December 24, 2009
Construct Canada 2009
Achieving basic LEED no longer a challenge, PCL Constructors manager tells roundtable
LEED has become so commonplace in building construction that earning the basic certified status is no longer a challenge, a PCL Constructors manager told an audience at the recent Construct Canada show in Toronto.
"In the last year what we’re seeing is that Certified is easy; it’s achievable," Klaus Gloge, PCL’s district building systems manager, said during a contractors roundtable on green building, third party ratings and construction site management.
"We are seeing that kick-up going from certified right away to Silver and up to Gold, right in the middle of the stream of a project."
Klaus was joined on the panel by Cameron Blair, manager of sustainable building services for EllisDon Corp.; Compton Cho, estimating director for Vanbots (a division of Carillion Construction Inc.); and Murray MacKinnon, director of project development for Ledcor Construction Ltd.
The discussion was moderated by Ontario General Contractors Association president Clive Thurston.
Blair noted that EllisDon has seen the number of its projects that have achieved LEED certification double over the past year.
"We’re constantly pushing people to get LEED accreditation," he said. "It’s changing next year. It’s going to get a lot more complicated."
Check back here in coming days for more video from Construct Canada.
Commemorative quilt gets permanent home
A quilt commemorating the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy was unveiled in its new permanent home at York Mills subway station in Toronto Wednesday, a moving tribute to the five men who lost their lives in a watermain tunnel 50 years ago.
Pursuit of LEED could result in professional negligence, insurance executive warns
By adhering to a “recipe” or “formula” in order to earn points toward LEED certification, design professionals might be at risk of neglecting their responsibility to clients, says an insurance company executive.
The head of the Ontario General Contractors Association is praising a report from Workers Safety & Insurance Board chair Steven Mahoney that looks at ways to reform the WSIB
‘You don’t create job opportunities by cutting off business:’ Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters CEO
The new Buy America agreement between Canada and the U.S. doesn’t offer Canadian firms access to stimulus contracts that have already “gone out the door,” says the head of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.
WSIB shouldn't rush rate hikes to cover unfunded liability: COCA president
In its effort to eliminate the unfunded liability, the Workers Safety & Insurance Board should not hike premiums too quickly or it could make Ontario an unattractive place to do business, says the president of the Council of Ontario Construction Associations.
Canadian Construction Association strengthening research and innovation efforts
The Canadian Constrruction Association has made progress in the past year in its efforts to nurture connections with educational and research institutions across the country, reports CCA chair Brad Greene.
Construction worker’s fatal fall didn't involve swing stage
A construction worker is dead after falling as much as six storeys from a building in east Toronto Thursday. Police say a piece of metal may have fallen and hit the worker, knocking him off the building.
Is the U.S. recovery sustainable?
The U.S. might be starting to mend its economy, but there are still a number of uncertainties about whether a recovery will be sustainable, says CanaData chief economist Alex Carrick.
Ontario Road Builders’ Association launches green award
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association has announced a new green award to recognize efforts made by the industry to protect the environment.
