b'BEST OF THE BEST AWARDSonline teaching environment has beenPowell is a family-owned company withconstruction methodologies, we can a challenge for many educators, butvery strong connections to the region,expect to see a reduction in the owners in working with TCA, I saw a chance tosays Phil Breault, general managercost and schedule, which could foster embrace that challenge and make of innovation and sustainability withnew opportunities that were previously those courses more effective andPowell Innovation. Weve always hadtoo expensive with conventional engaging in an online environment,a very strong sense of philanthropysolutions.says Stephenson. and our whole team has been good at remembering where we came from andD-Walls are fairly common in other parts Stephenson played a key role in bothgiving back when we can. of the world. In Canada, however, Keller expanding TCICs offerings throughoutFoundations continues to fine-tune the the years and keeping its programmingBreault adds that Powell is thankful todrilling and monitoring process under active and relevant under increasinglyboth its employees and local Auroradifferent ground conditions to improve challenging times. With respect topartners for keeping the companysefficiency. Li says the firm is thrilled and winning the Chancellors Award ofphilanthropic spirit alive, noting,grateful to be recognized by its peers, and Excellence, he says he is humbled to beTogether, everyone here gives afor the associations part in promoting recognized for his work with TCIC and totremendous amount of promotional,innovative solutions in construction. have had the opportunity to be part of itsmaterial or financial support to theWithout innovation, growth is difficult to ongoing evolution.community, and were incredibly thankfulachieve in a mature market. Introduction to be recognized by TCA for that work. of new technologies can benefit Over the years, I dont know whoscontractors, consultants and owners learned more, the people that Ive with new opportunities, alternate design trained or me, he says. Ive had theINNOVATION AWARDapproaches and cost savings, notes Li.good fortune of working with very high- KELLER FOUNDATIONS LTD | D-WALLcalibre members and partners with TCA, and Im always learning trends,SEAN P. MCKENNA best practices and stronger teachingYOUNG CONSTRUCTION techniques I can take back to myLEADERS AWARD students at George Brown. Its been aKEEGAN BURKE | GFI INC. very positive experience, and I like to believe were all benefiting in apositive way.Keller Foundation Ltd.s ground-shifting COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDwork at Transit City earned the company POWELL CONTRACTING this years TCA Innovation Award. The firm was recognized for introducing a D-wall technique for the first time on a Toronto residential high-rise combined with slurry caisson and tieback scopes.Traditionally, shoring for excavation support involves an interlocking caissonKeegan Burke has come a long way after wall, which offers temporary support10 short years in the construction to hold back soils and water cut-off forindustry. He began as a roofer in Calgary footing construction at the bottom of thebefore moving to Toronto and focusing on Building strong and fruitful communityexcavation, says Bill Li, project managersales and contract management in the relationships is a constant focus for thewith Keller Foundations. However, afloor preparation and levelling sector. In industry. TCAs members demonstratediaphragm wall, or D-Wall, is a concrete2018, Burke acquired Ground Floor this priority across the board; however, itelement excavated under bentonite thatIndustries (GFI) and has since grown the was Powell Contractings outreach andoffers higher productivity, better water cut- company into the largest floor preparation philanthropy in Aurora that caught theoff, and lower verticality deviation. Whatsfirm in Ontario.attention of this years TCA Award jurors. more, our D-Wall incorporated load-bearing elements as part of the structure,Weve been fortunate to be involved Powell has been active within itswhich saved on time and material forin over 40 high-rise residential projects community. In 2020, its employeesforming work. throughout the GTA and southern Ontario raised over $5,000 for Welcomingin the last year and about 110 since we Arms, a local initiative supporting low- According to Li, executing the complexentered the market. So to be part of that income families, which was matchedmethodology of drilling large diameteractivity and watch GFI grow has been an by Powells owners. The company alsocaissons at grade and placing concretehonour, says Burke.launched several fundraising activities50 feet below grade enabled the team (e.g., virtual auctions, bake sales, etc.)to minimize the onsite time and allowOutside of the office, Burke plays an to raise money for the Victim Servicesthe excavation to progress quicker. Thisactive role in TCAs Young Construction Families in Need program, which wasproject showcased D-walls compatibilityLeaders (YCL) group. Asked to share used to support several families duringin Torontos soil conditions with a fittingadvice for other up-and-coming the holidays. scope, he says. By expanding Torontosconstruction professionals, Burke says it 18Quarter 1 2021 BUILDERSDIGEST'