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The Canadian branch of the Tilt Up Concrete Association is holding a .

Event organizers say the get-together “embodies a renewed commitment to elevate and promote tilt-up methodologies in the (southern Ontario) region.”

Len Overbeek is chairman of the Canadian branch of the U.S.-based association, which is called the Canadian Advisory Board.

“Our organization focuses on challenges that are particular to Canada, such as the energy code, the building code and seismic requirements,” says Overbeek. “The idea behind Nexus is to bring awareness of the benefits of tilt-up construction to the GTA market, because the method’s possibilities are endless.”

Tilt-up construction is a system in which concrete wall panels are cast onsite and tilted into position by crane. Promoters of this type of construction say it is faster and less expensive than other methods.

Overbeek is also vice-president of Tilt Wall Ontario Inc. in Woodstock.

“Tilt-up is growing in use and popularity in Canada,” he says. “It’s perfect for this country’s climate because you can do tilt-up in the winter. We’ve been working with tilt-up right through the winter for seven years. The walls are cast at ground level and they cure in about seven days.”

Overbeek will be one of several speakers at Tilt-Up Nexus.

“My presentation will be a case study of a private elementary school that Tilt Wall Ontario built in Belleville,” Overbeek says. “Our company has built more than 30 such schools in Ontario.”

He says Tilt Wall Ontario chose tilt-up construction because it was the most economical method for the private school.

“We started the project at the end of December and the school was open to receive students by the beginning of the school year in September of the next year,” says Overbeek.
Other speakers at Tilt-Up Nexus are Dylan James, senior structural engineer of Krahn Engineering Ltd. (Vancouver); Jeff Knoblauch, president of RAM Construction Inc. (Delta, B.C.); Justin Reitz, president of RiteTech Construction Ltd. (Delta, B.C.); Mark Stevens, vice-president of operations, B.D. Stevens Limited (Dartmouth, N.S.); and Bruce Walck, principal and president of Powers Brown Architecture (Houston, Texas).

James will be making a presentation with Knoblauch and Reitz.

“We are giving a brief talk on a local (suburban Vancouver) tilt-up project that had a number of technical challenges,” says James. “We will go over what the challenges were and how we overcame them.”

For example, the original property had structures and services that required careful demolition and disconnection.

“The process demanded precision to prevent disruption to nearby infrastructure and to prepare the site for new construction,” says James.

In addition, there were large grade variations in the original parking lot and yard area that had to be made even.

“That required extensive regrading work that was essential for establishing a stable base for the new structure,” says James.

A 12-foot grade difference compared to a neighbouring property required some creative thinking.

“To support the tilt panels and to ensure stability, foundation walls were put in place on two elevations of the warehouse,” says James.

Krahn Engineering has been involved in tilt-up construction for nearly 40 years.

“We are a multi-disciplinary firm with architectural, structural, civil, electrical, mechanical and landscape design all under one roof,” says James.

Knoblauch says the presentation with James and Reitz will highlight the collaboration between RAM and the design and construction team.

“People who attend the presentation will learn about the practical applications of tilt-up construction, as well as creative problem-solving, how to integrate modern architectural features in a project and how to manage unique site conditions,” says Knoblauch.

Mitch Bloomquist, executive director of the Tilt-Up Construction Association, will also be speaking at Tilt-Up Nexus.

“The association is an interdisciplinary organization that focuses on collaboration,” says Bloomquist. “The purpose of Nexus is to expand the size of the market for tilt-up construction. It’s our second annual event. Last year’s was also in Toronto. Next year’s Nexus will be held in Vancouver.”