Vancouver Approves Zero Emissions Building Plan

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The City of Vancouver will be changing the way energy use in new buildings is regulated to target greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions instead of energy efficiency levels.Read more

CANS Holiday Office Closure

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Please Note: CANS office will be closed on Monday, August 1 reopening on Tuesday, August 2 at 8:30 am to observe the Natal Day Holiday. CANS Members are advised to plan accordingly.

WELL Building Standard Means Designing for Human Health

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The WELL Building Standard combines best practices in design and construction with evidence-based medical and scientific research and harnessing the built environment as a means of supporting the health and well-being of those who work in the building. It is an independently verified, performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring the features of the built environment that have an impact on human health.Read more

The Role of Wearable Technology in Risk Reduction

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An assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech has studied much of the existing literature and identified various problems in the industry’s current practices. Young-Corbett explores a new field of engineering known as Prevention through Design, which suggests the optimal method of preventing occupational illnesses, injuries and fatalities is to “design out” the hazards and risk with tools, equipment, systems and facilities. Wearable technology has become a major part of this new way of thinking. Read more

Construction Workers Are Working Past Their Best-before Dates

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Construction work is hard on the body and being able to retire with a full pension before the age of 65 should be considered as the Canada Pension Plan evolves, says a human resources professor. Read more

Have Your Say on Canada’s Infrastructure Plan

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The Government of Canada is investing $120 billion over the next 10 years to build strong, inclusive and sustainable communities and they want to hear from you. Phase 1 is already underway, and now the Government of Canada is inviting you to share your views on Phase 2 of Canada’s infrastructure plan.

Visit infraconsults.ca to provide your feedback in five ways: eWorkbooks, discussion forums, photo and video submissions, written submissions, and community-led events.

The Government of Canada is particularly interested in your thoughts on four important themes:

  • Community Infrastructure, which is about your needs and the infrastructure priorities in your community.
  • Green Infrastructure, which is focused on Canada’s ongoing transition to a clean-growth economy.
  • Public Transit Infrastructure, which is geared towards improving and expanding public transit systems in communities across Canada.
  • Social Infrastructure, which is about building stronger communities through social infrastructure projects like affordable housing and cultural and recreational infrastructure

How Tablet Computers Changed the Construction Industry

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Robert Kipp’s must-have tool when he steps onto a construction site isn’t a walkie-talkie or a hard-hat, though you’ll never spot him without them. It’s an eight-inch Apple iPad Mini on which he stores blueprints, field documentation, and other relevant information. Read more

Calgary Start-up Wants to Be ‘Airbnb’ for Heavy Equipment Owners

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The founders of Calgary-based startup AnyQuip liken their newly formed company to “AirBnB or Uber for heavy equipment owners.” Read more

Highly-skilled Foreign Workers Have Role to Play

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Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) has put forward recommendations to a federal parliamentary committee reviewing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) that support the use of foreign nationals in highly-skilled construction occupations.Read more

Minecraft Game Wants to Turn Teens into Future Construction Managers

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Lego has long been lauded by architecture geeks as a childhood gateway drug into the world of designing and building. Now, the UK wants to use a similar idea to hook teens on the fun of construction management. The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has developed a four-part construction curriculum played within Minecraft—the wildly popular (and vaguely Lego-like) computer game in which players build things out of blocks. Read more.