominiums. At the root of the problem is the fact that many managers are still not sure what green cleaning is all about and how to incorporate it into their facilities.

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Weather and plant needs should dictate watering schedule
 
Many property and facilities managers have taken steps to reduce obvious waste because it makes both financial and environmental sense to do so. Sometimes it’s not obvious, however. Overlooked systems in a facility can consume a significant amount of resources, but, once identified, can present an opportunity for savings.

The new Home Renovation Tax Credit

The Federal Government’s 2009 Budget contained various items intended to stimulate the sunken economy. One of those items was the new Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC).

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Tight Schedule for Province-Wide Asbestos Inventory
Intensified Scrutiny of Non-Friable Materials Brings New Costs
 
Workers in full HAZMAT gear turned a recent energy retrofit into a delicate communications exercise for property managers with Peel Region’s non-profit housing corporation, Peel Living. The $1.2-million project to convert an electrically heated, 140-unit seniors’ housing complex to central natural gas heating began just after Ontario’s new asbestos Regulation under the Occupational Health & Safety Act came into effect in November 2005..