February 24, 2010
Economic update
Is the U.S. recovery sustainable?
The U.S. might be starting to mend its economy, but there are still a number of uncertainties about whether a recovery will be sustainable, says CanaData chief economist Alex Carrick.
“Primary among them is what happens when the stimulus money runs out,”
Residential starts, for example, remain “very very weak,” Carrick says, and foreclosures of prime mortgages are “adding to the glut of unsold homes on the marketplace.”
Another factor affecting recovery is Washington’s “huge fiscal deficit,” Carrick notes.
“When you’ve got that kind of deficit, you’ve got huge financing needs and that usually means an increase in interest rates,”
VIDEO: Canada should embrace rainscreen cladding systems
Canada has been too slow to embrace rainscreen cladding systems, despite the advantages they offer in terms of better performance, low-cost maintenance and longer-lasting structures, says a distributor of architectural building products.
VIDEO: Ontario General Contractors Association shows support for Gold Seal
The entire board of directors of the Ontario General Contractors Association have become Gold Seal Champions, part of an effort to help promote the national construction certification program.
VIDEO: Green building critical in triple bottom line accounting
Building design and construction standards will undergo significant changes as “triple bottom line” accounting becomes more commonplace in the industry, says a Saskatchewan-based economist.
VIDEO: Boom truck tips over at Vancouver condo project
A boom truck tipped over while delivering lumber to a low-rise condominium construction project in Vancouver’s trendy Kitsilano neighbourhood, near Vine Street and First Avenue.
Ontario General Contractors Association launching project management course
The Ontario General Contractors Association in September will launch a new project management course that will cover all aspects of the role from the conception stage of a project through to occupancy and commissioning.
BIM can blur lines of professional responsibility
Building Information Modeling (BIM) may help architects and contractors construct buildings more efficiently, but it can also blur the lines of professional responsibility if something goes wrong, a construction lawyer warns.
Communication was key, says outgoing Construction Specifications Canada president
Improved communication was a major accomplishment for Construction Specifications Canada in the past year, says the association’s outgoing president Brian Colgan.
The risks of LEED certification for contractors
Contractors need to be aware of the risks associated with the LEED rating system, says a construction lawyer at one of the country’s leading legal firms.
New soil regulation ‘problematic’ for industry
Industry officials are concerned a new Ontario regulation that focuses on the management of surplus construction site soils could end up creating headaches and increasing costs.
