Mark your Calendars
October 27, 2009
Leading Edge Seminar
Streamlining Your Business
Eagle Quest Golf Club
Registration Form
November 19, 2009
Annual General Meeting
More info to follow soon.
May 20, 2010
GCABC/WDMA-BC Golf Tournament - Northview Golf Course
More info to follow soon.
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GCABC's
Announces the
NEW
EMPLOYEES Pocket Size HANDBOOK
for your Health and Safety Program
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Remember that GCABC offers a comprehensive template for a health and safety program that has been reviewed by both safety associations in BC - CSABC and CSN. Click here to order your copy.
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New Members
Welcome to our newest members:
Remember that GCABC offers a 10% discount on your companies annual dues if you are able to bring in a new member.
Just direct the potential member to our website to download an application (click here for file location). Make sure you let me know you introduced them by cc'ing me on the email you send them.
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Group Health Benefits
Bonding and Liability Program |
GCABC has broadened their agreement with ICBA with their Group Benefit Program to include their new Bonding and Liability Insurance Program - merging with well known Wilson Beck Insurance.
If your company is looking at reviewing your group health package contact ICBA directly and be sure to let them know you are a member of GCABC. Click here for some information on their website.
If your company is looking at quotes for bonding or liability insurance contact Wilson Beck directly. Click here for contact information.
Remember it never hurts to get another quote! |
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BC Stats
Here is the summary of this stats from October 9, 2009
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Unemployment rate drops to 7.4% as employment growth outpaces increase in labour force.
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Exports slip 8.2% in August US-bound shipments fall for ninth time in ten months
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Building permits soar in August, rising 47.5%
For more information click here |
GCABC's Website Membership Profile
Don't forget to check and make sure your company information is posted and correct. Click here to go to the membership page.
If you notice your company name is not there don't be worried it just got lost during the transition. Let me know right away and I will add it.
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New Partner |
DJ's
Micro-Info Inc. (DJ's) is a web development company that develops, implements,
and maintains websites and Internet applications for businesses and
organizations. DJ's has
extensive experience and knowledge in Internet business, designing,
programming, education, and marketing - and has a known reputation for
down-to-earth, realistic solutions. DJ's
has developed and managed both large and small web projects for organizations
involved in dozens of industries.
Founded on the principle that morality has an important place in
business, DJ's continues to grow by being able to deliver practical results
expected by those funding projects, at prices that are fair.
For more
information click here |
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The Future of the Glazing Industry
by Leonard Pianalto,
GCABC Director, Chair - Technical Committee
Our most recent breakfast round table discussion was
really 4 seminars rolled into one. This particular event was focused on
sustainability initiatives in the construction industry and advancements in
photovoltaic and smart glass technology.
The four speakers included the following individuals:
George Ingham of United Power Ltd. and National Photovoltaic Construction
Partnership; Bill Coady of Guardian Industries; Caleb Willis of Switch
Materials; and Chris Mattock of Harmony House.
George Ingham presented a very interesting perspective on
the integration of glazing and photovoltaics. With the growing demand for on-site
power generation, the use of solar panels in buildings has become more common.
Combining solar panels into the glazing system seems like a natural fit - so
one might think.
Consider a standard unitized curtain wall assembly installed
on a typical high rise building. No one would normally question that a Glazing
contractor (in good standing with the GCABC) would supply and install all the
necessary components. Now think of that same curtain wall assembly as a power
generation station capable of producing 600 volts of electrical output. This is
exactly what you would have if you installed photovoltaic cells within that
same curtain wall system complete with wires emanating from the mullions. Now
one might think that it would be more appropriate for an Electrician to install
the curtain wall - but what about the waterproofing and structural details?
Glazing has traditionally been viewed as a primary
component of the building envelope; as such the work of a Glazier is a
specialty in its own right as a trade discipline. Contemporaneously, the work
of Electricians has a very specific place in building construction. Such
disciplines have been created not just for efficiency. The special knowledge
and expertise required of Glaziers and Electricians has been enshrined within
the building code to protect public safety. With advancements in building
technology there is a move towards more overlap between the trades while also
requiring that each trade develop more specialized skills.
This conflict lies at the heart of the issue that Mr.
Ingham spoke about. The message being that on-site solar generation is going to
be a fact of life in modern day construction. Glaziers need to be aware of how
this will change the status quo in the manufacturing, supply and installation
of the glazing assembly. There will have to be an integration of multiple
trades. And we should expect to see some interesting developments as the
building codes adapt to these changes.
For more information check www.unitedpowerltd.com and www.npcpsolar.com.
Bill Coady presented many interesting details about the
implementation of photovoltaics into the traditional commercial glazing
assembly. Guardian Industries has been manufacturing glass since 1932 and now
they are full embracing this new frontier in glazing technology with the advent
of photovoltaics. There is, of course, a fairly significant financial
incentive. There is an estimated $8 billion global market projected to 2015.
Guardian's approach has been to integrate a "thin film"
technology which is comprised of a copper-indium-sulphide coating. The
photovoltaic modules are produced in standard 26"x50" panels which can be
laminated to a glass covering plate and incorporated into a sealed unit. Low
iron glass can be used to maximize efficiency.
Four standard modules can be linked together to form a
single 50"x104" unit. At full sunlight, the four module configuration
can produce 1.5A and 160 V which is equivalent to 240 Watts of power. As the
photovoltaic modules are opaque the initial application is intended for
non-vision spandrel areas.
For more information check
www.guardian.com.
Caleb Willis spoke about "smart windows". This term refers
to a product that darkens when exposed to sunlight (similar to some sunglasses)
and bleaches when subjected to an electrical charge. SWITCH Materials' advanced
photochromic technologies are based on novel organic molecules that react to
both solar and electrical stimulation. The development of these engineered
materials has occurred locally at 4D LABS, Simon Fraser
University's new $40
million materials science research centre.
The applications for this technology may be significant.
There is an estimated $1B market worldwide. The underlying premise is that most
energy loss in the building occurs through the windows. There is a potential
28% savings in air-conditioning use with effective solar shading.
Paradoxically, there may also be further energy savings from reducing the
amount of internal lighting required. For example, it is very common in office
and commercial settings to have the blinds drawn to reduce glare while the
interior lights are turned on. With appropriately shaded glass, glare would be
reduced allowing for usable natural light and obviating the need for artificial
lighting.
The product is not commercially viable at present as the
material degrades too rapidly with exposure to UV. The current state of the art
limits the material's stability to only 5 years. However, a 20 year formulation
is expected within a year's time.
An attractive feature of this technology is that it is
available in a variety of colours that remain thermally stable in their
coloured state until electricity is applied to reverse the chemical
transformation. It also relies on low voltage DC pulses and as such does not
require a continuous charge.
For more information check www.switchmaterials.com.
Chris Mattock is a designer with a background in sustainable
design. Harmony house is intended to be a single family detached residence with
a small integrated family medical practice. The design objective is a
demonstration initiative to implement a holistic approach in creating a healthy
and comfortable dwelling. There is a total of 3500 ft^2 net-zero-energy living
space. The underlying design principal being that it is cheaper to save energy
than it is to produce it.
The cost of construction is estimated at $250 / ft^2. In
contrast, the energy savings are predicted to be significant: a typical residence
would be expected to consume 12,000 kW hr / yr compared to that of harmony
house at 5000 kW hr / yr.
Some features of this residence include a solarium to
promote vitamin D production as well as vacuum insulated wall panels capable of
R30 per inch (standard fibreglass insulation is rated at R3 per inch); and
triple glazed windows. The energy systems incorporate passive solar heating, a
photovoltaic array, and heat pump with central forced air and heat recovery
ventilation. The structure is equipped with a "cooling tower" which exploits
the stack effect to induce passive cooling and air exchange. Some unique construction methods will also be
used for the concrete foundation involving a fabric form system that will limit
the migration of ground moisture into the concrete.
For more information check www.harmony-house.ca
Written by Leonard Pianalto,
M.Sc., P.Eng.,LEED AP. Leonard is a director of the GCABC as well as the chair
of the technical committee. He is an engineering consultant within the Building
Science and Restoration Group at Read Jones Christoffersen. His practice areas
are focused on structural design of glazing and wall cladding assemblies, fall
protection systems, and seismic restraint of building components.
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Canadian Glass Association announces National Directory
The Canadian Glass Association is producing an national directory that will include all the members of each of the provincial associations across Canada.
For more information click here
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Information Guides for Private Sector H1N1 Pandemic Planning
Is
your company prepared?
It is
likely that a second wave of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic will arrive in
Canada sometime during the upcoming fall and winter of 2009-10
and the Government of Canada is making resources available to ensure
Canadians
are prepared.
While
many Canadian companies are aware of some of the possible impacts of the H1N1
Influenza, an April, 2009 survey by the Canadian Manufacturers Association
found that 87% of Canadian companies had no contingency plan for a pandemic. As
many as 25 percent to 35 percent of employees may be absent during the height
of the next wave of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic.
Companies
of all sizes and in all sectors are advised to develop and review their own
plans to deal with the possible effects of the H1N1 influenza virus at the
earliest opportunity.
The
following information may be helpful in the development of corporate plans and
procedures. This information provides firms with useful planning
templates, checklists, human resource policies, posters and other related tools
that could be helpful in developing plans and procedures to prepare for the
potential impacts of the H1N1 Influenza virus.
H1N1
Flu Virus Background Information:
- The
Government of Canada's authoritative site for up-to-date information,
reports and guidance related to Influenza Pandemic preparedness: Pandemic Preparedness - Influenza.
- FIGHTFLU.CA
- Public Health Agency of Canada - Specific and current
information related to the H1N1 Flu Virus. This site provides access to current Status Reports;
General Information related to the H1N1 Flu Virus; links to Pandemic
Influenza Plans and Guides; and access to a range of useful Tools and
Utilities that could be useful in corporate offices and on company
websites.
Business
Continuity Planning Resources to Assist Private Sector Pandemic Planning and
Preparedness:
Public
Health Agency of Canada: H1N1 Information for Business provides links to a wide range of useful Canadian and
international H1N1 Influenza resources. These include planning templates,
checklists, human resource policies, posters and other related
tools:
- Public
Health Agency of Canada: The Information Guide for Private Sector Pandemic Planning is a guide for Canadian private sector organizations preparing for a
pandemic. The guide provides an overview of the human and animal
health aspects of pandemic influenza as well as basic information for
private sector pandemic planning, including information about absenteeism,
anti-virals and business continuity planning.
- FIGHTFLU.CA:
Tools and Resources.
This Public Health Agency of Canada site provides timely
messages about what you can do to protect yourself and others; and also provides downloadable
posters, ads, web buttons and banners that may be useful for your company.
Companies
are encouraged to capitalize on this information; and to develop their own
plans to prepare for the possible effects of increased H1N1 activity as soon as
possible.
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Sorting Through Annual Pay Increase Projections
As surely
as kids heading back to school and Christmas decorations appearing (too early) in
stores, September brings annual projections of pay increases for the following
year. These projections can - if used in
a considered fashion - be a useful guideline as your business approaches its yearly
pay review process.
The Globe
& Mail published information this past Saturday summarizing projections for
2010 from four of the main national survey companies. Hewitt Associates, Mercer Canada, Watson Wyatt, and Morneau Sobeco
are projecting average pay increases for next year in the 2.5% to 3% range.
Incidentally,
the Globe said the cost of living is projected to increase by about 2% in 2010
(according to the Bank of Canada).
For more on this article - click here |
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Employment Opportunity |
Regional Manager,
Northwestern Canada
All-West Glass is looking for a dynamic, forward-thinking Regional Manager (you
will be based in Edmonton) to oversee a group of retail managers within
northwestern Canada.
In this role, you will be accountable for achieving targeted sales and wage
plans, as well as meeting cost control targets for all stores within your
region. Through effective business management you will identify regional and
store opportunities and implement action plans to generate sales. You will
provide guidance, direction, advice and support to managers and sales people
and oversee and enforce company policy in your region. You will deal with
customer concerns/complaints and other satisfaction issues when they cannot be
dealt with at the store level. You will represent All-West Glass to various
interest groups and stakeholders (including trade shows) and will maintain and
upkeep the condition of building and premises that may be owned by related
holding companies of the All-West Group if requested to do so.
You should have thorough knowledge of the tendering process including design /
build and LEED certified projects as well as being proficient in contract
administration and computers (Microsoft Office).
Experience in finance, human resources and marketing an asset. This position
includes a company vehicle and requires frequent travel.
Contact:
Laura Stanton, AWG Northern Industries Inc.
PO Box 850, 3424 Highway 16 E.,
Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0
P: 847-9211
F: 877-7610
E: lstanton@awgassociates.com
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Hi everyone
If you have any interesting articles or newsworthy items you would like to share with your colleagues please send them to me.
I hope to see many of you at the many meetings planned for this year.
Sincerely,
Zana Gordon
Executive Director |
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