Press releases

2015 CCA Awards Go to Outstanding Canadian Construction Companies, Individuals and Associations

NEW ORLEANS, LA, Wednesday March 9, 2016 — The Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) awards recognize the important contributions of individuals, organizations and projects that promote and enhance the Canadian construction industry, whether through innovation, projects, or dedication to the industry.

The 2015 Canadian Construction Association award recipients are:

Awards of Excellence

  • 2015 CCA Person of the Year Award – Barry Brown, Maple Leaf Construction
  • 2015 CCA Excellence in Innovation Award – PCL
  • 2015 CCA Environmental Achievement Award – Maple Reinders Group of Companies
  • 2015 CCA International Business Award – EllisDon & PCL
  • 2015 CCA National Safety Award – Graham Group
  • 2015 CCA Partner Association Award – Vancouver Island Construction Association
  • 2015 CCA Community Leader Award – Patrick Waunch, Rambow Mechanical
  • 2015 CCA Gold Seal Association Award – Construction Association of Nova Scotia

Awards of Recognition

  • 2015 CCA General Contractor Award – Bob Hildenbrandt, Graham Group
  • 2015 CCA Trade Contractor Award – Stephen Coote, Group 92 Mechanical
  • 2015 CCA Civil Infrastructure Award – Terry Chalupa, Abalone Construction
  • 2015 CCA Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services Award – Robert Meunier, Maestro Technologies

“These award recipients make me very proud of our industry and our contribution to the Canadian society,” said Anibal Valente, CCA’s chair. “It is delightful to hear about the innovative approaches and what some of the truly exceptional companies, individuals and associations do. I wholeheartedly encourage everybody to visit the CCA awards website and consider submitting a nomination in the fall.”

More information, including videos from the awards ceremony and a list of past recipients, is available on the CCA website atawards.cca-acc.com.

About the Winners

Person of the Year Award – Barry Brown, Maple Leaf Construction

CCA is pleased to present Barry Brown with the 2015 CCA Person of the Year Award for his enthusiasm in tackling industry issues, his dedication to his company, his community and his industry, and for his countless hours of going above and beyond. Barry has lead his firm to success not just through awarded projects, but through community and industry service. Barry served 26 years in the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) and was instrumental in the establishment of the MHCA Safety Advisor Program and the implementation of an environment program. He joined the CCA Board of Directors in 1993, moving up to chair in 2002. He continued to serve at CCA through his roles in the TRIP Canada, the Canadian Innovation Council and of course, the Gold Seal Committee, which he joined in 1997, and became Chair of in 2011. Barry was also elected the first Canadian president of the Confederation of International Contractors’ Associations in 2006.

Barry serves on the board of and is a generous contributor to the activities and campaigns of the Grace Hospital Foundation and the RehFit Centre. In addition, he spearheaded MHCA’s first ever charitable fundraiser for the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Excellence in Innovation Award – PCL

CCA is pleased to present PCL with the 2015 CCA Excellence in Innovation Award for its innovative thinking which resulted in an effective and cost-saving, yet simple, solution at the Heartland Foundation Substation 12S northeast of Edmonton, Alberta.

PCL’s Edmonton Buildings group worked with subcontractor Agra Foundations to install piles at the substation site. Silty, sandy layers of clay overlying plastic bedrock created optimal conditions for installing cast-in-place bored piles. However, the cold winter weather meant that the traditional method of installing a prefabricated hoarding box over each pile cap, with an indirect heater attached to the box, was less than practical. Instead, PCL used pop-up ice-fishing tents with propane heaters.

The savings associated with the ice-fishing tent innovation were realized in three areas:

  1. tents compared to wooden hoarding boxes,
  2. heating, and
  3. other labour.

Overall cost savings using the tent plan as opposed to traditional heating and hoarding was $415.45 per pile, or $166,180 with over 85 per cent of the savings having come from heating. The biggest difference in heating costs was in the amount of propane required by the more efficient sunflower heater housed in an ice-fishing tent, a structure designed to retain warmth.

Environmental Achievement Award – Maple Reinders Group of Companies for the Sechelt Water Resource Centre project

CCA is pleased to present Maple Reinders with the 2015 CCA Environmental Achievement Award for demonstrating how changes in design philosophy and an innovative process design can result in an asset that raises the bar for environmental standards.

Compared with the two existing plants, the new Sechelt Water Resource Centre (WRC) in Sechelt, B.C., uses nearly half the energy and has the capacity to treat twice the volume. Its secondary treatment process employs the Organica™ Fed Batch Reactor (FBR) system, which uses growing plants to enhance the treatment process. Architecturally, this system cleverly disguises the wastewater plant as a greenhouse and botanical garden.

The Sechelt WRC is home to 3,000 – 4,000 species of organisms, as opposed to 600 – 800 in the typical Activated Sludge WWTP. And with 3 – 4 times as many “hungry mouths” consuming the nutrient and contaminant content in the wastewater, the Sechelt WRC has a 40% smaller physical footprint than an Activated Sludge WWTP for the same quantity and quality influent. In addition, reclaimed water is used for washdown, equipment backwash and toilets, reducing potable water consumption from 50 cubic metres per day to 7. Much of the underground pipe infrastructure was repurposed for reclaimed water use.

Typically about 50% of the energy consumed by a WWTP is used by the blowers to pump air into the water and keep the biomass alive and in suspension. Since oxygen transfer in clearer water is more efficient, this means that less air is required to keep the ecosystem alive. The blowers in this facility consume significantly less power for the same quality and quantity of wastewater. A compact mechanical system layout minimizes the energy required for pumps and domestic water heat transfer between equipment. The sewage is used as a heat sink and provides most heating and cooling for the building. All this results in 48% energy savings, and rooftop solar panel system can provide 10% of plant power demand on peak sunny days.

International Business Award – EllisDon & PCL

CCA is pleased to award EllisDon and PCL with the 2015 CCA International Business Award.

EllisDon has acquired 40 years of success in international projects— and the locations are as varied as the work. EllisDon has spent the better part of ten years in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, having successfully delivered work for the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Afghanistan. Its major projects span healthcare, civil infrastructure, institutional, residential, and commercial sectors and include the South Border Infrastructure Project, the Arzanah Medical Centre, the Jumeirah Village South Development, and the Palm Jumeirah Golden Mile. EllisDon also opened an office in South America, and put together a business development plan for the Western Hemisphere. From there, they set their sights on the major ATRIO Project which is a mixed-use commercial development in Bogotá, Colombia.

PCL’s practice of selecting promising global markets and entering them, combined with a policy of allowing different divisions to flourish based on areas of strength in the larger economy, are at the base of its approach to global growth. PCL’s global procurement group helps ensure a successful outcome by contracting independent advisors who live in target market areas. “We are now able to tap into the additional 80% of the world’s manufacturing that occurs outside of the traditional North American supply base,” says Scott Logan, PCL’s global procurement specialist. “And because of the system we have in place, we can handle purchases from there just the same as from down the street.”

National Safety Award – Graham Group

CCA is proud to present Graham Group with the 2015 CCA National Safety Award for its commitment to safety at all levels and for its established track-record of continuous improvement.

In 2015 Graham’s Health, Safety & Environment Management System team focused on several key initiatives, including improving overall HSE performance which resulted in a 90% reduction in Loss-Time incident frequency and severity.

Introducing new Leadership Engagement Indicator or LEI software with improved reporting capabilities has enabled Graham’s managers to focus on their leadership responsibilities. The firm’s Operational Leaders have also collaborated to create an internal training program called Builders’ Framework. This program was developed to offer technical training in key areas of building, with safety being a significant component, and in 2013, a Learning Portal, a tool for employees to enhance their job-related knowledge with a multitude of safety training resources and customized safety tools, was launched. All training records and competency assessments are entered into the company’s Performance System for trending and used to identify and schedule required training.

Since implementing its HSE Management System and improvement initiatives, there has been a 70% decrease in recordable injuries, a 97% decrease in lost time incidents and a 99% decrease in severity. This includes over 1 million hours of zero loss-time incidents across multiple divisions, and numerous divisions exceeding one million hours without recordable injuries.

Partner Association Award – Vancouver Island Construction Association

CCA is pleased to present the Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) with the 2015 CCA Partner Association Award for its efforts in responding to members’ input and creating much-valued programs and services.

VICA’s efforts in government relations reflect its interest fair, open, and transparent practices in procurement. When its provincial government determined that bundling would be its preferred procurement method for building new schools, VICA took steps to address this issue that would have hindered its member firms’ ability to compete. As a result, the provincial government reversed its decision and will now consider bundling on a case-by-case basis.

VICA was also instrumental in bringing together the stakeholders of the public construction community and creating collaborative forums to share perspectives, and develop and communicate potential solutions. The first meeting took place in January 2015 and was attended by public entities, consultants and contractors – 60 stakeholders in total. By May 2015, over 150 stakeholders attended a one-day Capital Project forum hosted by this association and partners AIBC (Architectural Institute of British Columbia) and ACEC (Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada).

VICA provides a one-stop shop of educational courses and resources for its members, cultivates relationships with schools to promote construction careers and sets up site tours for students. A program called “Welcome to the Construction Site” prepares potential employees for life on a construction site.

Community Leader Award – Patrick Waunch, Rambow Mechanical Ltd.

CCA is pleased to present Patrick Waunch with the 2015 CCA Community Leader Award for his support to today’s construction industry, the construction industry of tomorrow, and his local community.

Patrick was instrumental in growing Southern Interior Construction Association’s Secondary School Apprenticeship program and, in his role on the Okanagan College Mechanical Building Trades Program Advisory Committee, has not only helped build a strong program, but provided equipment to train with as well. The Patrick Waunch Scholarship Award assists mechanical trade apprentices. Patrick has also participated in the Immigrant Skilled Trades Employment Program, the International Trade Apprenticeship Committee, the Kelowna Mentorship Program, not to forget his involvement in SICA, the BC Construction Association and CCA. He supports numerous community programs including the Canadian Police Association, the local food bank, the Canadian Cancer Society, the local girls’ baseball teams (Rambow Raiders & Kelowna Heat) as well as the local Legion. A firm believer in second chances, Patrick has taken several individuals with drug and alcohol issues under his wing and helped turn their life around through building their commitment to the trades.

Gold Seal Association Award – Construction Association of Nova Scotia

CCA is pleased to present the Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) with the 2015 CCA Gold Seal Association Award for its success in integrating Gold Seal into all aspects of its education program, and its work in promoting Gold Seal to its members and the industry.

Each year CANS’ entire course catalogue is Gold Seal Accredited, which translates to over 80 courses, and approximately 44 Gold Seal Credits or 220 hours of training that members can apply towards their Gold Seal Certification. The association promotes Gold Seal to its members through a multitude of vehicles. Also, in 2015 it helped member companies secure more than $400,000 in government funding for training.

In November 2015 the association was asked to present on Gold Seal Certification at the Atlantic Apprenticeship Council Conference. CANS has also secured Nova Scotia’s third Gold Seal Project, Halifax Harbour Bridges or ‘The Big Lift’ which began in early 2015 and entails the replacement of the suspended spans of the Macdonald Bridge.

General Contractor Award – Bob Hildenbrandt, Graham Group

CCA is pleased to award Bob Hildenbrandt with the 2015 CCA General Contractor Award for his enthusiasm on a variety of industry council and committees, and for his dedication to the industry and its associations.

Bob has been active throughout his 30-some years in the commercial construction market in Calgary, having served as a board member and chair of the Calgary Construction Association, where he received the Ted Walden Award, its highest honour, recognizing exemplary commitment and dedication for the betterment of the construction industry. He also served on the executive committee, and as chair for the Alberta Construction Association and has been an active participant at CCA since he joined the CCA board in 2005.

Trade Contractor Award – Stephen Coote, Group 92 Mechanical Inc.

CCA is pleased to award Coote with the 2015 CCA Trade Contractors Award for his enthusiasm and dedication to the trade contractors sector and to the construction industry as a whole.

A past president of the Niagara Construction Association, Stephen joined the CCA board in 2013 and is actively involved in the CCA Trade Contractors Council, the CCA Innovation and Technology Committee as well as the CCA Business and Market Development Committee. Borne of his involvement with the CCA, in 2013 Stephen adopted a key role in the start-up and operation of Canadian Construction Innovations (CCI) where he serves as secretary/treasurer.

Civil Infrastructure Award – Terry Chalupa, Abalone Construction

CCA is pleased to present Terry Chalupa with the 2015 CCA Civil Infrastructure Award for his incredibly long-lasting support of the industry associations at all levels, and his dedication to CCA’s Civil Infrastructure Council and numerous other CCA committees.

Terry Chalupa started Abalone Construction from scratch in 1983. Today, Abalone employs nearly 400 Canadians. Shortly after forming Abalone Construction, Terry became involved with the Alberta Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association. He has also been a member of the Edmonton Construction Association for nearly 30 years, and has served on the CCA Board of Directors, the CCA Executive as well as been active on the CCA Road Builders Council, the CCA Environment Committee and the Gold Seal Committee.

Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services Award – Robert Meunier, Maestro Technologies

CCA is pleased to award Robert Meunier with the 2015 CCA MS&S Council Award for his dedication to responding to the construction industry’s needs, and to being an active in industry associations.

Robert’s passion for IT and construction lead to a very successful business dedicated to software and applications specifically for the construction industry. Robert wants to provide services that go beyond just meeting the needs of the industry. He and his team are construction industry specialists, and not just technology specialists. To do that, and to better lead his company, Robert has immersed himself in numerous industry associations, including l’Association des constructeurs de routes et grands travaux du Québec and CCA where he serves as a provincial vice-chair, a member of the CCA Civil Infrastructure Council as well as a member of the CCA Manufacturers, Suppliers &Services Council.

Contact

Kirsi O’Connor
Director, Marketing & Communications
613-236-9455 ext. 417
[email protected]