National Building Code – Changes Taking Effect April 1, 2017

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Nova Scotia is adopting changes to the National Building Code, which include increasing the maximum height of wooden residential buildings from four to six storeys. The Fire Safety Act and Regulations will also be updated to enhance safety in the taller wooden buildings. The province is also updating its own accessibility regulations to improve barrier-free provisions in washrooms, requirements for power door operators and barrier-free paths of travel. The building code changes are effective April 1.

Read the press release here.
Read the proposed regulations here.

France Officially Unveils World’s First Solar Panel Road

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The concept of solar roadways has been in the news a lot recently.  Using the millions of miles of roadways throughout the world to also create power seems like a no brainer, the asphalt and concrete we’re using now aren’t really accomplishing anything more than handling the traffic on the road. But, there’s also a very strong reason why those products are used: they’re strong, reliable, and relatively durable.  Still, many researchers believe there is a lot of unharnessed potential for roads and the world now has a very strong test subject for the future of solar roadways in Tourouvre-au-Perche, France. Read more.

World’s First 3d Printed Excavator Headlines 2017 CONEXPO-CON/AGG

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In the construction world, 3D printing technology has traditionally focused on buildings and other static structures, like this 3D printed bridge in Madrid, Spain. Not anymore, though, as the world’s first 3D printed excavator was officially unveiled to the attendees at last week’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 in Las Vegas.

This Amphibious Robot Can Crawl Through Pipes to Collect Data

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With the American Water Works Association predicting the failure of over 1 million miles of pipe in the next 30 years, HiBot has plenty of pipe to travel as it uses predictive analytics to determine which pipes are highest priority for replacement. The AWA has reported that the cost of pipe replacement over the next 25 years will top $1 trillion and will be funded primarily through service rate increases. Read more.

Cazza to Build World’s First 3D Printed Skyscraper

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Dubai-based construction technologies firm, Cazza, has announced plans to build the world’s first 3D printed skyscraper. The firm will be able to 3D print high rises using a new construction technique called ‘crane printing’. Read more.

Norway Plans “Ship Tunnel” to Avoid the Deadly Stadhavet Sea

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The Norwegian Coastal Administration is planning the world’s first full-scale ship tunnel to allow vessels to travel through a mountain rather than navigate the treacherous waters of the Stadhavet Sea. Read more.

CCA Makes Headway on Federal Prompt Payment Initiatives

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It’s been almost a year since the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) formed a joint government-industry working group to facilitate prompt payment discussions on federal construction projects. Since then the group has embarked on several initiatives, which were highlighted recently in a CCA progress report. Read more.

How Elon Musk and Others Are Shaking up Construction Industry

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Construction clients and communities will benefit from the long overdue transformation of the industry. Read more

Reaching Net Zero Will Take A Top-to-Bottom Makeover of How Buildings Are Constructed and Operated

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That’s where you’ll find Mohawk College’s Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation, a rare example of a net-zero energy institutional building that is currently under construction for a 2018 opening. Boasting a 500-kilowatt solar array, 24 geothermal wells and numerous efficiency features, the project will serve as a living laboratory for students to learn about sustainability, with live data from the building systems easily accessible to support hands-on education. Read more

Crowdfunding the Skyscraper

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The commercial real estate developer Rodrigo Niño has a problem with commercial real estate development. The immense amount of wealth it generates, he argues, falls into the hands of too few people. Read more