Construction Business July/August 2016 by MediaEdge

July/August 2016 Vol. 13 No.5

OpeNROAd Audi BOuNdARy PM 40063056

Darin HugHes, vice presiDent, scott construction open sHop | skills training | steel

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Inside 06 Connections

Darin Hughes, vice president of scott construction, is moving the company forward with innovative thinking.

10 feature Project

openroad audi Boundary is a striking new dealership at the busy corner of lougheed Highway and Boundary road in Burnaby, B.c.

July/august | volume 13 no 5

PUBLISHER

MANAGING EdItoR CoNtRIBUtING wRItERS

Dan gnocato dang@mediaedge.ca cheryl Mah terri Meyer Boake gregory e. Halsted philip Hochstein neil kaarsemaker Dirk laudan Jeff lekstrom terrance oakey kerry ross

industry Focus

Janet sinclair rosemary sparks

13 open Shop

expanding north canadian political landscape Housing affordability: no silver Bullet trust Major project reviews

B.C./ALBERtA SALES

20 Skills training

puBlisHeD BY

the changing labour Market road to Harmonization opportunity on the Horizon

PRESIdENt kevin Brown

23 Steel

Why steel reinforced concrete increasing complexity of steel construction steel transforms alberta skyline

departments 04 Message from the Editor 26 the Legal file When the owner Makes You late

28 Architect Corner

Making green roofs successful

29 vRCA Awards of Excellence Silver winners 30 Industry News

Dan gnocato tel: 604.549.4521 ext. 223

vANCoUvER offICE 2221 Hartley ave. coquitlam, B.c. v3k 6W9 tel: 604.549.4521 Fax: 604.549.4522 toRoNto offICE 1000-5255 Yonge st. toronto, on M2n 6p4 tel: 416.512.8186 Fax: 416.512.8344 copyright 2016 canada post canadian publications mail sales publication agreement no. 40063056 — issn 1710-0380 return all undeliverable canadian addresses to: suite 1000 — 5255 Yonge street, toronto, ontario, M2n 6p4

printeD in canaDa construction Business is published six times a year by MediaeDge communications inc. as follows: January/ February, March/april, May/June, July/august, september/ october, november/December. Yearly Subscription: CANAdA 1YR $35* 2YR $60* USA 1YR $60 2YR $110 INt 1 YR $85 2YR $150 *Plus applicable taxes REPRINtS: No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form — print or electronic — without written permission from the publisher. Requests for permission to reprint any portion of this magazine should be sent to the publisher. circulation inquiries: 416.512.8186 ext. 232 circulation@mediaedge.ca

PRoUd SPoNSoR of

Cover Photo

openshop audi Boundary is the brand’s second largest dealership in canada and the largest in Western canada.

FeBruarY 15 & 16, 2017

construction Business is British columbia and alberta’s construction magazine. each issue provides timely and pertinent information to contractors, architects, developers, consulting engineers, and municipal governments throughout both provinces. complimentary copies are sent bi-monthly to all members of the architectural institute of B.c., B.c. construction association, B.c. roadbuilders and Heavy construction association, consulting engineers of B.c., construction specifications canada — B.c. chapter, greater vancouver Home Builders’ association, B.c. ready-Mixed concrete association, independent contractors and Businesses association of B.c., urban Development institute of B.c. and vancouver regional construction association.

noveMBer 9 & 10, 2016

MarcH 21 & 22 2017

Editor’s Note

Good Stories

t’s been more than 10 years since I started writing about construction. I was looking for a writing job and of all the industries out there, I wound up in construction. Looking back, it was a challenge not knowing anything about the sector but as a writer, my job is to tell good stories with interesting people no matter the subject. I’ve discovered over the years that the construction industry has many good stories with interesting and talented people, like Darin Hughes. In this issue, I had the opportunity to get to know the B.C. vice president at Scott Construction. He is moving the company forward by promoting innovative thinking. Improving efficiency and productivity is key to business success and Scott Construction has a solid plan to achieve that.

For our cover story, we take a look at the new OpenRoad Audi Boundary by Ventana Construction in Burnaby. The multi-building project occupies eight acres on a prominent intersection, creating new flagship showrooms for Audi and Volkswagen. In our open shop focus, read about political changes, housing, major project reviews and ICBA’s new Prince George office. Our steel supplement features industry experts who discuss rebar benefits, steel design and major steel projects in Alberta. With the pending wave of retirements, training has never been more important. The Red Seal trades harmonization for apprentices in Canada will facilitate a more efficient skills training system for the future. B.C. is aiming to support the harmonization of four Red Seal trades by September 2016.

Finally, our legal file columns bring attention to claims for extras and delay in contractual performance. I hope you find the good stories in this issue enjoyable, inspiring and educational. If you have a good story you want to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Cheryl Mah Managing Editor

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July/August 2016

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special aDvertising Feature

SpEak up for SafEty

partnering WitH tHe construction inDustrY to raise aWareness aBout Falls FroM HeigHts

alling from a height is a risk many of us face in our working lives. No one is exempt from the possibility of a fall on the job — regardless of industry or occupation, age or gender. In the construction industry, falls are a risk that workers and employers know far too well. In fact, from 2011 to 2015, falls from elevation accounted for 35 per cent of all serious injuries and 26 work-related deaths. Over the past five years, there have been more than 5,800 fall-related injuries in the construction industry — making them the third most frequent and most costly incidents in B.C. construction workplaces today. Through the help and dedication of the construction industry, these numbers are improving, but statistics show that falls are still happening in workplaces all over the province. Workers are falling down stairs and off ladders; they’ve been injured falling from unguarded scaffolding and off roofs, as a result of not wearing proper fall protection. Working from heights may be a reality of the job, but steps can be taken to minimize the risk of falling. How? By speaking up for safety.

BUILdING A CULtURE of HEALtH ANd SAfEtY

WorkSafeBC encourages everyone to speak up

for safety on the job, even though many workers may not feel comfortable speaking up, for fear of looking weak in front of their peers.

Once it’s in place, a strong culture of health and safety can go a long way to ensuring that everyone goes home safe every day.

EMPLoYERS CAN ENCoURAGE SAfEtY CULtURE oNSItE

RESoURCES AvAILABLE to HELP YoU MANAGE A SAfE woRkSItE

As an employer, you have an opportunity to impact the safety culture of your worksite. If your crew knows that you’re open to discussing safety issues, they’ll be more likely to speak up. If they think their concerns will be dismissed or ignored, they’ll stay quiet and that’s when accidents happen.

WorkSafeBC has resources you can use to help prevent falls from heights on your jobsite. For more information and to access these safety resources, visit worksafebc.com/health-safety. Also, check out the BC Construction Safety Alliance (www.bccsa.ca) for safety training, consultation services, and resources to help improve safety on worksites throughout the province.

SAfEtY IS EvERYoNE’S RESPoNSIBILItY

With a few simple steps, you can start to develop a culture of health and safety onsite, and encourage your workers to participate. • Encourage your teams to provide feedback about worksite safety concerns • Hold regular safety meetings or on-site toolbox meetings to discuss workplace safety • Ensure that all workers feel comfortable enough to raise concerns — lead by example and let them know that bringing up issues about safety is not only acceptable, but encouraged

Fall prevention workshop for construction Who should attend?

fALL PREvENtIoN woRkSHoP foR CoNStRUCtIoN — kELowNA, oCtoBER 15, 2016

If you are a tradesperson, supervisor, safety officer or safety committee member, contractor, or supplier in the construction industry, this one-day safety workshop is for you. Learn from industry experts about fall prevention solutions through hands-on experience. To register to go www.bccsa.ca/fallsworkshop or for more information email fallsworkshop@ worksafebc.com

If you are a tradesperson, supervisor, safety officer, safety committee member, contractor, or supplier in the construction industry, this one-day safety workshop is for you. Learn from industry experts about fall prevention solutions through hands-on experience.

Doors open at 7 a.m.

Safety sessions

Okanagan College

• Responsibilities for fall prevention in the construction industry

1000 KLO Road,

• Fall protection planning and procedures

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• Ladders and scaffolding in construction

How to register

Four hands-on practical sessions

Go to www.bccsa.ca/fallsworkshop or email fallsworkshop@worksafebc.com for more information.

• Planning for safety — scenarios and written plans • Fall protection equipment — selection and inspection • Fall protection options — from anchors to horizontal lifelines • Ladder and scaffold safety — from selection to inspection

Space is limited, so register today

Where?

Cost $25 + GST (lunch included)

Connections

Innovative thinking BY cHerYl MaH

UBC Biological Sciences Laboratory

he construction industry is traditionally known for its slow adoption of new technology and innovation. But at Scott Construction, innovative thinking is being encouraged to create a competitive advantage. “We have been making some innovative changes in the last few years, helping us to position ourselves better for the next 10 years,” says Darin Hughes, vice president, B.C. at Scott Construction. “We want to break the mould — be at the forefront of adopting newer technologies that make sense.” The company has now transitioned to a fully cloud based construction management software that controls and tracks all of its internal operations. “Everything is online and accessible to all our clients. It provides real time updates for everybody on the project. It’s a service that we provide that we think is a competitive advantage for us,” says Hughes, adding the company believes in being innovative because that ultimately equates to building better. Another change the company is exploring is a digital plan table for their job sites, which will undergo a test pilot in the next year. Hughes explains it is essentially a “giant ipad” that will be deployed on sites and tied into their cloud base construction management software. “This will allow our drawing sets, project information, progress photos, daily logs — all of that will be in real time in the trailer and accessible to everybody,” he says. “We find that drawing

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sets are constantly being updated — the biggest hindrance to being efficient and we think this could potentially change that.” Being innovative will also help the company to retain and attract the best talent. An important part of the company’s recruitment process is to have a welcoming and creative environment for talented people to develop and advance. “Our focus is to build our brand, our scale and do that through being smart with technology and being a great place to work,” says Hughes. “We strive to really generate a place where people enjoy coming to and building that sense of family environment that supports one another.” The industry’s impending wave of retirements will both be a challenge and opportunity. Hughes says the new generation coming in brings fresh thinking into the mix, but the loss of experience will be difficult to replace. “We’ve hired a lot of young people in the last three to four years that have blown our minds as far as their ability and capacity. We need to invest in them and that’s a big focus for me,” he says. “You can’t replace that lost experience but we want to make sure as much of that experience gets transferred.” Hughes is a good example of what can be accomplished. At 38-years-old, he has more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry. “I was fortunate enough to get an early start and find my place,” he says. “My age is young for my position but at the same time I’ve been in the industry for awhile, giving me a unique perspective.”

July/August 2016

His interest in construction began in high school when he worked as a wood framing carpenter during the summers. “Surprisingly I loved it. It was hard work but I met a lot of great people,” he recalls. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Hughes attended Michigan State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in construction management in 2000. After graduation, he worked for Weis Builders in Minneapolis and then did a short stint with another company before joining Scott Construction in November 2005. The move to Vancouver was prompted in part by his wife, who is Canadian, and the September 11 attacks. “It was a pretty awful time down there and we were also expecting our first child,” says Hughes. “Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made. It’s been very good here and I love Vancouver.”

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Connections

Christ Church Cathedral

His first project with Scott Construction as project manager was the UBC Marine Drive Student Residences and Amenities Building. He ran a number of projects at UBC before being promoted to senior project manager. He continued moving up the ranks to become projects director, providing senior oversight on a number of projects, before assuming his current position in 2014. As Scott Construction’s vice president for British Columbia, he oversees day-to-day operations out of the Burnaby office including business development, human resources and liaising with project teams and stakeholders as necessary. “John gives me a lot of latitude to operate and put my own stamp on how we run things. It’s a great position to be in when you have somebody supporting you like that and trusts the decisions you make,” says Hughes. Founded by John Scott as a one man general contractor in 1984, the company has grown and diversified, having worked on some of Vancouver’s best known landmarks and signature residential towers. Currently, the company has an annual construction volume of more than $80 million with a projected volume of $120 million in 2017. The company provides an array of services and delivers projects almost equally across the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial sectors with 10 per cent of its volume coming from special projects. Employees currently number 90 people between the Burnaby and Calgary offices. “We are a fairly lean organization for the size and scope of volume that we do year over year,” notes Hughes. Last November, the company was purchased by the JV Driver Group, which has a number of subsidiaries in Canada and U.S. that provide a wide range of contractor and fabrication services. The company continues to operate independently, but now has the advantage of leveraging and accessing resources, training and expertise across the group. 8

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“It’s a relationship that will help us scale Scott to a whole new level,” says Hughes, adding the transition has gone smoothly with a number of leads already coming through the group. “We can also be more competitive in a number of areas — benefits, insurance, bonding.” Partnering as a business strategy is becoming increasingly important for the company. With the growing interest in integrated design and emphasis on design-build delivery models, Scott Construction wants to capitalize on opportunities by building key relationships with consultants and major trade contractors. Hughes says business is good with upward momentum in B.C. Low oil prices have slowed

...scott construction has built a reputation of quality, on-time delivery and trust... growth in Alberta with new projects on hold, but the company has several projects under construction in Alberta that will help offset the slowdown. Some of the company’s current projects in B.C. include the Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver, the International Trade Centre in Richmond and the renewal and expansion of the UBC Biological Sciences Laboratory. The $80 million UBC project is currently their largest. Scott Construction has completed multiple renovations at the Christ Church Cathedral over the last decade. The current and final phase of the restoration involves replacing the roof, a seismic upgrade, new expanded kitchen and a bell spire. Work on the historic church is expected to wrap up by the end of September.

July/August 2016

Hughes is particularly proud of the project and Scott’s role in helping to restore an important city historical landmark. “It’s has been a really neat project with a zinc roof from Germany and the bells from France. It’s one of those projects that you won’t get to do again in your lifetime.” For this final phase, a scaffold structure was required to encase the entire church to provide protection from the elements during removal of the existing roof. The scaffold contains an Apollo Beam Gantry crane that has been created specifically for this project, another example of innovative thinking. “The scaffolding system has a gantry crane that is integrated into the scaffolding system over the church. It’s never been done before to that scale,” says Hughes. “The group has a contest for best innovation of the year and we’re submitting that. Again it’s about promoting innovative thinking and sharing ideas so we can build better.” No company can be successful without being safe. For Scott Construction, safety is critical and the company has been COR certified for many years. The company has two regional safety managers (one for B.C. and one for Alberta) and proactively ensures people are not only safe on job sites but in daily life, according to Hughes. Recognized among Canada’s top construction firms and best employers, Scott Construction has built a reputation of quality, on-time delivery and trust in the industry that has earned them many repeat clients such as UBC. In an industry where adversarial relationships are common, the company’s trust-based foundation has ensured continued success. “Trust is earned and developed over time. We have trusted advice that people can count on and that is important,” says Hughes. Outside of the office, Hughes is a busy father of two who enjoys mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding.

feature project

World Class Dealership BY cHerYl MaH

he largest Audi dealership in Western Canada has opened at the northeast corner of Boundary Road and Lougheed Highway in Burnaby, B.C. The striking OpenRoad Audi Boundary is difficult to miss, occupying one of the busiest intersections dividing Vancouver and Burnaby. Officially opened in June 2016, the project features two new dealerships: Audi and Volkswagen and state-of-the-art service centres that set a new standard for auto retailers. “At OpenRoad, we’re passionate about offering our customers the ultimate Audi experience — whether they’re in our dealership or on the road,” says Christian Chia, president and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group. “This new dealership reflects that commitment as one of the most advanced facilities in Canada.” OpenRoad is one of the largest Canadian and Lower Mainland automotive retail groups, representing 14 automotive brands at 17 full service car dealerships.

construction business

Designed by Christopher Bozyk Architects, the project is comprised of three buildings. It features a 113,000 square foot, three-storey building Audi dealership with showroom, 23bay service area, office space and car storage.

the building will become a landmark in the area. There is also a two-storey, 45,000 square foot Volkswagen dealership, and an 8,000 square foot certified pre-owned vehicle showroom and car wash building. Construction started in 2014 and the project was substantially completed April 29th (Audi building) and May 11th ( VW building) by Ventana Construction, who has worked with OpenRoad since the early 2000s. Peak manpower was more than 150 tradesmen.

July/August 2016

“This was our 11th dealership and 12th project with OpenRoad, and we’re already in the planning stages for future work together,” says Gavin Yee, Ventana vice president of construction services and operations manager. “We’re extremely proud to have worked with OpenRoad Auto Group and Christopher Bozyk Architects to create this impressive new facility. The building will become a landmark in the area.” The three storey Audi dealership is a cast-inplace concrete structure with rooftop car storage. The building envelope utilizes a combination of aluminum composite metal panels, corrugated cladding, punched windows, curtainwall and the Audi signature double honey comb cladding system on the high profile elevations along Boundary and Lougheed. “The distinctive honey comb cladding system, which is unique to the Audi brand, was a DCD specified cladding system manufactured in Ontario. The Audi jumbo glazing panels were typically over 9’ wide x 10’ high,” says Yee.

feature project

The car wash building contains the main electrical unit substation for the project and all primary incoming utilities are fed to Audi, Volkswagen and the site services from there. The three buildings used 373.5 tons of steel and more than 12,000 m3 of concrete. “The mechanic service bays for both dealerships are bright with clean lines and uncluttered and different from what you would envision a mechanic shop to look like,” notes Yee. “The hoists and exhaust systems are in-ground, and water, oil and air lines are concealed in the hightech work benches.” Site preparation for the eight acre site was extensive and challenging. It contained up to 3.5 metres of peat, down 5 metres below existing grade, says Yee. “Before we could remove the peat and install structural fill, the building areas need to be preloaded with up to 3 to 4 metres of preload. There were initial challenges with the preload operations and adjustments were made to the height

of preload and the sequence of sand installation to reduce the effects of ‘squeezing the toothpaste’ (peat) too rapidly and mitigate the effects this had on perimeter conditions,” he says. The preload duration was over a year before acceptable settlement readings were achieved. Foundation work started in early January 2015. The project involved extensive site services, asphalt paving, cast-in-place-concrete plazas, hardscapes and landscapring. There was a limit-

ed weather window to get hard surfaces installed before occupancy, notes Yee. Situated at a highly visible city corner, the project also required various off-site services and road improvements including bike paths, sidewalks and rain management amenities. This all needed to be sequenced and coordinated with on-site construction activities. “The off-site scope of work impacted access in and out of the site and construction activities July/August 2016

construction business

feature project

needed to be prioritized and sequenced to benefit the overall project schedule,” says Yee. The peat soil conditions also required a redesign of the on-site storm water management system. The large underground concrete tank had to be relocated from its initial north location to the east side of the site. “Finalizing the redesign and sequencing the onsite services work activities to not delay the project required close collaboration with

City of Burnaby engineering department, OpenRoad and the consultant team,” says Yee, adding offsite car storage for more than 200 new vehicles also had to be found before work could start. The new Audi Boundary dealership is just steps away from OpenRoad’s former Audi dealership, where it operated for a decade. Bright and spacious, the Audi building interior features a modern customer lounge and

a striking curved textured black finish showroom wall that defines the vehicle showroom. The LED lighting and metal ceiling system provides a sophisticated look and feel for the Audi image. Although the project isn’t targeting LEED certification, Ventana believes in environmental responsibility for all of their projects and carefully follows guidelines for erosion and sediment control, waste recycling, low VOC and IAQ on each job site. On this particular project, Ventana was able to divert and recycle 75 per cent of construction waste from the site. To eliminate the need for a mechanical penthouse structure for the Audi building, a significant redesign of the mechanical systems for each building was achieved through a design build process. The HVAC systems for each building were delivered under a design-build trade contract with BC Comfort. Collaboration was key to delivering a world class dealership. Yee cites a close working relationship with OpenRoad’s director of project development, Moe Saboune, the architect team, the consulting engineers and all of OpenRoad’s equipment vendors throughout the design, development and construction process. “We work hard to create a collaborative, solutionoriented environment for the entire project team. The project was challenging at times, but we are exceptionally proud of the final results,” says Yee.

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July/August 2016

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open Shop

Expanding North

icBa’s new prince george office will engage and inform the region about economic growth opportunities. BY cHerYl MaH

or many organizations, growth and opportunity means geographical expansion. With the strong economic opportunities in northern British Columbia, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) opened its first ever regional office in Prince George last fall. “We are trying to connect better with our members and industry in northern B.C. There are many economic opportunities and we want to be in a position to help our members take advantage of these opportunities,” says ICBA senior vice president Gord Stewart. Located close to the city’s downtown core, the new office shares the same building as the BC Forestry Council and contains a boardroom, classroom, member lounge, and staff rooms. Long time Prince George resident Mike Davis heads the office as vice president, regional initiatives with Zoe Nunes presiding over membership services. “Over the past 13 years, Mike has worked on some very unique projects in Prince George and the region. He is very committed to the community and is excited about the future and the economic opportunities of the north,” says Stewart, who was heavily involved in the opening of the regional office. As the northern capital of the province, Prince George is widely regarded as a gateway for a host of resource development that will push B.C. to outperform other provinces in economic growth well into the future. The LNG industry is the

most highly anticipated facet of this development (despite current delays), followed closely by megaprojects such as Site C Dam and port expansion. “ICBA’s focus in northern B.C. has been engaging with current membership, raising awareness around ICBA initiatives and services, and helping to support responsible resource development,” says Stewart. “An example of that would be the ICBA’s role in helping to organize a proLNG trucker rally in Terrace in March, an idea that was seized upon and led to other rallies in Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.” Considering how some groups create controversy over resource development, the Prince George office can act as a regional `go-to’ contact for media and politicians. “There’s no question the anti-development factions are adept at getting their message out, and as the north continues to develop so too will they,” says Stewart. “A vast majority of British Columbians want to see projects get to yes and we are creating platforms for discussions around growing the economy in a responsible manner.” ICBA’s growing the economy campaign is aimed at identifying those who favour responsible resource development and taking a strong leadership role in raising the voice of the often silent majority. Pipelines, mines, hydro-electric facilities are examples of projects the ICBA is pushing for to get shovels in the ground. “ICBA has been actively introducing and marketing the association to the region since its

doors opened last November,” says Davis. “Our growing the economy campaign has been successful throughout B.C. and is catching the attention of community and industry in northern B.C. The quiet majority are now voicing their support of projects and reiterating that resource development conducted in a responsible way is critical to help create thriving communities.” Headquartered in Burnaby, ICBA has represented the province’s open shop construction industry for more than 40 years. The strength of the organization comes in large part from the range of products and services it offers its members, everything from healthcare and retirement plans to training opportunities and much more. The Prince George office will be able to get products and services closer to members. “ICBA has a new program called Construction Market Intelligence that is a comprehensive online prospecting tool for contractors and suppliers. It is a comprehensive database of public and private jobs with drawings at all stages from pre-bid to tender. Contractors can build tailored searches to look for new opportunities in their trade or specialty areas,” says Stewart. Laying the groundwork for the new office and growing the association and its influence in the north will be keeping Davis busy in the year ahead. “We are progressing through the development of multi-year plans that will help support ICBA’s vision of being the dominant voice in construction in British Columbia,” he says.

July/August 2016

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open Shop

Canadian political Landscape BY terrance oakeY

hange is a constant theme in Canadian politics. There were four elections in Canada between September 2015 and the present, each having an impact on the open shop construction sector. Three of those – federal, Manitoba and Newfoundland — saw new governments elected. Only in Saskatchewan were the incumbents returned. There was also that Alberta election earlier in 2015 that resulted in a change of government for the first time in 44 years, though it is perhaps best not to dwell on that one. With political change comes policy change, both positive and negative. On the negative side, the election of Justin Trudeau at the federal level came with a worrying sign: the use of the same union-backed model of Liberal campaigning that has become so predominant in Ontario over the past decade. In exchange for an all-out assault on the Harper Conservatives by unions during the campaign, the Liberal election platform contained a number of labour-oriented commitments, including most notably the repeal of Bills C-377 and

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C-525 which Merit Canada strongly supported. The former was passed in June 2015 and was due to take effect in 2016. The legislation sought to provide rank-and-file union members and the general public with information about the $4 billion black hole of annual union spending in Canada. Bill C-525 guaranteed workers in federally regulated sectors a secret ballot vote on unionization.

...election outcomes have a major impact on the issues critical to [open shop] membership. The Liberal platform also promised to “reinstate a modernized and inclusive fair wages policy for federal procurement” and provide $25 million annually for union training facilities.

July/August 2016

And the Liberals have kept these promises. In December, the Minister of Revenue issued a statement advising that unions would not have to comply with the requirements of Bill C-377. That was quickly followed in January with Bill C-4, which repeals both Bill C-377 and C-525. Bill C-4 did not get through the House of Commons before the summer recess began in mid-June. As a result, there will be further House debate when Parliament resumes sitting in September, and then the Bill will have to make its way through the Senate, where the Conservatives still hold the most seats, though they do not have a majority. Trying to predict what will happen in the Senate in the present climate is a fool’s game, as the party structure on the Liberal side has collapsed. However, there are signs a growing number of Senators feel Bill C-4 should be split so the reporting requirements and secret ballot provisions can be considered as separate pieces of legislation. That is something Merit Canada continues to support and will be a priority when Parliament returns in the fall. As for the other Liberal platform commitments, there has been no action thus far on the

open Shop

commitment to reinstitute some form of a Fair Wages Act. Merit Canada’s May Hill Day was used as a vehicle to stress to MPs from all parties the financial and employment repercussions of reinstating that legislation. Meanwhile, the 2016 Budget, released in March, committed $85.4 million over five years to “develop a new framework to support union-based apprenticeship training,” which seems to act on the platform promise around union training facilities. The news is better at the provincial level. The re-election of Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party in that province meant the death of an NDP platform commitment to restore card check for union certification. The news was even better in Manitoba, where the election of Brian Pallister’s Conservatives quickly resulted in action on a platform commitment to restore secret ballot voting on unionization. Bill 7 was introduced on June 15 and will make a secret ballot vote mandatory before a union can be certified as a bargaining agent. Premier Pallister has already demonstrated considerable resolve in proceeding with Bill 7 despite the usual union pressure tactics and protests. The Manitoba Conservative platform also included a commitment to end the policy of forced unionization and allow all Manitobans, whether union members or not, to work on public contracts. Finally, the platform promised to end the practice of closed tender-

ing on government contracts. Merit Canada will be watching closely for action on these commitments. Looking ahead, three more elections are upcoming: Yukon, expected some time this year, and then British Columbia in May 2017 and Nova Scotia at some point next year. There is no doubt that unions will be active in all those

campaigns, so it is imperative that we are as well. As the past year has demonstrated, election outcomes have a major impact on the issues critical to our membership. Terrance Oakey is president of Merit Canada, the national organization representing open shop contractors across the country.

We are proud to be members of ICBA and Merit Contractors Association.

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July/August 2016

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Housing affordability: No Silver Bullet BY pHilip HocHstein

Fees, red tape, regulatory complexity ...add unnecessary premiums...

he Lower Mainland’s high housing costs remain a discouraging reality for many local British Columbians, and there’s been a huge amount of discussion about how we can ease affordability pressures. It is an issue of national attention and one that all levels of government are looking to address. To resolve it, we must put all the issues on the table and most importantly we need to give up the hope for a silver bullet. Then we need to focus on the ones we’re most able to do something about. On the top of that list are the added costs that our governments tack onto the price of a home. Fees, red tape, regulatory complexity and unacceptable delays add unnecessary premiums to already expensive housing in Metro Vancouver. Governments often claim to be deeply concerned about affordability, but study after study confirms they’re part of the problem. And what’s even more troubling is lack of transparency and restrictions on consumer choice. Governments are quick to trumpet the benefits of new regulations — even if they don’t always hold up to scrutiny — but rarely have much to say about costs. Did you know, for example, that Vancouver’s requirement for a LEED Gold Standard on projects requiring rezoning is estimated to add nearly $12,000 to the cost of a condo? And there are many other examples of mandatory features that many homebuyers would probably choose to do without, if they were allowed that choice. Concrete and correctible issues like regulatory costs are where we need to focus our efforts, even though many other issues also contribute to housing costs. That includes the ongoing influx of people from around the world into Metro Vancouver — but it’s a largely unavoidable and an otherwise welcome outcome of living in a vibrant world-class city. 16

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To a significant extent, we’ve imposed higher housing costs on ourselves, or allowed governments to do so. We need more transparency and awareness in relation to government-imposed costs, and a concerted effort to bring them down. And we need to give people greater freedom of choice to strike their own balance between housing features and affordability. A recent survey assessed total costs relating to project approval and regulatory compliance on residential developments. On average in 10 Lower Mainland municipalities, regulation adds more than $28,000 to the cost of a home. Regulatory costs and fees are also highly variable and don’t correspond with density — strongly suggesting room for improvement in many municipalities.

de-Bunking Housing Cost Myths Speculators and foreign buyers are often blamed for high Lower Mainland housing costs. But the data suggest we’d be better off focusing on the self-imposed problem of regulatory costs. Myth 1: Real Estate Speculation is Rampant Reality 1: Quick purchases and sales are at the

July/August 2016

lowest level since 2000; only 55 per cent of investor-owners of condos expect a value increase in the next year and most do not plan to sell in the next five years. Myth 2: Speculation Needs to be Taxed More Reality 2: Real estate transactions are already heavily taxed via capital gains and property transfer taxes, and speculation is not nearly as certain to be profitable as many believe. Myth 3: Foreign Investment is Driving Costs Up Reality 3: Foreign ownership of Metro Vancouver housing is estimated at less than 5 per cent, and likely concentrated in high-cost properties that most buyers aren’t competing for anyway. Myth 4: Many Properties are Sitting Empty Reality 4: Unoccupied dwellings in Metro Vancouver are estimated at 5.35 per cent of the housing stock, less than the average for Canadian cities of 6.45 per cent. Sources: Central 1 Credit Union, CMHC, Ministry of Finance, BC Real Estate Association. Investor owner data from recent survey in Vancouver and Toronto.

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2016-01-21

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vancouver: Hidden Costs and Lack of Choice Vancouver’s aggressive “greenest city” goal entangles homebuilding in yet more red tape. And many homebuyers would likely say ‘no thanks’ to various requirements and costs. For example, a new house in Vancouver has to be built to accommodate possible installation of rooftop solar panels, a charging station for electric vehicles. Many people are unlikely to use such technologies, but the choice has been made. And the on-the-ground experience of ICBA members confirms that the costs of ‘green’ requirements can be significant, and sometimes with little if any offsetting benefit. Source: http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/green-homebuilding-policies.aspx C

Regulatory Costs

Red tape and regulation are big contributors to Lower Mainland housing costs. Costs and delays are two of the key issues we should insist local elected officials focus on. It’s clear that fees and regulatory compliance make up a significant proportion of the total cost of a home. One recent study found that direct municipal fees and charges alone average about $375,000 for a 22-unit development in Metro Vancouver.

CMY

Design Build General Contracting Construction Management

Speed up Reviews and Permitting Delays drive up residential construction costs. Debt servicing and other carrying costs on development sites climb higher with every week of regulatory delay, with materials and labour costs also edging up. Yet municipal approval times demonstrate very little sense of urgency.

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Philip Hochstein is the president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association.

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July/August 2016

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trust Major project reviews the rigorous review processes for major projects ensure public interest is met and impacts are minimized. Woodfibre LNG project site in Squamish

n the debate over energy infrastructure and other major projects, one common question has been whether proposals are being rigorously enough reviewed. The public clearly has some doubts about how much confidence it can place in these reviews. Major project review processes are in fact rigorous, science-based, highly responsive to public and Aboriginal input, and much more comprehensive than many people have been led to believe. The environmental considerations alone that get assessed are vast in scope — everything from local frog habitat to global greenhouse gas implications. And all that work is supplemented with equally demanding assessments of economic, community, and social impacts. Throughout these processes, the scope of stakeholder outreach and consultation is vast. Every single query and concern requires a response, and timelines frequently get paused when significant new issues or revisions are put on the table. Approvals are commonly granted only after years of ongoing review. And they are invariably based on conditions, sometimes over 100, designed to ensure that identified impacts

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are moderated. Strong enforcement mechanisms ensure all those conditions get acted on. It’s small wonder then that major project reviews often represent investments of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of hours of work for proponents. It’s a huge vote of confidence in British Columbia that so many proponents are willing to step up with that kind of investment. In turn, British Columbians deserve to have confidence in the rigorousness of these reviews; confidence that if projects are approved they will be in the local, provincial and national interests. And based on an objective look at the nature and scope of these reviews it’s clear we can in fact have that confidence. Currently a number of massive resource development projects are on the books and at various stages in the approval process.

Pacific NorthWest LNG: Approval Pending Pacific NorthWest LNG is a proposal for a liquefied natural gas facility on Lelu Island near Prince Rupert. While it has earned provincial approval, the more than three-year long federal review pro-

July/August 2016

cess was still unfolding as of June 2016, with a final decision from the federal cabinet pending. The scope of the review so far has included: • 100,000+ hours of scientific and engineering studes • 1,000+ days of research on and around Lelu Island • 365+ days of detailed fish surveys • Wetlands surveys, noise modeling • More than one dozen other technical studies. Source: www.pacificnorthwestlng.com

Woodfibre LNG Woodfibre LNG is a recently approved proposal for a modestly sized liquefied natural gas facility, on a former pulp mill site near Squamish. The following is a partial but representative list of potential issues that were exhaustively assessed during its more than two-year-long review. Air: Local air quality indicators, greenhouse gas emissions and consistency with targets and legislation.

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Water: Local creeks, salmon habitat, other freshwater and marine fish habitat, marine bird habitat, noise and other impacts on marine mammals. Land: Rare plants and sensitive ecosystems, eagle habitat, habitat for at-risk species such as bats and amphibians. Economy: Local employment and training, impact on local labour costs, compatibility with local economic strategies. Community: Local government revenue and spending, local housing demand, compatibility with traditional and existing land uses, community well-being indicators such as crime and substance-abuse levels

trans Mountain Expansion: An Even Closer Review The Trans Mountain Expansion Project is a proposal to twin a pipeline linking Edmonton and Burnaby. In May, the National Energy Board recommended approval, subject to more than 150 conditions, including a requirement that project construction be carbon neutral. However, the federal cabinet will make the final decision and additional review requirements were recently added. The National Energy Board (NEB) assessed potential impacts, and came to two fundamental conclusions: • Trans Mountain can be constructed, operated and maintained in a safe manner. • It is in Canada’s public interest that Trans Mountain proceed. The NEB identified benefits including: • Better market access for Canadian energy products • Jobs for Canadians • Local and regional spending during construction • Improved marine spill response readiness • Increased government revenues • The NEB found potential “burdens” to be manageable and acceptable — finding, for example, a “very low probability” of spills. Source: NEB Report, May 2016

More Reviews Remain Ahead The federal government has committed to broader assessment of greenhouse gas impacts and expanded consultations — a “ministerial review panel” will report in November. The provincial government will do its own additional Aboriginal consultations, in light of a recent court decision — this was pending as of June.

Unitech partners with clients in the construction management of projects in many sectors including education, health, recreation, First Nations, public safety, hospitality and multi-family residential.

The above has been extracted from the June 2016 BC Construction Monitor by the ICBA. July/August 2016

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Skills training

the Changing Labour Market training and recruitment a must as demographics and economy shift. BY roseMarY sparks

anada’s construction industry is headed for major change. It’s about to lose a generations’ worth of experience in the impending wave of retirements. The baby boomer exodus is testing the industry’s ability to attract, train and sustain a younger workforce as the economy shifts gears. The challenge isn’t just recruiting thousands of new workers during a down cycle, but making sure they have the skills required to keep pace with the changing economy. In the next 10 years, as many as 250,000 baby boomers are retiring from construction. That’s almost a quarter of the construction workforce. It means Alberta will need to replace more than 36,000 workers or 18 per cent of its workforce this decade. In B.C., more than 39,000 skilled workers are retiring, or 22 per cent of its workforce. Complicating the greying of the construction workforce is another demographic trend: the pool of young available workers is steadily shrinking. It’s a “double whammy” that’s putting construction in fierce competition with other industries to replenish its workforce. The industry has to work harder at countering headlines that may discourage young people from pursuing construction careers. The reality is that even when construction growth slows, skilled trades are in demand. There are still construction opportunities out west, and there will be more in the future. The industry is not building the workforce for today but building it over the long haul. In Alberta, there’s work in non-residential construction including sustaining capital, main20 construction business

tenance, shutdown/turnarounds and outages for skilled workers such as boilermakers, pipefitters and specialty welders. In B.C., there is still growth and the potential need for new workers over the near term to meet rising labour demands. It’s not only the demographic crunch that’s driving demand for skilled labour in Canada’s construction industry. The nature of work is changing as Canada moves to a knowledge economy that increasingly relies on a well-trained highly skilled workforce. This economic transition has many warning about a skills “mismatch.” The country is in need of skilled tradespeople at a time when tens of thousands of students pursue degrees in the arts and humanities. The construction industry needs to ensure that young people are well informed about all of the high-tech, high-paying career opportunities available in construction. As technology advances, new skills and trades are emerging with technical skills becoming a prerequisite for more and more jobs. Mechatronics, for example, is an industry skills certification offered with partner schools. It blends knowledge in electronics and computer programming with practical skills to design electromechanical systems such as industrial robots, automated assembly lines and building control systems. There’s green trades training to teach those who build, renovate and maintain buildings about the principals of sustainability and there’s renewable energy training to prepare graduates in the developing field of renewable energy. Canada’s skills system has to respond quickly to the need for emerging skills in the age of ro-

July/August 2016

botics, artificial intelligence, new materials and building trends. Close collaboration between industry, educators and government is crucial to ensure that skills training is not only relevant but also accessible and harmonized across the country. It should be easier for young apprentices to complete their training and go to where the jobs are. A series of focus groups and interviews involving youth between 14 and 24, conducted by the Social Planning Council of Canada in November of 2013 underlines the appetite for skills training. Many youth said they prefer onthe-job training to fully prepare them for their career. One participant, a recent university graduate noted, “You can’t learn practical skills in school.” As industry gradually becomes more innovative and flexible in its delivery of skills training through virtual classrooms and co-op programs, it’s also important for employers to invest in a broad range of training within a trade or occupation. Providing young people with the opportunity to upgrade their skills and to advance in their chosen field helps meet the growing demand for occupations such as construction supervisors and project managers. Canada’s construction industry has an opportunity to embrace change. This is a chance to equip a whole new generation with the skills it needs to compete, innovate and drive the industry and economy forward. Rosemary Sparks is the executive director of BuildForce Canada.

Skills training

road to Harmonization Building a canada-wide path for red seal apprentices. BY JeFF lekstroM

stablished in 1952, the Interprovincial Red Seal Program was developed to form a common set of standards for designated trades and now represents the Canadian standard of excellence for skilled trades. The program was also intended to enhance the mobility of individual tradespersons certified by various provinces and territories. It’s a good model of labour mobility for tradespersons, pre-dating the Agreement on Internal Trade. And although the Red Seal Program encourages harmonization by developing common interprovincial standards and examinations, inconsistencies exist in provincial/territorial apprenticeship training and certification requirements. This means that Red Seal trades harmonization for apprentices has yet to be fully realized in Canada. As a tradesperson for most of my life, I’ve had a lot of personal experience trying to move across borders with my trade. All my training to become a welder was done in B.C., but living near the B.C.-Alberta border in the early 1980s, I was keen to venture into Alberta and later Saskatchewan to take advantage of construction job opportunities there. Once I became a Red Seal certified welder in 1984, the process of moving between provinces for work became so much easier. Since then, my Red Seal has given me the opportunity to work all over the world, from India to Indonesia. The Industry Training Authority (ITA), working with the government of British Columbia, is constantly seeking to improve the pathway that apprentices take toward certification and the benefits they realize once certified. Improving this experience for apprentices helps ITA’s mandate to increase the number of apprentices entering the skilled trades and ultimately becoming Red Seal certified. A key to upgrading and modernizing the Red Seal pathway is enabling mobility — ensuring that apprentices have the option to travel to other provinces and territories to work and receive the training they need to complete their apprenticeship. Since the spirit of Red Seal certification is harmonization of trades skills across jurisdictions, it makes sense that the path that apprentices take towards this certification should also be harmonized across jurisdictions. Currently, apprentices who wish to move to another province or territory to continue or complete their training are often unable to do so due to different training programs in each jurisdiction. National apprenticeship stakeholders have recognized these issues and have been consistently calling for the harmonization of jurisdictional apprenticeship training and certi-

fication requirements to encourage labour mobility and the employability of apprentices and journeypersons. We are not there just yet, but we will be very soon. Since 2013, ITA, along with other provincial stakeholders, has been working to implement the Pan-Canadian Apprenticeship Mobility Protocol, which lays out the agreements and rules by which all provinces and territories will recognize apprentices from other jurisdictions. With the knowledge that this was coming, ITA has been proactively recognizing apprentice levels from other jurisdictions at “face value” in B.C. since April 2014, and helping each apprentice to identify any training that they may have missed so they can work with a new employer here in B.C. to gap-train on the job. The Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) Pan-Canadian Harmonization Initiative, through the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA), will ultimately drive the harmonization of apprenticeship training across Canada. We are consulting industry training stakeholders in B.C. to make sure that they are fully versed in PanCanadian harmonization initiatives and that they are prepared to support implementation measures for B.C. Some of the key alignment deliverables for harmonization we can expect to see include trade names, total training hours (on and off the job), training levels, and sequencing of training content. A great example of harmonization in action is the agreement that was finalized in January 2016 between B.C. and Nova Scotia to enhance partnerships across the shipbuilding and marine industries. This agreement will increase mobility

for apprentices, improve the sharing of labour market information, and promote innovation and participation in the sector’s trades. On July 16, 2015, Canada’s Premiers signed the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol, establishing a framework to facilitate apprentice mobility to pursue jobs anywhere in Canada without interruption to their continuum of training. ITA and the government of British Columbia are now continuing to build on the mobility of apprentices by aiming for B.C. to support the harmonization of four Red Seal trades by September 2016 (Phase I), three more in March 2017 (Phase I), and an additional eight in September 2017 (Phase II).Targeted trades for Phase I include ironworker generalist, ironworker reinforcing, mobile crane operator and tower crane operator, carpenter, metal fabricator and welder. Phase II targeted trades include plumber, automotive service technician, construction electrician, industrial electrician, millwright, steamfitter/pipefitter, truck/transport mechanic, and heavy duty equipment technician. Our shared goal with the CCDA and other provincial stakeholders is that by September 2017, 66 per cent of apprentices in Red Seal trades across the country will be harmonized, and that 90 per cent will be harmonized by 2020. The harmonization of trades for apprentices is an important step not just for B.C., but for all of Canada. The steps we’re taking now will ensure a stronger and more efficient skills training system for the future. Jeff Lekstrom, ITA chief operating officer, is responsible for ITA’s customer service, industry relations, training delivery, Aboriginal initiatives and program standards activities. July/August 2016

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Skills training

opportunity on the Horizon labour market expectations for engineers and geoscientists in B.c. BY Janet sinclair

of the province. B.C. engineers are densely populated in the Lower Mainland, with only 10 per cent residing outside of that region. This anticipated demand will present an opportunity for professionals currently in the Lower Mainland area to take their talent to other regions of B.C. While the study indicates clear opportunities for new graduates entering the fields of engineering and geoscience, there are also opportunities to be had by international professionals. It is anticipated that 41 per cent of the total new

...41 per cent of the total new supply of engineers will need to come from professionals trained in other countries.

pportunity is often the catalyst for innovation and change. It has led men and women to cross oceans, climb mountains and explore the unknown for the promise of something more. For those looking to pursue careers in engineering and geoscience, opportunity awaits in British Columbia according to a recent Labour Market Study. Over the next 10 years, the Labour Market Study estimates that there will be more than 31,000 job openings for engineers, geoscientists, and technologists. The study was conducted in partnership between the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC), the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia, the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia, and the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table with support from the Province of BC and the Government of Canada. It produced comprehensive information, which will be valuable to today’s youths as well as industry professionals, on anticipated future labour needs, as well as gaps and trends within the engineering and geoscience sectors. It includes a 10 year regional outlook for 31 occupations across four regions of B.C. as well as the province as a whole. Three economic scenarios were analyzed in the study: low investment, moderate investment and high investment to best forecast fu-

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ture labour-market trends. For engineers, the labour supply is not substantially affected by the scope of economic investment in B.C. The difference between the high and low economic investment scenarios is under one per cent of the total supply. Study findings suggest that new entrants to the profession will generate 50 per cent of the new supply of workers needed to meet the anticipated demand in the province. It’s estimated that a quarter of workers currently in engineering will leave the labour market by the end of 2024. As current industry professionals advance in their careers to fill more senior level positions, there will be opportunities for new post-secondary graduates to join the workforce. The Southeastern B.C. and the Vancouver Island Coast regions show even greater need as the study anticipates that 1 in 4 individuals will leave the labour market in these regions. In addition to the current positions which will become available, 11,555 of the 31,150 projected jobs will be new jobs. The actual number of new job openings will be affected by large-scale projects which are anticipated between 20152024, in addition to normal economic growth. It’s estimated that supply of educated professionals will be lagging demand by as much as 10 per cent between 2015-2020. The most significant supply pressure will be felt in the Northern and South Eastern regions

July/August 2016

supply of engineers will need to come from professionals trained in other countries. Due to the global nature of the engineering and geoscience professions, labour supply management trends are shifting away from more traditional models of supply. It is expected that employers will continue to outsource work to other provinces or countries as a means of meeting demand for engineering and geoscience services for B.C. projects. As regulations vary between jurisdictions, it is a requirement that professional services performed for B.C. projects be directly supervised by an individual licensed to work within B.C. who has a comprehensive understanding of discipline specific provincial regulations, codes and guidelines. Findings from the study made it apparent that there are other additional areas which would provide a better understanding of labour supply and demand for these occupations, as well as employers’ needs and expectations. As such, the federal government has provided funding to launch the second phase of the labour market study for engineers, geoscientists, technologists and technicians to provide more data on these areas of interest. As new engineers and geoscientists seize this opportunity and embark along the path of those before them, it is important they maintain the values which have made this path so promising and keep public safety as their guiding principle. Janet Sinclair is chief operating officer of APEGBC. For more information on the Labour Market Study please visit http://www. lmionline.ca/projects/egtt/.

Steel

Why Steel reinforced Concrete BY gregorY e. HalsteD

ast-in-place concrete is a building construction method where locally supplied ready-mix concrete, steel reinforcement, and formwork are delivered to the construction site and fabrication of concrete elements takes place on location. This construction method can be used for nearly all types of concrete elements, including foundations, slabs-on-ground, walls, beams, columns, floors, and roofs. Some of the unique advantages of using steel reinforced concrete include: Lower Initial Cost. Reinforced concrete creates efficient structural frames without the need for early fiscal outlay on materials shipped from distant places. Efficient construction makes effective use of available budgets. The shallow depth of floor and wall structural components minimizes material needs and reduces floor-to-floor heights, while providing the maximum interior space compared to other structural systems. Reinforced concrete can be constructed quickly, ensuring the building remains on schedule. Lower Long-Term Costs. In addition to lowering initial costs, reinforced concrete buildings also offer opportunities for long-term operating savings in a variety of ways. Its durable construction minimizes long-term maintenance expenses. Efficient use of the building’s thermal mass can lower peak demand on HVAC requirements, thus reducing operating costs and impact on the environment. Durability. The long life of reinforced concrete buildings saves future construction by extending the useful life of a facility, while its inherent resistance to damage and deterioration keeps maintenance budgets low. Administrators can incorporate changes over the life of a facility since reinforced concrete systems can be designed to offer greater capacity and adaptability at a minimal cost. Sustainable Design. Reinforced concrete can be leveraged in many economical ways for a more sustainable environment. Reinforced concrete’s unique benefits are immediate, longlasting, and set a tone for tomorrow. It can help achieve the goals set by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council. Reinforced concrete is made with locally available materials, minimizing transportation and staging costs. It typically is cast to specifications, with little excess, and any waste created can be recycled for further use. Energy Efficiency. Reinforced concrete’s thermal mass allows lower HVAC peak demand and improves energy efficiency. Its ability to absorb heat by day and release it at night is especially effective for buildings with significant heat-generating

equipment, such as laboratories or computer centers. This characteristic may also help move peak energy consumption into non-peak hours, reducing the burden on equipment and energy suppliers. Improved Indoor Air Quality. Indoor air quality is a key concern for buildings that are used by large groups of employees and visitors. Reinforced concrete’s high alkalinity prevents mold from securing a foothold in areas where moisture has developed due to foodservice areas or significant foot traffic, improving indoor air quality. The impervious barrier provided by reinforced concrete helps keep the outdoors

reinforced concrete provides a faster start to construction... outside and allows the interior environment to be controlled by the HVAC systems. Further, reinforced concrete does not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which threaten people and the environment. Safety. Reinforced concrete structures are robust and serve the entire community as critical safe havens during disasters. Its inherent non-combustible composition aids fire safety by reducing the fire’s ability to spread. Seismic resistant reinforced concrete buildings can generally withstand earthquakes, thus creating a building that can be quickly reoccupied to help fulfill community needs after an earthquake. Its strength allows structures to withstand high winds associated with tornadoes and thunderstorms, creating a safe haven for the protection of occupants from the effects of sudden storms.

Aesthetic Variety. Reinforced concrete’s versatility provides an unlimited palette with which to create the desired image and environment. Its surface is adaptable with many reveals, finishes, colours, stains, and embedments. Architectural Enhancements. Reinforced concrete provides a durable appearance projecting a strong image that can blend with existing buildings no matter the style. It can be fabricated to replicate granite, stone, and brick finishes, thus eliminating the costs associated with additional cladding. Columns, embossed letters, logos, and other decorative elements can easily be added to project a specific image. Design Flexibility. Reinforced concrete’s capabilities allow open layouts so buildings can adapt as they are developed for future office spaces, courtrooms, and other requirements. Its capabilities for handling heavy equipment and vibration damping allow reinforced concrete buildings to efficiently be adapted to future technology. Speed of Construction. Reinforced concrete provides a faster start to construction because concrete and reinforcing steel are supplied locally and are essentially off the shelf. Reinforced concrete routinely leads other framing materials in time to completion comparisons because concrete construction creates the building’s shell quicker, allowing interior trades faster access to the jobsite. Using modern technology and time-tested methods, work on reinforced concrete structures can continue year-round through hot or cold weather. For these reasons, the attributes and benefits of reinforced concrete systems should be carefully considered from the earliest stages of design. Gregory E. Halsted, P.E., is the Western Region manager and transportation engineer for the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute. July/August 2016

construction business

Steel

Increasing Complexity of Steel Construction BY terri MeYer Boake

omplexity in architecture, engineering and construction is constantly increasing due to our expanding ability to design, calculate and fabricate an escalating range of geometric shapes. Where traditional 20th century architectural design was forced to reasonably limit form-based architectural expression to the capabilities of engineering-based design — resulting in buildings and structures that could be largely be reduced to 2D force systems — the 21st century has stepped beyond those boundaries. Traditional modern orthogonal geometries have given way to exuberant geometries that include a high degree of angularity and eccentric loading. Much of this can easily be attributed to advances in digital design software over the past 10 to 15 years. A specific area of steel design that has undergone much change is in the design of connections. The introduction of non-orthogonal geometries and the resolution of forces through complex connections has given rise to the development of what is now called a “node”. Where previous steel connections assumed fairly regular strategies of bolted or welded framed connections, nodes were developed to successfully transfer less regular forces via fabrication types that differ substantially from traditional framing methods.

Nodes Most people would be familiar with the first iterations of nodes as they were employed in the design of spaceframes. These 3-D structures were popular several decades back, particularly in pavilions for Expo 67 in Montreal and Expo 86 in Vancouver. Nodes allowed for the connection of up to 12 incoming members at a point. However spaceframe structures were comprised of relatively slender tubular steel members and were not designed to be subjected to large and eccentric force flows. The geometries were uniform, repetitive and lacked flexibility due to a reliance on strict prefabrication. They were predominantly used in a planar form to create large covered areas. Contemporary nodes appeared in conjunction with a new structural form. Diagrid structures emerged around 2004 and were used in the construction of the Swiss Re Tower in London, England and later can be seen in the Bow Tower in Calgary. Typically used for larger projects the nodal transfer points now had to assume floor, gravity and lateral loading. The node was required to connect large wide flange, HSS and custom members that were capable of satisfying the loading condi24 construction business

A 14 tonne cast node is lowered onto 4 hollow steel legs at the Queen Richmond Centre in Toronto. The smooth geometry of the casting was essential to the final exposed condition.

tions for large towers and wildly eccentric low to mid rise framed structures. Some of these nodes have weighed in at 14 tonnes, which has obviously required significant rethinking of the steel connection type. Where nodes in the first decade of the 2000s tended towards fabrication from custom plate steel, (the majority in concealed situations) more recently castings have been used in a variety of high profile architecturally exposed structural steel projects. The preference for the use of a cast node versus a custom steel component is not straightforward. Both require high level expertise in the engineering design. Complex custom fabricated nodes require expert fabrication as the tolerances of the geometries must be extraordinarily tight in order to ensure a proper fit during erection. Lifting points for large, irregular steel nodes must be carefully calculated, again to assist with ease of erection. Castings tend towards satisfying smoother geometries when addressing aesthetic concerns. The exterior shape of the steel for a hollow cast node can be smooth and uniform, with variation of the interior void being used to place the steel where it is needed to satisfy loading. Unlike historic castings, modern castings are forged from steel that is weldable and can work seamlessly with the carbon steel to which it is being attached.

Constructability The great digitally accelerated potential for almost unlimited complexity in the area of “design” must still answer to practical limits in fabrication and constructability. Although steel fabrication processes have been able to respond well through the use of software connected to advanced fabri-

July/August 2016

cation tools, erection processes have not advanced at the same rate. Irregular and eccentrically loaded forms are more challenging to erect. There remains a gap or lag between what can be imagined and what can and should realistically be built. Where simpler orthogonal framing required little in the way of shoring or temporary supports for the majority of commercial structures, the angled components that join at a node do not naturally self-support during erection. Nodes and their adjoining members are often designed with enough stiffness to preclude the need to provide temporary supports as these would incur additional expense and would slow down the erection process. The design of the node can then be seen to begin to address constructability concerns and limitations in current erection processes for complex steel structures. Terri Meyer Boake, BES B.Arch M.Arch LEED AP, is a full professor at the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo. She is the author of the CISC AESS Guide for Specifying Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel and Understanding Steel Design: An Architectural Design Manual and Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel by Birkhäuser.

Steel

Steel transforms alberta Skyline BY neil kaarseMaker

he contribution of structural steel to the transformation of the skyline of Edmonton and Calgary is unmistakable. While the Alberta economy may be faltering due to global slump in energy prices, the current pace of construction in Alberta’s two major cities has been impressive. Several major projects stand out for their innovation in design and the construction process utlized: • Rogers Place Arena and Ice District development, Edmonton (Canam, Whitemud Ironworks, Beauce Atlas, Quirion Metal) nearing completion • Brookfield Place tower, Calgary — 56 stories (Walters Group), under construction • Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton (Collins Steel), nearing completion • National Music Centre, Calgary (Walters Group), completed • City of Edmonton office tower, Edmonton27 stories (Beauce Atlas), nearing completion • Central Library, Calgary (Supermetal & Supreme Steel), under construction • Kelly Ramsay Tower, Edmonton — 25 stories (Leder Steel), nearing completion • Stantec Tower, Edmonton — 62 stories (Supreme Steel), under construction • Peter Lougheed Leadership College, Edmonton, University of Alberta campus (Spartan Steel), nearing completion The selection of structural steel was crucial for each of these projects. Ryan Renihan, structural engineer with Dialog, explains the decision to use steel for Royal Alberta Museum in this way: “Steel was selected to accommodate large unsupported spans over gallery spaces, long cantilevers supporting significant loads, and to assist with aggressive construction scheduling. In certain instances, steel was the only feasible framing solution to satisfy the functionality and spatial requirements mandated for this unique building.” The choice of steel is crucial to bringing the building design to life but equally crucial is the early engagement of steel fabricator in the design and project planning process. This was reinforced in comments from Ryan Gedman of architect HOK and reinforced by Jesse Chrismer, engineer with Thornton Tomaseti in their work on Rogers Place Arena. “For any project that requires specialized engineering and fabrication, there are certain factors that are critical to a smooth process. First, all consultants and stakeholders must have a seat at the table to help shape and refine the project approach. This allows them to share knowledge and

provide realistic pricing. Second, it’s always helpful to have consultants involved as early as possible in the process. As architects we appreciate the knowledge base of the experts who help make our designs a reality and we value having them involved from day one. Another key benefit of working with steel fabricators is their experience with and keen interest in collaborative design.” This is further reinforced in the comments made by project manager Greg Penney and estimating manager Craig Scharff with Collins Steel: “The Royal Alberta Museum has become a project of reference for our company for how design-build projects should be completed in our industry with a project first approach, having open lines of communication between all construction team members. I believe the general contractor realized the value in having the Collins team communicate directly with Dialog’s engineers rather than the standard RFI submittal process. These open lines of communication helped to build relationships and trust within the team which allowed us to solve connection and framing issues directly using shared 3D model based communication, expediting solutions and shop drawing development. This helped the project save a significant amount of time reducing overall construction costs.” The benefits of design assist and collaboration in project delivery is echoed by each of the steel fabricators listed in the above projects. The time invested by owner, general contractor, architect and structural engineering in working with the steel fabricator in early design consultation produces cost savings through a more efficient

design, more reliable construction schedule, smoother problem solving and the virtual elimination of non-conformities. The early and ongoing engagement with the steel fabricator resulted in costs savings from: • Design modifications that allowed for more efficient fabrication and erection. • Improved connection design to achieve desired form and required strength. • Recommendations on material selection based on availability, speed of delivery, price and ease of fabrication. • Just in time delivery to achieve lean construction process, accommodate limited lay down space and minimize traffic disruption in an active city core construction zones. The steel construction industry is justifiability proud of its record of helping to build iconic structures in the communities, whether it is a unique design like the Art Gallery of Alberta or the massive scale of public infrastructure such as the interchanges on Anthony Henday Drive and Stoney Trail. We are building most of the new schools so urgently needed for the growing population in Alberta and bringing creativity to the renovation of existing schools to help extend and expand their use. There is real strength and beauty to building in steel and working with the Canadian steel construction industry. Neil Kaarsemaker is regional manager, Alberta & Saskatchewan, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction. July/August 2016

construction business

Legal file

When the owner Makes you Late the “prevention principle” in construction contracts. BY Dirk lauDan

no party to a contract can properly fault the other party for non-performance that the complaining party actually caused.

t stands to reason that where an owner interferes with a contractor’s ability to complete its work, and the contractor is therefore unable to meet its contractual obligations in the construction contract, the contractor should, in all fairness, be excused from its resulting failure to perform. This is, in fact, an established legal principle in Canadian contract law, known as the “prevention principle.” No party to a contract can properly fault the other party for non-performance that the complaining party actually caused. In a construction setting, this principle can apply to actions by the owner that interfere with a contractor’s ability to perform, even if those actions by the owner are not, in themselves, contrary to the explicit wording of the construction contract. One of the clearest examples in Western Canadian law reports of how this works is the 1985 British Columbia case Hawl-Mac Construction Ltd. v. Campbell River (District). In that case, the District engaged a contractor to build an extensive water line, reservoir, chlorination system, and related works. The contractor proceeded to do the work up to the point that it was required to tie the water line into a forestry reservoir, which required government approval. At that point, the District’s engineer informed the contractor that tests were required before government approval could be obtained, something that the engineer had known, but not mentioned, for almost two months.

26 construction business

Shortly after receiving notice of the requirement for government approval, and understanding its implications, the contractor wrote to the engineer asking for an extension of time to complete its work. For some reason, this request did not come to the engineer’s attention for more than three months. When it did, it was mid-winter, and the work was not complete, having been slowed by weather conditions. The engineer then granted an extension, but only up to a point almost three weeks beforehand – deciding, in effect, that the contractor was already late. As a result of the “late” completion, the District ultimately retained contract funds owing to the contractor on the basis of liquidated damages, which were provided for in the contract. Litigation ensued. At trial, Mr. Justice Wallace concluded that the engineer’s acts (for which the District was legally responsible) caused a delay to the contractor, which excused the contractor’s failure to complete by the date required in the construction contract. The contractor was entitled to further time. Because the fixed date for completion of the contract work went by the boards, the owner lost the right to claim liquidated damages at all for late completion. A liquidated damages clause only works if there is a fixed date from which damages can run. Otherwise there is no basis for the calculation. If the date of completion of the contract is put “at large” by owner-caused delay, then the

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liquidated damages clause simply cannot operate — even if it is clear that at least some of the delay is contractor-caused. To avoid this, an owner can seek to reset the date for completion of the contract to a new, later, specific date, through the use of a time extension clause in the contract. If that is successful, then the owner can charge the contractor for liquidated damages if the contractor fails to complete the work by the new date. The District tried to do this in the Hawl-Mac case, but without success. Mr. Justice Wallace concluded that the District’s extension of time was obviously inadequate, given the productivity lost as a result of the delay. Further, the District could not retroactively grant an extension of time to a date that had already expired. As a result, the District had failed to comply with the provisions of the time extension clause in the construction contract. This principle has important implications for owner and contractors. Owners should be aware that reasonable schedule extension clauses in a construction contract actually benefit them. Owners may inevitably have to live with contractor schedule extension, if the delay is, in fact, caused by owner interference. With a schedule extension clause, the owner has a better chance of defining the precise extension to which the contractor is entitled, and preserving the owner’s rights if the contractor fails to meet the new date — such as liquidated damages, or putting the contractor in default. On the other hand, contractors should be aware that they may not have to live with owner-caused delay, even if there is no explicit wording in the contract that provides for schedule extension, and that they may have the added bonus of avoiding liquidated damages and other strict penalties for delay, if the owner’s actions put the time for completion “at large”. Dirk Laudan is a partner in the construction group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver office.

architect Corner

Making green roofs successful considerations for design and implementation BY kerrY ross

reen roofs can offer a wide range of social, economic and ecosystem services to the general public, community and to the private building owner. However, with the exception of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, green roofs are not being adopted as readily in Western Canada compared to many other regions. A number of the barriers impeding widespread adoption are currently being removed (building capacity and material availability in regional markets). But higher upfront costs compared to alternatives, a lack of full understanding of their local performance as well as how they contribute to LEED certification continue to be challenges. This can result in green roofs being overlooked in favour of other technologies (reflective roofing, solar panels, drainage swales, etc.) particularly if the comparison is made on a single performance metric. When approached synergistically, however, through a stacking of benefits and shared uses, green roofs can out compete single-purpose grey infrastructure and other environmental technologies making this green building element a symbol of sustainability. Many people have been bitten by the green roof bug and it’s exciting to see the growing enthusiasm and acceptance of green roofs in Western Canada but a number of failed projects is cause for concern. As a green building practitioner who has long been advocating for the wide spread integration of green roofs, failed green roof projects gives us all a black eye and sets the movement back. 28 construction business

There are three essential laws of green roofs: (1) the structure must support the load of the green roof; (2) the system must drain effectively and not leak; and (3) the plant community must thrive. Beyond these, the considerations listed below are meant to provide guidance beyond the basics and safeguard against some of the pitfalls: • There is no one-size-fits-all green roof design. Designers (particularly those new to green roofs) may over-rely on stock details provided by the commercial green roof system suppliers. While many suppliers are helpful and may have plenty of built experience with their green roof system, that should not be a substitute for conducting a thorough review to ensure that the resulting design is integrated, realistic and appropriate to the climatic context of the project site as well as the building geometry. Make an effort to examine all the building conditions with which the green roof interfaces. • Intensive rooftop gardens, which have been part of urban settlements for millennia, are different than the extensive type of green roof brought over from Germany. A lack of recognition of this fact has led to either over design (such as deeper, heavier systems than required) or use of out-dated construction details. • Don’t appoint an inexperienced designer or foreman responsible for quality control; an individual with green roof experience at both the design and implementation phases should be assigned. If there is no one with local green roof experience, consider hiring a green roof specialist to fulfill this role. Leaving it up to the

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uninitiated can lead to costly omissions and change orders, schedule delays and incorrect details/installation which can ultimately fail. • Make sure that the design that won the client over is both achievable and regionally sound, aligning with the overall project’s goals and objectives. Anticipate how it will evolve through the establishment period and over the longterm. Provide clear and detailed information in the project specifications and bid document that is adequately cross-referenced so that trade scopes are well understood, properly sequenced and integrated. • Green roofs require maintenance! And they will need water during the plant establishment period and during periods of prolonged drought at a minimum. It’s a living thing and will require care and nutrients to thrive as opposed to just survive. If the aesthetic of a formal garden is desired, the design team must ensure that the allotted budget and resources for the ongoing care of the roof match the intended design, including the operations team in the maintenance discussions. Even a lowmaintenance extensive green roof will require consistent and routine maintenance to keep it healthy and looking good. Access to the roof should be safe and as direct as possible and a handy source of water should be nearby, a hose bib at a minimum. • Avoid value engineering, which can lead to the selection of inferior quality materials and cherry picking of components. At the tail end of a building project, the budget for landscaping and vegetated systems can get squeezed. Rather than eliminating the green roof or down grading its specifications, opt for a phased approach instead that addresses at a minimum the structure support, waterproofing, waterline, access and safety or a reduced area of green roof that can be expanded at a later date. Future green roofs will be increasingly multipurpose to consider the full range of social, economic and eco-system services. Trends indicate that they will become more prevalent for improving biodiversity and creating opportunities for urban agriculture and amenity spaces. The local markets for green roofs will continue to grow as we further educate and communicate, establish a solid track record, continue to bring the costs down and translate research findings into regional guidelines and useful policies. Kerry Ross, B.Arch., LEED AP, is an architectural consultant and principal of Green T Design. She is one of the first accredited Green Roof Professionals in Western Canada.

VrCa

2016 VrCa awards of Excellence Silver Winners the silver vrca awards of excellence winners have been announced. this year’s competition saw more than 150 submissions and 45 projects considered. gold winners in each category will be announced at the awards dinner on october 5 at the vancouver convention centre West. look for full coverage of all the winners in the november/December issue.

GeNeRAl CONtRACtOR OVeR $45 MilliON •UBC Student Union Building Bird Construction Group • A-B Connector Ledcor Construction Limited •Marine Gateway Ledcor Construction Limited

MeChANiCAl CONtRACtOR OVeR $8 MilliON • UBC DES Phase 6-9 DPS & UBC DES Phase 6&7 ETS Division 15 Mechanical Ltd. • Pacific Centre Mall – Sears Redevelopment

Division 15 Mechanical Ltd. • MNP Tower

Fred Welsh Ltd. GeNeRAl CONtRACtOR $15 - 45 MilliON • Audain Art Museum Axiom Builders Inc. • Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre EllisDon Corp • Main Street Station Renovations Graham Construction and Engineering LP • The View Mierau Contractors Ltd. GeNeRAl CONtRACtOR up tO $15 MilliON • YVR Expedited Transfer Facility – Package 2 PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. • Wesbrook Community Centre Scott Construction Group • Kinder Morgan Vancouver Wharves Bulkhead wall

MeChANiCAl CONtRACtOR $3-8 MilliON • Alexandra District Energy Utility Phase 3

Division 15 Mechanical Ltd. • Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre

Keith Plumbing & Heating Co. Ltd. • UBC District Energy Centre

Trotter & Morton Building Technologies Inc. MeChANiCAl CONtRACtOR up tO $3 MilliON • Crofton Dining Hall & Athletic Centre Clairmont Mechanical Contracting Ltd. • the view PML Professional Mechanical Ltd. • UBC Alumni Centre Trotter & Morton Building Technologies Inc.

Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. eleCtRiCAl CONtRACtOR OVeR $8 MilliON • Pacific Centre Mall – Sears Redevelopment Bridge Electric Corp. • Marine Gateway Mott Electric General Partnership • Evergreen Rapid Transit Project Western Pacific Enterprises GP

tRAde CONtRACtORs OVeR $8 MilliON (diReCtOR’s tRAde AwARd) • A-B Connector Gallagher Bros. Contractors Ltd. • 745 Thurlow Jangho Curtain Wall Canada Co. Ltd. • Marine Gateway Keith Panel Systems Co. Ltd.

• YVR Expedited Transfer Facility — Package 2 (Etf2)

Whitemud Ironworks Limited eleCtRiCAl CONtRACtOR $2-8 MilliON • Northern Rockies Regional Recreational Centre Houle Electric Ltd. • The View

Status Electrical Corporation • 242KU XLPE Transmission Cable System

F&M Installations Ltd. eleCtRiCAl CONtRACtOR up tO $2 MilliON • Audain Art Museum

Alpine West Systems Electrical • McCarthy Tetrault Law Office

Canem Systems Ltd. • UBC District Energy Centre

Trotter & Morton Building Technologies Inc.

tRAde CONtRACtORs $3 tO 8 MilliON FOuNdeR’s tRAde AwARd) • UBC Student Union Building JSV Architectural Veneering & Millwork Inc. • UBC Student Union Building Wesbridge Steelworks Limited • Vancouver House Buildings 1 & 2 Phase 1 Southwest Contracting Ltd. tRAde CONtRACtORs $1 tO 3 MilliON (pResideNt’s tRAde AwARd) • McArthurGlen Designer Outlet vancouver Airport Horizon Landscape Contractors • Audain Art Museum

Pocklington Building Systems Ltd.

tRAde CONtRACtORs up tO $1 MilliON • Audain Art Museum

European Touch Hardwood Floors Inc. • A-B Connector

Maxwell Floors Ltd. •Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre

Seagate Consulting Ltd. MANuFACtuReR & supplieR • Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre Western Archrib • UBC Student Union Building Structurlam Products LP • MNP Tower Daikin North America LLC July/August 2016

construction business

Industry News tRAdES tRAINING fUNdING The province of British Columbia has announced $18 million in trades training through the Industry Training Authority. The investment at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for trades training will run through to March 31, 2017, to meet industry needs and ensure quality training in high-priority trades. In response to the objectives outlined in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and the McDonald Report, the B.C. government has worked in partnership with the ITA to begin building a demand-driven trades training system with funding aligned to specific high-priority trades. The ITA will fund 6,769 trades training seats at BCIT, including: electricians, carpenters, aircraft maintenance technicians, welders, and automotive service technicians. The provincial government invests more than $94 million annually in industry training through the ITA. BCIt PIPING PILot PRoGRAM BCIT is working with the Government of Canada to remove barriers to apprenticeship completion in the piping trades by offering new programs that will allow apprentices to complete the theory portion of their technical training by distance education. This will reduce the amount of time apprentices need to be away from work or home to complete their apprenticeships. As part of the Government of Canada’s Flexbility and Innovation in Apprenticeshp Technical Training (FIATT) pilot, BCIT is working to reduce the time required away from the workplace by offering the theory portion of a student’s technical training completely online. The pilot project will run for the first time in August for piping trades apprenctices (plumbing, stem/pipe fitting and gasfitting). With the new pilot program, students will study theory online for 16 or 22 weeks. When the theory portion is completed, students will then attend the reduced two weeks of practical training and assessment at the BCIT Burnaby Campus. This project is funded in part by the FIATT program. SAfEtY CoNfERENCE The 11th Annual “Bridging the Gap” Construction Safety Conference & Trade Show will take place Oct 27 and 28th, 2016 at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. The twoday conference on safety in the construction industry will offer a range of innovative professional speakers, networking with safety peers, industry organizations and safety experts. This year marks the first time the BC Construction Safety Alliance is taking part and will be organizing and facilitating the long-standing safety conference. BCCSA has revised the content and format that has served this conference well the last 10 years. For more information, visit www.bridgingthegapsafely.ca 30 construction business

StANtEC towER RISES IN EdMoNtoN Construction has started on what will become Edmonton’s tallest tower and part of one of the largest mixed-use projects in Canada. The 66-storey Stantec Tower is expected to rise 820 feet and open in two phases at the corner of 102nd Street and 103rd Avenue. Fall 2018 will see 28 storeys of office units, while 481 residential units will be completed by fall 2019. The “superstructure,” also referred to as Stantec’s new headquarters, will consolidate more than 1,700 Stantec employees into one location in the heart of the ICE District. Stantec is handling the architecture and engineering elements, and will occupy 19 floors and close to 460,000 square feet. PwC Canada and Dentons Canada LLP are other future tenants. “As this tower grows over the next year, we know it will change more than just the skyline,” said Bob Gomes, president and chief executive officer of Stantec. “It will be a major contributor to the revitalization of our downtown community, and we’re excited to bring our people together to be a part of this vibrant future.” The development is earmarked for LEED Gold certification and will feature design elements, including a lobby that opens into the vibrant public plaza providing convenient access to Rogers Place and Ford Hall. ICE District will also be the future home of the Edmonton Oilers, JW Marriott Edmonton, condominiums, retail space, restaurants, nightlife and more. fREE LEEd CERtIfICAtIoN With rebuilding efforts underway in Fort McMurray, Alberta, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is offering free LEED registration and certification for commercial, institutional and residential projects. “The resilience of the citizens of Fort McMurray and the surrounding regions is inspiring, and the Council wanted to do its small part to help rebuild this wonderful community,” said CaGBC President and CEO Thomas Mueller. “Sustainable housing with durable, quality construction, improved energy and water efficiency and healthier indoor spaces will provide lasting benefits to residents.” The CaGBC says it will also work with LEED Canada for Homes Providers EcoAmmo and 4 Elements Integrated Design, who will offer free LEED administration services to residents who would like to rebuild or renovate through the CaGBC program. MASSEY tUNNEL RfQ The Government of British Columbia has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for parties interested in delivering the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project. The project will be procured through a public-private partnership to design, build, partially finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the asset for a term of 30 years. This procurement approach best provides value to taxpayers. The RFQ is the first of a two-phase procurement process. Following the RFQ, government will request proposals from a shortlist of the three best-qualified teams in order to select a preferred proponent. Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp) will undertake the project and recover project costs through user tolls. The private partner will be responsible for financing a portion of the capital costs of the project. The project includes the construction of a 10-lane bridge built to modern seismic standards, with four general travel lanes and one dedicated transit/HOV lane in each direction; replacement of three interchanges and decommissioning of the tunnel. It is estimated that about 9,000 direct jobs will be created over the life of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project. Construction will begin in 2017, with the bridge opening in 2022 and tunnel decommissioning in 2023.

July/August 2016