have seen two or three years ago: takeoff technology, bidding technology, tech- nology to actually build things.” “The reality we have to face,” continued Casaletto, “is that we’ve been slow to innovate in this industry. Now, [it’s every- where]. Robotics are becoming much more prevalent, not just for productivity, but for addressing the labour shortage, and there’s drone technology for site surveying, data capture for the Internet of Things, prefabrication, and more.” Another show sponsor, project management software company Procore Technologies, was on hand with its Procore Tech Pavilion, which showcased innovative construction solutions, from project management to field technology, finance and safety. The company’s vice presidentinCanada,JasSaraw,explained the importance of Construct Canada to forward-thinking exhibitors such as himself. “There are not so many shows in Canada with this kind of reach… and we need to recognize that we must innovate as an industry to close the productivity gap,” he said. “Obviously, Construct Canada is a great place to connect with all the folks in construction,” commented Harry Battu, marketing leader, digital strategist, entre- preneur and business growth consultant at Procore. “Canada has always kind of lagged behind the rest of the world. You don’t know what you don’t know and shows like this help you find out what’s happening.” Procore’s innovative approach at the show involved setting up a tech zone with mini-stations for its like-minded partners – companies like Calance IT Services; BusyBusy GPS Mobile Time Tracking; MyComply, an app that verifies worker training; Giatec, which measures the strength of concrete; and Smartsheet, an app that can be used to assign tasks, track projects and manage workflow. Another innovative aspect of this year’s event was WSP Canada’s Thought Lounge, a tranquil white space with sofas and tables for informal networking where industry representatives could meet and discuss business. Unlike a typical trade-show booth, the Thought Lounge was “more a conference space to drive discussion and the level of engage- ment,” said Rocky Annett, vice president operations-geomatics for WSP. Also on hand at the Thought Lounge were Holly MacNeish, WSP’s project manager, building sciences, and John Tang, its lead for national pipeline integrity and a self-described “geospa- tial guru.” WSP helps companies keep track of their assets, said Tang. “We build geospatially-referenced asset registries. The buzzword now is Internet of Things and we’re actually in the field building these solutions. It drives better mainten- ance practices and business decisions.” “Inevitably, the industry will have to catch up with technology,” added Annett. “Engineering, surveying, geomatics – these have been traditional professions, but engineering today is not what it was 50 years ago. It’s exciting to see the business transition.” WSP, said Annett, helps customers plan their infrastruc- ture with technology and cutting-edge devices: “Our buildings group helps people maintain structures, right down to building efficiency.” “I love the industry, and I think that it’s constantly evolving and growing,” said another exhibitor, Amy Arthur, on the important role the show plays in the trade. Arthur is an account manager for one of the event’s sponsors, Astley Gilbert, a communications company investing in tomorrow’s technology. “We wanttoshow[theindustry]thatwe’renot just for technical drawing. We’re evolving with people who want to go paperless,” explained Gilbert. “For example, smart televisions, so people can look at their construction drawings in their trailer. We [also] offer online support for Invitely, a software developed for contractors, architects and developers that helps organize their drawing sets and gives easy access to their subcontractors.” Casaletto predicts that further innova- tion is on the way and will continue to be a growing part of the show. “You’ll see more change in technology in the next five years than in the last 10,” he noted. “We’re now building things we’ve never built before. The change is going to be very fast, all-encompassing and very stressful for the industry if you’re not paying attention.” That means attending Construct Canada on a regular basis. So if you haven’t already, the time is now to pencil it in for next year. |BD CONSTRUCT CANADA 2018 “You’ll see more change in technology in the next five years than in the last 10. We’re now building things we’ve never built before. The change is going to be very fast and all-encompassing” Mark Casaletto, ConstructConnect Canada Builders' Digest Quarter 4 2018 | 11