This month, I become the new president of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC). One part of my responsibilities includes writing these articles in Construction Canada.

Recently, CSC’s Calgary Chapter held a student design competition. Both Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Mount Royal University (MRU) were eager to participate.

In my articles, I have written of modern society’s obsession with making things faster and cheaper. On the surface, this efficiency sounds like a sensible, positive goal—I am happy my newest computer is one-third less expensive and three times more powerful than my last one. However, when it comes to construction, the pendulum may be swinging too far.

Today’s phones have more processing power than the Apollo space mission computers. However, even with all those capabilities literally in the palms of our hands, it is important to remember the tools do not make the job. Rather, it is the people who make things happen with the right tools at their disposal.