By Cody Walton
Q3 2024 Building Updates & Upgrades
BMS upgrade at Airport Corporate Centre
We have been working closely with our HVAC business partner to design and implement a Building Management Software (“BMS”) upgrade at Airport Corporate Centre, our Class-A office property in Oakland, CA. BMS is a control system that allows for monitoring and changing control points in a building’s equipment via computer interface, as physically accessing equipment locations can be time-consuming and impact our tenants. A well-functioning BMS system enables our engineering team to detect issues early, and proactively make necessary changes to reduce system failures. Additionally, the nature of the data collection from various inputs allows us to identify potential energy savings and diagnose intermittent issues more effectively. As landlords place greater importance on energy consumption and client satisfaction, there is a significant shift in the desired amount of control and interface within essential building components. Traditionally, the focus for building systems was maintaining temperature and consistent set points, while energy and equipment efficiency were secondary focuses. Due to productive advances in equipment connectivity and electronic controls, the pricing and ease of implementation allows us to address both focus areas. We will still maintain the comfortable environment that our tenants and guests expect while dramatically reducing our energy usage and equipment run times. Everything from core elements, such as lighting and HVAC, to more modern products, including access controls and elevator efficiency models, are being incorporated into BMS systems. We will continue to monitor future technologies and incorporate practical solutions as they become available.
Asphalt repair and replacement projects
Spring and summer provide a great opportunity to perform necessary repair and replacement of asphalt parking and driveway surfaces, as the warm temperatures assist in curing and drying new asphalt. During the winter months, we prepare our budget and identify properties that are in need of action in the upcoming year. By proactively monitoring the condition of driving surfaces at each of our properties, we can prolong the need to fully remove and replace asphalt (which is considerably more expensive). During a repair, a seal coat is placed on the top layer of the asphalt, which protects the underlying, lower layers. In some cases, even after regular coating maintenance it becomes necessary to replace the asphalt. When a replacement is required, we work closely with our vendors to obtain multiple bids to ensure we are performing our tasks as effective property stewards.
With a diverse property portfolio, spanning from the East Bay to Central Valley, we work diligently to vet and select vendors that are able to provide us with quality work at competitive pricing. At Mariposa Industrial Center and Benicia Industrial Park facilities, heavy truck traffic throughout the day has highlighted the need for new asphalt. Given the extensive size of these properties, we have implemented a phased approach to minimize disruption to tenant operations. The asphalt work was completed without a hitch, and both Cranbrook and our tenants were extremely satisfied with the results. With proper maintenance, we expect the asphalt will provide many years of use before a replacement is necessary.
While not as extensive as asphalt replacement, proper seal coating helps extend the life of existing asphalt and gives properties a fresh, clean look. A newly coated black asphalt parking lot with bright white stripes is an attractive look and shows our attention to property detail before our guests and tenants enter our facilities. At Buskirk Executive Center, our office property in Walnut Creek, we recently completed a lighting upgrade in the secured underground parking area. We completed the project by seal coating the asphalt and painting new parking stall lines which gave a dramatic new look to the parking area. We completed similar asphalt seal coating projects at Catalina Street and Breakwater Business Park. We are working hard on multiple projects across our property portfolio from the security fencing and solar projects at ACC, to re-roofs, HVAC and electrical upgrades at multiple properties.
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