CIQS Podcast – Knowledge Counts Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS)

In this episode of “Knowledge Counts”, host Wendy Hobbs speaks with Geoff Lobley, Instructor of Civil Engineering Technology in the School of Construction at SAIT. They will be discussing different forms of procurement and the risks they bring to the parties involved.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guest: Geoff Lobley, P. Tech. (Eng.), GSC

About Our Guest:

Geoff Lobley, P. Tech. (Eng.), GSC has been an instructor in the School of Construction at SAIT for five years. He comes into construction naturally, as his grandfather was a builder in northern Saskatchewan, and his father supervised road construction crews.

His career started working for a small trade contractor, and he soon moved into the world of general contracting. He was part of the leadership and estimating team on projects ranging from multi-family, high-rise, commercial, retail, and industrial in Alberta and British Columbia. As a project manager, Geoff managed projects under several delivery methods, including Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, and Construction Management, as well as managing trades who worked under a unit-rate model.

Since transitioning into a career as an educator, Geoff has expanded his project vocabulary to include Lean methods and Integrated Project Delivery. By helping his students understand the different ways a project can be delivered, he hopes to continue positively impacting the construction industry.

For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast.

In this episode of “Knowledge Counts”, host Wendy Hobbs speaks with Wyatt Clairmont (Altus Group) and Niki Elliott (ARCAN Construction Ltd) about their experience working on construction projects North of the 60th parallel.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guests: Wyatt Clairmont and Niki Elliott

About Our Guests:

Niki Elliott, Project Manager, ARCAN Construction Ltd.

Niki Elliott is a Civil Engineering Technologist working as Project Manager for ARCAN Construction Ltd. with 17 years of construction experience in various industries. She began working on projects in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories when she came on board with ARCAN in 2015. Niki consistently strives towards efficiency and precision in her management of the project team. She actively works to always deliver a great product. This year marked a new role opportunity for Niki as General Manager of Metcan Building Solutions. MBS is a collaborative venture between ARCAN and the Hay River Metis, constructing Ready to Move Structures in a new, purpose built, facility based out of Hay River, NT. Niki believes this form of project delivery is a key solution for the future of providing housing to Northern Communities, and hopes that with her new role, MBS create new housing, employment and on the job training opportunities.

Prior to joining the ARCAN team Niki held positions of leadership and responsibility in the private and public sectors including Party Chief with Morgan Construction and Lead Surveyor with Caliber Systems. Her knowledge of various construction methods and project deliveries makes her a great asset to any project team.

Wyatt Clairmont, Project Manager, Altus Group

Wyatt holds a Business Administration degree from Brandon University, a Civil Engineering Technology diploma from SAIT and a Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) designation from the CIQS. Wyatt is an accomplished Professional Quantity Surveyor that has worked on projects of various sizes and various locations, including on affordable housing projects, schools and government office building in Nunavut and NWT. His project management experience has provided him with a broad range of knowledge and impressive adaptability. His experience working on projects in Northern Canada has given him a unique perspective with a heightened level of risk awareness and a desire to forecast project milestones on a monthly as well as yearly basis, with seasonal restrictions being top of mind.

For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast.

In this episode of Knowledge Counts, host Wendy Hobbs speaks with Diane Lee from H.H. Angus & Associates about Smart Building Technology.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guest: Diane Lee

About Our Guest:

Diane Lee, Project Director, Technology Division, H.H. Angus & Associates

Diane brings a diverse background of over 15 years of construction, commissioning, project management and advisory experience across a multitude of building sectors. In her past performance working as a consultant, Principal of an independent commissioning firm in Calgary and Director of Technical Services and Building Performance for one of the largest construction companies in Canada, it has complemented her strive for continuous improvement with a focus on significant impact to project delivery, client management and change management.

Her focus is driven by valuing and understanding client and project requirements and the successful implementation in meeting strategic objectives. She continues her career path in the building and technology industry focused on high complex projects within HHA’s Technology Division and is a technical resource to HHA’s Strategy & Digital Services, Angus Connect Division.

For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast.

For this issue of Knowledge Counts, we are speaking with Ross Huartt about mental health and burnout in our profession.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guest: Ross Huartt, PQS

About Our Guest:

Ross is a highly qualified and accredited Professional Quantity Surveyor registered with the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and is a recipient of the prestigious Gold Seal Certification in Estimation issued by the Canadian Construction Association. His diverse experience includes major projects in civil infrastructure, medical, educational, and commercial developments.

A UK-trained professional, his experiences include risk analysis, planning, value engineering, contractual negotiations, forensic accounting, and project management. He is known as an innovative expert with a keen eye for disrupting the status quo and embracing developments in technology and sustainability.
As a dedicated and creative leader, Ross continues to transform the company into a uniquely integrated solutions provider. His strategic visions have seen the company expand across Canada with over 15 offices and 150 employees.


For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast.

For this issue of Knowledge Counts, we are speaking with three CIQS members who share the path they took to join CIQS and earn their designations.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guests: Ross Huartt, Erin Brownlow, and Wyatt Clairmont

About Our Guest:

Ross Huartt
Ross is a highly qualified and accredited Professional Quantity Surveyor registered with the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and is a recipient of the prestigious Gold Seal Certification in Estimation issued by the Canadian Construction Association. His diverse experience includes major projects in civil infrastructure, medical, educational, and commercial developments...

Erin Brownlow
Erin Brownlow is the Manager, Halifax Office & Senior Quantity Surveyor for Hanscomb. A graduate of the NSCC Architectural Engineering Technician program, and a Professional Quantity Surveyor - Fellow (PQS(F)), MRICS, GSC and C. Tech with over 20 years experience working in the construction industry…

Wyatt Clairmont
Wyatt holds a Business Administration degree from Brandon University, a Civil Engineering Technology diploma from SAIT and a Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) designation from the CIQS. Wyatt is an accomplished Professional Quantity Surveyor that has worked on projects of various sizes and various locations, including on affordable housing projects, schools and government office building in Nunavut and NWT…

For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast.

In this episode of “Knowledge Counts”, host Wendy Hobbs speaks with Harman Sandhu about Stakeholder Engagement.

• Host: Wendy Hobbs, PQS(F)
• Producer: Ryan Schriml
• Guest: Harman Sandhu

About Our Guest:

Harman is a project manager with Altus Group and has provided project management and consulting services for the commercial real estate industry in Canada for the past eight years. He also instructs second-year Civil Engineering Technology students at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) about contracts and regulations as related to the construction industry.

For complete show notes, go to ciqs.org/podcast