Ontario Construction News staff writer
Pomerleau is partnering with Factry, Canada’s first training centre that specializes in developing creative skills, to create the Pomerleau aXLab, an innovation lab dedicated to integrating technology to the construction industry.
“With this project, we want to develop new skills to usher the construction industry into the future,” says Ian Kirouac, executive vice-president, Canadian Building Operations and Corporate Transformation. “Creativity means allowing yourself to imagine solutions to the most complex problems, and this partnership with Factry is the perfect way to accomplish that.”
The partners are calling the project a “one-of-a-kind lab” that will “generate concrete change in an evolving world to build tomorrow’s living environments.”
The construction industry is undergoing a revolution driven by technological breakthroughs, Pomerleau said in a statement, adding that the goal is “to be the leader of this transformation by accelerating the development of new technologies, equipment, and processes to be deployed on construction sites across the country.”
As Canada faces an economic relaunch, there is an urgent need to design innovative buildings and agile infrastructures that meet the real needs of communities, the companies said.
“Local businesses are already brimming with solid ideas for collaborations, and having a high-tech lab at a school of creativity is a major asset,” said Marie Amiot, CEO and co-founder of Factry.
“Real change occurs in society when people and technology complement each other intelligently. The partnership between Pomerleau and Factry will bring the best of human and technological potential under one roof.”
Far from abandoning a downtown forced into dormancy because of the pandemic, Pomerleau and Factry say they believe in the importance of offering new options.
Located in the heart of the Quartier de l’innovation, teams will develop technologies in robotics, off-site construction, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and digital twins.
“By trying out technologies in a custom laboratory, we will be able to accurately determine their efficacy and added value for our projects and the entire industry,” says Eric Lessard, vice-president, Innovation and Technology and Chief Digital Officer at Pomerleau. “We believe in the strong potential for emulation with the creative ecosystem at Factry.”
About 4,000 young people and professionals from a range of sectors visit Factry every year. The aXLab will allow them to learn from Pomerleau experts by taking part in workshops and other educational initiatives. Future programming will feature a range of training sessions, workshops, and events to showcase ideas, knowledge, questions, and surprises that emerge from the aXLab.