Vipco Visual Boards Ltd

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We're proudly Canadian, making and distributing our whiteboards & bulletin boards right here at home, with market-leading turnaround times. Display boards are our specialty and we take pride in using the highest quality materials, building each board with decades of experience.

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Our whiteboards are backed with sturdy galvanized steel and made with anti-staining, bacteriostatic material to help stop the spread of germs. All our boards are easy to clean with standard cleaners.

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Sibylla Kiddle School music room.

Boldt says the construction began with getting into the ground with site services and concrete foundations, followed by structural steel and masonry, as well as slab-on-grade and slab-on-deck pours. “From there, the push is to get the building enclosed and watertight,” Boldt says. “Interior steel studs start right away, then you can begin drywalling.” These activities are followed by interior finishes such as flooring, gym wood floors and equipment, millwork, doors and paint, with mechanical and electrical flowing throughout the process. The exterior site work included sidewalks, parking lots, benches, light poles and landscaping. “Each school has a two-story learning commons and gathering space with lots of natural light,” de Paiva says. “All schools have a solar power system on the roof.” While all the schools were designed to be identical, they each have their own unique colours, finishes and exterior site layouts. Each school also includes 24 classrooms, an art room, music room, administration area, gym and staff room, says Boldt. The learning

Sibylla kiddle School exterior. Sibylla Kiddle School roof.

commons and gathering space are central areas with clerestory windows from above and glulam columns. “The exterior of the building features sloped roof sections and some nice brick veneer to give it a more residential feel,” Boldt says. Each of the three schools are two stories in height, designed for a capacity of 600 students each, says de Paiva. They were constructed to achieve LEED Silver and are awaiting certification. The building exterior consists of concrete block/brick, corrugated metal siding and aluminum longboard siding accents. “The schools will benefit their respective communities by offering both educational spaces for the children of the communities, as well as after-hour uses by the community at large,” de Paiva says. “Communities are growing and schools are always in need,” Boldt adds. “Calgary is one of those places where there always more and more kids.” The subcontractors that worked on the schools are Trimen Electric (electrical), Rollinson Mechanical (mechanical), CCS (roofing), Danmar (drywall), KBM Flooring (flooring) and ESC Automation (controls). n

Dr. Freda Miller School men’s room.

Alberta Roofing Contractors Association celebrates 60th anniversary

Wall of fame.

To serve the Alberta roofing industry by consistently working to improve the image and quality of roofing – this is the foundation of our association established in 1961. The cornerstones of our association have always been education of our members, application standards that serve not only Alberta but also Canada, the rigorous prequalification of our members and a successful warranty program. What started as an amalgamation between the Calgary BuiltUp Roofing Association and the Master Bonded Roofers Association of Edmonton back in 1961 has now become one of the most respected organizations in the roofing industry. A long and storied history that would see numerous milestones helps make this anniversary one worth celebrating. Whether it be the implementation of our training fund which allows for the ongoing training of our member employees at no cost right through to our best-in-class warranty program which provides peace of mind for building owners and contractors alike, we take pride in all these initiatives.

Education

Maintaining relevance for over 60 years is an ongoing challenge, but with the vision that was stated by the association forefathers, this is a challenge that is being met head on to this day. Our support of the provincial apprenticeship program, along with the introduction of our own in-house education initiatives, has given us the ability to continue moving forward in an ever-changing world. Our continuing education program, which consists of the Accredited Roofer of Alberta (ARA) and Certified Roofing Professional (CRP), is considered a benchmark in the industry and allows for continuing opportunities above and beyond the traditional apprenticeship route. With a strong focus on safety, technical skills and ultimately a management component for those that continue towards that path, we are pleased that this program is sought-after by our member employees. With a clearly defined path that gives students the ability to move forward from hands-on work right through to managementlevel careers, we take pride in the amount of buy-in we have had from our membership group. These educational and training opportunities are provided at no cost to our contractor members. In addition to our career education path, we continue to offer the traditional education courses that are considered paramount to the skillset and development of members. Standalone courses, such as torch safety, fire extinguisher training, first aid for roofers, fall protection and leadership for safety excellence, are all offered. With a strong focus on education, our robust training programs continue to be utilized by our

members on an ongoing basis. Sustainability, estimating and financial literacy are just some of the courses that we offer. Additionally, the ARCA has also contributed our programs to the national association (CRCA) for use across the country. These contributions are all in the name of moving the roofing industry forward and keeping the workforce engaged. Our educational offerings are not limited to our membership group. A quick spin around our website will show you that architects, engineers and specifiers can take advantage of these benefits. Whether you need information on wind uplift, accepted products or approved roof systems, these can all be found with the click of your mouse. If for some reason you cannot find what you need on our website, our staff is more than happy to walk you through any inquiries you may have regarding your project. Our building is also available for groups that may need training space for their employees. As the former home of the Southern Alberta Roofer Apprenticeship program for many years, our building in Calgary is available for use by members and nonmembers alike. We encourage our members, manufacturers and associates to take advantage of our modern facility. It is available for use at no cost to our members and for a nominal fee for other organizations. Strong support from our members, which include contractors, manufacturers and associates, has given us the freedom to continually evolve and bring ongoing development to the roofing world, whether that is through our ongoing educational opportunities such as Rooferama, Advanced Education Day or the continual technical contributions that we make locally and nationally. These include ongoing research into photovoltaic roof assemblies (PVRA), as well as numerous other initiatives. We continue to set the bar high to attract people and members that will continue to help keep our mission statement relevant for another 60 years.

Membership

A very clearly defined mandate 60 years ago continues to serve us well. We look back proudly at those who helped shape where we are today and look forward to continually making the roofing industry a better place for years to come. Hard to imagine that those who started this organization back then could have seen what it has evolved into today: a cutting-edge association that continues to push the envelope. Our membership is carefully vetted and, as a result, the building owners who seek out an ARCA member know that they will be working with contractors with a proven and tested track record. All ARCA members unanimously agreed to a constant review by a third-party consultant to ensure all members meet the rigorous standards of the ARCA. One-hundred per cent of our members maintain COR, an achievement not shared by any other trade association.

standards

Like many other trades will agree, building and maintaining buildings in Alberta’s diverse climate can be extremely challenging. As we live in an area which can experience very strong winds, drastic daily temperature swings and extreme cold, the building materials and application techniques need to be robust and able to handle these extreme stresses. Building professionals rely on ARCA’s accepted products to ensure that materials have been thoroughly reviewed to meet their high expectations. As our manufacturing partners are continually innovating to meet consumer demands, this is even more crucial as the building envelope and roof assembly need to perform at an increasingly high level to protect the comforts and finishes of the interior of the building. The ARCA continually engages with national stakeholders to participate in research and development to ensure we can provide a high level of technical expertise to Alberta’s construction community. Our vision was established back in 1961. It is imperative that we continue to strive for these goals daily to keep the Association and our industry viewed in the most positive light. A strong focus on the educational aspect of our vision has allowed us to continually put forth the best and brightest our industry has to offer. A vibrant, educated workforce helps to ensure that the industry is in solid hands as we move towards our next 60 years. Without the clearly defined statement that guides us, none of this would have been possible. We owe a tip of the cap to the visionaries who laid out the groundwork for what we have become today. In these difficult times, taking the time to celebrate a milestone is a nice distraction from the world outside. Raise a glass to the ARCA for an amazing 60 years helping make the roofing industry a better place to be. n