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What is Sustainable Construction?

Sustainable construction is a concept that has grown in importance in recent years as the negative consequences of climate change become more and more apparent. Sustainable building practices emphasize efficiency, reducing waste, and using materials with a low environmental impact.

At its core, sustainable construction seeks to create structures that are capable of being maintained over a long period of time without causing significant harm to the environment or depleting natural resources.

In this blog, we’ll explore this approach to construction, what it can look like in practice, and how it relates to our other favourite approach: Lean Construction. But first, we have to get specific.

What does “Sustainable” even mean?

As the climate crisis continues to escalate, it’s been an extremely common talking point in media and public discourse. This has resulted in related buzzwords like “green” and “sustainable” being used so frequently that it can sometimes be hard to concretely define them.

In the context of construction and industry more generally, sustainability means finding solutions that meet the needs of people in the present, without compromising the needs of people in the future.

So rather than “sustainable” being a euphemism for de-growth or growth-limitation, it merely means finding ways of growing that benefit or don’t harm one’s community, society, and the ecosystem, in the long term. It’s not about how much growth or development is permitted, but about how that growth occurs.

It’s also worth pointing out that “sustainability” isn’t an exclusively environmental or ecological goal, it also means doing things in a way that can continue for as long as possible with minimal impact.

Sustainable Construction Principles

Now that we’ve got the abstract idea out of the way, here are some more specific principles that make a project sustainable or not:

Protect Nature

While this may also sound vague, it’s a fairly simple idea: consider the ecological impact of the project. In addition to cost, longevity, and customer preferences, project leaders need to consider how their choices will affect the surrounding environment and community (or communities).

Options which will result in adverse ecological impacts need to be avoided or minimized, and plans which involve unavoidable impacts on the environment need to include planning for mitigation.

Non-toxic materials

One surefire way to minimize adverse environmental impact long-term is to choose non-toxic materials over potentially hazardous options. The most obvious example of this in construction was the shift away from asbestos during the latter half of the 20th century.

Conserve & Reuse

We’ve all heard the slogan: “reduce, reuse, recycle,” but it applies to construction and other industries as well as our personal lives.

Sustainable construction requires minimizing resource use for two reasons: 1) minimizing the amount of resources removed from the natural environment at the start of the supply chain, and 2) minimizing the transport of materials.

1) Minimizing extraction

By minimizing resource use, a project contributes less to resource extraction at the start of the supply chain (e.g. forestry, mining, drilling). Reducing extraction allows renewable resources like trees time to replenish, and makes the most efficient use of truly limited resources like oil and metals.

2) Minimizing transport

Minimizing resource use also minimizes the amount of energy that needs to be spent to transport the resources to your project site, minimizing carbon emissions and resource usage this way as well.

Reuse & recycling

In addition to procuring the minimum amount of materials needed for a project, substituting old or recycled materials for new ones allows you to further minimize resource use and waste production.

This could mean a controlled, gradual dismantling of a structure to gather usable parts rather than a quick demolition; or using materials made from recycled products instead of brand-new ones. Sometimes it means merely renovating or remodelling an old, but otherwise viable building instead of demolishing it and building a new one in its place.

Minimizing waste

Another result of minimizing resource use is minimizing the amount of waste material your project produces. While some amount of waste is inevitable, minimizing the waste produced minimizes your contribution to dumps and landfills, indirectly resulting in more efficient use of the spaces designated for these purposes.

It also limits the energy that needs to be expended to process the waste, including transportation to the processing or storage facility.

Build High-Quality Projects

By building at the highest quality possible, sustainable builders aim to create structures and infrastructure with the greatest possible longevity and durability, requiring the minimum amount of repairs and maintenance over its lifecycle.

While, as this blog post intends to argue, there are more and less sustainable ways to complete construction and repairs, some amount of energy use, carbon emission, and waste production in any construction work is inevitable.

Thus, minimizing the number of times you or other builders need to come back and repair the structure also contributes to the goal of minimizing resource and energy use, in addition to better customer satisfaction and industry reputation.

Sustainable Construction and Lean Construction

As a movement or approach, sustainable construction has a large degree of overlap with another approach we favour here at Bilt: Lean Construction. Here are just some of the similarities:

  • Minimizing the use of new resources through efficient planning and resource reuse also satisfies the Lean Construction goal of efficiency in construction.
  • Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), one of the core strategies of Lean Construction, is a great way to improve the sustainability of a project by bringing the designers and builders together to find the most efficient, feasible, and sustainable solutions. The most sustainable construction practices in the world won’t count for much if applied to execute an inefficient or unsustainable design.
  • Lean Construction’s emphasis on the “Pull” flow of resources, rather than the more conventional “Push” flow, makes projects more resource and cost-efficient, minimizing use and waste.

Click here to learn more in our previous blog on Lean Construction.

Conclusion

Sustainable Construction is a holistic approach to construction for efficient, responsible construction focused on minimizing resource use and waste production at every step of the process. Its goals overlap greatly with Lean Construction principles and strategies, leading to more efficient, cost-effective projects that also reduce their environmental impact.

At Bilt, we are passionate about creating safe and sustainable work environments, so when it comes to construction projects we always strive for the most efficient and sustainable solutions. Contact us to learn more about our approach.

What Makes Bilt Different from Other Construction Companies?

Posted: 2020/11/27 // Renovated: 2023/03/13

Bilt is a homegrown company in the city of Edmonton. We understand this city and every aspect of it when it comes to construction or maintenance—especially our unforgiving weather.  

When it comes to commercial and residential properties, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the people maintaining these spaces. Having a space that looks nice to live in or a fancy office area is always a nice have, but it is equally important to know that you have dependable property managers when you need them. 

Bilt works with property managers in providing property maintenance with a unique spin because we are owners too. With this experience and industry knowledge, we provide really a bit more than your typical property maintenance companies in Edmonton. Here is a quick rundown of how we are different:  

We Are Owners Too  

The collective experience of our team at Bilt covers all phases of the lifecycle of a building. From inception and planning to the construction of a building, renovations over time, and even tenant management, we have done it all. Because of this experience, we are knowledgeable about all phases and know what it takes to keep our spaces operational and efficient.   

Construction  

Our skills in property development are highlighted by our construction experience spanning multiple projects in Edmonton. Construction can be a very complex business with all the considerations including city regulations, planning, and the actual physical work required. We are armed with the important knowledge to bring about value in our work and efficient operation of our construction management. We have revitalized many spaces including historical sites to bring them up to modern standards, while also delving into ground-up projects such as hotels and residential complexes.  

Full Service

We don’t just do construction, we also offer full property maintenance services and asset maintenance consulting. When it comes to keeping your building well-maintained, who better to carry out inspections and maintenance work than the same people that built it?

If you haven’t worked with us before, but are considering a new project, property maintenance or a few consulting sessions are a great way to test us out before committing to anything bigger. Let us show you why we’re your best option.

We Know How to Work with People  

A building does not spring to life without people inside it. For both our commercial and residential buildings, we have skilled managers who work with filling up spaces with tenants. Understanding the right target market and groups that work best in these spots is something we are proud of based on our high occupancy rates. We pride ourselves on keen relationship management and have an on-call staff 24/7 to attend to any issues that arise to keep our people happy.   

Peripheral Support Businesses  

As part of the Jaffer Group of Companies, we are a family of like-minded business leaders with focuses across an array of customer-oriented services. From hospitality, staffing, technology, and realty, internal integration across our divisions allows us the efficiencies for support. As such, we provide this same level of support to our property clients to ensure we fulfill every need we can. Our property managers are just a simple call away from opening our doors for you.  

Office Renovations: Pros & Cons

We spend a lot of our lives at the office, so it’s important to have an office space that is comfortable and conducive to productivity. Office renovations can be a great way to make sure your workplace is up-to-date and meets all of your needs. Renovations can also help improve the value of your property by creating more attractive spaces for potential tenants or customers.

While there are some drawbacks associated with renovating an office space—namely cost and disruption—the payoff can be huge if done properly within budget. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of renovating an office space.

Benefits of Renovating

1 – Repairs & Maintenance Round-up

One of the major benefits of renovating an office space is the opportunity to handle multiple repairs at once. Renovations can help to address both small and large maintenance issues, such as replacing broken fixtures or updating outdated technology.

During a normal work week, repair plans need to be structured around the employees’ work areas and hours. Depending on the nature of the repair, this can make it difficult to find a time that works for your employees and the contractors.

To minimize disruption, you’ll need to try to get the contractors in and out as quickly as possible, handling urgent repairs one at a time. While this protects the efficiency of those working in the office, it’s not the most efficient way to carry out maintenance tasks.

Additionally, it’s impossible for some repairs not to be disruptive to workers, whether because they require loud power tools or because they block off certain sections of the office while being completed.

But when you’re renovating, the space is already empty of workers, either because they’re off during the renovations or temporarily working from elsewhere. That means that contractors have maximum flexibility to get as many repairs done as quickly and efficiently as possible without having to skirt around the office’s workflow.

With the office workflow temporarily on hold, you and your contractors get to focus on the office as a physical space alone, making a renovation the perfect time to catch up on any repairs and maintenance, as well as inspect and reassess your current maintenance situation and plan for the future.

2 – Style & Design Update

Renovations to an office space don’t have to be just about repairs and maintenance; they can also be used to refresh the aesthetic and ergonomic appeal of the office. Renovating an office can help make it a more pleasant, modern, and inviting place for employees to work—creating an atmosphere that encourages creativity and thoughtfulness.

Through a remodel, you can also update the layout of your office to make it more efficient for employees and maximize the use of available space. Renovations are also a great time to add features like collaborative spaces or separate areas where employees can take a break from their desks without distracting others in the office.

Not happy with old, outdated furniture that’s falling apart at the seams? With no one around, it’s the perfect opportunity to ship some new pieces in. The same goes for replacing the flooring or repainting.

3 – Boost Property Value

A renovation of an office space provides an opportunity to turn a dated and uninviting environment into something that’s attractive to customers, tenants, and investors. Renovations don’t just have to be aesthetic; they can also involve bringing in new technology and security systems to help keep your assets safe and up-to-date.

A major renovation can even help you attract higher-value tenants, such as larger companies that have specific design requirements for the office spaces they rent. Renovations give you the perfect opportunity to fulfill those requirements without completely starting from scratch.

The financial benefits of renovating an office space are clear; view a renovation as an investment that can help to increase your property value, attract more tenants and customers, and potentially secure higher-value contracts for your business in the future.

Drawbacks of Renovations

1 – Disruption

Renovating an office space can be a major disruption, both to the employees and the business itself. Renovations typically require the office to be completely closed down while they are carried out, during which time staff may need to find alternate working arrangements.

For businesses with a large number of employees, having them all work remotely for an extended period of time can be difficult to manage, potentially causing losses in productivity. Renovations also require a large amount of planning and preparation; you’ll need to find contractors who can handle the job, as well as arrange for alternative office spaces or places where employees can work while the renovations are being completed.

2 – Cost

Renovations to an office space can be a major investment; depending on the scope of the project, you could be looking at tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Renovations also come with certain risks; if you don’t hire the right contractors, purchase quality materials, plan the layout correctly, or anticipate unexpected problems (such as asbestos or mould), you may end up needing to spend even more money to fix the problems.

In addition, the cost of a renovation can vary significantly depending on where in the world it is being done; for example, renovations in larger cities tend to cost much more than those carried out in smaller towns. Renovations also take time, which can be a major consideration if you are on an urgent timeline.

Conclusion

In conclusion, renovating an office space is a major decision that requires careful thought and planning—but for businesses looking to improve their property value, attract higher-value tenants, and create a modern working environment for employees, it can be a worthwhile investment.

As long as you plan well, work with reliable, reputable contractors, and minimize disruption to your business or your tenants, an office renovation will be an investment you won’t regret.

We pride ourselves on our ability to carry out complex renovations quickly and efficiently, and we’re always looking for new opportunities to expand that repertoire. If you’re considering an office renovation but don’t know where to get started, we’d love to help you make your vision a reality. Check out some of our past work to see what we can do.

What is Integrated Project Delivery?

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a powerful strategy for construction project management, as it allows for collaboration and effective decision-making across the entire project delivery team. Unlike conventional top-down approaches where one person or team dictates instructions to the rest of the group, IPD means involving every part of your team in the decision-making process for as many decisions as possible.

In this article, we’ll compare and contrast conventional project management strategies with IPD to explain what it is and how you can use it to get the best results out of your project.

“Integrated,” not Totally Inclusive

Comparing and considering input from a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds is one of the primary benefits of IPD, but that doesn’t mean you need to consult with everyone involved.

Of course, it’s generally a good idea to involve everyone as much as possible so that everyone feels like a team and understands what’s expected of them. But seeking the input of every labourer and operator who will be involved in the project isn’t necessary or helpful, and depending on the size of your team, it may not even be feasible.

In a conventional approach, the client or owner brings the vision to an architect or designer, who then hands the specific, detailed plan down to the project manager, who then delegates responsibilities and funding to builders, procurement, and contractors.

Integrated Project Delivery, on the other hand, brings the builder, the contractor, the architect, the manager, the owner/client, investors, specialized technicians, and anyone else relevant to the project with a unique perspective into the decision-making and planning process. The important part is to make sure that every perspective is represented, not that every single worker is.

Why Integrate?

Integrated Project Delivery brings together all the key stakeholders of a construction project to form a truly unified team. Through IPD, everyone involved in the process has the opportunity to collaborate and provide input on key decisions, which can then be weighed against other perspectives.

This means that Construction Managers and Owners/Clients have greater confidence that the decisions they make are informed, well-considered and supported by the entire team. The result is a more efficient project timeline, improved cost control through proactive decision-making, and an overall better quality of workmanship.

By integrating the builders as well as the conventional decision-makers in the planning process, IPD also helps to weed out flaws in the plan before they can develop into real problems. Continually cultivating this culture of open communication and feedback within your project team ensures that unforeseen problems that develop during delivery will be pointed out earlier, discussed more openly, and solved more quickly.

What Does IPD Cost?

By improving team cohesion and decision-making, IPD cuts cost by better predicting problems before they arise, minimizing overspending and delays. And the only thing it costs to adopt is the extra time and consideration it takes to adopt new ways of thinking about and interacting with your project and your team. As the saying goes: “work smarter, not harder.”

At Bilt, we strive to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to project management. We know that integrating IPD into our construction and consulting practices is the best way to maximize quality, improve team cohesion and ensure cost control. That’s why we believe in a Lean Construction approach, combining IPD with other project management strategies to ensure projects are completed efficiently, on time and within budget.

If you’re looking for a construction management or consulting firm that can help you get the best results out of your project, contact us today to speak with one of our construction specialists or to see the full details of some of our past projects.

Lean Construction 101

Lean Construction is an approach to project management that has been gaining traction in the construction industry, with a focus on efficiency and productivity. It is based on Lean Manufacturing principles, which have been used for decades by companies such as Toyota, Dell and Amazon.

The goal of Lean Construction is to reduce waste and maximize value during the construction process. This involves looking at every aspect of a project – from design to execution – and finding ways to streamline them or remove anything unnecessary or wasteful.

One of the primary challenges of understanding Lean Construction is that the overall goal and guiding objective, maximizing efficiency, is so simple and so obviously desirable. Efficiency is always one of the goals of any construction project, so what makes Lean Construction any different? How do you apply such a vague goal to a specific project with all of its unique circumstances and constraints?

Distinguishing Lean Construction from other approaches requires understanding the guiding principles and strategies that help managers aim at maximizing efficiency, thereby bridging the gap between abstract theory and concrete methods. Indeed, it’s best not to think of Lean Construction as a totally different way of doing construction but as a collection of strategies for maximizing efficiency that work better than conventional methods.

Principle: Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a way of doing construction that comes from Lean Manufacturing principles. It’s the view that no project or method is perfect, and construction managers should always look for ways to make things better.

This means looking at every part of the construction process, from design to execution, and finding ways to make it more efficient by removing anything unnecessary or wasteful.

Conventional approaches to construction or any other kind of project tend to think of innovation as a remedy for poor performance. You only consider ways to improve a process or method when that process or method stops yielding desirable results, like a machine which is neglected when functional and repaired or replaced when it breaks down or is no longer needed.

This is a restorative approach to innovation, where it is a tool used to put things back together and return to the previous status quo results. When things are running smoothly, and results are satisfactory, you can relax innovation and focus on other things. Things are “good enough.”

In contrast, Continuous Improvement means never settling for “good enough.”

  • When everything is breaking down, and your operation is suffering from severe dysfunction: innovate and improve.
  • When your operation is running smoothly, and you’re turning a comfortable profit: keep innovating and improving.
  • When your operation is excelling and out-competing every one of your competitors: keep innovating and improving.
    Intuitive Approach vs Continuous Improvement Approach to Innovation

    Strategy: Never settle for good enough

    As a project manager, embracing the principle of continuous improvement means paying close attention to your own feeling and thinking: reminding yourself that there is always room for improvement, no matter how well things are working right now. Never allow yourself to be closed off to new suggestions, and always try to keep an eye out for improvement opportunities.

    Strategy: Collaborative decision-making

    It also means accepting that you don’t have perfect judgement and perception in recognizing opportunities for improvement; accepting that good ideas can come from other members of the team as well. Managers who do not consider the input of everyone involved are sacrificing a huge amount of cognitive resources that could be added to the team’s overall decision-making capacity. Even if you have the most experience and the greatest insight, why not add to it?

    However, it’s not good enough for you to be receptive to ideas and feedback from all members of your team. Your position as the manager and decision-maker means that the rest of your team is not likely to give you their input unless they think it’s crucially important.

    Resigning yourself to passively accepting what ideas are brought to you by your team means missing out on the vast majority of what they might be able to contribute. Ask them what they think, and encourage them to develop new strategies and methods.

    Principle: Ongoing and Integrated Decision-making

    In a conventional approach to project delivery, decisions are made by a small team of planners (eg. the owner, the architect, the project manager) in the abstract, and then that plan is carried out in the real world by workers, technicians, and site managers.

    The builders are just there to receive and follow instructions; no one is interested in the insights they might be able to provide.

    Again, this is an intuitive way to carry out a project; after all, that’s what the designers and architects and managers are there to do, to plan, right? The trouble with this approach is twofold: planners often lack practical experience, and planners can’t plan for everything.

    Integrated decision-making

    Architects, engineers, and project managers are typically very smart people, but there’s no substitute for hands-on, practical experience.

    If a small team of decision-makers develops a plan with unrealistic budgeting, forecasting, or other unrecognized flaws that make the plan unfeasible, they might not find out until weeks later when an on-site manager has to explain it to them over the phone. At this point, the project is stalled until the decision-makers can adjust the plan, issue new instructions, and make any required logistical arrangements.

    Strategy: Integrated Project Delivery

    Alternatively, if the planning phase had included the builders and their practical experience, these flaws could have been spotted early and corrected before being committed to. “Integrated Project Delivery” is the standard term for an approach which involves all perspectives and parties in the decision-making process; the builders, designers, architects, owners, customers, and managers. The planning phase isn’t complete until everyone has had a chance to provide input.

    Ongoing Decision-making

    It’s simply not possible to predict and account for every challenge or complication your project will face along the way. The construction process is dynamic and ever-changing, so the plan needs to be constantly updated as new challenges arise.

    The construction manager has to maintain a constant information loop between all of the different perspectives to ensure that everyone is still on the same page. This doesn’t just mean making sure everyone knows what’s happening right now; it also means staying ahead of the curve and ensuring that everyone is aligned with the overall construction goals.

    Strategy: Pull-flow procurement

    In any project which transforms input materials into a finished product, the movement of materials through the process can be conceptualized as a flow. This abstraction is obvious in manufacturing, where Lean Project Management principles were first developed, but it’s also relevant to construction.

    In a construction project, basic materials (eg. wood, steel, concrete; ie. “inputs”) are transformed into a finished structure (“output”).

    In a conventional construction approach, the planners forecast the amount of each type of material they’ll need ahead of time and then procure all or a portion of that total at the beginning of the project.

    This is sometimes called “push” flow, as the material is first gathered or created and then pushed to the final product. The problem with push-flow procurement is that over-estimating or under-estimating the amount of material you’ll need is costly and wasteful. Over-estimating wastes money and material; whereas under-estimating wastes time if builders have to wait on more supplies.

    Lean Construction instead accepts that the precise amounts of material that will be needed are difficult to predict ahead of time and instead procures only a small amount of each material at the beginning to get started. From there, material reserves are closely monitored, and small refills are procured as necessary. If done well, by the end of the project, the total amount of material procured will be almost exactly as much as was needed.

    Strategy: Decentralized decision-making

    Another way to maximize speed and efficiency is to spread out the burden of decision-making, empowering site managers and other lower-level members to make certain decisions on their own; without consulting or seeking permission from the planning team.

    The specific types of decisions these managers should be allowed to make will depend entirely upon the kind of background and experience they have and the nature of the project. However, if you can delegate the smaller, less-impactful decisions to those on the ground actually building the project, then you cut these smaller matters out of the communication loop between builders and planners, saving a huge amount of time.

    Lean Construction with Bilt

    At Bilt, we understand that construction projects can quickly become bogged down by poor communication and inefficient processes. That’s why our construction management services are built on a foundation of Lean Construction principles. We know how to optimize construction sites for maximum efficiency and productivity, so you can get your project completed faster and on budget.

    Contact us today to learn more about Lean Construction with Bilt and how we can help you get your construction project done quickly and efficiently.

    Office to Residential Conversions: Here’s what you need to know.

    Canada is currently facing simultaneous crises in housing affordability and an overabundance of office space due to a slow return to the workplace for many workers.

    As a result, property owners are looking for creative solutions to both problems – and one of the most popular options is converting unused office spaces into apartments. This can be a complex process that requires careful planning, so it’s important to understand what needs to be done before beginning the project.

    In this article, we will discuss some tips and strategies for remodelling an office space into apartments, as well as some potential pitfalls to watch out for.

    Why Convert from Office to Residential Space?

    Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic gutted out office spaces and made remote work mandatory, many workers have returned to the office, but not all.

    Some workers realized that remote work has unique benefits for their productivity and work-life balance, and many organizations realized how much they can still get done without a physical office space. Across the country, property owners in nearly every downtown core are feeling the pain of vacancy in what were normally high-demand locations.

    At the same time, Canada and the US are both facing housing affordability crises, driving up rents and putting pressure on governments to find solutions.

    In 2021, the federal government dedicated $300 million to converting vacant commercial properties into rental housing to address this crisis. Despite a lack of details since this announcement, Calgary has taken the lead on this solution, dedicating $73 million to support office -> residential conversions. Given the pressures on all levels of government, similar initiatives are likely to follow in other municipalities across the country.

    What are the Challenges to this Solution?

    “Housing Crisis” =/= “Housing Shortage”

    Many of the buildings suffering from commercial vacancies are prime real estate located in downtown cores, where prestige and proximity to amenities and other businesses previously enabled owners to charge high rents.

    When businesses and organizations re-evaluated the necessity of their physical office space, these expensive locations were some of the first to go. Given the gradual and unpredictable pace of economic recovery and return to in-person work over the last few years, these spaces will likely be the last places to fill back up.

    Owners looking to turn these vacant office spaces into residential spaces often intend to build high-end, luxury apartments to cover their costs. This is almost certainly a mistake, one born of a common misconception.

    Unfortunately, when discussing Canada’s housing crisis, it’s common to refer to it as a “housing shortage,” implying that the total number of housing-seekers exceeds the total number of housing spaces.

    In reality, there were over 1.3 million vacant homes in Canada as of 2021 and approximately only 235,000 homeless Canadians throughout the course of any given year, with only 25,000-35,000 homeless Canadians at any one time.

    In reality, the “housing crisis” is not a shortage of housing but a shortage of affordable housing.

    Property owners who try to recoup their costs by converting their vacant office spaces into luxury condos will likely find themselves back where they started, with an abundance of property too valuable to fill with tenants.

    Instead, for this to be a viable solution, property owners need to convert high-value office space to lower-value residential space with smaller units and lower prices. This brings us to the next challenge: cost.

    These conversions are not likely to be profitable or even cheap.

    The lack of demand for high-value real estate means that owners will probably only be able to sell to developers at far lower prices than the same property would have fetched four years ago.

    Should owners decide to keep the property and remodel it themselves, they’ll be faced with the challenge of adapting a layout designed for offices to the requirements of residential spaces. This means the complex adaptation of plumbing, HVAC, and electrical infrastructure to accommodate more compact space usage, as well as a much higher demand for window space in laying out rooms.

    Depending on the building’s layout and local building and tenancy laws, converting some buildings is simply not legal.

    The Brightside

    As discussed previously, governments are feeling pressure from constituents to find solutions to the housing affordability crisis, and these conversions are a great way to solve two problems at once.

    More municipalities are likely to follow Calgary’s lead and offer subsidies to developers and owners looking to convert their office space, making the switch more feasible and profitable.

    Even municipalities that have not yet formally announced conversion subsidy funds may be open to proposals from property owners, depending on the size of the property.

    Experts in Renovation and Remodelling

    We pride ourselves on the quality, efficiency, and transparency of our construction and renovation services. Bilt’s expert project managers have been involved in numerous large-scale remodelling and renovation projects, including several major-franchise hotels. [link]

    Check out more of our work to see what we can do, or get in touch with us today to learn more!

    Why Use Construction Consulting?

    Construction consulting services are invaluable to any construction project, providing an outside perspective and expertise that can help you make the most of your project.

    Construction consultants bring a wealth of experience in budgeting, feasibility assessment, design review, and audits that can help you save time and money on your project. Their fresh eyes can spot mistakes or problems before they happen, allowing you to adjust accordingly for a successful build.

    Construction consulting is an essential part of any construction process – whether it’s just once during the initial planning stages or throughout the entire duration of the project.

    Experienced Input

    People typically turn to consultants when they feel out of their depth or recognize that they’re lacking the necessary expertise for a certain project.

    To an extent, construction consultants are no different. Most construction consultants bring with them many years of experience in all aspects of construction management. They will be able to provide you with valuable insights and methods you may not have considered before.

    They can also help you understand the process better, identify problems before they happen, and save time and money by avoiding unnecessary steps while keeping an eye on the budget.

    Their years of experience usually make them excellent judges of feasibility. Having seen and been involved with so many projects in the past, a good construction consultant will be able to tell you what’s possible and for what price.

    If you’re about to embark on one of your first construction projects, or a new kind of construction project, then getting some expert guidance is a great idea.

    That being said, construction consultants can still be a valuable asset for those with lots of experience in construction, as they bring a fresh perspective and a confirming second opinion.

    A Fresh Perspective

    Anytime you’re working on something for a long stretch without a break, you start to become too familiar with it to notice problems or mistakes that you would’ve caught otherwise.

    Whether you’re writing a long proposal or contract and start to miss spelling and grammar errors, making minor miscalculations in a pricing form, or forgetting steps in a complex process or order sheet, these kinds of mistakes are best avoided.

    These kinds of familiarity-blindspots also happen with major construction projects too. Unexamined assumptions that turn out to be false, missed steps you thought you took; whatever it may be, these kinds of mistakes are most troublesome because they can be undetectable.

    Familiarity-blindspots aren’t just dangerous because they’ll cause you to miss something once; if you don’t take an extended break from working on it, these mistakes can remain undetected through multiple rounds of review and re-examination, only coming to your attention when they cause a problem. Just ask any programmer who’s had to read and re-read the same lines of code to find a single fatal bug.

    One way to fix a familiarity blind spot is to take an extended break, work on something else, or don’t work at all for a time, and come back to it with fresh eyes.

    Unfortunately, however, this isn’t always an option. Sometimes you know a project so well that no practical amount of time can make it new to you again. Other times, you simply don’t have the time to take any kind of break. If a deadline is fast approaching, you might not have the luxury of an extended break to freshen up your eyes and see it in a new light.

    In addition to bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to your project, consultants will be seeing your project for the first time, giving them a new, outsider perspective. This can help you to spot problems, mistakes, or inaccuracies you may have missed on the first pass, or the fifth. Construction consultants can also provide invaluable feedback if they see a problem that your team has overlooked.

    Assurance

    But what if you’re already very experienced in construction, and you’re confident that your project is good to go? There’s nothing a construction consultant can teach you because you already know it all, so why bother?

    Even if you’re extremely confident in your project, trusting yourself not to miss any mistakes is generally unwise. If you’re confident, why not confirm that confidence with an outside, unbiased assessment? Construction consulting provides that second opinion, ensuring that you aren’t overlooking anything and allowing you to trust in your project even more.

    Moreover, a consultant can assure any other stakeholders or investors involved in your project. Construction consulting ensures everyone involved that the project is being managed responsibly, minimizing risk and maximizing results.

    Overall, construction consulting is an invaluable resource for any construction project, regardless of how much experience you have. Construction consultants bring a fresh perspective to the project and can help guarantee that it’s done right and on time. Construction consulting is a valuable resource that should be considered for any major construction project.

    Doing so will provide you with assurance, peace of mind, and the confidence to trust in both yourself and your project. Construction consulting is a resource worth considering for any construction project.

    Bilt’s project managers and consultants have many years of experience in a diverse array of backgrounds and industries. Having worked on numerous construction projects in the past, we’d love to use that experience to help you ensure your build or renovation goes smoothly.

    Get in touch with us today to learn more or request a quote to get started.

    Property Maintenance: 7 Key Considerations

    As a responsible property owner, it’s important to engage in regular, scheduled property maintenance in order to prevent problems before they occur. This not only saves money and stress in the long run but also helps to keep your property in top condition. In this blog, we’ll cover some of the key aspects of preventative property maintenance, including why it’s important and how to go about it.

    Have your HVAC system serviced and inspected every year

    Fall is the best time to schedule a routine inspection of your HVAC system. This is because you want to make sure that your system is running efficiently before the cold winter months. During the inspection, a technician will clean the unit and check for any wear and tear. They will also check the electrical connections to make sure that there are no loose wires. By having your HVAC system serviced every year, you can prevent problems from arising and save money on your energy bill.

    Check your roof for leaks and damage, and have them repaired as needed

    Seasonal changes can take their toll on your roof, so it’s essential to inspect it regularly for leaks and other damage. If you notice any problems, have them repaired as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Leaks can lead to water damage, which can weaken the structure of your roof and lead to costly repairs. Inspect your roof at least once a year and more often if you live in an area with severe weather conditions. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional to do it for you. They will be able to identify any potential problem areas and make the necessary repairs. By taking these steps, you can help extend the life of your roof and avoid expensive repairs down the road.

    Keep your gutters clean and clear of debris to avoid damage.

    As any property owner knows, water damage can be a severe issue. Not only can it lead to costly repairs, but it can also create serious health hazards. Mould and mildew can thrive in damp environments, and excess moisture can also lead to the growth of harmful bacteria. One way to help prevent water damage is to keep your gutters clean and clear of debris. Gutters play an important role in channelling water away from your property, and the risk of water damage increases significantly when they become clogged. In addition, regular cleaning will help to prevent the buildup of mould and mildew, keeping your property healthy and safe. So don’t neglect your gutters – a little maintenance can go a long way in protecting your property from water damage.

    Trim trees and bushes around the house, so they don’t damage the roof or windows

    Commercial property owners have a responsibility to keep their buildings well-maintained. This includes trimming trees and bushes around the house, so they don’t damage the roof or windows. Overgrown branches can scratch paint, break windows, and even cause structural damage to the roof. In addition, fallen leaves can clog gutters and downspouts, leading to flooding and water damage. By regularly trimming trees and bushes, commercial property owners can help keep their buildings in good condition and prevent costly repairs.

    Inspect the foundation of your property for cracks or other signs of damage

    Concrete is a versatile and durable material that is commonly used for foundations, driveways, and sidewalks. However, concrete can crack over time due to settling, ground movement, or changes in temperature. Cracks in concrete can create trip hazards and allow water to seep into the foundation, leading to further damage. For this reason, it is essential to inspect the concrete on your property regularly for signs of cracking. cracks. If you notice any cracks, be sure to have them repaired as soon as possible by a qualified contractor. By taking proactive measures to maintain your concrete, you can help ensure the long-term stability of your foundation.

    Replace batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors

    One of the most important things you can do to protect your property from fire damage is regularly check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke detectors are required by law in most jurisdictions, but even if they’re not, they’re an essential safety measure that every property should have. Carbon monoxide detectors are also a good idea, particularly if you have gas-powered appliances or a fireplace. Both types of detectors should be replaced every six months to ensure they’re working properly. You should also test them monthly by pressing the test button. If the detector doesn’t make any sound, it’s time to replace the battery. By taking these simple steps, you can help keep your business safe from fire damage.

    Consider contracting property maintenance services if you feel overwhelmed

    Property maintenance is a big job with any property, no matter its size, or the size of your operation. If you or your team are trying to manage it all on your own, it can be a struggle. Beyond just being difficult or stressful, not every team has the time or the expertise to keep up with maintenance and their business at the same time. When you consider that proper maintenance is key to ensuring your business can run smoothly, any time you have to choose between working on your core business or your property maintenance, the end result is always detrimental to your business. Sometimes, the most responsible choice is to let someone else take the problem off your hands so that you can focus on what really matters.

    Taking a few simple steps each year can help you avoid costly and potentially dangerous repairs down the road. Please feel free to contact us for a free quote and inspection to make sure your property is ready for the winter weather. We’ll make sure your HVAC system is in good shape, your roof is leak-free, your gutters are clear and more. Keep your business safe and warm this winter by preparing your property now. Or, if you’re interested in our property maintenance services, we’d love to get together and explore the possibilities for a partnership. Get in touch with us today to schedule a FREE on-site consultation.

    Construction Project Management: An Overview from Our Experts

    The construction project management team is the most important part of any build, as they are responsible for coordinating every moving piece, including organizing the labourers, hiring specialist contractors that are right for the job, securing the materials needed for the construction, and maintaining the logistics network that keeps it all going.

    Jeff Gould and Muhammad Ali Hassan are Bilt’s project management experts, with extensive experience both in managing construction and in related fields, giving them perspective both on the specific details of the role, and the wider industry context.

    That’s why we decided to sit down with both of them to learn more about the position; what it’s like to fill, the tools involved, and how people get into it in the first place.

    1 – What does construction project management entail?

    Jeff Gould:

    Typically, the project manager comes into the picture after the architect and the engineers have given the owner a complete design, and their job is to execute that design.

    However, I should mention that Bilt also does design builds, which means we contribute to the design process. This can help keep the design grounded to meet the customer’s design and budget by involving the perspective of experienced, hands-on construction professionals.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    Generally, the difference between construction management and project management is the scope. A project goes through five phases/steps: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closeout. Construction management entails the work on-site, which includes some of the planning, but primarily the execution and monitoring.

    It’s the project manager’s responsibility to provide the construction manager and everyone else on the project with the support, tools, and materials that they need to get the job done. The construction manager’s job is more limited to on-site concerns, but they serve an important role for the project manager by providing on-the-ground feedback to inform decision-making.

    2 – Which aspects of project management are consistently the most difficult or the most unexpectedly difficult?

    Jeff Gould:

    There’s a wide range of regulations and legislation that need to be followed in construction, and people unfamiliar with the field often underestimate how tricky it can be to navigate them all and remain compliant.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    Construction projects tend to snowball quickly, so it’s important to plan everything out in detail ahead of time. Clearly defining the scope of the project, and your contingency plans for when things don’t go according to plan, are very important. Without clearly defined plans, managers and contractors can be left having to improvise solutions to unexpected problems on the fly, or the scope of the project can slowly start to creep up, making the plan more expensive while it’s being executed.

    Good communication between the managers and the stakeholders is also critical, as it prevents potentially disastrous misunderstandings about risk mitigation and planning.

    3 – How do the concerns of a project manager vary between smaller and larger projects?

    Jeff Gould:

    Larger projects always have more money on the line, more people involved, and more steps and supply lines; so, risk management and logistics get more challenging to manage the larger a project gets. Also, part of a project manager’s role is to choose the right contractors for the job, considering things like their reliability, reputation, and capacity; these also get more difficult to estimate the larger a project becomes.

    One thing that’s always a hassle, though, is the weather. Poor weather conditions can put any project on hold, no matter how big or small.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    There’s a misconception that smaller projects are easier and more comfortable, and that difficulty scales up with the size of the project. In reality, the complexity of the project is what determines the scale of difficulty. Larger projects have more variables involved, which means more risk, but poor decisions made in the early stages of any project can cause problems that balloon rapidly if left unmitigated. No matter how big or small your project is, the only thing that will stop your build from becoming unnecessarily complex is good management.

    4 – How can you get into construction project management as a career?

    Jeff Gould:

    Construction project managers can come from any part of the industry, from engineering to entry-level site labourers. However, some project management credentials are necessary before you can fill that role, and some backgrounds are better suited to project management than others. Most often, managers come from engineering backgrounds or dedicated management programs.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    There are essentially two pathways available, each with its pros and cons.

    The first pathway is to go through engineering/construction management education programs at post-secondary institutions. This allows you to enter the industry as a project assistant or project coordinator, and get you fast-tracked to a leadership position. You’ll learn how to manage budgets, risks, and constraints, and how to use technology to effectively deliver for the client.

    The second pathway is to climb up the ladder with on-site experience from a regular tradesman position. While you’ll come to the job with a lot of hands-on experience and a practical sense of what is possible on site, you’ll be lacking training in the administrative side of management. Things like charters, budgets, risks, and cashflows will all have to be learned on the job, and projects might suffer until you master them.

    5 – What is the role of software in project management?

    Jeff Gould:

    Given the complexity of the logistics and regulations, software tools provide streamlined organization and coordination. Consolidating all the relevant information into one platform also helps keep people in every role accountable to their responsibilities.

    Managing a construction project can be done without the software, of course, but the software helps make the whole process easier, more reliable, and makes costly mistakes less likely. Bilt is an early adopter of this kind of management software, but we expect it to be industry-standard soon enough. A few different platforms are available, but they all roughly do the same things.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    Before software was available for construction management, bundles of paper were used to organize and coordinate information. It was inefficient, and information would be missed or get lost all the time.

    Now, with the various software tools available to construction managers, all that information is stored and organized in one place. You can use software for everything from communications, to budget management, job scheduling, project accounting, document management, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement.

    By consolidating all that information in one place, management software improves efficiency and makes the project more profitable, while also making costly mistakes or miscalculations less likely.

    6 – Are construction managers always on-site? Does it depend on the project’s size and scope?

    Jeff Gould:

    Project management is usually done by a team of people, including site supervisors, who are always on-site. The project manager themselves doesn’t necessarily have to be on-site, but it’s best if they’re on-site fairly often.

    Muhammad Ali Hassan:

    The scale and complexity of the project usually dictate the attendance of the project manager on-site. There’s a delicate balance you have to figure out between the amount of time you spend on or off-site to make sure you’re using your time as effectively as possible. For most projects, however, between all of a project manager’s responsibilities, I think they should be on-site at least once every other day, if not daily.

    ABOUT US

    Bilt by Jaffer focuses on delivering the best value in construction management, property maintenance, and consulting. Our specialties include hotels, retail spaces, offices, and residential complexes. We provide exceptional and reliable work for our clients through dedication, collaboration, and efficiency.

     

     

     

     

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    • 10335 95 St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 2B6
    • (587) 855-0979
    • info@bilt.ca
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