‘You Got This’ Campaign Encourages Women Pursuing Careers in Trades

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Women Building Futures (WBF) wants females to consider careers in the trades and it’s helping by training and matching them with jobs in the field.

Focus on CSR: Practical Advice for Sole Operators

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Even for a sole operator, there are many things you can do to start your CSR journey:

  • Make and communicate a CSR commitment statement
  • Volunteer in your community
  • Make donations
  • Mentor a young person
  • Hire summer students or apprentices
  • Buy green and local products
  • Buy only as much as you need
  • Share equipment with others rather than buy
  • Recycle and compost
  • No vehicle idling
  • Reduce energy use
  • Inform your suppliers that you value green solutions

Industry Gaps addressed during the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships conference panel

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The diversity gap, the challenge of training job-ready graduates and the need for more innovation in the infrastructure industry were three main topics discussed by panellists during the We Can Do Better: Staying on Top session at the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships conference in Toronto recently. Read more.

CANS has concerns regarding Builders’ Lien Act compliance

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The Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) is concerned that contractors and buyers of construction are still not compliant with the new regulations of the Builders’ Lien Act even though the province proclaimed all three industry-recommended amendments effective in June. Read more.

What Does Design-Build Bring to a Project?

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The Canadian Construction Association interviewed some people closely related to the 2017 CDBI Award of Excellence winning projects for their views on the benefits of design-build.

Transparent Solar Cells Like This Could Deliver 40% of America’s Power

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Solar energy is off the charts. Not only is uptake skyrocketing, but solar is now the cheapest form of new energy in dozens of countries, with record-setting solar farms being built all around the world. One even looks like a giant panda. Read more.

The Impact Made by Artificial Intelligence on the Construction Industry

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Opportunities are endless with the introduction of artificial intelligence to the construction industry, from the design to the actual build. Artificial intelligence is where machines exhibit their own intelligence through using algorithms to solve problems using inputted data. By harnessing robotics, construction managers can utilise intelligent machines that can perform routine tasks that were once completed by humans, such as bricklaying. Alternatively, AI systems can collate and organise information for engineers to use within project planning and design implementation. Read more.

Corn Walls and Rice Bricks: Tomorrow’s Cities Will Be Built from Crops

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Today, pineapple, potatoes, mushrooms, corn, oranges, and bananas are staples of the produce aisle. Tomorrow, they might be the backbones of our cities, according to a new report from Arup. In The Urban Bio Loop, the engineering firm advocates turning organic waste into construction materials as a way to use resources more effectively and develop a circular economy. Read more.

Navigating the Digital Future: The Disruption of Capital Projects

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Productivity in the construction sector has stagnated for decades, with the average capital project reaching completion 20 months behind schedule and 80 percent over budget. Some overruns result from increased project complexity and scale, but another factor also looms large: all stakeholders in the capital-projects ecosystem—project owners, contractors, and subcontractors—have resisted adopting digital tools and platforms. These include advanced analytics, automation, robotics, 5-D building information modeling (BIM), and online document-management or data-collection systems. Meanwhile, companies in sectors ranging from government to manufacturing have significantly reduced costs and schedules by aggressively pursuing digital solutions. Read more.

Integrated Project Delivery: Taking a Look Inside the Big Room

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The following article is the first of a two-part series on the Big Room, a tool used in the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) process that is showing signs of success across the country. Read more.