Buying a pre-construction home is an exciting step that requires careful decision-making. It helps to know how your new home warranty protects your purchase.

Choosing a newly-built house or condo as your first home can be a good way to avoid bidding wars and to personalize your home with finishes that suit your style. In Ontario, new homes are protected by a warranty that’s provided by the builder and backstopped by Tarion, a not-for-profit consumer protection organization.

Here are five key protections that your warranty provides:

Your deposit

Freehold home deposits (including upgrades and extras) are covered for up to $60,000 on homes with a purchase price of $600,000 or less, and up to $100,000 on homes over $600,000. Condo deposits are protected under Ontario’s Condominium Act and have warranty coverage up to $20,000.

Delayed closing

Delays to your closing or occupancy date can lead to extra storage or moving costs. Your warranty ensures that you’ll be compensated if your builder provides short notice of a delay, or if the delay extends beyond a certain date.

Unauthorized substitutions

In most cases, the builder is required to get your written approval before substituting any interior or exterior finishes that the builder has agreed to provide. If changes are made without your consent, the builder is required to provide either your original selections or a cash settlement.

Defects in your home

Your home comes with one-, two-, and seven-year warranties for a total of $300,000 of warranty coverage for work and materials, Ontario Building Code violations, structural defects, and more.

Condominium common elements

When you buy a condo, there are separate warranties for your unit and the building’s shared areas, known as common elements. Tarion’s website provides a full breakdown of what’s covered.

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Ten years ago, during the dawn of the modern all-electric vehicle with the launch of the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S in quick succession, executives from both companies tacitly admitted that despite key EV advantages in smoothness, zero emissions, cost of fueling and even being able to remote start in one’s warm garage, there were also two extra challenges for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in cold climates: driving range, and overall charging speeds.

These days, longer range batteries, quicker overall charging speeds and more plug-in vehicle options have helped to make winter driving much easier and a realistic option for many drivers, current EV owners and others. But many areas in Canada are still well behind in DC quick charging options, which help especially with those two winter issues.

Most automakers have now declared themselves committed to a zero emissions future for their vehicles, some more enthusiastically than others, prompted by countries such as Canada that have mandated such measures. This is slated to occur by 2035 in Canada, but as early as 2025 (or earlier) in Norway, the runaway global market leader in electric vehicle sales. With 64.2 percent of the entire new vehicle market in Norway consisting of BEVs in 2021 (roughly 92 percent of new vehicle sales if you include plug-in hybrids and hybrid sales to the end of November 2021), Norway is an oil-rich nation that should be a model for Canada that even countries with serious winter weather can embrace modern EV technology.

A study of the early Norwegian EV market found that installing public quick chargers helped increase the adoption of BEVs by roughly 200 percent over five years, by addressing the range issue in both urban and inter-city travel, with the addition of quick charging points every 50 km along major highways. And momentum seems to be building in this direction in Canada as well, after the provinces of Quebec and BC were also early to establish quick charging public networks in those provinces early on, helping to drive BEV adoption in those provinces, along with rebates and more recently ZEV mandates as well.

Electric vehicle drivers in Ontario were super excited to learn in early December that its popular network of ONroute highway stops would finally receive long-promised quick charging capabilities in 2022, as part of the Ivy Charging Network. Ivy is a joint venture between Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which will install and operate quick chargers of up to 150 kW speeds as early as the end of January, with 17 planned to be operational by the summer road trip season, and 20 by the end of 2022. These will cover some of the busiest stretches of highway on the continent, along the 401 and 400 north-south routes.

Such DC quick chargers will very much help with the inter-city travel that has traditionally been more of a challenge for EVs, especially in the winter, as will longer-range batteries and better thermal management systems in modern EVs. Where highway quick charging won’t help nearly as much is with urban drivers who don’t have access to a garage or a regular parking spot with overnight charging abilities.

It’s these drivers that would most benefit from more urban charging capabilities – as would all who work or live in cities, through lower pollution and climate-changing emissions. This could involve simple new 110-volt outlets in street lamps, more street-side Level 2 (240-volt) chargers, or more downtown DC quick charging (480 volts, or Level 3), such as Tesla offers with its Superchargers. 

The success of Tesla is undoubtedly in large part due to its Supercharger network, which is both urban and inter-urban, but unfortunately not nearly as built out in Canada as in the US. If Canada is to successfully reach its goal of all zero emissions consumer vehicles in Canada by 2035, with all the health and climate benefits, more charging commitments in all areas of the country are needed.

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What exactly is energy storage technology?

Energy storage technology captures energy produced and stores it for later use. Energy is stored through a variety of technologies including, but not limited to, pumped hydro, batteries, compressed air, hydrogen storage and thermal storage. The ability to store energy for later use allows increased regulation of the amount of power supplied to an energy system and contributes to the overall resilience of the power grid.

Why do we need energy storage?

Energy storage is flexible and can act as a generation, transmission, or distribution asset – sometimes in a single resource. Energy storage assets can augment any number of resources in an energy system. While energy storage is a great complement to the intermittent generation of renewable assets, it can also respond to fluctuations in grid demand, helping meet peaks in demand, and reducing the need for generators to increase production. Low-cost energy can be stored to supply the additional energy needed during these high-cost peaks, which in addition to increasing the energy available, reduces costs for consumers. Energy storage is also able to serve as a backup if power generation is interrupted, augmenting an energy system’s reliability and resilience, and helping to reduce the environmental impacts of increased energy demands.

How is energy storage useful on a grid scale?

Energy storage’s flexibility and its ability to complement existing systems, offer a range of benefits at the grid level. It improves the overall efficiency of the operation of the grid, helps meet high-cost demand during peak periods, and reduces grid congestion, which can cause damage to the grid. The ability to store this excess energy until it is needed also reduces the need to build additional power generation assets if existing transmission infrastructure may be hard-pressed to meet increases or changes in demand. Energy storage can solve this problem by storing the energy (possibly even sited near the generation source) and moving the energy to where it is needed prior to periods of congestion. Energy Storage also tends to gain less public opposition than more visible powerlines or other power generation projects.

What can we expect to see in terms of innovation in storage technology in the next 5-10 years?

Because energy storage tends to still be categorized as an “emerging technology,” an argument could be made that all energy storage technologies and applications are innovative. However, in the next five to ten years, as the costs of energy storage systems continue to decrease, it’s likely there will be a greater prevalence of all energy storage technologies. It’s possible in that time frame we might also see different battery storage chemistry, or different mechanical storage solutions, such as technologies harnessing kinetic or gravitational energy. Hydrogen storage options are also generating a lot of interest currently, which could present some interesting and innovative energy storage solutions in the coming years. Another area of interest that is ripe for innovation is long-duration energy storage (LDES), energy storage technologies that hold energy for longer periods of time, upwards of 24 hours or more. The great thing about energy storage in terms of innovation is that as ready as many technologies are to be incorporated into existing grids, the solutions today are just the beginning. It’s an area that is ripe for growth and innovation for a long time to come.

What actions have been taken by industry and government stakeholders to advance energy storage technologies in Canada? What more needs to be done?

The provinces in Canada that are ahead of the game (Ontario and Alberta) have taken steps to review existing legislation and regulation, in consultation with industry stakeholders, to identify barriers to the incorporation of energy storage and have started taking steps to remove those barriers. There continue to be conversations surrounding the timelines these provinces have laid out to fully enable energy storage, but they do have a plan or road map in place that provides a line of sight to advance energy storage in their jurisdiction. Other provinces could certainly look to these leading jurisdictions to support the development of similar road maps for their own provinces. In terms of the federal government, federal funding opportunities or guidance could be compelling levers to assist in that task. In terms of energy storage development for Canada, it’s less that more needs to be done and more that the processes being undertaken need to move faster because the energy storage industry is ready to meet the growing needs of Canada’s energy grids and to help Canada meet its net-zero goals!

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As Canada electrifies its economy, solar is ready to rapidly transform underutilized spaces into distributed energy infrastructure.

Globally, solar power provides the lowest cost of energy in history. It is a mature, commercialized technology that is available today – no future breakthroughs or government grants required. Electrification is inevitable. Now is the time to elevate our clean energy standards in Canada. Solar is ready.

For businesses, solar is an opportunity to further monetize existing development assets. Solar is also a visible way to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and connect with clientele who share their sustainable values. Most investments in technology are deflationary. Solar is bankable. With a lifetime far longer than its return on investment, today’s solar drives the net cost of energy down, providing energy rates that are lower now, and for the next 30 years.

Solar power is highly adaptable, easily integrating into developed spaces. Unlike the construction of new centralized power plants, solar is rapidly installed anywhere, at any scale. As a distributed energy resource (DER), solar avoids the expense of long-distance transmission, producing electricity where it is needed. This decentralization of energy not only stabilizes energy costs, it minimizes urban sprawl by maximizing our use of space.

Solar transforms our cities

There is an abundance of urban space that is not being used to its full potential. Rooftops and parking lots are underutilized and can be made productive. Solar transforms them into distributed power plants. By empowering us to rethink how and where we generate electricity, solar is an essential ingredient in the energy mix for a cleaner, electrified future.

Rooftop solar installations built on existing structures have already enabled early adopters to generate up to 100 percent of their electricity and beyond, with many exporting surplus energy to the grid.

Solar canopies that cover parking lots provide benefits that go beyond power generation. They provide shelter from inclement weather, shade in summer, and snow cover in winter. It is infrastructure at human scale that enhances the urban experience.

Achieving Canada’s energy transition

In Canada, renewables generate 70 percent of our electricity. They are already major sources of our energy. Despite advancements in energy efficiency, our energy demand continues to grow, doubling in only 40 years. Distributed solar is one pillar in closing the gap to complete our energy transition, powering the electrification of transportation and heating.

Installing solar into urban spaces enables an agile, bottom-up response to transforming our energy infrastructure. Solar empowers communities and businesses to act now to fight climate change, drive down their long-term energy costs, and supply local economic returns. It is a new form of infrastructure that addresses rising capital costs and operating expenses.

Solar has the power to transform.

Innovative design

At VCT Group, we develop innovative solar products that productively transform space.

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The Solstex^® Solar Façade System enables building owners to generate clean energy, save on electricity costs, and provide community benefits.

We tend to think of traditional solar systems as ground mounted or rooftop mounted projects. However, there’s an argument to be made for integrating them with building facades. “If you’re looking at a high-rise building, for example, you have more opportunity to put solar panels on a façade than you do on the rooftop just due to space constraints,” says Hugh Lowry, Special Projects Engineer at Elemex Architectural Façade Systems, a London, Ontario based company specializing in photovoltaic façade systems.

Solar facades can bring economic, environmental, and community paybacks to a project. They yield cost savings and a return on investment by capturing and turning solar rays into clean energy in the building space. “Along with that, you’re offsetting the possible carbon emissions and providing a benefit to both the environment and the surrounding community,” says Lowry.

While using standard shapes, sizes, and colours is the most economical way to build a solar wall, there may be the odd finicky corner or tricky area that requires something more flexible and customizable. That’s one important consideration when looking into solar facades. Another is the fact that here in the northern hemisphere the south-facing walls are more economical than north-facing walls.

Solstex^® building-integrated photovoltaic façade system offers economical, custom solutions

Elemex’s Solstex^® building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) façade system lets designers and architects incorporate lightweight, large format panels onto a façade and is ideal for new construction and retrofits. The panel surface resembles black glass and integrates well with other surfaces like aluminium plates, sintered ceramic, and natural stone, and works seamlessly with the entire family of Elemex^® façade systems using our Unity^® Attachment Technology.

Solstex^® façade systems are also built to withstand the harshest elements and will soon be available in a new array of coloured panels to include dark grey, light grey, bluish-green, bronze, brass, gold, and orange.  

The post Solstex® Line of Solar Facades Generate More than Just Clean Energy appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Community boosters are worth a lot. Schools, arenas, parks, and libraries in Strathmore share stories of people pulling together to get the project finished. More businesses are discovering that the community is proud to help them grow, too.

Investments in agri-business, manufacturing, and renewable energy are setting records for the largest volume of capital investment in Strathmore’s history. It’s a town focused on the future and growth that welcomes a variety of startups but has retained its rural roots and a commitment to its community.

More businesses are discovering what Strathmore offers

That is just one reason why Borea Construction has been so pleased with its partnership with Strathmore. It is constructing two major solar projects in the area and has received an incredible level of support from the town. “Strathmore is really willing to go farther to help us succeed,” says Chelsea Million, the company’s talent advisor. When explaining what sets Strathmore apart from other places, she cites the successful job fair hosted locally, the quality of local candidates, and the town’s willingness to share resources in order to help meet the firm’s goals.

The town has a long tradition of being innovative and solution-focused. Its Marigold Library System, established in 1981, was a game-changer. The not-for-profit municipal collaboration provides state-of-the-art library services, now serving over 300,000 people across 44 municipalities. It joined forces with Western Irrigation District (WID), which supplies irrigation water to almost 100,000 acres of farmland, to build a new shared headquarters this year. It’s a prime example of Strathmore’s strong collaborative spirit.

Focus on success and innovation

Local businesses are expanding their reach. Origin Malting drew on five generations of farming expertise when they launched their malting plant in 2016. As pioneers of soil conservation and traceability, they brought a focus on sustainability to their operations. Producing the finest malt for craft brewers has brought customers from across North America.

We have great people that work hard here. Some of the finest people you’ll ever meet…they work right here. We’re much like a family I guess.

An unexpected start-up has its origins in a local farm as well. G&S Airport Conveyor, which builds and maintains baggage conveyor systems for airports around the world, started out of a garage on an area farm. Since moving into Strathmore, the company has grown and invested in newer, more advanced technology. Owner Jim Goertz appreciates how business-friendly Strathmore is. He also likes the inviting small-town feel, something that makes it easy to attract and retain employees. It’s a desirable place to work and to live in. “We have great people that work hard here. Some of the finest people you’ll ever meet … they work right here. We’re much like a family I guess.”

Strathmore is well-positioned to keep the momentum going. “Strathmore offers start-ups a great place to grow. Our team offers personalized support you can’t find in large centers” says Mayor Pat Fule. “We’re a friendly, welcoming community that helps each other to succeed.”

The post Small Towns Are Friendly — And Startups Succeed with Lots of Friends appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Vishen Maharaj

Digital Infrastructure Leader, GHD Digital

Over the next decade, hundreds of billions of dollars will be spent on infrastructure across Canada. Research shows that three-quarters of infrastructure projects are beset by scheduling delays or cost overruns. The often-complicated divide between finance and delivery, compounded by a significant number of projects relying on public funding, can mean serious operational and financial implications.

Global professional services company GHD believes that these issues can be reduced by using robust digital solutions and data analytics at the outset of a project.

A growing demand for digital transformation

With rising costs, disrupted supply chains, increased customer expectations, and the impact of climate change, digital transformation is front of mind for today’s infrastructure leaders.

Clients come to GHD to harness the full potential of existing and potential infrastructure. Developing and assessing well-planned and integrated strategies to minimize risk, GHD helps them to maximize returns, efficiency, and productivity over the life of assets. At the same time, GHD is acutely aware of how building a digital infrastructure can better connect clients with their customers, save money and ultimately be more effective in their business.

GHD has taken its 90-year history of engineering know-how and integrated it with an in-house team of digital solution experts to create GHD Digital. Blending traditional engineering mindsets with the latest technologies, the team can offer solutions that normally wouldn’t be possible.
“Our aim is to fully understand our clients’ needs, show available technologies, all while guiding them through the digital transformation process that will help achieve their goals,” says Steven Karan, Vice President, Canada, GHD Digital. “Through analytics and data science, clients can use predictive models and machine learning to understand their infrastructure assets. Through augmented reality, clients can visualize a building and the surrounding area and study the flow of people and the necessary equipment, well before shovels are even put in the ground. Digital technology offers a framework that infrastructure owners can adopt to minimize delays and cost — we owe it to our communities to take that approach.”

Digital technology offers a framework that infrastructure owners can adopt to minimize delays and cost – we owe it to our communities to take that approach

Thinking digitally to inform decision making

Cities need to think digitally and think big about resolving issues like climate change, urbanization, and aligning growth with existing and future infrastructure. Taking urban planning into a truly digital environment offers city planners, urban designers, and architects a collaborative, visual platform to better respond to a critical change in real-world environments. For example, how to visualize the future of our landfills, energy use, and water supply.

Recently, GHD Digital worked with a large pharmaceutical manufacturer to model how policy changes can affect infrastructure over a 50-year time frame. Combining digital twin technology, a virtual replica of a building, site, or other physical object, alongside advanced analytical techniques, they helped understand potential community impacts of a new facility. By using spatial data points and leveraging its data warehouse, GHD Digital first modelled everything from topography, density of community, access to energy supply, and surrounding road and transportation infrastructure. The team then layered additional data points, such as population and potential workforce demographics to gain a complete picture of the project at the outset.

Traditionally, it would be expensive and time-consuming to gather this kind of intelligence. Now, access to these advanced tools allows companies to be proactive with infrastructure investments. “The advantage is understanding where things will go before anything moves forward,” says Vishen Maharaj, Digital Infrastructure Leader, Canada, GHD Digital. “There are different circumstances facing each business, with nuances between private- and public-sector clients. We need to understand both. If we don’t take a digital by default approach, the implication can be billions of dollars.”

Innovation grows in the digital lab

Collaboration unlocks innovation. This is the motivation behind D-Lab, GHD Digital’s innovator and strategizer. Supporting clients through their innovation lifecycle, D-Lab builds immersive and interactive environments to unleash new ways of thinking about infrastructure.

“To meet today’s challenges, we need to reimagine how infrastructure can be built in an agile and adaptive way, increasing the efficiency of a project,” says Karan. “By looking through the lens of digital technologies, we find the outcome of a project is much more focused, in terms of building, sequencing, and targeting. Sometimes, we have clients who don’t know what’s available to them. D-Lab is about illuminating the art of the possible.”

GHD Digital is bullish on this sentiment, which it’s using globally. In Australia, for example, the company has helped improve level (railway) crossing safety, often predominant in residential areas. Bringing together subject matter experts and looking through the lens of digital technologies, the D-Lab experience increased the overall fluency of digital innovation.

No longer are clients saying, I didn’t know this was possible. Instead, they realize how new technologies can contribute to a successful project. It’s like a snowball effect as organizations execute their first projects. They need to build muscle memory when adapting digital solutions into an infrastructure project.

“Once you start executing, it’s not like there is a reserve of capital to correct mistakes,” says Karan. “Many infrastructure projects, specifically publicly funded, come from taxpayer dollars. Governments need to ensure they are maximizing available resources.”

The post Transforming Infrastructure Development Through Digital Technologies appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Start with green thinking

Morrison Hershfield believes that creative green design at the outset of a project is good for the environment and can create significant operational efficiencies for owners and operators. Edmonton Transit Service’s (ETS) Centennial Garage, for example, is a LEED Silver-certified state-of-the-art transit facility that delivered on ambitious energy efficiency goals, showcasing the firm’s sustainable design capabilities and resulting in streamlined operations and energy savings for their client.

The energy-efficient building envelope minimizes thermal loss and capitalizes on alternate power sources, such as a solar wall to preheat make-up air. The design and engineering features lean heavily on the use of natural light and high-tech systems, which has led to increased productivity and a reduction in reported absenteeism. In short, employees want to work here.

Designing with the community in mind

It’s good business to support the communities in which organizations, such as transit providers, operate. Transit facilities are industrial in nature, operate 24/7 and occupy significant acreage. Due to their potential impact on surrounding communities and the environment, early and active community engagement is needed to address concerns related to new transit facility infrastructure investments.

Morrison Hershfield worked with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on the design and build of the McNicoll Bus Garage. This facility was built to Toronto Green Standard requirements and has set a benchmark for future TTC facilities. The primary goals of the project were to develop a community-sensitive and energy-efficient design. Community input impacted the facility’s striking design and site landscaping and contributed to alleviating additional concerns like traffic, air quality, noise, and vibration.

An underground stormwater retention system was built on-site to retain up to three million litres of water, reducing the strain on local municipal infrastructure. The building boasts the largest green roof in Toronto, and the low-maintenance landscaping includes over 350 planted trees and a preserved, historically significant Vimy Oak. The facility’s strategic location reduces the distance buses travel for maintenance and storage, resulting in operational efficiencies and reduced emissions.

The future of transportation is now

Governments and transit authorities across Canada are committed to zero-emission strategies and the electrification of bus fleets. The Edmonton Transit Service’s 40 electric buses were one of the largest purchases of electric buses in Canada. Electrification of our transportation system will reap significant benefits. Each traditional bus replaced with an electric bus produces 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions and reduces maintenance costs by 30 percent.

To accommodate the future of public transit, Morrison Hershfield worked with ETS to develop innovative in-depot overhead charging stations, the largest of its kind in Canada. These stations provide a quicker charge, which, combined with the buses’ larger charge storage capacity, means customers can enjoy a better experience with fewer stops to recharge.

The move to the electrification of transportation fleets is an ever-present reality in the world of public transportation — with forward-thinking solutions and expert advice, the transition from diesel to electric is an attainable and realistic next step for transportation systems in Canada.

With forward-thinking solutions and expert advice, the transition from diesel to electric is an attainable and realistic next step for transportation systems in Canada.

As a leader in the transportation industry, Morrison Hershfield seeks to advance public transportation. Don’t miss an opportunity to learn, connect and share ideas with other transit industry professionals during Morrison Hershfield’s interactive Transit Facilities Webinar series.

The post A Leading Canadian Engineering Practice Helps Forward Thinking Clients Drive Green Solutions appeared first on HiveInnovates.

David Fox

Principal, Entuitive

Entuitive’s work begins with design and continues through construction, maintenance, and renewal. We work with contractors and owners to ensure the best balance of constructability, cost, and performance requirements. By integrating temporary works into permanent structure design, a host of efficiencies can be unlocked that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.

Integrating construction engineering with permanent structure design exemplifies our philosophy of continuously seeking to provide additional value to our clients. By integrating the temporary works into the permanent structure, we can find efficiencies in the lengthy construction process, eliminate the need to do things twice, reduce materials, and ensure the design is constructible.

The value in integrating construction engineering with permanent structure design

Depending on the delivery model, such as design-build or public-private partnership, it’s often possible to integrate temporary works into permanent structure design, thereby saving time and money and creating a safer construction sequence. By engaging our team early in the project process, contractors and owners gain the benefit of having their construction sequence accommodated in the structural design. When we know how contractors intend to construct a structure, we can collaborate with them to identify opportunities for efficiencies that will enable them to complete their work on time and on budget. We don’t believe in “setting it and forgetting it.” We work with contractors throughout the process, collaborating with them every step of the way, asking questions, and listening to the answers.

We don’t believe in ‘setting it and forgetting it’. We work with contractors throughout the process, collaborating with them every step of the way, asking questions, and listening to the answers.

What does this approach look like?

An example would be designing a base structure to account for temporary loading, such as construction traffic or equipment. By understanding how the contractor is going to complete their work, we can build that capacity into the base design, eliminating the need for and cost of temporarily shoring the slab if that’s the cost-effective option. Similarly, if we know that the contractor is going to use a tower crane or material hoist restraint, we can design space in the base build to accommodate this connection, ultimately saving time and money. Both Calgary’s New Central Library and Platform Innovation Centre and Parkade, for example, were constructed directly overtop an active light rail transit line. The design of the building required an innovative sequence of construction considerations to enable the installation of very heavy long-span structural elements across the corridor. Both projects had their unique challenges, but one thing in common was the constructability sequencing and temporary bracing elements that were incorporated in the building design. Other examples of this work include New York’s Manhattan West Platform and the Finch LRT in Toronto. If you’re interested in learning more about our projects, or how Entuitive can support contractors, reach out to Stephen Brown or David Fox.

The post Our 1+1=3 Approach to Construction Engineering and Permanent Structure Design appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Where collaboration meets innovation

Founded in 1926, Graham Construction is one of Canada’s most experienced construction companies and a leader in innovative infrastructure development. “Innovation and collaboration are at the center of how we operate — we have a true partner culture,” says Cecil Dawe, Graham’s Executive Vice President of Industrial and Infrastructure. “We recruit, train, and develop our people to foster a collaborative environment. This results in more successful project outcomes for Graham and our clients, and for all stakeholders.” 

Graham invests in its people through purpose-built learning and development programs that strengthen employees’ commitment to Graham’s culture and core values. These internally-developed programs ensure the business has highly qualified and progressive project teams and is part of Graham’s long-term devotion to innovation, collaboration, and future industry leaders.

This approach generates innovative solutions to complex challenges. During the recent Groat Road Bridge Rehabilitation project in Edmonton, Graham worked closely with its engineering partner to develop a unique overhead gantry crane system to revitalize the 70-year-old bridge. This enabled the structure to remain open to traffic throughout construction while protecting the marine habitat in the river below. Despite its aggressive schedule, the project was successfully delivered on time.

“Innovation is not new to Graham, it’s something we do daily,” says Tom Cole, Graham’s Vice President of Infrastructure in Western Canada. “Our clients recognize and appreciate our abilities to collaborate and innovate, to meet the needs of demanding projects.”

Collaborative contract models are reshaping the industry

Graham is an advocate for more collaborative contracting models. These efforts have included discussions with national and provincial construction associations and meetings with capital project staff at over 80 provincial and municipal governments. Graham provides clients with suggestions for improved public procurement of infrastructure projects, from a constructor’s point of view. This includes recommendations for optimizing Canada’s standard model for P3 (public-private partnership) projects.

“Innovation should never be an afterthought,” says Cole. “We believe collaboration is essential in the early stages of a project because that’s when we discover where everyone’s strengths are, and therefore able to develop innovative solutions together.”

Graham endorses early contractor involvement because it allows for optimal designs to emerge, and early planning to de-risk the construction phase before building commences. Putting these project partners together early in a project’s lifecycle, allows that fusion of knowledge and experience to generate impressive results.

Graham’s track record of collaborative project delivery is extensive. In 2013, the company began working on the first project in Canada to leverage the integrated project delivery model — the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital in Saskatchewan — and is currently working on the first progressive design-build contracts in Canada at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant also in Saskatchewan and the Stuart Lake Hospital Redevelopment (BC). Graham partners closely with its clients, designers, sub-contractors, suppliers, Indigenous communities, and all other stakeholders involved in a project.

Ongoing innovation in technology

“In addition to hiring and developing our people to be collaborators and innovators, we also invest in technology to give our people great tools and systems to help them manage projects,” says Matt Gramblicka, Vice President of Information Technology and Enterprise Applications at Graham.

Graham is currently investing $20 million to integrate industry-leading software into its existing project management system, ensuring project stakeholders have the most recent iteration of technology at their disposal.

This continual investment in improving on-site technology, in combination with its recruitment and training programs, true partner approach, and leadership in emerging contracting models, has positioned Graham as the contractor of choice for clients across Canada. Graham is delivering the solutions to successfully build and replace Canada’s infrastructure.

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