The budget's effect on Canadian construction

Transportation and other infrastructure projects will reap the immediate effects from the proposed federal budget, but all aspects of construction are likely to indirectly benefit.

Photo courtesy Doka

In the face of the global financial crisis, the Canadian budget includes billions of dollars dedicated toward infrastructure funding over the next few years.

Waterproofing know-how flows into the Hamilton region

At its February 19 lunch meeting, the Hamilton/Niagara Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) is offering an hour-long presentation on selecting the best waterproofing system.

Lecture series added to Toronto Chapter's annual No Frills Show

Construction Specifications Canada's (CSC's) Toronto Chapter has added a lecture series to its annual No Frills Trade Show. The event, held on March 2, allows architects, engineers, interior designers, and specifiers to get all the latest manufacturer information and network with colleagues in a single afternoon.

Quebec projects dominate ASHRAE awards

Three out of the four top winners of this year's ASHRAE Technology Awards were projects from La Belle Province. The honours, given out in late January by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers, reward mechanical system designs that are energy-efficient, economic, and respectful of indoor air quality (IAQ) and environmental concerns.

NRC-IRC wants help in mechanically attached roofing research

The National Research Council-Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) is seeking help in quantifying air movement into mechanically attached membrane roofing assemblies to determine the effect on overall energy performance.

Canada's tallest tilt-up concrete panels erected in Chilliwack, B.C.

In late January, the construction of the new Chilliwack Cultural Centre set a record for the tallest tilt-up concrete panels erected in Canada. For the building's 'flytower' (a structure used to suspend set backdrops above the stage so they can be quickly lowered for performances), 20 panels were erected, each 25 m (82 ft) in height.

Vancouver construction goes digital

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) has signed a distribution partnership with a software company to reduce paper used in local projects. Working with Vancouver-based Infinite Source Systems Corp. (ISSC), the association has made PlanSource technology available to its members. The program purportedly reduced the need for paper by up to 70 per cent.