Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1535861
Charis Village , Lacombe, AB J U N E 2 0 2 5 | 9 Precast Concrete P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y C P C I + E AG L E B U I L D ER S Precast concrete continues to rise as a resilient solution in 2025 by ROBIN BRUNET W hile the precast sec- tor, like any other area of construction, may face market fluctua- tions, it is becoming increasingly valued by developers for its bene- fits. As a result, opportunities for manufacturers are expected to grow, particularly in major urban cen- tres like Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver None of this surprises Brian Hall, manag- ing director at the Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. "Precast concrete offers an opti- mal solution for off-site/prefabricated construction," he says. "While prefab may not be suitable for every project, it remains a highly cost-effective, resilient solution for various market segments, including resi- dential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure." Hall goes on to note that off-site/prefabri- cated construction is sometimes considered a new approach in certain regions – plus, it has faced slow adoption overall in North America – but has proven itself historically for its efficiency. Further, precast seems to be a more relevant building solution in Canada today than ever. Hall explains, "A housing crisis and ongoing labour shortages have driven the construction industry towards off-site construction methods to meet the demand for faster and more affordable buildings. "Canada will require an estimated four mil- lion additional homes by 2035; and a McKinsey & Company study shows that off-site/prefabrication con- struction can shorten overall construction schedules by 20 to 50 percent, primarily by allowing multiple project stages to proceed simultaneously. In addition, off-site/prefabrication makes it easier to control envi- ronmental effects, as seen by the precast industry's drive to decarbonization, which has resulted in a 22 percent reduction in embodied carbon since 2015." Hall concludes, "Prefab precast concrete is an ideal system to implement off-site in the Canadian construction industry. It offers year-round produc- tion with no downtime, avoiding weather-related delays, and ensuring high-quality products. Precast systems can then be shipped and assembled on demand, precisely when needed at the job site." Katherine Klosowski-Blatz, the new executive director of AltusGroup, agrees that the outlook for precast enclosure systems in Canada continues to be strong in 2025. "There are several drivers," she says. "Prefabrication of envelope components can help offset labour shortages by delivering exterior wall panels that are ready to erect in virtually any weather. "AltusGroup precasters in Canada and the U.S. are collaborating to develop patented methods for integrating other building components quickly and easily into precast wall panels to further reduce job- site labour needs." Klosowski-Blatz goes on to note, "The focus on carbon footprint reduction – without sacrific- ing exterior wall durability and resilience – is also a driver. Our CarbonCast technology for insulated wall panels provides continuous insulation thanks to carbon fibre grid wythe connectors with negli- gible thermal transfer. Architects can choose their preferred insulation type to deliver high R-values. "Additionally, the composite action of the pan- els can result in using less concrete, reducing the embodied carbon in each panel. Together, our precasters continue to invest in research and devel- opment to advance the environmental sustainability of precast wall systems." CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels from AltusGroup member PreCon recently contributed to the Eagle Street Industrial Park in Cambridge, Ontario, becoming one of only eight in all of Canada to be certified by the Canadian Green Building Council as Zero Carbon Building Design v3. The certification demands carbon reduction to be 30 percent below the Ontario average for embed- ded carbon in building materials. The CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels will deliver an R-value of R-30 by using four inches of Kooltherm K20 insulation between two concrete wythes (2-7/8- inch and 3-1/8-inch thick) that are connected by C-GRID carbon fibre grid trusses. The negligible thermal transfer of the CFRP grid enables the panels SET FOR SUCCESS