This Oshawa-based company is using patented building technology and virtual planning to speed up construction schedules safely and efficiently.
You may have heard the term “Industry 4.0” in reference to the fourth industrial revolution. Recently, the infrastructure, construction and design industry has adopted the term “Construction 4.0,” which reflects a move toward increased digitization and automation, with the goal of revamping an industry that has admittedly been slower to innovate than other sectors.
One Oshawa company that truly represents the implementation of Construction 4.0 is Envision Integrated Building Technologies. Established in 2018, Envision created the two-way, friction-based Pre-Engineered Accelerated Construction Envelope (PACE) building technology, and is the only company in North America utilizing this type of structural system.
“PACE is a patented, precast, concrete component-based, post-tensioned system that is built using standard columns and slabs,” says president Garry Rutledge. “Available in a variety of designs, they can be assembled in sections using a standard crane, which allows for a far more efficient and accelerated construction schedule.”
Their PACE system, paired with their collaborative project management approach using Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), allows them to complete designs and plan site work in advance of on-site construction. This innovative approach translates into reducing the time to assemble the skeleton structure of a building by more than 50 per cent when compared to a traditional cast-in-place concrete build. If they don’t already have your attention at “more than 50 per cent faster,” Envision’s approach also requires less material and consumes less energy.
Currently offering three PACE systems, Envision can handle a wide range of project types, from single-dwelling homes or duplexes to town home complexes and multi-storey buildings.
In the industry today, the majority of the work and customization still takes place on-site, as concrete is poured, or 2 x 4s or 24-foot-long steel pieces are cut to size. Envision is introducing standard components that can be used interchangeably, whether you want to build five storeys or 12. “You can build it in the virtual world because it’s component-based,” explains Rutledge. “It’s essentially LEGO that you put together virtually and then you can translate that assembly process to the site, as opposed to pure construction in the field.”
At a time when Canada’s aging baby boomer population is cause for concern, Envision recognized the significant need for more efficient building construction, particularly when it comes to affordable housing, and health and long-term care facilities.
Currently offering three PACE systems, Envision can handle a wide range of project types, from single-dwelling homes or duplexes to town home complexes and multi-storey buildings.
Moving forward, Envision has some big plans close to home. They have developed a building extension plan for the Humane Society of Durham Region, and are arranging funding for low-cost housing demonstrators in the Region. Working alongside key partners like Magnum Contracting and Marilyn Ypes Architect Inc. for the latter project, Envision is looking at doing a number of units, totalling approximately 30,000 square feet. As Rutledge says, “We have taken a collaborative approach with our research and business partners, recognizing that multiple groups must be engaged if we are to be successful.”
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