May 30, 2022 Update

In response to the continuing COVID-19 Pandemic, A&J Energy Consultants continue to follow modified protocol for testing houses, with additional safety precautions in office to stop the spread of COVID-19.

AJEC continues to require all houses be completely vacant during the blower door test . This includes trades, handymen, managers, or any others involved with the house. What this also means for the site is that all units must be properly air-sealed prior to testing. As production ramps up this summer, this may become increasingly challenging. AJEC has always been committed to the highest level of customer service and will continue to work with our Builder partners towards a seamless process.

Our past COVID Guidelines have requested that units be empty during the evaluation process. We have gone beyond “a request” with our new policy for the following reasons:

1. Units are depressurized to 50 Pa (the equivalent of a 35 km/h wind on the exterior of the envelope, during the test), meaning we are sucking air out of every room in the entire house.
2. Virus-laden aerosols in any room may pass through the blower door and past the technician performing the test.
3. The risk of viral contact greatly increases if an infected person is anywhere in the house during testing.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, AJEC has incorporated a compliance / tracking system into the file submissions app which populates our database.  This provides us with the tools for a real-time response should one of our team be infected as well as accurate records should the builder have an outbreak and require contact tracing data. Site staff is also required to always keep a medical grade mask on while inside a house.  

AJEC does its part to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the office too, as staff members complete regular rapid testing, work from home, if need be, and use a high-performance air cleaning system in the office space. Furthermore, all AJEC staff is fully vaccinated to prevent to spread of COVID-19 on and off construction sites.

The Health and Safety compliance of our work force will guarantee that low-rise construction will continue to remain an essential service.

 

 

April 22, 2021 Update

AJEC COVID-19 MEMO: Variants of Concern

In response to the increasing rates of infection resulting from variants of concern and a slower than planned vaccine roll-out, AJEC has modified our COVID-19 protocol for testing houses.

Effective immediately, all houses must be completely vacant during the blower door test . This includes trades, handymen, managers or any others involved with the house. What this also means for the site is that all units must be properly air-sealed prior to testing. As production ramps up this summer, this may become increasingly challenging. AJEC has always been committed to the highest level of customer service and will continue to work with our Builder partners towards a seamless process.

Our past COVID Guidelines have requested that units be empty during the evaluation process. We have gone beyond “a request” with our new policy for the following reasons:

1. Units are de-pressurized to 50 Pa (the equivalent of a 35 km/h wind on the exterior of the envelope, during the test), meaning we are sucking air out of every room in the entire house.
2. Virus-laden aerosols in any room may pass through the blower door and past the technician performing the test.
3. The risk of viral contact greatly increases if an infected person is anywhere in the house during testing.
4. We feel that current social distancing guidelines do not address the nature of the testing process.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, AJEC has incorporated a compliance / tracking system into the file submissions app which populates our database.  This provides us with the tools for a real-time response should one of our team be infected as well as accurate records should the builder have an outbreak and require contact tracing data. 

Evaluators will still troubleshoot during testing and if additional air-sealing is required in order to pass a test, site staff will be given appropriate guidance either interactively through Facetime etc., or through pictures to your mobile device. If the additional air-sealing can be completed within one hour, the evaluator may retest on the same day. If that is not possible, a test will have to be rescheduled after the deficiencies have been completed. *

The Health and Safety compliance of our work force will guarantee that low-rise construction will continue to remain an essential service.

 

 

April 6, 2020 Update

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, A&J Energy Consultants has changed our office operations team to work remotely for the time being.

In discussion with our evaluators, all are in agreement that the testing process presents minimal risk in terms of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. However, as added precautions, please note that A&J Energy Consultants will be adopting new safety guidelines in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

These are as follows:

• House should be move in ready, please see readiness checklist.
• Evaluators will no long be physically checking into the construction site office but will announce their arrival with a text message or phone call.
• Please ensure that they have reasonable access to the house.
• We request that the house be empty, without working trades, for the duration of the evaluation process.
• The evaluator will announce their departure with a text message or phone call.
• To limit the risk of exposure for our team we will not be performing any inspections or air tests on occupied residences. 
• Our team is committed to fighting COVID-19 and keeping our communities safe.

COVID-19 protocol for evaluations:

• Not attending site if experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 OR if a known exposure has occurred
• Washing hands before and after each house visit
• Wearing surgical/disposable gloves
• Sanitizing areas and touch points where work is performed
• Practising social distancing (2 meters)
• Sanitizing inspection tools at the end of each job
• Sanitizing touch points inside personal and work vehicles at each job
• If there is any change in status on any sites, please advise your AJEC contact so that they may adjust their scheduling accordingly.
• A&J Energy Consultants will keep staff up to date and aware of Ministry of Labour, Provincial and National Public Health guidelines.

Stay up-to-date on the current status of COVID-19, please visit ontario.ca/coronavirus

If you have any questions or concerns about these guidelines, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Stay safe everyone and keep our industry strong,

AJEC Team