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Movember is back with an added focus. The popular fundraising drive for men’s health has added support for mental health to its efforts along with prostate and testicular cancer. Mitch Hermansen joined Annex Business Media publisher/editor, Patrick Flannery, to talk about why these issues are important and what we in the construction community can do to help the guys who work for us.
When you’re done, check out Movember’s hilarious video Shit Mos Save Lives!
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We had a great conversation with Damon Gray, owner of B.C.’s NZ Builders, about their innovative insulated concrete panels and some of the great things they can achieve with them. NZ is making high-performance homes, even Passive House homes, on Vancouver Island out of concrete and finding the material generates a more comfortable and healthy environment for their customers.
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Espisito and Koblik, the husband and wife owners of Otis Interiors in Guelph, Ont., have discovered a better way of doing business. They leverage their creative and operational expertise with a careful design plan including intensive homeowner consultation, milestones, acquisition of all permits and drawings and a payment and procurement schedule to achieve a high level of preparation before anyone swings a hammer. The process could take as long as a year, but the result is happier clients, a smoother and more profitable process for the organization and higher quality results. Listen to them talk about their professional approach and how others might join the party.
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New standards for energy efficiency and low carbon impact in construction are demanding new skills in the trades – skills your young workers might be more familiar with than you are. Chad Flinn, associate vice-president of academics at Red Deer Polytechnic, and Judi Varga-Toth, manager of the ImpAct-Climate program at Colleges and Institutes Canada, are working to educate today’s construction industry in how to design and install the elements of net zero homes, including the unique considerations for heat pumps, solar panels, EV chargers, continuous insulation and high-performance fenestration. Learning needs to be ongoing in this time of rapid change, and Flinn and Varga-Toth share insights and free online resources in this episode of The Hammer.
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Ceiling systems have come a long way from basic white grids and tiles. No longer flat and forgettable, modern ceiling designs enhance aesthetics and can impact health and safety concerns. These days, many integrated ceiling solutions are also manufactured with sustainable and recyclable materials.
Listen to our conversation with Jamie Wright - Product Specialist in Ceiling Systems at Kenroc Building Materials. His career spans 20 years in the building construction industry and he prides himself in providing innovative solutions for his customers.
He joins The Hammer to share his knowledge of ceiling systems. Bottom line – things are looking up with Kenroc and CertainTeed products!
For more information, visit https://kenroc.com/products/ceiling-systems
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Dave Henderson, senior technical services manager for the Residential Construction Council of Ontario, is concerned about the increasing complexity of building codes. He goes over at least six major changes that are proposed for the 2025 National Building Code update, each of which will add significant costs to new homes and renovations requiring permits. He reflects on his time working on code development in Ontario and how far we have come from the 10 principles of code development they observed then. Codes used to be about ensuring minimum, enforceable standards for safety…today, it looks like they are being used as a vehicle to push various government policy agenda.
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We continue our series on updates to the National Building Code with Troy Ferreira, technical director for the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association. Ferreira has been involved with commenting and proposing revisions for the 2020 NBC, which has just come into effect nationally but is still being revised. We touch on new language affecting fire protection for spray foam, open cell spray foam requirements, asphalt core boards, snow loads, air tightness, energy efficiency and other topics.
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Leor Marguiles is a partner at commercial real estate firm, Robins Appleby. From there, he watches as larger developers deal with the fallout from high interest rates and skyrocketing home prices: homeowners delaying or cancelling purchases they suddenly find unaffordable. He joins The Hammer to discuss the factors driving a spike in project delays and defaults and suggest ways that small contractors can deal with the uncertain conditions. Bottom line: stay out of court.
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Terry Adamson, technical director for Fenestration Canada, joins The Hammer to preview the proposed changes to the National Building Code related to window and doors. Wider door openings for accessibility…tighter air tightness…solar heat gain requirements…upper storey window fall protection…glazing guard loads…it’s all here in an information-dense download.
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Explore our 2024 playbook tailored for electrical contractors seeking a competitive edge. Uncover industry-best practices and stay ahead of the curve.
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Vice-Chair Jack Slaughter of the Ontario Labour Relations Board and Jeremy Ambraska, employment and labour lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz (Coos) LLP join this episode of the Hammer to discuss the aging workforce, apprenticeships and training within the construction sector. Vice Chair Slaughter and Ambraska engage in conversation with editor, Kaitlin Secord, about mentorship and knowledge transfer, the importance of diversity and inclusion, how to the construction industry’s status among prospective journeypersons and the importance of being a progressive employer.
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Facing a dynamic shift in every facet, the construction industry find itself in need of a revamping when it comes to the future of its workforce. From Support Ontario Youth, interim executive director Melanie Winter and program management lead Lea Valcourt join this episode of the Hammer to chat about their organization and its initiatives in supporting the future of construction labour. Winter and Valcourt touch on the crucial role that relationship building plays in progressing in the industry and share success stories of their boot camps. They also discuss adaptability and the key goals, priorities and future of Support Ontario Youth.
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Cyber-attacks in construction are on the rise. Bad actors are finding this an attractive industry to target as they can access data and cause business interruptions, and even demand payment of a ransom. As construction companies and their construction sites become increasingly connected, any device connected to the network presents a potential cybersecurity risk, and a robust approach to reducing this exposure is essential. In this episode of the Hammer, Wayne Dorris, program manager for cyber security at Axis Communications, talks strategies for mitigating security risks on the construction site.
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In the latest edition of The Hammer, we are joined by Austin Harvey, residential territory manager for ECCO Supply, to discuss heat pumps. Harvey touches on the reason behind the growing popularity of heat pumps, key considerations and factors for contractors considering heat pump installations, as well as pitfall and reluctancies. Harvey also discusses effective ways that contractors can help clients choose the best pump for their home.
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There’s a lot going on in the world of green building and spray foam. Jean- François Lupien, the Global Director of Product Management from Huntsman Building Solutions joins us on The Hammer to discuss an innovation in spray foam technology as well as an update on what is going on in the industry and what Huntsman Building Solutions has been up to in 2023. Also, what contractors can expect to see in 2024 from the brand.
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As labour and employment pressures build in the construction industry with impending retirements and an influx of projects, apprentices are more important now than ever. In this episode of the Hammer, we are joined by Robert Bronk, CEO of the Ontario Construction Secretariat, to discuss importance of apprenticeships to the future of Ontario’s construction industry and how the unionized sector is investing on training for apprentices. Bronk and editor Kaitlin Secord also chat about the benefits and obstacles of apprentices, and tools and resources available to both employers and apprentices.
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Phil Warren, SFA Saniflo Canada’s Managing Director and Frédéric Boucher, Plomberie EPF’s President, join this special episode of The Hammer to discuss SFA Saniflo’s recent experience on their France factory tour, the company’s history, what they see for the future. Listen as Warren and Boucher chat with editor Kaitlin Secord about the company’s innovations to the plumbing world, their global presence and how they’ve grown in the Canadian market.
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Liz Kovach, President of the Western Retail Lumber Association Inc., joins this special episode of The Hammer to discuss the association’s Let’s GO Build Program and their take on the recent labour market study. WRLA is a member-based organization that connects and educates the building supply industry in Western Canada to facilitate the growth of member businesses. Their Let’s Go Build program aims to enhance job opportunities and attract new talent in the lumber, building materials and hardgoods industry. Listen as Kovach and Canadian Contractor editor Kaitlin Secord discuss the future of the construction sector.
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Join us in this episode as we delve into the world of door systems and explore the various options available to bridge the gap between the indoors and outdoors. Our expert guests, Russ Miller, JELD-WEN Canada's National Account Manager, and Mike Desmarais, JELD-WEN Canada's Territory Sales Manager for Ontario, will guide us through a captivating discussion on the types of exterior door systems, including the pros and cons of sliding versus swinging doors.Discover the hottest trends in door systems, and gain insights into the importance of proper installation for optimal performance and longevity. Furthermore, we'll explore the crucial aspect of security and learn how door systems can enhance the safety of your home. Whether you're a homeowner or a professional in the industry, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to upgrade their door systems and create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Tune in and unlock the secrets to finding the perfect door system that suits your needs, while maximizing style, functionality, and peace of mind.
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In this edition of The Hammer, editor Kaitlin Secord sits down with Owen Thompson and Marilena Tricarico of Desjardin’s RenoAssistance to discuss their annual Renovation Intentions survey results and what these results can teach contractors. We also chat about strategy for navigating renovations in today’s economy and climate.
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