For many, building is in the blood. Over the years, Construction in Focus has profiled many family-owned and operated firms across North America. Some choose to remain small, boutique-style businesses, taking on a handful of luxury residential projects a year to ensure quality and control. Others have expanded to distinct divisions and multiple locations across Canada and the United States, taking on everything from multi-million-dollar buildings to bridges. Even with their size differences, though, many started off the same way: as one-person operations armed with a pickup truck, a toolbox, and a dream.

It isn’t unusual for many second, third, fourth, and even fifth-generation construction companies to bring on family members and start them at the bottom. Ask around, and you’ll find many construction company owners, presidents, and CEOs who remember working as kids after school and on weekends with their dad or uncle picking up wood, drywall pieces, and other debris. Although some say they missed out on regular childhood activities like playing with their friends, many admit working with family was the best thing that could have happened, because it prepared them for their future in construction.

Watching carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other trades, these kids learned how to do things right, and more importantly, they learned what not to do and the importance of safety. Many watched workers using hammers and drills, framing walls, pouring concrete, and fishing electrical wiring behind walls. And when they weren’t tidying things up or watching tradespeople, many spent time at the office. There they saw invoices being prepared and construction supplies like wood, copper pipe, wiring, and screws being ordered. Combined with being on job sites, it was an education unlike any other.

In the traditional sense, younger family members learn by doing. This type of informal skill transfer comes from being immersed in work, asking plenty of questions, and making mistakes. Although less common today, many kids in the past learned which tool was best for the job long before they entered their teens.

Today, much of this hands-on, trial-and-error learning is supported by formal education in a trade school or college. Often, family members who show promise and a genuine interest in the industry also choose to take construction-related courses.

And it’s a good thing, too; decades of promoting white-collar careers over blue collar jobs—combined with many veteran tradespeople retiring—has resulted in a dire shortage of skilled workers across North America. In Canada, federal and provincial governments are encouraging skilled trades as a career path, with over 300 designated trades to choose from, 54 of them Red Seal. These include not only construction but transportation, manufacturing and industrial, and the services sector. Financial support, in the form of loans and funding programs, is also available. In Canada, it is estimated that one in six job openings will be in skilled trades-related occupations by 2034.

With a wealth of courses, students are exposed to many construction-related disciplines. Depending on their interest, they can immerse themselves in hands-on training in carpentry, masonry, welding, HVAC, and other trades. Others may be better suited to classes in construction or project management, cost estimating, construction engineering, surveying, architecture, drafting, or safety. And for students with an interest in technology or green building, they can pursue Building Information Modeling (BIM), drone operation, sustainable construction, modular building, and LEED certification.

One characteristic of family-owned construction companies is their core values, and this is especially important for smaller builders and renovators, whose word is their bond. For smaller builders, just a few projects delivered late, over budget, incomplete, or poorly done can ruin a reputation in an industry where you are only as good as your last job. This is why many family-run builders emphasize quality, integrity, safety, a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, accountability, and respect for workers, customers, and the environment.

It is this value system that steers many family businesses and informs decisions from the job site to the head office. Adhering to these values pays off over time with employees, suppliers, subcontractors, and clients who demonstrate loyalty through repeat work. Many people can be trained to work in the trades, but if they have a poor attitude or aren’t onboard with a company’s values and mission, their construction careers will be brief.

For family-led construction companies to endure, they must not only get the next generation involved but ensure younger relatives—be they children of the founder, nieces, nephews or others—are informed about what is expected of them. We’ve all heard the idiom ‘handing over the reins,’ but transferring responsibility to someone else is never simple, nor should it be.

For retiring construction company founders, ‘emeritus’ is sometimes more than an honorific. If possible, the original owner being called upon occasionally for advice or guidance can work, provided that person is also willing to relinquish some control, which can be a challenge. And if the man or woman who built the company isn’t happy with the way things are being handled, that person often isn’t shy about letting others know.

Smart succession planning doesn’t start weeks or months before owners announce their intent to retire, but years. Even with smaller construction firms, much more planning is involved than simply naming a replacement. Long-term transference requires plenty of questions: where will the business be in the next few years? What skills are needed by the next generation? Is there a governance structure in place? How will the succession affect existing employees? These questions, and many others, need to be documented and supported by the existing leadership and the next generation.

Proper construction company succession requires honesty. It isn’t enough to simply name an heir; the future of the business depends on selecting someone who is both capable and committed, with a clear vision for what comes next. In some cases, that successor may not be an immediate child, but a grandchild, extended family member, or even a trusted employee who has earned their place through years of dedication and leadership.

Ultimately, legacy in construction isn’t defined by how long a company has existed, but by how well it adapts to what’s next. Many firms have weathered economic downturns, shifting markets, and generational change, only to falter when succession is treated as an afterthought. The most enduring family businesses recognize that succession planning is less about stepping away and more about moving forward. By investing in the next generation, reinforcing core values, and planning years in advance, family-owned construction companies can ensure that what began with a single truck and a dream continues to stand strong for decades to come.

The post From Foundation to Future<p class="company">Building a Construction Family Legacy</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

New home buyers tend to focus on aesthetics, like kitchen countertops and cabinetry, says Construction Manager, Jason Cabrelle. “A lot of people take energy efficiency for granted—until they see the savings on their hydro and gas bills.” In the past few years, Park View Homes has focused even more on its commitment to creating properties of the highest standards, and this includes what Cabrelle calls “behind-the-scenes” activity, like air barriers and mechanical systems.

Going “airtight”
Around 2022, Park View started as an ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes Standard builder. Only builders licensed by the Government of Canada “can promote themselves as ENERGY STAR^® builders and can apply to have their homes ENERGY STAR^® certified,” according to regulations.

Owing to the program’s exacting standards for new homes, there were some growing pains surrounding airtightness. “We air test every single one of our houses, which, at the end of the day, gives people more comfort in their homes,” Cabrelle explains. “We want to make sure that you’re as comfortable as possible in your house and that your house is as efficient as possible.” Some of the many advantages of airtightness include fewer drafts, greater comfort, a healthier and quieter home, reduced heating and cooling loads, and less energy waste.

Far from just talking quality, the company measures it, air testing every single house for potential leakage. “Testing each house keeps us accountable; we can’t get away from the results,” Cabrelle says. “We have to honour them. It’s not just that we say, ‘we are ENERGY STAR^®,’ it’s that we are tested, and we live up to it.”

To ensure houses meet rigorous standards, the company works with a third-party energy advisor on energy efficiency designs. Once homes are reviewed and signed off, they receive an ENERGY STAR^® sticker. And Park View has been featured several times on Homesol’s social media as a ‘Tight Home of the Week.’

“Because our homes are so energy efficient, it helps homebuyers qualify for green financing options,” says Cabrelle of the RBC Green Home Mortgage Program, where buyers have the option to extend their amortization period to up to 35 years (compared to typical amortization periods, which are usually a maximum of 30 years).

Attention to detail
Starting as a site supervisor and working his way up to Construction Manager, Cabrelle has seen plenty of changes to Ontario’s home-building sector over the past 14 years. Regardless of home model, location, or price point, all Park View homes are created with the utmost attention to detail and a tight build process.

“We take a custom home feel and quality and transfer that to all our homes, whether it’s a single home or townhouse. We pay the same attention to detail to all our products. It really raises the consistency of our final build quality and the comfort of our houses,” he says.

“People are extremely happy with us as a company and with our communication and attention to detail. We aim to exceed expectations, and number one is our attention to detail. We take pride in our homes and in ensuring the buyer is happy. For me, it’s about building relationships and making sure those homeowners are happy. I don’t think a lot of companies do that; they are just there to build the house and turn away.”

Bellamy Farm Phase III
Founded in 2002, family-owned Park View Homes focuses on secondary markets, which are largely more rural than urban. The company is proud to be part of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA), the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), and the Lanark-Leeds Home Builders’ Association (LLHBA).

Much of the company’s marketing is in two significant categories: downsizers and first-time homebuyers. Believing that high-quality houses built without cutting corners should be within reach, Park View Homes properties are priced in the low $400s; some, like Bellamy Farm Phase III, start at $379,000. And Park View Homes is offering a promotion on select inventory homes where only a $5,000 deposit is needed to secure your new home.

In the heart of Smiths Falls, Bellamy Farm Phase III is in an area known for its stunning natural beauty. Just an hour’s drive from Ottawa, Smiths Falls boasts small-town charm and nearby amenities like shops, restaurants, and medical facilities, without the stress of big-city traffic congestion and noise. Three home styles are available—Garageless Bungalows, Bungalow Townhomes, and Two-Storey Townhomes—all beautifully designed with ENERGY STAR^® efficiency.

Attainable bungalow townhomes have the option of one or two bedrooms. About 1100 square feet in size, bungalows have a finished basement and are completely freehold. Along with a driveway, the properties have sheds ideal for tools, recycling bins, and other items. Equipped with a heat pump, these homes run an 8kW backup electric heater as secondary heat in the system.

“Those specific buildings—with some changes in our paperwork—could be registered as Net Zero Ready homes,” explains Cabrelle. “The quality is exactly the same as in our $1.5 million homes, as far as finished quality goes.” Creating houses that balance craftsmanship and attention to detail with energy efficiency is a team effort.

Something for everyone
Along with Bellamy Farm Phase III, Park View Homes has two other main subdivisions underway in the Ottawa area: Russell Ridge estates in Marionville (just outside of Russell), and Merrickville Grove in the heritage village of Merrickville. Combined, these three subdivisions cover the varying tastes and needs of many different buyers, from singles to young couples looking for their first house, to families with children, to older empty-nesters seeking the peace of a laidback, rural lifestyle.

Established in 2021, the Russell Ridge community consists of spacious homes on three-quarter-acre country lots with nearby nature trails and quiet country roads. Available in three, four, and five-bedroom designs with optional finished basements, Russell Ridge embodies the finest in construction and efficient ENERGY STAR^® design.

With just 24 homes and no through streets, Russell Ridge is tranquil, secure, and exclusive. With nearby access to schools, shops, and restaurants, easy access to Highway 417, and a 25-minute drive from the east end of Ottawa, this community is perfect for hybrid workers and families alike. Built to order in about 12 months, the Sussex Craftsman Model measures 2,250 square feet and is priced at $1,069,000.

The company’s Merrickville Grove is an 83-home community near Merrickville’s historic Main Street. Known as the “Jewel of the Rideau,” the development is five minutes on foot from the Rideau Canal, coffee shops, quaint local stores, and restaurants. These bungalow townhomes and two-storey townhomes start at an attainable $499,900.

With nearby parks, schools, shopping, and safe, quiet streets, Merrickville Grove is the perfect place for young couples to raise a family and for active retirees who want the comfort of a home with low maintenance. It is a quiet place where homeowners can walk downtown, grab a coffee or a meal, browse shops, and say hi to neighbours. And, to give back to the municipality, Park View Homes hired a company to build a park with structures for everyone to enjoy. Most times, builders will save the park until the very end of the subdivision development; Park View did the opposite. By installing the park early in the construction process, buyers were able to enjoy it as their homes were being built, and locals could take advantage of the space. “We try to help out the communities we work in,” says Cabrelle. “Recently we helped put a new deck and accessible ramp on the public library in Merrickville at no cost.”

Living its values
For most of us, buying a new home is not only a big financial investment, but an investment in the lives of our families. Realizing this, Park View Homes treats homeowners and potential buyers with the utmost respect and integrity. “It’s all about things like that, the relationships we build with homeowners,” says Cabrelle. “We give everybody the same treatment.”

Focused on more than product, Park View Homes builds not only homes but entire communities, and the company’s team stands behind its proven track record of over 1,200 houses constructed to date. “For me, that’s an important thing, where we can help out and show that we aren’t a ‘big bad builder’ who doesn’t care about homeowners,” says Cabrelle. “Actually, it’s the complete opposite; what we care about is that the homeowner is happy with their home and community,” he says.

“We are super proud to be building in those communities, and proud of where we’ve come from. We’re proud to be focusing on home comfort and making sure that we exceed expectations while we try to give them the best experience, start to finish.”

The post Crafting with Care<p class="company">Park View Homes</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

It is impossible to turn on the news today without hearing about Canada’s housing crisis. There is an urgent need to build almost five million new homes by 2035, which represents between 430,000 and 480,000 new housing units every year. Although 2025’s housing starts reached 259,028 nationwide—up 5.6 percent from 227,697 in 2024—there has been a dramatic shift to building units for rental rather than for ownership, and the country isn’t even coming close to the units needed to meet demand for our population of almost 42 million.

Factors behind the shortfall include everything from high development taxes to unnecessary red tape, wildly different building codes (even in the same city), NIMBYism, and more. The lack of attainably priced homes is a multifaceted problem, requiring a multifaceted approach.

All three levels of Canada’s government must come together to solve Canada’s housing challenges, says Kevin Lee, CEO of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), which represents some 8,500 builders, renovators, land developers, and others in the residential construction sector. For the past 13 years, Lee has been fully immersed in the challenges faced by one of the nation’s largest sectors and has led the charge in developing CHBA’s policy recommendations for the federal government on how to close Canada’s housing supply gap and help restore affordability for Canadians.

Some provinces stuck in neutral
Despite the urgent need for housing, some provinces have pulled ahead in housing starts while others have stalled. Recent Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) housing starts statistics reveal that Alberta—with a population of about five million—is pulling far ahead of 16-million strong Ontario. In the past five years, Alberta’s housing starts have jumped an impressive 71 percent, while Ontario’s have tumbled by over one-third. British Columbia isn’t faring much better. Significant differences in government-imposed taxes and charges in regions across the country have contributed to this discrepancy, says Lee.

“Ontario has become very expensive over time,” says Lee. “In the worst cases, government-imposed fees can now make up over 30 percent of the price of a new home.”

Across the country, municipal development charges (DCs) have increased by more than 700 percent over the past 25 years, says Lee, adding that they are a significant, yet often overlooked, factor driving up the cost of building new homes. For example, CHBA’s Municipal Benchmarking Study reveals that DCs have reached nearly $200,000 on a typical home in the Greater Toronto Area and almost $100,000 in the Greater Vancouver Area. By contrast, DCs make up less than $10,000 of a typical new home in smaller centres like Charlottetown.

In principle, DCs are intended to ensure that growth helps fund the infrastructure required to support it. However, over time they have expanded far beyond that purpose, says Lee. In many municipalities, DCs are increasingly used to help pay for broader infrastructure upgrades or to reduce pressure on property taxes for existing residents. As a result, those who buy new construction homes are often left paying for infrastructure that benefits the entire community, while also facing charges that are dramatically higher than those paid by previous generations of homeowners.

As result of the advocacy work of CHBA and HBAs across the country, the federal government recently stepped up alongside the province of Ontario to help municipalities reduce their DCs by up to 50 percent, with more supports for other province slated to come. This is an encouraging step, and Lee believes now is the time explore longer-term alternative funding models that distribute infrastructure costs more broadly across the tax base, as was more common historically. “There is a role for fee-for-use items such as water, wastewater, and transportation, and for allowing more municipal debt financing to occur. Instead, charges are put on the backs of new buyers on 25-year mortgages; they should instead be financed over the lifespan of the infrastructure—50 or 75 years—at the much lower interest rates that governments can secure, for example,” says Lee. “It’s time for a more long-term, balanced approach that would reduce the disproportionate burden currently placed on new home buyers, which would support increased housing construction and better reflect the reality that infrastructure investments benefit entire communities, not just those purchasing homes in new developments.”

Red tape and code changes add to home building costs
Many policies introduced at all levels of government—often without sufficient consultation with the residential construction industry—have added unnecessary complexity, delays, and expenses to the home building process.

While policy changes that strengthen building codes and regulations can serve important policy goals, they can also be costly, says Lee. In some cases, new requirements overlap with existing rules or impose measures that are not yet practical or cost-effective to implement. As these layers of regulation accumulate, they continue to drive up the cost of building homes, ultimately affecting housing affordability for Canadians.

To help prevent further pressure on housing costs, Lee recommends that all new policies and regulations be evaluated through a housing supply and affordability lens. This includes making affordability a core objective of the National Building Code and ensuring that regulatory changes that significantly increase construction costs are not implemented until viable, cost-effective solutions are available. In fact, at this point, CHBA has called for a full pause on changes to the national building code, and a revamping of the code development system. This is being done in Australia, which faces similar challenges, and needs to be done here too, says Lee.

Support needed for productivity improvements
Labour shortages have been an issue in the residential construction industry for years, and there are currently not enough construction workers to pursue federal housing targets, let alone meet the status quo. Recognizing this challenge, CHBA says support is needed in three areas: growing the domestic workforce; reforming Canada’s immigration system to welcome more newcomers with the skills to contribute to building more housing; and increasing productivity. Part of the problem is the federal government’s emphasis on Red Seal occupations and skills training for unionized labour, as well as its prioritization of highly educated immigration pathways.

“The fact of the matter is, outside of Quebec, 90 percent of the residential construction industry is not unionized,” says Lee, who is in talks with the federal government about recognizing the people who actually build houses and the skills required. Unions have their place, but Canada also needs to support the vast majority of the residential workforce, which isn’t unionized. The same goes for the apprenticeship system, which can be well-suited to non-residential construction, but so often doesn’t work for the workforce building housing.

“For example, the residential construction industry needs framers, who don’t have to be Red Seal carpenters to have very successful careers in the industry,” says Lee. “We need to revisit how we get those people trained, credentialed, and working. That’s a systemic issue we need to address.”

Lee further emphasizes the need for immigration reform. “In Canada, immigration works on a points system based on education and qualifications. At present, the people we need to bring in to build houses don’t score enough points in the current system, so they can’t immigrate to Canada, and this must be addressed.”

Another area of housing construction where there is enormous opportunity is factory-built construction. In 2017, CHBA launched its Modular Construction Council, which rightfully anticipated industry labour shortages and the need to increase productivity. While factory-built construction has its benefits—it’s faster, less labour-intensive, and reduces construction waste compared to traditional site-built methods—Lee says it’s part of the solution, but not a silver bullet. “Moving toward more factory-built construction is an important part of the future, but it’s not as simple as just switching over,” he says.

Among the barriers to scaling up, factory-built construction is often challenged by municipal building code interpretations, where the same house cannot be built twice across different municipalities, and sometimes even within the same municipality, depending on the interpretation of the individual building official. This is of course a huge barrier for site builders as well. “We really need to eliminate all those different interpretations and variances within cities,” Lee says. “We really need to get everything aligned. We can’t increase productivity when we are dealing with different rules [across or even within municipalities] like we are right now. Repetition is the key—to increase productivity, we need to be able to build the same units repeatedly—and right now, all the differences municipally make scaling up too difficult.”

CHBA’s Sector Transition Strategy well outlines the challenges preventing a widespread transition to factory-built construction and offers a multitude of actions governments can take to mitigate them and de-risk investments in these methods.

Come together
For sufficient housing to be built, all three levels of Canada’s government must be focused and aligned on the same strategies. “Should all these rules be aligned so we can scale? Absolutely!” says Lee. “We need to get everybody together to work on that—and it will have to come from all levels of government in coordinated fashion.”

In February, members of CHBA met with Members of Parliament in Ottawa for CHBA’s Day on the Hill. This saw CHBA delegates meet with 84 MPs about CHBA’s recommendations. One of the key issues was removing the GST on new homes, which, after extensive CHBA advocacy, finally came through in March for first-time buyers after nearly a year being stalled in Parliament, and was extended to all buyers for one year in Ontario through a joint deal with the federal government. Lee says it’s important that the GST relief be expanded to other provinces. Another was attacking regulatory red tape at the municipal level and being more flexible on zoning. For the construction of new housing to speed up, it is critical that these issues and others are addressed.

“We need to deal with taxes at all three levels of government,” says Lee. “The federal government needs to remove the GST for all buyers of new construction homes and renovations that create additional units of housing, like secondary suites and laneway housing in all provinces. For those provincial governments that have PST on new construction homes, they need to remove it. Municipalities also need to dramatically reduce their DCs and find better funding models, which CHBA is happy to see come through in Ontario. Those measures should help turn the market around in Canada’s most expensive regions as right now, the industry is seeing substantial layoffs, particularly in Ontario and British Columbia, which will permanently scar the industry in terms of workforce capacity moving forward. All three levels of government need to work together on issues like taxes, alternative funding models to DCs, more rapid approvals, and being smart with the building code and not too intrusive. This industry needs support to turn the market around. We simply can’t double housing starts with so many policy barriers in the way,” he says.

“There is a lot of systemic, three-level collaboration that could happen to help move things along.” These kinds of improvements, CHBA believes, can’t come soon enough.

The post Homes Over Headlines: Addressing the Housing Crisis<p class="company">Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) </p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Returning home after the Second World War, the young Marvin was eager to launch his own business, which he named Bloomsdale after the small Missouri town in which it was based. Soon joined by his brother Ralph, the two grew the fledgling enterprise from excavating and delivering gravel to farmers to larger infrastructure projects, like installing public water supplies and sewage systems.

To keep up with the workload, the brothers hired staff and invested in bigger pieces of machinery. A few years later, Marvin’s six sons joined the business, and the rest is history.

Employee ownership
Family-owned for decades, Bloomsdale Excavating wrote the next chapter of its story in September 2024 when it announced that the company was to become 100 percent employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Staff now have ownership interest in the company, a qualified retirement plan, and other benefits. Heptacore Inc.—a Drury family holding company providing excavation and foundation work—and subsidiary companies Bloomsdale Excavating Co., Central Fleet Inc., and Nexus Construction Service Group LLC, are all now ESOPs.

“This transition ensures that our dedicated team members, who have been the heart and soul of our success, are now also owners,” said the company in a LinkedIn post. “We’re proud to continue our legacy of excellence, commitment to our communities, and strong company culture—now with the added pride of employee ownership.”

When Bloomsdale made the transition into an ESOP, it also restructured its top executive positions, and Daniel Latham moved into the President – Integrator role, becoming the first non-family member at the helm. As Latham says, “Stepping into the role as the first non-family president of Bloomsdale Excavating Company and being trusted to continue an 80-year legacy is both an honor and a responsibility I take very seriously. As President, I’m committed to preserving the culture and values that built this company while continuing to strengthen our brand for the next generation. Our recent transition to an ESOP reflects that commitment by putting ownership in the hands of the people who make our success possible every day. It’s an exciting time as we honor our history while building a future rooted in shared pride, accountability, and long-term growth.”

Although the ESOP transition is new, Bloomsdale Excavating and its staff, including outside board members who contribute a different, high-level perspective, are already seeing benefits.

“The biggest impact it’s had on the business is the employee owners,” says Sales and Marketing Manager, Trevor Drury (fourth generation of the Drury family). “43 employees now own 100 percent of the company. There’s a lot more accountability in the office and out in the field. Everybody has really taken ownership of the responsibility of being an owner. Morale and efficiency have increased. There has been no negative impact in becoming an ESOP. It’s been a very positive experience up to this point.”

Some factors behind the move to ESOP included succession and buying out the company’s second generation, which was years in the making. The ESOP option became the most attractive and made the most sense. “It was about a year-long process, and we all came to terms with it,” says CEO, Scott Drury. “It surprised the heck out of our employees—we kept it quiet for about a year. We signed it over and rolled it out as a surprise.”

The Employee Stock Ownership Plan has brought a spirit of growth and has energized the entire company to get moving.

A range of projects
One of America’s foremost excavating companies, Bloomsdale’s services encompass site utilities, concrete, mining, demolition, and excavating and grading. Highly experienced, the team will take on everything from a small, $200,000 side project to data centers in the $70 to $80 million range that take 18 months to two years to complete—and any project in between. The company also does a select amount of residential work.

Markets served range from commercial (retail, healthcare, distribution centers) to mining and quarrying, energy projects, public works (municipal, transportation, recreation, education), and other projects, including federal works.

A long-time federal contractor, Bloomsdale took on small business status based on revenue, a move that has opened up plenty of opportunities for the company as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Small Business Contractor. The company’s primary Corps Districts include St. Louis, Kansas City, Memphis, Little Rock, Rock Island, and Omaha.

The company’s many projects include the Greenville Bank Stabilization, Ste. Genevieve Levee Flood Recovery, Levee Repairs, Grand Tower, and many others. The company’s federal work includes projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Along with many community and industry affiliations, including the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), the Associated General Contractors of Missouri, and the Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA), Bloomsdale holds several designations. These include three Small Business designations for Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237310, 237990, 237110), and designations for Specialty Trade Contracting (238110, 238910).

Focus on the military
“Our focus is really the Army Corps of Engineers and military base work,” says CEO, Scott Drury. Continuing to take on VA projects, the company is also seeing more opportunities with the EPA and has taken on work with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Among the company’s many VA projects is Jefferson Barracks Cemetery Expansion Phase 5C in St. Louis, Missouri. As a subcontractor, Bloomsdale worked closely with general contractor RKE. This saw the company provide a breadth of services, including site excavation and grading, concrete paving, curb and gutter, installing storm sewers, and 2,000 feet of new roadway. “Crypt field excavation and backfill could be performed one crypt at a time,” says the company. “Once each crypt field was mass excavated, an extensive underdrain system was constructed. With the soil being excavated, Bloomsdale was to haul that material offsite and did so with little to no disruption to the Government or the public.”

Along with the Jefferson Barracks Cemetery Expansion, another large-scale government project is the Fort Leonard Wood Hospital in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. This project saw Bloomsdale handle site grading, clearing and grubbing, erosion control, and utility extensions. This sizeable undertaking required the successful excavation of 320,000 cubic yards of earth and rock and the installation of 4,900 feet of water main and service lines, 6,000 feet of sanitary sewers, and 7,700 feet of storm sewers. This project also had a sizeable concrete package where Bloomsdale self-performed 58,000 square feet of sidewalk, 11,000 linear feet of curb and gutter, and 110,000 square feet of concrete pavement.

Steeped in safety
From government works to commercial projects, all of the company’s work has one thing in common: Bloomsdale’s commitment to employee safety, health, and wellness. For the company, the goal isn’t to reduce injuries, but to eliminate them. “Our safety plan is top-notch,” says Scott of the company, which has its own safety personnel (including a full-time Safety Director) and safety monitors in the field. Different people are appointed as safety monitors week-to-week, and this results in more tradespeople being directly involved in safe work protocols.

Bloomsdale Excavating is frequently recognized for its work by its customers, the community, and the broader industry. In 2025, the company secured a spot in the ‘Top Workplaces, small’ category by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That’s a local award that companies strive for that reflects our culture and happiness in the workplace,” says Scott. “We received that award the past two years, hopefully three going on this year.”

80 great years
While the company appreciates recognition, one of its greatest rewards is continuing the work of founder Marvin Drury. Forming an 80^th anniversary committee, the company created a special logo, which it is using on documents being sent out, proposals, internally, and on social media posts.

The team will mark the monumental occasion internally for staff members and their families in July with a big carnival-style celebration, including bounce houses, inflatable slides, a live band, and “a heavy equipment rodeo, as we call it,” says Trevor. “This is where kids, teenagers, and even adults can hop on some smaller equipment, run them, and play some mini-games, like getting a basketball from a cone into a trashcan with the bucket of an excavator.” The company expects up to 500 people will attend the event. Bloomsdale will also throw a three-hour-long customer and vendor/supplier appreciation event in April with giveaways and the opportunity to thank others for their commitment to the company.

As Bloomsdale Excavating turns 80, the team looks forward to what the future will bring, including further diversification of its services, adding more equipment, and possibly even geographic expansion, “all to support good, solid, profitable growth, wherever that leads us,” says Scott. “We are definitely looking at diversification of services and geographic expansion into different areas.”

The post Breaking New Ground at 80<p class="company">Bloomsdale Excavating</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Headquartered in Smyrna, a town in Tennessee’s Rutherford County, Dow Smith Company is a design-build firm specializing in church, healthcare, and commercial construction. Decades of experience have taught the company that not all project types are handled the same way. There are, in fact, many differences between commercial and church projects, says Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Loyal.

Many voices
Working with the CEO of a business on a construction project isn’t the same as dealing with churches, where groups of stakeholders are involved. Some church committees are healthily focused on common goals, while others aren’t necessarily the best decision-makers. “You’re hearing different voices when you talk to a church, and you’ve got to know which voice to pay attention to,” says Loyal. “Sometimes it’s the pastor, and sometimes it’s not the pastor.”

To ensure church projects run smoothly, the Dow Smith team brings together leaders and other key decision-makers for a Three-Day Design Charrette with its design-build specialists. During these sessions, all project details are discussed, from design concepts to budgeting, blueprints, and church construction. “The goal is to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, all concerns are addressed, and the final plan reflects the unique needs and aspirations of your congregation,” writes Loyal in Want to Build a Church? First, You Must Build a Consensus, a company blog post.

A vital first step, the design charrette allows multiple voices to be heard. As Loyal says, this is the time to align everyone’s vision and goals. It builds trust and confidence, reduces stress and disruption, and saves time and money.

In addition, church projects move slowly compared to commercial projects, and the language is different. “It’s a different lingo, a different mentality, and it’s a different mission,” says Loyal. “A good church knows it has to follow all the basics of a healthy business organization, but they have something else of concern: how can we take care of our people, our flock? It’s tough to balance both of those, but a good church has to figure that out. They have to conduct healthy business and take care of people.”

To streamline church construction as much as possible, Dow Smith Company dedicates an entire section of its website to Church Construction, alongside blog posts such as Building for Tomorrow: Key Considerations for Church Congregations. “In three days, we can do what takes other church design firms three months, sometimes six months,” says Loyal.

More than building
Construction, says Loyal, is probably the easiest part of church-building. Unlike commercial or healthcare jobs, churches face other hurdles, like getting approvals and financing the project. Building for Tomorrow discusses not only building the structure, but other vital elements in today’s churches, including secure childcare facilities, flexible multi-purpose spaces, new technology, and state-of-the-art integrated audio-visual systems.

“The interior design and décor are just as important as the design of the building itself,” Loyal explains. “It’s like icing on the cake; you can have a great cake, but if you don’t have any icing, or bad icing, it’s not a good cake experience. So we get involved in the pews—that’s the core, and we are part of that. The security in a church is very important, as is the AV system. The AV person needs to be on board day one of the design. Quite often, a church will bring in the AV person when the job’s almost complete, and it’s the little things like that that you need to be aware of for a successful church project. The earlier we can get AV people involved, the better. That’s such a big part of churches now.”

Church designs, like Dow Smith Company’s many other design-build projects, vary widely. Some, such as the LifePoint Church Stewarts Creek, have a more traditional façade, while others—such as the recently renovated lobby and restroom interior of the LifePoint Church Smyrna—incorporate sleek, high-end epoxy floors and polished concrete.

Humble beginnings
Another way the company keeps its clients informed is through its website, dowsmith.com, and the popular From the Ground Up Podcast. Launched in 2021, From the Ground Up features fascinating guests and valuable information on the design-build business and projects the company is working on. The first episode, “Starting a Business in a Little Red Truck,” discusses founder and visionary Dow Smith’s start in construction.

“I discovered my love of driving nails working with my dad and building decks,” he shares. Starting off studying engineering at Auburn University, Smith soon realized it wasn’t for him and switched to courses on building science, which helped him immensely with hands-on commercial construction training.

Doing residential jobs with his father, Smith recognized he needed to discover his own path. A friend, Frank Crosslin Jr., told him of a job happening at the Smyrna Airport in 1992. Dow landed the project and hasn’t looked back since.

“Commercial construction was my calling,” says Smith, whose first office was his red Chevy truck. This led him to another job in an office building and to setting up an office of his own in the same building—essentially a one-to-three person operation to start.

A strong mission and core values
With a purpose to serve and a mission to serve Christ, and with core values that include “passion, caring, hustle, and detail,” Dow Smith Company is unlike other general contractors. The company is a Certified Best Christian-Owned Business by the Best Christian Workplace Institute (BCWI), and a member of C12. Designed for Christian CEOs and executives, the C12 format helps the business with a framework, and to align—on its signature five-point alignment matrix—revenue generation, operations management, financial management, organizational development, and ministry in and through the business.

Today, Dow Smith Company’s culture of service, streamlined processes, and transparent communication remain instrumental to its success after more than 30 years in business. These values can also be seen in the company’s subcontractors.

Taking on projects in Middle Tennessee and marketing specifically to Rutherford County, the company is experiencing growth in healthcare and commercial work, owing mainly to population growth in the area. “Our work follows rooftops, and there is a trend to that,” says Loyal. “Church-building is a unique sector.”

As a design-build firm, Dow Smith Company handles everything, including design. Whether it’s church, healthcare, or commercial, we are your one call, and we will take care of everything,” says Loyal. “As soon as you can write your idea down on the back of a napkin, that’s the right time to call us.”

Building community
A big believer in giving back, Dow Smith Company is proud to be a part of worthy organizations in its community, and of supporting its local schools. In late February, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce celebrated Smith as Businessperson of the Year. “That’s a huge community honor for us, and a great honor for him, and something he shares with the whole company,” says Loyal. “It’s not a company award, but Dow will treat it as a company award. Dow believes in growing where you plant, and we are in a thriving community and a thriving geographic area. We are blessed to be right here, and as this community grows, we’ll grow right alongside it.”

Treating its employees very well, the company enjoys a low turnover rate. Some employees have been with the company for 25 years, unusual for the construction industry, and much of the reason comes down to respect.

“When people start here, they stay and grow here,” says Loyal. “A big part of that is our commitment to what we call people development. We actually have a couple of people on staff whose entire job is people development. They help our employees set personal and professional goals and work with them to grow—not just in their careers, but in their lives. That’s a big commitment we have—to help people grow.”

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The advantages of design-build
To date, ARCO has been behind the completion of more than a million square feet of warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing space across the U.S. Known for its tagline, “We build the facilities that keep America going,” ARCO’s well-honed design-build approach makes life easier for clients seeking all types of construction projects. Specializing in light industrial distribution, manufacturing, and cold storage warehouse work, the company is also active in myriad other project areas, including aviation, commercial, e-commerce, life sciences, mission-critical, multi-family, and self-storage.

For projects of all types and sizes, the highly skilled team at ARCO uses its expertise to ensure every job runs smoothly, from inception to completion and handover. Repeat customers know the inherent value of working with ARCO, and new clients are delighted to discover just how smoothly the company’s design-build approach works.

Unlike having to deal with multiple contractors, the design-build strategy bears countless advantages. When you deal with ARCO, you are working with the best. One firm handling design and construction means a streamlined approach to projects. This makes for a single contract and one clear, well-defined, surprise-free budget. There is also a greater degree of accountability since ARCO oversees construction from start to finish. And enhanced communication with a single entity means fewer, if any, changes being required.

If any modifications are needed, they can be discussed in real time, making for greater openness and flexibility. When clients work with just one construction company, project turnaround times are usually faster, which can result in significant cost savings for customers. “ARCO’s turnkey approach provides our customers a direct relationship with one company versus multiple organizations,” states the company at arcodb.com. “This streamlines the process, expedites schedule and reduces client risk.”

#1 in the U.S.A.
In recognition of this expertise, ARCO Design/Build has won a number of awards for its exemplary work over the years. This includes being ranked as the #1 domestic builder of Distribution Centers and Warehouses in the United States by Engineering News-Record (ENR). In 2024, ARCO made #4 on ENR’s list of Top 20 Design-Build firms. Initially appearing on its Top Design-Build list in 2006 at #79, the company’s impressive growth saw it achieve more than $6.5 billion USD in revenue in 2023. “This impressive growth underscores ARCO’s commitment to excellence and solidifies its position as one of ENR’s largest design-build firms,” stated the company in a 2024 news release.

That same year, ARCO possessed a significant portfolio including more than 5,500 design-build projects. And in 2024, ARCO ranked on several of ENR’s other leaderboards. These include #17 on the Top 400 Contractors List, #4 in Top 50 Domestic Building/Manufacturing Revenue, and #50 in Top 50 Contractors Working Abroad.

This industry recognition not only demonstrates the firm’s commitment to the broader construction industry but its ongoing allegiance to quality and innovation. Said the company: “These accomplishments reflect the dedication and expertise of ARCO’s team. ARCO’s approach to the design-build methodology sets it apart as an industry leader, focusing on providing comprehensive solutions that meet and exceed client expectations. As ARCO continues to grow and expand its footprint, the company remains committed to maintaining its high standards of quality and innovation. The recognition by ENR is a testament to ARCO’s relentless pursuit of excellence and its ability to deliver outstanding results.”

A range of projects
As a premier design-build firm with multiple locations nationwide, ARCO takes on a range of diverse projects. Some of the company’s recent efforts include Millworks Molina Healthcare and The Press Telegram Building, both in Long Beach, California. The self-storage sector in particular is growing, and in May 2025, ARCO announced a dedicated self-storage division to meet the rising demand.

“The dedicated team focuses on delivering comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique needs of self-storage developers,” stated the company in a media release. “With over 300 completed facilities nationwide totaling more than 30 million square feet, ARCO has long been a trusted partner in this rapidly growing sector.”

For the company and its clients, the new division couldn’t have come at a better time, as Research and Markets reports that demand for self-storage facilities is booming across America. According to a 2024 report, the U.S. self-storage market is showing considerable growth. In 2022, the market size was $44.20 million USD, and it is projected to hit a staggering $67.02 million USD by 2030, with a forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3 percent.

“This division represents the formalization of our proven capabilities rather than a new venture,” said ARCO President Eric Thompson in a release. “Through our team’s experience delivering hundreds of successful self-storage projects nationwide, we’ve developed specialized knowledge that our clients value. They consistently seek partners who understand both the technical construction aspects and the business-specific requirements of self-storage development.”

Along with the dedicated self-storage division, 2025 saw the company celebrate the grand opening of its new office space in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The new office is at 7 Radcliffe St., Suite 200, and at 6,000 square feet, it encompasses the entire second floor of the building in the heart of the city’s business district. “Our expansion into downtown Charleston represents a strategic investment in a market that is integral to our Southeast regional growth,” added Thompson, responsible for overseeing ARCO’s operations in Charleston, Charlotte, and Greenville. “The port’s connectivity to major industrial highways creates unique development opportunities. The talented Charleston workforce has been instrumental in serving our diverse client base across multiple sectors, which remains a cornerstone of ARCO’s business.”

Indeed, with its many locations and decades of combined experience, ARCO Design/Build is much more than a vendor, “but a dedicated partner committed to your company’s success,” states the company. “ARCO DB delivers the strength, resources, and expertise of an award-winning national design-build company, combined with the responsive, personalized service you’d expect from your local construction firm.”

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For Jenkins Restorations, restoring a home or commercial property is just one part of the business. The other side is navigating raw emotions, as owners have to deal with not only damage but also the loss of family heirlooms, photos, documents, clothing, and other belongings. And while no one company can bring those items back, a good team can reassure customers everything will get better.

“We are out helping at the point of loss, particularly larger losses, where there is hurricane or fire damage,” explains Chief Executive Officer Andrew Fetterolf. Owners of devastated properties are often overwhelmed, trying to figure out their next move, and dealing with the reality of the situation including security concerns to ensure no one enters and is injured. In that case, Jenkins secures the property and protects it from further damage. “While security is often the immediate task, talking the owner through the next steps in the process is often the way we can really help,” says Fetterolf.

More than renovations
When Russ Jenkins, Jr. and sons Warren and Russ Jenkins, III founded the company in 1975, it became apparent employees not only needed to be skilled tradespeople, but possess other qualities, including empathy and a genuine belief in helping others in challenging times. An architect and Navy veteran, Russ started in the design-build field, taking on church construction and school rehabilitation in the Washington, DC area. In a short time, the company became known for its outstanding work, buoyed by compassion for others.

As fate would have it, Fetterolf also had a military background. After seven years of service in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer, including in the first Gulf War, he had the desire to start his own construction company. During a mission trip to Honduras, he met and befriended Warren Jenkins. This led to his joining the company in 2002 as a Project Manager, handling large losses in the DC area. And as the team likes to say, “We live our values every day and are looking for others who are excellent at what they do and also have hearts of a servant.” This mindset is integral to the company’s mission and values.

“There’s a lot of emotion that goes into what we do,” says Fetterolf. Unlike typical additions or new builds budgeted and planned far in advance, there is no emotional preparedness for property owners dealing with sudden disaster. “With insurance-related loss, what was fine the day before has suddenly, totally changed, whether it’s soaking wet or burnt. Now you’ve got to deal with your emotions, that nothing is the same as it was just a few hours before. You’re wondering what’s going on, and part of our job is to help with that emotional transference and getting people to the point where they can see things will be alright. We are there to help them do that. We’ve done this before, and we can help them navigate what it is going to look like for them.”

Building relationships
Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, Jenkins Restorations are experts in reconstruction and repairing properties damaged by wind, water, fire, and even burglary and vandalism. Realizing emergency situations never take a break, the company provides 24/7 emergency residential and commercial services via strategic locations in two dozen locations nationwide.

In business for 50 years, the company is well-known, respected, and trusted, earning plenty of word-of-mouth business. Sometimes, the company seeks clients; other times, insurance companies refer clients to Jenkins. The company works with all well-known carriers, small and large. “This is really a relationship industry, and people need to know there’s somebody they can trust who has been there before,” says Fetterolf.

Indeed, much of Jenkins’ success comes not only from hiring experienced people, but by attracting staff members with strong emotional intelligence, empathy, and shared values. This includes a can-do attitude, which is critical when dealing with customers in need. “Losing your home and all the things inside that you cherish is very stressful,” emphasizes Fetterolf. “Even though we’ve been doing this for years, you’ve got to approach each job as if it’s the first one. For the people experiencing it, it typically is their first—and hopefully it will be the last.”

Some situations require not only extra-special care, but sensitivity. The Jenkins Environmental Services Group often deals with cases where someone has passed away, with crew members arriving on site as the fire company is leaving. “That’s a very challenging time, and there are high emotions with that, and we treat it with kid gloves,” he says. “And I—as the CEO—and our managers have to be sensitive to our people who were going out there to deal with that, because it can really take a toll on you. But if you approach it the right way, it means there is somebody there who can help the people in need and start them in the process. Even though we can’t always restore the sentimental value of what they have lost, we can let them know there’s a path forward.”

Recently, the company was on scene where someone took their own life. The Jenkins team member hugged the parents and even prayed with them. “To be able to do that and help people in that way when they are in that time of need—the first thought wasn’t to get in there and clean it up. [There’s a mindset of] ‘we’ll get this taken care of, but what can we do to help you? There’s nothing we can really do to fix this, but we feel for you.’”

Along with its Environmental Services Group, Jenkins has an experienced National Response Team working across much of America. One of the company’s recent efforts was sending response crews to Asheville to deal with hurricane aftermath. “That was a really tough time for people there, and we were able to come in and get places cleaned up and ready to be rebuilt at a rapid manner,” Fetterolf shares.

Valuing clients and staff alike, Jenkins Restorations is working toward a 100 percent Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Unique for a company its size, this will see Jenkins staff (a team of about 370) have ownership stake in the company. This way, its many project managers, managing subcontractors, environmental workers, water mitigation specialists, and other team members will further their own future success and that of the business.

Facing challenges
Over the past half-century, Jenkins has worked on restoration and renovation projects of all sizes, from $2,000 in value to $20 million or more. Fetterolf uses the example of a child stuffing a ball into a toilet, causing a flood. “Now the wet drywall in your kitchen is all over the countertops,” he says. “That’s kind of small to us, but it’s not small to you, because it just totally disrupted everything. So it could be something as small as that up to entire homes or businesses. Sometimes it’s the structure that brings challenges; other times, it’s the people that bring challenges.”

Taking on thousands of restoration and renovation projects, Fetterolf says one of the most unusual was when the company received a referral call from a custom builder who said, “Call Jenkins” about a house near historic Middleburg, Virginia. The home was truly unusual. Originally built as a one-room stone cabin in the 1700s, the house saw additions in the 1800s, 1900s, and the 2000s.

“When you think of it, there was basically 400 years of building there,” he says. A fire in the 2000s impacted the whole structure and required Jenkins to work with hundreds of years of history, including stone walls two and a half feet thick, old rough cut lumber, new wood, lots of handmade recessed panels, and more. “It was a lot of fun, a challenging and rewarding thing to put back together,” Fetterolf says. To ensure authenticity, the company brought in specialists in historic structures. The entire process took about 12 months from the point of loss to completion.

Now, as the company welcomes the next chapter of its history, Jenkins Restorations plans to keep doing what it does best: assisting others in times of need. “There are plenty of opportunities in this industry; this is a multi-billion dollar industry,” says Fetterolf. “People are always in need of help. We like to say that if you have to call your insurance company, we hope we are the next call. So there is plenty of opportunity here, and us getting to 100 percent ESOP and giving back to our great employees who have helped us build this company, is really where we want to be.”

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Concrete is incredibly durable, and holds many advantages over other building products, starting with how it is made. Delivered in a plastic state, concrete can be molded to practically any shape, from simple, straight sections to massive, molded blocks or elaborate curves. Concrete’s ability to be coloured, painted, or textured makes it ideal for everything from sidewalks to skyscrapers to bridges. Much more fire- and noise-resistant than wood, concrete is also ‘forgiving’ and can be mixed with industrial waste materials like slag and ground-up tires that would otherwise end up in landfill. And even after a building has outlived its lifespan and is demolished, concrete is pulverized and reused to make aggregate for future projects.

Unlike wood, concrete requires little maintenance. High thermal mass properties mean concrete structures absorb heat during the day and release it at night, reducing heating and cooling expenses. And unlike wood, concrete can withstand animal and insect infestations, and stands up better to high winds, floods, and fires.

Concrete keeps evolving, becoming stronger, longer-lasting, and more environmentally friendly. Of course, no building material is perfect. Cast-in-place concrete projects in particular—especially large-scale works like dams and bridges—necessitate years of experience and high upfront costs. As a less expensive option, some builders are opting for precast concrete.

Commonly used to create road barriers, walls, and even entire structures, precast concrete is popular for many reasons. Since sections are factory-made in molds, they are uniform in size, shape, strength, and weight. Unlike concrete molded on site, precast is already cured; it does, however, require transportation to job sites, and experience in setting sections precisely in place.

Along with strength, versatility remains one of concrete’s greatest assets. New concrete products and methods of application are often introduced to the construction industry, from 3D-printed concrete to self-healing concrete.

A bold new way of using the material, 3D-printed concrete (c3Dp or 3DCP) is used to create everything from housing to multi-storey buildings and street furniture. Fast and versatile, the technology has actually been around for a long time. Created by inventor William Urschel, the first 3D-printed concrete structure was unveiled in Indiana in 1939.

Today, 3D printing incorporates robotics, computer-aided design (CAD), digital models, and automation to pump concrete resembling soft-serve ice cream into simple and complex shapes. Buildings are created layer-by-layer; unlike subtractive technology, where layers of material are removed, additive technology like 3D printing results in far less waste, making it cost-effective and capable of producing unique shapes. And such structures can be created quickly. In recent years, the technology has expanded beyond 3D concrete printed houses to include fountains and even bridges, such as IAAC’s 3D Printed Bridge, the world’s first 3D-printed concrete pedestrian bridge, located in the urban park of Castilla-La Mancha in Alcobendas, Madrid.

Recent years have welcomed not only faster and less labour-intensive applications but also stronger and more sustainable concrete, such as lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC). Originating from natural materials such as volcanic pumice, clay, and shale, or industrial by-products like fly ash, LWAC has been around for more than a century but is now becoming popular for bridges, piers, high-rise buildings, and other purposes where weight is a key consideration. For additional strength, LWAC is sometimes used with glass fibre-reinforced polymer rebar, or GFRP. Unlike regular rebar, GFRP is more resistant to corrosion, and ideal for marine structures.

Along with lighter concrete, other innovative advances are making builders take notice, like Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). Comprising about 80 percent regular concrete, UHPC is mixed with fibres, some having the strength of polyester or stainless steel. The result: extremely durable concrete requiring far less maintenance, and with a much longer lifespan than its traditional counterpart. First used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about 40 years ago, UHPC is increasingly used for precast concrete piles, seismic bridge retrofits, and pre-stressed girders and precast bridge deck waffle panels. As a further testament to its popularity, the global market for UHPC is booming, with an estimated Compound Annual Growth Gate (CAGR) of 8.3 percent from 2019 to 2024.

Not to be outdone, another popular product is self-healing concrete (SHC). Regular concrete is prone to surface cracks and bends after it is poured, and ancient Romans first noticed that adding limestone-producing bacteria to the mix helped bind mortar and aggregates.

About 20 years ago, Prof. dr. H.M. (Henk) Jonkers, a Dutch microbiologist, developed a modern self-healing concrete. What sets today’s SHC apart from other self-healing concrete is the type of bacteria species used, specifically Bacillus pseudofirmus and B. cohnii. These species consume oxygen, which prevents air from entering concrete and corroding rebar. Able to last hundreds of years, SHC is well-suited for structures that are costly to repair and need to be long-lasting, such as bridges and tunnels. For its many advantages, there are a few drawbacks to SHC; the bacteria will not thrive in all environments, specialized labour is needed, and the price of SHC is about double that of conventional concrete.

Other recent innovations include translucent concrete such as LiTraCon, developed in 2001 by Hungarian architect Áron Losonczi working with scientists at the Technical University of Budapest. Based on nano-optics, or nanophotonics, light is transmitted via optical fibers from one side of a surface to the other side. The thinner the concrete, the more light is transmitted. Instead of concrete appearing heavy and imposing, such concrete takes on a translucent, glowing quality.

Light-emitting cement, meanwhile, is a phosphorescent cement that can be used to illuminate highways, bike paths, and buildings without the use of electricity, developed by Dr. José Carlos Rubio Ávalos, a researcher at the University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo in Mexico. The product contains light-emitting ‘glow in the dark’ pigments and, when mixed with traditional cement, sand, gravel, and water, is poured into molds and cured. Buildings, roads, or structures made with this cement absorb solar energy during the day and emit it during the night for around 12 hours.

As the concrete industry continues to innovate, new developments can be explored and shared at one of its biggest forums, the World of Concrete (WOC) expo, the sector’s only annual international event focused on the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. The next instalment of WOC will take place January 20^th to 22^nd in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the educational portion starting on January 19^th. With educational programs, interactive workshops, hands-on training, and plenty of exhibitors, attendees can enjoy product categories on everything from aggregates, cement plants, and coatings to drones, finishing tools, equipment, and much more.

An ancient material, concrete is nonetheless far from static. From 3D printing and self-healing formulations to translucent and light-emitting varieties, each new development takes the industry further and addresses unique challenges or needs. What began as a simple mix of cement, water, and aggregates has evolved into one of the most dynamic materials shaping our built environment. With ongoing research and events like World of Concrete driving collaboration and discovery, the future of construction isn’t just built on concrete—it’s being reimagined by it.

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While living on Hawaii’s Island of Maui in the 1990s, David Sands, President and Founder of Bamboo Living, built a house for himself. When the lumber was delivered, he looked at the massive amount of wood and thought, ‘This is not a good thing; the guy cut down a whole forest.’ Realizing there had to be a better, more sustainable option to Douglas Fir and other tree species that take decades to grow before they are mature enough to be harvested, he immersed himself in researching bamboo.

Sands soon realized bamboo’s many advantages over traditional building materials like wood, brick, concrete, and even steel. Growing primarily in tropical and subtropical areas, bamboo is abundant in southeastern Asia. Fast-growing and sustainable, it can reach 164 feet in height with a base diameter of 12 inches. Lightweight yet incredibly strong, pound-for-pound, bamboo is a clear winner, used to build everything from small backyard sheds to massive homes. And, along with its versatility, beauty, and sustainability, bamboo is famous for its efficiency as a carbon sequestration and storage system; it can store carbon for up to 150 years.

One of the world’s most versatile materials, bamboo can be used to make countless products—inside the home it is transformed into utensils, kitchenware, decorative items, and as a replacement for hardwood flooring. Bamboo fibers are made into fabric which is then used to manufacture t-shirts, socks, underwear, and bed linen.

“I was trying to find an alternative, and that’s when I started the company Bamboo Living in 1995,” Sands tells us. One of his early projects was the creation of a community house made from bamboo. Growing quickly, the company soon became the world’s first certified and International Code Council (ICC) compliant, permit-ready business for bamboo buildings and home furnishings.

Along with Bamboo Living, Sands is behind sister company Rizome, which manufactures clear, defect-free, engineered bamboo lumber boards, veneers, and panels of various thicknesses and lengths. Just as versatile as wood, these bamboo products are durable and fire-resistant, and can be painted or stained to complement any décor.

Since its founding, Bamboo Living has proudly crafted hundreds of stunning bamboo homes and buildings for clients around the globe, and offers a plethora of available home designs, including the Zen Series, the Ohana Series, the Celestial Series, and many more.

On the smaller side of things, Bamboo Living is behind the construction of 10’ x 12’ sheds, garages, and other spaces used for storage, backyard offices, or accessory dwelling units (ADUs). On the larger end, “We are in progress with the two biggest projects we have ever done, and we’re really looking at creating projects that showcase the material in the biggest way possible,” says Sands. One of the company’s current works is a home of around 10,000 square feet in Hawaii.

Although bamboo grows mainly in the heat of the tropics, Bamboo Living can build anywhere; in fact, the company recently had an inquiry about a ski chalet in Alaska. To date, some of the firm’s clients include Sammy Hagar, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress Barbara Hershey, producer Jim Gordon, and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. “Those projects really helped us get exposure for what we are doing, and for others to really see bamboo as an aspirational material, because that’s an important piece,” says Sands. “There are climate benefits, and it makes beautiful structures.”

These climate benefits are considerable; according to the UN Environment Programme, the building and construction sector is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible for 37 percent of global emissions. Traditional building materials like concrete, brick, steel, and wood are labor-intensive to manufacture and install, extremely heavy, and costly to transport to building sites. By comparison, bamboo is much lighter and doesn’t need as many vital resources to produce.

Bamboo is Sands’ passion, and “being able to use alternative materials is an important piece of the puzzle,” he says. As public awareness of the need for reducing greenhouse gases increases, he says it is easier today to persuade people to make the move to bamboo than it was 30 years ago.

A lifelong learner and big believer in educating others, Sands often discusses the countless benefits of bamboo as a keynote speaker to audiences around the world. This includes the Asian Development Bank, which operates to encourage economic and social development and to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific. Sands says there is a big push toward mass timber, which stores carbon on site in the wood. However, the World Bank, which has the mission “to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet,” has projected that the demand for mass timber—if it stays on its current trajectory—will outstrip the global wood supply two to four times by 2055. “So we need other solutions, and bamboo, being the fastest-growing woody plant, is an alternative,” says Sands.

Working with Indigenous partners, Sands has recently taken on one of the company’s most significant projects: ensuring future supply through planting fields of bamboo. Soon, 12,000 acres will be planted in The Philippines, with plans to plant another 12,000. The company has also done some test planting in Florida and is eyeing planting some 500 acres in Hawaii. “There is existing, mature bamboo here in Hawaii, so that can be the feedstock to start,” he says, “but getting the first acreage planted and the pilot mill in place would be great.”

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, forest regeneration was practically non-existent in The Philippines. Large-scale logging deforested massive tracts of land of their native hardwood and bamboo, which weren’t replanted. As a result, many of these areas stopped regenerating, and invasive grass took over.

“Giant bamboos are native in The Philippines, and huge areas were deforested, So we are working with Indigenous communities, who have finally gotten title to their ancestral lands, and helping them reinforce their homelands,” Sands explains. “That has had a major impact socially as well. Basically, we are able—through current credit funding—to give those plants, pay them to plant the plants on their land, maintain the plants, and create an agreement on when the bamboo matures, so it ends up being multi-generational income for the communities. The plants can live 100 years, and they become a real asset for the community as well. So we are really working to help that along.”

Results of the initial planting have been spectacular. “When you put bamboo into an agricultural setting, we’ve seen as much as 35-foot tall plants in 15 months, so that’s pretty incredible,” Sands says, adding that there is also a group looking to plant 100,000 hectares over the next few years.

Sands has always shared his knowledge about bamboo and its many benefits, and over the years, has been awarded for his groundbreaking work. Last year, Rizome and Sands were honored with the 2024 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). Presented by the U.S. Department of State, Rizome was one of just six recipients chosen for the prestigious award in the Climate Resilience category.

“This accolade highlights Rizome’s groundbreaking efforts in the construction industry, where they are leading the way in using engineered bamboo as a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials like wood, steel, and concrete,” says the company. “Not only is this innovative material a game-changer for eco-friendly construction, but it also plays a pivotal role in reforesting areas devastated by irresponsible agricultural practices.”

The ACE award, presented for the 25^th time, is a symbol of excellence for American companies making a positive impact on the world. During his acceptance speech, Sands’ stated: “It’s no longer business as usual; it’s business as a climate solution and community upliftment, and that’s everybody’s business.” The company was also a runner-up for the XPRIZE Carbon Removal award.

In the coming years, Sands envisions bamboo becoming one of the world’s top building materials, and he himself is tireless in working toward growing the market for this environmentally beneficial, sustainable product, for the benefit of all. “We are really actively working toward that first quarter million acres.”

The post Smart and Sustainable: The Strength, Value, and Beauty of Bamboo<p class="company">Bamboo Living and Rizome Bamboo</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Led by company President Geoff Milnes, Progressive Real Estate is unlike others in the city’s growing real estate sector. Instead of working in just one segment of the industry, Progressive operates as a developer, general contractor, and property manager. By providing all these services with the utmost professionalism, Progressive creates high-quality multi-family apartment units, commercial spaces, and recently, sizable standalone bungalows catering to clients who want to age in place.

Winnipeg: city on the grow
In the past year alone, the Progressive Real Estate team has increased from 17 to 25 individuals, much of this growth owing to additional work on the development side of the business. A believer in strong yet sensible growth, Milnes welcomes new employees as demand for Progressive’s services increases. “We went full steam ahead into 2025,” he says. “We had a great 2024, but I knew 2025 was going to be great.”

The company has come a long way since it was founded 15 years ago. Prior to launching Progressive Real Estate, Milnes served as a General Manager at Student Works West, and later Business Manager at Acklands-Grainger, where he handled several high-profile clients. By buying, renovating, and selling houses, he kept building his knowledge of the housing market, in time becoming owner and co-founder of InsideOut Painting. A born entrepreneur, one of his goals is “to make Winnipeg a better place to live for generations to come.”

To date, Progressive Real Estate has completed 18 developments featuring 595 units, with another 15 developments in the pipeline representing over 650 new residential units. Much of the company’s success comes from Progressive’s early adoption of a “one-stop solution approach.” When the company first got into developing, other developers were building condos—which was a great way to start, since companies created the buildings, sold them, recapitalized, and repeated the process. However, this method has its limitations.

“It builds up the war chest for apartments you are ultimately going to keep,” Milnes explains, “but our strategy has been different from day one. We’ve really been focused on purpose-built rentals and have only built a handful of condos during our 15 years. Over time, we have really refined our system, which is quite amazing. We build an excellent product for a good value.” This means high-quality materials inside and out, including unique exterior elements such as custom lighting themes.

“We truly believe in our system, keep refining it, and build a really nice product,” says Milnes, explaining that Progressive’s aim isn’t simply to build an apartment solely to sell it. The attention to quality and detail sets the company apart. “If you’re the owner, the level of care is that much greater,” he says. “For us, we are the owner, the builder, the developer, and the property manager in the end, so that level of care and control transcends through all of that. It makes for better design decisions at the outset, and ultimately an easier product to manage later on.”

Using dimensional lumber and metal components as necessary, Progressive focuses on wood-frame construction. Once limited to four storeys, the company can today build up to six storeys since Manitoba adopted the 2020 National Building Code. “We actually built the first six-storey wood frame building here in Winnipeg, adopting that new code,” says Milnes. “Today, we are building buildings between four and six storeys out of wood, depending on what height is approved by the Council.”

Quality projects
Always mindful of its environmental impact, Progressive places a high value on operating sustainably. Every Progressive building exceeds basic energy code requirements by 25 percent, and the company has been recognized for energy efficiency by Crown corporation Efficiency Manitoba. All apartment complexes feature electric vehicle chargers, while the company’s Parkview Terrace project is the province’s first apartment complex outfitted with solar panels. Other key features of the company’s work include noise control and fire separations.

It can take a while to get shovels into the ground for new developments, which is why Progressive plans well in advance and works on several stages at the same time. This year, the company completed Phase 4 of the Parkview Terrace project. “Previously, we were just doing one phase at a time—one building, then start the next,” shares Milnes.

Located at 1976-1982 St. Mary’s Rd., Parkview Terrace is next to Henteleff Park in South St. Vital. Consisting of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, the project will see seven phases in total. Its many amenities include a fitness centre, a coffee bar, a multi-purpose room, and an on-site car wash, while all suites have upgraded finishes, in-suite laundry, and much more. With Phase 4 completed, the company overlapped construction of Phases 5 and 6. Once all phases are completed, Parkview Terrace will have about 400 units. “Phases 5 and 6 are 100 units in themselves, so it’s really great to have that overlap now, where we’ve already got Phases 5 and 6 almost locked up before we head into winter,” Milnes adds. “We are very excited about that.”

At Parkview Terrace, there are 18 different unit styles, owing to the unique characteristics of each building. Units range from approximately 500 square feet for a smaller one-bedroom to three-bedroom units of around 1,300 square feet. “That’s almost a house inside an apartment building, when you think about it,” says Milnes of the larger units, which feature formal dining rooms, large kitchens, and wrap-around balconies. Some renters may be downsizing from large family homes and still want to have space for a guest room and a home office, and Progressive’s offerings do the trick.

Along with Parkview Terrace, the team is busy with other projects, including 1131 Nairn. Slated for early 2027, 1131 Nairn—known as Inverness Lofts as a nod to the Scottish Highlands—will be an infill development project replacing a vacant lot in East Elmwood. Adjacent to a future rapid transit line, this one-building, 99-unit site will offer luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments complete with modern appliances, high-end finishes, balconies, and other amenities in units filled with natural light. Shared areas include a sauna, yoga studio and fitness centre, conference room, and more, while the main floor will have three leasable commercial spaces.

Set for completion at the end of 2026 is the yet-unnamed 1380 Ravelston development. The team is about to break ground on the site for a project comprising 72 units across three buildings of three-and-a-half storeys and one two-and-a-half-storey building. Some of the project’s unique features include exterior entrances and staircases. “Every square foot we build is rentable space,” says Milnes of this work, which will be completed fairly quickly since there are no elevators, circulation hallways, or underground parking.

Stacked townhouses are another ideal option to meet the demand in Winnipeg’s rental market, with every square foot being leasable or saleable space. “That’s a product that will be in high demand,” predicts Milnes. “I’m seeing that market change, and I want to react to it.”

The company is also working on Oakdale Estates in Charleswood. Set to open next summer, all four bungalow-style condos are sold out. Three different floor plans were created, meeting the needs of all buyers. “All told—in terms of housing starts this year—we’ve done about 320 units, and that’s over two-and-a-half times what we’ve done in past years.”

Oakdale Estates marks a departure for Progressive Real Estate, which is still focused on its core builds, namely four- to six-storey wood frame apartment buildings. In the future, the company will continue adding bungalows to its offerings. Milnes’ parents are in their 70s, and he says, “I want to build more of that kind of product for people like my parents who are aging in place,” where someone else cuts the grass and shovels the snow.

Progressive was recently approved for another Winnipeg project of 14 semi-detached bungalow townhouses. “I think that’s a product that’s very high in demand and should fly off the shelves,” says Milnes. To be priced at around $575,000, these 1,300-square-foot homes will be ideal for empty nesters, offering two bedrooms, a den, main floor laundry, and a double garage. Depending on how the project goes, Progressive is also eyeing another eight-acre site north of Winnipeg, which would be well-suited for 50 bungalows.

Welcoming growth
Milnes has considered expanding into Calgary, where he is from. It would require building new relationships with tradespeople and becoming familiar with local bylaws. In Winnipeg, the demand for Progressive’s products is exceptional, with vacancy rates staying below two percent. “I’m really happy with the growth we’ve attained over the last 12 months,” he says. “I’d like to see us maintain that growth and be a company that builds over 300 apartments or units every year of some sort of housing type, whether it’s bungalows, apartments, or townhouses—300-plus units a year. That’s a sustainable level I’d like to see us at,” he says.

“In a year’s time, I’d like to see us be successful with our projects and have the same team with one or two more positions filled, depending on need. I really am pleased with how 2025 has gone, and for the most part would like to keep building at that level.”

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