When comparing and evaluating air content of plastic concrete to air content of hardened concrete, which plastic concrete testing location best represents the in-situ hardened concrete properties: pre-pump at the delivery truck or post pump at the discharge location?

Ready-mix concrete suppliers often face difficulty trying to achieve consistency with respect to air content of plastic concrete when pumped. Concrete pump trucks are well known to degrade the apparent air content of a plastic mix. There have been studies done in the USA which suggest that measured air contents pre-pump are a lot more representative of hardened air contents.

How can we establish a community-driven data centre in remote/isolated communities where required IT infrastructure such as servers, networking, and security, can be easily operated and maintained by the communities themselves?

Many remote communities are severely limited in their ability to access reliable broadband services and other IT infrastructures. This is mainly due to their location and not having the ability to easily travel in and out of their community or having someone consistently come in. We believe that all communities should have equal access to all types of new and innovative technologies, regardless of their location or situation.

How can we develop our platform to provide valuable housing data in an efficient and universally accessible manner to remote/isolated communities across Canada?

Accessing reliable and up-to-date data information regarding housing can be very difficult for many communities. In the rare situation, where housing data is available, it is often presented in a manor that requires a high-level of understanding to decipher each particle of information. This can be very straining for communities and often results in situations where they are misinformed and unable to contribute effectively.

Combining pre-existing methods of remote learning with immersive technologies, how can we assist educators with getting younger students to become more physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually engaged with their learning?

With remote learning methods becoming more fundamental to future educational practices, it will be critical to support a more holistic approach to further the potential of these immersive learning methods. For many remote communities, students are required to travel very long-distances to obtain their education, and this can add a lot of unnecessary time and stress to a young student’s development. With new and innovative immersive technologies, remote learning practices can offer an alternative for these students, as well as many others.

What initiatives are related to energy efficiency for First Nations that are remote?

I work in Indigenous Clean Energy so demand side reduction is of great interest to me. So is raising the standard of living for these communities.

How do we get specifiers to be more environmentally conscious for materials allowed in the concrete of their structures, i.e. higher FA %, alternate SCM, use of GUL?

Specifiers currently limit or restrict the use of different sustainable materials in their concrete specifications which creates a challenge when trying to encourage sustainable construction.
FA: Fly Ash
SCM: Supplementary Cementitious Materials
GUL: Portland Limestone Cement

How can we better utilize technology to complete difficult inspections (insurance and warranty inspections, etc.?

Can technology (drones, etc.) used for bridge inspections or confined spaces be utilized in a residential environment? Roofing inspections, crawl spaces, etc.

Are there building practices/design aspects that can improve or be adjusted to better accommodate more construction during our colder months?

Manitoba has a unique climate and significant residential construction occurs during our coldest months.

Are there adjustments to energy testing and/or energy modelling that are needed when we move nationally to energy labelling for homes (both new and existing)? Additionally, are there new technologies that exist/can be developed that will achieve code compliance goals while allowing for more flexibility on design/construction elements to achieve Net Zero certification?

Again, Manitoba has a unique climate and we are faced with challenges in residential construction that differ from other regions across Canada.

How can we increase opportunities/markets for residential construction waste material to enhance recycling of waste materials?

The current market for residential construction waste materials locally is limited. Are there ways that markets for these materials can be identified and developed?

Through non-destructive testing methods, how can the position and alignment of non-corrosive (Zinc Clad, Stainless Steel, etc.) dowel and tie bars in concrete pavement be accurately determined?

Dowel and tie bar position and alignment is crucial to the proper performance and longevity of concrete pavement. Current non-destructive testing methods do not provide a clear and accurate location of these bars. With only destructive testing methods and manual measurement available, owners face the challenge of ensuring position and alignment specifications are being met in every joint during construction of new concrete pavements.

What sustainable and economical bridge material can be used for short-span low-volume bridges to cost effectively rehab/replace them. Materials such as laminated timber and fibre reinforced polymers for example.

Aging stream crossing low-volume bridge infrastructure throughout the prairies built primarily in the 60s-70s (some much older), often comprised of short-span timber structures (typically 1-3 20-30’ spans), have often been neglected over their lifespan and currently an increasing number of bridges need major rehabilitation or replacement. Current rural government owners often do not have the budgets to address these maintenance or replacement necessities.