David Gargaro

2014 BUILDING SYSTEMS REPORT 1 MAINTAINING YOUR CORE SYSTEMS 2 MECHANICAL 3 PLUMBING 4 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS RHB 2014 Building Systems Report Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) conducted a survey of high-rise rental stock to determine the state of repair of older buildings and the costs required to extend their longevity. According to the survey, the average cost/unit over a 10-year period equaled approximately one month’s rent per year. The electrical power supply and distribution, elevators and windows required the largest investment. These systems, as well as mechanical systems in general, tended to constitute the highest expenses for buildings constructed prior to the 1970s. Mechanical and electrical systems had the highest priority costs in the three- to ten-year periods for urgency. The RHB 2014 Building Systems Report serves to inform Canadian apartment building owners and managers on how to maintain, renovate and upgrade their buildings’ mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. These systems are vital to a building’s health and the tenants’ well-being. This guide provides strategies, direction and tips on what to do, what to look for and what to avoid, as well as the importance of maintenance and capital work. The RHB 2014 Building Systems Report is divided into four sections: • Section one covers the importance of creating a maintenance, repair and upgrade strategy to protect owners’ assets, particularly the building’s mechanical, plumbing and electrical components. It discusses building condition assessments, energy audits and maintenance service contracts. Chiller ADDRESS?, • Section two covers the building’s mechanical systems. It discusses issues and technology that pertain to boilers, chillers, make-up air units and related equipment. • Section three covers the building’s plumbing network. It discusses managing plumbing-related issues, different ways of dealing with pinhole leaks and installing backflow preventers. • Section four covers the building’s electrical systems and lighting. It discusses how to manage common electrical issues, building automation systems, LED lighting retrofits, motion sensors, emergency generators, and fire alarms and life safety systems. To ensure that the RHB 2014 Building Systems Report contains the most current and pertinent information, RHB Magazine collaborated with Ed Porasz, P.Eng., of M & E Engineering Ltd. We asked a number of property owners and managers to share their experiences on maintaining their buildings’ mechanical systems, including Dennis Kalish of H&R Property Management Ltd., Sally Tenenbaum of Tenen Group and Mark Aber of Northwest Properties. We also received valuable insights, tips and advice from companies that provide valuable services to the rental housing industry, including Forrest Jones of inTact Lighting Group Inc., Joe Longarini of Brady & Seidner Associates Ltd., Avram Musafija of Rikos Engineering Ltd., and Kevin Mitchell and Andy Fahmi of Service Experts Commercial HVAC. Diesel system RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 3 1 MAINTAINING YOUR CORE SYSTEMS Being proactive in maintaining your building’s mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems is one of the best ways to extend the life of your most valuable asset. It can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings over the life span of your building. Performing regular examinations of different building components and engaging in preventative maintenance can reduce the need to spend a large percentage of your budget on major capital repairs. “Just because equipment has been replaced and is new, it still requires regular maintenance and service along with periodic checking of the equipment and set points,” said Ed Porasz, President, M & E Engineering Ltd. “If regular maintenance is not maintained, the efficiency of the equipment could be compromised.” Before engaging in repairing, replacing or upgrading a building’s mechanical components, building owners and managers should work with a qualified consultant to review all components of the building’s mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. It is important to note that, while proper maintenance is essential for extending the life of older equipment, it is still necessary to engage in regular maintenance of new equipment. “We are big believers in professionalism, so we will put together a dream team of mechanical engineers, landscape architects, electrical engineers and other experts to achieve our goals,” said Sally Tenenbaum, Partner, Tenen Group. “We work with the best people in their fields to do layouts, analyze situations and make propositions to ensure that we get the most out of our investment.” Building condition assessment If an owner is buying or selling a multi-unit residential building, then having a detailed building condition assessment (BCA), as well as a specialist’s report on the building’s mechanical and electrical systems, will provide a more thorough understanding of what is actually being purchased, including the potential costs, concerns and life 4 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT expectancies. A non-specialist review will only provide a broad overview of the building’s situation with no details, especially on the mechanical and electrical systems. A BCA involves an inspection and evaluation of the condition of a multi-unit rental property. Its purpose is to identify major defects and deficiencies, areas requiring maintenance or that have been inadequately maintained, and building code violations and life expectancy. An engineer first performs a visual review of mechanical and electrical systems, such as boilers, chillers, air handlers, pumps, switch gears, panels and disconnects, as well as visible plumbing and wiring. “We will also interview the superintendents and other personnel to better understand any current or outstanding issues,” said Ed. “For example, we will ask about any problems or repairs related to heating and cooling, power, breakers, hot water pressure and availability, which they deal with on a regular basis.” Once the visual inspection and interviews have been completed, the engineer will prepare a schedule of estimated budget costs to repair any of the identified issues. They will then create a written report that describes the building’s overall condition, its physical components or systems, physical deficiencies and issues that can affect the systems’ and components’ life span. The engineer will also create a budget that outlines timelines for repairing and replacing equipment over a given time period. A BCA shows good faith and clarity to potential buyers. But it is also a very good tool for owners who plan to keep their buildings and use the BCA as a capital planning and inventory tool. The specialist’s report on the building’s mechanical and electrical systems will allow an owner to plan and prepare for upcoming expenses and understand the timing and potential costs of the work. Energy audits Energy audits can be combined with a BCA to provide building owners with a comprehensive overview of their property. Audits involve inspections of the building’s major equipment and systems, such as boilers and chillers, water-usage devices, toilets, aerators, lighting and more. They will also examine other areas, such as the building façade for air leakage, and equipment controls for energy usage. Engineers will then evaluate the building’s energy usage by examining and comparing energy bills for the last year. This enables them to analyze changes in energy usage over time and season, and determine whether there is any unusual usage. They will also compare the building’s energy usage to similar buildings to show how it is using electricity in different ways. The audit includes a list of energy conservation measures (ECMs) according to category, such as lighting retrofits and controls, heating and cooling equipment and controls, hot water equipment, and more. The audit will show costs of upgrading or replacing equipment along with the calculated energy savings. Dividing the costs by the savings will provide the estimated time to pay back the investment based on the energy savings. “Some lighting and water retrofits can pay back the investment in two to three years, while boilers could take five to eight years,” said Ed. “Six years is the ideal payback period to determine if the investment is financially sound.” Companies that perform energy audits will often provide an executive summary of all potential ECMs, with weighted recommendations on which measures should be applied within given timeframes. Once an ECM is approved, an engineer will design items that should be replaced and create an investment-grade energy audit report, which outlines the real-world costs of the recommended changes. The report will illustrate the overall building performance based on the upgrades and how much will be saved. “Select your representative wisely, ask about other jobs they’ve done, call for references and check out their samples,” said Forrest Jones, President, inTact Lighting Group Inc. “Ask to see demonstrations up front. As a landlord, the choices you make up front could save you a lot of troubles later.” Ed Porasz, P.Eng., President While energy audits can be fairly priced, building owners can take advantage of government incentives to reduce these costs. For example, OPA incents 50% of the cost of an ASHRAE Level II energy audit. This makes it much more cost effective for an owner to get a handle on whether and when to replace equipment. The audit also details the benefits they would see, what options there are for energy savings and the potential costs. Maintenance and service contracts Before signing a maintenance and service contract, building owners should clarify what is and is not included in the contract. Owners often focus on the list equipment being serviced, and could overlook the cost of labour involved in doing setup or additional work. The contract should clearly state who is responsible for what, and what happens when something breaks or malfunctions, particularly who should pay for it. It should outline the details of the actual work being undertaken, and the timelines involved. For example, a contract should state that technicians will be on site every three months to check specific equipment, as opposed to a general number of times per year to do general maintenance. Building owners should clarify what is meant by “all-inclusive,” as the costs of doing any work that falls outside this definition could escalate greatly. For example, some contracts excluding non-moving parts, such as a boiler’s casing, insulation and refractory. This is often excluded in contracts where it is not specified. 2 Therefore, make sure that the contract explicitly clarifies what is included by the maintenance and service. “For maintenance, the owner could ask an engineer to prepare maintenance specifications as the coverage is far better when a maintenance company follows specifications,” said Ed. “Otherwise, the owner should be careful in reading the maintenance contract as they can include many exclusions. This work becomes billable, so the owner has to be comfortable with what will be charged and at what rate.” Every maintenance and service contract should include a 60-day cancellation clause, which allows the building owner to cancel the contract for any reason. Regardless of the length of the contract, building owners can cancel with notice at any time. The contract should also require service personnel to leave documentation with the property manager or superintendent that describes what work was performed on that date, what changed, what they saw, who worked there and so on. This will ensure that the service provider is following the contract’s service schedule and requirements. “We have monthly maintenance contracts in place, and have improved on-site training to conduct weekly inspections and assist in minor maintenance issues,” said Mark Aber, Northwest Properties. “The regular maintenance schedules have improved efficiency and created a proactive approach to addressing issues before equipment failures occur.” MECHANICAL It’s important for building owners to keep their mechanical systems and equipment regularly maintained. This will ensure that it operates as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible to provide comfort to tenants 12 months a year. Following regular systems review procedures will help to keep the system operating and ensure that the equipment stays up to standard with changing regulations. It also allows the owner to stay 6 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT on top of possible equipment upgrades and plan future budgets based on the equipment’s life expectancy. “Life expectancy for most mechanical equipment, such as make-up air units, boilers and chillers, is 15 to 30 years,” said Kevin Mitchell, General Manager, Service Experts Commercial HVAC. “Building owners need to be concerned with efficiency and environmental issues. Regulation changes can prompt replacement of equipment before normal life expectancy, which occurred with the elimination of R12. Use $1 per square foot per year to budget for maintenance.” Some owners only consider the short-term costs of maintaining their mechanical systems. They either fail to understand or ignore the fact that there are significant costs in operating a system that is not reliable, in need of constant repairs and not energy efficient. Some poorly maintained mechanical systems might require so many repairs that these costs and energy savings would pay for the new equipment in a relatively short period of time. “When mechanical systems are poorly or irregularly maintained, they become in constant need of repair,” said Andy Fahmi, Project Manager, Service Experts Commercial HVAC. “Ultimately, the equipment will have to be brought back up to manufacturer’s standards. Lack of maintenance can also lead to replacement of equipment sooner than normal life expectancy.” Make-up air units The make-up air unit (MUA) is a key component of a building’s mechanical system, as it provides treated outside air to the building. They are designed to improve the efficiency of the building’s heating and cooling system. MUAs also save money by reducing the amount of drafts, dust and dirt that enter a building. Since they also replace exhaust air that comes through kitchen and bathroom fans, they supply outside treated air to the building to reduce building odours and odour transfer. When the MUA is improperly or irregularly maintained, the filters can become plugged with dust after only a few months of use, which will negatively affect air flow, indoor air quality and energy use. Improper setting of the MUA’s set-point temperature can increase energy usage as it can affect in-suite heating. The MUA can also experience cooling problems, which can increase humidity throughout the building. This can lead to mould growth, peeling wallpaper and paint, and damaged carpets. Regular maintenance and monitoring can prevent most issues that are a result of improperly functioning MUAs. High humidity can be corrected by retrofitting the MUA unit to allow it to de-humidify and reheat the air. Energy efficiency can also be improved by installing a newer unit at the end of the existing MUA’s life, particularly those that use hydronic heating (hot water coils) with condensing boilers that supply the heated water. Installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) will also provide greater energy efficiency over the long run and by-pass on cooling coils to provide low cost de-humidification. Heating and cooling Lack of regular maintenance is one of the primary causes of problems with a building’s mechanical equipment, especially boilers and chillers. Failing to maintain Boilers equipment can lead to premature failure, even when it is new, as well as becoming unreliable over time and inefficient very quickly. Boilers and chillers offer significant opportunities for energy savings in buildings. Installing high efficiency boilers and chillers can drastically reduce gas and electrical consumption in multi-unit residential buildings. New technologies, such as magnetic bearing-less / oil-less and VFD-equipped chillers, can reduce energy consumption by 30-50%. Building owners can also take advantage of energy incentives from their gas and electricity suppliers to cover some of the cost of installing high-efficiency equipment. “When reviewing a boiler plant, even if the boilers are not that old, the installation of one lead high efficiency (condensing) boiler can dramatically reduce gas consumption as this boiler can heat the building during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall) and operate throughout the wintertime,” said Ed. “For an older boiler plant, it may be very beneficial to replace all of the boilers sooner to start realizing the energy savings.” It is important to note that replacing older boilers and chillers with newer, more efficient models will not automatically produce energy savings, or match the savings promised by the supplier. Proper system setup and design are required to get the most out of installing new equipment. New boilers need to be matched with the right piping, venting and controls. Working with an engineer to design and install the system will help to save energy, reduce maintenance costs and prevent equipment breakdowns over the long run. “Working with engineers is beneficial, particularly when it comes to retrofitting or replacing mechanical components,” said Dennis Kalish, General Manager, H&R Property Management Ltd. “They helped us to accurately size replacement components, and we have seen savings in the building’s gas consumption.” Plumbing & HVAC - 24/7 Sevice Commercial • Industrial • Residential The highest quality plumbing and heating service for over 60 years Mechanical Room Retrofits Building Re-Pipes Backflow Service & Testing Preventative Maintenance DHW Mixing Valves www.bradyandseidner.com Drain Cleaning / Camera - RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 9 3 PLUMBING Many plumbing-related problems are the result of not keeping up with regular maintenance and testing of equipment. For example, shut-off and recirculating values will seize if they are not exercised at least once a year. Building owners often fail to regularly test their buildings’ plumbing components, which will end up costing more to repair over the long run. They should create a table of all the plumbing components in their building with dates for testing to ensure that they stay on top of maintenance issues. A cut pipe Piping “It’s important to note that the water needs of today are not the same as the water needs of 30 or 40 years ago, as almost everyone has a dishwasher today,” said Sally. “We replaced all of our building’s one-inch pipe with two-inch pipe to meet current demands. We want to ensure that our tenants have uninterrupted access to hot water, and using higher quality copper piping means less maintenance and better water quality.” Pinhole leaks Most domestic piping in apartment buildings consists of either Type M or Type L copper piping. Type M is the thinnest copper piping available that also meets current codes. Since it is thinner, Type M piping can begin failing in as little as three to five years, but it can last as long as 20 years. Type L piping is thicker, and can last from 35 to 50 years. 10 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT Sooner or later, hot water pipes in apartment buildings will develop pinhole leaks. Because units require immediate access to hot water at all times, pumps constantly circulate water into and out of the building’s central hot water tank(s) through a network of horizontal and vertical pipes. These copper pipes always have running hot water, which results in internal corrosion and erosion, hence the pinhole problem. Since cold water does not need to circulate, these pipes do not face the same problem and cold water is less corrosive. Old piping One detected pinhole leak can mean that it is the beginning of a problem with your pipes… or it could be the tip of the iceberg. When a building experiences pinhole leaks, more leaks are sure to occur. Pipes will not erode in one spot alone. Erosion occurs throughout the entire system, with the greatest damage occurring in areas with the most internal turbulence and water flow. Too much water pressure can also hasten pinhole leaks. Every pinhole leak is different, as the resulting damage will depend on where the leak occurs. A leak can take place in the boiler room, which is easy enough to detect and repair, and will often cause very little damage. However, a pinhole leak in the wrong area can cause thousands of dollars of property damage, including mould and structural damage to walls, ceilings and floors. Building owners should hire an engineer to do a pipe assessment to evaluate the situation and recommend a course of action. “When investigating a water leak that has occurred, check the condition of the existing pipe and fittings for signs of wear,” said Joe Longarini, Owner and Vice President, Brady & Seidner Associates Ltd. “Also, in older buildings, samples of pipe can be cut out and examined for excessive wear.” “The engineered solution gave us the most cost effective solution through a detailed design and tender process,” said Mark. “Leaks and the associated common area damage have been eliminated. Water consumption is on the decrease, and tenant satisfaction has improved.” Building owners tend to rely on patchwork repairs to address pinhole leaks, such as using screw clamps or other similar methods. However, this is only effective for treating one leak at a time and will not last, and it will not address the issue with the overall erosion of the pipe. The development of a pinhole leak is often a systemic problem; reacting to symptoms will not address the root cause of the problem. There are two ways to resolve the overall issue of pinhole leaks: pipe replacement and pipe lining. Backflow preventers Pipe replacement involves cutting out sections of pipe with pinhole leaks and replacing them with higher quality Type L piping. Ideally, this pipe will be more capable of dealing with the water flow issues that led to the pinhole leaks. You can also install automatic flow control valves to adjust hot water recirculation rates to reduce the impact of erosion and increase the pipe sizing of the new pipes. Pipe lining involves applying a waterproof epoxy coating to the pipes’ inside surfaces. The lining fills the pockmarked areas that lead to pinhole leaks with more epoxy while coating the rest of the inside surface to create a smooth surface free of holes. There are pros and cons to both methods, and much debate can be had over which will provide the best solution for your situation. Some would argue that pipe replacement is more permanent, but others would state that it is more disruptive to tenants and more expensive than pipe lining. While pipe lining is slightly less expensive and disruptive to tenants, it is not as effective for repairing horizontal piping and there is some risk of epoxy damaging mechanical equipment. The best advice is to speak to several reputable plumbers and engineers about your particular building and come up with a plan that works best for your situation. It’s very important to address pinhole leaks and their cause before the damage becomes too severe. Reviewing the domestic water plumbing system for grade of copper pipe, size of recirculating pump and the addition of circuit balancing valves on the system will help to prevent premature pinhole leaks from occurring. Backflow is the undesirable reversal of domestic water flow against the normal direction of water flow. It is the result of back pressure or back siphonage, which can occur when the water pressure in a building’s water system is greater than the pressure in a city’s water supply system. This can be due to frozen water pipes, watermain breaks or unexpected high demands on the water system. The result of backflow is the drawing of possible contaminates into water supply pipes, which can lead to pollution of the water supply. This is very serious, as drinking contaminated water can lead to sickness and death. Backflow preventers (BFPs) are valves that are designed to stop and protect city water mains against backflow into supply lines that enter buildings. Many municipalities and cities across Canada have by-laws that require most buildings, including apartment buildings, to install BFPs to protect against contamination of their water supply. By-laws also require the owners to conduct annual maintenance and update their backflow testing records on a regular basis. “A permit is required to install larger BFPs, which are typically found in multi-unit residential buildings,” said Ed. “Owners will be required to employ an engineer to prepare stamped drawings for submission.” Booster pumps Tenants often complain about poor water pressure in their unit. Some will say that it’s because they live on an upper floor and in an older building. However, it’s not necessarily true that older buildings have lower water pressure. Some people confuse water pressure with water volume. There are instances where showers and faucets will emit less water than usual, but it’s often a matter of blocked pipes restricting water flow rather than poor water pressure. Building owners will often install booster pumps to provide all units on all floors with sufficient water pressure. They receive the water from the city main RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 11 that enters the building and boost the pressure to reach the top floors of the building. The city typically supplies enough water pressure to reach about six floors, and booster pumps provide the added pressure to provide the remaining floors with 30 to 60 psi of water pressure. The three main types of booster pumps are vertical multi-stage pumps, in-line pumps and end suction pumps. In-line pumps are the most common type, but they are relatively inefficient compared to newer pumps. While these pumps are effective in boosting the pressure at the top of the building, their motors always run at 100% capacity. In-line pumps run at a higher RPM and produce more pressure than needed, so they use more power to run their motor. Since in-line pumps produce more pressure, they are often combined with pressure reducing valves (PRVs). Pumps typically come in pairs or trios and at least one pump runs at full capacity all day every day. “This is like a person pushing the gas pedal all the way down while they drive, and at the same time regulating their speed with their brakes,” said Avram Musafija, Project Consultant, Rikos Engineering Ltd. “As you can imagine, it is not a very efficient way to drive or run a pump system. The PRVs waste a lot of energy because 4 they have to discard the extra pressure produced by the existing pump system.” Vertical multi-stage pumps are more popular today. These pumps accommodate for lower flows and maintain pressure levels. This type of system does not require a PRV, so there is no wasted energy. Vertical multi-stage pumps were designed to respond to a building’s water demand. When paired with a variable frequency drive (VFD), they save on energy and are less expensive to run. A VFD allows the booster pump’s motor to alter its output based on water demand. This ensures that the booster pump does not use more energy than required to meet the building’s needs. “If a pump is properly sized and designed for the system it is servicing, it can last 15 years or more with proper maintenance of the PRVs,” said Avram. “However, older pump sets are inefficient and end up costing the building more in energy consumption and have an annual PRV maintenance expense. New systems using vertical multi-stage pumps and VFDs can save buildings up to 40 per cent of the booster pump’s energy usage and are maintenance free.” ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS Older multi-unit residential buildings have older electrical equipment, which has a tendency to break down more often over time. Building owners should replace any remaining fuse panels with more modern breaker panels. Fuse panels are prone to regular breakdowns and failures, and can be difficult and expensive to maintain as parts are not available. They are also not up today’s code standards, and are more prone to tampering, so replacing them with breaker panels should be a priority. Building owners and managers should ensure that they service main switchgears every two years, as they are often ignored until they fail. Breakdowns in main switches can be quite serious, as they can cause significant damage (including fires) and incur 12 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT unnecessary costs. Infrared scans should be conducted every two years to check the condition of the terminal, disconnects and fuses, particularly in the main switchgear and main disconnects. “We have found in the last couple of years some main disconnects are not functioning properly and infrared scans do not detect these problems and there are no visual clues,” said Ed. “Therefore, the only way to test for this is to have an electrician physically test each of the main disconnects by opening and closing them.” Building automation systems A building automation system (BAS), which is also known as a building control system (BCS) or building automation and control (BAC) system, is a centralized and interconnected network of hardware and software that monitors and controls a building’s equipment and environment. This technology can be used to control the specific usage of boilers and chillers, monitor and change hallway temperatures, track hot water usage on a suite to suite basis, identify equipment failures and contact maintenance people when repairs are required. is a guarantee on the energy savings, this is one way to help with measurement, verification and monitoring of the building and its systems. Compared with good standalone control systems, there is minimal increased savings, while compared to poor or relative no controls the savings are substantial.” A BAS is useful in that it can make the equipment more energy efficient over time through regular monitoring, equipment control and energy reduction. However, they are usually not very cost effective for multi-unit residential buildings. While a BAS does provide better control and visibility, it might not provide sufficient savings over time to justify the cost. Proper individual controls on boilers, chillers, cooling towers, booster pumps and MUAs might be more effective in realizing savings. Replacing CFL or less efficient light bulbs in the building with LED lighting is one of the easiest ways to produce significant energy savings. There have been great improvements in LED lighting, including better colour, more varieties for wider applications, better fixtures and more options for retrofit kits. The overall quality of light has also improved to the point where most current retrofit projects are using LED lighting. “A BAS can be useful for an owner who has multiple buildings and wants to see what is happening in each building at anytime from anywhere,” said Ed. “If there 36 Kelfield Street Toronto, Ontario M9W 5A2 Tel: - Fax: - • Plumbing • Hydronic/DHW Systems • HVAC/R LED lighting “When we first started replacing light fixtures five years ago, there was a real debate between CFL and LED, while today it’s quite obvious that LED is the popular choice,” said Sally. “Even though there were limited options for LED at the time, and it was much 36 Kelfield Street Toronto, Ontario M9W 5A2 Tel: - Fax: - • Drain Services • Sump Pit and Catch Basin Pumping • High Pressure Flushing and Power Washing • Drain Locating and Video Inspection RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 13 more expensive, we made the decision to install LED lighting in our garage. I have always believed that design and sustainability go hand in hand, and LED makes it possible to limit your carbon footprint.” The most common changes involve switching T12 and T8 fluorescent lighting to LED tube lighting. These new bulbs last significantly longer than fluorescent lighting – 50,000 hours or more compared to 14,000 hours for T8 fluorescent bulbs. LED lighting uses 50% or less of the energy, contains no mercury (which is great for the environment), reduces greenhouse gas emissions and eliminates maintenance needs for years. Pot lights are another growing area for LED lighting, as they offer great flexibility in design, lighting for different rooms and are easy to retrofit without replacing the pot light fixture. “Another common LED lighting retrofit involves replacing traditional parking lot lighting with LED fixtures,” said Forrest. “Switching to LED lighting changes everything, as it provides greater clarity along with improved energy savings. People are able to see better and feel safer in these areas.” Even though the price of LED lighting has decreased over time, they are still more expensive when compared to other forms of lighting. It does not always make shortterm financial sense to retrofit some lighting fixtures with LED lighting, and building owners cannot assume that converting to LED lighting will result in immediate financial payback. It should also be noted that not all LED lighting options are built to the same standards. Some products are not engineered to the same quality, and do not result in the projected life expectancy. For example, some LED lighting will fail after 10,000 to 20,000 hours instead of the projected 50,000 hours of use. “Building owners should be careful in knowing what system they are buying and who makes it, along with the warrantee, costs and savings,” said Ed. “LED lighting can be a very good looking and energy savings retrofit that is easy to do, with paybacks in less than three years.” Motion sensors Motion sensors are now allowed in retrofits in Ontario and many areas of Canada, and are mandatory in certain areas for new buildings. Owners should check with local codes if and where they are allowed. For retrofits, motion sensors can give owners substantial savings, especially when combined with an energy efficient lighting system, 14 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT such as LED lighting. In essence, the lights remain off until something or someone triggers the motion sensor. Motion sensors can be installed in stairwells, corridors and garage areas. Most stairwells are unoccupied almost all of the time, and the lights remain on through all those unused periods. Occupancy and motion sensors installed in stairwells and other areas can contribute significant savings. Corridors are used more often than stairwells, but are often empty when people are at work or sleeping. Garage areas can produce substantial savings when controlled with motion sensors. It should be noted that motion sensors cannot be installed everywhere due to either code or by-law requirements. For example, motion sensors cannot be installed in lobbies or elevator lobbies, as lights must be on at all times. Also, all areas must maintain a minimum emergency light level at all times to ensure that code requirements and city by-laws are followed. “Owners should understand how motion sensors work and where they will be installed to ensure the proper security of their tenants,” said Ed. “Other areas to review are corridors and stairwells, but security and cost of installation may be deciding factors.” Emergency generators Emergency generators play a key role in life safety; they power emergency lighting and underground garages, and supply power to the fire alarm systems and fire pump(s). They also supply power to elevator(s), which maybe critical if you have tenants that need them during a nonemergency power outage. Emergency generators may also supply minimal heat, power to booster pumps to supply water to all floors, garage doors, emergency plug outlets for tenant use, etc. “Gas-fired generators are being installed for new installations and even some retrofits,” said Ed. “Natural gas is allowed in most parts of Canada, if certain rules are followed, but this means during a long power failure the owner does not have to worry about re-fueling the generator.” Code compliance can be a serious concern for emergency generators, particularly those that run on diesel fuel. Many existing installations are not code compliant, and some newly installed emergency generators may contain items that are not in line C O N T R A C T I N G LT D . Eyecon Contracting has over 60 years of construction / restoration experience as a general contractor. We bring quality, honesty, and integrity to our clients. inTact Lighting Group is bringing dozens of lighting manufacturers from around the world to Ontario. Our services for residential / commercial / industrial include: Offering TURN-KEY or LEASE programs for the commercial, municipal, industrial and institutional markets: 24 hour Emergency Response: Fire & Water Restoration. We are IICRC Certified. · · · · Fire / Smoke Damage Water / Flood Damage Wind Damage Catastrophe / Disaster Restoration · LED Lighting installations · Mold Remediation · Restoration – Painting, Drywall, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical, Kitchens, Bathrooms etc. 1-855-EYECON1 Solid state lighting | LED Area Lighting | Architectural Lighting | Horticultural Lighting | Solar Lighting Rely on us for all of your interior and exterior project needs. We have the resources and relationships in place to deliver the right solutions while meeting and surpassing your expectations- | intactlightinggroup.com Showroom at 1160 Kerrisdale Blvd, Unit 7 in Newmarket -www.eyeconcontracting.com The power to customize your __________ project. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. Lighting design Lighting education LED luminaires Arms & banner arms Poles & base covers Bollards Signage Site furniture I. All of the Above www.hcilighting.com - RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 15 with today’s code. Emergency generators, as well as ventilation, fuel delivery and storage, are life safety requirements, and must comply with Canadian Standards Association (CSA) requirements. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces all CSA regulations in Ontario, and life safety equipment must meet all current standards. “There is no grandfather clause for emergency generators, so owners cannot argue that their generator was inspected or approved five to ten years ago,” said Ed. “If the installation does not meet current codes and/or does not have applicable variances approved, the system is not code compliant and therefore may be red tagged (not allowed to operate) or fuel may not be able to be delivered until the systems are brought up to code compliancy.” The TSSA mandates in Ontario that fuel delivery people must note non-compliant items on the emergency generator or other areas, which will prevent them from delivering fuel. If this happens, they will issue a form stating that fuel cannot be delivered as certain items are not up to code. The building owner should understand that this is not a TSSA order and the list is not complete. If an owner receives this notice, they should contact an engineer to review their emergency generator to prepare a complete list of non-compliant items, a list of variances that may be applied for to save money and a full design for tender. Once the building owner retains an engineer, fuel can be delivered to allow the building to keep life safety systems operational while upgrades are being designed and completed. Emergency generators should be operated every week and yearly with a full load test. Owners should consult their service contractors to help them set up these tests to be code compliant. As generators get older there is a possibility that they will not be able to pass the full load test. Generators have a life expectancy of 35 years but some may not make it that long in that they will fail the full load test. As this is a life safety issue and it is very costly to replace, the building owner should budget for this situation so that it does not come as a surprise when the generator does not pass the yearly full load test and requires replacement. Fire alarm and life safety systems Different building types will require different levels of life safety systems. However, all fire alarm systems, 16 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT suppression systems and life safety equipment, including emergency generators and lighting, require annual testing and certification. Every component in the life safety system has a specific life expectancy; even when it is certified year to year, it is possible that it will fail the following year. Systems that contain electronic equipment tend to have a shorter life span, and some parts needed for older systems can become difficult or impossible to obtain. During yearly certification, contractors will let the building owner know if there are concerns with the systems or if they find something non-compliant. Each contractor that certifies life safety equipment needs to be certified. It is good practice to get a different company in every three to five years to certify the equipment, therefore verifying what the other company was doing. “When we retrofit fire alarms, we will often specify that the contractor should install an addressable system, although for smaller buildings, this would not be true,” said Ed. “This system is tied to each device and knows where each device is. The migration to this system has become more commonplace because of computer technologies becoming better and more affordable.” Carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring is an essential component of the garage’s ventilation system. It can only operate in two ways: ON for 24 hours, 7 days a week or controlled by a CO monitoring system. Some owners install timers on the exhaust system, which is against code and very unsafe. They have a very good payback if fans are left ON all the time. CO sensors should be installed to bring the garage into code compliance, if timers are used, for safety reasons and for energy savings. Note: The regulations under the Ontario Fire Code state that, effective October 15, 2015, CO alarms will be required in the service rooms for any fuel burning appliance, and near sleeping areas in adjacent multiresidential units. For buildings of six units or less, the requirement applies as of April 15, 2015. A fireplace or an attached garage also triggers the requirement. For a single family house (or other unit that contains a fuel burning appliance), an alarm is required adjacent to any sleeping area(s). CO alarms can be hardwired, batteryoperated or plugged into the wall outlet. They should also be checked annually, during tenant turnover, when the battery is replaced and when there are changes to the connecting circuits. MC Quality and Service Did You Know Mechanical Services We have over 28 years of trade experience. All our work is fully insured and guaranteed, we remain price conscious but offer quality service. We are dedicated to provide every customer with superior service; we will always be courteous and helpful to our customer’s needs, concerns and questions. CIMCO is the best kept SECRET in heating and cooling systems! Yes, we are known by industry professionals as a premium supplier to the industrial refrigeration market, but did you know that CIMCO Refrigeration provides services to the commercial and multi-residential markets? Our services include turn-key solutions for both heating and cooling systems. HEATING | VENTILATION AIR CONDITIONING | REFRIGERATION 21 Signal Hill Ave., Unit # 2 Toronto, Ont. M9W 6V8 Phone:- www.mcmechanical.ca Call us today to learn more:- or for 24-hour emergency service—-. www.cimcorefrigeration.com EFFICIENT BUILDINGS START WITH EFFICIENT SYSTEMS Service Experts Commercial HVAC, we possess all necessary equipment and tools to service and maintain the equipment at your facilities. Our service vehicles are equipped with stepladders, extension ladders, vacuum pump, recovery unit, multi-meters & thermostats, and a wide variety of filters and belts. At Service Experts we offer all HVAC services including estimates, installations, service and repairs, basic and comprehensive maintenance plans. Let Grundfos show you the hidden savings in your HVAC and booster systems. With the Grundfos audit program, your systems will be accurately monitored and energy consumption demonstrated. See the difference a Grundfos high efficiency pump and system can make for your building. For more information contact: Janusz Kic P. Eng Grundfos Sales Manager-- We specialize in all commercial/ industrial units ranging from unit heaters to cooling towers and everything in between. All of the units we provide are Energy Star rated and CSA approved. Expert Service, Guaranteed!- www.serviceexperts.ca RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 17 CONCLUSION A building’s mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems are akin to your body’s cardiopulmonary, respiratory, digestive and nervous systems. These important systems must be kept at optimum efficiency, or the body will suffer. However, because these systems are beneath the surface, problems often get overlooked or ignored. Failure to deal with issues when symptoms arise can have serious consequences. Use the following checklist to help you stay on top of your maintenance schedule. It pays to know what’s going on in your building, particularly when other professionals are doing the work. Being informed means that you are taking the necessary steps to maintain your building’s most important systems. Therefore, whenever you have a problem, issue or question related to your building’s mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems, you should first contact an engineer. It will save you time, money and aggravation over the long term, and it will ensure that you get the right answers the first time. CHECKLIST FOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS Heating and cooling system Centrifugal chiller c Spring startup c Monthly service (during cooling season) c Fall inspection and winter turnover Cabinet hot water radiators (lobby and corridor) c Annually (start of heating season) Electric unit heaters (common area and service rooms) c Annually (start of heating season) Gas-fired boilers c Compressor c Fall startup c Compressor oil system c Monthly service (during operating season) c Motor starter c Control panel c Control system c Monthly service (during operating season) c Evaporator and condenser c Annually c Refrigerant system c Purge system c Monthly c Leak test c Quarterly c Unit c Every six months Cooling tower Vertical in-line pumps (heating and cooling circulation pumps, condenser water pumps) Two-pipe fan coil units (lobby and common areas) Hydronic heating units (common areas, service rooms, plenum hot water fan heaters) c Spring startup c Monthly service (during cooling season) c Annually (start of heating season) c Bi-monthly service (during cooling season) c Bi-monthly (during heating season) c Winter shutdown and inspection c General maintenance c Electrical and controls 18 | RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM (CONTINUED) DX fan coil / DX cooling units (elevator machine room, management office, library, kitchen, swimming pool, common area cooling units) c Monthly c Quarterly c Every six months Air-cooled condensing units for split DX systems (elevator machine room, management office, library, kitchen, swimming pool, common area cooling units) c Bi-monthly (operating season) c Annually Rooftop packaged gas heating and electrical cooling units (recreation area) c Monthly c Every three months (filters) c Quarterly (twice during cooling season) c Annually Gas-fired boilers (domestic hot water boilers) c Monthly c Annually Ventilation Hydronic heating and cooling air-handling units (makeup air units) c Monthly c Semi-annually Fans (garage, garbage room, common room, mechanical/electrical room ventilation fans, pressurization fans) c Quarterly Dampers and operators (make-up air units, ventilation fans) c Every six months Domestic hot water system Domestic hot water tank (storage tanks) c Monthly c Annually Electric hot water heater (domestic hot water recirculation booster heaters) c Monthly c Annually Plumbing and drainage Pumps (domestic cold water booster pumps, domestic hot water boiler booster pumps, domestic hot water recirculation pumps, primary heating pump, pool circulation pumps, fountain circulation pumps, sump pumps) c Bi-monthly c Annually Water treatment Automatic chemical feed and bleed system (cooling tower loop) c Monthly (during operating season) Closed loop chemical bypass feeder (heating and cooling loop pumps, primary heating pumps, condenser water pump) c Monthly c Annually General control systems Pneumatic and electronic or DDC control systems (dry sprinkler compressed air system, boiler plant, chiller plant, make-up air unit control systems and panels) c Monthly Valves (heating/cooling circulation loops, domestic cold and hot water main loops, water treatment system) c Annually RHB 2014 Building Systems REPORT | 19