Nathan Giffin joins ISCS as head trainer for vertical decorative concrete, foam core construction and safety. Nathan has been sculpting decorative concrete since 1998 and in 2007 he launched his own firm Vertical Artisans as a means of educating contractors around the world. In addition to educating on methods, styles, and techniques in vertical applications he has also pioneered building technologies that have improved efficiency and sustainability on job sites. He currently travels teaching hands-on classes throughout the country as well as contracting on projects in the Chicago area. Welcome to ISCS Nathan!

Canada was introduced to the unique and highly effective education style of ISCS in Edmonton on the 19th and 20th of July, when architects, contractors, specifiers and students stepped away from their projects and participated in Concrete North: Alberta Concrete Symposium. The symposium was held at University of Alberta‘s Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering Excellence and was co-sponsored by the Edmonton Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada and the Edmonton Construction Association.

George Everding, FCSI CCS CCCA AIA shares his thoughts on trusted advisors and their roles in the construction marketplace. This blog originally appeared on the St. Louis CSI chapter’s blog page and is reposted with permission from the author.

THOUGHTS ON THE GRENFELL FIRE

ISCS kicked off its first Canadian event this July in the city of Edmonton with a 2-day event at the University of Alberta’s Donadeo Innovation Centre (DICE) for Engineering and the I.F. Morrison Structures Laboratory. The event, Concrete North Symposium, was co-sponsored by Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) Edmonton, and the Edmonton Construction Association (ECA).

Guests were treated to new concrete technologies in curing and finishing. Additional demonstrations on architectural exposed finishes and floor protection were held on day two and allowed University of Alberta engineering and masonry graduate students the opportunity to test out advanced remote control construction technologies.

Simultaneous lectures were presented in the DICE building including the University of Alberta’s own Carlos Cruz-Noguez, PhD, PEng who took the audience back in time to discover the secrets of Roman Concrete, Rae Taylor, PhD’s concrete overview as well as courses on architectural exposed structural concrete (AESC). The end of the symposium was capped off by an all-star panel discussion including Keith Robinson, FCSC, FCSI, RSW, LEED AP of Dialog architectural firm, Stan Sagert of PCL Construction Management Inc., Carlos Cruz, Chris Bennett, CSI, and Rae Taylor on Changing the Language of Concrete.