This year’s Innovation in Construction Forum (ICF) took place as part of a partnership with the Construction Owners Association of Alberta’s (COAA) Best Practices Conference.
The Innovation in Construction Forum began as the Canadian Construction Research Forum, which was established in 1996 by Dr. Simaan AbouRizk at the University of Alberta as a means of disseminating and highlighting construction engineering and management research initiatives being undertaken by the Alberta construction industry and academics in Canada at large. To broaden its reach, the Canadian Construction Research Forum was rebranded as the Innovation in Construction: FORUM in 2012. The University of Alberta’s Hole School of Construction Engineering focuses on making sure that the FORUM informs, stimulates research, encourages the sharing of information, and promotes innovation within the Alberta construction industry. Thanks to the research efforts and ingenuity of researchers dedicated to improving construction management practices and the partner companies engaged in their efforts, the FORUM has over 20 years of success in achieving its goals.
Session 1: The Construction Innovation Centre (CIC): Research Driving Change
Presenters: Dr. Aminah Robinson Fayek, CIC Director and professor at the University of Alberta; Travis Chorney, Chair of the CIC’s Executive Management Committee and Senior VP of Heavy Industrial at PLC Construction
Dr. Fraser Forbes, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta, opened this first session of the ICF with a brief introduction of the CIC and the two speakers. Dr. Robinson Fayek and Mr. Chorney covered topics such as the CIC’s background and history, the work done by the CIC’s members and industry partners, and the alliances and collaborations that the CIC has fostered between academic institutions, industry partners, professional associations, and government agencies. The CIC’s structure and governance system and the CIC’s Strategic Business Plan and innovative Research Roadmap were also introduced. Dr. Robinson Fayek and Mr. Chorney also presented information on some of the projects that the CIC has approved to date
The presentation ended on a note about what is ahead for the CIC; including an update about the foundation of the CIC’s collaborative research laboratory, which will allow for the establishment of connections between research centers and industry partners on a heretofore unprecedented scale.
Session 2: Harnessing Data to Drive Safety Performance
Presenters: Dr. Lianne Lefsrud, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering with the Lynch School of Engineering (Safety and Risk Management), University of Alberta; Jim Kanerva, General Manager of Carry Steel.
Dr. Lianne Lefsrud led the presentation of her research project with Dr. Yasser Mohamed and others which seeks to develop integrated, data-driven frameworks for safety planning and management and improved decision support to increase the safety performance of construction projects. The project’s focus examines how data and data management systems can help to advance a company’s safety culture with a focus on how resilience can be built, and on how safety performance can be improved, through the use of data analytics. By analyzing all of the data that is captured by a company on its various worksites, create an integrated safety management system with a focus on leading indicators rather than lagging indicators.
Jim Kanerva spoke about the competency and behavior scoring systems that Carry Steel uses in order to evaluate their workers and help maintain safe worksites. He also shared some recent safety incidents and the resultant reports. Carry Steel is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Lefsrud on this project in order to improve their current safety management systems, enhance competencies, and prevent incidents in the workplace.
Session 3: Revitalizing the Engineering Science of Masonry, Brick by Brick: Development of Enhance Systems for Sustainable Masonry Infrastructure
Presenters: Dr. Carlos Cruz-Noguez, Associate Professor, MCAA Endowed Chair in Masonry System, University of Alberta; Dr. Mark Hagel, Director of Engineering, Alberta Masonry Council.
Dr. Carlos Cruz-Noguez and Dr. Mark Hagel gave a presentation and opened discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing the development of new and enhanced systems to control the movement of heat and moisture through masonry structures, with a focus on