Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) says it has introduced a new alliance with EllisDon and the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Engineering to instill and spark construction innovation among STEM students.
The project will see students providing solutions based on real life issues on the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in construction. Students working in teams will be offering multiple solutions on predetermined VR problems identified by EllisDon. Throughout the project, student teams will be mentored by executives from EllisDon to highlight the issues and to advance the knowledge of students in the use of VR.
“This is a great opportunity for the industry to highlight the exciting innovations and latest technology used in construction,” CCA p[resident Mary Van Buren said in a statement. “This project will no doubt spark interest and act as a magnet to attract a tech savvy, next generation workforce to construction. CCA appreciates EllisDon in taking on this mentorship role.”
“EllisDon is excited to participate in this unique opportunity with uOttawa and CCA,” said Patrick Lalonde, director, virtual Design amd Construction (VDC) – Eastern Canada, EllisDon. “Through this partnership, we are delighted to provide an opportunity for our future construction leaders to solve real challenges facing the industry today. Technology is a tool that is critical to the future of construction, but it has its own challenges to implement successfully. It is through the collective effort of industry and education that we can overcome these challenges to navigate the industry towards the digital era.”
“The Centre of Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design (CEED) at the Faculty of Engineering at uOttawa is delighted to work with both CCA and EllisDon,” Hanan Anis, professor and director of CEED at the University of Ottawa, said in the statement. “Client-based projects are key for an authentic learning environment. Our students work collaboratively and iteratively to solve a real need facing the industry. Such a partnership is win-win for both EllisDon and uOttawa.”
At the end of the project each student team will produce a final prototype with a user manual and an independent panel will select the most suitable solution. The selected prototype from the successful team will be available to EllisDon for their use.
This industry initiative is part of CCA’s top priority of initiating innovation and attracting a younger workforce and part of its five-year strategic plan and vision to Build a better Canada, the CCA statement said.
Image: A visualization produced by EllisDon for the $79.9 million Seneca College King Campus in King City to aid in interference co-ordination of structural elements (EllisDon)