Late last year, officials warned that a federal spending spree to repair crumbling roads and water systems could take three years longer than expected to complete, based on internal documents outlining issues with the first tranche of cash in the government’s infrastructure program. Read more.
Statistics Canada released data on the age of the non-residential capital stock in the provinces. The assets are measured by the “remaining useful service life of non-residential capital stock” which is estimated as a percentage of service life remaining relative to the total service life of the asset. It is measured as the ratio of the average asset age to its expected service life. Changes to the remaining useful service life can come from changes in the investment level or in the investment mix. Read more.
While construction still evokes images of sweaty men in hard hats, the notion that the industry is—and will always be—a boys’ club is fading fast. A significant disparity in the ratio of men to women in construction persists, but a big shift is underway. Read more.
Taking a look back at the previous year in the 3D printing world as 2018 rapidly approaches, one of several major themes that emerged was innovation in construction 3D printing. Applications for the technology in the construction industry were on the rise this year, as multiple countries and companies determined the reality of construction-focused additive manufacturing. Within this theme, we discovered a few smaller themes as well, as we look back at a year of construction 3D printing in 2017. Read more.
Concrete has been around since the Ancient Romans, but its durability and environmental impact have changed the material’s composition since that time. MIT researchers are even exploring the material at its atomic level to study how concrete can be fortified by additives like slag and volcanic ash. Read more.
The smart cities concept is becoming more widely talked about and implemented. In December 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched its Smart City Challenge, which tasked mid-sized cities with developing ideas for an integrated, smart transportation system that would use data, applications and technology to help people and goods move quickly, cheaply and efficiently. Columbus, OH, emerged as the victor from the 78 cities that applied. Read more.
Canadian contractors fear the impending legalization of marijuana next year could undermine efforts to cut down on workplace accidents and enforce site safety rules. The federal government is pushing ahead with plans to legalize recreational marijuana, with new rules set to take effect by July 1. Read more.
The federal government has laid out a tough set of proposed new regulations to prohibit the use, sale, import and export of asbestos and products that contain it, as well as the manufacture of products containing the cancer-causing mineral. Read more.
A multibillion-dollar proposal to connect Vancouver to the U.S. northwest by “ultra high-speed” rail appears to check off most, if not all, the boxes for funding consideration by Canada’s new infrastructure bank, argues a report commissioned by the Washington state government. Read more.