Construction Economist Journal - Fall 2009

the journal of the canadian institute of quantity surveyors

|

Fa l l 2 0 0 9

PM 40065075

Building the future together Pitiful meetings and how to fix them

With a solid Canada-wide presence and expanding international scope, Altus Group is strengthening its core team to meet the demand for unparalleled expertise.

Altus Group’s growing Cost Consulting and Project Management team is looking to add at all levels including Senior Management to our Canadian Operations. Currently, our expanding portfolio of projects includes mixed-use developments, high-profile residential buildings, schools, cultural showpieces, innovative LEED projects and P3 initiatives.

Photo: Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga, ON, Farrow Partnership Architects Inc.

Applicant’s must:

Be familiar with overall development economics, quantity surveying, cost monitoring and cost planning Apply a range of professional services while working collaboratively with internal and external partners Possess the motivation to learn new skills and the ability to meet the challenge of diverse responsibilities Build on Cost’s industry reputation for developing and maintaining long-term client relationships

COST OFFICES Toronto Vancouver Calgary Ottawa London Richmond Hill Montreal New York altusgroup.com

Altus Group is an equal opportunity employer that offers a nationally integrated environment, the use of leading-edge IT systems and software, a superior benefits package and a salary-based structure that rewards experience, skill level and initiative.

Send curriculum vitae to hr@altusgroup.com

Altus Group is the leading multidisciplinary provider of independent real estate consulting and professional advisory services worldwide. With a staff of over 1,200, Altus Group has a national network of 34 offices in 24 cities throughout Canada, 8 offices throughout the UK, and 1 office in the U.S.

The mission of CIQS is to promote and advance professional quantity surveying and construction estimating; to establish and maintain national standards; to recruit, educate and support our members.

the journal of the canadian institute of quantity surveyors

|

Fa l l 2 0 0 9

Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors 90 Nolan Court, Unit 19 Markham, Ontario L3R 4L9 Telephone: (905) 477-0008 Fax: (905) 477-6774 Toll Free 1-866-345-1168 Email: info@ciqs.org Web Site: www.ciqs.org Executive Director: Lois Metcalfe Email: execdir@ciqs.org Editor: Joshua Mutize, PQS Email: conecon@ciqs.org Translation: André Bernard, PQS Send Change of Address to: Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors 90 Nolan Court, Unit 19, Markham, Ontario L3R 4L9

10

CIQS 2010 AGM

11

Council meeting report

12

PAQS Young Quantity Surveyor Group report

14

PAQS university and college accreditation program

16

CIQS international

19

AQSA inaugural golf tournament

21

Site announced for new Western Memorial Regional Hospital

22

Roy Lewis profile

25

Finding a new way to meet – Ten pitfalls to pitiful meetings and how to fix them

CIQS Council President: Ian Duncan, PQS Email: president@ciqs.org 1st Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer & AEQSQ Rep: Herve Couture, ECA Email: qsq@ciqs.org 2nd Vice President & NLAQS Rep: Roy Lewis, PQS Email: nlaqs@ciqs.org Registrar & OIQS Rep: Bruno Pilieci, PQS Email: oiqs@ciqs.org QSBC Rep: Mark Russell, PQS Email: qsbc@ciqs.org NSAQS Rep: Mark Gardin, PQS Email: nsaqs@ciqs.org AQSA Rep: Chris Reinert, PQS Email: aqsa@ciqs.org Past President: Orest Stachniak, PQS Education Administrator: David Lai, PQS(F) Published four times a year on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors by

Third Floor - 2020 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 0K4 Tel: 866-985-9780 Fax: 866-985-9799 E-Mail: info@kelman.ca www.kelman.ca Managing Editor: Chris Kelman Art Production: Theresa Kurjewicz Sales Manager: Kris Fillion kfillion@kelman.ca 866-985-9798 Advertising Coordinator: Lauren Campbell Publication Mails Agreement #40065075 Send undeliverable addresses to: kelly@kelman.ca

22

12

4

25

8 Education Updates

President’s Message

6 Executive Director’s Message

20

7 Editor’s Message

30 Connect With Our Advertisers

Welcome New Members

Do your part for the environment – reuse and recycle.

Cover: Photo courtesy of David Lai

President’s Message

2009/2010 Council plans and objectives Ian Duncan, PQS ith only four council meetings for the year, it is tough to get projects completed in a one year term as president. To initiate this, we have got off to a flying start by getting the two major committees active right from the first meeting. These committees are addressing the major topics of staffing head office and website review. The mandate is to try and complete the analyses of the issues and put recommendations to council no later than the spring session.

Other topics we are going to address this year are as follows: Over the past few years, we have identified a gap in our skill sets which is in the area of Heavy Civils. There are lots of opportunities in mining, oil and other industrial applications as well as pure civil engineering projects such as roads, bridges, dams and marine work especially with the recent thrusts in infrastructure projects.

These projects need accurate estimating and cost control which the PQS should be engaged in but requires some special skills not covered under our current educational syllabus. Roy Lewis is heading up the research into bringing this new category to the Institute with the help of our education administrator David Lai. Roger Ward from Alberta has also agreed to participate.

Following Ontario’s lead, I have asked the affiliates to try setting up student chapters; especially at BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology), Red River, NAIT and SAIT. The aim is to begin a recruitment

campaign going through the colleges.

We need to increase student membership across Canada for sustainable growth. QSBC has been proactive in providing both academic and financial support to BCIT’s new degree program in Quantity Surveying which is currently under development.

It was suggested that we should be putting more emphasis on working through the high schools. I look forward to seeing someone come forward to take up this initiative.

A question I put to council at the last meeting, and one that I would invite comment from the membership, concerns the education level of PQS. Should we be reconsidering increasing education standards? Council generally agreed that we should review our syllabus with a view to making necessary changes to improve standards.

It was noted however, and evident from our reciprocity agreements, that we are generally in line with our international partners from an education point of view, which are generally at degree level. Our syllabus fully covers all the technical aspects of a degree program but the difference is we do not cover the non technical subjects which are normally part of any degree course at university.

Still on education and one of our principle raisons d’être, some of our CIQS reference books need updating.

This includes Construction Law which is back on target to be completed this year. The other book is the Method of Measurement which members of council believe could be restructured to better reflect the needs of the in-

dustry. We are looking for volunteers from membership to review the MOM and already have members from BC looking at it. Please call Lois if you are prepared to get involved or can recommend any improvements.

James Vermeulen has been rewriting and updating the CIQS booklet Recommended Fees Scale. He has circulated QS practices across the country and the document he is producing is a consensus and reflection of the opinions from all those who gave feedback. James has committed to the Institute that this document will be completed by December 2009 and we are aiming to publish in the New Year.

In addition to increasing youth membership, Council agrees that it is time to draw on experience. We have about 70 fellows and quite a few of those potentially with time on their hands. What we would like to do is to recruit their assistance with time consuming tasks such as CDP evaluation or special projects such as the 50th Anniversary book which Colin Randall Smith tackled almost single-handedly (except for Lois). This help is especially relevant on projects that span more than one year such as a major book rewrite.

Sustainability comes from both directions. The new generation has to rely on the wisdom of its predecessors and learn not to make the same mistakes made in the past. I am sure we all have one or two people who acted as our mentors to help put us where we are currently. We must never underestimate the value of experience.

Notice of correction: In the Summer 2009 issue of Construction Economist, we congratulated five new Fellows that were appointed this year. Roger Ward from Alberta was appointed a Fellow (not Doug Eastwell as reported). Our sincerest apologies go out to Mr. Ward for this error. Mr. Eastwell was in fact appointed a Fellow in 2006 and received the Award of Merit this year.

4 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Message du Président

2009/2010 plans et objectifs de Conseil vec seulement quatre réunions du Conseil par an, il est difficile de compléter des projets durant le terme d’une présidence. Pour réussir, nous devons les démarrer au vol en mettant à l’oeuvre dès le départ les deux principaux comités dès la première réunion. Ces comités traitent des principaux sujets des ressources humaines au siège et de la mise à jour du site Internet. Leur mandat est d’initier et de compléter les analyses des sujets à traiter et de produire leurs recommandations au Conseil au plus tard à la session du printemps.

Les autres sujets que nous allons aborder cette année sont les suivants: Au cours des quelques dernières années, nous avons identifié un manque dans nos compétences dans le domaine des grands projets de génie civil. Il y a beaucoup d’opportunités dans le domaine des mines, des hydrocarbures et autres applications industrielles, tout autant que dans les projets de génie civil pur comme les routes, les ponts, les barrages et les travaux marins avec l’envolée récente des projets d’infrastructures. Ces projets requièrent des estimations précises et du contrôle de coûts pour lesquels les ÉC devraient êtres impliqués, mais pour lesquels des compétences spécifiques sont requises et qui ne sont pas comprises dans notre syllabus de formation actuel. Roy Lewis dirige avec l’aide de David Lai, l’administrateur de la formation, la recherche nécessaire à l’addition de cette nouvelle catégorie à l’Institut. Roger Ward de l’Alberta a aussi accepté d’y participer.

Suivant la voie tracée par l’Ontario, j’ai demandé aux affiliés de tenter la mise sur pied des chapitres étudiants particulièrement aux BCIT Red River, NAIT, et SAIT. Le but est de faire une campagne de recrutement au sein

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

de ces collèges. Nous avons besoin d’accroître le membership étudiant à travers le Canada afin de soutenir notre croissance. QSBC a été proactif en donnant une aide académique et financière au BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) pour le nouveau programme de diplôme en Économie de la construction qui y est présentement en développement.

On nous a suggéré de mettre plus d’emphase dans notre effort au niveau secondaire (High Schools).

J’espère voir bientôt apparaître un volontaire pour prendre en charge cette initiative.

J’ai posé la question du niveau de formation requis pour le PQS à la dernière réunion du Conseil et j’invite les membres à commenter à ce sujet.

Devrions-nous rehausser les prérequis de formation? Le Conseil est généralement d’avis que nous devrions revoir nos syllabus dans le but d’y apporter les changements nécessaires pour en améliorer les standards.

Il était par ailleurs noté de même qu’évident dans nos ententes de réciprocité, que nous sommes généralement au pair avec nos partenaires internationaux sur le plan de la formation, qui est habituellement au niveau d’un baccalauréat (degree level). Nos syllabus couvrent tous les aspects techniques d’un programme de baccalauréat, mais diffèrent en ce que nous ne couvrons pas les sujets non techniques qui font normalement partie de tout programme de baccalauréat à l’université.

De plus, certains de nos livres de référence du CIQS, qui sont la raison d’être de notre programme de formation, ont besoin d’une mise à niveau. Cela inclut «Construction Law» dont nous avons pour objectif de compléter la révision cette année.

L’autre ouvrage est «Method of Meas-

urement» que plusieurs membres du Conseil croient devoir être réorganisé pour refléter les besoins de l’industrie.

Nous sommes à la recherche de membres volontaires pour la révision du MOM et déjà, des membres de CB y travaillent. Prière de contacter Lois si vous êtes disposés à vous impliquer ou avez des améliorations à y proposer.

James Vermeulen est à réécrire et mettre à jour le livret des Tarifs recommandés par le CIQS. Il a fait circuler le document à des firmes d’ÉC à travers le pays et le document qu’il a produit fait l’objet d’un consensus et des opinions de tous ceux qui l’ont commenté. James s’est engagé auprès de l’Institut à le compléter d’ici décembre 2009 et nous visons à le publier en début de la nouvelle année.

En plus d’augmenter le membership des jeunes, le Conseil est d’avis qu’il faut tirer profit de l’expérience.

Nous avons environ 70 Fellows dont plusieurs avec potentiellement du temps de disponible. Nous aimerions recruter leur participation à des tâches intensives comme l’évaluation des CDP ou des projets spéciaux comme le livre du 50e anniversaire que Colin Randall Smith a réalisé presque seul (avec l’aide de Lois). Cette aide est particulièrement à propos sur des projets qui s’étendent sur plus d’une année comme la réécriture d’un livre d’importance.

Le développement durable vient de deux sources. La nouvelle génération devra compter sur la sagesse de ses prédécesseurs et apprendre à ne pas commettre les erreurs du passé. Je suis certain que nous connaissons tous une ou deux personnes qui a agi comme mentor pour nous aider à parvenir là où nous sommes présentement rendus.

Nous ne devons jamais sous-estimer la valeur de l’expérience.

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 5

Executive Director’s Message

Quick notes from around the CIQS Lois Metcalfe, CIQS Executive Director SQ now AEQSQ At our September 2009 Council meeting, Bertin Bois, Quebec representative, informed Council that their affiliated association, Quantity Surveyors of Quebec (QSQ), officially changed their name to ‘Association des estimateurs et économistes en construction du Québec’ (AEECQ).

The English translation for this is ‘Association of Estimators and Quantity Surveyors of Quebec’ (AEQSQ). This name change was approved by the membership at their 2009 AGM. The Quebec Board felt it

was difficult to attract construction estimators into their association when their name did not reflect this membership classification. It does not appear at the present time that other affiliates will follow Quebec’s decision, however, I am sure it will spark debate amongst the other Boards of the affiliated associations.

Following this decision, AEQSQ have launched a new web site www.aeecq.org.

Study Guide 308 I am pleased to announce that a new study guide is now available

for members to assist them in preparing for Subject #308 Cost Planning. Copies of this study guide may be purchased through our online store. This study guide includes questions from past papers, therefore, past papers will no longer be necessary for this subject. We are now updating Study Guide #309 Development Economics in the same format. Thanks to Vaughan Smith, PQS for preparing this invaluable study tool for the Institute. I am sure candidates writing this examination will find it extremely helpful.

Take advantage of your

GROUP HOME AND AUTO INSURANCE PROGRAM PROTECTION MADE EASY...

GROUP RATES MADE EASIER! As a member of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, you could enjoy significant savings through preferred group rates. Whatever your home and auto insurance needs, TD Insurance Meloche Monnex makes it simple to find the coverage that fits your particular lifestyle.

Contact us today and get the insurance you need from the people you trust.

Request a quote and you could

Endorsed by

CIQS.TDInsurance.com

1 866 296 0888 The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by PRIMMUM INSURANCE COMPANY. No purchase required. Contest ends on January 16, 2010. Skill-testing question required. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Complete contest rules available at Group.TDInsurance.com.

Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. Certain conditions may apply.

Meloche Monnex® is a trade-mark of Meloche Monnex Inc. TD Insurance is a trade-mark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, used under license.

1

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

6 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009 Projet : Annonce TDI 2009

Province : Ontario

Épreuve # : 1

Editor’s Message

Developing tomorrow’s leaders Joshua Mutize, PQS Construction Economist Editor onstruction Economist welcomes the new Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) Council.

From this past Council meeting, I have no doubt that we will be busy with the newly formed committees and other new initiatives.

I encourage all readers to read the President’s message in this issue.

Ian Duncan, the new CIQS president, outlines his term’s plans and objectives. It is exciting to see so much energy from all Council members right from day one. These meetings go by fast and as Editor, and also reporter, it can be challenging to keep up with the vast amount of information. Now you know what my weekends are like, ‘surfing’ through all of the information out there for materials that may be possible to print in our magazine!

It is my intent this year to start partnerships with other Editors and reporters in the industry so I can start standardizing our magazine content. Below are areas that we are in great need of articles or updates for in upcoming issues: • Education Updates and CPD • Legal • Economics, Trends and Costs Outlook • Industry Events calendar • CIQS Affiliate News • Electrical and Mechanical • Civils • Project Finance – Project Monitoring, Risk Management I welcome any new articles, reports and updates. I would like to thank all of those who have contributed to past issues.

As I write this Editor’s message, economic trends are showing some lights at the end of the tunnel, which indicate a recovery.

This economic down turn has been extremely hard on Consulting QuanClick Here to Return to Table of Contents

tity Surveying firms and Estimating Consulting firms because they were charged with the responsibility to quickly find more innovative ways to help their clients find cost savings and more efficient methods to build projects. Some of them also lost their jobs in the process. Regardless, whatever the future economic situation shapes up like, the professional quantity surveyor will be at the forefront in enabling construction growth and sustainability. After all, no matter what happens, the need to build or renovate will always be there because the necessities of life and business require buildings and infrastructure.

The outsourcing trend has gotten to such an extreme level that almost every good and service is provided by other people’s countries. Thankfully, we can not use other people’s houses, infrastructure or offices unless off course we all to move to their countries. Therefore, we will continue to BUILD here!

Education One of the main reasons for establishing an Education column in this edition and upcoming issues is that at this point it is extremely critical that we keep learning and keep up with global challenges. Continuing Professional Developments (CPD) is the best way to do so. If you own a firm or manage a team of estimators or Professional Quantity Surveyors, not only do you have to continue your own personal development, you also have a responsibility for developing your team.

Another way is to learn a new skill in areas that you lack experience, maybe civils or electrical or mechanical. These are the areas that most employers and clients will continue seeing shortages of qualified professionals. On that note, I

encourage you to read our Education Administrator’s, David Lai, Education article in this issue as well as future articles.

Developing tomorrow’s leaders Well, the door has finally opened for young quantity surveyors to get involved even more than ever before.

At a CIQS Council meeting this fall, Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders was a discussed at length. Orest Stachniak, Past President, even suggested introducing quantity surveying as early as to high school so students can consider this profession at the same time they are weighing-in on becoming an engineer, doctor or lawyer. He is right; the quest to become someone can actually start before you ever step on campus, by choosing the right college or university. With the growing number of programs at colleges and universities, how do you decide which one to pursue?

Another option is to promote quantity surveying internship opportunities to college students every summer. Even if some of the best offerings are very technical or focused on many construction disciplines or aspects, they can still make for a great experience. By putting these strategies into place, we will be designing an educational experience that will make our profession continue to be unique and desirable in the industry.

Council members were on board in forming a Young Profession Forum that will inspire leadership growth and continuously improve delivery of consistent education to our members.

In this issue, we highlight an article

by Sheri Thompson, one of the young PQS’ who attended PAQS. She kindly shares her experiences at PAQS as well as with the newly established Young Quantity Surveyors Group (YQSG) for PAQS. So get on board, get connected and stay connected!

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 7

Education Updates

News from the past year t our last CIQS Council meeting on September 11– 13, 2009, our Executive Director, Lois Metcalfe, reminded Council that in the past there used to be an Education Section in the Construction Economist magazine. I know that restarting such a section would be beneficial to the membership but given my current responsibilities as Education Administrator for both CIQS and OIQS, it would be very difficult for me to take on this additional task. However, I feel that the educational matters of the Institute are important and membership should be kept informed.

The CIQS Council meets four times annually and education is usually one of the main topics discussed. The decisions made by Council have far reaching implications on the future of the Institute and our members.

However, the majority of these decisions are not usually known publicly until the annual general meetings. An Education Report is submitted at each AGM and is part of the package given to only those members in attendance. On the average, the attendance at our AGM is 10% or less, so by extension, 90% of our membership is not aware of these changes/decisions. To rectify this problem and to encourage more participation from the membership, I plan to submit regular articles in Construction Economist to keep everyone informed of the educational changes and decisions made by Council.

From the research done on the history of the Institute for our 50th Anniversary book, it was noted that education has been the foundation upon which our Institute was built and it will always be the stepping stone to our future. So for the benefit of all members, here are some of the

major educational milestones we achieved within the past 15 months: • The CIQS, the Quantity Surveyors of British Columbia (QSBC), the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a fully accredited Quantity Surveying degree program.

mistake of members applying for the incorrect examination.

All subjects now have the letters C, A, M and E to identify the Division the subject belongs to.

‘C’ represents common subjects between all three Divisions, ‘A’ represents Architectural subjects, ‘M’ represents Mechanical and ‘E’ represents Electrical.

• The CIQS has been working with Red River College in Winnipeg, Manitoba to develop a Quantity Surveying degree program.

• CIQS has decided to offer all examinations on a trial basis in both examination sessions (May and November) annually. This will begin in May 2010.

• The Ontario Institute of Quantity Surveyors (OIQS) has worked with Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario in launching a new Architectural Technology diploma program.

• A complete review and update of the Education Policy Guidance Notes. This is already posted in the Members Only section of the CIQS website.

• The Association of Estimators and Quantity Surveyors of Quebec (AEQSQ), formerly the Quantity Surveyors of Quebec (QSQ), is working with École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) of Université du Québec to develop a fully accredited diploma program.

• A complete revision of the Institute’s Career Information Booklet and the creation of a condensed version that is more suitable for students.

• The GTA Chapter of OIQS has successfully established student chapters at Humber College and Ryerson University.

• Descriptive guidelines for the TPE Areas of Approved Experience were created to assist members in the preparation of their daily dairies. The CIQS Council also decided to amalgamate both of the optional Consultant’s and Contractor’s Areas of Approved Experience into one list.

• The CIQS subjects have been re-coded for easy identification of Division and to avoid the

8 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Education Updates

“Education has been the foundation upon which our Institute was built and it will always be the stepping stone to our future.”

• Modifications to the educational requirements for the CEC membership category to accurately reflect the skill set required.

• The amalgamation of the nonqualified membership categories into one (1) – Associate Member.

This simplifies the assessment of membership applications.

• The signing of Reciprocity Agreements with Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand at the 12th PAQS Congress held in Edmonton, Alberta in June 2008 and with Malaysia at the 13th PAQS Congress held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2009.

• The signing of the PAQS Accreditation Scheme at the 13th PAQS Congress held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2009.

Please refer to the article on page 14 for details.

For the next year, we have several projects that we hope to complete – an update of the CIQS syllabi, the accreditation of all relevant national college/university programs, the creation of a Heavy Civil PQS category and a student bursary award.

There is no doubt that we will need help to complete these projects so if you would like to volunteer please contact head our office. In addition to the above, there are other items that are currently under discussion. As soon as these items are resolved, we will inform you of the outcome.

I would also like to use this opportunity to congratulate the graduates of the Bachelor of Applied Technology - Construction Science & Management degree program offered

by George Brown City College in Toronto, Ontario. This year saw the first batch of graduates from this program – congratulations and best wishes from CIQS. Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Over the years, there have been many discussions regarding the relevance and quality of our educational and work experience requirements. Some will say that it is too low, others say it is too high and in most discussions there is usually no clear answer to the question. At both the Local Affiliates and National levels, the various Education Administrators are constantly reviewing the relevance of our educational standards. Sometimes the changes are simple and easy to implement and in other cases, the solution is very complex and may take years to implement. Rest assured that we are guided by integrity of the Institute. By chance, I happened to come across the June 2009 edition of my wife’s professional association magazine called Professional Speaking from the Ontario College of

MarshallSwift Ad 4.625x3.375_OT.indd 1

AN

Teachers. In this magazine, there is an article from the Chair of Council; Mr. Don Cattani titled ‘Taking our place among Ontario’s community of professionals.’ In his article, he pointed out that many occupations adopt the use of a professional designation to indicate clearly that the holder of the designation is a qualified professional, for example, MD, CA and PEng. Mr. Cattani wrote, “A professional designation is a public statement of earned qualifications and adherence to ethical standards developed and endorsed by Ontario’s teachers.” All I have to do is substitute ‘Ontario’s teachers’ with ‘CIQS’ and you will know why I am proud of my PQS designation.

David Lai, B.Sc., PQS (F) Professional Quantity Surveyor CIQS Education Administrator

BUSINESS

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 9

9/30/09 3:51:39 PM

CIQS 2010

AGM

by Mark Russell PQS, President QSBC

The Quantity Surveyors of British Columbia are pleased to host the CIQS 51st AGM. The event will be held at the Westin Resort and Spa (www.westinwhistler.com) in Whistler, BC from Thursday June 17, 2010 - Sunday June 20, 2010.

The Organizing Committee is being chaired by QSBC Board Member, Mr. Ross Templeton PQS, with QSBC members George Evans PQS(F), Stephanie Bax, Ada Cheung PQS, Steven Hanna, Declan Fitzpatrick, Iain Clark and Frank Lin sharing the workload.

The itinerary is as shown below:

Thursday June 17, 2010

Welcome cocktail reception from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the Callaghan Room

Friday June 18, 2010

AM Continental breakfast and Technical Session from 9:00 am to 11:30 am in the Alpine Room PM Lunch with keynote speaker (TBA) from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm in the Alpine Room Individual activity (ziptreking, ATVs, optional golf, tour of Whistler, downhill mountain biking, bungee jump, sightseeing/hiking and white water rafting) Or 2010 Winter Olympic venue visit (Whistler Sliding Centre - host venue for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton)

10 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Saturday June 19, 2010

AM CIQS AGM (with continental breakfast) from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Alpine Room PM BBQ (Location TBA)

Sunday June 20, 2010

AM Farewell breakfast in the Callaghan Room PM CIQS Golf Tournament at the Whistler Golf Course (including BBQ) The hotel is in the process of carrying out a $10M renovation to all of the guest rooms prior to the 2010 Olympics, so we can be assured of excellent accommodations for our stay at the Resort.

The Organizing Committee has secured preferred rates for the accommodation, which are substantially less than the website rate of $319/night, as follows: • Studio Junior Suite - $189/night • One Bedroom Suite - $219/night • Two Bedroom Suite - $379/night • Mountain Suite - $995/night All room rates are based on double occupancy and are booked under ‘CIQS.’ Sponsorship opportunities are being looked into by the Committee and we hope to have details of the options and figures shortly.

We look forward to welcoming you all to Whistler next year.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Council meeting report

By Joshua Mutize, PQS

Members of the newly appointed CIQS Council met for the first time in Toronto the week of September 11 – 13, 2009 and laid out their plans and objectives for the fiscal year.

In attendance at this meeting were Ian Duncan, the new President; Roy Lewis, 2nd VP & NLAQS representative; Mark Russell, QSBC; Chris Reinert, AQSA; Bruno Pilieci, OIQS; Mark Gardin, NSAQS; Bertin Bois, QSQ; Orest Stachniak, Past President; David Lai, Education Administrator; and Lois Metcalfe, CIQS Executive Director.

Below are brief reports from the meeting:

CIQS

Council met with Oasis Computing who is currently managing our administration to discuss improvements ranging from support services to new website enhancements that will streamline some of the Administrative processes. Some of these new features will enhance the search capabilities of the website in addition to proving a smooth link to affiliates websites. Council will continue investigating alternatives and will make recommendations.

QSBC

Mark Russell, PQS reported that QSBC has a full quota of Board members again this year and all members are eager to get involved. The board just held a meeting on September 15, 2009. A hot ticket item on their agenda was the launch of the Virtual Boardroom (VBR). This will speed up membership applications and streamline the general business of the society.

Andrew Collins, PQS (F), in conjunction with BCIT and VRC, is currently reviewing the results of the online survey which closed back in June. QSBC expressed high appreciation to Andrew’s tenacious efforts and all members who participated in this exercise.

Upcoming QSBC Events • October 1 – Dinner meeting. Potential speakers include Tom Pendergast, CEO of Translink, and Helmut Pastrick, Chief Economist of Central 1 Credit Union • CIQS 51st AGM 2010 – Whistler, BC

AQSA

In August, three AQSA members attended the PAQS conference in Kuala Lumpur and had a terrific time. In attendance was Graeme and Dagney Alston; Chris Holden, an AQSA Board member, and his wife; and Chris Reinert, AQSA President. The next PAQS Congress will be held in Singapore in July 2010. Do not miss this great opportunity!

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

NSAQS

Below is the list of the new Council for Nova Scotia Association of Quantity Surveyors (NSAQS).

• President – Mark Gardin, PQS • Vice President – Wanda Smith, PQS • Treasurer – David Weatherbee, PQS • Secretary – Wanda Smith, PQS • Past President – Brian Chappel, PQS • Registrar – Deanne Bain, PQS • Education – Travis Rudolph, PQS • CIQS representative will be Mark Gardin NSAQS council meetings will be held on a monthly basis going forward. The new council has re-established committees for membership, website, social and student liaison.

NLAQS

The economic outlook for Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be positive and construction is following in its path. Infrastructure spending continues. One mega projects is the Nickel Smelter for Vale Inco. The main contractor, Fluor Canada, is looking forward for quantity surveyor staff in its Project Controls group. The next generation of offshore oil platforms, the Hebron GBS, has started and expressions of interest responses for the four major components are presently being evaluated by the project owners. The Hibernia Field Southern Expansion has been approved and work will commence in 2010. Between this expansion and the Hibernia Oils Replacement Project there will be four project work years for engineering and two seasons of offshore sub-sea work involving large sub-sea construction and diving vessels.

The energy arm of the NL government, NALCOR, is progressing the Lower Churchill Hydro Electric project planning and signs are that this work could commence within two years.

QSQ

Bertin Bois presented the QSQ report and noted that they have changed their name to ‘Association of Estimators and Quantity Surveyors of Quebec’ (AEQSQ).

OIQS

Council thanked OIQS for their outstanding job on CIQS 50th Anniversary and AGM. The historic book was well received by all in attendance.

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 11

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

PAQS Young Quantity Surveyor Group Report A year ago, I was helping out at the CIQS booth for the Construct Canada Show in Toronto. As a young professional, I participate in many activities outside of work to keep current with industry standards and practices. At the show, I was approached by the President of the CIQS and asked if I would like to join the Young Quantity Surveyors Group (YQSG) of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS).

Intrigued, I said yes and began to research the group and the association. Chosen as the winner of an essay competition, I was rewarded with a trip to the PAQS 2009 Congress in Malaysia.

At this congress, I was elected to the YQSG committee with representatives from many other countries.

What is the Young Quantity Surveyors Group of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors?

The YQSG was formed at the PAQS sustainable committee meeting in Edmonton in June of 2008. The membership covers all registered members of the QS Division of PAQS country members who are under 40 years of age.

How does the Young Quantity Surveyors Group Work?

On August 15, 2009, the PAQS Sustainability Committee held a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia just prior to the 13th PAQS Congress.

The main objective of this committee is the sustainability of PAQS as an organization and the QS profession as a whole. By this means, the

Inaugural Committee of the YQSG was formed. The committee’s focus is on the involvement of young surveyors of the member countries and works under the existing PAQS constitution and by-laws, with committee members holding two year terms as suggested by the PAQS board. The Inaugural Committee is made up of six members: Amy Holmes of AIQS (Australia), Sheri Thompson of the CIQS (Canada), Joseph Chong of HKIS (Hong Kong), Kenta Fukagawa of BSIJ (Japan) and Eugene Seah and Daniel Wong of SISV (Singapore).

What progress has the Young Quantity Surveyors Group made?

The YQSG had two meetings before leaving Malaysia and has formed an internet Google group.

All the women delegates at the PAQS 2009 Congress (Canadian delegate, Sheri Thompson, front row on the left).

12 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

During our first meeting, we discussed our goals and objectives as YQSG members.

The goals and objectives: • Increase participation.

• Introduce a mentorship program.

• Encourage exchange of ideas between young members within PAQS countries.

• Create camaraderie between the members of all PAQS member countries.

• Encourage participation from two members of each member country in future YQSG committees.

The second meeting was more of a social gathering to discuss what type of events the YQSG would like to see for the next PAQS Congress in Singapore in 2010. As many of the younger members are not as travelled as some of the senior members, the YQSG committee agreed that events geared towards the young members should include the following: • 1st day to include: ice-breaker session, YQSG meeting, seminar, site visit and social dinner at night.

• 2nd day would be city tour with visit to key buildings and landmarks (possibly Sentosa).

What Difficulties does the Young Quantity Surveyors Group Have?

Possible roadblocks: • Attendance at the PAQS congress could be lower due to financial restraints of young members.

Solution: try to reduce fees for student members and solicit funds from member’s home associations.

• Language barriers of some members. Not everyone speaks English.

Solution: pair non-English speaking members with English speaking members from their home associations.

Future Outlook

As a group, we are hopeful that our increased participation in the PAQS congresses will ensure that the organization, as well as the industry as a whole, remains strong and viable in a world of constantly changing economics and practices.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Canadian delegates with beautiful Malaysian dancers.

The relationships we form with other young members in other countries will ensure that we will meet at future congresses, not as separate member countries, but as close friends with the singular purpose of sustaining and furthering the goals of PAQS. I feel privileged to be a part of such an ambitious group and look forward to continuing the work we have begun at future conferences. I would like to

extend my sincere thanks to the CIQS for the opportunity to experience the exciting country of Malaysia, meet new friends and to become more involved with PAQS.

Sheri Thompson, PQS Chairperson, Central Hamilton Chapter OIQS

CONTROL

“The ability to organize and direct various actions to achieve a specific goal”.

TASK CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT is a proven performer in providing controlled solutions to complex building projects. Our experience combined with our Fast-Track talent guarantees successful project completion.

Our area of expertise is ‘pure agency’ construction management & project management.

Specialists in public recreation facilities, aquatic centres, arenas, performing arts centres, hotels, conference centres and resorts.

Managing Construction ~ Building Trust 4405 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5G 1J3 Tel: 604-433-8275 Fax: 604-433-3759 Toll-Free: 1-800-845-8275

www.taskcm.com

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 13

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

PAQS university and college Accreditation program The 7th Meeting of the PAQS Education & Accreditation Committee was held August 15, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia prior to the annual PAQS Congress. At this meeting, I voted on behalf of the CIQS to be part of the PAQS Accreditation Scheme.

The official signing of this Agreement took place during the Closing Ceremony on August 18.

Of the 13 national quantity surveying associations that make up PAQS, eight agreed to be part of the Accreditation Scheme. They are: • Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) • Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) • Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) • Institute of Surveyors, Malaysia (ISM) • Building Surveyors Institute of Japan (BSIJ) • New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS) • Singapore Institute of Surveyors & Valuers (SISV) • Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Sri Lanka (IQSSL) The general concept of the Accreditation Scheme is that a graduate from a PAQS Accredited University/College program in Quantity Surveying will be recognized by the participating countries as a person that satisfies the academic requirements of each local national association. However, each member association has the option of not participating in the accreditation of a particular University/College and as such will not recognize any accreditation given.

The PAQS Education & Accreditation Committee will set up a register of assessors for accreditation.

Each member association has been asked to nominate up to four of its members for this registry. The

Committee also asked that at least one academic and one practicing Quantity Surveyor be nominated by each member association. The criteria for selection is that the candidate must be a member of the national professional association with a minimum of 10 years post qualification experience as an Academic or Practicing Quantity Surveyor. The Accreditation Evaluation Panel will be nominated by the PAQS Committee from the

14 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

registry of assessors and will comprise of a Chairperson and at least two other members, one of whom is from Academic background and the other from Quantity Surveying Practice.

It was unanimously agreed upon that any PAQS accreditation cannot be in conflict with the evaluation of the home country national professional association of the University/College applying for accreditation. To prevent this, it

Ian Duncan, CIQS President, Trevor Main, Chairman, PAQS and David Lai, CIQS Education Administrator.

Representatives from eight countries who signed the PAQS Accreditation Scheme.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

was further agreed that in addition to the conditions listed above, one member of the Evaluation Panel must be from the home country national professional association and that the assessor from the home country national professional association must vote in favour of granting accreditation to the University/College.

No accreditation will be granted if there is a negative vote from the assessor of the home country national professional association.

All costs associated with the accreditation will be borne by the University/College applying for accreditation. These costs include an application fee of $500 USD and all travel, accommodation and meal costs for the Evaluation Panel members.

Each University/College will apply directly to PAQS for accreditation and must submit all required documentation within a specific time frame. If the documentation is deemed inadequate, the University/ College will be asked to re-submit their documentation within a specific time frame. Failure to meet this requirement will be deemed as a withdrawal of

the entire proposal and a loss of the application fee.

In addition to the proper documentation, a program accreditation visit may be required. For each first time accreditation, a program accreditation visit will take place. Part of this visit will include a meeting with the University/College program team, a tour of the facilities, a meeting with current students and graduates and a meeting with the advisory committee and employers.

If accreditation is granted, PAQS will issue a certificate to the University/ College. This certificate will indicate: • Those PAQS members that subscribe to the accreditation.

• The commencement date of the accreditation and the period for which it applies.

• Any conditions that apply to the accreditation.

The PAQS Education & Accreditation Committee is hoping to have the scheme in place shortly. Several members indicated that there are universities in their home countries that are ready to apply for accreditation.

I would like to thank the CIQS

Council for the opportunity to attend the PAQS Congress and I plan to use the knowledge gained to the benefit of the Institute.

David Lai, B.Sc., PQS(F) Professional Quantity Surveyor CIQS Education Administrator

Newsflash: At the CIQS Council meeting held September 11-13, 2009, the following members have been selected to be the assessors from CIQS: • Andrew Collins, PQS(F) • Bill Nichols, PQS(F) • Vaughan Smith, PQS • Roger Ward, PQS(F)

Celebrating 25 Years in Business Suite 204 1120 Westwood St Coquitlam, BC V3B 7K8 T: (604) 464.5636

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

www.lec.bc.ca FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 15

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

CIQS International This year CIQS truly emerged on the world stage thanks to the initiatives of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors at their 2009 congress in Kuala Lumpur and our association with them.

I am referring to the signing of the KL Pact which is a memorandum of understanding between PAQS and other international quantity surveying, cost and value professionals.

These organizations included: • RICS – Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors • CEEC – The European Council for Construction Economists • ICEC - International Cost Engineering Council • FIG – International Federation of Surveyors • AAQS – African Association of Quantity Surveyors The hosts for this year were the Institute of Surveyors of Malaysia

(ISM). The ISM have taken over the duties of permanent Secretariat for PAQS from Australia who have been willingly carrying the burden for a number of years.

Logistically, Malaysia is extremely central to the member nations and is well suited for the position. By taking on this role, ISM are absorbing much of the overhead costs of PAQS through their institute and deserve support from the member counties.

The overall reception of the Canadian delegation by the hosts the Institute of Surveyors of Malaysia and other member country delegations was one of hospitality and consideration.

There were some good presentations of some practical papers although a number were rather academic in content. I would like to encourage CIQS members to seriously consider sending submissions from Canada. There was

Canadian delegates at the PAQS dinner – Graeme and Dagny Alston, Ian and Tyra Duncan, Sheri and Chris Thompson, David Lai and Chris and Sandra Holden.

16 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

particular interest on how we build in the True North and how we are approaching sustainable construction and environmental issues.

I am told that the program for partners and non delegates was so full of variety and places of interest to visit that the itinerary was almost too full.

There was much appreciation expressed about PAQS 2008 in Edmonton and the chair of PAQS made specific mention and thanks for the donation CIQS made to PAQS out of the profit from the event.

Reports on Education and Youth are addressed separately by David Lai and Sheri Thompson however I cannot leave unsaid that David’s accreditation efforts through Ontario colleges was of particular interest.

The board was also impressed with Sheri’s description of Canada’s initiatives in recruiting student members and the establishment of student chapters in the colleges and universities.

I am happy to report that CIQS signed one more reciprocity agreement, this time with the ISM from Malaysia. We have also rekindled interest from Singapore and Sri Lanka for the coming year.

South Africa was not formally represented and has been silent on the issue. I have not given up as of yet. Through these types of agreements, the CIQS qualification recognition has become more widely accepted as equivalent to other internationally respected organizations.

The PAQS convention for 2010 will be held in Singapore, the home base of the new PAQS president Mr. Teoh Wooi Sin. This is planned to be a joint convention with ICEC. Subsequent venues for the following years include 2011 – Sri Lanka, 2012 – Brunei, 2013 – Australia and 2014 – Hong Kong.

The PAQS register of consulting companies was republished and is

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

Japan (Dr. Takayosi Sato) and Canada (Ian Duncan) exchanging gifts at PAQS Board meeting.

valid for the next three years. This is good exposure for those who took advantage of this inexpensive, international advertising opportunity.

There was the usual exchange of token gifts. Our gift included copies of the book celebrating CIQS 50th Anniversary which looked really impressive.

Potential new member countries which are being considered for PAQS membership include Thailand, India and Russia. The Chair is also following up with other less represented countries in the region such as Cambodia.

My thanks goes to council and the membership for the opportunity of attending this PAQS conference and I hope to remain involved in PAQS which I consider as a worthwhile endeavour.

This year, through the introduction to CEEC – (The European Council for Construction Economists) by M. Robert Charette, CIQS were invited to attend the CEEC conference in Cypress as an observer. CIQS 1st.

Vice-President M. Herve Couture is attending and I look forward to hearing his report upon his return.

Having access to how other organizations and countries manage their professional activities opens up a whole spectrum of ideas, knowledge and opportunities. I am glad to be a part of the growth and development of the CIQS internationally.

Ian B. Duncan PQS Professional Quantity Surveyor President CIQS

David Lai, Ian Duncan and Sheri Thompson at the PAQS Board meeting.

CIQS signs reciprocity agreements with ISM The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors is pleased to announce that a reciprocity agreement was signed at this year’s PAQS Board meeting in Malaysia with the Institution of Surveyors of Malaysia (ISM). For further details on the agreement, please contact Lois Metcalfe at execdir@ciqs.org.

Sr Wan Maimun Wan Abdullah from ISM and Ian Duncan from CIQS signing their reciprocity agreement.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 17

PAQS 2009 Malaysia - special report

7th International Cost Engineering Council World Congress & 14th Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors Congress 23-27 July, 2010 Furama Riverfront Hotel, Singapore 2nd Announcement and call for papers Congress theme: Sustainable Cost Management : Borderless Innovation

The role of the Cost Engineer and Quantity Surveyor (CEQS) has been changing since the last decade, celebrating the maturity and innovative growth of the discipline. These roles have been entrenched in every construction project and have developed into value adding and even environmental saving responsibilities.

Since the inception of the discipline, there is a tremendous accumulation of knowledge and information generated from what the profession has to offer and all these happen through the boom and bust of the construction cycle, no matter which country we are in. This International Conference celebrates this bursting of knowledge and innovative services within the disciplines and the difference modules of services that have been generated that add value to clients, personifying the discipline further.

This conference touches on the development and contribution of the CEQS in the realm of Sustainable Construction, knowledge management, advancement in Construction Law and Alternate Dispute Resolution as well as innovation in Construction Cost Management, all personifying the importance and growth of the profession around the world. This varied approach presents an excellent opportunity for the participants to share ideas, further creating an environment for creativity and innovation.

With this systematic and orchestrated range of topics, it supports this year’s theme of ensuring the sustainability, innovation and creativity of the CEQS fraternity therefore showing that the profession’s borderless growth and expansion.

The suggested topics include: • Sustainable Construction • Innovation • Construction Law/Alternative Dispute Resolution • Knowledge Management/IT/Standards • Property Facilities Management/Safety • Cost & Contracts

Submission of Papers

Those who are interested to present a paper are requested to submit an abstract of not more than 250 words before December 31, 2009 with the following details: • Proposed title of paper • Type of paper (research or practice paper) • Name of author(s) • Organization • Email addresses

For further information:

Telephone: +65 6222 3030 Facsimile: +65 6225 2453 Email: judy@sisv.org.sg or candy@sisv.org.sg

18 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

AQSAINAUGURAL

GOLF TOURNAMENT On September 3, the AQSA had its first formal golf tournament in many years. With a limit of 20 participants, they played 18 holes at Redtail Landing, one of the most aggressive courses Edmonton has to offer. The event sponsors, listed below, supported the tournament and an AQSA member from British Columbia LEC Quantity Surveying, even couriered their balls to Edmonton to ensure this first tournament was a success. All the participants went home with loot and rewards for outstanding physical ability. Against all odds (rainstorm, alcoholic drivers, wind gusts from planes landing – it is right beside the international airport), and possibly due to the GPS in every cart, all teams made it back to the clubhouse.

Prizes ranged in size and quality from a colour printer donated by Printer World to tennis balls given to the golfer who had the shortest drive.

The most recent Past President of the CIQS, Orest Stachniak, even managed to get a drive to land on the fairway and walked away with the privilege and honour of having the Longest Drive achievement.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

EVENT SPONSORS Printer World International Inc.

Stantec

John Overall & Associates Ltd. Professional Quantity Surveyors Construction Cost Consultants

Consultants Ltd.

BTY (Alberta) Ltd. Cuthbert Smith Consulting Partnership Inc.

LCVM Consultants Inc.

Cost View Consultants Inc. Wiremasters Automation Ltd.

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 19

New Members The CIQS would like to welcome the following new members (Including Reinstatements): A

Kisitu Adam, Kampala, Kampala Farhan Aftab, Kee-Chanona Ltd., St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago Mohamed Rauf Ahamed, Kurunagala, Sri Lanka Temitayo Alabi, Abuja F.C.T., Nigeria Asad Ali, Milton, ON Antoine Aurelis, George Town, Cayman Islands Mohamed Azam Azam, Ampara, Sri Lanka

B

Laura Benjamins, Kitchener, ON Ryan Bianchini, Venture Pacific Construction Management, Langley, BC Naeem Bin Jaffer, Mississauga, ON Samuel Browne, Kitchener, ON Cameron Buck, Clemmensen & Associates Limited, Weston, ON James Budden, Mossley, ON

C

Yun-Yun Cao, Burnaby, BC Salvatore Catalano, Empire Communities, Thornhill, ON Gary Chen, Steelrite Construction Canada Inc., Toronto, ON Christopher Chin, New Westminster, BC Susan Chu, Burnaby, BC Diana Cruz, Mississauga, ON JessicaCushing, Kitchener, ON

D

L

Alain Landry, JE Verreault, Montréal, QC Ryan Lindo, Hannon, ON Bryan Lootsma, Woodbridge, ON

Varsha Ramkissoon, Toronto, ON Ron Robinet, R. G. Robinet Consultants Ltd., Windsor, ON Rommy Rodriguez, Toronto, ON

F

M

S

Naishal Desai, Vadodara, Gujarat Frans DeWeerd, Sebringville, ON Eric Draycott, Kitchener, ON Jordan Dykstra, Clinton, ON Gregory French, William Nycum & Associates Limited, Halifax, NS

G

Gordon Gair, PCL Construction Management Inc., Calgary, AB

H

Travis Hageman, Oakville, ON Sheldon Henry, Mississauga, ON Mark Hutchinson, Altus Group Limited, Vancouver, BC Robert Hyde, Eden Consulting/Rob Hyde Builders, Knysna, South Africa

I

Moufaas Ismail, Akkaraipattu, Sri Lanka Lester Izarra, Toronto, ON

J

Thomas Janzen, Merit Contractors, St. Catharines, ON

K

Maninder Kalyan, Mississauga, ON Gregory Keller, Kitchener, ON Arfan Khan, Novacom Construction Ltd., Surrey, BC Thompson Kobina, Lagos, Nigeria Rick Krause, Kitchener, ON

Andrew Marak, London, ON Michael Maroschak, A.W. Hooker Associates Ltd., Oakville, ON Stephanie McConnell, Kitchener, ON Josef McElhone, Altus Group, Toronto, ON Sean Meldrum, Maple Ridge, BC Laura Murray, Kitchener, ON

N

Marissa Neves, Kitchener, ON Senani Niranjala, Maharagama, Sri Lanka Sahayaratnarajah Niranjan, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

P

François Paradis, Laval, QC John Paterson, Technical Project Solutions Inc., Stouffville, ON Carl Pelletier, Construction F. Catania, Brossard, QC Alonso Pena, Kitchener, ON Romaine Peters, A.W Hooker Associates Ltd., Oakville, ON Bogdan Petrenko, Toronto, ON

R

Shanmuganathan Ramanan, Scarborough, ON Anil Ramjee, Rider Levett Bucknall, Toronto, ON

Dan Stiplosek, Kitchener, ON Kajani Subramaniam, Scarbrough, ON

T

Anita Tai, Toronto, ON Rusaid Thafeek Sammanthurai, Sri Lanka Fabio Titolo, Forest Mosaic & Tile Inc., Toronto, ON

U

Peter Unsworth, Canadian Electrical Raceways Inc., Oakville, ON

V

Ray Vanderzwan, Abbotsford, BC Abirami Veeramaheswaran, Envac Middle East FZE, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Anita Verberk, Kitchener, ON Sukhvinder Virdi, PWGSC, Edmonton, AB

W

Andrew Watts, Watts Mechanical, Calgary, AB Ananda Wickramasinghe, Wilbur Smith Associates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Z

Gang Zhao, Surrey Construction Ltd., Toronto, ON Stephen Zwirek, Hanscomb, Toronto, ON

Now available

History of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors

T

his 164 page, full colour, hard cover book was published by the CIQS 50th Anniversary Historical Committee. This commemorative book outlines the history of the Institute and portrays the accomplishments of those members whose work and dedication over the past 50 years have brought acceptance of the profession of quantity surveying within the construction industry in Canada.

To order your copy, please visit our online store at www.ciqs.org or contact CIQS at 905-477-0008 or toll free at 866-345-1168. The book is available for the special anniversary price of $50.00 plus shipping and handling and GST. Available while supplies last.

Visit our online store at www.ciqs.org 20 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Site announced for new Western Memorial Regional Hospital Construction of a new state-of-the-art health care facility is one step closer to reality today as the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and MHA for Humber West, announced the site for the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook. The Premier was joined by the Honourable Paul Oram, Minister of Health and Community Services; the Honourable Tom Marshall, MHA for Humber East; and other regional MHAs and town representatives.

“We are so pleased to be moving forward with the development of this new regional hospital, that will serve the west coast of our province and provide high quality health care to our residents,” said Premier Williams. “This is the beginning of what is undoubtedly one of the largest single infrastructure projects this province has seen in many years. This new facility is yet another example of our government’s unprecedented investment into providing exceptional infrastructure that will serve our people and make our communities more competitive and attractive as a place to live, work and raise a family.”

The process for selecting a site for the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital began when the Department of Transportation and Works engaged AMEC Americas Ltd. to identify potential locations in the City of Corner Brook.

Of the 15 potential sites considered, the area located on the north side of Lewin Parkway and east of Wheeler’s Road, near the intersection, was chosen based on the evaluation of a number of criteria including: physical conditions such as soil type and groundwater levels; access to municipal services; land availability for current requirements and expansion potential; and of great importance, overall location and accessibility for the people of the entire region.

“When complete, the new hospital will further serve to meet the needs of the people living in this region,” said Minister Oram. “We are committed to further building upon a healthcare system that is responsive to the needs of our residents. Providing high-quality regional facilities such as this new hospital will ensure people have quality

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

of care when they need it most. Our government is proud that Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest number of nurses per capita, the highest number of doctors in our history and more dialysis stations per capita than any other province. These indicators and the sheer magnitude of overall spending are reflective of our unwavering commitment to providing quality health care to our people.”

The new hospital will provide state-of-the-art health care technology and will be based on leading edge acute care delivery models. Hatch Mott McDonald, in association with Agnew Peckham, was awarded the contract to facilitate program planning. The programming determination for the facility is well underway. Once this process is finalized, planning for site preparation work can begin.

“I am pleased to see work on this important project moving forward,” said Minister Marshall. “This new facility not only represents a further commitment by our government to healthcare, it represents a long-term investment in the region.”

The Williams Government’s overall infrastructure strategy is valued at approximately $800 million this fiscal year and over $4 billion over the next several years.

Additionally, the Provincial Government’s health care budget has grown to $2.6 billion annually, investing in significant initiatives such as: more than $200 million for new medical equipment such as MRIs, CT Scanners and digital mammography units; cancer and other drugs; dialysis; insulin pumps for children; home care for seniors; approximately $18 million for mental health and addictions services; and in the past two years more than $75 million has been invested to further enhance laboratory services, cancer care and health information management in the province.

Media contact Elizabeth Matthews, Director of Communications Office of the Premier 709-729-3960 elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 21

Roy Lewis and

Rugby, oil

After leaving grammar school at the tender age of 17 years, my head was full of rugby football and girls but with no idea of a future career. At the local Youth Employment Office, I was offered a chance to interview for a job as a Building Management Trainee with a local South Wales builder. I had no idea what the job entailed but with much encouragement from my father, I went along to the interview. Little did I know that the result of that interview would have a profound influence on the rest of my life.

I spent the next four years as an Indentured Pupil – I committed to diligently pursue the required academic qualifications and the practical training provided by the Company and the Company committed to provide the necessary practical training and pay me as a regular employee. The starting salary was six pounds sterling per week and would be subject to annual increments of one pound sterling. During my time as a Trainee, I worked in every department and discipline within the Company and specialized eventually in the cost control and quantity surveying departments. Part of my duties, starting the first week, was

Quantity Surveying

to take responsibility of ‘General Duties’ for one day each week.

General Duties consisted of making tea and coffee for all staff three times a day and running errands to the local bakery (for sticky buns in mid morning and afternoon); the local grocer for cigarettes, chocolate bars and newspapers and to the local fish and chip shop for take-away lunches. General Duties remained a required discipline until I could demonstrate sufficient initiative to become a recipient of this service rather than a donor. I was able to provide such a demonstration some six months later (this can be the subject of another story) and moved on. I have never forgotten what I learned from this experience and the appreciation of humility will remain with me forever.

After four wonderful years of intense learning and mentorship, I completed my articles and was offered two positions by the company – Project Manager and Quantity Surveyor. There was no real choice as the Quantity Surveyor position came with a car – the die was cast. The following year I accepted a transfer to the

22 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Estimating Department and enjoyed three busy years covering my patch of South Wales – the Rhondda Valley westward to the Irish sea; south to the Bristol Channel and as far north as Aberystwyth.

In 1971, I wanted to move on and took the opportunity to go to Bermuda as a Quantity Surveyor/Estimator with a local contractor. My role really was a Project Manager with project responsibility from estimating through execution to completion. Here I learned the less formal methods of North American commercial building support and increased my building expertise portfolio with the inclusion of civil and marine works. Construction in Bermuda did not cater for specialized services and general contractors had to be capable of executing all types of construction.

During my six years in Bermuda, I like to think that I became Mid-Atlantic in my approach to commercial support to construction projects – recognizing and retaining the good and discarding the bad of both the British and American systems. My rugby playing days having been abruptly ended in the Fall of 1971 after a serious shoulder injury, I learned how to ‘drive’ a deep-sea fishing boat and spent many glorious Saturdays Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

out in the rolling Atlantic chasing game fish and plumbing the depths for food for our table. In the winters, I was privileged to coach one of the local rugby teams and the Bermuda National Team for five great years.

I moved to Canada in 1977 and worked as a Quantity Surveyor with George Wimpey out of London, Ontario until 1980 – developing subdivisions; building houses; highways, bridges and sewage treatment plants. In 1980, I moved to Western Newfoundland to work as Operations Analyst for the Lundrigan Group - a large, multi-disciplined company with operating divisions in real estate; manufacturing; automobile; builders supply and construction.

My role soon evolved to the equivalent of Commercial Manager for the Construction division with concentration on the Heavy Civil Group. In 1984, I was nominated as part of the team preparing for the Hibernia GBS Project, Offshore Newfoundland and in 1989 and 1990 worked in the North Atlantic Contractors Joint Venture on the Project Controls element of the Hibernia GBS Proposal submitted

“I have never forgotten what I learned from this experience and the appreciation of humility will remain with me forever.” to Mobil. Working with the multinational joint venture team members (Canadian, American, Norwegian and Newfoundland) was a great experience and prepared me for the next stage of my quantity surveying career.

In 1990, the Hibernia GBS Project contract ($1.5 billion) was awarded to NODECO (the other bidder) and our JV team was in a state of despair – five years of intense work apparently wasted. However, the opportunist in me and perhaps also some of the nomad surfaced and I accepted an offer from one of the NODECO Joint Venture Partners – George Wimpey to join the NODECO Commercial Team as a quantity surveyor. Thus, in 1991, I was again working on the Hibernia Project and remained there until its completion and sail-away in 1997. Being part of the Hibernia GBS construction team was an

unforgettable experience – it was a ground breaking, mega project in every way imaginable – and cumulated in the placing of a 1.5 million tonne reinforced concrete platform on the seabed out on the Newfoundland Grand Banks. Designed to drill for, pump and process up to 200 thousand barrels of oil/day for at least 15 years, the platform is still going strong and is the rock from which the other developments offshore Newfoundland and Labrador have sprung. Many of the original North Atlantic Contractors Team met up once again during the construction of this giant platform as each of the world’s experienced GBS contractors were tapped for engineering and project management resources.

Since 1997, I have continued to support the East Coast Canada Oil and Gas Industry in various capacities

Join our team BTY Group is a leading cost and project management consultancy firm searching for talented Senior and Intermediate Cost Consultants and Project Monitors to work on some of Canada’s most exciting and high profile projects based out of our downtown Vancouver and Toronto offices.

Candidates interested in these opportunities should be highly motivated and able to work on their own initiative. Applicants must have a relevant degree/diploma and suitable experience in cost management and/or project monitoring and should be professionally qualified, or working towards obtaining professional qualifications.

Successful candidates will be responsible for the day-to-day running of projects, client liaison and management, and will have strong leadership, teamwork, negotiation and communication skills.

We offer an attractive package including relocation assistance, excellent compensation, benefits and exciting career opportunities.

Should you wish to accelerate your career within a dynamic and progressive Canadian organization, please send your CV and covering letter to careers@bty.com.

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 23

but always utilizing my skill and experience as a professional quantity surveyor. My exposure to all facets of construction commercial support now enables me to utilize and adapt these skills and deliver support to not only construction but also to oil and gas production and other related activities. This experience has expanded my capabilities and I think has made me a more complete professional quantity surveyor.

I am no longer as active as I was in my younger days but still enjoy the ability to share my knowledge and experience whenever it is required.

Learning from the example set to me during my time as a Building Management Trainee, I try to mentor younger colleagues whenever possible.

After almost 30 years of living and working in Canada, I am a committed Federalist (even though I am as passionate about my adopted province as any Newfoundlander). The privilege of my acceptance by CIQS as a certified Professional Quantity Surveyor in 1994 will remain as the high point of my working career and

my volunteer time on CIQS Council has always been worthwhile and for me is an opportunity to provide some return on the investment made in me

by CIQS nearly two decades ago.

A career in construction quantity surveying and estimating can be very rewarding. My advice to

RENT

or

those just starting out is to always think laterally and maximize your peripheral vision, avoid working and thinking in a box, learn and retain humility and during any kind of meeting or negotiation, leave your ego outside and pick it up again when you leave.

ELECTRICITY

Over 1 million Canadians can’t afford both. The high cost of housing forces many people to make choices no one should have to make. You can choose to help. To donate, participate or advocate visit www.habitat.ca

24 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Finding a new way to meet:

Ten pitfalls of pitiful meetings…and how to fix them

By Kimberly Douglas

If your team members (or you!) hear, “Meeting at 3:00” and think, Here comes another waste of my time, then it’s time for a meetings overhaul at your organization. Meetings can be important team-building and idea-generating opportunities for your employees. The key is knowing how to do them the right way.

It is Friday afternoon, and your team is filing into the conference room, mumbling and grumbling as they take their seats for yet another meeting. An hour passes and the meeting comes to a much-anticipated end, leaving everyone involved wondering why the meeting was held in the first place. After all, the usual suspects dominated the discussion and the same ideas that came up in last week’s meeting were once again batted around. No one seemed to write anything down and no one agreed to put anything discussed into action.

If this kind of ineffective meeting sounds familiar, you are not alone.

It is a problem that plagues many organizations—but it is also one that can be remedied.

In these tough economic times, every second of the work day is valuable.

None of it should be wasted in meetings that seem to go nowhere or that are plagued by conflict or lack of participation. I have sat through countClick Here to Return to Table of Contents

less meetings myself—some great and some not-so-great. But those that were not so great could have been so much better with just a little more effort. If leaders know how to conduct better meetings, those meetings can actually become time well-spent— time that increases employee productivity, participation and innovation.

The question of productivity is a huge issue when it comes to meetings.

According to a Microsoft survey of over 38,000 employees, almost 70 % felt that the average 5.6 hours they spend each week in meetings are unproductive. Another survey conducted

by OfficeTeam had 28 % of its 150 senior executives responding that meetings are a waste of time. Furthermore, 45 % of respondents said they believed their employees could be more productive if meetings were banned at least one day a week.

In too many companies, meetings have become a way for leaders and their employees to simply go through

the motions. If a new initiative is being implemented or new product ideas are needed, the feeling from management is often, “Well, let’s have a meeting. At least it will seem like we are doing something.” Unfortunately, not enough thought goes into how to conduct those meetings. Having a meeting, in and of itself, is not a bad idea. In fact, meetings can be the most engaging and thought-provoking times of the day for leaders and team members alike. The key is avoiding those pitfalls that sink a meeting’s productivity.

If it is time for a meetings overhaul at your organization, read on my 10 common meeting pitfalls and how you can fix them:

What’s the point? A common problem with many meetings is that they are scheduled with seemingly no clear objective in mind. Run through a pre-meeting checklist before putting it on everyone’s schedule. First, ask

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 25

yourself whether the meeting is even necessary. Could the information you want to provide be just as easily presented in an email? What do you want to accomplish with the meeting? Will reaching that accomplishment really require a group decision? If you ask yourself these questions and decide that you do need to have the meeting, next consider who should attend.

Design an agenda for the meeting and clearly communicate any prep work that needs to be done by the participants beforehand.

Being clear about the meeting’s objectives will ensure a greater likelihood of it being effective than anything else you can do. Simply answering, “So why are we meeting?” before everyone is gathered in the conference room will help you ensure meetings are productive for everyone and will also help you avoid lost opportunity cost and draining employee motivation.

Where is the agenda? Remember

the last time you actually received an agenda in advance of a meeting?

Likely, you immediately had a higher perception of whether that meeting was going to be a waste of time or not.

Once you know who will be attending the meeting, you need to finalize the agenda. A quality meeting agenda includes: • The date, time and location of the meeting • The meeting’s objectives • Three to six agenda items, accompanied by how long they will take to discuss and who the discussion leaders will be • A clear explanation of the prep work that should be completed before the meeting Note that it is okay to use standing agenda items from meeting to meeting—such as ‘Company Overview,’ ‘Industry Trends,’ ‘Strategy Discussion,’ ‘Review of Metrics,’ ‘Results’ and ‘Problem Solving’—as long as you also include the length of time allotted for each item and who will be leading the discussion. Send the agenda out as far in advance of the meeting as possible and then re-distribute an agenda/ meeting reminder 48 hours prior to the meeting.

When putting together the agenda for your meeting, Also consider the

individual Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) profiles of your team members. Before you begin your meetings overhaul, have an HBDI certified specialist come in to profile your team. The HBDI is an assessment instrument that measures people’s specific thinking preferences. Your team members will be divided based on the HBDI quadrants: Analyze (the blue quadrant), Organize (the green quadrant), Strategize (the yellow quadrant), and Personalize (the red quadrant). Once you know how your team members think, you can design a meeting agenda that better suits each one of them. It is a great way to design your meetings so that there is something for everyone and you can even colour code your agenda based on the quadrant colours to indicate which parts of the meeting your team members will find the most engaging.

When people come into a meeting knowing what is going to be discussed, they see exactly how their time will be spent. They have time in advance to plan their own participation and can thus participate more effectively. By simply creating an agenda, you are already significantly upping your chances of having a successful meeting.

Conference room overcrowding.

Would you attend a meeting if you did not know why the meeting was being held and why you, in particular, were invited? Often, too many people who do not have a clear understanding of what role they are supposed to play are invited to meetings. Those in attendance need to know if you want them to be an expert, an influencer or a decider.

When you are creating your meeting participant list, think about the meeting’s purpose. Does Stan from Accounting really need to be in on

the next marketing meeting? Does Barbara in HR need to know what is expected of the sales team for the next quarter? Make sure everyone who is attending the meeting knows exactly why they were invited. If need be, communicate directly to them why you want them there. Keep the number of ‘required’ attendees as small as possible and if critical members can not attend, consider postponing the meeting until they can. Having a meeting without all of the right brains present can cause just as many delays and productivity problems as postponing the meeting a couple of days. Finally, use the following litmus test. Ask yourself, Will this meeting be the best use of this person’s time, given its objectives? If you answer yes, then it is highly likely that person should be there.

Once you do get all of the right team members assembled, you might also consider having them use a meeting cost calculator, which allows them to privately enter in their salaries and the meeting length to calculate how much it is costing the company for them to be in a given meeting. It is a powerful tool that can promote individual productivity because it reminds everyone involved of the financial significance of the time spent in the meeting.

The meeting will seemingly go on forever. Now, that might be an

exaggeration, but that exact thought will be crossing the minds of those attending a meeting that seems to be going nowhere. When the eyes of attendees start wandering to watches, BlackBerries and wall clocks in an attempt to see exactly how much time they have spent in the meeting and to estimate how much more time will elapse before they can get

“Meetings can be the most engaging and thoughtprovoking times of the day for leaders and team members alike.”

26 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

back to their long to-do lists, you are in trouble.

Providing a meeting agenda will go a long way toward solving this problem. When attendees know exactly when a meeting will be over, they will not spend their time internally speculating about when they can leave. Create a reputation for yourself as being a meeting leader who starts and ends on time, every time. If you do need to extend the meeting’s length, ask the group’s permission before doing so. When you are creating your meeting agendas, remember that the ideal maximum meeting length is 60 minutes and use what I call ‘time boxes’ for each agenda item. That means X amount of time is allotted for each agenda item. Bring a kitchen timer that you can use to enforce the time limits.

Because time is of the essence for every agenda item, you might want to encourage your discussion leaders to go around and get a headline from each person in the meeting to start each discussion topic. That gives everyone a chance to participate, without allowing one person to take up all of the discussion time for a topic. To keep those attending on their toes, you might even want to consider unusual start times like 11:45 a.m. or 1:15 p.m.

The meeting becomes a free-forall. Anyone who has ever attended a

meeting or led a meeting knows that it does not take long for things to get off track. The best way to avoid losing control of the conversation and the meeting as a whole is to set some conversational ground rules right away. Make it clear to those in attendance that the ground rules will be used to ensure that everyone’s time is well-spent. Then select four to six rules based on the unique needs of those attending and your specific meeting objectives. A few possibilities include, ‘Everyone participates,’ ‘Speak in headlines’ (to prevent attendees from rambling) and ‘Police yourself—Am I participating too much or not enough?’ etc. Keep the rules front and center. You may even want to write them on a flip chart to display during the meeting or once they are

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

established, you can include them in the actual agenda.

Always ask for the input of the group.

They may think a rule will hinder the productivity of the meeting or they may have a suggestion that will help to keep everyone on topic. The bottom line is to create rules that will help everyone stay focused on the meeting’s goals. Do that consistently and your meetings will be the better for it.

Big talkers eat up all the time.

Every meeting has them: those people who love to let everyone know they are the most important people in the room, have the best ideas and have a comment to make on every subject.

Your conversational ground rules should help keep your big talkers (or big-headed!) in line, but there are other ways to ensure that one person does not dominate. First, do not let big talkers sit at the front of the room or the back center of a U-shape. This definitely gives them a feeling of being on stage. In fact, you may even want to use assigned seating for the meeting. (If you decide to use assigned seating, change the assignments for each meeting and if you are the leader, change where you sit each meeting.)

Doing so will also prevent big talkers from sitting next to a buddy. Big talkers tend to feed off of one another and separating them will help reduce their

excessive input.

There are other meeting strategies that will help you garner the participation of everyone rather than just one or two individuals. I find that individual think time is very valuable.

Not only does it force your big talkers to organize their thoughts rather than blurting them out every chance they get, but it also allows your introverts to gather their thoughts and formulate what they would like to say. When the individual think time is up, do a round robin during which you ask team members to weigh in. Be sure to start with an introvert whom you saw writing a lot during the think time.

You will likely find that once you get this person talking, everyone in the group will be surprised by how great his or her input is and they will wonder why the introvert has not spoken up before.

Breaking attendees up into small groups can also be effective. If quieter attendees can bounce ideas off of each other without the threat of being interrupted by someone else, you are able to truly let their innovations shine through. Trust that those in the meeting are mature enough and self-aware enough that they can monitor their own behaviors. If someone is consistently getting out of hand, it will then be your responsibility to pull him aside after the meeting and let him know that his behavior cannot be

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 27

“You will find that situations that may have previously turned into tense conflicts instead turn into intense brainstorming and collaboration sessions.” tolerated. Emphasize that by listening to the ideas of his colleagues, he actually sets himself and the company up for greater success because more ideas come to the fore.

Conflict kills productivity. An important thing to keep in mind is that effective meetings are not necessarily free of conflict. In fact, conflict can be a good thing and it should be valued by those attending any given meeting. The key is not letting it get out of hand. View conflict as ‘creative abrasion,’ a phrase coined by the president of Nissan Design International, Jerry Hirshberg. Here is a metaphorical explanation of how it works: Picture two tectonic plates on the earth’s surface—your way and my way, perhaps—grating against each other.

Many people know that when this kind of friction occurs between plates, earthquakes often ensue. But what happens when these two plates—or viewpoints—come together? If the environment is right, they create a mountain—a third viewpoint that is a product of the first two approaches and that is grander, loftier and more powerful than either one was on its own. In other words, conflict is turned into synergy.

For creative abrasion to work, leaders have to view conflict as a good thing. When a conflict arises, maybe someone disagrees with an idea that’s been thrown out or with how a certain issue was handled. Defuse the disagreement with collaboration. Openly discuss solutions and compromises that everyone can get behind and remember, conflict is a group issue. Do not single anyone out when a conflict arises. Handle it as a group. Create and reinforce a common set of group conflict norms. Similar to the ground rules you use to make your meeting more effective, conflict norms can be used to beget productive discussions that will lead to decisions to which

everyone can—and will—commit.

Have each member of your team write down three to five norms that would lead the group as a whole to a more productive conflict and allow for better decision making. Examples include: ‘Establish a common goal that the group fully understands,’ ‘Provide an opportunity for every voice to be heard,’ ‘Speak so others can hear your message,’ ‘Clarify pros, cons and risks of options or potential solutions,’ etc.

When things do get heated, ask everyone to take a break for a couple of minutes to think things over. Reinforce the ground rules and ask team members to listen to each other and consider what a possible compromise might be.

Remind everyone of the meeting’s ultimate goal and ask, given that goal, how you all can move forward to achieve it.

You might hear from your team that more information needs to be gathered.

That would make for a good reason to stop the meeting right then and set a date for a future meeting. If the knowledge is in the room, it is likely people just are not listening to each other.

They need to balance inquiry with advocacy. They have probably spent too much time advocating their own positions and not enough trying to understand the other views. Break everyone into smaller groups and give them a moment to think through the other positions. Ask them to write down at least two to three reasons why opposing ideas might be good, as they relate to achieving the ultimate goal. Then give each side a few minutes to state their points. Ask everyone to listen and consider a compromise.

And if worse comes to worst, use humour to disarm a tense discussion and then try to get everyone refocused. Once you have trained your team to truly value and listen to one another, I think you will find that situations that may have previously turned into tense conflicts instead turn into intense brainstorming and collaboration sessions.

28 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

No one knows who is making the decisions. So your meeting is nearly

over, you have discussed everything on the agenda and you are ready to send everyone on their way. Unfortunately, no one is quite clear about what they are supposed to be doing or who is going to make that decision. As the leader, you do not have to be the one making all of the decisions, but you do have to make sure the decisionmaking process is clear to everyone.

Decide what the best decision-making process is at the beginning of the meeting based on the criticality of the decision, time constraints and the need for buy-in. Will a group compromise be necessary? Should everyone vote and defer to the majority’s decision? Will it be better to build a consensus and go from there? Or should you, the leader, make the call? The best method is going to depend on what exactly the meeting’s goal is.

The Vroom-Yetton Decision Making Model can be used to help you decide which approach to take. It is a powerful tool for determining and making explicit how groups will make decisions. As the leader, use this framework to help you think through which level of input you want from the team before you even engage them in discussion on the issue. The levels of the Vroom-Yetton are as follows: Autocratic, Consultative and Group-Based (more information about these levels can be found in my book, The Firefly Effect: Build Teams That Capture Creativity and Catapult Results.) With those levels in mind, a leader must also consider such factors as the need for complete buy-in from the team, timing, complexity of the problem, breadth of impact of the decision, etc.

Basically, the more critical the decision and the more buy-in you need for the execution of the decision to be effective, the more consensus you need to build.

Whatever decision-making method you choose, make sure everyone unClick Here to Return to Table of Contents

derstands who will be making the final decision from the get-go. The quickest way for a leader to lose his team’s respect is for him to make a decision that his team thought they would be making. If you just want your team’s input and will be making the final decision on your own, let them know that ahead of time.

They will be happy to weigh in and will feel good that you respect and want their opinions. I find that most teams do not care as much that they get to make a final decision; they just care that they did not know from the beginning that they were not going to be making the final decision. When this happens, it feels to them like the decision-making responsibility has been taken away from them because they did not live up to what their leader expected.

No decisions, commitments or next steps are captured. Too of-

ten, meetings end and everyone simply goes back to business as usual without putting anything that was discussed in the meeting into action or without even knowing what they personally should do. If you keep the format for capturing what went on in the meeting simple, you have a much greater likelihood of getting it done and getting it distributed quickly. There is no simpler way to record what went on than by writing on a flip chart the WHO, WHAT and BY WHEN of the directives discussed in the meeting.

Do a round robin with everyone recapping what they are accountable for delivering. Good questions for the leader to ask to get people thinking about the impact of the meeting include, “Who was not in today’s meeting who needs to know what we decided today?” and, “How are we going to communicate this to them?” Once decisions have been made and everyone knows how they will be communicated, set the date, time and location for next meeting, making it clear that all will be responsible for reporting on the results of this meeting’s action items at the next meeting. Always distribute a brief meeting summary within 24 hours of the meeting. The

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

meeting summary will reinforce to everyone that results are expected.

No meeting evaluations are performed. For many organizations,

meetings have simply become something that employees feel like they have to get through. They think that all they need to do is sit through the meeting and then they can get back to the task at hand. A great way to ensure that this is not the mindset of those in your organization’s meetings is to do proper meeting evaluations.

You do not have to wait until a meeting is over to evaluate. A great strategy is to do a process check at least once during a meeting. Have everyone assess the four Ps: • Progress. Are we achieving our goals?

• Pace. Are we moving too fast or too slowly?

• Process. Are we using the right tools/methods?

• Pulse. How is everyone feeling – frustrated, satisfied, energized?

The process check will allow you an opportunity to get everything back

on track if the meeting is not going as planned. Then at the end of the meeting you can do a plus/delta evaluation. This evaluation allows you and meeting attendees to assess what worked well in the meeting (the plus) and what could be improved for the next one (the delta). Do not look at meeting evaluations as a throwaway step. They are key to ensuring that your meetings are consistently wellorganized and productive.

I believe wholeheartedly that a team meeting can be the most productive and exciting time in that team’s life. Unfortunately, too many organizations meet for the wrong reasons or have simply fallen into a going-through-the-motions meeting style. By implementing a few simple tools, you can breathe life back into your meetings. Give these strategies time to take hold and you will find that your meetings can become times of trust building, problem solving and collaboration that will energize your employees and give way to innovation that will greatly benefit the organization as a whole.

About the Author: Kimberly Douglas, SPHR, is president of FireFly Facilitation, Inc., a firm specializing in the design and facilitation of high-impact initiatives, including leadership team effectiveness and strategic planning. She has facilitated results for over 25 years in a broad cross-section of industries and organizations, including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Home Depot, UPS, and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Kimberly holds a master of science in industrial/ organizational psychology. Prior to founding FireFly ten years ago, Kimberly was an organization effectiveness manager for Coca-Cola, a director with the Hay Group, and served in HR leadership roles in the healthcare, telecommunications, and hospitality industries. Her book, The Firefly Effect, was published by Wiley in April 2009.

She was the 2003 president of SHRM-Atlanta, has been reelected to the board in 2009, and was just named to the SHRM National Task Force for Performance Standards Development. Kimberly gives back to her community through pro bono work with such organizations as the Partnership Against Domestic Violence, The Westminster Schools, and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits.

About the Book: The Firefly Effect: Build Teams That Capture Creativity and Catapult Results (Wiley, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-43832-9, $24.95) is available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers or directly from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.

For more information, please visit www.FireFlyFacilitation.com.

FALL 2009 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | 29

Connect with our Advertisers Company

Web site/Email

Phone

Page

Altus Group

www.altusgroup.com

905-953-9948

2

www.arescorporation.com

905-832-0500

32

Ares Corporation BTY Group

www.bty.com

23

cm2r

www.cm2r.com

416-925-1424

31

Costex Management

www.costex.ca

604-522-4332

19

George Brown College

coned.georgebrown.ca

800-265-2002

30

Habitat for Humanity

www.habitat.ca

800-667-5137

24

www.lec.bc.ca

604-464-5636

15

www.marshallswift.com

800-544-2678

9

www.taskcm.com

800-845-8275

13

CIQS.TDInsurance.com

866-296-0888

6

LEC Quantity Surveying Inc. Marshall & Swift TASK Construction Management TD Insurance Meloche Monnex

Congratulations to the following members who have qualified as a PQS or CEC: OIQS

Rajeshkumar Bheda, CEC Salvatore Catalano, CEC Luigi Dotta, CEC Antonio Ebeo, CEC Aleksander Jovic, CEC Hani Kosnik, PQS James Lester, CEC Yongzhong Li, CEC William Lockwood, CEC Nadine Mazzawi, CEC Yalda Namek, CEC

30 | Construction Economist | www.ciqs.org | FALL 2009

Carole Patricia Nelmes, PQS Manojkumar Patel, CEC John Paterson, CEC Stephen Payne, CEC Romaine Peters, CEC Stephen Phillips, PQS Kemal Sagbas, CEC Taimoor Sheikh, CEC Edwin Salvador Sorita, PQS Larry Vidinovski, CEC Peter J. Unsworth, CEC

QSBC

Sean Glenfield, CEC Benjamin Laraya, CEC Wanhai Li, CEC Debbie McKay, PQS Christopher Jones, PQS

AQSA

Schalk Van Heerden, PQS

Click Here to Return to Table of Contents

Cost Management Project Loan Monitoring Project Management Management Consulting