Canadian Construction Association president Rodrigue Gilbert welcomes attendees to the CCA Best Practices in Construction Symposium. (Photo by Adam Freill)
From the deployment of innovation in an innovation-averse segment to exploring collaboration and use of data, the Best Practices in Construction Symposium, hosted by the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) in Toronto on October 30 and 31, brought real-world examples to the more than 100 construction leaders in attendance for the inaugural event.
Keynote speaker Dan Playfair, who was recently promoted to a new role at Bruce Power to oversee construction and operational projects at the nuclear facility that provides roughly 30 per cent of Ontario’s power supply, discussed some of the novel approaches he helped introduce in his former role as vice-president of major component replacement and future unit planning at the power plant in Tiverton, Ont.
Playfair led the organization through a series of innovations as part of its $13 billion refurbishment program, which is refurbishing six nuclear reactors to extend their operating life by over 14 years. Facing an industry that is extremely cautious about trying new processes, he drew on his background in consumer packaged goods, where innovation cannot be deployed fast enough, to bring a new approach to the facility.
Among the innovations he has helped to facilitate included the use of robotic tooling platforms and digital twin technology, which he explained have improved safety, quality and reduced costs.
Keynote speaker Dan Playfair of Bruce Power. (Photo by Adam Freill)
“I was hired by Bruce Power specifically to bring outside approaches to the nuclear industry. Our refurbishment commitment at Bruce power required us to get faster and cheaper with each reactor, so we had to overcome change aversity,” he explained.
Taking a business-case approach, his aim became being able to show the benefits of the innovations deployed, and he highlighted the value of collaboration as he worked on the refurbishment project that is making use of an IPT model.
“We’ve ensured mutual benefit, and that’s a key thing to take away. A mutual benefit is an enduring benefit. Transactional benefits tend to fall apart,” he stated, adding that the results his company has experienced rely on a mindset that can be extended to any business, and especially to projects and companies in Canada’s construction sector. “No matter how you perform as an industry or individual companies, we can always do better.”
That aim to always do better was front and centre during a panel discussion focused on practical tools and lessons that can help strengthen project delivery and execution. People and culture are two major factors in finding a successful project path.
“Collaboration is the pathway to resilience,” stated panelist Ryan Martineau of EllisDon. “If you create, from the beginning, a culture of collaboration mindset and do not deviate from that, it will become a successful product to a certain degree.”
From left: Jorgan Kvist of the CCA moderates a panel discussion on sustainable and green building practices featuring Audrina Lim of Chandos Construction, Jani Loots of JLL, and Andrea Linsky of Alberta Ecotrust. (Photo by Adam Freill)
Along with culture, ensuring that a company’s workforce is properly equipped for their tasks is also a best practice.
“The training budget at most employers is about $1,500 to $2,000 per person per year,” stated panel participant Brian Maksymetz. “There’s a company out there that’s spending about $15,000 per person per year training their people. And you see the results in their internal financial reports, and you see the results in the successful jobs that are being delivered.”
While he acknowledged that not everybody needs to spend to that level for training and development, he did advise examining the training plans and resources so that they better reflect current needs in the industry. “When I started at the City of Calgary 30 years ago, the training and development budget was $1,000 per person per year, and it still hasn’t changed that much in industry,” he explained.
