As the industry continues to fight delay after delay caused by the pandemic, more and more have been turning to alternative project delivery methods such as Design-Build to help fast-track their construction projects.

That is on behalf of CDBI Chair, Gary Bale, we are pleased to announce that the Canadian Design-Build Institute (CDBI) will be hosting our annual conference virtually this October. After a successful event last year in Montréal, we look forward to another fun and educational event, even if the format is a little different.

Our virtual conference will be divided into three half-days, with one being held on October 22nd, the 28th, and the 29th. Each day will run from 1:00-3:00 pm ET, featuring two sessions. The descriptions of each day’s content can be found below.

Registration for members

Registration for non-members

Day 1 – The Future of Design-Build: Progressive Design-Build

Thursday, October 22nd 1:00-4:00pm ET

The virtual conference will open with a keynote presentation from the chair-elect of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), Geoff Neumayr, focusing on the Progressive Design-Build methodology in the United States. In addition to his time spent educating the industry on behalf of DBIA, Geoff is the Chief Development Officer of the San Francisco International Airport. Geoff will provide an overview of the emerging Progressive Design-Build methodology, and explain how it’s done, why it’s so popular in the US, and which elements of Progressive Design-Build projects require special attention to ensure success.

After hearing from our American counterparts, the second session of Day 1 will have Bruce Cleaver of BGIS focusing on how Progressive Design-Build is being implemented here in Canada and the unique considerations that need to be made in the Canadian market.

Day 1 Speakers:

• Geoff Neumayr, DBIA Chair-Elect, San Francisco International Airport
• Bruce Cleaver, Brookfield Global Integrated Services

Day 2 – Meeting the Needs of Project Owners

Wednesday, October 28th 1:00-3:00pm ET

The second day of the virtual conference will have two sessions featuring an expert panel of project owners with extensive experience using Design-Build. These owners, joining us from all across Canada, will share the lessons they’ve learned over their years of experience and the areas that we all need to improve on, both as individuals and as an industry. The panelists will also discuss their visions of the future, and how they expect Design-Build and other collaborative project delivery methods will play into it.

Day 2 Speakers:

• David Hubner, Partnerships BC
• Neil McFarlane, recent retiree of Alberta Infrastructure
• Melinda Nycholat, Defence Construction Canada

And representatives from:

Ontario Infrastructure

Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure

Day 3 – Mastering Design-Build

Thursday, October 29th 1:00-3:00pm ET

The virtual conference will wrap up with a diverse panel of the current CDBI committee members, including representation from each corner of the industry. Like Day 1 and 2, Day 3 will be divided into two sections, as the panel shares their unique and varied experiences over decades of Design-Build projects and their keen insight on the Design-Build trends we can expect to see coming down the pike.

Day 3 Speakers:

• Gary Bale, BALE Project Consulting
• Shaun Boylan, Alberta Infrastructure
• Elisa Brandts, Stantec
• Fabrizio Carinelli, CANA Construction
• Simon Daniels, Independent Professional
• Nolan Heuchert, Wylie-Crump Ltd.
• Uel McFall, Deltro Group Ltd.
• Mike Roper, Ledcor
• Paul Stocco, Brownlee LLP

Whether you’re new to Design-Build or just trying to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest developments, we’re certain there will be plenty for you to learn at our virtual conference!

To see the latest updates and to register, please click here for members or here for non-members.

For any questions regarding the virtual conference or CDBI, please contact Julia DeVries at jdevries@cca-acc.com.