August 10, 2010
Construction Specifications Canada conference
VIDEO: Owners must lead charge toward BIM adoption
The greatest challenge in getting the architecture, engineering and construction industries to embrace building information modeling is convincing individual players they’d be better off working collaboratively, says the chair of the Canada BIM Council.
“BIM changes the way that the whole AEC industry does business,” Paul Loreto told a seminar at the Construction Specifications Canada conference in Saskatoon recently.
“You’re baking a cake together. And if you’re not doing it together, forget it. You might as well be The Beatles doing the White Album, individualistically ... and you know where that ended up: dead, gone – last album.”
■ MasterFormat changes get positive reception from industry
■ Communication was key, says outgoing Construction Specifications Canada president
BIM is a collaborative effort and it represents a complete process change, said Loreto, president of London, Ont.-based paul f. loreto architect.
“The problem with the industry today is that there are individual silos that have been there for a thousand years, that now have to come down to the roundtable. That’s the biggest challenge in the industry today.”
Part of the difficulty is that partners aren’t typically the ones who decide to go forward with BIM, Loreto noted – it’s usually up to mid-level computer-aided design (CAD) managers.
“Unless the owner is the driving force behind the process change, it’s not going to go anywhere,” he said “That’s a guarantee.”
Loreto went on to urge attendees to push their respective construction associations to offer BIM training.
“If your construction associations don’t have it, get them to provide BIM training,” he said.
“It’s all nice to sit in an architect or engineer’s office and develop BIM, but if it’s not understood down the line, what good is it?”
Carpenters’ union official Ucal Powell named to Order of Ontario
The Province of Ontario appointed Ucal Powell, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Carpenters’ District Council to the Order of Ontario. Powell was recognized for building a world-class apprenticeship program and earning a reputation as a giving and compassionate organization, with the Order of Ontario.
VIDEO: Buildex Vancouver 2012 at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Buildex Vancouver brings together the construction, design and real estate industries on an annual basis into a giant, two day show at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
VIDEO: Pre-Construction begins on the Evergreen Line
Pre-construction work has begun on the Evergreen Line, an extension of the Skytrain rapid transit system that currently spans Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby and some of Coquitlam. The new line will extend from Coquitlam all the way to Port Moody, alleviating traffic and offering a green alternative to motorized vehicles.
VIDEO: The Vancouver Regional Construction Association's U35 initiative
Construction industry experts have long warned of an "experience gap" between senior management and young workers just entering the sector. Due to the bottoming out of the industry in the 1990s, the industry has lacked a core group of younger managers and executives to take over once the baby boomer generation retires.
Toronto IIDEX trade show to have renewed focus
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) will be a co-presenter of this year’s IIDEX/NeoCon Canada conference and expo, which has traditionally been a contract furniture show but will start placing a greater emphasis on construction products, architecture and technology, the event organizer has announced.
Brook Restoration safety training includes swing stage, hazardous materials
Brook Restoration recently opened its own safety centre. In addition to regular safety training like WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), Brook offers training in aspects such as swing stage, boom and elevated work platform, asbestos, lead, Bobcats and confined spaces.
VIDEO: Remembering the Bentall Four
On January 7, 1981, Gunther Couvreux, Brian Stevenson, Donald W. Davis and Yrjo Mitrunen fell thirty-six floors to their deaths when a fly form attached to the Bentall building in downtown Vancouver came loose.
Efficiency is Ontario trades college goal
Ontario’s current apprenticeship system has failed the province’s youth, says the Ontario College of Trades new chair, Ron Johnson.
Ontario College of Trades chair hopes ratios will be reviewed in first two years
Ron Johnson, the new Chair of the Board of Governors of the Ontario College of Trades and Deputy Director of Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario and the Interior Finishing Systems Training Centre, said every individual who has an issue with a compulsory certification and ratio review application will have an opportunity to represent their arguments to a review panel.
