AN ASSET TO THE INDUSTRY AND THE COMMUNITY Brink Constructors, Inc. A LEGACY IN ACTION Housley Group BACKYARD BLISS – BUILDING BEAUTY CLOSE TO HOME Keystone Custom Decks CONSTRUCTIONINFOCUS.COM JUL Y 2 02 3 CONCRETE FORM & ACCESSORIES GENERAL CONCRETE MATERIAL & REINFORCEMENT DRY MIXES DRAINAGE & WATERPROOFING EROSION CONTROL & GEO-TEXTILES HAND TOOLS POWER TOOLSPOWER TOOLS SAFETY WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE BUSINESS PARTNERS Over 70 years of knowledge within the industry CONCRETE FORM & ACCESSORIES GENERAL CONCRETE MATERIAL & REINFORCEMENT DRY MIXES DRAINAGE & WATERPROOFING EROSION CONTROL & GEO-TEXTILES HAND TOOLS POWER TOOLSPOWER TOOLS SAFETY WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE BUSINESS PARTNERS Over 70 years of knowledge within the industryEDITOR’S CORNER CONCRETE FORM & ACCESSORIES GENERAL CONCRETE MATERIAL & REINFORCEMENT DRY MIXES DRAINAGE & WATERPROOFING EROSION CONTROL & GEO-TEXTILES HAND TOOLS POWER TOOLSPOWER TOOLS SAFETY WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE BUSINESS PARTNERS Over 70 years of knowledge within the industry CONCRETE FORM & ACCESSORIES GENERAL CONCRETE MATERIAL & REINFORCEMENT DRY MIXES DRAINAGE & WATERPROOFING EROSION CONTROL & GEO-TEXTILES HAND TOOLS POWER TOOLSPOWER TOOLS SAFETY WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE BUSINESS PARTNERS Over 70 years of knowledge within the industry 3 In this issue of Construction in Focus, we take a look at a new name given to an old idea. The term “15-minute city” was coined in 2016 by Carlos Moreno, an associate professor at Paris’ Sorbonne Business School, and has generated debate as of late. But what the term describes is simply pedestrian-friendly planning. It encourages multi-functional, walkable neighbour- hoods, ones in which people can leave their cars behind if they choose and walk or bike to their jobs (or work from home), the grocery store, dining and entertainment, health care services, and more—all in about 15 minutes. The creation of such neighbourhoods or suburbs necessitates an integrated, holistic approach to urban planning. “Taking a closer look at what cities can do to make regions more pedes- trian-friendly means thinking in terms of everything at once,” writes Karen Hawthorne. “Transportation needs to work with infrastructure, zoning needs to work with entrepreneurs who will set up the right mix of shops, and all of this has to work with the people who will be living in these neighbourhoods.” A big part of this livability stems from integrating nature into neighbourhoods. Not only do green spaces offer opportuni- ties for recreation and socialization, they also serve as critical pieces of the infrastructure puzzle, providing space for cycling and walking trails, connectivity between neighbourhoods, and natural stormwater and heat island management. In Karen’s New Visions for Cities – Planning for Greener, Walkable Communities, she explores these and other advantages the 15-minute city can bring. Jaime McKee Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Jaime McKee DEPUTY EDITOR Tim Hocken COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Pauline Müller | Allison Dempsey | Claire Suttles Margaret Eaton | William Young | Jessica Ferlaino Robert Hoshowsky | Karen Hawthorne DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS James Corbett OPERATIONS MANAGER Severina Gachparova SENIOR CONTENT DEVELOPERS Scott Forbes | Aaron Ferguson CONTENT DEVELOPERS Faye Hiscock | Erin McWhinney | Logan Neil SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper | Dean Lucas GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM LEAD Laura Pratt GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ashley Dowling | Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen IT ADMINISTRATOR Rebecca Sanford CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff HockenINSIDE JULY FOCUS ON: HEALTH & SAFETY OUTDOOR SPACES CONSTRUCTION SERVICES 4 Planning for Greener, Walkable Communities Ideas about what will make cities habitable going into the future are changing. People want to live healthy, quality lives. Governments at all levels are more focused on sustainability and reducing the impacts of climate change. And, given that about 20 percent of the world’s planet- warming pollution comes from transportation and 40 percent of that comes from cars, a big way to achieve that is by helping city residents become less dependent on cars and promote walking and cycling to get around. 5 CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS 77TH ANNUAL RILEM WEEK & 1ST INTERDISCIPLINARY SYMPOSIUM ON SMART & SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURES (ISSSI 2023) 4 – 8 September, Vancouver, BC RILEM Week is the most important RILEM (International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures or Réunion Internationale des Laboratoires et Experts des Matériaux, systèmes de construction et ouvrages) event of the year. The week includes committee meetings, an industrial session, and the prestigious Robert L’Hermite lecture and award. ISSSI 2023 will coincide to create an envi- ronment of mutual cooperation between experts in Materials and Structures and provide a forum for active dialogue, with themes including: Sensors, IoT and Structural Health Monitoring; AI and Machine Learning; Data Analytics for Infrastructure Management; Durability of Materials and Structures; Resilience to Earthquakes, Floods, Fire, and Blast; Smart & Bioinspired Materials; and more. For more information REAL ESTATE INVESTORS SUMMIT 18 – 20 September, Dallas, TX The Real Estate Investors Summit is an invitation-only, premium Summit bringing chief investment officers and innovative fund managers and consultants together. The summit’s content is aligned with key investment challenges and interests, relevant market developments, and practi- cal and progressive ideas and strategies adopted by successful pioneers. For more information PROCORE’S GROUNDBREAK 2023 19 – 20 September, Chicago, IL Groundbreak brings together the most passionate and innovative thought leaders from around the world who are embracing the transforma- tion happening across the industry. Discuss new ideas, get inspired by construction leaders, explore the Expo Hall, and walk away with action- able insights. For more information GREENBUILD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO 26 – 29 September, Washington, DC This year, Greenbuild’s theme of ‘Building Transformation’ highlights the legacy and commitment of the green building movement to trans- forming the built environment to better serve communities. Commemorate the USGBC’s 30th anniversary and mark the debut of LEED v5. Also featured is IWBC, where wood-based offsite construction’s suppliers, buyers, and specifiers meet to explore opportunities, exchange ideas, and introduce technologies to move the industry forward. For more information and THE NECA SHOW 29 September – 3 October, Philadelphia, PA Presented by the National Electrical Contractors Association, the NECA SHOW is where leaders of the electrical construction industry convene to discuss the ever-changing, ever-growing business climate. Each year, NECA invites the entire industry to network, see the newest products and services, and compare competitive products to find the right solutions. The evolution in electrical construction is happening here. 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 U.S. CONSTRUCTION SPENDING RISES After months of teeter-tottering, construction spending in the United States is soaring. According to the latest available figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, construction spending during April reached an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,908.4 billion USD, exceeding the revised March estimate of 1,885.0 billion USD. Figures for April are 7.2 percent (±1.2 percent) higher than the April 2022 estimate of 1,780.9 billion USD. “During the first four months of this year, construction spending amounted to 566.7 billion USD, 6.1 percent (±1.0 percent) above the 533.9 billion USD for the same period in 2022,” according to the Bureau’s construction statistics. Both private and public construction spending for April exceeded projections. Private construction spending was at 1,500.7 billion USD—1.3 percent (±0.3 percent) above the revised March estimate of 1,481.6 billion USD—while residen- tial construction was pegged at the seasonally adjusted rate of 845.4 billion USD, 0.5 percent (±1.3 percent) above the revised March estimate of 841.6 billion USD. LARGEST 3D PRINTED BUILDING UNVEILED The world’s largest 3D printed project was recently completed in Wellington, in Southern Florida. Made by Printed Farms, the latest 3D printed building is a massive luxury horse barn. Measuring 13 feet (3.96 m) in height, 155 feet (47 m) in length, and 83 feet (29 m) in width, the eques- trian facility totals 10,105 square feet. To complete the huge undertaking, Printed Farms used the BOD2 from COBOD, a global leader known for its 3D construc- tion printers, hardware, software, training, and other services. “COBOD has a unique standing position in the industry with sig- nificantly more and larger customers than any other provider and the printers from COBOD now hold all meaningful records for 3D printed buildings: COBOD printers have printed the tallest (Saudi Arabia 33 feet/9.9 m), the fastest (three buildings in eight days in Oman) and now the largest 3D printed building in the world,” stated the company in a media release. The new 3D printed equestrian facility was built to withstand Florida’s brutal weather, including tropical storms and hur- ricanes. Showcasing the versatility of COBOD’s products, the structure’s 3D printed walls have a cavity and air gap, providing natural cooling to the building. “Printed Farms has done a remarkable job in completing this massive structure and the project demonstrates again how 3D printing is transforming the construction industry for the better,” added Philip Lund-Nielsen, COBOD Co-founder and Head of Americas. “COBOD is proud to be technology supplier to yet another record-breaking 3D printing project on U.S. soil which comes only shortly after the completion of the U.S.’s first 2-storey 3D printed building in Texas, also using our BOD2 3D printer.” To date, COBOD’s 3D printers have been used to create houses, office buildings, silos, schools, data centres, turbine bases, and more. 7INDUSTRY NEWS TAP INTO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HIRES: PODCAST Construction is changing, and so are ways of finding new staff. According to a new podcast, construction companies can welcome new talent for their firms by embracing social media platforms and becoming ‘influencers.’ Courtesy of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the 21st Century Construction podcast—21CC for short—featured one planner who, after losing her job during the pandemic, had other offers immediately because of her strong LinkedIn presence. Another guest stated that young talent today all use social media, adding that there is an audience out there. The inaugural 21CC podcast features a Canadian architect whose team worked on creating a modular precast concrete system to repair apartment blocks in Ukraine damaged or destroyed during the war. The podcast is available at TACKLING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS Construction is a challenging industry, with staff putting in long hours, often under tough conditions. Mental stresses that existed before COVID grew worse during the pandemic. Instead of shying away from the issue of worsening mental health, the UK’s Association for Project Safety (APS) recently issued information on the subject. According to the APS, over 200,000 construction workers may suffer in silence, burdened with depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health conditions. According to APS President Ray Bone, the construction sector needs to “stop avoiding dif- ficult conversations and start taking mental health seriously, considering three out of four suicides are men and it is the leading cause of death in those under 45.” The comments were made during the recent Mental Health Week. Bone stated the APS believes the construction sector must do more to address mental health issues in the industry. “Construction is still a very male-dominated environment and—because it is clear men find it hard to open up and talk about their problems—we all need to look at the behav- iours and attitudes that are contributing to this often hidden health crisis,” he stated on the APS website. 8INDUSTRY NEWS ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK? According to a new paper from oceanologists at the University of Rhode Island, the weight of New York’s many buildings is causing it to sink. For the paper The Weight of New York City: Possible Contributions to Subsidence from Anthropogenic Sources, researchers analyzed data from a public database including building outlines and height information, along with infor- mation on New York’s soil types and bedrock. Their conclu- sion: the weight of the Big Apple will cause it to sink one to two millimeters a year. The paper was published in the Earth’s Future journal. Researchers determined New York’s total weight at 764 million tonnes. For their calculations, the city was divided into a 100 by 100 grid, with downward pressure on silt, sand, and clay (which comprises NY’s subsoil). The mass of all New York buildings was calculated, with researchers modeling subsidence caused by the pressure the structures exert on the Earth. Some areas in Brooklyn, Queens, and northern Staten Island may have higher subsidence rates due to structures being built on fill soil. Other factors, such as rising sea levels, are another contributing factor to the subsidence rates. “As coastal cities grow globally, the combination of construc- tion densification and sea level rise imply increasing inunda- tion hazard,” stated the paper’s summary. “The point of the paper is to raise awareness that every additional high-rise building constructed at coastal, river, or lakefront settings could contribute to future flood risk, and that mitigation strat- egies may need to be included.” The current population of New York City is eight million. 9Next >