AN ISLAND POWERHOUSE Arsenault Bros. Construction TAKING ON THE TOUGHEST PROJECTS Mohawk Construction and Supply Company, Inc. THERE IS NO CEILING FOR THIS THRIVING NOVA SCOTIA TEAM Taylor Flooring CONSTRUCTIONINFOCUS.COM D EC 2 02 2 - JA N 2 02 3EDITOR’S CORNER 3 With a challenging year coming to a close, many of us are taking stock of our lifestyles, looking for places to cut costs, reduce stress, or simply make a change. Staring down soaring energy, material, and real estate costs, many people are beginning to look more seri- ously at going off the grid, whether by building something new, efficient, and custom or retrofitting their existing homes to be more energy-independent. But, while building or living off-grid can certainly bring with it new oppor- tunities, it also comes with its own unique set of challenges. “The main concern for most people preparing to go off-the- grid is how to power their home,” writes Allison Dempsey in this issue’s Getting Away From It All – The Risks and Rewards of Going Off-Grid. While solar remains the obvious choice here, a robust energy-independent home calls for a breadth of power generation and storage solutions, not the least of which may be a simple backup generator. This is a quickly evolving area, however, and “massive amounts of renewable energy may soon be easily integrated into off-grid systems with the help of emerging technology,” writes Allison. Power, of course, is not the only challenge, but there will always be those of us for whom the off-grid lifestyle is worth the hardship. Whether that number begins to grow with the rise of remote work and other societal shifts remains to be seen, but it is encouraging to see new technologies arise to better support the possibility. “Ultimately,” Allison writes, “when preparing to live off the grid, embracing flexibility and creating backup plans in case things don’t work out as planned is vital to not only building but fully inhabiting the off-grid lifestyle.” Jaime McKee Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Caldwell | William Young | Robert Hoshowsky Jessica Ferlaino | Pauline Müller | Nate Hendley Allison Dempsey | Claire Suttles DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS James Corbett CONTENT MANAGERS Erin McWhinney | Louis Susara | Mackenzie Adams Jamal Francis-Anderson | Aaron Ferguson SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper | Dean Lucas OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Severina Gachparova GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laura Pratt | Ashley Dowling Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff HockenINSIDE DEC - JAN FOCUS ON: ATLANTIC CANADA FOCUS ON: ASA DEVELOPMENT & GENERAL CONTRACTING 4 The Risks and Rewards of Going Off-Grid Soaring inflation, volatile real estate, escalating fuel prices—with numerous challenges facing both builders and buyers right now, it’s understandably tempting to want to go “off the grid,” constructing buildings that function under their own power on your own terms. CONSTRUCTION SERVICES 5 CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE IN UTILITY UNDERGROUNDING 10 – 12 January 2023, Austin, TX Learn about strategic tools, techniques, and technologies for planning and executing safe, efficient, and cost-effective underground projects. Strategies and best practices will be shared by industry experts about acquiring permits, managing supply chain issues, and securing support from stakeholders both at the community and state levels to ensure successful projects. For more information WORLD OF CONCRETE 16 – 19 January 2023, Las Vegas, NV Part knowledge, part equipment, part connections—World of Concrete is 100% of what you need to keep grinding it out through disruptions to the supply chain, safety, and beyond. Get your hands on advanced technology and machinery, access the newest training and techniques in concrete and masonry, and build momentum for another unstoppable year. World of Concrete welcomes more than 60,000 industry profes- sionals from all around the world, representing all segments of the construction industry. For more information THE INTERNATIONAL SURFACE EVENT: SURFACES | STONEXPO | TILEEXPO 31 January – 2 February 2023, Las Vegas, NV and online Whether traveling to Las Vegas for in-person networking and product sourcing or connecting to the event virtually at the hybrid TISE Live Virtual Event | Vegas Edition 2023, discover more exhibitors, the return of highly anticipated exhibitors, new education formats and programming, new show features, and much more. The full experience is being planned now for flooring, stone, and tile professionals to experience at TISE 2023. For more information CANADIAN CONCRETE EXPO 16 – 17 February, Toronto, ON Experience Canada’s only national trade show dedicated to the concrete, aggregates, and construction industries. Located at The International Centre, the Expo promises a full-scale 3D construction printing demo, numerous educational sessions, and networking events including a post- show mixer featuring a Q&A with Georges St. Pierre hosted by Canadian sports broadcaster and former NHL player P.J. Stock. For more information THE INTERNATIONAL ROOFING EXPO 7 – 9 March, Dallas, TX The International Roofing Expo (IRE) is the largest roofing and exteriors event in North America. Each year, residential and commercial professionals come together to meet suppliers, discover new products, network with the global industry, and improve how they run their businesses. With hundreds of exhibitors, 60+ educational sessions, and tons of networking opportunities, the IRE is the place to learn about the latest industry trends. For more information INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Construction Industry? To get your event listed in Construction in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS NEW CROWN CORPORATIONS LAUNCHED TO DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH On Thursday, December 1, the Canadian Province of Nova Scotia launched two new organizations to modernize the government’s approach to economic development and improve its account- ability to Nova Scotians. Invest Nova Scotia and Build Nova Scotia “will build on experience and expertise to drive forward a more innovative, resilient, sustainable and competitive economy, seizing the opportunities before the province today and into the future,” reads a December 1 press release. “Build Nova Scotia manages and develops strategic provincial infrastructure to ARCADIS ACQUIRES TORONTO-BASED IBI GROUP INC. Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy organiza- tion for natural and built assets, has completed its previously announced acquisition of Toronto-based IBI Group Inc. “IBI is a technology-driven design firm with global architecture, engi- neering, planning, and technology expertise spanning more than 60 offices and 3,500+ professionals around the world,” reads a company press release. Commenting on the completion of the IBI Group acquisition, Peter Oosterveer, Global Chief Executive Officer at Arcadis said, “Today, we have reached a significant milestone for Arcadis, IBI and our 33,000 employees across the world, as we create a global leader for planning, designing and building the resil- ient cities of tomorrow. The coming together of our two com- panies is fundamentally about the growth of our businesses and opportunities for our clients and our people, and crucially contributes to meeting the targets we set out in Arcadis’ 2020- 2023 ‘Maximizing Impact’ business strategy. Together, we have a unique opportunity to grow our talent and expand to offer new and complementary client experiences, both globally and in the growing Canadian and U.S. markets.” Find out more propel the province and economy forward,” leading important projects such as Nova Scotia’s high-speed internet initiative, environmental reme- diation work, and healthcare infrastruc- ture redevelopment. “With a new mandate, Build Nova Scotia can take its work to the next level, better aligning resources, priorities and projects,” said Kim Masland, Minister of Public Works. “This is especially impor- tant as our economy is facing chal- lenges such as labour shortages, supply chain weaknesses and inflation, but also emerging opportunities that will move our province forward.” “Our government’s top priority is address- ing the challenges facing the healthcare system today and preparing for the future,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister responsible for healthcare redevelop- ment projects. “Healthcare infrastructure is a critical component of our planning, and Build Nova Scotia will bring its expertise and partnerships within the health system to advance projects that will improve access to care and better meet the needs of patients and staff.” Find out more 7INDUSTRY NEWS SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS PROVIDE ‘GREEN PREMIUM’ According to the latest research, sustain- ably built structures can realize a value 25 percent greater than unsustainably constructed properties. Experts in ESG (environmental, social and governance), Deepki—who collect data for real estate developers and help them as they transition to Net Zero—conducted a survey of 250 commercial real estate management firms in Europe. About 58 percent of ROBOTS WORKING ON LARGEST 3D-PRINTED COMMUNITY From jewelry to airplane parts and medical prosthetics, practically anything can be created, thanks to advancements in 3D printing. Recent years have seen the growth of 3D-printed houses, and the technology will now play a part in creating the world’s biggest 3D-printed community. Texas-based 3D technology business ICON—along with co- designer Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and with implementation by Florida’s Lennar—is behind the large project. Located North of Austin in Georgetown, the site will soon see 100 3D-printed homes, the largest community of its kind in the world. Announced in 2021, the revolutionary project will also see a fleet of robots building an entire community. Buyers will be able to choose from eight floor plans, with homes measuring from 1,500 to 2,100 square feet, with a choice of three or four respondents reported values increased by 16 to 25 percent because of the ‘green premium,’ while 29 percent said the increase was between 11 and 15 percent. Additionally, 56 percent of real estate management firms stated an increase in rental yields of 16 to 25 percent, with renters willing to pay more in return for lower utility costs. According to respondents, the sector most likely to use sustainable/green real estate was industrial, followed by health- care and retail. Sectors having the lowest impact—in terms of sustainable space— were lodging and resorts. The data comes at a time when com- panies are questioning not only how much space they need, but how to deal with rising energy costs. According to the United States Department of Energy, about 30 percent of the energy in com- mercial buildings is wasted. bedrooms, and two or three bathrooms. Along with being 3D-printed, the homes feature modern amenities includ- ing Ring video doorbells, rooftop solar panels, and Wi-Fi- controlled locks and thermostats. shutterstock.com/futurewalk 8INDUSTRY NEWS RUSSIAN ‘ENERGY TERRORISM’ OBLITERATES INFRASTRUCTURE The ongoing war in Ukraine continues taking a terrible toll, claiming the lives of thousands of soldiers and civil- ians, including over 400 children, and injuring thousands more. Adding to the misery are the thousands of structures damaged or destroyed, including residential buildings, facto- ries, and energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s electricity transmission system operator, Ukrenergo, recently stated that at least 40 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure has been damaged, much of which will need to be rebuilt. In one day alone, 15 energy facilities were crippled by Russian missile strikes, rendering thousands of miles of high-voltage transmission lines useless. Worldwide, politicians are increasingly outraged. Ursula von der Leyen, German politician and President of the European Commission, recently told the European Parliament, “The international order is very clear. These are war crimes. Targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure with the clear aim to cut off men, women, children from water, electricity and heating with the winter coming—these are acts of pure terror. And we have to call it as such,” she said. In a briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the massive damage sustained to the country’s civilian infra- structure. “Russia is following the items of their formula of terror,” said Zelenskyy in a video delivered to the UNSC. “Any Russian formula can offer nothing but this.” A single recent bombing at a substation in Western Ukraine left 400,000 residents without power. Damage to the electri- cal grid is impacting heating, transportation, water and other utilities. As of the most recent calculations (September) from the Kyiv School of Economics, Russia’s damages to Ukraine’s buildings stand at $127 billion USD. Around the same time, the World Bank and the European Commission stated it would cost $349 billon USD to rebuild Ukraine. 9Next >