< PreviousCCS is a precast contracting company that works on many dif- ferent architectural projects, alongside structural projects such as parking garages, warehouses, noise walls and substation projects. With the recent purchase now complete, however, the company will be broadening its focus to incorporate both warehouse and industrial construction. Huzaifi Hasan, Project Manager at CCS explains: “That’s what we are starting with because we have a lot of jobs. The owners are in real estate and their business is more towards industrial construction. We will be producing the warehouses and then we will either sell or rent it out to different companies, so right now the focus is more towards industrial.” For Gelsinger, this focus will be offer- ing a streamlined approach to processes within the company. By focusing on warehouses for the foreseeable future, the team at CCS will benefit from straightforward projects. “Each warehouse might be different, but the base idea of the struc- ture, the columns, the beams, and panels, it is all very cookie cutter. This will allow us to keep our inventory relatively small and more organized.” This approach is at odds with previous projects the company would have worked on. Previously, Gel- singer explained, it could have been working simultaneously on six different projects for six different clients, and three different states’ DOTs. Each of these would have different specifications and mixed designs. Now, however, the company will be working with the same specs and same pieces, which Gelsinger says “simplifies our job. The standardization of our products and projects also means more production in the long run. Our long-term goal is standardization.” While the processes may be becoming more simplified, the purchase of the company was undoubtedly a significant step for the team at CCS. Through the additional funding and with its parent company also recently acquiring a metal fabrication plant in Georgia, the pieces are being moved into place to support the rapid expansion of the company and its partners. As Gelsinger explains, the company is also intend- ing on purchasing a fleet of trucks to start its own trucking operation. He believes that these acquisitions will help develop and expand the wider network of companies. “Our strategic plan is to further grow all aspects of the operation. This means that our team will be working to develop in terms of hardware, embedments, shipping and logistics. It kind of simplifies our job down the line. We won’t be required to out- source shipping. We are currently not outsourcing as much fabrication. So, it keeps these processes in-house and keeps accountability better for all parties.” Despite name changes and the accompanying shift in focus, the company continues to benefit from the vast wealth of experience that can only be gained through forty years in Wilkes-Barre Parking Lot | 50 JUNE 2023business. For Gelsinger, this experience is invaluable. He explains that, incredibly, many employees have been with the company for much of this time. While this continuity is a huge positive the recent name change also offers an exciting new direction for many of the employees. “A lot of people have been working here 30 plus years, and they've gone through 3,4,5 different owners over that time, but never a name change. So, it's definitely opening a whole new door for our staff. It is a positive new step in terms of how they view the company, how they view their career, and where they can take it. It’s a big deal to completely change the name after 40 years of business. However, changing our outlook and how we produce and move into the future, shifting how we utilize technology and utilize all the aspects of our sister companies that we work with and own – it’s definitely going to make a difference in our product going forward and the amount that we can produce.” The company has had multiple standout projects during recent years, with one being the Wilkes-Barre Parking Lot for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The property is comprised of 325 parking spaces and was just recently com- pleted. Another project of note is for ARCO. The client is Turn Bridge, and CCS is developing a warehouse with adjoining parking lots on the first and second floors. This project has 178 pieces including some double T’s and columns, is in the erection phase currently and the team expects it to be com- pleted within the next month. With successful projects ongoing, the future is shaping up to be an incredibly positive one. However, currently, the com- pany remains in a transitional period. While this is still ongo- ing for the company, the expectation is that it will be a lengthy process in order to receive new certifications, including PCI, PCA and DOTs. Despite this, the company is using this time wisely by ensuring that it has the right team onboard for future challenges. According to Gelsinger, pivoting into new markets allows the company to adapt its staffing and training programs to ensure it can offer the highest quality service in new markets with new machinery. “We will be hiring new staff and providing better training. The new company’s European plants, which they are intending to get in the US, are very technologically advanced. Everything is automated. This means that exciting changes are coming up. We will be implementing new procedures and rolling out a higher stan- dard of training along with better equipment and additional investments in the property, the plant, and our employees. There are basically no limits with what we have, in the back- ing we have and the companies that we work with - we have no limits other than ourselves.” “With successful projects ongoing, the future is shaping up to be an incredibly positive one.” ARCO - Turn Bridge | 51 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO N| 52 JUNE 2023WRIT TEN BY DAVID O’NEILL In a post-Pandemic world, it seems as though challenges are mounting. The cost of living is rising to extreme levels while concerns continue to grow around environmental and social issues. Underpinning this sense of anxiety is the acute shortage of residential housing, a problem that seems to be facing every community worldwide. The construction sector is, unsurprisingly, at the center of these challenges. It is an industry that is seen by some as both the cause of these issues and its potential savior. With inno- vative new techniques, materials and designs coming onstream every day, it seems that much is being done to work through a challenging environment. However, in recent times, one particular development has offered a glimpse into a future that is both equitable and sustainable. In order to meet the growing demand for affordable and sustainable housing, innovative companies have turned to 3D printing. This exciting development, offering a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution to the housing crisis benefits from minimal waste, quicker build times and a lower carbon footprint. | 53 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NWhile 3D printing has certainly made those in the construc- tion world sit up and take notice, it hasn’t yet taken over. Techniques are advancing and appear to be close to a level that could be rolled out on a wider scale, but a number of fac- tors leave it at risk of stagnating. Prohibitive costs and a lack of knowledge across the industry are evident barriers to its ongoing success. However, for a sector that thrives on novel and innovative advancements, it shouldn’t be that way. The potential benefits of 3D printing in relation to the construction industry could not be clearer. It is incredibly fast, for starters. Amidst a housing crisis, this is reason alone for the sector to be prioritized. Despite these benefits, it is an area still in its infancy. Start-ups are appearing in small numbers and highly impressive mini-projects are breaking ground but thankfully, that may not be the case for very long. The culmination of a two-year collaborative effort between architectural designers Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, princi- pals of HANNAH; along with PERI 3D Construction, and CIVE, one of the leading engineering and design/build contractors in Houston has resulted in the ‘House of Cores,’ the first ever two-story house built by using a 3D printer. The structure, an incredible 4,000sqft, is designed and produced to showcase the vast potential that 3D printing can potentially have on the housing market. According to HANNAH, the house has, unlike other 3D-printed structures to-date, a customized design and has been built through design solutions that weave existing construction methods with new technology. “With a hybrid- ized construction method that combines concrete 3D print- ing with wood framing, this approach allows the two material systems to be used strategically and aims to increase the applicability of 3D printing in the U.S., where framing is the one of the most common construction techniques. The building design is conceptualized as a series of printed cores that contain functional spaces and stairs. The spatial cores are connected by wood framing to produce an architectural alternation of concrete and framed interiors. The project’s scalable design and construction process is applicable for multifamily housing and mixed-use construction.” The printer, the COBOD BOD2 gantry printer is an enormous piece of equipment that weighs more than 12 tons itself and is the work of cutting-edge 3D Construction company, PERI. By utilizing the printer’s ability to work through cus- tom designs and effective layout capabilities, the structure a three-bedroom house, was erected in an incredible 330 hours. According to Fabian Meyre-Broetz, CEO of PERI, the project demonstrates the company’s ability to lead the way when it comes to modern construction methods. “We are incredibly proud to not only showcase the possibilities of the BOD2 3D construction printer but also our extensive know- how in planning, engineering, and printing on this project, which is the seventh and largest one we printed so far. We are convinced that it will set new standards from a design as well as printing execution perspective and underlines our role as the forerunner for this new construction technique.” This view is echoed by Lok who believe that, due to the intrinsic challenges when building a two-story building, the printer itself was a vital aspect of the project’s success. “You can actually find a lot of 3D-printed buildings in many states,” Lok said. “One of the things about printing a second story is you require, you know, the machine…And of course, there are other challenges: structural challenges, logistic challenges when we print a second-story building." While the project is the culmination of work from many par- ties, the work on the ground is being completed by CIVE, the Design-Build firm that looked after the engineering and GC work. In a sector where sustainability needs to meet with functionality, the project could be a crucial turning point in the challenging environment facing both the construction industry and the housing market in general. For Hachem Domloj, President at CIVE, it marks an enormous turning point. “Having the opportunity to be the engineers and gen- eral contractor for the first multistory 3D printed structure in the U.S. has been an honor. We can see how this technology and our team’s approach is providing the scalability to larger commercial developments. Collectively, we're changing the way our country builds, and paving the way for more afford- able housing, higher structural integrity, and faster building capabilities. The possibilities of 3D printing are endless!” Photo by HANNAH | 54 JUNE 2023With the need for more housing growing, it seems as though time is not on anyone’s side. Supply chain issues, skilled labor shortages and rising costs are all compound- ing a situation where a solution needs to be reached immediately. However, the ‘House of Cores’ is a genuine breakthrough. On this project, 3D printing has moved from niche to mainstream. It is no exaggeration to suggest that this could signal the beginning of an end to the crisis. As for those involved, the structure is already a massive suc- cess. By consolidating traditional methods and harnessing the potential and power of cutting-edge techniques, the construction industry has once again come up with a solu- tion that may yet revolutionize the housing sector. “For the design of the project, we developed a hybrid construction approach that couples innovations in concrete 3D printing with traditional wood framing techniques to create a build- ing system that is structurally efficient, easily replicable, and materially responsive,” said Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, of HANNAH. “The project also highlights the exciting design potential of mass-customized architectural components to meet homeowner’s needs and to simplify building system integration. These design efforts aim to increase the impact, applicability, sustainability, and cost efficiency of 3D printing for future residential and multi-family buildings in the U.S.” “The possibilities of 3D printing are endless!” Photo by Anthony Vu | 55 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NFirst National Toronto, ON | 56 JUNE 2023WRIT TEN BY ERIC O’CALL AGH AN Running a business creates its own challenges, but reinventing an existing business model requires analyzing the current model to pinpoint room for improvement. Flat Iron Building Group — a Toronto based building strategy company focusing on design build and construction management in the commercial real estate sector — has successfully managed to locate a flaw in the present business model of the construction industry and turn it into a strength for the company and its clients. | 57 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NBefore a project reaches the construction site, a meticulous amount of work is carried out. The pre-construction phase is the magic that takes place behind the curtain and brings together experts from finance, engineering, architecture, design and more. Fast forward along the project timeline and a whole new range of unique skillsets are introduced – including electri- cians, dry-wallers, carpenters, plumbers and more – as the construction phase begins. It had occurred to Flat Iron Building Group that the real experts in construction, namely the workers in hard hats and steel-toed boots are often only introduced towards the end of a project. They saw this linear approach as deeply inefficient since operations cannot be stacked as they would in other industries to reduce timelines and control costs. More importantly, this structure doesn’t create the needed diversity in the boardroom to truly understand all perspectives and best balance the 3 pillars of any project – quality, cost, and schedule. When you look at a boardroom in the planning stages of a project, where the largest impact on cost and schedule is often made, and contrast that with the very different group on site where the space is actually being built, it becomes clear that not all perspectives are being considered from the beginning. In order to have the biggest possible impact on projects, Flat Iron is focused on engaging all parties from the get-go, ultimately saving significant amounts of time and money. This approach not only provides a more inclusive working environment, but also creates a new and much-needed com- munication channel that otherwise does not exist. The focus of Flat Iron’s Business Model was created with the intention of bringing the most value to the client. The busi- ness has been in existence for 20 years and its positioning as a strategically smart builder has allowed it to flourish and evolve more fully into the needs of its client base within the last 6 - 7 years. Young People’s Theatre Toronto, ON | 58 JUNE 2023 President and COO of Flat Iron Building Group, Julie Phillips, recognizes the value of having all parties involved in the pro- cess from an early stage. By marrying the construction and pre- construction phases, equal respect is accorded to both sides of the coin and, for Flat Iron, this has certainly paid off. “That person at the very end of the traditional process with the hardhat can save you millions of dollars early in the process if you talk to them. Working closely with Hicks Architecture on the Osprey Valley Resorts redevelopment – a golf course just north of the city of Toronto, we were collectively able to find value in the planning stage to balance client requirements, design intent, and budget. For example, original discussions on the clubhouse had a ramp going into the basement to deliver food and products into the facility. But that required significant concrete retaining walls and a much deeper base- ment to allow the slope to function as planned. This drove up the cost of the project. By completing scenario cost analysis during planning, and combining the experience and knowledge of construction staff with the architects’, we avoided significant expenses with little impact on the golfer’s experience. To be clear, there was over a million dollars saved in foundations that could be used in higher impact areas or to reduce the overall costs.” “Flat Iron is focused on engaging all parties from the get-go.” Osprey Valley Resorts Alton, ON Osprey Valley Resorts Alton, ONNext >