Contact darcher@decastltd.com or 705.715.1269 for more information. decastltd.com A PRECAST CONCRETE RETAINING WALL SYSTEM DESIGNED TO MEET DEMAND FOR MINIMAL EXCAVATION REQUIREMENTS PRECAST WALLSYSTEM MINIMAL EXCAVATION REQUIRED (TYPICALLY 50% WALL HEIGHT) SLOT CONSTRUCTION (ELIMINATES TEMPORARY SHORING) INTEGRATED TL-4 TRAFFIC BARRIER NONSELECT BACKFILL FEATURE – EDUCATION Association, the LiUNA Canadian Tri-Fund, the Heavy Construction Association of Toronto and the Residential & Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO). NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES Part of the potential attraction for young people especially is how rapidly the industry is changing and picking up on new technologies, such as onsite drones, building information modeling (BIM) software, simulation, artificial intelligence, automation and augmented reality. “With new technology you have to have different skill sets,” says Andy Manahan, executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO). “It all used to be paper based, but what’s happening with BIM and other technologies is we’re going to become much more interactive, so for example an owner working with a contractor will know in real time what the material usage is on a site, and metrics like that. People coming up in the industry will need to be at a level I’d say would be similar to a really good technologist.” Modular construction is also becoming more widespread, where structural components are assembled in a controlled, Manahan points out that it also improves safety, which is a priority issue for the construction industry but is also a factor that leads some parents to discourage their children from entering the field. One of RESCON’s mandates is to promote the skilled trades in high schools and post-secondary institutions. “We’re promoting what “IT ALL USED TO BE PAPER BASED, BUT WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH BIM AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES IS WE’RE GOING TO BECOME MUCH MORE INTERACTIVE.” indoor environment and shipped fully assembled to the work site. It offers a more comfortable, climate-independent and more controlled environment for workers than onsite assembly does and has the advantage of reducing the physical wear and tear that normally compels workers to look for less challenging occupations as they enter middle age. UNDERGROUNDER Fall 2018 21