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Many maintenance and engineering tasks in institutional and commercial facilities are risky, as the annual list of top violations of OSHA standards demonstrates. Unfortunately in some cases, those risks become fatal. A subcontractor working on maintenance at an AT&T facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was recently pronounced dead at the hospital after being electrocuted on the…

Managers of office buildings and other commercial facilities have a lot on their plates these days. Workplaces closed during the pandemic have slowly reopened, but utilization of these spaces has changed for good in many instances, presenting building managers with new challenges. Meanwhile, the effects of global warming are more obvious than ever, bringing into…

Capital repair planning in the condominium market is a crucial aspect of maintaining and improving aging buildings. However, it is essential to recognize that decisions made in this process can have unintended consequences. Although our buildings are aging, the condominium market in Ontario is still young. We are learning valuable lessons together as the oldest…

As the world grapples with the threats of climate change, inclusively designed spaces and places are a key strategy in providing resilience—the ability to recover quickly from shocks and stresses—within the built environment. Climate change creates both shocks and stresses to individuals, businesses, communities, countries, and the entire planet. Inclusive design—design for all people that incorporates…

Commercial office buildings are responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, making them a key target for reducing carbon footprints. Converting a commercial office building to net-zero energy consumption is a way to address this challenge. Net-zero energy buildings are designed to produce as much energy as they consume, using a combination…

Tackling the climate crisis requires companies and financial institutions to pull every change-making lever in reach. But not all levers are as shiny as capturing carbon and water from thin air or raising multi-billion-dollar funds. Some, such as a company’s choice of insurance provider, reveal impactful solutions hidden as administrative costs. Creating market-force momentum to…