2019 AAPPA Fall Professional Development Conference

On behalf of the Executive Board of the Atlantic Chapter of APPA, I welcome you to the 2019 AAPPA Fall Professional Development Conference. This year’s conference promises to be motivational, educational, and a great networking opportunity.

Please reserve November 7-8, 2019, for this annual event in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sincerely,

Neil MacEachern
V.P. Professional Development

Please note:  We have experienced some issues with Paypal as a payment method, therefore each institution will be invoiced.

Registrants are responsible for making their own travel and accommodation arrangements. Reservations can be made directly by telephoning 1-833-357-8155.  To ensure attendees receive the negotiated rate of $135.00/night, plus taxes based on our standard Hotel Halifax room, please make sure you indicate the group affiliation with 2019 AAPPA Conference.  Also, attendees can click on the link below to make their reservations on line at the special group rate: Book your group rate for the 2019 AAPPA Conference

2019 Conference Schedule

Professional Development Sessions – Brief Summary

Title:   Breaking Barriers- NS Accessibilty Act

By:      Nicola Embleton-Lake and Siobhan Evans- Dalhousie University

The Nova Scotia Accessibility Act was passed at the 3rd Session, 62nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia in April 2017, and is expected to be prescribed in April 2020 for Post-Secondary Institutions. The purpose of the Act, administered by the Minister of Justice, is to be accessible by 2030 by identifying, preventing, and removing barriers in various standard areas. One of the six standard areas is the Built Environment. Since 2017 Dalhousie University has been working to identify its physical and architectural barriers by administering a campus wide accessibility audit. The audit assesses anything from exterior access into buildings, accessible washrooms, reception desk design to recreational facilities, and more.  Dalhousie representatives will review how they took the first steps to identify its physical barriers across 5.8 million SF of built environment; outline their funding request strategy for University Administration; and examine their methodology and approach to completing the audits. They will also discuss where they are now and what is to come for the future of long-term accessibility planning at Dalhousie.

 

Title:   Quit Playing It Safe

By:      Mike Burns and Jake MacIsaac- Dalhousie University

It’s one thing to tell people to trust their gut when something doesn’t seem right but,  as a manager, knowing what to do, who to call, and what to expect can be a  challenge when staff turn to you looking for answers.  Natural collaborators at heart, Mike and Jake, will share how adopting a relational approach to security work has appropriately shifted the focus of our service to #PeopleOverBuildings. Come find out some of the practical ways that Dal Security can be a resource to you in assessing and responding to security concerns in the workplace.

 

Title:   Coming Together to Manage the Impact and Aftermath of a Campus Fire

By:      Peter Coutts- Dalhousie University

On June 20, 2018 Dalhousie Cox Building caught on Fire – 160,000 SF of research, office and teaching space was impacted twelve weeks prior to start of fall term. This presentation outlines the lessons we learned in managing the impact and the aftermath of the Campus Fire…from Emotions to Insurers!

 

Title:   Office Ergonomics- Back to Basics

By:      St. Thomas University and Global Furniture Group

Does your workplace have uncomfortable chairs, co-workers complaining of back pain, neck pain, shoulder tension or repetitive strain injuries?  These are some of the reasons heard from employees requesting an ergonomic assessment. There are some common solutions to providing employees with an ergonomic work station.  St. Thomas University will share their recent experiences with ergonomic assessments and the Global Furniture Group will provide ergonomic solutions for some of these common issues.

In this presentation, learn how to understand the requirements of an ergonomic office layout.  How to adjust office chairs and the basic principles of an ergonomic workstation.

 

Title:   Geospatial Technology and Aging Infrastructure

By:      Smarter Spaces and Acadia University

Many of Canada’s institutions are dealing with 1970s era Infrastructure. Upgrades and renovations in these facilities often reveal discrepancies between existing documentation and actual site conditions, which can cause delays on site. Recognising that universities are focused on deferred maintenance, accessibility, and sustainability, Smarter Spaces and Acadia teamed up to find a solution.  Colin, Greg and Marcel will present on how they began working together in Fire Safety Planning and Mapping and evolved into using the latest in Geospatial Technology.

We will look at samples from Acadia’s Campus around Fire Safety Plans, Evacuation Maps and Accessibility Audits. We will present a Case Study on a recent BIM Project. Smarter Spaces will do a live demonstration during the presentation with 3D Mobile Lidar Scanning / SLAM Technology providing a real example of how quickly and nonintrusive it can be done. We will close out the demonstration with some of the innovative technology Smarter Spaces has developed around Above Ceiling Scanning and BAM™ (Building Accuracy Modeling).

 

 

Title:   Sustainability

By:      Justin MacDonald- Dalhousie University

This presentation will outline past experience and proven processes related to recommissioning efforts at Dalhousie University that not only produced energy savings but enhanced occupant comfort and system reliability .