On-Site Magazine contributor Jacob Stoller has been honoured for one of his latest efforts to instil a new generation of business leaders with the skills to boost profitability and empower employees through lean practices. The U.S.-based Shingo Institute announced earlier…
There is no doubt about it, the construction industry has globalized quite significantly over the past 20 years and there are both advantages and disadvantages to the world’s biggest players creating a global service footprint. Not to be a downer,…
Late last year I was asked to speak at a Cities conference that was put on by Builtworlds, a network and community that links key stakeholders of the construction and asset management industry, with those in the tech sector. Matt…
The primary defense against margin erosion is the project contingency. Construction is not a predictable business, and the project contingency is that all encompassing pool of capital dedicated to each project, which provides much needed funding when the unexpected happens.…
Everyone has seen the graphs that show construction on a downward productivity trend while other industries boast solid productivity gains. The following is a productivity graph that was produced by McKinsey & Co. that compares productivity in construction to that…
Everyone has seen the graphs that show construction on a downward productivity trend while other industries boast solid productivity gains. The following is a productivity graph that was produced by McKinsey & Co. that compares productivity in construction to that…
Every project needs money to move forward. Those funds are made up of equity and debt. The equity is contributed by the owner (or the concessionaire of the project) as a first layer of defense against project failure. The remainder…
If ever there were an industry ripe for disruption, it is construction. Mega-trends like globalization, asset management, and new technology are beginning to turn this long unchanged industry inside out. So, how do industry players stay on the winning side…
In the February issue we talked about material risk events that manifested in the Canadian P3 space up to 2011 and up to 2016. In this issue, I will focus on what is causing these risk events and how we…
As some of you may be aware, the firm I work for (Aon) has more than 2,500 construction clients, and 13 of the top 15 Canadian contractors as clients. We have also acted as risk advisor and broker to a…
No matter where I go these days it seems like every economy, both governments and corporations, are toying with new ways to design, build and operate their physical assets. The over-arching trend behind this long-term capital concept is Asset Management.…
I have spent a lot of time mining and developing data recently. It seems the insurance sector has the richest repository of failure data in the world, and given the growing demand for failure data quants, I had no choice but…
Despite substantial investments, the construction industry is struggling to gain the full benefits of technologies including advanced data and analytics, mobility, automation and robotics. That’s the key finding from Building a technology advantage – Global Construction Survey 2016, the annual…
The prime contractor is like the conductor of an orchestra, ensuring all musicians know their role. If one player misses their cue, the entire orchestra is disrupted, and the performance fails. Insurance plays a key role in preventing and mitigating…
This issue of On-Site has a focus on investment in research and development (R&D). When we think of R&D within the construction sector, most people think of investment in solutions related to design or project management software, construction materials, asset…
For as long as I can remember the construction industry has been hammered by academics, government and business leaders for having low productivity measures compared to other industries. The sector has also been criticized for poor productivity – being amongst…
Hydro Ottawa has been convicted and ordered to pay $225,000 following the death of a worker and two others being injured when a boom truck came in contact with a live wire. In March, 2012, workers employed by a subcontractor…
The primary difference between an average company and a great company is that the great company will check its ego at the door. Throughout my years, no matter the size, location, or type of work performed, the companies that excel…
VIDEO: South roof canopy lifted into place by two crawler cranes
Three teams have been shortlisted to bid on Toronto’s Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, according to a release from Infrastructure Ontario. The teams were selected based on criteria identified in the Request for Qualifications process that began in September,…
