What base building means
Base building systems serve the whole building rather than a single suite. They include main electrical service, distribution, central HVAC plant, domestic water, sprinklers, elevators, fire alarm and common areas. Landlords and owners upgrade them to extend life, meet current codes, lower operating cost or make room for new tenants.
Upgrades also respond to tenant needs. A new tenant may need more power than the building provides, or ventilation that the existing system cannot deliver. We can review the landlord's systems, size the upgrade and price it, so the lease conversation includes real figures. This is a common situation in older Edmonton-area office and retail buildings, and it is much easier to handle early.
Where our own trades help most
Electrical and mechanical systems are the largest part of most base building upgrades, and they are central to HSM. Our Master Electrician and electrical crew handle service upgrades, panels, distribution, lighting and emergency power work. Our mechanical team handles HVAC replacement, controls, ventilation and plumbing. Because the crews who install the work also plan the shutdowns, outages are shorter and better coordinated.
Typical upgrade projects
- Electrical service and panel replacement
- Rooftop unit and boiler replacement
- Lighting retrofits and controls
- Washroom, corridor and lobby renovations
- Accessibility and life safety upgrades
- Fire alarm and security system replacement
Planning shutdowns
The hardest part of base building work is keeping tenants running. We plan outages in detail, notify affected parties, and often do the connection work after hours. Temporary power or temporary heating may be used when work cannot wait.
What to plan for
Start with condition information: age of equipment, past failures and capacity. We can review these with you and help set priorities. Long-lead equipment such as switchgear and large HVAC units should be ordered early. Where upgrades support leasing, we can also coordinate tenant work in the same schedule.