VRCA news feature
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Community Centrepiece
Design and construction of the new Delbrook community recreation centre embody the values of the North Shore, Including a love of indoor and outdoor activities, and a close relationship to nature | Pages B6-B7
FINDit
North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission
constructive comment B2 Industry relationships matter more than ever Legal Specs B9 Clearing the air around air space rights
The future of BIM in B.C. and Canada B2 The importance of brand in a lowestbid-wins world B3 Defining apprenticeships today for tomorrow B4-B5 The changing face of construction careers B4-B5
Prefab wood products will take B.C. construction to the next level B8 Procuring innovation in construction B10 Technology: It’s a love-hate thing B11 The future of integrated project delivery in Canada B12
July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
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Constructive comment
Industry relationships matter more than ever Collaboration key to resolving many of today’s challenges Some of the issues are decades old. Others are new. In my personal view, I believe the issues – both old and new – reflect an industry that is on the verge of sweeping change
By Fiona Famulak
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hether it is because of the inf lux of new tech nolog ies or the increasingly demanding performance requirements imposed by governments and the public, construction projects are becoming more and more complex. As a result, architects, engineers and contractors – the AEC industry – must work closer together than ever before to achieve the common goal of delivering projects like the high-performance new Student Union Building at the University of British Columbia, the flagship Airside Operations Building at the Vancouver International Airport, and the state-of-the-art Critical Care Tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Today, for every project, the construction process relies on collaboration across all parties
and is facilitated by technology, outsourcing and the timely exchange of information. Those who work on the front lines of the construction industry have long been aware of the challenges that stand in the way of efficient project delivery. For owners and clients, budgets are increasingly constrained and more must be done with less. For the AEC companies, issues like managing the work and risk associated with incomplete design drawings, use of non-standard contract documents, securing prompt payment for work completed and managing the changing demographics within the industry contribute to less-than-efficient project delivery. All this is at a time when margins are historically low for all parties. Some of the issues are decades old. Others are new. In my
personal view, I believe the issues – both old and new – reflect an industry that is on the verge of sweeping change. It’s a competitive business environment out there, one in which only the most collaborative, innovative and productive companies will survive. Collaboration is a word that’s almost overused. However, its importance cannot be overstressed. In business, the search for partners to help address issues, find solutions and deliver competitive advantages is seen as a powerful and essential part of strategy. As a chartered accountant, I’m proud that the Big Four accounting firms are leading by example. PwC has partnered with Google to bring innovation to companies worldwide. EY has partnered with Microsoft to build strengths in analytics and digital innovation. KPMG has teamed up with McLaren Formula 1 to see if data management from the racetrack can transform audits. Deloitte has turned to NASA to help bring space-age risk management to the oil and gas industry. In the construction industry, not only are non-traditional partnerships being established, but new market entrants from other industries, such as Bone Structure, which has roots in aircraft
manufacturing, are starting to put pressure on established construction delivery models. With these trends in mind, at its recent 2017-20 strategic planning session, the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) board of directors was unanimous that we must continue to take steps to foster an environment that encourages collaboration, innovation and adoption of standard practices across the industry, and so facilitate solutions to the issues outlined above. Steps will include: •evolving our education program so that it is a catalyst for continuous learning across the industry; •continuing to work through our divisional councils to understand the issues that affect our members; •re-establishing our standards and practices committee as a place where those issues are assessed, actioned a nd /or escalated; •promoting the benefits of using Canadian Construction Documents Committee/Canad ian Construction Association standard documents; and •facilitating collaboration, knowledge and ideas exchange across the AEC industry, academia and the public sector through events, virtual and in-person meetings
and regular communications. Please sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, the Connector, or follow us on social media to stay abreast of our 2017-20 plans and progress. To use a term from author Malcolm Gladwell, I believe our industry is reaching a tipping point where the old way of doing business in no longer acceptable or effective, and positive change needs to happen – and happen soon. Government, where appropriate, wants to help. Educators want to ensure our students are properly informed and equipped to enter the industry. Owners, architects, engineers and contractors understand our industry issues very well and have ideas on how to tackle them proactively. As a leader in the AEC industry, VRCA believes it has a responsibility to educate, advocate and facilitate change that is critical for the survival and prosperity of B.C.’s construction industry and communities. Making change is not easy. It takes courage. It requires effort. And it doesn’t happen overnight. However, I guarantee that VRCA will pursue it with vigour. • Fiona Famulak is president of the Vancouver Re gional Cons truc tion Association.
innovation: The future of BIM in B.C. and in Canada Building information modelling playing increasingly important part in architecture, engineering and construction BY Erik A. Poirier, PhD, LEED AP, and Sheryl Staub-French, PhD, P.Eng.
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he future of building information modelling (BIM) in B.C. and in Canada does not lie in technology; it lies in the people and their willingness to embrace change for the better. A revolution has been underway for over two decades in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. The movement towards the digitalization of the built environment – how it is designed, delivered and maintained – is accelerating. At the core of this trend is BIM, the collaborative development and management of a built asset’s physical and functional characteristics in digital form. BIM is allowing AEC industry stakeholders to reap many benefits, and has the potential to have a significant impact if deployed correctly. Many projects have now successfully implemented BIM with significant benefits, including increased design quality, improved field productivity, cost predictability, reduced conflicts and changes and reduced construction cost and duration,
to name a few. The fact that an asset’s information is contained within a database linked to this 3D representation allows for rapid scheduling and takeoffs. Ultimately, the promise of BIM is a single source of truth that is collaboratively developed and managed throughout its life cycle. In Canada, there is a general impression that the industry is lagging behind its counterparts in the U.S., the U.K. and Scandinavian and Asian countries in adoption and implementation of BIM. Unfortunately, there is very little data on BIM adoption rates in Canada, and the data that exists is for the most part unreliable. Moreover, when one looks at the steps taken by governments to move towards BIM-enabled project delivery and asset life-cycle management in these other areas of the world, it’s accurate to say that Canada is behind the eight ball. That is not to say that Canada isn’t poised to catch up or that the motivation isn’t there. Indeed, the Construction Innovation in BC report published by the British Columbia Construction Association in 2016 identifies BIM as a key element in improving the performance of B.C.’s AEC
industry. Also, there are considerable efforts being deployed across Canada to push BIM adoption and implementation at all levels. Organizations like BuildingSMART Canada, the Institute for BIM in Canada and the Canada BIM Council are doing a lot to structure and promote BIM. There is increasing movement on the part of public bodies across the country. For example, the Quebec government’s infrastructure arm, the Société québécoise des infrastructures, has been requiring BIM deliverables on its major projects since May 2016. Alberta Infrastructure is also gearing up towards broad BIM use and has developed BIM requirements on major projects for the past couple of years. At the national level, the Department of National Defence has been using BIM since 2009 and is in the process of rolling it out on its capital projects. Public Services and Procurement Canada signed the Statement of Intention to Support BIM with Open Standards, joining the U.S., Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Mexico, Iceland, Estonia, and Lithuania in supporting open standards for BIM. Many municipalities have also started looking
with interest at BIM. BIM education and training is rapidly gaining momentum across Canada to support the transition. Universities such as the University of British Columbia, colleges such as Algonquin College and technical schools such as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology are now offering specialized courses in BIM. There are also many companies that offer training programs to help firms with implementation. One could speak of the future of BIM by listing advances in technology that will profoundly disrupt the world in the next decades, advances such as deep learning and artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, 3D printing and localized custom manufacturing, to name but a few. But the crux of the issue doesn’t lie in the question of which tool or technology will become the next “big thing”; it instead lies in the people who are being affected by the change, and how this change is being structured. The future of BIM in Canada lies in a consistent adoption and implementation process. There is a strong and ever-growing foundation across the country, as all of the big players across all
sectors are already highly skilled. Couple this with the sheer volume of precedents around the globe and a rapidly expanding body of knowledge, and Canada’s growth is likely to be quicker than that of the U.S. and Europe. However, if we peer down the supply chain and look into smaller players in the industry, this is where Canada has a lot of work to do to catch up. The future of BIM in Canada lies in small and medium-sized enterprises that may not have the resources to move ahead with their adoption of BIM. There are a number of resources available, such as the Canadian Practice Manual for BIM developed by BuildingSMART Canada and intended as a primer for companies across the country. However, more needs to happen on the part of governments at all levels to support this transition. Developing a clear strategy for construction, with BIM at its core, is essential. The future of BIM in Canada falls with municipal, provincial and federal governments, to adopt BIM for their own capital projects, while supporting the industry during the transition. •
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
July 11–17, 2017
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Podium
The importance of brand in a lowest-bid-wins world How to become a brand and not just a commodity
By Marc Stoiber
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rands have been with us since the dawn of humanity. Even in prehistoric times, things like face paint and feathers in our hair identified our tribe. As our world became more complex, symbols of identity became increasingly important. A red cross on a white tunic spoke volumes about a crusader. A swastika captured the nihilistic world view of an entire nation. But the real power of brands emerged only after the Second World War. Brands and commodities At war’s end, factory owners switched from producing fatigues and boots to blue jeans and sneakers. That created a problem. They flooded the market with identical sneakers that could only be priced
based on their utility. They protected feet, cost a nickel to make and were worth $0.20, tops. Factory owners knew that was no way to get rich. So they invited ad guys to the party, and challenged them to create a way to drive up sneaker prices. The ad guys created brands. These brands told consumers that a product was special because of the feeling it gave them – not because of how it was made or what it cost to make. This intangible aura became brand value, which became the cornerstone to value pricing. Brands enabled factory owners to charge $150 for a running shoe, instead of $0.20. What is a brand? A brand is two things. First, it is a promise the product makes to you. And second, a brand is an expectation. I am a consumer. If I give you $150, I expect you’re going to make me feel like Michael Jordan. Easy, right? But there’s just one problem. When I promise you’ll feel like Michael Jordan because you’re wearing my sneakers, that’s a lie. You’re going to keep sitting on your sofa, eating snacks, with your Air Jordans on.
Here’s how advertisers got around that. They made the pitch emotional, appealing to the part of our brain that says, “I don’t care, I want Air Jordans because they’ll make me feel cool.” Why do I need to build a brand? You already have a brand. As Malcolm Gladwell said in Blink, we humans form opinions about other people in the blink of an eye. If you drive up to my job site in a beat-up old truck, and you’re missing half your tools, I know you’re no good at what you do. And I’m not going to pay you a decent rate. It’s one of the oldest truisms in my profession that if you don’t brand yourself, your customers and competitors will do it for you. How to build a brand in a lowest-bid-wins world Branding comes down to one simple thing: the unique selling proposition. If you create a unique selling proposition, you create value in what you offer that goes beyond what you actually do. A unique selling proposition is one statement that: •captures what you do better
than anyone else in the world;
it a priority, and pay extra for it.
and
Proof Now you’ve established your specialty. You’ve discovered there are enough customers who want what you promise. Here’s where the rubber hits the road. I want to hire you – if you can convince me your claim is true. Give me proof, and I’ll give you the job.
•is important to your customers; •is provable.
Expertise Let’s go to the first point: what you do better than anyone else in the world. When cars were invented, somebody created the first tires. That person could legitimately claim to make the best tires in the world. He made the only tires in the world. But then somebody else started making tires. Did the original tire maker just pack up and go home? No. He invented the first truck tire. And voila, he could claim to make the best truck tires in the world. This could happen again and again. Importance The brand you build needs to fulfil a real need your customers have. Think of a carpenter. Most reliable? Good. Most experienced? Good. Ultra-high-end cabinetry? Very good. Tallest? Nobody cares. What about friendliest? You aren’t going to win the job with friendly. The specialty you choose has to be important enough to your customers that they would consider
“My career is built on safety.” We’re working with British Columbia’s construction industry to ensure current and future workers stay safe. Find helpful industry resources at worksafebc.com/health-safety.
Words, or actions? The unique selling proposition is at the core of every great brand. You need one. But a unique selling proposition, like a book on playing tennis, is just words. Everything you do needs to back up the claim you’ve made. It’s a long process, and you can’t falter. T he good pa r t is, you now understand the brand you want to become. Which sets you apart from nearly every other person in your field. Congratulations, you’re no longer a commodity. • Marc Stoiber is a brand consultant, entrepreneur, university professor and writer. As a special offer to VRCA members, he’s offering his book on the evolution of brands, Didn’t See It Coming, for free. Please contact the VRCA at administration@vrca.bc.ca for more details.
July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
B4 news
CAREERS: Defining skilled-trade Industry Training Authority supports more than 100 apprenticeship training programs in B.C. to meet emerging labour-market needs By Gary Herman, CEO, Industry Training Authority
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here are certain television programs that, whether just beginning or partway through, are captivating enough to grab your attention and keep you there. Sure, a Canucks game can be looped into that category,
but for the most part I am thinking of one in particular: the Discovery Channel’s How It’s Made. Be it a chess set, basketball, coffee mug or Tesla, we are drawn to the mechanisms behind everything that we have, because human behaviour flows through three primary sources: desire, emotion and knowledge, or so Plato said. To see this theory in action, you have only to look as far as the nearest construction site, and the wide-eyed child watching a new world being built from the ground up. As a certified tool and die maker and die sinker, seven-year apprentice and CEO of the Industry Training Authority (ITA), I, too, can often be found on site where B.C.’s
Leah Kelly, Electrical Apprentice, BC Hydro
You can be a tradeswoman and still be any kind of woman that you want
skilled tradespeople are hard at work building our province from the ground up, just to see how it’s made. From Vancouver’s downtown to New Westminster’s quay, Surrey’s city centre to Kelowna’s lakefront and the northern resource areas, British Columbia is a province growing in every region and open for business at the hands of those who wish to craft it. Whether you were born in B.C. or moved here from elsewhere, we are all here because, quite simply, B.C. works. The ITA exists to create world-class apprenticeship opportunities for British Columbians to keep the prov ince working. More specifically, we help train British Columbians by empowering them to follow their passions and develop their inherent abilities as makers to master their craft through a rewarding career in the trades – and the demand is rapidly growing.
Between now and 2025, the province is expecting nearly one million job openings through both economic growth and the transition into retirement of an entire generation of builders. Those looking to retire are aware of the skills gap they’re leaving behind, and know that apprenticeship is one way to entrust their greatest legacy, knowledge, to the next generation. The roughly 123,000 job openings expected for trade occupations in B.C. through 2025 account for about 13% of the total projected job openings, and most of them will require apprenticeship training. While apprenticeships have certainly changed from one generation of skilled tradespeople to the next, they still share the core elements of investing in and sharing industry knowledge and experience. ITA supports more than 100 apprenticeship training programs in B.C., including 50 Red Seal
trades, and it is essential that we continue to have the right mix of education and training programs available to meet these emerging labour-market needs. And in order to meet them, applicants with a range of backgrounds and from regions across B.C. will need to become certified – something ITA prides itself on helping facilitate. In fact, today’s apprentices are as diverse as the fabric of our province, and it is one of the reasons B.C. has become internationally recognized as a talent incubator. Take Leah Kelly, for example. A single mother working as a waitress, Kelly made the decision to pursue a career in the trades after taking the university route. Since enrolling in Electrician Foundations, Level 1, at age 35, she is working as an apprentice with BC Hydro and loving the flexibility her career provides her and her daughter. “You can be a tradeswoman
HUMAN RESOURCES: The changing face of careers How technology has spawned a new wave of IT-based jobs By Mark Pashley
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hen people talk about careers in construction, the first jobs that spring to mind are trades such as concrete finishers, plumbers and electricians. No one immediately thinks of construction software specialists, database managers, 3D computer-aided design modellers, software licence managers or building intelligence programmers – yet they’re exactly the careers that have emerged over the past 10 years. Before ground is broken on a new construction project, many professionals have been involved in the design, quotation and tendering process. Architects have built layers upon layers of building schematics, and a project manager has routed the relevant drawings to estimators who diligently review each plan and reroute them to subtrades. Once returned, estimators use stateof-the-art estimation software to calculate costs, materials, project lead times and scheduling. In the background, database managers are ensuring that all plans are catalogued and archived, while the software licensing team ensures that software remains operational. Even though most of the people in these professions will never
Solis Images/SHUTTERSTOCK
touch the building itself, they play a crucial role in the final product. Once the building envelope has been built, thousands of kilometres of fibre optic cable is laid (to be used by tenants and the building itself) and building intelligence experts go to work
on every electronic component within the building. Elevators are fine-tuned to run effectively and cost-efficiently, lighting and ambient temperatures are set to provide the perfect working environment and sensors are calibrated to hone building
maintenance schedules – ultimately with the aim of minimizing the building’s carbon footprint and extending the building’s lifespan before the need for renovations or demolition. Reduced lead times, complexity and competitiveness have pushed
technology forward at an alarming rate, bringing with it professionals who may be more used to video game production than construction. Many technology giants, such as Electronic Arts and Microsoft, have made B.C. their home, demonstrating the
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
July 11–17, 2017
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apprenticeships today for tomorrow and still be any kind of woman that you want,” she said. We are realigning programs to focus on jobs that are in demand for our young workforce, and have more than 2,500 high school pre-apprentices in B.C. ITA’s youth programs allow students to start apprenticeship training and earn high school credits at the same time, letting them enter the workforce at a quicker pace without compromising the hands-on education component. For example, 21-year-old Kris Culshaw recently achieved his Red Seal status in one of the most indemand trades, construction electrician, by taking advantage of classroom opportunities alongside ITA’s youth programs to get a leg up in achieving his career goals. “By the time I graduated high school, I already had my first year of technical electrical training completed, along with lots
of hands-on experience in the field and work-based hours that counted towards my apprenticeship,” Culshaw said. With more than 4.6 million British Columbians, the skilled trades future workforce pool is vast. To sustain growth, ITA coord i nates f u nd i ng f rom the Canada-British Columbia Job Fund Agreement, delivering 16 different pre-apprenticeship programs across B.C., as well as the successful Women in Trades Training, Aboriginals in Trades Training and Immigrants in Trades Training initiatives, helping each group overcome barriers to entering careers in the trades. At ITA, we believe that our greatest competitive advantage as a province is in developing a highly trained and educated workforce, and it begins with those wanting a hand in showing tomorrow’s apprentices how it’s made in B.C.•
Gary Herman is CEO of the Industry Training Authority, responsible for the governance, expansion and improvement of B.C.’s industry training system. He began his career by apprenticing for seven years, and is certified as a tool and die maker and as a die sinker. The Industry Training Authority builds the trades that build British Columbia. At ITA, we cultivate, nurture, facilitate, invest in and support knowledge and knowledge-sharing with the skilled trades community to keep the trades
thriving. We exist at ITA to create worldclass apprenticeships, and we do that to
make B.C. work. For more information, visit www.itabc.ca.
Kris Culshaw | Construction Electrician
By the time I graduated high school, I already had my first year of technical electrical training completed, along with lots of hands-on experience in the field and work-based hours that counted towards my apprenticeship
in construction strength and depth of technology professionals in the province. So, finding qualified candidates shouldn’t be a problem – or should it? “Technology is changing every industry, and construction is no exception,” said Russell Carnley, senior manager of construction and property for Hays Canada. “In some cases, that means that the jobs are largely the same, but you need more familiarity with technology. For example, in estimating or architecture, employers are looking for people who know how to use the latest technology. “In other cases, technology is actually creating new roles, such as software engineers, production schedulers and people w ith ex perience i n bu i ld i ng automation. These roles are not common yet, but they are likely to become in demand as we see construction firms embed technology at the centre of their strategy. “In the future, I anticipate we may need to approach candidates from outside of the industry, who exhibit the right skills and experience for these emerging roles.” While many candidates have the software experience, they lack construction experience. Fiona Famulak, president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) acknowledged, “We are seeing more employees attending our courses that are from technology-based professions, such as
software specialists and database managers.” “Our Construction 101 course is ideal for those who are entering the industry but are not working on the job site,” she added. Carnley agreed. “In the future this tech literacy will become increasingly important, and I wou ld n’t be su rprised i f we start seeing IT education cross over with construction roles, so you might see someone with a construction undergraduate degree and a technology-related certification.” There is little data to demonstrate the future demand for these emerging careers. However, one established career that is embracing technological change is construction estimation. T he BuildForce Canada Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward 2017 report suggests that by 2019, there will be significant demand for these roles, and employers will be looking outside of the province – and possibly even outside the industry – for candidates. Famulak said, “The VRCA education committee works directly with schools in the Lower Mainland to discuss construction careers with students and school leavers, with a key message being that there are a variety of careers in construction, including many technology-centric roles.” As the industry continues to innovate, new careers in construction will emerge that attract a new generation of construction professionals. •
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July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
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Spotlight
SPOTLIGHT: Behind the Delbrook Community Recreation Centre Transparency, nature informed District of North Vancouver’s largest civic project
Construction had to navigate a 10-metre grade change | HDR | CEI Architecture Associates Inc. By Mark Pashley
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Built in 1974, the William Griffin Community Recreation Centre needed to be replaced to better serve the community of North Vancouver | North Vancouver recreation and culture commission
t its core, the function of the new Delbrook Community Recreation Centre is to meet the diverse, multigenerational programming needs of the people of North Vancouver. “ W h e n t h i s p ro j e c t c o mmenced, it was viewed by the District of North Vancouver as the most significant civic project that they had taken on,” said Mark Hentze, an architect and vice-president of recreation and culture at HDR | CEI Architecture Associates Inc. This meant that the starting point for the facility’s design was to consult community groups, user groups and stakeholders, in addition to district staff and the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission. The process built on a community needs assessment that concluded in 2007. That assessment resulted in a “thick volume” of data, according to Gary Houg, manager of maintenance and engineering at the commission. “When we looked at replacing those buildings because they had simply aged out, we looked at replacing them with one building,
but not necessarily like for like,” he said. Those buildings include the old Delbrook Community Recreation Centre, which was originally built as a high school in 1957, and the William Griffin Community Recreation Centre, a pool facility constructed in 1974. Out of the assessment came an objective strategy to replace major community buildingsbased on age and functionality, with new sites located in areas to best serve the community from a regional or local sense. “We put that all together in a grand plan, and Delbrook was one piece of that plan,” Houg said. The architectural team’s vision for the design of this project was informed by a 10-point charter that embodied the values of the North Shore community, including a love of indoor and outdoor activities, and the community’s relationship to nature. “You need to find a way to figure out what’s important to the community; otherwise, you end up with a cookie-cutter solution – and certainly for us philosophically, we never want a cookiecutter community building. We want something that exudes the pride and the characteristics of the place we’re working in,”
Hentze said. “I would offer that in the case of the Delbrook building, we don’t have another building in our entire company portfolio that looks anything like it,” he added. The 95,000-square-foot facility incorporated wood and glass to bridge the centre to its surroundings. The building’s spine space, which connects the centre’s major amenities, looks through to the swimming pool room, out onto an outdoor playing field and to the forest beyond. “We really wanted people to be able to see into the building, to see out of the building, to experience the forest and the mountains visually and feel that sense of connectivity,” said Hentze, adding that transparency was a key component of the project’s charter. “The design of the building itself is quite unique,” said Ben Sims, site superintendent for project consultant Stuart Olson, adding that incorporating a variety of different materials, such as wood timber, exposed concrete and a Trespa panel sourced from Spain, posed an interesting challenge. “On this one, there were quite a few interesting elements used to build the project,” he said. “We
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
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Spotlight
The centre’s new pool area | North
Vancouver Recreation and Culture
Wood is featured prominently throughout the centre | North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission
Commission
had to make sure they blended together properly to make sure the project shines.” Another challenge on the project was dealing with a 10-metre grade change from the northeast corner of the site to its southeast counterpoint. “It’s quite a customized building
July 11–17, 2017
compared to a highrise,” said Nicola Chevallier, section manager of facilities and special projects at the District of North Vancouver. “It was fairly complex. It was on a steep site as well, and that was one of the biggest challenges.” That it was next to a busy road, with an active field on site and a
stream nearby, also required the many teams and trades involved to communicate and adapt to work constructively. “With the size of the project, one of the biggest challenges was just the number of people involved and the amount of information that flows over the lifespan of
the project,” added Chevallier, estimating that a dozen different companies consulted on the project with about 100 tradespeople on site to build it. Years of consultation, communication and construction created a stunning result. “ T h e m u l t i-g e n e r a t i o n a l
interactions … [were] facilitated by the fact that we had a sloped site that needed to function well post-construction,” said HDR | CEI architect Lily Chan. For example, Houg explained, transportation services can drop senior citizens off at grade, next to the senior centre. A large, covered outdoor space facilitates a mix of activities, across generations. The preschool is located in a secure and highly visible part of the site. One of the main centrepieces of the project is the pool, which uses tile imported from Germany, along with a lazy river and other features, Sims said. “It really sings, so that’s an important part of the project. It had to look good, and it does look good.” Houg said that in addition to play, the pool will also be used for therapeutic, rehabilitation and water aerobics programming. “It doubles in use for other aspects that are more programcentred,” he said. Another point of pride is the building’s environmental and sustainable elements, including LED lighting with daylight and room occupancy sensors, low-flow water features and a heat recovery chiller system to moderate room and pool temperatures using heat taken from the air. It all speaks to the project’s reflection of the values of the North Vancouver community. •
July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
B8 news innovation: Prefab wood products will take B.C. construction to next level The fourth industrial revolution will boost province’s economy and reduce the industry’s environmental impact
Bella Bella Passive House by Britco Construction is a great example of prefabricated wood construction | Britco Construction By Guido Wimmers
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hat would make wood an attractive construction material in British Columbia? This seems like a trivial question since about 95% of all small residential buildings in Vancouver are built with wood. But let’s face it: they are built with wood not because wood is the overall most attractive material, but rather because wood is the cheapest material. So, is there a scenario that would allow wood to become regarded as the most innovative and attractive material instead of just the cheapest choice? Wood could inspire us in so many different ways if it were properly utilized; it is not a coincidence that we, as humans, have surrounded ourselves with wood for thousands of years. Wood is wa rm to the touch, pleasing to the eye, non-toxic and versatile. I am certain you have heard about further advantages such as carbon sequestering, low embodied energy and, for solid timber panels, a better strengthto-weight ratio than that of steel and high fire resistance. If grown locally and harvested sustainably, it is perh aps t he most environmentally friendly construction material. However, one of the key issues we’re facing in our industry is that B.C. is reasonably good at extracting the natural resource out of the forest, yet embarrassingly weak in the next step of processing it. As someone working in the construction industry, you might purchase B.C.made dimensional lumber for
your project, but your plywood most likely is coming from out of country. B.C. has been a net importer of plywood in recent years, and if you opt for even more sophisticated engineered products, the balance of import and export is potentially even more lopsided. The engineered wood products we would like to use for more attractive or extravagant buildings are quite often not locally made, even though B.C. is one of the biggest exporters of the raw material. Therefore, to make the product of wood more attractive, it may help if we could generate significantly more revenue in our province from these products. Luckily, other countries have shown us how this could and should work. I n B.C., the most com mon method of building small residential buildings is with stick-frame walls. Perhaps this is because it is easily done on site; planning and design can run simultaneously, and change orders are the rule rather than the exception. No offence should be taken by any framer, but accuracy by the millimetre is quite difficult to achieve along with airtightness below 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascals when you build on site, which explains why this is not yet the standard. Additionally, production off site is simply more efficient and usually results in a vastly better product. Working in a controlled environment on large tables, with tools hanging from the ceiling, cranes to lift and optimized cutting to reduce waste significantly, can without a doubt produce a superior product. Building on site in certain climate
zones is challenging, especially where you might be expected to deal with rainfall, as I myself have experienced plenty of times in the Lower Mainland. The main reason is that when kiln-dried lumber becomes soaking wet, not only will it change its dimensions, but also it will transport a lot of humidity into the wall cavities, which would then be expected to dry out at a later stage – through the plywood, which is by code classified as a vapour retarder. This is not good, never mind inconvenient. With the current limit of six floors allowed in a stick-frame nailed-on site, we are already pushing the limits for acoustics and vibrations, not to mention fire resistance, into potentially uncomfortable territory. So why are we still opting for stick-frame on site? Unanimously, the answer, no matter whom you ask in B.C., will be: “Because it is cheaper.” At this point, it is a valid question to ask why in other parts of the world wood construction is virtually always prefabricated, regardless of whether it is only one floor or 24 floors. Perhaps surprisingly, when I have posed that question to industry leaders in those areas, the answer is still: “Because it is cheaper.” At first glance, it appears to be a contradiction, but if you take a closer look, it becomes apparent that it is not. Aside from long trad itions of woodworking and pride in quality in places where wood is predominantly used in prefab construction, the building code requirements for thermal performance of building envelopes are significantly higher than
anywhere in Canada, including Vancouver. This means that the walls are significantly thicker because more insulation is needed; as a result they are also considerably heavier. You can imagine that a framing crew would have a hard time lifting a two-by-twelve-inch stud wall. By increasing the requirements of the thermal and environmental performance in our codes we would drastically transform the construction industry. Therefore, as soon as it becomes difficult to fulfil code requirements with a two-byeight-inch or two-by-ten-inch stud wall – leaving aside the option of double-stud walls for a moment due to their high labour costs – prefabrication is going to be the method of choice. This change is not to be underestimated, and will come with numerous advantages. The plywood that is officially rated as a vapour retarder could be used on the inside, not only as the structural layer, but also to control moisture transfer and airtightness. Therefore, plywood could raise accuracy, airtightness, thermal comfort and durability. Equally important, the environmental impact of our buildings could be dramatically decreased. Most of all, working in a controlled environment will increase the productivity and health of the workers and reduce construction costs and waste. In some parts of the world’s economy, the latest buzzword is “Industry 4.0.” After upheavals triggered by the steam engine, mass production and automation, we are entering the fourth industrial revolution, with the cloud
computing and cybersystems. While Industry 4.0 hasn’t been fully adopted globally, the shift to modern manufacturing will come to the construction industry, either voluntarily or mandated by codes and bylaws. Not only is modern manufacturing a precondition for wood to become competitive as a construction material in the market of bigger and taller buildings, but it will also make any type of building more attractive, open up new possibilities and foster innovation. It is crucial in increasing productivity and margins, thereby opening B.C.’s industry to the market of engineering wood products and beyond, and will eventually allow production of exports of a greater value than the raw logs and dimensional lumber now being sent around the world. • Guido Wimmers received his PhD in the doctoral program in engineering science and a master’s degree in architectural engineering from the Leopold-Franzens University in Innsbruck, Austria. Before coming to the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), he worked in multidisciplinary teams in Austria, Germany and Italy on energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. After moving to Canada in 2007, he was the co-founder of the Canadian Passive House Institute and worked on numerous projects in Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. He joined UNBC in 2014 as the chair in integrated wood design and designed a new interdisciplinary curriculum to prepare the next generation of engineers to face the challenges of the future. He is also consulting for the City of Vancouver and is a member of the BC Construction Association construction innovation committee.
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
July 11–17, 2017
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Clearing the air around air space rights Court ruling could take bargaining chip away from landowners in disputes over use of tower cranes BY Norm Streu and Christopher Hirst
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The law in Canada is that a property owner owns only so much of the air space that can be reasonably occupied or used in connection with the land below
recent B.C. case has addressed the legal issues surrounding tower cranes and their infringement upon neighbouring land. If followed, the case may significantly redefine the discussions between developers and adjacent owners over air space rights. The law in Canada is that a property owner owns only so much of the air space that can be reasonably occupied or used in connection with the land below. Practically speaking, that means a landowner has no remedy at law for the occasional use of the air space over the landowner’s property by planes, drones or helicopters using the air space f leetingly and far above the property. However, with respect to the interference caused by overhanging tower cranes, and in particular the swinging of crane booms through adjacent landowners’ air space, there have traditionally been two legal remedies for affected landowners – an action for trespass and an action for nuisance. The recent B.C. case, Janda Group Holdings Inc. vs. Concost Management Inc., may have the
practical effect of narrowing those remedies to one – an action for nuisance. That would be a significant development in this area of the law because a cause of action in trespass can be established without requiring proof of actual damages, and, in the past, adjacent landowners would have been able to obtain an order enjoining the swinging of a crane boom across their land without being required to establish that the crane boom has actually caused them any damage. The decision in the Janda Group lawsuit indicates that this may no longer be the case. In that suit, negotiations had broken down between the developer and the adjacent landowner (Janda) with respect to a n a ir space agreement that wou ld have a l lowed the developer to swing a crane boom across Janda’s land. Despite not having reached an agreement with Janda, the developer proceeded with construction, and in particular the operation of a tower crane that began to swing through Janda’s air space on April 21, 2016. Janda commenced an action for trespass and nuisance on April 27, and brought an application for an injunction on May 5 to enjoin the developers from
Dimitry Sedakov/SHutterstock
using Janda’s air space. The court dismissed the application and found that there had to be a more modern view of air space rights when dealing with tower cranes, and that there should not be an automatic finding of trespass particularly where, as in the case before it: •there was no evidence that
the crane was being operated unsafely; •the crane was operated by a highly experienced and reputable formworker, crane erector and operator; •the crane was erected pursuant to all applicable safety standards and regulations; •it was inspected by an engineer, WorkSafeBC, and on a daily basis by the operator; •the crane was not carrying loads over the adjacent properties; and •no injury had been caused to anyone. The ability to obtain an order for trespass has provided adjacent landowners with some leverage when negotiating with developers over the price of an air space agreement allowing the tower crane to swing through their air space. If the Janda case is followed as the law in B.C., adjacent landowners’ leverage in negotiations with developers on air space agreements may be significantly reduced. • Norm Streu is president and chief operating officer of the LMS Reinforcing Steel Group. Christopher Hirst is a partner and the leader of the construction and engineering group, Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP.
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July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
B10 news Report: Procuring innovation in construction Studies highlight importance of creative approaches to procurement BY The British Columbia Construction Association
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he British Columbia Const r uct ion A sso ci at ion (BCC A) recent ly published Procuring Innovation in Construction: a Review of Models, Process and Practices. The free report is available online at www. bccassn.com and focuses specifically on the role that procurement plays in facilitating – or hindering – innovation throughout the life of a project. Construction procurement is a major focus for public owners such as ministries, school districts and health authorities, as well as for private owners. As international competition for large projects intensifies, true innovation calls for a shift from a culture of “lowest bid” to a focus on quality and “whole life” value. The question is: how can the procurement process be best d e p l o y e d to a c c o m m o d a t e project-specific research and development, allow for new technologies and processes and encourage project team creativity? Procurement is an integral part of a construction project and key to the innovation paradigm because it includes all activities related to a project. Increasingly, procurement also includes the ongoi ng ma nagement of the asset, to the extent that building operation and maintenance procedures are affected by the original work. Effective construction procurement identifies a project’s target market and packages up the opportunity to appeal to that market. It focuses on securing a deliverable and affordable solution that best meets the owner’s needs. A highly complex procedure, it presents significant challenges for procurers – not
least due to the scale of the works being procured and the variety of professional services required. The application of innovat ion to t he c onstruction industry is not straightforward, despite the i mporta nce of th is sector in the development and growth of the wider economy. Every project is different, every site is a singular prototype, construction works a re located i n different places, there is constant movement of personnel and machinery, and weather and other factors can prevent consultants from applying previous experience effectively. This means that innovation is often undertaken on a one-off basis, and so does not necessarily benefit the company. A construction company that has a standardized management of innovation could see significant improvements in: •organization of activities; •competitiveness in the medium and long terms; •integration of corporate management processes within the company’s overall strategy; •efficient exploitation of the organization’s knowledge; and •systematization of new process and product knowledge. These improvements will have direct and positive effects for building owners and clients. Construction projects are normally procured using either a call for tenders or a request for proposals (RFP) process. Both approaches are predicated upon ad herence to the terms a nd stipulations of the tendering system selected. Fostering innovative responses to a construction project requires a flexible approach that allows for discussion
Effective construction procurement identifies a project’s target market and packages up the opportunity to appeal to that market
Procuring Innovation in Construction, published by the British Columbia Construction Association
between t he ow ner a nd t he proponent. In the private sector, negotiation is at the discretion of both parties. However, in the public sector a negotiated RFP contravenes the public obligation to use fair and transparent procurement practices, making innovation more difficult. The most important prerequisites to facilitating innovative solutions are: •outcome-based specifications; •procedures that invite dialogue; •being open to alternative proposals; and •the awarding of contracts based on the best fit-for-purpose
solution, at the best value. However, these conditions may contribute to making the evaluation and selection of innovative proposals both challenging and resource-intensive. A scoring system that allocates points and weighting for specific project outcomes is recommended where performancebased outcomes are required – for example, total greenhouse gas emissions of a project, as measu red in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per square metre of floor area, as opposed to prescribed deliverables (such as gross floor area). Frequently, innovation is a
decid i ng factor for t hose weighing similar proposals. Therefore, the definition of what innovation means to the owner and how it will be evaluated must be included in the RFP. For example, an RFP might rank an innovation that shortens the construction period more highly than one that reduces the environmental footprint more than what is required. The BCCA is committed to nurturing innovation as a catalyst for the future success of our sector. The Construction Innovation Project report publ ished i n 2016 set t he stage for t h is procurement study, and shows that embracing innovation will improve project and business performance and position B.C companies for success, with five pillars to serve as a guide: •leadership; •performance; •people; •growth and resilience; and •research and development. Success will require broad support from government, research organizations and the construction industry as a whole. Please take a moment to visit www. bccassn.com, where both BCCA innovation reports are available at no cost. Then connect with us and share your feedback. Procuring Innovation was cofunded by Forestry Innovation Investment and the BCCA, and authored by Helen Goodland of Brantwood Consulting. •
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special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
July 11–17, 2017
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TECHNOLOGY: It’s a love-hate thing Longtime struggle between tradition and innovation continues in construction sector BY The British Columbia Construction Association
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n June, British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) board members and stakeholders were asked to identify the top issues facing the industrial, commercial and institutional construction sector in our province over the next few years. They rightly flagged challenges that have long been front and centre – availability of skilled workforce, prompt payment, profit margins. But two new top concerns emerged: •public owners lack adequate understanding of procurement best practices; and •the difficulty our industry has in quickly adopting, applying and creating new technology. These two trends are linked significantly. Public-sector projects underway and proposed in B.C. have a combined value of over $300 billion. All three political parties are planning to build. A lot of public-sector requests for proposals (RFPs) and tenders are coming down the pike, and if the industry perspective is accurate – that those in the public sector tasked with procuring don’t have the information and skills they need to do the job right – then
opportunities to drive innovation are hindered from the start. This is for two reasons: 1) When the procurement process goes wrong, the project is less likely – or able – to drive innovation in a sustainable, productive way. A good contractor can sniff out a bad procurement document at 100 paces. This has potential implications for cost, timelines and the desire and ability to innovate. 2) Procurement is an integral part of a construction project and therefore a catalyst for innovation. Procurement includes sourcing, purchasing and all activities related to providing the knowledge necessary to accomplish the project objectives. If technological innovation isn’t a priority for the owner, it likely won’t be a priority for the project. A new report by the BCCA titled Procuring Innovation in Construction (see page B10) points out that technology has a role to play in every phase and in every aspect of construction, from design to build to maintenance. Innovative technologies can be applied to a product, a process, an organization or a market. Innovation involves successfully incorporating new ideas, which generate changes that help to solve the needs
Simez78/Shutterstock
of a company and so increase its technology is free to the owners ability to perform and compete. and yet is not being utilized on a However, construction procure- grand scale for reasons that rement is a complicated process, main difficult to define. and only those well versed in its It’s commonly heard over a intricacies will be able to encour- beer or around the conference age the use of new technology and table that construction likes to processes at the RFP stage with- bring new technologies to the job out introducing a level of risk – or site but isn’t as interested in the compromising the fairness and back-office applications. This transparency of public projects. disinclination to take on a new Online bidding – a technology- technology-based process is surbased procedure – is the obvious prising given our willingness to and immediate means of reducing adopt new apps and gadgets in the impact of the knowledge gaps every aspect of our personal lives. in the public procurement work- Somehow at work too many still force. For example, BidCentral’s prefer traditional but inefficient online bidding module virtually administrative processes. guarantees compliant bids and This tendency is something that is specifically designed to ensure government and the construcfairness and transparency in the tion sector share – to their mutual biv-aug.pdf 1 2017-07-04 11:36 PM public procurement process. The disadvantage.
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National Education Consulting Inc. has teamed up with BCCA on a solution. Starting this fall, it will be providing a comprehensive one-day course through the regional construction associations to help public-sector employees improve their base knowledge of best practices in the procurement of construction projects. Learning objectives include: •review public-sector procurement obligations and processes; •examine capital asset management framework constructionspecific obligations for the B.C. public sector; •assess the risks and benefits of construction project delivery methods; •explore collaboration strategies to enhance project success; •practise identifying the most appropriate procurement process and project delivery method for typical public-sector construction scenarios; and •for a real project, design a procurement process including the project delivery method. For our sector to fully embrace technology and innovation, the procurement process must be as rock-solid as the foundation of the largest building. We have the technology. Let’s use it. •
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July 11–17, 2017
special news feature | Vancouver regional construction Association
B12 News construction: The future of integrated project delivery in Canada Construction in Vancouver speaks to Tim Coldwell, managing director of Chandos Construction By Mark Pashley
and structural team members all huddle together to find a solution. An issue can be rectified within 30 minutes whereas in the traditional delivery method it goes back and forth for weeks.”
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onstruction is a little like a team of people building a jigsaw. You have someone who knows the picture, you have a corner and edge expert and you have someone who knows what a tree looks like. Now imagine the process of putting together the jigsaw. First, the picture guy (project manager) asks the corner and edge expert (foundation contractor) to build the perimeter of the jigsaw. Then the tree guy and his friends (subtrades) pitch in to complete the work. This well-established stepby-step process ensures that the foundations are built before the windows, that conduits are constructed before the fibre optics are laid, and that carpets are laid before the furniture is delivered. But what if the windows are pre-built? What if conduits are built off site with built-in cabling? What if concrete floors are mirror-polished, negating the need for carpeting altogether? Integrated project delivery (IPD) also involves the architect (the guy who designed the jigsaw) and takes a holistic approach to the total profit of the project, not simply the steps through which it is completed. IPD was developed in San Francisco by health-care providers hit by a crisis affecting the construction of medical facilities in the Bay Area. They needed a better way of building much-needed medical facilities on time and within budget, which led to key construction personnel assembling to discuss the best way to meet the needs of the health-care provider. Tim Coldwell, managing director of Chandos Construction, explained, “The traditional tender process tries to optimize the individual scope of each trade contractor. T he theory goes that if we optimize each individual part – and bring them all together – then the whole will be optimized.” “But what if we optimize the whole?” Coldwell continued. “Maybe it is better to allow some inefficiencies with the drywall scope because that has a larger positive effect with other trades in the project.” The basic idea, he said, is to motivate the team “to optimize the whole instead of the parts.” Ultimately, IPD brings together all parties who are responsible for design and development, to determine the best ways to bring the construction to life. It is defined by a group contract that includes shared risks and shared rewards. The project partners typically include the owner, architect, consultants, general contractor
it’s better for the overall project.
Communication Shared communication and honesty are critical to the success of the project. Coldwell explained that “the ability to forecast costs is key, so every month, the entire project team discusses costs in an open setting, and forecasts a projected final profit.” “You get a sense of the complete transparency of costs and a mutual sharing of the ups and downs, so when there’s an issue, the whole project team jumps on it to find the best possible solution.” What does the future look like for integrated project delivery in North America? Quite rosy, according to a study by the University of Minnesota. Titled IPD: Performance, Expectations, and Future Use, the report examined use of IPD across North America and its prospects for future use. When comparing IPD with non-IPD projects, about 90% of the respondents rated their expectations of IPD better or significantly better. “Growth of IPD in Canada will be quicker than the U.S. as Canada learns from the experiences in the U.S.,” Coldwell said. About 150 integrated delivery projects are underway or have been completed in North America. Of those, 27 are in various stages of completion across Canada. Many of the projects in Canada are publicly funded projects such as schools and hospitals where taxpayer dollars are used and transparency is critical. “IPD lends itself to projects with a high degree of complexity,” Coldwell said. The growth of IPD will be accelerated as government bodies, municipalities and private owners embrace it as a means of getting projects delivered on time and within budget. •
Collaboration All project members are brought together in one location to support collaboration. Architects, project managers, estimators, supervisors and key people from all of the subtrades ensure that issues are dealt with proactively and promptly for the mutual benefit of the project. “We insist on co-location to promote rapid resolution of a problem,” Coldwell said. “For instance, if there’s an issue with a duct clashing with a column, it’s not just the draftsperson who is involved. Superintendents, the architect, mechanical
Tim Coldwell is a husband, dad and entrepreneur focused on leading by serving, culture, and the monetization o f i d e a s . H e s e r ve s a s m a n a g i n g director for Chandos Construction, an employee-owned general contractor that is leading change in the Canadian construction industry (chandos.com/ o u r a p p r o a c h . p h p) . C h a n d o s w a s the first (and is the largest) B Corpcertified general contractor in North America. The company believes that business can generate economic value in a way that also produces value for society. An avid community supporter, Coldwell sits on several North American boards and is actively involved with the United Way.
With integrated project delivery, all project members are brought together in one location to support collaboration | Chandos Construction
and key trade partners. These participants form a virtual organization to design and deliver the project. The profit of each participant is separated from the cost base of each participant, and all the participants pool their profits at risk. The team then embarks on what is called a validation study, which typically costs the client 1% to 2% of the hard costs for the project. At the end of validation, the client gets a high degree of cost certainty. This is a major benefit of IPD since most other delivery methods typically require spending about 4% of hard costs to get to the same cost certainty. “At the end of the validation
process you have an owner who is given cost certainty, a team that collectively says that it can deliver the project and is willing to put their profit at risk,” Coldwell said. At this point collaboration, communication and an appreciation of the shared risk are key to the success of the project. The focus moves away from the profitability of the individual company, be it the architect, general contractor or subtrade, and towards the shared pot. Decisions are made based on what’s best for the project; for instance, a component of suboptimal design, production or delivery will sometimes be purchased because