Construction Specifications Canada
CSC Design Challenge to #reimagineš 1655 Dupont
Drop in and visit the CSC Student Design Challenge exhibit in the Winner’s Lounge at Expo 2019, live off the floor at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on February 27th.Ā Sample the iGuide virtual tour of 1655 Dupont Street in Toronto, site of the 2019 Design Challenge.
šĀ meet Michael Vervena at iGuide
šmeet Cathie Schneider, Co-Chair of the Design Competition Committee
šĀ visit cscdesignchallenge.caĀ šĀ like us on facebook
šBuilding Design & Construction at George Brown College
21:31:41 CSCeXpo2019
Montage video recap of the 41st annual CSC Building Expo (21:31) shot live off the floor on February 27th, 2019.
I suited up and slew snowmaggedon on the Kitchener line GoTrain to Union Station, complete with all ten poster boards from last year’s design challenge safely in tow.
While frantically rummaging through pockets for my presto card, I caught a glimpse of Regional Councillor/City of Waterloo Mayor David Jaworsky waiting to board the train.Ā Reflecting on his 2018 year-end interview with Craig Norris on The Morning Edition (*1) put a smile on my face despite an undertone of grumpiness for neglecting to make time for morning java.
20 sec markš “Construction in Today’s Connected World” was the keynote address from Dr. Rick Huijbreigts, the VP of Strategy and Innovation at George Brown College.Ā Dr. Huijbreights expands on the convergence of IoT devices in building automation systems with low-voltage PoE, smart lighting, cloud management and analytics, all protected by emerging cybersecurity operational standards (*2) Yep, caught myself smiling again even before the aroma of coffee reached the table.
It was refreshing to see so many student volunteers from the college engaged at the expo; serving the industry, asking questions and making connections. The train has indeed left the station
2m30s markš Next stop on the tour we hear from Charles W. Skipper, partner at Foglar, Rubinoff LLP and no stranger to the Toronto Construction Association. The Queen’s University alumni cut his teeth articling with the Ministry of Attorney General before practicing commercial litigation at a major Toronto law firm.Ā At Fogler, Rubinoff LLP since 1996, his expertise in the dynamics of construction and commercial disputes is highly sought after. Charles obtained his Master’s Degree in Law (LL.M) (Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution) from Osgoode Hall, York University in 1998, specializing in construction litigation. He is a Harvard Law School trained negotiator, a lover of ancient history, and a surprisingly funny guy with a decent throwing arm (not captured in this video) (*3)
ā this is justice and I think it’s great, but I must say that I never had any idea in my life that you could ask so many questions for so long about so littleĀ ā
6m06s markšA sobering overview of changes to the Construction Lien Act including lien registration/perfection, holdback, trust fund obligations, prompt payment rules and interim adjudication (*4)
18m01s markšĀ CSC Student Design Challenge: the top five entries of the 2018 design competition on display in the winner’s loungeš„
Cathie Schneider, Co-Chair of the CSC student design competition committee shares her enthusiasm with Michael Vervena as he demonstrates the use of iGuide’s 3D virtual tour of the 2019 Design Challenge site at 1655 Dupont Street in Toronto.
*1) Things that matter to Mayor Dave Jaworsky
*2) US legislation to improve IoT security
*3)Ā Bell Canada v. Olympia & York Developments Ltd., 1994 CanLII 239 (ON CA)
*4) Changes to the Construction ActĀ Ā
24 for 48 Ontario
Congratulations Winners!
Awards Night on May 16th held in the Atrium at Catalyst 137 – The site of last year’s design competition.Ā Gorgeous space – thank-you Frank, PM Riley & the Building Team – a pleasure!
Shout out to our esteemed judges who made it possible to narrow down from 24 inspiring and noteworthy entries.Ā Well done students!
Teams from Ryerson University, OCAD, UWaterloo, Conestoga College participated and five challengers rose to the top:
Fifth Place:Ā “Statera” – Conestoga College Team:Ā Mashael Alharbi, Chelsea Hummel & Amber MacPherson
Fourth Place: “Blues & Brews” – UWaterloo Team: Marius Hexan, Alexandra Siu, Hayley Sykes & Emmeily Zhang:
Third Place: “The Dark Room Hotel” – OCAD Team:Ā Tori Wang, Lily Ni & Feeleng Leng:
Second Place: “The Four-Eight” – UWaterloo Team: Teresa Tran, Azadeh Shayanfar, Anisha Sankar & Parisa Hassanzadegan:
First Place: “House of Tech & Blues” – UWaterloo Team: Lauren Kyle, Jeremy Jeong, Justyna Maleszyk, Michelle Piotrowski & Keegan Steeper:
Just AWEsome…for more about the Student Design Competition, visit the official website at cscdesignchallenge.ca
Designing the Future
Shout out to Chris Adamkowski who knows a thing or two about future proofing in the age of Artificial Intelligence. He was the keynote speaker at this year’s CSC Building Expo, on Wednesday, February 28th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Chris is the Head of Industry at Google and manages a high performance team dedicated to Government, Travel, and Tourism clients in Canada. He dropped by our display of the 2017 Design Competition winning entries from Conestoga College and was introduced to the unique Maker Space Hub atĀ http://catalyst-137.com/.
We hope to see more of him in Waterloo Region!
cscdesignchallenge.ca
Ground Hog Day in DTK
Students & faculty from the Ryerson School of Interior Design enjoyed a tour of 48 Ontario Street in Kitchener on Friday, February 2nd. This is the school’s fourth visit to Waterloo Region to experience the local culture and study the architectural, economic and demographic forces on significant properties of historical/cultural influence.Ā Their research will inform this year’s case study of the former Bell Telephone Co. building turned Royal Canadian Legion Branch 50, otherwise known as “the Legion”.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value for 48 Ontario Street North
Glenn Smith joined the tour to get reacquainted with the building where back in 1986 he launched an outrageous experiment as a concert promoter and introduced such talented blues artists as Buddy Guy and Mel Brown from (mostly) New Orleans, Detroit and the Chicago area to a new audience in Kitchener-Waterloo.Ā Ā Legendary performances and Sold-Out shows at the Legion Dance Hall begins the story of Kitchener’s love affair with the Blues.Ā Who remembers that Colin James played there when he was just 18?!Ā If the walls could talk…
Watch for more about Glenn and Kitchener’s blues roots starting with the soon-to-be-released live interview with Martin de Groot at the Commons Studio
Sunshine & Frigid temperatures set the stage for a twist on the urban legend of Groundhog Day at Kitchener City Centre.Ā Far from the predictable news from Willie, here is proof that Waterloo Region is not stuck in Groundhog day with this candid snapshot of genuine multi-sectorial collaboration.Ā Shout out to our esteemed community leaders Martin de Groot, Raj Saini MP,Ā Ā Taymoore Balbaa, Cathie Schneider, Tammy Lawrence, Councillor Sarah Marsh, James Howe, and Glenn Smith.
That’s me between Martin and Cathie…two of the few who would never try to shoot down a good idea before it gets a chance to fly:)
For more about the CSC Student Design Challenge, visit the official website here and facebook page here
In the News…
Construction Canada Magazine Jan 9/18
Construction Links Announcement Feb 13th/18
The Art of Specifying Stone
Cathie Schneider delivers an insightful and informative talk on the subject of specifying natural stone at this month’sĀ CSC-GV luncheon on October 18th, 2017**Shout out to our venue hosts at the Grand Valley Construction Association who never complain about us leaving a trail of sandwich crumbs on the carpet. You’re the best!
Cathie Schneider, CTR, the VP of Stonequest Inc.Ā isĀ an accredited speaker with the Marble Institute of America and has been in the stone business for 25 years. She is a member of IDC CanadaĀ and the current Chair of the Grand Valley Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada.Ā Architects, Interior Designers, Specifiers, Distributors, Landscape Architects, Contractors, Construction Managers, LEED Evangelists and ESPECIALLY Building Owners should listen carefully to the podcast recorded at this event, or better yet… reach out to Cathie before planning yourĀ next project withĀ natural stone!
Who is Joe?
Joe Ippolito, CTR and VP of Quarry Sales at ArriscraftĀ makes a brief “guest appearance” on the podcast.Ā We will be sending him a courtesy copy.Ā Same with Stefanie Hargest of Boehmer’s BlockĀ who knows a thing or two about building to LEED Standards.Ā She gives great hugs too (go to the 1:11 mark on the video).
How do I listen to the podcast?Ā Ā
Test your Stone IQ here
Fill out the form below for a password to unlock the podcast
AND
we MIGHT even send you the test answers
Cathie Schneider takes us on a stone quest to Rivendell where all the Consultants of Elrond (Design & Construction Team) are thriving under the transformative leadership of the building Frodowner…
she will share the magic word with you if you ask nice (or you could try Stefanie)
**Like the Soundtrack? Special thanks to Mother West Wind’s Animal FriendsĀ (recorded at a live performance in 2016 at the End of Summer Festival in Uptown Waterloo)
LINKS:
Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada
MIA + BSi (Marble Institute of America)
National Building Granite Quarries Association
National Tile Contractors’ Association
Catalyst Conestoga Co-op
Congratulations to Professors Sarah Turner & Ann Callaghan and Students of Conestoga College’s Bachelor of Interior Design (Honours)
You are all winners
The energy and enthusiasm at The Pines on the evening of May 11th was absolutely infectious.Ā Design teams from Conestoga College presented their vision for a public gathering space at Catalyst137, the subject building of the 2017 CSC Student Design Competition to an audience of AEC professionals at Connections Cafe, an annual networking event sponsored by the Grand Valley Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada.
The 475,000 sq ft building located at 137 Glasgow Street in Kitchener, historically used for warehousing tires and footwear will soon house the world’s largest maker space campus, a hub for the talent, hardware, engineering services and venture capital support needed to build the next generation of IoT companies.
The theme of the Design Competition, “public collaboration and connection” inspired student designers to create a space that would invite social interaction between building occupants and neighbours of Belmont Village. Interaction with the natural environment added a strong complement to the theme, through various strategies including the use of the Iron Horse Trail for commuting to the site.
Team Two Takes top prize of $2,000!Ā
Congratulations Team Two:Ā Thiska Meereboer, Erin Wetzel, Henry Dowling and Mike Latter for winning first place and for making such a great impression on the crowd at Connections Cafe that they voted your work for
The People’s Choice Award
Nicely done!Ā
Second Place winning $1000…
Congratulations Team Three:Ā Brooklyn Taylor, Emily Turchi, Maria Van Woundenberg & Han Xie
Third Place winning $500…
Congratulations Team One : Brianna Dancy, Jandi Gunn, Laura Kular & Tessa MacDonald
Fourth Place awesomeness…..
Congratulations Team Four:Ā Stephanie Moraweitz, Mia Bartels, Gemma Gorkes & Kelsey Elford
The scope of the design competition did not impose budget constraints on the proposals, but the inclusion of specific construction materials and a detailed product specification was required to qualify (view competition documents here) More about the 2017 CSC Student Design Competition here and Connections Cafe here
Construction Canada Announcement here
Catalyst Conestoga Co-op?
The Bachelor of Interior Design (Honours) program has been designed in consultation with the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) and is on ARIDO’s list of recognized interior design programs.Ā It provides a unique co-op experience, with a focus on technical competency that stresses the importance of building code compliance, accessibility, sustainability,Ā energy efficiency, building maintenance and operations to inform design intent and provide both aesthetically pleasing and build-able solutions.
Invited guests from the local construction and design community joined event sponsors in rallying around the competing teams while students seized the opportunity to network with industry professionals, welcoming the spontaneous “peer review” of their projects while vying for the “People’s Choice Award” decided by popular vote during the evening.Ā Take in the action atĀ #connectionscafe2017
Thank-you Community Partners, Catalyst137 and iGuide and members of the Design Competition Team at CSC Grand Valley and CSC Toronto for making it happen…
See you next year!#connectionscafe2017
The 4th annual Student Design Competition comes to a close today, May 11th, 2017 with an impressive group of entries from Conestoga College’s School of Interior Design on display during Connections Cafe this evening at the Pines in Cambridge, Ontario.
Many thanks to Frank Voisin at Catalyst137, Kevin Klages and the iGuide development team at Planitar and especially Sarah Turner and her 3rd Year Students for working with us through unexpected hurdles to finish the race. We are incredibly fortunate to belong to such an innovative, supportive and resilient community.
Shout out to this year’s sponsors of Connections Cafe for giving us the thumbs up. We wish you a rewarding and memorable experience and invite you to discover what inspires the Prime Minister of Canada and business leaders from around the globe to invest in Waterloo Region…and don’t forget to fill out a ballad for your favourite entry!
CSC Grand Valley is committed to professional development in the AEC industry that builds confidence, invites collaboration and values relationship.
We invite you to join us on our journey…
Shot live on location at the Pines in Cambridge, Ontario. Features the winners of the 4th Annual CSC Student Design Competition co-sponsored by the Grand Valley & Toronto Chapters. Ā MusicĀ by the Paul Stouffer Jazz Group with Paul Stouffer on keyboards, Denis Rondeau on bass and Robin Habermehl on the saxophone
CSC Toronto Building Expo 2017
Many thanks to Sponsors of the CSC Building Expo
Shout out to
Chuck Dykstra of Fluke ElectronicsĀ for the insightful chat aboutĀ mapping/testing facilities for internet signal strength, security issues, and much more! Ā Glad to hear the wireless divisionĀ is now being handled by NetscoutĀ a division of Keating Technologies Inc. Ā Ā Great tip on getting the most out of my fluke equipment by checking out their online training
David Webster of Leland Industries IncĀ for setting the record straight on the risk of using impact drivers on fasteners and the impact of that practice especially on warranties for metal roofing systems
Anthony Caruso of Quikrete for the handy concrete mix calculator. The online version looks pretty good too and I’m pleasantly surprised that your productĀ catalogue includes a link to current MSDS sheets…what a break!
Geoff Smith whose passionate and refreshingly honest keynote speech at lunch kept me up last night thinking about the changing landscape…the death of the change order business model, the impact of new technologies, especially BIM in the AEC industry, the emerging of foreign contractors and new directions like modular construction to mitigate a decline inĀ productivity growth. Ā What was that he said? Ā IsĀ Autodesk a competitor? Hmm…there’s an aha moment. Ā Just how doesĀ the industry migrate to 3D modelling software anyways? Not to mentionĀ 4DBIM, 5DBIM, 6DBIM and who gets left behind?
Thanks Geoff, you nailed it
What’s next? Ā Just when you thought you had sortedĀ outĀ SB-10…
more aboutĀ ever changing building codes…who-what-where-when-how will data impacting the built environment be gathered, analysed and implemented?
Post (Expo) Script...Appeal to Owners from CanBIM
Yep…
Looks like we will need to stick together to figure this all out
2017 CSC Student Design Competition
āPublic Collaboration &Ā Connectionā
Site: Catalyst 137Ā
Ā 3D virtual site tour of 137 Glasgow Street
made possible by
Construction Specification Canada (CSC) Grand Valley and Toronto Chapters proudly present the 4th annual Student Design CompetitionĀ open to all current post-secondary school students in Ontario with an interest in construction-related activities such as architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, interior design, construction management, innovative products, and manufacturing
Entries can be submitted by individuals, or by teams consisting of up to 4 people. Ā See Competition Documents for complete details:
Competition Documents
Registration closed on Karelo
1st place $2000.00
2nd place $1000.00
3rd place $500.00Ā
Site: 137 Glasgow Street, Kitchener, Ontario
Situated 3 km SE of the University of Waterloo and about 1 km west of Googleās new Kitchener Headquarters in the Innovation District. Ā The location has close proximity to the niche shops & restaurants at Belmont Village and borders the Iron Horse Trail, allowing pedestrians, cyclists and joggers to access the public space at the front of the building
Voisin Capital’s newest project is an ideal case study to expose young design professionals to a relevant and trend setting initiative. Use of the lobby, the public gathering space inside and the outdoor collaboration space will be the focus of the competition
Catalyst 137’s impressive 475,000 sq ft space will be purpose-built for makers, a concentration point for the talent, hardware engineering services and venture capital support required to build the next generation of IOT companies
In the News…
Restaurant of the FutureĀ coming to Catalyst 137
Construction Canada Announcement January 18th, 2017
Kitchener Mayor supports Tech Sector & Strong Neighbourhoods
Catalyst 137 off to a Flying Start
Links…
2016 WinnersĀ
Archived Posts…
2016 CSC Student DesignĀ Competition
CSC & the Case of the Illustrious Industrious City (Act1Ā Scene1)
CSC & the Case of the Illustrious Industrious City (Act 1 SceneĀ 2)
CSC & the Case of the Illustrious Industrious City (Act 1 SceneĀ 3)
Link here andĀ here for the 2015Ā competition
Link hereĀ Ā andĀ here for the 2014Ā competition andĀ here to view full length Montage video
music & musings 