The idea is to recover water and produce energy and fertilizer nutrients from water and wastewater services at greenfield sites, says Nicholas Ashbolt, Alberta Innovates public health professor at the University of Alberta. Read more
The construction industry isn’t taking full advantage of new technologies for workflow management and building performance monitoring, including advanced data and analytics, automation, robotics and mobility, according to consulting firm KPMG’s annual report. Read more
Russia will require contractors on government-funded projects to use building information modeling starting in 2019. Read more
A new report suggests the establishment of an advisory agency is needed to inform the federal government about big decisions for large-scale infrastructure projects across Canada over the next decade. Read more
The 92-square-foot cabin, located in a former industrial area of the city, is made of a black, linseed oil-based “bio print” material, which can be shredded and reused.Read more
A new bendable concrete has been developed by a research team at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The team calls its material ConFlexPave. It’s bendable, and, the team says, longer lasting than regular concrete. Read more
This video discusses some of the key concepts from Transforming Design and Construction, a book by the Lean Construction Institute. Watch video
While BIM is still a relatively young and evolving tool in Canada, many concern regarding usage and liability have been addressed by the development of standard-form contract appendices. There has been only a handful or reported litigation involving BIM in North America from which one might conclude that the cooperative approach by all project participants is working, despite fears of shifting liabilities. Read more
British Columbia’s recently unveiled Climate Leadership Plan expects to create up to 66,000 jobs over the next 10 years and reduce net annual greenhouse gas emissions with building performance key to hitting those targets. Manley McLachlan, president of the B.C. Construction Association, believes the plan is a good balance between setting climate standards while being cognizant of the needs of the province’s economy. He said that the climate plan is part of a shift in the construction industry past LEED certifications and towards building performance. Read more