Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/687429
14 | J UNE 2016 Stuart Olson but also achieving energy consumption targets in an environment unlike other buildings," says Polson. "Masonry and steel construction had to allow for sys- tems and furniture, furnishings and equipment require- ments and locations. Flexibility was crucial despite all services being run within concrete and masonry walls. There were significant commissioning challenges due to security systems linking throughout all buildings – all service rough-ins were required to be hidden due to security restrictions, meaning design flexibility was maximized when building slabs and masonry walls ahead of final mechanical and electrical fittings." When it comes to projects where Stuart Olson has played (and continues to play) a key role, the list is impressive. From providing construction management services on the AAA, 25-storey 745 Thurlow office tower in Vancouver and the $150-million Calgary New Central Library, to the expansion of the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the $90 million University of Toronto Mississauga North Building. "Whether it's a private, public or industrial project, our history of success and innovation in buildings and civil services construction has made us a performance leader for our industrial and commercial clients," says Polson. For Stuart Olson, staying one step ahead when it comes to sustainability is something the com- pany strongly believes in. To date, Stuart Olson has constructed more than 100 LEED projects and was involved in the first of its kind, LEED Platinum office building in Burnaby, B.C. (the Discovery Park Building 12) and the first ever LEED Gold office building in Alberta (the City of Calgary Water Centre). The unique, award-winning Water Centre building boasts a complex design creating a curve in both the horizontal and vertical perspective designed in the shape of a wave. In addition, the Water Centre recy- cles, reduces and reuses energy, water and materials at every opportunity. "As a company we align our goals with those of our stakeholders, promoting leadership and account- ability. It's an area that has, and continues to rapidly evolve. We decided years ago that we had better get smart about this. Sustainable practices were initially largely driven by the design community and the build- ing community resisted it. But the tables have turned somewhat," says Polson. Stuart Olson's commitment to environmental prac- tices has resulted in the company winning numerous awards, including VANOC's Sustainability Award, which recognizes firms for their leadership and con- tribution to sustainability. Polson says another area that has seen tremendous growth of late is in prefabrication. "There's not a site that we are on where prefabrication isn't a huge ele- ment," says Polson. "Whether it is the mechanical or electrical systems, prefab is allowing for far greater quality control, and reduces time and costs. It is par- ticularly useful in provinces across Canada that suf- fer from extremely cold winters. The factories allow for precision and tolerances that you can't get on site." Despite its growth, Stuart Olson prides itself on its commitment to the safety of its employees. In fact, when it comes to safety, the buildings group has exe- cuted 1.25-million man hours of solid safety perfor- mance, Lost Time Injury (LTI) accident free and the industrial group worked an excess of 4.2-million man hours at a "world class" Recordable Injury Frequency (RIF) of 0.43. "In both cases, we're leaders in the indus- try with that kind of performance," says Polson. This emphasis on the well-being of its employees was evidenced most recently during the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) wildfire crisis, which affected hundreds of Stuart Olson employees working and living in the area. "The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority and we are busily working to support the recovery efforts," says Polson. "We've been actively communicating with all of our impacted employees and are providing resources to assist them during this difficult time. Our people and their safety are always our number one priority." For a company that has grown rather rapidly of late, those much-respected traditional values continue to run through the company's veins. "Within the next five years Stuart Olson will con- tinue to expand and to be a leader in the Canadian con- struction industry. However, our goal is to be ourselves with the clients and partners we have built trust with over the years, and to remain as committed as ever to a team approach," says Polson. "To quote our vision and in staying true to our promise, we really are positively impacting the businesses we serve, the communities in which we operate and the lives we touch." A We've got a stronger culture now than we have ever had because the core of our work is extremely relationship focused. We are a trusted partner. " " — Paul Polson EVP business development and community engagement PHOTOGRAPHY + RENDERING COURTESY STUART OLSON 745 Thurlow, Vancouver, B.C. University of Toronto Mississauga North Building, Mississauga, ON. Calgary New Central Library, Calgary, AB.