Page 10 - New England Condominium September 2020

10 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM New England’s Laundry Experts Since 1945 We are pleased to announce that we have joined our two companies, Automatic Coin Laundry Systems and American Equipment Sales Corporation. Leasing, rentals, and sales, as well as our service and parts departments, now function under one company. This greatly streamlines our internal operations, allowing us to better serve you. We are New England’s longest operating independent laundry services provider. As always, our goal is to install and operate high quality community laundry rooms. Our equipment provides the best combination of energy efficiency, reliability, and pay systems technology. Our service response is fast and effective. We thank you and value the opportunity to be your laundry ser- vices provider. 781.894.6600 | 1345 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451 sales@americanlaundryequipment.com | www.americanlaundryequipment.com For a complimentary laundry room survey, please contact us www.RiskStrategies.com Specializing in Insurance and Risk Management Services for: For more information Contact Thomas Shields | Producer E: TShields@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0314 A: 15 Pacella Park Drive, Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368 Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0330 C ondominiums C ommunity A ssoCiAtions HoA C ommunities C ooperAtives www.RiskStrategies.com Specializing in Insurance and Risk Management Services for: For more information Contact Thomas Shields | Producer E: TShields@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0314 A: 15 Pacella Park Drive, Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368 Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0330 C ondominiums C ommunity A ssoCiAtions HoA C ommunities C ooperAtives www.RiskStrategies.com Specializing in Insurance and Risk Management Services for: For more information Contact Thomas Shields | Producer E: TShields@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0314 A: 15 Pacella Park Drive, Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368 Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com P: 781-961-0330 C ondominiums C ommunity A ssoCiAtions HoA C ommunities C ooperAtives green building strategies for landscap- ing, owners address issues like rainwater management, which is critical for build- ings located in areas prone to droughts or flooding. Another big trend—particular- ly for urban residential buildings—is the green roof. Green roofs create outdoor space for residents, which can be difficult to access in cities, and provides important mental and physical health benefits. They can also be tools for rainwater collection and management, which can lower water use and help a building reduce its heat is- land effect, which keeps the building it- self better insulated. The exterior of buildings is also be- coming a more important factor when considering the impact of climate change. Strong winds can easily displace segment- ed roof materials, creating danger- ous windborne de- bris that can cause even more dam- age to the build- ing itself, to its neighbors, and to passers-by. Build- ing operations and maintenance man- agers can retrofit existing roof sur- faces with water- tight membranes and seal joints to better protect against high winds and heavy rain. Snow events can also be very dan- gerous and unpredictable, so managers should consider insulation and sealants around all wall and door penetrations to avoid frozen pipes and prevent them from bursting. The Human Factor Often the biggest question mark in any green strategy is simply… people. Human behavior is probably one of the hardest aspects of green building to in- fluence. For residents, the easiest thing to do is incorporate smarter systems into their homes—low-flow water fixtures, LED lighting, etc.—that they don’t have to think much about, but that ultimately help them live more sustainably. Another critical factor that has more to do with people than the physical plant is facility manager education and train- ing. Buildings are designed to operate a certain way, and if a facility manager doesn’t receive necessary training on cer- tain systems, you won’t get an optimal performance out of that system. The US- GBC, International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and other organiza- tions offer a number of training programs design planning and construction are to help facility managers learn about green building principles and what they need to be on the lookout for to ensure their building is reaching optimal perfor- mance. Susan Lauren is the principal of Lau- ren Design, a design firm located in New York, and had this to say about the cur- rent reality of green design: “The boards of high-rise co-op and condo buildings— which make up 90% of my clientele—don’t value green building the way developers of new construction do. While ‘green’ is a selling point for many new high-rise buildings, it is not the case for renova- tions and retrofits of existing buildings. About 10 years ago when green design first became fashionable, my clients asked about a green renovation. I was enthusi- astic, but unfortunately, green building was more expensive. Since boards need to be fiscally responsible to their sharehold- ers and residents, they elected to mini- mize costs instead of pursuing it.” She adds that in recent years, green design seems to have become less of a serious consider- ation overall, and that it’s not something she perceives a lot of in- terest in from her cli- ents. That said, a rep- resentative of the Na- tional Association of Women in Roofing (NAWR) mentions that there has been a big increase in urban residential buildings looking to create ac- cessible roofs for ten- ants. The coronavirus crisis has obviously ignited this to some degree in 2020, but the interest has also been prompted by environmental concerns and govern- ment incentives to improve roofs for sus- tainability. There are several factors at play here: First, many municipalities are beginning to mandate that the roofs of certain buildings be partially covered in green roof or solar photovoltaic electrici- ty generating systems. By doing so, build- ings can usually receive a tax benefit. The NAWR rep says she’s finding that in New York City, for example, buildings are in- creasingly refinancing their underlying building mortgages to do this. A second factor is that the environ- mental impacts of roofs are huge—and many condo associations and co-op cor- porations are rethinking their focus on roofs as pressure is increasing to maintain the best environmental standards. Proper design has become a much greater prior- ity as well. Looking Forward For new developments, proactive A CHANGE IN THE AIR continued from page 8 “The idea of a building being a vehicle for healing is where the future of green building is heading. … A building that is safe and functional in a changing climate will be more valuable.” —Gautam Tarafdar