Drugs and Alcohol Not Sole Sources of Workplace Impairment, Say Experts

Construction sites are inherently hazardous places with dangers around every corner and under every ladder. But some of the risks workers face don’t reside in the workplace; they are brought in from outside. Read more

Trade Team West Initiative Urges Trade-enabling Infrastructure

The roadbuilding and heavy construction community in Western Canada is launching a new initiative that urges provincial and territorial governments to expand strategic investment in transportation infrastructure to develop the region as a global trading block. Read more

New Guide Helps Builders Tackle Resource Roads

A new national field guide published recently is designed to help roadbuilders construct roads across wetlands in Canada’s boreal forest. Read more

Eleven Organizations Urge National Plan for Energy-efficient Buildings

Eleven organizations, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), are calling on the federal government to implement a bold national plan for improving the energy efficiency of Canada’s buildings. Read more

Two Women Are Bridging a Gap between the Construction Industry and New Technology

Kitchener, Ont.-based Bridgit has found the formula for disrupting markets. Through deep industry knowledge, a tight focus on customer value, and sheer hard work, its founders — Mallorie Brodie and Lauren Lake — are changing the way the construction industry shares data across Canada and in major U.S. cities. Read more

Smarter than the Average Brick

In Europe, a research project called Living Architecture got underway in April. The purpose of the research is to develop a modular bioreactor/wall based on microbial fuel cell technology and a variety of bacteria with different functions. Read more

Construction Looks to Meet Demand for Female Mentors

There’s a great demand for female mentors in the construction industry, but there aren’t enough of them to go around, says the president of the Canadian Association of Women in Construction. Read more.

Ottawa Poised to Ease Rules for Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The federal government is setting the stage for a loosening of temporary foreign worker rules after vocal complaints from Canadian employers that recent Conservative changes went too far. Read more

Research Aimed at Increasing Safety of Temporary Structures on Construction Site

The use of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) will allow for monitoring and assessing the safety of temporary structures used on construction sites, according to research being completed in Penn State’s Department of Architectural Engineering. Read more.

Intelligent Transportation Systems and Smarter Project Coordination

Construction work zones are some of the most brightly designated areas along roads and highways, even rivaling the ubiquitous billboard. Unfortunately, that visibility hasn’t stopped accidents in what the public assumes is a cordoned-off haven. Read more.