MAHeartfeltThankYouAsIPass theTorchastheCIQSChair
TammyStockley,ProfessionalQuantitySurveyor(Fellow) Chair,CIQS/CIQSBoardDirector
ytermasCIQSChair comestoanendatour AGMthissummer,so thisismyfinalChair’s Message.Ithasbeenanextraordinary privilegetoservethepasttwoyears asChairforCanada’spremier organizationforthequantitysurveying profession.Ihavebeendeeply engagedinallaspectsoftheInstitute: governance,committees,external relations,memberengagement,and education.Throughthisexperience, myappreciationandrespectforthe quantitysurveyingprofessionhave onlystrengthened.
Myjourneybeganin2019whenI joinedtheCIQSboard.AsIcontinued tovolunteer,Imoveduptotheboard executive,advocatingforourshared goalofelevatingbothourprofession andourbrand.ServingasChair hasbeenbothprofessionallyand personallyenriching.
Iwouldliketoextendmy sincerethankstotheCIQSCEO,
SheilaLennon.Ourweeklymeetingsand ongoingcollaborationwereinvaluable. Ialsowishtorecognizethededicated CIQSstaff:KelseyWright(Certification &MembershipDirector),Alexandra Parliament(Marketing&Communications Director),FloraFung(Meetings& EventsCoordinator),ThaliaSolis(TPE Coordinator),RheaJudge(Membership ServicesCoordinator),andShaenthini Thanapal(CertificationCoordinator). Yourcommitmentandsupporthavebeen instrumental.
TotheCIQSboarddirectorsand members,ithasbeenatruepleasure workingalongsideyou.Youhavemade thisexperiencebothrewardingand memorable.Together,wearebuildinga moreresilientandinclusiveprofession, fosteringsmartergrowthinachallenging constructionsector,andensuringwe remainfuture-ready.Iamparticularly proudofthefollowingaccomplishments andhighlightsfromthepasttwoyears: •ExternalRelations: Expanded advocacyeffortsthroughongoing
federalandprovincialgovernment engagement,increased representationinconstruction industryroundtablesand consultations.
•MemberEngagement: Launchedmembersurveys,and developedvaluepropositions forbothmembersandexternal stakeholderstoenhanceoutreach.
•Women’sCoffeeCircle: Createdasupportiveplatformfor connection,insightsharing,and empowerment,toadvancegender paritywithintheprofession.
•Marketing&Communications: Strengthenedourbrandand significantlyincreasedoursocial mediapresence.
•StrategicPlan: Implementedthe 2025-2028StrategicandTactical Plantoguidesustainablegrowth whilemanagingoperationalrisk.
•Governance: Conducted acomprehensivereviewof governancedocuments,updated
NationalStandards,andlicensing agreements,introducedanew Tribunal/HearingChairmodel,and draftedDEIAdevelopment.
•StaffExpansion: Established thefirstformalCIQSdepartment (CertificationandMembership) andwelcomedthreenewstaffto enhancedelivery(TPECoordinator, MembershipCoordinator,and CertificationCoordinator).
•ChapterRelations: Reinstated ChapterExecutiveswithinall Chapters,launchedChapter Chats,andincreasedregional engagement.
•Awards&Recognition: Introduced theChair’sAwardtorecognize outstandingmembercontributions supportingtheCIQSmission, growth,andprofessionalstandards.
•Education: Continuedrenewal reviewofaccreditedprogramsand ongoingreviewofsyllabusand learningmaterials.
•BestPractices: Completeda preliminaryreviewtoidentify keyareasforfutureguideline development.
•YQS: StrengthenedYQSoutreach withestablishedactiveYQS committeemembers,lunchand learnsessions,andexpanded engagementinitiatives.
Idedicatemyjourneypathand contributionstomylong-timementor, thelateWayneFitzpatrickPQS(F).He gavememystartintheQSprofession andcontinuallyencouragedmy involvementwiththeCIQS.
AtourupcomingAGM,Iwillpass thegaveltoSeànHollywood,PQS, whowillstepinastheChair.Iam confidenthewillcontinuetoadvance
ourprofession,andtosetafirm futureforPQSandCECmembers acrossCanada.
Inclosing,Iextendmyheartfelt thankstomyfamilyfortheir unwaveringsupportthroughoutmy term.Iwishallmembers,colleagues, andstaffcontinuedsuccessinthe yearsahead. ■
TammyStockley beganhercareer inQuantitySurveyingin1992after graduatingfromArchitecturalEngineering TechnologyinSt.John’sNL.Her professionalcareerrolesevolvedfrom costplanner,costconsultant,seniorcost consultant,associate,associatedirector, andtodirectorinhercurrentemployment position.
Fromleft,withInduElapathaPQS(F),ErinBrownlowPQS(F),DavidDooksPQS(F),CIQSHillDay October2024.
WithTomTomayo,PQS(F),CIQSPrairies& NWTChapterACM(Edmonton).
WithIbrahimOladapo,PQS,CIQSCongress 2025(Winnipeg).
WayneFitzpatrick,PQS(F)
MUngrandmerciaumoment depasserleflambeaudela présidencedel’ICÉC
TammyStockley,Économisteenconstructionagréé«Fellow» Présidentedel’ICÉC/membreduconseild’administrationdel’ICÉC
onmandatentantque présidentedel’ICÉC s’achevantcetétélors denotreassemblée générale,ceciestmondernier messagedelaprésidente.Cefutun privilègeextraordinairedeprésiderces deuxdernièresannéeslaprincipale organisationdelaprofessionde l’économieenconstructionauCanada. J’aiétéprofondémentimpliquée danstouslesaspectsdel’Institut: gouvernance,comités,relations extérieures,engagementdesmembres etéducation.Grâceàcetteexpérience, monappréciationetmonrespect pourlaprofessiond’économisteen constructionn’ontfaitqueserenforcer. Monparcoursacommencéen 2019lorsquej’airejointleconseil d’administrationdel’ICÉC.En continuantàfairedubénévolat, j’aiaccédéàladirectionduconseil d’administration,défendantnotre objectifcommund’élevernotre professionetnotremarque. Monmandatdeprésidenteaété
enrichissanttantsurleplanprofessionnel quepersonnel.
Jetiensàremerciersincèrementla directricegénéraledel’ICÉC,Sheila Lennon.Nosréunionshebdomadaires etnotrecollaborationpermanente ontétéd’unevaleurinestimable. Jesouhaiteégalementrendre hommageaupersonneldévouéde l’ICÉC:KelseyWright(Directrice descertificatsetdel’adhésion), AlexandraParliament(Directricedu marketingetdelacommunication), FloraFung(Coordonnatricedes réunionsetdesévénements),Thalia Solis(CoordonnatriceTEP),Rhea Judge(Coordonnatricedesservices auxmembres)etShaenthiniThanapal (Coordonnatricedescertificats).Votre engagementetvotresoutienontété déterminants.
Auxadministrateursetauxmembres duconseild’administrationdel’ICÉC,ce futunréelplaisirdetravailleràvoscôtés. Vousavezrenducetteexpérienceàla foisgratifianteetmémorable.Ensemble, nousconstruisonsuneprofessionplus
résilienteetplusinclusive,nous encourageonsunecroissanceplus intelligentedansunsecteurdela constructiondifficileetnousnous assuronsderesterprêtspourl’avenir. Jesuisparticulièrementfièredes réalisationsetdesfaitsmarquantsde cesdeuxdernièresannéessuivants:
•Relationsextérieures: Élargissementdeseffortsde sensibilisationparunengagement continuauprèsdesgouvernements fédéraletprovinciaux,une représentationaccruedansles tablesrondesetlesconsultationsdu secteurdelaconstruction.
•Engagementdesmembres: Lancementd’enquêtesauprès desmembresetélaborationde propositionsdevaleurpourles membresetlespartiesprenantes externesafind’améliorerla sensibilisation.
•Cafédesfemmes: Création d’uneplateformedesoutien pourlaconnexion,lepartagede connaissancesetl’autonomisation,
Degaucheàdroite: AvecInduElapathaÉCA(F),ErinBrownlowÉCA(F),DavidDooksÉCA(F), JournéedelaCollinedel’ICÉCd’octobre2024.
afindefaireprogresserlaparité hommes-femmesauseindela profession.
•Marketingetcommunication: Renforcementdenotremarqueet augmentationsignificativedenotre présencesurlesmédiassociaux.
•Planstratégique: Miseenœuvre duplanstratégiqueettactique 2025-2028pourguiderlacroissance durabletoutengérantlerisque opérationnel.
•Gouvernance: Réalisationd’un examencompletdesdocumentsde gouvernance,miseàjourdesNormes nationalesetdesaccordsdelicence, introductiond’unnouveaumodèle deprésidencepourlestribunaux/ lesaudiencesetélaborationd’une approcheenmatièred’EDIA.
•Croissancedel’effectif: Miseen placedupremierdépartementofficiel del’ICÉC(certificatsetadhésion)et accueildetroisnouveauxmembres dupersonnelpouraméliorerles prestations(CoordonnatriceTEP, Coordonnatricedesadhésionset Coordonnatricedescertificats).
•Relationsavecleschapitres: Réintégrationdesdirecteursde chapitredanstousleschapitres, lancementdesdiscussions interchapitreetrenforcementde l’engagementrégional.
•Prixetvisibilité: Introductiondu prixduprésidentpourreconnaître lescontributionsexceptionnelles desmembresquisoutiennentla
mission,lacroissanceetlesnormes professionnellesdel’ICÉC.
•Éducation: Poursuitedel’examen durenouvellementdesprogrammes accréditésetdel’examencontinu desprogrammesd’étudesetdu matérielpédagogique.
•Meilleurespratiques: Réalisation d’uneétudepréliminaireafin d’identifierlesdomainesclés pourl’élaborationdefutures lignesdirectrices.
•Jeuneséconomistesen construction: Renforcementde l’actiondesensibilisationdesjeunes économistesenconstructionavec desmembresactifsducomitéYQS, desdéjeuners-conférencesetdes initiativesd’engagementélargies. Jedédiemonparcoursetmes contributionsàmonmentordelongue date,leregrettéWayneFitzpatrick ÉCA(F).Ilm’apermisdedébuter danslaprofessiond’économistedela
AvecTomTomayo,ÉCA(F),Assemblée généraleduchapitrePrairiesetTNOdel’ICÉC (Edmonton).
AvecIbrahimOladapo,ÉCA,Congrèsde l’ICÉC2025(Winnipeg).
jepasseraileflambeauàSeàn Hollywood,ÉCA,quiassurerala présidence.Jesuisconvaincuequ’il continueraàfaireprogressernotre professionetàpréparerunavenir solidepourlesmembresÉCAetECC dansl’ensembleduCanada.
Pourconclure,jeremercie chaleureusementmafamillepourson soutienindéfectibletoutaulongde monmandat.Jesouhaiteàtousles membres,touslescollèguesettoutle personneldel’ICÉCunsuccèscontinu danslesannéesàvenir. ■
TammyStockley adébutésacarrière enéconomieenconstructionen1992 aprèsavoirobtenusondiplômede technologiedesétudestechniquesàSt. John’senTerre-Neuve-et-Labrador.Au coursdesacarrièreprofessionnelle,elle aoccupélesrôlesdeplanificatricedes coûts,consultanteencoûts,consultante principaleencoûts,associéeetdirectrice associée,avantsonposteactuel dedirectrice.
WayneFitzpatrick,ÉCA(F).
TCouldQuantitySurveyingBethe BestCareerYou’veNeverHeardof?
TheNextGenerationofQSs:BuiltfortheFuture
SheilaLennon,CAE ChiefExecutiveOfficer,CIQS
heCanadianworkforceis agingandexperiencingthe largestgenerationaltransition inhistoryasexperienced professionalsretire.Accordingtoa studybytheLabourMarketInformation Council(LMIC)*,theworkforceshifted fromonein9.5workersaged55and overin2000toonein4.6in2023. Morerecently,thisdataisbackedupby theRICS-CIQSConstructionMonitor Reportthatconsistentlyidentifies labourshortages,includingqualified quantitysurveyors,asoneofthetop challengesfacingtheconstruction industry.
Canada’sconstructionindustryisan engineofeconomicgrowth.Itaccounts forapproximately7.5%ofCanada’s GDPandprovidesover1.6million Canadianswithgood-payingjobs.Why then,isthegapbetweenretiringQS professionalsandthequantitysurveyors oftomorrowinCanadanotnarrowing?
TheAnswerisVisibility, ParticularlywiththeNext GenerationofQSProfessionals
Quantitysurveyingisoneofthe best-keptsecretsintheCanadian constructionindustry.Aska roomfulofhighschoolstudents,or post-secondarystudentsforthat matter,whataquantitysurveyordoes, andyouwillbemetwithsilenceand blankstares.MostCanadianuniversity studentsstudyingengineering, architecture,law,accounting,or economicsareintroducedtothe quantitysurveyingprofessionafter enteringtheworkforce,through networkingevents,amentor,or collaboratingwithconstruction economistsonaproject.
Manyroadsleadtothe sameprofession
The“MyJourney”seriesavailableon theCIQSpodcast“KnowledgeCounts” featuresmembersfromdiverse backgroundsandthepathwaysthat broughtthemtothequantitysurveying profession.Itincludesmemberswho discoveredtheprofessionmid-career, internationallytrainedprofessionals, andyounggraduateswhodiscovered thefieldthroughajobplacement. Whatthesestoriesshowisthatthe pathtobecomingaquantitysurveyor isasvariedastheopportunitiesthe professionoffers.
ScantheQRcode toaccessthe“My Journey”episodes. Weencourage memberswhohave aninteresting,or unusualpathwayto reachouttousatpodcast@ciqs.org, andweaskthateducators,advisors, andindustrypartnerssharethese episodeswithpeopleintheirnetwork whoarelookingfortheirindividual careerpath.
ACareertoBeProudof
Whatisuniqueaboutthequantity surveyorprofessionisthatthereis oftenanopportunitytoworkinan officeaswellasonajobsite.Thework isanalytical,relational,andstrategic, withgenuineimpactonthebuilt environment.Youmightberesponsible forthecostplanofanewhospital, creatingaprocurementstrategyfora newhighway,researchingthesupply chaintoensurethebestreturnon investmentonanewconcertarena, orreviewingaprogressclaimona
rehabilitationprojectonaheritage building.Itisacareerthatoffers genuinevariety,wherenotwodays arethesame,andthatbuildsabridge betweenpublictrustandpublicmoney.
Speakingofmoney,thequantity surveyingprofessionpayswell. QualifiedConstructionEstimator Certified(CEC)andProfessional QuantitySurveyor(PQS)professionals areinstrongdemandinanindustry thatofferssignificantgrowth opportunitiesandearningpotential.
ACIQSdesignationopensdoors notjustwithinCanada,butacrossthe globe.OurmembersworkintheUK, Australia,theMiddleEast,HongKong, andEurope,amongotherlocations. Forindividualsinterestedintraveland globalexposure,thePQSandCECoffer professionalmobilitythatfewcareersin thebuiltenvironmentcanmatch.
Thequantitysurveyoroftomorrow willrelyheavilyontechnology,suchas digitalestimatingplatforms,BIM,and AI-assistedcostforecasting,andthe professionwilldemandprofessionals whoarecomfortableworkinginboth financialanddigitalenvironments.
AninvitationtotheNextGen ofCECsandPQSs ACIQSmembershipopensthedoor toanationalnetworkofprofessionals, professionaldevelopmentwebinars andevents,andpathwaystoearning theConstructionEstimatorCertified orProfessionalQuantitySurveyor designations.Visitwww.ciqs.orgtolearn howtojoinacommunitythatcanhelp youbuildacareertobeproudof. ■
*Source:“LabourMarketResilienceinthe FaceofAnAgingPopulation”
SheilaLennon,ÉCA Directricegénérale,ICÉC
LL’économieenconstructionest-elle lemeilleurmétierdontvousn’avez jamaisentenduparler?
Lanouvellegénérationd’économistesen construction:construirepourl’avenir
amain-d’œuvrecanadienne vieillitetconnaîtla plusgrandetransition générationnelledel’histoire avecledépartàlaretraitede professionnelsexpérimentés.Selon uneétudeduConseildel’information surlemarchédutravail(CIMT)*, laproportiondetravailleursâgés deplusde55ansestpasséed’un travailleursur9,5en2000àun travailleursur4,6en2023.Plus récemment,cesdonnéesontété confirméesparlerapportGlobal ConstructionMonitordelaRICS-ICÉC, quiidentifierégulièrementles pénuriesdemain-d’œuvre,ycompris d’économistesenconstruction qualifiés,commel’undesprincipaux défisauxquelsestconfrontélesecteur delaconstruction.
Lesecteurcanadiendela constructionestunmoteurdela croissanceéconomique.Ilreprésente environ7,5%duPIBduCanadaet fournitdesemploisbienrémunérés àplusde1,6milliondeCanadienset Canadiennes.Pourquoialorslefossé entrelesprofessionnelsdel’économie delaconstructionquipartentà laretraiteetleséconomistesen constructiondedemainneseréduit-il pasauCanada?
Ils’agiticidevisibilité,en particulierpourlaprochaine générationdeprofessionnelsde l’économiedelaconstruction
L’économieenconstructionest l’undessecretslesmieuxgardésdu secteurcanadiendelaconstruction. Demandezàdesélèvesdel’école
secondaire,oumêmeàdes étudiantsetétudiantesdeniveau postsecondaire,cequefaitun économisteenconstruction,etvous obtiendrezunsilenceetunregard vide.Laplupartdesétudianteset étudiantscanadienseningénierie, architecture,droit,comptabilitéou économiedécouvrentlaprofession d’économisteenconstructionaprès leurentréesurlemarchédutravail,au moyend’événementsderéseautage, d’unmentorouencollaborantavec deséconomistesdelaconstruction danslecadred’unprojet.
Denombreuxcheminsmènent àlamêmeprofession
Lasérie«MyJourney»disponible surlebalado«KnowledgeCounts» del’ICÉCprésentedesmembres d’horizonsdiversetlesparcours quilesontamenésàlaprofession d’économisteenconstruction.Elle comprenddesmembresquiont découvertlaprofessionencoursde carrière,desprofessionnelsformésà l’étrangeretdejeunesdiplômésqui ontdécouvertledomaineàl’occasion d’unstageenentreprise.Ceshistoires montrentquelavoieàsuivrepour deveniréconomisteenconstruction estaussivariéequelespossibilités offertesparlaprofession.
Scannezlecode QRpouraccéderaux épisodesdelasérie «MyJourney».Nous encourageonsles membresquiontun parcoursintéressant ouinhabituelànouscontacterà
l’adressesuivantepodcast@ciqs.org etnousdemandonségalement auxéducateursetéducatrices,aux conseillersetconseillèresetaux partenairesindustrielsdepartagerces épisodesaveclespersonnesdeleur réseauquis’interrogentsurleurpropre parcoursprofessionnel.
Unecarrièredonton peutêtrefier
Laparticularitédelaprofession d’économisteenconstructionest qu’elleoffresouventlapossibilitéde travaillerdansunbureauainsiquesur unchantier.Letravailestanalytique, relationneletstratégique,etaune incidenceréellesurl’environnement bâti.Vouspouvezêtreresponsable duprogrammeprixd’unnouvel hôpital,del’élaborationd’une stratégied’approvisionnementpour unenouvelleautoroute,del’étudede lachaîned’approvisionnementpour garantirlemeilleurrendementdes investissementspourunenouvelle salledeconcert,oudel’examend’une demanded’indemnisationpourun projetderéhabilitationd’unédifice patrimonial.C’estunecarrièrequioffre unegrandevariété,oùaucunjourne seressemble,etquijetteunpontentre laconfiancedupublicetl’argentpublic.
Enparlantd’argent,laprofession d’économisteenconstructionest bienrémunérée.Lesestimateurs enconstructioncertifiés(ECC)et leséconomistesenconstruction agréés(ÉCA)qualifiéssonttrès demandésdansunsecteurqui offredespossibilitésdecroissance
Suiteàlapage26
Conversely,ifweadapteffectively, QSprofessionalscanemergeas indispensableleadersinshaping projectoutcomesandguiding multi-billion-dollarinvestment decisions.
ReimaginingQSEducation: KeyShifts
TosupporttheQSRenaissance, educationmustevolveacrossfour keydimensions.
1.FromMeasurementto Decision-Making
Measurementwillalwaysbe important.However,itshouldno longerbetheendpointofeducation, itshouldbethestartingpoint.
Programsmustemphasize:
•Interpretationofcostdata
•Scenarioanalysisandtrade-offs
•Value-baseddecision-making
Studentsshouldnotonlyanswer “Whatdoesitcost?” butalso “What isthebestdecision,givencost, value,andimpact?”
Thisisparticularlyrelevantin Canada’sinfrastructurelandscape, wheredecisionsmustbalance affordabilitywithlong-term performance,resilience,and societaloutcomes.
2.EmbeddingDigital Competencies
Digitaltransformationis reshapingtheconstructionindustry. Canadianprojectsincreasingly adoptdigitaltoolssuchas
BIM,integratedprojectdelivery (IPD),anddata-drivenasset managementsystems.
QSprofessionalsmustbefluent indigitaltools,notaspassiveusers, butasstrategicinterpreters.
Curriculashouldincorporate:
•5DBIMandcostintegration
•Digitaltwinsandlifecycledata environments
•AI-drivencostforecastingandrisk analysis
•Datavisualizationanddashboards Importantly,thefocusshouldnot beontoolsalone,butonturning dataintoactionableintelligence.
3.IntegratingSustainabilityand CarbonLiteracy
Canada’scommitmenttoachieving net-zeroemissionsby2050 is transformingtheconstructionsector. Federalandprovincialpolicies alongwithinitiativessuchasthe CanadaGreenBuildingsStrategy andevolvingbuildingcodes,are placingsustainabilityatthecenterof projectdelivery.
QSprofessionalsmustplayakey rolein:
•Carbon-informedcosting
•Lifecyclecostanalysis
•Evaluatingsustainabilitytrade-offs
•Supportingnet-zerostrategies
•Educationmustthereforeinclude:
Whole-lifecarbonandcost integration
•Circulareconomyprinciples
•Sustainablematerialsandsystems
ThispositionstheQSasa criticalbridgebetweeneconomic performanceandenvironmental responsibility,arolethatisbecoming increasinglyimportantinCanadian publicsectorprojectsandESG-driven privatedevelopments.
4.DevelopingHumanand StrategicSkills
AstheQSrolebecomesmore strategic,technicalexpertisealoneis insufficient.
FutureQSprofessionalsmustexcel in:
•Communicationandnegotiation
•Stakeholderengagement
•Systemsthinking
•Leadershipandinfluence
Thisisparticularlyrelevantin Canada’scollaborativeprojectdelivery models,suchasIPDandalliance contracting,wheresuccessdepends ontrust,transparency,andshared decision-making.
These“humanskills”arewhat differentiateaQSwhoreports numbersfromonewhoshapes decisionsandleadsoutcomes.
UpskillingandReskilling theExistingWorkforce
Whilecurriculumreformisessential, thetransformationcannotrelysolely
onnewgraduates.Thecurrent workforcemustalsobesupported throughstructuredupskillingand reskillinginitiatives.
TheCIQSplaysacriticalrolein leadingthistransformationacross Canada.
1.ModularandFlexible LearningPathways
Canada’sgeographically dispersedworkforceanddiverse projectenvironmentsrequireflexible learningmodels.
Thisincludes:
•Micro-credentials
•Shortcoursesandexecutive programs
•Onlineandhybriddelivery
Thesepathwaysenable professionalstocontinuouslyadapt withoutinterruptingtheircareers.
2.Industry-Academia Collaboration
Strongerpartnershipsbetween universities,theCIQS,andindustry areessential.
Thesecollaborationscansupport:
•Co-designedcurriculaalignedwith Canadianindustryneeds
•Real-worldcasestudiesfrom infrastructureandhousingprojects
•Internshippipelinesandmentorship programs
•Jointresearchonproductivity, sustainability,anddigital transformation
TheRoleofInstitutions andCIQS
Institutionsandprofessional organizationsmustactascatalysts forthistransformation.FortheCIQS, thisrepresentsasignificantleadership opportunity:
•Updatingaccreditationframeworks toreflectevolvingcompetencies
•Promotingnationalconsistencyin QSeducationstandards
•Supportinginnovationinprogram delivery
•PositioningCanadaasaglobal leaderinQSprofessional development
Continuedonpage26
SPEARHEAD MASS TIMBER EXPANSION
ByShaneMcKernan,PQS,GSC,B.Tech
Project: Spearhead Expansion—NewMass TimberProductionFacility andGlulamPlant
Location: AdjacenttoSpearhead’s existingfacilitynearNelson,British Columbia,intheCrescentBayarea alongHighway3A
Owner/Developer(s): Spearhead (SpearheadTimberworksInc./ SpearheadInnovationsInc.),a Nelson-based,family-ownedmass timberandarchitecturaltimberfabricator
Delivery/Procurement: Owner-builder/construction:Spearhead inconjunctionwithRAMMCustom Buildasgeneralcontractoronthe expansion
Stats:
• Capacity
m Approximately60,000–70,000 squarefeetofnewbuildingarea overtwophases
• Cost
m Approximatetotalprojectvalue: $60millionforthenewglulamand masstimberproductionfacility andassociatedexpansionworks
m Provincialcapitalsupport: $7.5millionfromtheB.C. ManufacturingJobsFundto helpfundthefacilityandglulam technologyline
• Schedule
m Initialsitepreparationand enablingworkscommenced inJuly2025(Phase1), commissioningofproductionline, fit-outofoffice/childcarebuilding (Phase2)andfullramp-upwill takeplacein2026
• KeyNotes
m Masstimbergravitysystems leveragingCLTdeckingover glulambeamsandpurlins, supportedbyCLTand prefabricatedtimbercassettewalls
m Specializedglulammanufacturing linesuppliedbyLedinekforon-site glulamproduction
m EmphasisonzeroVOCglulam, advancedCNCmachining,and value-addedtimberfabrication usingB.C.wood
m Morethan60newfulltimeskilled jobsintheNelsonarea,bringing totalemploymenttoroughly120+ peopleatSpearhead
m Partofabroader$11million investmentinvalueaddedlumber manufacturingbytheProvinceto diversifytheforestryeconomyaway fromoldgrowthdependency
m Onsitechildcarefacilityenvisionedin theofficebuilding,supportingfamilies workingatandaroundthefacility
m Commitmentto“hyperlocal”timber supplychainsandsustainable forestrypractices,positioning Nelsonasahubforadvanced timberengineeringandfabrication
SpearheadExpansion:ANew MassTimberAnchorinNelson Spearhead’snewmasstimber expansionoutsideNelson,B.C., marksamajorstepforwardfor boththecompanyandtheregion’s value-addedforestrysector.The projectaddsroughly60,000–70,000 squarefeetofnewbuildingarea acrossaspecializedglulam productionhallandathree-storey officeandchildcarebuilding, creatingaconsolidatedmasstimber manufacturingcampusalongside Spearhead’sexistingfacility.
TheexpansionisledbySpearhead (SpearheadTimberworks/Spearhead InnovationsInc.)asowner-builder, withCoverArchitecturalCollaborative Inc.asArchitectofRecordandFast+ Eppprovidingstructuralengineering. Constructionisunderwayonlots adjacentto4655Highway3A, followingtreeremoval,demolition, blasting,andbulkearthworksthat beganinmid-2025.Backedbya $60milliontotalprojectinvestment and$7.5millioninprovincialfunding throughtheB.C.ManufacturingJobs Fund,theprojectsignalsastrong commitmenttolocal,high-value timbermanufacturingandlong-term regionaljobs.
Attheheartoftheexpansionisanew glulamproductionfacilityequippedwith astate-of-the-artmanufacturinglineand integratedCNCmachining.Thisplant willproducehigh-quality,zero-VOC glulamandprecision-fabricated masstimbercomponents,enabling Spearheadtosupplylargervolumesand morecomplexassembliestoprojects acrossNorthAmerica.Byco-locating primaryglulammanufacturingwith digitalfabricationandengineering, thecampusstrengthensavertically integrateddeliverymodel:design, modeling,fabrication,andinstallation aretightlycoordinated,improving tolerances,constructability,and schedulecertaintyformass timberprojects.
Architecturally,theprojectbuildson Spearhead’searlier14,000ft²mass timberproductionbuildingonthesame site,whichusedCLTdeckingover glulamgirdersandprefabricatedtimber
cassettewallstodeliveraneconomical yetexpressiveindustrialstructure. Thenewfacilitiesfollowthesame logic:clearspansforequipmentand cranemovement,efficientstructural grids,andexposedtimbersystems thatdemonstratehowmasstimber canperformindemandingindustrial settings.Indoingso,theexpansion doublesasaliveshowroomforclients, designers,andregulatorswhowant toseeindustrial-scalemasstimber inoperation.
Theofficeandchildcarebuilding furtherreinforcetheproject’s communityfocus.Providingon-site childcaredirectlysupportsrecruitment andretentioninatightlabourmarket, especiallyforyoungerfamilies consideringlong-termcareersin theKootenays.Combinedwith morethan60newfull-timeskilled positionsinfabrication,engineering, andplantoperations,theexpansion deliversdurableemploymenttied toalow-carbon,technology-driven manufacturingbaseratherthan short-cycleresourceextraction.
Fortheconstructionindustry,the implicationsaresignificant.First, theadditionalglulamandfabrication capacityhelpsshortensupplychains andreducerelianceonimports, supportingmorepredictablepricing andleadtimesformasstimber projects.Second,thecampus offersaconcretereferencepoint forindustrialbuildingsdesignedin timberratherthandefaultsteel-only solutions,provingthatmass timbercanmeettheperformance, durability,andcostdemandsof productionenvironments.Finally, byemphasizinghyper-localtimber supply,zero-VOCproducts,and advancedmanufacturing,the Spearheadexpansionalignsdirectly withbroaderdecarbonizationand housinggoals—enablingfaster, lower-carbondeliveryofinstitutional, commercial,andresidentialprojects acrosstheprovince.
TheSpearheadexpansionis morethanaplantupgrade.Itisa demonstrationofhowaregional manufacturercanleveragemass timber,digitalfabrication,and
community-mindedamenitiestocreate resilientjobs,supportprovincialclimate targets,andpushtheconstruction industrytowardamoreintegrated, low-carbonfuture. ■
PhotoSource:
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/ woodworking-industry-news/spearhead-launc hes-60-million-glulam-expansion
ArticleSources:
1.WoodworkingNetwork—“Spearhead launches$60millionglulamexpansion”
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/ woodworking-industry-news/spearhead-launc hes-60-million-glulam-expansion
2.RDCKpublichearingminutes
https://www.rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/20 25/04/14-2025-04-02-Z2410F-Third-PublicHearing-Minutes_DRAFT.pdf
3.WoodWorksInnovationNetwork—precedent productionfacility
https://www.woodworksinnovationnetwork. org/projects/spearhead-production-facility
4.Fast+Eppprojectprofile—14,000sf precedentbuilding,structuralsystem https://www.fastepp.com/portfolio/ spearhead-production-facility/
ShaneMcKernan istheDirectorof Preconstructionfor AxiomBuilders,based outofVancouver,BC. Withoverseventeen yearsofexperience,Shane’saseasoned constructionprofessionalspecializingin costconsulting&projectmanagement. ShanewasthePastPresidentofthe CIQS—BCChapter,whereheservedfor 10yearsandisacurrentAssistanttothe ConstructionEconomisteditor.
Room block available at Sheraton Vancouver Aiport: $325/night Standard
Roomblockavailableat SheratonVancouver Aiport: $325/nightStandard Room
DECARBONIZATION, POWERED BY INTELLIGENCE
HOW AI IS RESHAPING CARBON ACROSS THE BUILDING LIFE CYCLE
ByAyoDanielAbiola,P.Eng,PQS,CDP
Ourworldisbuilding artificialintelligence(AI) poweredbydatacentres tosolveitshardest problems.Spendingfornewdata centreconstructionhasshiftedfrom steadygrowthtoarapidhighintensity expansionphase[1] duetotheAIsurge (Figure1).Indoingso,ithandedthe buildingsectorbothitsmosturgent challengeanditsmostpowerfultoolfor lowcarbontransitions.
ExpansionofAIdatacentre constructioninCanadaisasvividly obviousasanywhere.Thesefacilities willnodoubtpresentenormousstrain ontheenergygridsthatpowerthem.
The$1.7billionBellFabricAIdata centreplannedforSaskatchewan, areported$70billionWonder ValleyAIinfrastructurecommitment
inAlberta,andexpandingcloud clustersinOntario,Quebec,and BritishColumbiatogetherrepresent anewclassofenergy-intensivebuilt assetsarrivingonagridthatwas alreadyunderpressure.TheIEA estimatesthatgloballyin2024,data centresconsumedroughly415TWh, andthisfigureisprojectedtomore thandoubleby2030.Inparallel, thebuildingsectorstillaccountsfor approximately37 40percentofglobal energy-relatedcarbonemissions—a sharethatspanseveryphasefromraw materialextractionthroughdemolition andbeyond.
Netzerowasnevergoingtohappen withoutthebuildingsector.And increasingly,itwillnothappenwithout AIappliedtothatsector.Acrossall fourlifecyclestagesofconstructed
assets:A(productandconstruction), B(use),C(endoflife),andD(beyond thesystemboundary),AIisbeginning tocompressthetimeandcostof decarbonizationinwaysthatwerenot operationallyrealisticeventhreeyears ago.Inthisarticle,Ihaveattemptedto mapthoseapplicationstothedecisions facingbuildingownersandwe,the professionalswhoadvisethem.
LifeCycleStageA: CuttingCarbonBeforea ShovelHitstheGround
Themostconsequentialcarbon decisionsinanybuildingproject aremadeinthefirsttenpercentof thedesigntimeline.Oncestructural systemsaresetandmaterials specified,theembodiedcarbon trajectoryislargelylockedin.Thisis whereAI’sclearestnear-termvalue isrealized.
AI-augmentedlifecycleassessment (LCA)toolsembeddeddirectlywithin BIMenvironmentsnowallowdesigners torunembodiedcarbonanalysisin realtimeagainstlivemodelgeometry. ToolslikeAutodeskFormauseAI capabilitiestoletarchitectstestthe carbonconsequenceofstructural decisionsatconceptstage,analysis thatpreviouslyrequiredspecialist consultantsanddaysofprocessing. In2025,researchersdemonstrated anAI-augmentedLCAframeworkthat reproducedexpert-leveloutputswith lessthan2.1percentvariationacross
allindicators[2],whilealargelanguage model-basedembodiedcarbon accountingmethodknownasCECA achieveda216-foldimprovementin computationalefficiencycompared totraditionalLCA [3].Thesearenot marginalgains.
Forquantitysurveyors,the implicationisdirect.Integrating embodiedcarbondatawithincost estimationworkflows,(alreadyan emergingpracticethroughplatforms likeCostX,CostOS,andCATO), becomessignificantlymoretractable whenAIreducesthefrictionof LCAdatapreparation.According totheOneClickLCA2025Carbon ExpertsReport[4],over60percentof AECprofessionalsusinglifecycle assessmentachievedatleasta 10percentreductioninembodied carbon,withathirdachievingupto 20percent.Thatismeasurablecost andcarbonperformanceavailable atthepre-constructionstage,before procurementcontractsarewritten.
EnvironmentalProductDeclarations (EPD)arethedatabackboneof constructionLCAs.Quantitysurveyors whocanbenchmarkcarboncost alongsidecapitalcost,andwho canspeakfluentlytoEPD-verified specifications,arepositionedtoadd materialvalueatthestageswhereit mattersmost.
LifeCycleStageB:
RunningSmarterBuildings
Operationalenergyremainsthe dominantshareofabuilding’slifetime carboninmostexistingstock,anditis whereAIhasthelongesttrackrecord. Buildingenergymanagementsystems poweredbymachinelearningnow alignheating,cooling,andlighting loadsdynamicallyagainstoccupancy patterns,weatherforecasts,andgrid carbonintensity.AI-basedoptimization hasdemonstratedenergyconsumption reductionsofupto30percentin commercialpropertieswithout capital-heavyconstructionwork, whichpractitionersarecallingthe ‘digitalretrofit.’
Forbuildingowners,thistranslates toportfolio-leveldecisionsthatdonot requireacompletecapitalrenewal
program.Digitalmaturity,(abuilding’s readinesstoleveragedataforenergy, carbon,andoperationaloutcomes),is increasinglymaterialtoassetvalue. Buildingswithoutitfacegrowing exposure:regulatoryriskunder emergingperformancestandardslike Canada’sevolvingBuildingEmissions PerformanceStandards,andfinancial riskinamarketwhereinstitutional tenantsandlendersarebeginningto pricethe‘browndiscount.’
LifeCycleStagesCandD: EndofLifeandtheCircular Imperative
StagesCandDremaintheleast developedfrontierforAIinbuildings, butthedirectionisclear.AI-driven materialpassports,whichrecord thecomposition,provenance,and reusabilityofbuildingcomponents acrosstheasset’slife,arebeginning tomakecirculareconomyprinciples operationallyviableatscale.When abuildingreachestheendofits servicelife,AIcanidentifyrecoverable components,matchthemtosecondary markets,andoptimizedeconstruction sequencing,convertingwhatwasonce demolitionwasteintorecoverable embodiedcarbonvalue.
Accenture’s PoweredforChange 2025 report[5] notedthatwhenAI isembeddedinaportfolio-driven infrastructureapproach,itpreserves institutionalknowledgeandensures everyprojectbuildsonpast carbonandcostperformance.This compoundingeffect,whereeach projectinformsthenext,currently accruesonlytothe10percentof projectsoperatingwithinrepeatable deliverysystems;fortheremaining 90percent,theopportunitycost issubstantial.
WhatAECProfessionals AreDoing,andWhat OwnersShouldDemand
ProgressiveAECfirmsare restructuringarounddata.BIMmodels arebeingtreatedaslivingcarbon accountingdocumentsratherthan coordinationtools.Sustainability consultantsaredeployingAI-assisted LCAatfeasibilityratherthanatdetailed
design.Andquantitysurveyors arebeginningtoofferintegrated cost-carbonbenchmarkingthatreflects thefullfinancialexposureofembodied andoperationalemissions,including regulatorypenaltystructuresthatmake inactionincreasinglyexpensive.
The2025OneClickLCACarbon ExpertsReport[4] iscandidabout wheregapsremain:85percentof AECprofessionalscitetheabsence ofnationalregulationsastheprimary barriertoLCAadoption.Canada’s policytrajectoryisalreadymovingin therightdirectionbutunevenly,with significantdisparityacrossprovinces incarbonpolicies,gridintensity,and performancestandardambition.For buildingownersoperatingacross multipleprovinces,thisregulatory patchworkdemandsadvisorscapable ofmodellingscenario-specificrisk,not justcompliance.
Thepracticalasksareclear.Owners shouldrequireembodiedcarbon targetsatprojectinception,specified withinprocurementbriefsandtracked throughdelivery.Theyshoulddemand EPD-verifiedmaterialspecificationson structuralandenvelopesystems.They shouldinsistthatoperationalenergy modellingincorporateAI-optimized controlstrategiesalongsidecapital systemupgrades.Andtheyshould beginassessingthedigitalmaturity ofexistingportfoliosagainstthe likelytrajectoryofCanadianbuilding emissionsperformancestandards, becausethebuildingsthatcannot demonstratedecarbonizationpathways willfacestrandedassetriskwithinthe workinglifeofcurrentfinancing.
TheBottomLine
AIissimultaneouslythesourceof newcarbondemandandthemost powerfulinstrumentavailabletoreduce itinthebuiltenvironment.Thedata centresbeingbuiltinSaskatchewanand Albertaarenotanargumentagainst decarbonization;theyareanargument fordeployingtheintelligencethose facilitiesenable,acrosseverystageof thebuildinglifecycle withurgency. Forquantitysurveyorsandbuilding owners,theentrypointiscostandrisk: Continuedonpage26
BUILD DOMESTIC, BUY LOCAL: CANADA’S PROCUREMENT SHIFT
ByKylePower,SeniorManager—RegulatoryAffairs,FirstLakeSolutions
sCanadarecalibratesits economicrelationshipwith ourneighbourstothesouth, thefederalandprovincial governmentshavemovedquickly toprioritizeCanadianmaterialsand suppliersinpublicprocurement.
ThefederalBuyCanadianPolicy servesasthetemplate.Ontario followedwithaBuyOntarioAct,
alongsideotherprovincialresponses. ProfessionalQuantitySurveyors (PQS)andConstructionEconomists Certified(CEC)mustnowaccountfor domesticpreferenceswhenplanning constructioncosts.
FederalBuyCanadianPolicy
ThefirstphaseoftheBuyCanadian PolicytookeffectinDecember2025as
partofBudget2025.Itrequiresfederal departmentstoprioritizeCanadian suppliersandcontentinstrategic procurementsvaluedat$25millionor more.Thatthresholdissettodropto $5millionbyJune15,2026.
ThepolicyaimstomakeCanadaits ownbestcustomerfordomestically manufacturedmaterials.Itshifts procurementfrom“bestefforts”toa
clearobligationtoprioritizeCanadian suppliers,content,andmaterials. Thegoalistostrengthendomestic industries,supportworkers,andbuild economicresilienceamidglobaltrade pressures.Altogether,thesemeasures areexpectedtochannelupto $70billioninpublicinvestmenttoward Canadianfirms.
Atlaunch,thepolicyhastwomain pillars.ThePolicyonPrioritizing CanadianSuppliersandContent coverscriticalsectorsincluding defence,infrastructure,construction, andtransportation.ThePolicyon PrioritizingCanadianMaterials mandatestheuseofCanadiansteel, aluminum,andwoodinmajorfederally fundedprojects.
Thefederalgovernmenthas alsoindicatedthataPolicy
onReciprocalProcurementis forthcoming.Itwillrequirefederal purchasesofnon-defencegoods andservicestocomefromCanada ortradingpartnersthatprovide reciprocalaccessthroughactive tradeagreements.Thisbuildson theInterimPolicyonReciprocal Procurement,effectiveJuly14,2025. TheSmallBusinessProcurement Program,expectedbyspring2026, willexpandfederalprocurement opportunitiestoCanadiansmalland medium-sizedbusinesses.
ForPQSandCECprofessionals, thisshiftwilldriveincreaseddemand fordetailedconstructioncosting andplanning.Domesticsourcing benchmarksandsupplychain awarenesswillbeatthecentreof federalprocurementmovingforward.
Ontario’sBuyOntarioAct
TheBuyOntarioActpassedin December2025.Itempowersthe ManagementBoardofCabinetto directprovincialentitiestogive preferencetoOntario-madegoods, followedbyCanadiangoods,through scoringmetricsandprocurement requirements.TheActreplaces thenarrowerBuildingOntario BusinessesInitiativeandalignswith Ontario’s$223billioninfrastructure planspanninghighways,hospitals, andhousing.
Whilelessdetailedthanthe federalframework,theOntario programisexpectedtohave wide-reachingimpact.Inearly2026, theprovincialgovernmentsought feedbackonextendingtheprogram tomunicipalities,universities,and relatedentities.Asaresultofthe Act,Ontariosourcingrequirements willincreasinglyfactorintocost plans,lifecycleassessments,and tenderingstrategiesforprovincial work.Constructioneconomists servingmunicipalities,schoolboards, andagencieswillmodelthese requirementsmoreoften.
ProvincialDevelopments
Acrossthecountry,other provinceshaveintroducedlocal procurementmeasuresalongside
thefederalBuyCanadianPolicy andOntario’sBuyOntarioAct. Saskatchewanisdeveloping procurementclausesthatreduce weightingforU.S.-basedcontentand requirereportingonU.S.productsin construction.Alberta,Quebec,and NewBrunswickhavealsoadvanced localsupplierpreferenceswhile respectingtradeobligations,and BritishColumbiaisexploringsimilar rulesforinfrastructuretiedtofederal housingfunds.
InternationalResponse
Canada’smoveshavenot goneunnoticed.TheU.S.Trade Representative’s2026NationalTrade EstimateReportflagsCanada’sBuy CanadianPolicyasanunfairtrade barrier,citingprocurementpreferences thatdisadvantageU.S.suppliers.
AttheWTOGovernment ProcurementCommitteemeeting inMarch2026,theEuropeanUnion raisedconcernsaboutthepolicy’s compliancewithWTOcommitments onnon-discriminatoryaccess.Japan, NewZealand,Norway,Switzerland, andtheUnitedKingdomalsovoiced concernsregardingCanada’s policydirection.
Outlook
TheBuyCanadianPolicyand theBuyOntarioActsignalaclear shifttowarddomesticpreference inpublicprocurement,reflectinga broaderresponsetoglobaltrade pressuresandarenewedfocuson economicresilience.PQSandCEC professionalswillplayacriticalrole inintegratingtheserequirements intocostplansandtenderstrategies, ensuringprojectsaredeliveredontime
KylePower isSenior ManagerofRegulatory AffairsandLegal CounselatFirstLake Solutions,wherehe supportsgovernment relationsandpolicyadvocacyforclients intheconstructionsector,includingthe CanadianInstituteofQuantitySurveyors. HeisbasedinHalifax,NovaScotia.
KEEPING THE HEARTBEAT OF AN AIRPORT STRONG: THE UNSEEN POWER OF ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE
BySharibMaradukhel,PQS,MRICS,CET
Thinkbacktoyourlasttimeat theairport.Rememberthe softwhiroftheescalators? Thecalm,steadyvoiceon thePA?Therunwaylightsareblinking quietly,showingplaneswheretogo. Mostdays,youprobablydon’teven noticeanyofit.Butifthepowergoes out,everythinggrindstoahalt—fast!
That’swhyelectricalmaintenance isn’tjustanotheritemonachecklist.
It’swhatkeepstheairportrunning, safe,andreadyforwhateverthe daybrings.
WhyElectricalMaintenance ReallyMatters
Inanoffice,apoweroutageleads tolostproductivity.Inanairport,it canresultinthousandsofstranded passengers,groundedflights,and potentialsafetyrisks.Asingleelectrical
issuecanhavefar-reaching consequences:
•TransformingaTravelDayinto aNightmare:
m Suddenly,flightdelayspileup andtravelersgetstranded.
•SilencingCrucial Conversations:
m Disruptingcommunication betweenpilotsandairtraffic control.
•CreatingBlindSpots:
m Compromisessecuritysystems thatensureeveryone’ssafety. Beyondtheimmediatechaos, neglectedelectricalsystemspose firehazards.Regularmaintenanceis ourwayoflisteningtothatheartbeat, identifyingissuesbeforethey escalateintocrises.It’sourmeansof safeguardingpeople,equipment,and theenvironmentbyenhancingenergy efficiencyandprolongingthelifespan ofsystems.
TheUnsungHeroes:The SystemsThatKeepUsMoving Anairportfunctionslikeasmall, power-hungrycity.Ourteamdiligently monitorsallitsvitalcomponents:
•TheGuideLights:
m Runwayandtaxiwaylightsserve asbeaconsthatguideplanes safely,especiallyduringharsh weatheroratnight.Weroutinely checkthemtoensurethey neverfail.
•ThePassenger’sComfort:
m Fromoverheadlightingtoair conditioningandescalators,we
ensuretheterminalreceives seamless,uninterruptedpower.
•TheWatchfulEyes:
m AirTrafficControltowers actasthenervecenter.We meticulouslymaintaintheirradar, communicationequipment,and emergencypowertokeepthem vigilant.
•TheJourneyofYourLuggage:
m Complexbaggagehandling systemsdependonnumerous motorsandsensors.Ourregular careensuresyourbagtravels withyou,ratherthanembarking onitsownadventure.
•TheSilentGuardians:
m Securitycameras,accessgates, andscannersformthefirstline ofdefense.Wecontinuouslytest theirpowerandbackupsystems toguaranteetheyremainalert.
•ThePlanB(andC):
m Intheeventofapowerfailure, ourrobustbackupgeneratorsand batterysystemsaredesigned toactivateinstantly.Electrical maintenancepersonnelconduct frequentteststoensurethey’re alwaysprepared.
OurProactiveApproach: PreventingProblemsBefore TheyStart
Wedon’twaitforproblemstoarise. Ourmaintenancestrategyisrootedin proactivity:
•TheHumanEye:
m Regularwalk-throughinspections toidentifyvisibleissues—frayed wires,signsofwear,orcorrosion.
•SeeingtheHeat:
m Utilizingthermalimagingcameras todetect“hotspots”inelectrical components,preventingfailures beforetheyoccur.
•Stress-Testing:
m Simulatingpeakdemand toensureourcircuitsand generatorscanhandlethe busiesttraveldays.
•StayingAheadofAge:
m Replacingagingcomponentslike circuitbreakersandtransformers beforetheyfail.
WhenThingsGoWrong: CommonChallengesWeFace
Evenwithcarefulattention,electrical systemsenduresignificantstress. Commonchallengesweaddress include:
•PowerSurges&Outages:
m Asuddenspikecandamage sensitiveequipment.Weemploy surgeprotectorsandstable backupsassafeguards.
•TrippedCircuitBreakers:
m Whilethesesafetydevices protectagainstfailures,whenthey malfunction,theycanplungea terminalintodarkness.Weensure theirreliability.
•TheBattlewiththeElements:
m Severeweathercancorrode cablesandconnections,leadingto shortsandfailures.
•LightingFailures:
m Asingleburnt-outlightona runwayisaseriousissue.We consistentlyverifythateveryguide lightisoperational.
•GrowingPains:
m Asairportsbecomebusier, electricaldemandsincrease.We proactivelyupgradesystemsto avoidoverloads.
BuildingaGreener, SmarterAirport
Modernmaintenancegoes beyondreliability;itencompasses responsibility.Weactivelyassist airportsinbecomingmore sustainableby:
•Transitioningtoenergy-efficientLED lightingthroughout.
•Installingsmartsystemsthat intelligentlymanageenergy consumption.
•Integratingsolarpowerandother renewablesourcestominimizeour carbonfootprint.
TheRoleofElectrical Contractors
Maintaininganairport’selectrical systemisasignificantresponsibility, demandingadedicatedandskilled team.Weviewourselvesasyour partnerinthismission—conducting
inspections,providingemergency support,andofferingguidanceto enhancesafetyandefficiency.
Bycollaborating,weensurethat theheartbeatoftheairportremains robust,poweringsafe,smooth,and efficientjourneysforeverypassenger andflight
Maintaininganairport’selectrical systemsisamulti-million-dollar annualinvestment.Thecostsstem fromavarietyoffactors:
•PreventiveMaintenance:
Thisinvolveshiringspecialized techniciansforround-the-clock inspections,testingbackup generators,andproactivelyreplacing costlycomponentslikerunway lights.
•EmergencyRepairs: It’scrucialto budgetforthehighcostsassociated withunexpectedfailures,whichcan includepremiumemergencylabour andurgentpartsreplacement.
•SystemUpgrades: Investing inlong-termprojects,suchas transitioningtoLEDlightingor enhancingelectricalcapacityfor newterminals,isvitalforfuture growth.
•BackupSystems: Regular maintenanceandfuelingoflarge generatorsandbatterysystemsare essentialtopreventchaosduring poweroutages.
PuttingItAllinPerspective:The CostofNotMaintaining
Themostimportantwaytoframe thesecostsistocomparethemtothe alternative:
•AMajorRunwayLightingOutage canhaltallarrivalsanddepartures.
m Cost:$50,000to$150,000+ perhour indelays,passenger compensation,andairline penalties.
•ATerminalPowerOutage halts check-in,security,andbaggage systems.
m Cost: Millionsinoperational losses,reputationaldamage,and potentialregulatoryfines.
•AFailureinAirTrafficControl Power isanationalsecurityand safetyincidentwithincalculable costs.
duetoflightdelays,operational disruptions,anddamagetoreputation canfarexceedanentireyear’s maintenancebudget.Ultimately,itis anessentialexpendituretoensurethat theairportremainssafe,operational, andefficient. ■
References:
1.PortAuthorityBuilds
2.TorontoPearsonAirport
3.Voltacompliance
Whiletheexpensesmayseem steep,thisisastrategicinvestment. Thecostofasinglesignificantoutage
Withover18years ofexperienceanda solidbackgroundin ElectricalEngineering (BEng,MSc), SharibMaradukhel isanAssociateDirectoratAltus, specializingincostplanningand managementforvarioussectors, includinginstitutional,datacenters,and largetransitprojects.Certified(MRICS, PQS,GSC,CET),Sharibhasaproven trackrecordincostcontrol,project delivery,andchangemanagement throughouttheprojectlifecycle,focusing onvalue-drivensolutionsandproject successfromconcepttocompletion.
THE HIDDEN COMPLEXITY OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ESTIMATES IN CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
ByMaherFares,P.Eng.,M.Eng.,PMP,PQS,GSC,CEM
TheFalseComfortof EarlyNumbers
Mechanicalandelectricalsystems areconsistentlyunderestimated duringearlycostplanninginCanadian constructionprojects.Although theyrepresentalargeshareoftotal constructioncost,theyareoften reducedtosimplifiedallowancesor percentagebenchmarksatfeasibility andschematicdesignstages.This approachcreatesearlyconfidence,but thatconfidenceisfragile.
AcrossmostCanadianbuilding types,M&Ecoststypicallyrangefrom 30%to50%ofconstructioncost. Inhospitals,laboratories,andother technicallyintensivefacilities,this shareoftenexceeds55%.Yetearly estimatesarepreparedwhenkey systemdecisionsarestillpending. Performancerequirementsarenot fixed.Energystrategiesareevolving. Regulatoryandutilityconstraintsare unresolved.Theresultisastructural gapbetweenearlybudgetsand finalcosts.
AsCanadianprojectsbecomemore electrified,moreregulated,andmore dependentonsystemintegration,M&E complexityisnolongersecondary. Itisaprimarydriverofcostrisk.The challengeisnotalackofdata,butthe tendencytosimplifycomplexitybefore itisunderstood.
WhyM&ENow
DominatesCostRisk
TheweightofM&Esystemshas increasedsteadilyoverthepast twodecades.AccordingtoNatural ResourcesCanada,buildingsaccount forapproximately17%ofCanada’s secondaryenergyconsumption. Provinceshaverespondedwith stricterenergyperformance requirements,eachwithdifferent
compliancepathwaysandtechnical implications.Thesepoliciesdirectly shapemechanicalandelectrical systemdesign.
Observedcostrangesvarywidely bybuildingtypeandlocation.High-rise residentialprojectsinOntarioand Québectypicallyfallbetween35% and45%.Officebuildingsinmajor urbancentersrangefrom30%to40%. Healthcarefacilitiescommonlyreach
45%to60%,whilelaboratoriesand researchfacilitiescanexceed65%. Thesefiguresarenotanomalies.They reflectthegrowingroleofsystemsin buildingperformance.
Provincialcontextamplifiesthis effect.QuébecandAlbertaprojects areheating-dominatedandrequire higherpeakcapacityandsystem resilience.BritishColumbiaprojects areshapedbyseismicrequirements andtheBCEnergyStepCode,where highertierssignificantlyexpand electricalandcontrolsscope.Despite this,earlycostplansoftenrelyon generalizedbenchmarksthatdonot reflectclimate,energycodepathways, orutilityconditions.Materialcostriskis thereforeembeddedbutnotvisible.
Systems,NotQuantities, DriveM&ECosts
Mechanicalandelectricalsystems donotbehavelikediscretebuilding elements.Theyoperateasintegrated networksdrivenbyperformance objectives.ThisisthecorereasonM&E estimatesaredifficulttostabilizeearly.
Heatingandcoolingstrategies, ventilationrates,electricalloaddensity, andredundancycriteriainfluence multiplesystemsatonce.Achange inoneparametertriggerscascading effectsacrossequipmentselection, distributionnetworks,controls,and spatialcoordination.Electrificationis aclearexample.Replacinggas-fired boilerswithelectricheatpumpsaffects notonlymechanicalequipmentcosts, butalsoelectricalservicecapacity, transformerandswitchgearsizing, distributionpathways,andcontrol requirements.
Designmaturitycompoundsthis challenge.M&Esystemsaretypically definedlaterthanarchitecturalor structuralelements.Keydecisions onsystemselection,capacity assumptions,energymodelling,and authorityinterpretationareoften unresolvedwhenearlyestimatesare approved.Initialcostsaretherefore basedonbroadassumptionsthat understatebothscopeandrisk.This isespeciallytrueforprojectstargeting highertiersoftheNationalEnergy CodeforBuildingsorprovincial
equivalents,wherecompliance strategiesareconfirmedlate.
WhereEstimates CommonlyBreakDown
Manyestimatingissuesrepeat acrossprojectsbecausetheyare structural,notaccidental.Benchmarks arefrequentlyappliedwithout sufficientadjustmentforclimatezone, energytargets,redundancylevels, orutilityinterfaces.Inprovinces withaggressiveenergyregulation, benchmark-basedM&Eestimates oftenunderstatetenderedcostsby 10%to20%atearlystages.
Scopeisalsoroutinelyincomplete. Controlsintegration,commissioning, testing,balancing,andperformance documentationaremandatoryunder Canadiancodesandstandards. Theseelementsareoftenminimized ordeferredinearlycostplans. Deferringthemdoesnotremovecost. Itsimplyshiftsitdownstream,usually underpressure.
Electricalscopeexpansionis particularlycommon.Emergency andstandbypowersystems,IT infrastructure,securitysystems, buildingautomation,andelectric vehiclechargingarefrequently addedlate.Indenseurbanprojectsin OntarioandBritishColumbia,fullEV chargingimplementationcanincrease totalelectricalcostsby3%to6%. Mechanicalsystemscarrysimilar risks.Smallchangesinventilation rates,redundancycriteria,orenergy targetscantriggermajorequipment resizing.Whenthisvariabilityisnot acknowledgedearly,costgrowthis oftenmisinterpretedaspoorcost controlratherthananevolutionof requirements.
MakingM&EComplexity Manageable
Mechanicalandelectricalsystems nowsitatthecenterofcostrisk inCanadianconstruction.Their complexityisdrivenbyperformance demands,regulatoryframeworks, utilityconstraints,andtheaccelerating energytransition.Simplifyingthis complexitytooearlydoesnotreduce risk.Itconcealsit.
Quantitysurveyorsarewell positionedtochangethisoutcome. ValueiscreatedwhenM&Eestimates arestructuredaroundsystem performanceratherthanelemental averages.Cleardocumentationof assumptionsiscritical,particularly thoserelatedtoenergystrategy, redundancyphilosophy,andregulatory compliance.SeparatingM&Eriskfrom generalprojectcontingencyimproves transparency.Aligningcontingency withdesignmaturityimproves credibility.
Earlyengagementwithmechanical andelectricalengineers,aswell asutilityproviders,allowsmajor constraintstosurfacewhileoptionsstill exist.Thesepracticesdonoteliminate uncertainty,buttheymakeitvisible andmanageable.Intoday’sCanadian constructionenvironment,estimate reliabilitydependslessonwhat appearsonearlydrawingsandmore onhowwellthehiddencomplexityof mechanicalandelectricalsystems isunderstood,communicated, andpriced. ■
References(Endnotes/ LightCitations)
1.NaturalResourcesCanada(NRCan)— EnergyUseDataHandbook
2.NationalResearchCouncilCanada— NationalEnergyCodeforBuildings(NECB)
3.GovernmentofQuébec—EnergyCodeof QuébecforBuildings
4.ProvinceofBritishColumbia—BCEnergy StepCode
5.StatisticsCanada—CapitalExpenditureand ConstructionCostTrends
MaherFares isa seniorconstructioncost andprojectcontrols professionalwithover 12yearsofexperience deliveringcomplex institutional,commercial,andindustrial projects.Heisrecognizedforhis expertiseinmechanicalandelectrical estimating,strategiccostplanning,risk management,andcapitaladvisory. Maheradvisesclientsandprojectteams onimprovingcostcertainty,optimizing projectoutcomes,andenablingconfident, data-drivendecisionsacrossthefull projectlifecycle.
New Designation Holders
NEW DESIGNATION HOLDERS
CongratulationstothefollowingDesignationHolderswhohavequalifiedasaPQSorCEC:
CIQS–BritishColumbia AhmedSabryOda,PQS AntaraKarade,CEC AzadehBakhsheshizanjani,CEC CollinLord,PQS DilsherGill,CEC
EmmanuelDeleOmopariola,PQS Ga-YangHeidiYu,CEC HelenSunsuwa,PQS JesseListoen,CEC JustinPannu,CEC MarshallAzama,PQS MohamedBurhanudeen,PQS MorganReynolds,PQS OmkarNitinPanchal,CEC PedramRiahi,PQS
SamoPeterSadek,CEC WingKiuOr,PQS
CIQS–Maritimes
BenjaminPatrickAcres,CEC DanielWiafe,CEC RitikAhmedBhulani,PQS
RosemaryHenry-Eze,PQS TemitayoOlarewajuDaramola,PQS
CIQS–MembersatLarge MushfiqHusainAdil,PQS ScottDonaldson,PQS
SeyedAhamedMohamedShifani,PQS ShafqatFarouk,CEC SyamPrasanthArappathkallingal,PQS
CIQS–Newfoundland&Labrador
ChrisMayo,CEC
OlalekanRahmanBakare,CEC
CIQS–Ontario
AdarshBhaskar,PQS
AhmadRehanParacha,CEC AminMasoumi,CEC
BraydenElliotJackowski,CEC CarlosQuintero,CEC ChakKinNg,PQS
ChunBon(Zac)Chan,PQS
DineshaSuranganiArachchigeDona, PQS
EdnaMolaCruz,PQS
EffieShi,PQS
EshanPatil,PQS
HamidAsadPoorKiklou,PQS
HaniehNobari,CEC
HarshGupta,PQS
HonFungChan,CEC
IsharaSanjeewaKariyawasam,PQS JayawardhanaMudiyanselageLakshan DanukaJayawardhana,CEC
JeffreyClaus,CEC
JohnCharlesPwetekani,CEC
JonathanStingFeliciteMamarot,CEC JoshuaLogan,PQS
JoyBuenaobraCaparanga,CEC
JulianPaulLibanen,PQS
KianManHeiKeung,CEC
MaralOhanessian,CEC
MaridelBaquilan,PQS NealsJasonSham,PQS PalakMahendrakumarMajmudar,CEC RajanikanthanKandasamy,CEC SaimaShaikh,PQS SanjuLakshanDharmasena,PQS SundayEgbeAfianmagbon,PQS TingFung(Kyle)Mak,CEC VakilAhmed,CEC VictorOpeyemiAkande,PQS WeilinZhang,CEC
CIQS–PrairiesandNWT BernardCatacutan,PQS BrynAnderson,PQS CayleyLux,CEC JannelleVanDenBosch,CEC KouadioFulgenceAmani,PQS KrishnaphirathapSivamoorthi,PQS OlumuyiwaFalaja,PQS PawanpreetKaurBrar,PQS RobertAlbertClark,PQS SwarajRajeshPardeshi,CEC UeHinWong,CEC VinitkumarVipulbhaiShah,CEC YenLe,CEC
CIQS–Québec EugeneShkor,ÉCA JoseDavidLopezAlzate,ECC NadjibOurimchi,ECC ViktorSkrynnyk,ECC
Suitedelapage9
etunpotentielderémunération considérables.
Untitredel’ICÉCouvredesportes nonseulementauCanada,maisaussi danslemondeentier.Nosmembres travaillentauRoyaume-Uni,en Australie,auMoyen-Orient,àHong KongetenEurope,entreautres.
Pourceuxquelesdéplacementset l’expositionmondialeintéressent, lestitresd’ECCetd’ÉCAoffrentune mobilitéprofessionnellequepeude carrièresdansl’environnementbâti peuventégaler.
L’économisteenconstructionde demains’appuierafortementsurla technologie,commelesplateformes d’estimationnumériques,laMDB etlesprévisionsdecoûtsassistées parl’IA,etlaprofessionaurabesoin deprofessionnelsàl’aisedans lesenvironnementsfinancierset numériques.
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àdeswebinairesetàdesévénements dedéveloppementprofessionnel, ainsiqu’àdesvoiespermettant d’obtenirletitred’estimateuren constructioncertifiéoud’économiste enconstructionagréé.Rendez-vous surwww.ciqs.orgpoursavoircomment rejoindreunecommunautéquipeut vousaideràconstruireunecarrière dontvouspouvezêtrefier. ■
*Source:«Larésiliencedumarché dutravailfaceauvieillissementdela population»
Continuedfrompage11
AtatimewhenCanadafacesmajor challengesininfrastructuredelivery, housingaffordability,andclimate transition,theQSprofessionhasa uniqueopportunitytocontributeata strategiclevel.
Conclusion:Educationasthe FoundationoftheQSRenaissance TheQSRenaissanceisnotsimply aboutredefiningtheprofession;itis aboutenablingit.
Andeducationisthefoundationupon whichthistransformationwillbebuilt. Ifwesucceedinaligningeducation, training,andprofessionaldevelopment withtheevolvingdemandsofthe
EDUCATINGFORTHE… DECARBONIZATION,POWEREDBY…
Continuedfrompage17
AImakeslow-carbondesigncheaper tomodel,cheapertoprocure,and cheapertooperate.Thatisafinancial opportunityforbuildingowners. ■
References:
[1]Guckes,M.(2026,April).April2026 datacenterreport:Extraordinarygrowth continues.ConstructConnect.https://news. constructconnect.com/april-2026-data-cen ter-report-extraordinary-growth-continues [2]Nouri,A.,&Hu,M.(2025,December30). Democratizingenvironmentalimpact assessment:AnAI-augmentedframeworkfor sustainablebuildingdesign.iScience,28(1), Article114589.https://doi.org/10.1016/j. isci.2025.114589
[3]Gu,X.,Chen,C.,Fang,Y.,Mahabir,R., &Fan,L.(2025).CECA:Anintelligent
Canadianandglobalconstruction landscape,theQSwillnotonlyremain relevantbutbecomecentraltoshaping thefutureofthebuiltenvironment. Ifwedonot,weriskbeingconfinedtoa shrinkingroleinanexpandingindustry.
FinalThoughts
•ThefutureofQuantitySurveyingwill notbedefinedbywhatwemeasure, butbyhowwethink,howwedecide, andhowwecreatevalue.
•Andthatfuturebegins,notonthe constructionsite,butinourclassrooms, ourprofessionalprograms,andour commitmenttocontinuouslearning.
•TheQSRenaissanceishere,and Canadahastheopportunityto leadit. ■
large-language-model-enabled methodforaccountingembodied carboninbuildings.Buildingand Environment.Advanceonline publication.https://doi.org/10.1016/j. buildenv.2025.001763
[4]OneClickLCA.(2025).2025Carbon expertsreport.OneClickLCA. https://oneclicklca.com/resources/ ebooks/carbon-experts-report-2025
[5]Accenture.(2025,August15). Poweredforchange2025:Industrial decarbonizationintheageofgenAI. https://www.accenture.com/content/ dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/ document-4/Accenture-Powered-ForChange-2025-Report.pdf
AyoDanielAbiola,P.Eng,PQS isthemanagerofHanscomb’s Saskatchewanofficeand isaseasonedMechanical
ofProject Managementatthe SchulichSchool ofEngineering, UniversityofCalgary,wherehe hasservedasVice-Provostand AssociateVice-PresidentResearch (International)for11yearsand CanadaResearchChairinProject ManagementSystemsfor6years. HeisaFellowoftheCanadian AcademyofEngineeringandthe USAcademyofConstruction. Hisexpertiseincludesrisk management,simulationanalysis, productivityimprovementandglobal engagement.
QuantitySurveyor.Combining hisexpertiseasbotha ProfessionalEngineerand aQuantitySurveyor,Ayo effectivelybalancescost, sustainability,andperformance innewconstructionandrenovationprojects acrossCanada.AyoisanASHRAECertified DecarbonizationProfessional(CDP)anda recognizedexpertinsustainableinfrastructure. Hehastrainedover350publicandprivate sectorprofessionalsinsystemanalysis methodsforsustainabilityplanning.Heis licensedtopracticeengineeringinOntarioand Saskatchewanandisdeeplycommittedto environmentallyresponsibleandcost-effective buildingsolutions.AyolivesinRegina, Saskatchewan.
JanakaRuwanpura isaProfessor
