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Builders’Builders’Toronto Construction Association’s Quarterly Perspective DigestDigestVol. 2 No.4 Winter/Spring 2009 UUniversityniversity ofof TToronto’soronto’s SScarboroughcarborough CampusCampus RResearchesearch andand open-conceptopen-concept constructionconstruction LEED CERTIFICATION RISKS AND LIABILITIES KEITH GILLAM RECEIVES INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD JOB-COSTING SYSTEMS REMAINING COMPETITIVE PM# 40787580 PM# we see your project from a different perspective Mixed Developments Urban & Highway Maintenance Municipal Infrastructure we see the Balancing the interests of your long-term development goals requires insight. Carillion’s integrated potential that Development, Municipal Infrastructure and Transport team provides our clients with the reassurance of you see solutions built on the knowledge of what it takes to move a project from concept to close and beyond. We are developers, public sector contractors and Builder road maintenance experts with years of experience Innovator outpacing expectations. Let the standard we set for Investor our own projects be your new baseline. Carillion Developments :: Enhanced Investments, Green and Brownfield Schemes Carillion Road Maintenance :: Asset Renewal, Emergency Services, Snow Removal Municipal Infrastructure :: Earthworks, Site Servicing, Road Reconstruction, Utilities Contact us at 416.233.5811 To learn more about Carillion please visit www.carillionplc.com Feel The Heat Natural Gas Construction Heaters Did you know... Natural Gas Construction Heaters create far less greenhouse gas emissions than propane — and that’s good news for the environment. Natural Gas Construction Heaters save more than money. Some additional benefits of using natural gas include: • No more weekend visits to the job site • No more switching of propane bottles • An endless supply of fuel • Dryer and Faster To receive an information package about natural gas construction heaters, please call (416) 495-5466 For detailed cost comparison information on natural gas construction heaters, visit www.enbridgegas.com/constructionheaters 2008-10-00360 contents FeatURES 10 Natural Light University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus has a new research building that emphasizes continuity with existing structures and openness to the environment By Liz Katynski Cover image by Ken Jones. Courtesy of the University of Toronto Scarborough 14 Green Expectations LEED certification promises a lot, but nothing comes for free. It’s time to look closer at the risks — and liabilities — involved By Andrew Brooks 18 Job-Costing Systems Developing a competitive edge for construction businesses By Joel Baker Page10 Page 14 FeatURES 20 Managing Cash Flow Useful systems and procedures that make money management an effective part of your business By Kieran J. Hallinan 22 At the Top of His Game Keith Gillam, the recipient of the 2008 Donald P. Giffin Sr. Construction Industry Achievement Award, has been instrumental in making big changes in the industry By Andrew Brooks 24 The Rest of the Best 2008 We present the other 2008 TCA Best of the Best Award winners 26 TCA’s 66th Annual Christmas Luncheon Page 26 DEPARTMENTS 6 President’s Message By John Mollenhauer 28 Upcoming Events 30 Advertisers Index Builders' Digest Winter/Spring 2009 | 5 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Builders’Toronto Construction Association’s Quarterly Perspective Digest TCA Builders’ Digest is published for the Toronto Construction Association Weathering 70 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1H1 Tel: (416) 499-4000 • Fax: (416) 499-8752 the Storm www.tcaconnect.com They say every cloud has a silver lining. And theoretically, that’s true. Our prime minister, for example, portrayed the stock market collapse last December as a buying opportunity even after the Publisher Robert Thompson United States Senate rejected President Bush’s initial $700-billion auto industry bailout. For some strange Editor Jeanne Fronda reason, the prime minister has kept mum on silver Associate Editor Andrew Brooks linings since the deepening recession reached global Sales Manager Sharon Komoski economic crisis status, but perhaps he still believes he Sales Executives Nolan Ackman can harness the vast resources of the federal govern- Pat Johnston ment and make the worst economic crisis since the Jack Smith Great Depression simply go away. Contributing Writers Joel Baker At TCA, we believe the current financial crisis is Andrew Brooks Kieran J. Hallinan more like a runaway freight train. We’re optimistic Liz Katynski that the recent federal budget will help, notwith- John Mollenhauer standing the projected $85-billion deficit by 2014, Production Team Leader Adrienne N. Wilson John G. Mollenhauer, President but we’re not big believers in silver linings. The turn- Toronto Construction Association around that economists are predicting late in the Senior Graphic Design Specialist James T. Mitchell third quarter of 2009 will also help, but the only thing that is crystal clear to us is that the future is uncertain. Yogi Berra may have said it best when he said, “The future ain’t what it used to be.” Published by: So why all the doom and gloom? And what, specifically, does that have to do with construction? Obviously, we believe the economic downturn is severe. Moreover, we believe 5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000 there will inevitably be casualties, particularly in 12 to 18 months when the cur- Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4 Toll Free: (866) 216-0860 ext. 229 rent economy will likely have its greatest impact on the ICI construction market. [email protected] However, we all agree that rubbing our worry beads won’t help. I also don’t 1 Wesley Avenue, Suite 301 believe in prescriptions for magical success. Having said that, I do believe that Winnipeg, MB Canada R3C 4C6 most of our 2,220 members will weather the storm if they follow three basic Toll Free: (866) 201-3096 Fax: (204) 480-4420 principles; namely: www.mediaedgepublishing.com PRINCIPLE 1: BACK TO BASICS President Kevin Brown You don’t need to know me well to agree that I would be a poor Business 101 Senior Vice-President Robert Thompson professor. I was, after all, a casualty of the 1993 recession. In addition, I’ve been out of the mainstream since I joined TCA in January 2006. But I read more now Branch Manager Nancie Privé than I did then, and I genuinely believe in going back to basics when the going gets tough. Perhaps, had we followed these basic principles in ’93, Mollenhauer All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be would still be in business. reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the association. Published March 2009. For construction practitioners, back to basics can be broken down in three ways: Publication Mail Agreement #40787580 i) Cash flow is king. As an industry, we’ve endured the process-related Return undeliverable copies to: red tape associated with releasing cash flow for years and have, on Toronto Construction Association 70 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1H1 average, done relatively little to correct the trend; that is no longer Phone: (416) 499-4000 • Fax: (416) 499-8752 a luxury we can afford. Going forward, successful contrac-tors will research their remedies and be more proactive about mitigating cash-flow risk. ii) Read your contracts or perish. Easy to say, but the consequence of onerous clauses and/or contract ambiguity is potentially life or death for the lever- aged constructor. iii) Trust but verify. Best practices protocol favours being thorough, which to a point is motherhood. In this economy, successful contractors will trust, but verify, their clients’ wherewithal to pay their bills, and they also more carefully assess challenges associated with meeting contract terms and conditions, including bonding. 6 | Builders' Digest Winter/Spring 2009 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE PRINCIPLE 2: ADAPT TO THE “NEW ECONOMY” depths of the current financial meltdown. As a result, waiting We’ve had a pretty good run as an industry, and many out the storm is not likely a viable option. And who among us contractors have made a very good living during the last 15 can afford to retire? years by specializing in a specific kind of work. That may not So what do we do? Well, simply put, we forge on. But it won’t pay the bills going forward, particularly for companies whose be “business as usual.” And the future will be uncertain. At the overheads aren’t easily synced with diminished revenues. risk of over-quoting my favourite philosopher, here are more of One such contractor complained to me recently about how his words of wisdom: “You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know few bank branch renovations were proceeding, which for 15 where you are going, because you might not get there.” years has been the contractor’s bread and butter. As a result, I suppose the fact that I choose to quote Yogi Berra so often they had to rethink their prospective client pool; retrain esti- says something about the value of my counsel. On the other hand, I do get a dozen or more calls a day, and some of the call- mators, project managers and other field supervisors; and ers have actually managed to stay in business, despite my advice. ultimately, target related markets that had been less impacted We also theoretically learn from our mistakes and I’ve made by the economic downturn. so many that I nearly qualify as an economist. So chin up — Again, planning is the key. forge on! And as always, we’re here to help in any way we can. |BD PRINCIPLE 3: FORGE ON Most of the principals of our member companies

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