THE Fall Construction Expo at the sprawling Cloverdale Agriplex grounds, which will be held on September 30 and October 1, will bring latest trends in design and construction, innovative products and green technologies. FortisBC, Empower Me and reputed builder / designers will train builders on best practices, at free seminars at the Construction Expo. These seminars will add to builders’ CPD points and help them exceed the city standards cost-effectively and ethically.

This expo follows the Construction Expo last Spring when for the first time in Surrey, builders came together to bring sustainable building technology and trending architecture.

The organizers claimed at a press meet on Wednesday that that 70 per cent of the construction industry in the Lower Mainland comprises South Asians, most of whom are not aware of the new rules and technology.

The Spring expo was a unique platform where builders showcased building innovations, green technology and trending architecture. A footfall of 3,000 professional builders and more than 100 exhibitors made the expo a mega successful networking event.

“Duradek put a display in the Construction Expo with the specific purpose of targeting / meeting builders south of the Fraser River who do not attend downtown Vancouver trade shows. We met many builders, particularly builders in the South Asian community, to whom we are not regularly exposed. Mission accomplished!” said Winston Conyers, Duradek Regional Sales Manager.

Free seminars will be held to educate construction professionals as well as home-owners planning to build / renovate. Construction professionals will attend educational seminars in English, Mandarin and Punjabi, gain knowledge of current trends in the industry, and gain CPD points as a bonus.

THE Construction Safety Workshop by FortisBC and Empower Me will be valuable for excavators, contractors, landscapers, developers, municipal crews, road builders – anyone digging near any underground infrastructure. FortisBC will inform on what permits are required before you excavate, who and when to contact at each company before you dig, how a locate works, how the One Call Centre works, what regulations you need to know to be compliant with law, how to avoid penalties, the latest Best Practices in Excavation and what to do in case in emergency.

“Whether you’re excavating on a job site or digging in your own garden, it’s important that you find out where gas lines and buried utilities are before you dig,” said Ian Turnbull, Damage Prevention and Emergency Services Manager with FortisBC. “That’s why we’re glad to be promoting awareness of underground utilities at events like the Construction Expo with groups like Empower Me.”

THE Energy Step Code seminar will bring builders up to speed on the new developments expected with sustainability in mind. Facilitator Deepak Jaykar, a renowned designer with over 25 custom home projects under his belt, will bring industry information on high-performance building standards. Jaykar will explore the process and five levels of the Energy Step Code, ongoing research projects and projected costs of building to these new standards, anticipated municipal response, and key technical and performance-based requirements to build homes to higher energy standards.

Learn about the purpose, levels and enactment of the Energy Step Code, the changing construction details, envelope performance and energy-testing requirements to achieve each level.  How ready is the local government to transition from the current bylaw system to Step Code?

Learn the results of research projects analyzing current industry capacity and cost-benefit of Step Code. “The main aim of this energy step code is to create a community of best built homes,” said Jaykar.

Jaykar trains builders to surpass the standards set by the City. “Current city standards are set to minimum for the builders to legally build the home, however with the introduction of the new code, projects will be categorized based on the construction quality achieved beyond the City set standards, in order to have energy conservation plus more sustainable structure,” said Jaykar.

Jaykar will facilitate a Feng shui fusion seminar at the Construction Expo.

“The aim of this seminar is to bring Feng shui awareness that helps understand how home planning and designing can help to live in harmony with nature, and to promote well-being in all areas of our life,” said Jaykar. Jaykar’s tips on Feng shui, astrology and philosophy will be useful for home-owners to incorporate into their interiors and landscapes for complete well-being and success.

Property owners, builders, renovators and real estate professionals will be attending Jaykar’s seminar at the expo.

The expo promises building professionals credentials and training with a focus on excellence in wellness, safety and sustainability.

You can find out more and register free of cost on their website. Prominent exhibitors include Tradesman Association of BC, WorkSafeBC, Surrey Board of Trade, Costco and Art Knapp. Builders and home owners will learn the latest in design, architecture, construction products, technologies, best practices and applications.