The GTA Construction Report – May 2009 – PAGE A5
Order a dash of pink to liven up your work site
MATTHEW DESROSIERS – The GTA Construction Report Editor
ally favourable response,
because a lot of other people
Next time you drive past them of the new campaign, are affected by the same
a construction site in South- which started mid-April of issue. They’re really inter-
ern Ontario, don’t be sur- this year. If they agree to ested in it and they think it’s
prised to see bright pink place an order for pink fenc- really cool because it’s such
perimeter fencing. ing, 10 per cent of the rental a different thing.”
Fast Fence Inc., is a fam- fee is donated to the breast “It really stands out.”
ily-owned and operated cancer society. The rest of the crew at
company that provides tem- “It doesn’t cost them Fast Fence Inc., has really
porary fencing for construc- anything,” Chew said. jumped on board this cam-
tion sites, events, and “We’re promoting it heavily paign, Chew said. Some of
residential renovations. right now and we’re going the ladies in the office love
After their mother was diag- to keep running it indefi- wearing their pink hard hats,
nosed with breast cancer last nitely. The feedback we’ve and selling pink fence.
year, Allison Chew, the received so far has been re- “It’s a lot of fun for
company’s marketing man- ally positive.” everybody. It’s something
ager, and her brother Brent The idea for the cam- really different. Construc-
Newburg, decided to start paign came to them while tion can get a little bit dull,
up the Perimeter PINK cam- trying to decide how they Fast Fence Inc., employees Edith Wong (left), Kim Deicsics, and this makes it a little bit
paign to support the Cana- could best support their and Katherine Methot are eagerly selling pink chain link fun.”
dian Breast Cancer Society
fencing as part of the company's Perimeter PINK campaign.
. mother and serve the charity Fast Fence Inc., has been
“We’re really excited within the context of their contributing to local chari-
about it,”said Chew. “We business.
The pink fencing also tion sites, the guys driving pany’s line of highly visible, ties and organizations for
just can’t wait to get fence “It’s definitely different.
benefits the client, as it the trucks aren’t necessarily yellow fencing. many years. Although they
on prominent street corners It stands out on construction
makes their sites very no- the most careful with the Customers who drive by haven’t set an official goal
in the city and get more sites and it’s a way to give
ticeable. fence. So it makes it a lot sites already surrounded in for this campaign yet, Chew
awareness going.” the Canadian Breast Cancer
“Their site will have way more visible. They’re less pink fence have been calling said they plan to keep it
When clients call in to Society a little bit more of a
more prominence with peo- likely to drive over it.” in and asking about the cam- going and simply raise as
order fencing, the com- profile. We think of it as a
ple driving by,” said Chew. The pink fence can act as paign, said Chew. much money as they can.
pany’s sales team informs billboard for them.”
“A lot of times on construc- an alternative to the com- “There’s been a lot of re-
City green initiative could limit sustainable solutions
MATTHEW DESROSIERS
Scott said the LEED system recognizes
– The GTA Construction Report Editor that some things work on one building type,
but not another. As such, it allows develop-
A proposed city bylaw in Toronto to ers and designers to have the flexibility to
make green roofs mandatory on new con- pick and choose how to achieve a sustain-
struction projects has developers urging able building.
council to rethink their plans. “Mandating specific measures could
As proposed, the bylaw requires any new handcuff the creativity of the design com-
buildings 5,000 sq.-m. or larger to have a munity to come up with new solutions.”
green roof covering 30 per cent of the avail- The government’s role in the building in-
able space. For buildings over 20,000 sq.- dustry should not be unlike their role in the
m., that number increases to 60 per cent. automotive sector, he said. They set the stan-
Lyle Scott, director of sustainable design dards for safety and fuel efficiency, but leave
for Cohos Evamy, said that targets a lot of it up to auto manufacturers to decide how to
the condo’s that are built in the city. get there.
“The challenge is that it’s a pretty sizable “I would welcome that sort of approach
construction cost,” he said. “You’re looking with regard to buildings. Set a high bar re-
in the range of $30 per sq.-ft. of green roof garding energy performance and sustainabil-
area. The costs could be higher than that de- ity, but let the design community figure out
pending on how creative you are with your how to achieve that.”
green roof.” Developers are also concerned about the
However, Scott said he’s not so con- proposed bylaw’s effect on architecture in
cerned about the dollars and cents of the the city. Scott said he doesn’t know how to
issue, but more worried about handcuffing build a green roof on a dome, pointed roofs,
the creativity of the development and design or curved roofs.
industries when it comes to sustainable so- “It’s a very specific thing they’re asking
lutions. us to do on buildings,” he said. “I think
“The development industry is very there’s a need to think how this is going to achieving sustainable building. and cooling rooftops, there are other ways
favourable towards taking measures that are impact every building type.” “What would happen if instead of build- to achieve these results. For example, Scott
going to improve the sustainability of new Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone was also ing green roofs, we captured rain water and said all roofs in the city should be white, to
construction,” he said. “Developers have unhappy with the proposed bylaw, however used it for flushing toilets,” he said. “Not reflect heat away instead of absorbing it into
been improving the sustainability of their for a different reason. He felt the bylaw was only would it save a lot of money in sewer the building. It’s easy to do and less expen-
buildings through volunteer programs such too tepid. infrastructure, you would also reduce the sive, he said.
as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Envi- “Either we are the leading city in the amount of potable water we use for flushing However, if the bylaw is eventually ap-
ronmental Design) and Energy Star, and world or we’re the ones who looked in the toilets.” proved, developers will be forced to comply
they like this approach. Particularly with the mirror and got scared,” he said. While green roofs do have substantial or face up to $100,000 in fines.
LEED system, where it allows flexibility.” But Scott said there are other ways of benefits, such as increasing bio-diversity
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