Concrete On-Site February 2023

AWARD WINNING CONCRETE:

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION IN ONTARIO

IN THIS ISSUE:

Milwaukee Tool and PCL Construction Work Towards a Zero-Emission Jobsite

How MX FUEL™ is improving safety and efficiency on the Cascade Power Project

Building a Better Future in Construction

Acting on climate change has become an international priority, and the heavy construction sector is among the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions worldwide. As Canada’s largest general contractor, PCL Construction is leveraging Milwaukee Tool’s battery-powered MX FUEL™ Equipment System on the Cascade Power Project to lessen environmental impact, improve safety and efficiency on the jobsite, and reduce operating and maintenance costs.

Once commercial operations commence in 2023, this combined cycle power plant is expected to lead the transition from coal-fired power to clean electricity in Alberta.

“Our goal is to have the leading-edge technology to complete the project successfully and on schedule,” says Brian Waritsky, warehouse manager at PCL Construction. “With

MX FUEL™, we’re giving our tradespeople the ability to execute their work more effectively.”

Fuelling Innovation

As the construction sector searches for innovative ways to meet sustainable development goals, battery-powered technology provides one of the biggest opportunities to reduce harmful jobsite emissions that pose risks to end users and the environment.

“I’ve been on sites this size and larger where you can tell that the generators and compressors have been running all night, especially on those frigid Canadian winter mornings,” says Ken Hanley, general superintendent at PCL Construction. “Last winter, we didn’t experience that here.”

PCL Construction has been transitioning over to MX FUEL™ since discovering the

system delivered reliability and durability for heavy use on industrial projects without the hassles and hazards associated with gas and pneumatic equipment.

The company’s largest investment has been in the MX FUEL™ ROCKET™ Tower Light/ Charger with over two hundred units in their fleet. The tower light emits zero emissions, has a wheel-based design and weighs in at only 108 pounds, so moving it is a one-person job. For comparison, a diesel light tower requires refuelling, spill containment, and a forklift to place the unit because it weighs about 1,600 pounds.

“When we ran the data from 2019 to June 2022, our estimated fuel burn for diesel-powered light towers was 250,000 litres over this time period,” says Scott Sharun, senior procurement and equipment manager with PCL Construction. “If we remove one diesel light tower for a winter, we reduce emissions by an estimated 9.6 tonnes of carbon output per diesel light tower. That’s a game changer.”

Improving Safety and Efficiency on the Jobsite

The MX FUEL™ Equipment System eliminates exposure to the emissions, fumes and noise pollution of gas tools, especially when you factor in idling time. Battery-powered tools start with the press of a button and there’s no need for spill kits, spill trays and fire extinguishers.

“MX FUEL™ produces zero emissions inside buildings and eliminates the hazards associated with air lines and cords, both of which are huge safety improvements on our jobsites,”

says Roger Keglowitsch, chief operating officer for heavy industrial at PCL Construction.

Since some builds are vertical, getting lighting and heavy gas-powered equipment onto higher floors can also be challenging. The lightweight and cordless MX FUEL™ Equipment System removes limitations on jobsites where mobility is critical.

“Previously, your productivity only went to the end of an extension cord or to the elevation an air hose could reach,” says Waritsky. “MX FUEL™ allows our workers to be far more productive in more areas while mitigating safety concerns.”

Profitable Sustainability

PCL Construction is 100 per cent employee-owned, which drives accountability and engages every employee in the pursuit of more environmentally responsible construction practices. Transitioning to battery-powered tools has helped to reduce costs and waste, thereby aligning the company’s sustainability

goals with financial performance.

Gas and pneumatic tools involve more moving parts, increasing the chances of damage and reducing the tool’s lifespan. On top of that, it’s hard to find field mechanics who can service and repair small gas engine units for sites operating 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and this impacts the site’s ability to stay operational and productive.

“We were replacing a lot of cords and parts with our older equipment,” says Sharun. “We’ve seen a significant reduction in service and labour costs with our MX FUEL™ fleet because there’s no risk of over-throttling, cords and hoses are gone, fouled plugs and burnedout mufflers are gone; and all the issues around fuel in winter on small combustion engines. Providing limited downtime and service requirements increases utilization as we aren’t waiting for parts or repairs.”

On top of that, because MX FUEL™ is ONEKEY™ compatible, PCL Construction has been able to geo-fence a project site and easily track

asset location to reduce loss by remotely disabling batteries when they wander off site.

Forward Thinking and Future Ready

Every project in PCL Industrial in Canada has access to or is currently using MX FUEL™. “We’re hungry for all the innovations that come with battery power,” says Sharun. “We want out of gas and diesel, and we want out of cords.”

According to Sharun, the ability to quickly deploy MX FUEL™ results in an operating site by lunchtime. Meanwhile, those using gas are still unwrapping skids, running cords everywhere and trying to figure out where to put their fuel tanks.

Tradespeople are also getting harder to attract, Hanley adds, so it’s important to show that you’re evolving and using the latest and greatest gear. “MX FUEL™ has allowed us to do that,” he says. “We’re able to make the best technology available for them to do their job and that makes them want to work for our company.”

For more information about MX FUEL™, visit milwaukeetool.ca/mxfuel.

Project Profile

Project: Greenfield combined cycle 900 MW power plant

Location: 16 kilometres south of Edson, Alberta

Jobsite size: 11 hectares (27 acres)

Approximate workforce: 1,080 people at peak

Construction started: September 2020

Total construction costs: $1.3 billion CAD

The MX FUEL™ CARRY-ON™ 3600W/1800W Power Supply (MXF002-2XC) delivers portable power on demand with no noise and no emissions.

The MX FUEL™ 14” Cut-Off Saw (MXF314-2XC) can cut 72 pieces of #5 rebar per charge with zero emissions.

The MX FUEL™ ROCKET™ Tower Light/Charger (MXF041-1XC) provides up to 27,000 lumens of lighting for both indoor and outdoor tasks.

Concrete polishing produces floors that are extremely durable, easyto-clean and provide a polished look that many clients are looking for in their buildings.

With applications ranging from large, commercial buildings like warehouses where a client’s main focus may be durability, to commercial gyms where the desire for polish is mainly aesthetic, there are many reasons a client might choose a polished-concrete floor, so it is important to work with the building owner to understand what they want, and what can be delivered, when it comes to polished concrete surfaces.

Communication can help avoid pitfalls, since the multi-step process used to create these surfaces involves navigating variables in the concrete, and ensuring that you and your client are on the same page.

MANAGING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

There are certain aesthetic expectations that customers tend to have when it comes to polished concrete, but between the architect bidding the project and the end-user, the reality of what can be achieved with a polished concrete floor may get lost in translation. If the only discussion about the finished floors has been between the architect and their customer, there is a risk of vision and deliverable misalignment.

Managing expectations starts with making sure the end customer understands the process. Creating polished concrete

Durability, shine and aesthetics

BY DANIEL REALE-CHIN

floors begins with grinding the surface of the concrete using diamond tooling as an abrasive. Although the process produces a smooth surface, there can be a considerable variation in the end deliverable.

“The first question a contractor should ask is, are you looking for a very consistent, monolithic looking floor?” says Randy Wheelis, product training specialist for Bartell Global.

Polishing concrete is a beautification process, but like people, Wheelis explains that all concrete has personality. Through the process of grinding, densifying and polishing, Wheelis says that the personality of the floor will be brought to the forefront.

“By polishing the concrete, you reveal what is already there,” he explains. “Your customer needs to understand that any imperfection in the concrete like cracks, spalling marks, etc., those are going to be visible when you are done.”

Many customers are looking for the unique look that each polished-concrete floor retains, embracing how its cracks and imperfections create a truly one-of-a-kind project, but Wheelis advises that customers still need to be made aware of this lack of uniformity. “As long as your customer knows that they will not get a standard monolithic look, as a professional, you can proceed,” he says.

WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED

Paul Bravo, president of Bravo Cement Contracting, has worked on a variety of

projects for clients, ranging from schools to commercial warehouses. He says part of managing expectations is being upfront and properly illustrating the different finishes possible with this technique.

“When it comes to new-construction projects, there can be confusion between the architect hiring a concrete polishing contractor and the end-user who wants to achieve something very specific with their floors,” says Bravo.

Within his client base, there are three finishes that customers tend to ask for: a cream finish, a salt and pepper finish, and an aggregate finish. Bravo finds that architects are usually referring to the level of aggregate exposure when they ask for any of those finishes.

For some, the concept of a polished floor means that aggregate in the concrete will be exposed through the process of grinding. Bravo explains that a cream finish won’t expose any aggregate, however, adding that it is possible to achieve a finish that is closer to a monolithic look.

A salt-and-pepper finish exposes aggregates like sand and the occasional larger stone, while a full-aggregate exposure is closer to a terrazzo look, with large pieces exposed throughout the floor. The amount of aggregate exposure that can be achieved depends on the diamond grit used to polish the concrete. A coarse-grit diamond disc, which can execute a deeper cut into the concrete, will get the polisher closer to achieving an appearance similar to terrazzo.

PHOTO: © ZELMA / ADOBE STOCK

Polished concrete floors are one smooth option that is not only durable, it’s eye catching as well.

Wheelis also abides by a certain set of definitions that help dispel some of the miscommunication that can happen with concrete and polished-concrete literacy. As with Bravo, is aim is for clients and contractors to share the same definition of what each finish is, and how it can be achieved.

Wheelis classifies finishes into four categories, ranging from a cream finish, a salt and pepper finish, and then two aggregate looks: a medium or a large aggregate exposure. With each level of exposure, Wheelis says the cut made in the concrete will be deeper.

“But even between these categories, you may find some larger aggregates in a salt and pepper look in random areas because, remember, you will never achieve that completely monolithic look,” he says.

For his clients, Bravo recommends the full-aggregate exposure. That look, he says, can be more forgiving, given the depth that the contractor is cutting into the surface. Lately, Bravo has noticed a trend with school boards asking for polished concrete,

and opting for a cream or salt-and-pepper finish. In schools, he says that look is often hard to achieve because of the unequal lay of the floor.

“You also need to keep in mind that these finishes cannot be achieved on all floors,” he says. “Cream finishes and finishes with little aggregate exposure require very flat surfaces if you want to get an even look.”

Both Bravo and Wheelis note a trend toward a cream finish for concrete floors. That is a look that it can be hard to achieve, and might not be possible, in some cases.

“If I have a client who is requesting a cream finish, I have to make sure that they know that they might get a bit of aggregate if there’s a high spot in the floor, because we often can’t do anything about high spots and concrete,” says Wheelis.

“What often happens is the contracting company will polish the floor, give the client a cream finish, and it will not look as uniform as they expected,” says Bravo, explaining that the limits of the finish

can lead to a dissatisfied building owner, which illustrates the need for proper communication.

To achieve the desired level of exposure, abrasives are a must. Wheelis explains that polishing to a salt-and-pepper- or heavy-aggregate exposure usually begins with a 40-grit metal bond diamond. Diamond grit can range from as low as six grit to as high as 300 grit. Some manufacturers even offer higher grit levels than that. His company, Bartell, carries four profiles, ranging from 16- to 150-grit.

The company’s 16-grit profile is its most aggressive, and is recommended for removing coatings like epoxy or glue. Wheelis says a 40-grit profile provides an average scratch, which he recommends for rough concrete, thin coating materials or to expose aggregate. For new concrete, he says 80-grit is a popular choice.

The abrasives are used in succession, each removing the previous grit’s scratch pattern as the machine operator works towards a smooth, scratch-free surface.

FOR THE SHINE

Once the grinding is finished, it is time to add a liquid densifier. Wheelis explains that his choice of a chemical densifier is sodium silicate because of its proven effectiveness for over 70 years, but there are many densifier options, including lithium silicates.

A densifier creates a reaction between the lime in the concrete and a chemical that fills in the small spaces in the concrete, which is porus. The result is a dense floor that should holds up to impact.

“I think people tend to forget that densifying is a chemical process. Densifiers harden over time to make the concrete durable. It hardens right away, but because it’s causing a chemical reaction, that can take more than nine months for the chemical reaction to make the concrete as hard as it will be in the end,” says Wheelis.

Once the concrete densifier has cured appropriately, the client can select a final surface gloss, ranging from almost no gloss all the way to a reflective shine. Burnish-

ing, the process of using a high-speed burnisher to heat, melt and shine a chemical product to the concrete surface is the start of building the shine.

This is another key area where Bravo recommends checking in with your customer, or asking the architect who bid the job to, to gauge what the customer wants to achieve with their polished floor.

Wheelis says that gloss meters are often used as a scale to measure the amount of light reflecting off the floor. He ranks a floors’ amount of gloss into four levels. Level one has little-to-no sheen, and registers as “no reading” on the scale. Level two provides the customer with a low-to-medium sheen and matte or satin appearance with slight reflection and registers at a 40-to-50 reading on the scale.

Level three has a medium-to-high sheen, where an observer can identify an object, but the image is not sharp. This registers at a 50-to-60 reading. Level four delivers a highly polished sheen with a high amount of light reflection and a gloss

reading of between 60 and 80.

Being able to present architects with a chart can ensure that all parties are again on the same page as the client selects the level of final polishing for their concrete.

“Architects are often the ones specifying the level of aggregate that the client wants, and what they want to achieve with their floors, but most of the time, what it takes to make sure that a client is going to end up with a product they’re satisfied with is a conversation between the concrete polishing company and the client, directly,” says Bravo.

Bravo suggests doing a site walkthrough or having a conversation with the client prior to tender, since different aggregate exposures, gloss finishes and protectants can require different processes, amounts of work, and therefore more money.

“Beyond that, it is always critical to do a test area to show the customer – the end-user – what the floor is going to look like,” adds Wheelis.

A CELEBRATION OF CONCRETE

Annual awards put a spotlight on the best of Ontario’s concrete construction projects.

The Ontario Concrete Awards have been recognizing the exceptional work of owners, designers, contractors, and suppliers in Ontario’s construction industry since 2001. A celebration of creative projects and applications of the most used construction material in the world, this year’s awards feature a variety of commercial, residential and infrastructure projects.

Ontario Concrete Awards 2022 Winners

1. Structural Engineering: Cast-in-Place

Name: Enwave Well Project

Details: Enwave constructed a large Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system as part of The Well development in Toronto. There was only 3,200 m³ of concrete in total but approximately 2,400 m³ was poured using a stationary pump at street level down approximately 70 ft to the bottom of P7 and then distributed to various discharge points around the perimeter of the tank.

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Owner: Enwave Engineer: Stantec

General Contractor: C&M McNally

Material Supplier: St. Marys CBM

Additional Participants: Master Builders Solutions

2. Structural Engineering: Precast

Name: Lodestar Structure’s Precast Concrete Modular Building System

Details: Lodestar Structures is a family of Precast Concrete Modular Building components designed for rapid and sustainable construction for residential and commercial applications.

Location: Kingston, Ontario

Owner: Anchor Concrete Products Ltd.

Architect: Anchor Concrete Products Ltd.

Engineer: Anchor Concrete Products Ltd.

General Contractor: Anchor Concrete Products Ltd.

Material Supplier: Anchor Concrete Products Ltd.

3. Specialty Innovation Technology

Name: TrueCure (at Garden District Condos)

Details: CBM’s TrueCure system takes the guesswork out of determining in-place concrete strength development. It does so by curing test cylinders to the natural hydration curve of the in-place concrete.

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Owner: The Sher Corporation

Structural Engineer: Jablonsky, Ast and Partners

General Contractor: SKYGRiD Construction

Material Supplier: St. Marys CBM

Additional Participants: EXACT Technology

4. Material Development & Innovation

Name: EvoBuild

Details: ANC Modular approached Hanson Ready Mix while in patent design development of a volumetric modular void form system. This system allows developers to

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FIBER SOLUTIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL CONCRETE FLOORING

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For more details, visit www.mapei.ca or contact 1-800-361-9309.

ONTARIO CONCRETE AWARDS

have a concrete superstructure without the need to use conventional forming methods.

Location: Ontario

Owner: ANC Modular Inc.

Engineer: J.H. Cohoon Engineering

General Contractor: ANC Modular Inc.

Concrete Contractor: ANC Modular Inc.

Material Supplier: Hanson Ready Mix

Additional Participants: Sika Canada Inc.

5. Sustainability: Pre-Cast

Name: Roxborough Apartments

Details: Roxborough Park is built to passive house standard and is comprised of 103 one & two-bedroom units ranging from 500 to 1,000 sq. ft.

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Owner: CityHousing Hamilton

Architect: KNYMH Inc.

Passive House Consultant: JMV Consulting

Construction Manager: Legacy Constructors Inc.

Material Supplier: Stubbe’s Precast

Additional Participants: LANHACK Steelcon Inc.

Sika Canada Inc.

6. Mid- to High-Rise Residential: Precast

Name: Gaslight Condos

Details: One of the goals with the Gaslight

condominiums in Galt was to produce a similar feature style to the historic buildings surrounding it, while giving it a newer, appealing, eye-catching look.

Location: Cambridge, Ontario

Owners: HIP Developments

Stubbe’s Precast

Engineers: MTE Consultants

Rizz Engineering Inc.

Architect: ABA Architects Inc.

GC: Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc.

Precast Supplier: Stubbe’s Precast

Additional Participants: Sika Canada Inc.

7. Mid- to High-Rise Res.: Cast-in-Place

Name: Oak & Co

Details: This multi-tower high-rise residential building includes a tower that consists of a 1,200 m³ raft slab pour that used two pumps and had six suspended transfer slabs. Approximately 52,000 m³ of concrete delivered to site from three different production facilities.

Location: Oakville, Ontario

Owner: Cortel Group

Record: Zeidler Architecture

Record: RJC Engineers

General Contractor: Expo City Management

Material Supplier: Dufferin Concrete (A CRH Company)

Additional Participants: Euclid Canada

MCF Highrise

8. Architectural Hardscape

Name: Canada Summer Games Building and Park

Details: Lafarge was contacted by Aquicon to supply concrete for the construction of a legacy facility at the Canada Summer Games Building and Park, this included foundations, slabs, steel gray coloured concrete for polished floors, and the exterior hardscape concrete.

Location: Thorold, Ontario

Owner: Canada Games Host Society / Canada Games Council

Architect: MJMA / Raimondo & Associates

Engineer: Blackwell Structural Engineers

General Contractor: Aquicon Construction

Hardscape Contractor: UCC Group Inc.

Material Supplier: Lafarge Canada Inc.

Additional Participants: Euclid Canada

Tri-Con

Master Builders Solutions

9. Infrastructure: Cast-in-Place

Name: Bramalea GO Station

Details: The Bramalea GO Station redesign creates a cohesive and efficient transportation centre. The extensive use

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of durable concrete products in various forms and finishes in the facility’s design delivers aesthetic appeal and enhanced permanency.

Location: Brampton, Ontario

Owner: Metrolinx

Architect: IBI Group Architects (Canada)

Engineer: RJC Engineers

GC: Kenaidan Contracting Ltd.

Material Supplier: Innocon Inc.

Additional Participants: Belmont Concrete Finishing Co. Ltd.

Fermar Paving Ltd.

Master Builders Solutions

Pre-Con

The Downsview Group

10. Infrastructure: Precast

Name: Duchesnay Creek Bridge, MTO Project 2018-5106

Details: The Duchesnay Creek Bridge replacement was built using laminated, high quality Douglas Fir girders and a bridge deck constructed with 28 precast deck panels.

Location: North Bay, Ontario

Owner: Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Northeastern Region

Engineer of Record: LEA Consulting Ltd.

General Contractor: Nipissing Miller

General Partnership

Material Supplier: Miller Northern Precast

Additional Participants: Sika Canada Inc.

11. Sustainability: Cast-in-Place

Name: 360 West Condos

Details: The units at 360 West Phase 1 are constructed using Insulated Concrete Forms formwork utilizing full height concrete construction from the footings all the way up to the roof lines in order to provide strong and energy efficient buildings.

Location: Tillsonburg, Ontario

Owner: 360 Developments

Architect: Ernst Construction & Design

Engineer: Strik Baldinelli Moniz Ltd.

General Contractor: Braunz Construction

Material Supplier: Lafarge Canada

Additional Participants: Master Builders Solutions

12. Architectural Merit

U of T Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre (SRIC)

Details: The 15-storey research and innovation centre has monolithic panels that span floor to floor. A CNC machine was used to produce the custom forms to achieve the desired angles and slopes of

the precast panels.

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Owner: University of Toronto

Architect: Teeple Architects Inc.

Engineer: Cole Engineering Group

General Contractor: EllisDon

Material Supplier: TKL Group Inc.

Additional Participants: Euclid Canada

13. Institutional Building

Name: The Nicol Building

Details: The thought, time, and planning that went into the design, manufacture, storage and installation of special architectural panels resulted in an eye-catching 115,000 sq. ft. building.

Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Owner: Carleton University

Architect: Hariri Pontarini Architects

Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti Canada Inc.

General Contractor: HEIN

Material Supplier: Central Precast

Additional Participants: Euclid Canada

14. Specialty Concrete Construction

Name: Boulevard Lake Dam Rehabilitation

Details: The rehabilitation of the Boulevard Lake Dam included the widening of the bridge deck over the dam, the addition of an architectural viewing platform, architectural lighting and stainless steel railings.

Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario

Owner: City of Thunder Bay

Engineer: TBT Engineering Limited

GC: Concrete Walls, PDR Contracting

Material Supplier: Canada Concrete Corporation

Additional Participants: Euclid Canada Miller Precast

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AND HIGH INTEREST STRONG ATTENDANCE

January’s

Concrete professionals kicked the year off with a highly attended World of Concrete show, the world’s largest trade show for the concrete and masonry sectors. This 49th edition of the annual event, held once again in January at the Las Vegas Conven-

“The 2023 edition of World of Concrete far exceeded our expectations. The crowded show floor and packed educational sessions proves how essential meeting face to face is, that it remains important now more than ever to have a space to connect, to learn, to share across the concrete, masonry and construction industries as a vital contributor to our economy,” stated Jackie James, vice-president of the show. “In-person attendance is on its way back to pre-pandemic levels and

improvements, and a massive range of original manufactured equipment from excavators to wireless concrete sensors. Also generating some significant interest was the display of modern materials like eco-driven autoclaved aerated concrete.

At this year’s edition of the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500, Michael Schlund and his tender Arron Kowalski laid 759 bricks in one hour to take the title of World’s Best Bricklayer. Schlund walked away with a new Ford F250 4x4 Super Duty truck, an Essick Pro12 Mixer, and more than $15,000 in cash and prizes for his efforts.

This year, World of Concrete also offered more than 160 technical sessions, including hands-on training, safety expertise and business development. Noted new additions to the 2023 education program were eight concrete basics and leadership courses presented in Spanish, a revamped three-hour comprehensive concrete repair track, and new workshops focusing specifically on women in construction.

tion Center (LVCC), put a focus on product innovations, new technologies and technical discussions.

Registrations for this year’s show, which was presented by Informa Markets, topped 48,000, generating heavy foot traffic on the show floor as trades professionals from more than 120 countries were in attendance.

the World of Concrete event leads global trends in construction.”

Notable highlights from the indoor and outdoor product displays, demonstrations and competitions included the first ever mobile 3-D robotic concrete printer and AI site map printer, top-of-the-line work trucks with electric batteries and aerodynamic

“World of Concrete is proud to support laborers in education and connection providing opportunity to advance the industry toward enhanced sustainability, efficiency and safety, and continuing growth,” stated Kevin Thornton, senior vice-president of construction at Informa Markets.

World of Concrete will return to Las Vegas in 2024 for its 50th anniversary show. The event is slated for January 23 to 25 with education sessions kicking off on January 22.

World of Concrete show had throngs of attendees providing an energy not seen since before the pandemic.

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BIGGEST SHOW YET 2023 SET FOR

Attended by more than 125,000 visitors and held every three years at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the CONEXPO-CON/AGG show is one of the largest trade shows in North America, and is by far the largest for the construction industry. And this year’s show is shaping up to be the biggest yet.

“The addition of the new West Hall and Diamond Lot at the Las Vegas Convention Center gave us, and our exhibitors, a number of new opportunities to show how we are taking the construction industry to the next level,” said show director Dana Wuesthoff. “Now at 2.8 million square feet of exhibits, there’s more for construction pros to see than ever before.”

The show, which will be almost five per cent bigger than its record-setting 2020 edition, will feature 1,800 exhibitors and more than 175 education sessions during its run from March 14 to 18.

Although it will be the largest CONEXPO ever, recent additions to the LVCC will make it easier than ever to get

around the grounds. Opened to convention center traffic in 2021, and located beneath the entire LVCC campus, is the Convention Center Loop, an underground transportation system designed by Elon Musk’s The Boring Company. The system of Tesla vehicles transports convention attendees throughout the campus in under two minutes, free of charge.

“We are excited to welcome CONEXPO-CON/AGG back to Las Vegas for another record-setting event,” said Brian Yost, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which owns and operates the LVCC.

“The addition of the West Hall and the Convention Center Loop will only further enhance the ‘Only Vegas’ experience for

Technology and sustainability two big attractions as the North American construction industry’s largest show ramps up for Vegas.

attendees and exhibitors.”

Construction pros are ready for the show to return as well. As of December, attendee registration was running at nearly double the pace it was for the same month ahead of the 2020 show.

“This is the event that construction professionals, especially those making company-level decisions, and those needing professional development hours, can’t miss,” said show chair and Caterpillar senior vice-president Phil Kelliher. “Seeing the new equipment and techniques on a screen doesn’t compare to seeing it all in person. At the show, you can see the equipment, ask questions of the manufacturers themselves, and really understand what the equipment and education can do for your career and business.”

A core theme that will be visible in the offerings from many of the exhibitors is sustainability.

“The construction industry and CONEXPO-CON/AGG are evolving in many ways to adapt and showcase sustainable technologies, products and practices supporting a more sustainable world,” said Wuesthoff. “More than ever, show attendees will see sustainability in action, from electric and hydrogen powered construction equipment, to more recyclable materials and waste reduction opportunities, to changes we’re making to the show to better support sustainability.”

In addition to the sustainable technologies, products and practices on display across the show floor, event organizers have also given sustainability its own education track in its seminar offerings.

With more than a dozen sessions

planned, speakers will address such subjects as reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, getting and managing electric construction equipment, asphalt and concrete recycling, carbon neutrality, and a “Sustainability 101” session for those just starting their sustainability journies.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG show organizers are also committed to reducing the environmental impact of the show itself, and have partnered with vendors dedicated to sustainable practices and reducing waste, while helping exhibitors choose more sustainable options. They will also be measuring the show’s total 2023 environmental impact to identify potential areas for future improvements.

In a statement leading up to the event, show organizers explained that sustainability efforts at CONEXPO-CON/AGG reflect the focus on sustainability within the entire construction industry, explaining that many construction companies have realized that clients are demanding sustainable building practices on projects, so contractors themselves are recognizing benefits from moving to more sustainable equipment and practices.

Principal sponsors of the event are the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). The show sponsor is the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), with AEM producing the show.

For more information about CONEXPO-CON/AGG, or to register with a 20 per cent discount using code MEDIA20 by March 13, visit www.conexpoconagg.com.

TURIN AND WITT TO HEADLINE COMMUNITY ZONE

New meeting area to feature lively discussion and a place to recharge with friends, old and new.

Dave Turin of Discovery’s Gold Rushand Dave Turin’s Lost Mine and Aaron Witt, founder of BuildWitt, will be headlining conversation in the Community Zone, a new addition to the show.

The Community Zone is an area in the Festival Lot of the show where construction pros can gather to network, grab some refreshments, and participate in different events.

“It’s good to come back to CONEXPO-CON/AGG,” said Turin. “I learn so much every time I come, and I’m proud to lend my own experience and story to the thousands of construction pros that come each time.”

Turin last joined Witt at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 for an episode of the BuildWitt podcast. This time, they’ll open the Community Zone with an enthusiastic, informative, and entertaining talk, followed by a question-and-answer session open to everyone at the show.

“Dave is such a great voice for the construction and mining industries,” said Witt. “His story, having grown up in his family’s quarry business, and then turning to full-time mining, and all the equipment involved in both businesses, has given him a lot of unique experience I can’t wait to help share.”

“The Community Zone is the kind of area attendees have been asking for,” said show director Dana Wuesthoff. “It’s a place for construction pros to recharge their devices and recharge themselves, all while still being able to continue learning and enjoying their experience.”

Turin and Witt will be in the Community Zone Tuesday, March 14, from 1 to 2 p.m. In addition to the session with Turin and Witt, conversations with other special guests are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, and the Community Zone will feature live music, influencer meetups, and a concession area every day of the show.