Habitat Toronto: Helping Others and Supporting Women in Construction

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Recently Wo-Built's co-founder Elida Huignard took part again in the Habitat for Humanity Women's Build weekend; hammer, hard hat and all. As a crew member of the CAWIC team we achieved two of our goals which are dear to us: helping others in need and showing our ongoing commitment to support women in construction.

Thank you, Elida, for representing us in this great cause and judging by the pictures it was a lot of fun. I cannot think of anything better; helping others in a fun community way.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and

To learn more, read Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build: Wearing a Hard Hat, Supporting a Great Cause

Screenshot: Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
Elida Huignard Fundraising Goal: $200; Amount Raised: $415
Sponsors: 6; 100% of Goal Achieved! Thank you for your support.
Credit: torontohabitat.ca

Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build: Wearing a Hard Hat, Supporting a Great Cause

Screenshot: Join Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
Please Sponsor Elida Huignard in Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build!
Credit: torontohabitat.ca

"The Habitat for Humanity Toronto Women Build (May 1-12, 2012) brings the women of this city together to help families living in need.
It's an exciting and rewarding way to make new friends, learn new skills and show how much we can do when we put our efforts into helping each other."
- Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build

Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build

In one of Canada's most affluent cities, tens of thousands of hard working families are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty where they do not have a safe and decent place to live. I am choosing to do something about the poverty housing issue in my city. Together we can give Toronto families a better life and future.

I'm participating in Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build. In May, I will be picking up a hammer and donning a hard hat with hundreds of other women to help build 6 homes for local families living in need.

You can help support my efforts to make a difference by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:

http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1424956

For more information on how YOU can participate in Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build, please visit www.torontohabitat.ca/womenbuild

Together we can give Toronto families a hand up and build healthier, happier communities.

Thanks for your support!

Elida Huignard
President 2006-2010, Head of Operations
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

We would like to give our wholehearted support to Habitat for Humanity which is a wonderful cause after our own heart. Wo-Built's co-founder Elida Huignard is taking part again in the Habitat for Humanity Women's Build this weekend; hammer, hard hat and all.

This is a great cause and please support her generously.

Wo-Built's Team

links:

Read Elida's experience volunteering with Habitat for Humanity as part of the team for the Toronto Womens’ Blitz in May, 2009: Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction.

eieihome.com features Wo-Built and Peapod Life

Screenshot: eiei home features Wo-Built Inc.
and Peapod Life at 2012 Toronto National Home Show
March 16-25, 2012 at Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place;

Image Credit: eiei home

"It is at once beautiful and eco-friendly."

- eiei home

It seems there’s still more to share about the National Home Show, 2012! One month ago, eiei home featured Wo-Built and Peapod Life on the first page of their show coverage, complete with photos.

They called Peapod Life "at once beautiful and eco-friendly," and highlighted the fact that Wo-Built’s system "uses a minimal amount of space to produce fantastic edible results."

Read the whole article, National Home Show & Canada Blooms Part 1, here.

And that wasn’t all. They also published a feature article on Wo-Built and its founding partners, Martina Ernst and Elida Huignard, simply entitled: Wo-Built Inc: The Vision Builder.

Wo-Built was pleased to have eiei home feature it and Peapod Life on their site, the place to find qualified reliable renovators, read unbiased reviews, articles and blogs, receive expert advice, share your home improvement experiences, cash in on promotions, deals, money-saving offers, and even online contests.

With all the fantastic response we are getting to Peapod Life, we are looking forward to building our first examples for residential, commercial and non-profit and/or community applications! Look for updates on these and other areas on www.peapodlife.com soon.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

A Message from the CEO: What Guides Us

CEO Message: We will be able to serve you, our clients,
and the community even better than before.
2011 @ wobuilt.com

Taking all the experiences we got over the last five years, ... we will be able to serve you and the community even better than before.

The Exhibition just started again, signaling the end of summer. The great weather over the summer allowed me to visit our great patios in Corso Italia and, since I am not actively involved in the day to day running of projects, reflect on the last five years. Yes, Wo-Built is almost 5 years old.

Like any start-up company we had our ups and downs, but what fantastic ups we had.

• Our addition projects: the Classic, the Ranch, the Tower, the Lodge, each is unique in their own way.
• Our social mission: helping women in construction and the trades.
• Our anime: WoBinna.
• Our community involvement: Corso Italia.

But as any start-up company we also had a huge learning curve over the last 5 years, especially since we based our company on a social mission. I am still convinced that for profit companies should have a social mission as the core. (In the same way that I believe any not-for-profit organization should have for-profit programs to offset some of the peaks and troughs of operation brought on by the uncertainty of funding.)

Over the last 5 years we have added to our original mission to help women in construction. Community, Green Building and Eco Consciousness now play a large role in our company. Hence, to give our original mission the attention it deserves, we are now going to form our own not-for-profit to help women in construction.

One of the other areas of change is our operation. Even though we had rewarding smaller projects in the past, we are now going to concentrate on larger projects, due to our change in organization structure. Our former president Elida Huignard has kindly agreed to head the not-for-profit organization and is therefore stepping back from the day-to-day running of projects, which she did so amazingly over the last years. In the future our projects will be run by project management consultants who are committed to our high standards of ethics, construction expertise and excellence.

One of the corner stones of our operation is transparency in both our financial and operational dealings. We have now decided to be even more transparent, and we will be embarking on a multi-year project of producing our own Best Practices Manuals.

In the past we said that we wanted to be the best builder while doing good, we still maintain this for the future. Taking all the experiences we got over the last five years, implementing the elements discussed above and we will be able to serve you and the community even better than before.

But first let’s enjoy the rest of the summer.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: What Is Special About Our Design And Built Construction Company?

wobuilt.com/blog: Our Achievement Lunch

Fulfill Your Dreams, and Have a Great Career in the Trades

Poster: Women Transitioning to Trades
Moving On celebration
Friday May 7, 2010
5 - 5:45 Food and reconnect
5:45 - 6:30 Guest spakers & video
Georgina Quartaro - Dean, School of Work and College Preparation
Elida Huignard & Martina Ernst - Wo-Built Inc.
Dee Smith - Home Improvement Technology & Services
Nadine Sookermany - Parkdale Project READ
Dixon Hall Video
6:30 - 7:00 Gifts and Thank Yous
Credit: georgebrown.ca

Women Transitioning to Trades is a George Brown College program (funded by the Ontario Women’s Directorate) that is designed to make the skilled trades and technician training accessible to women who are looking for safety, support, independence and control in their lives.

This program works with you to help you identify and assess your skills and career goals as well as the skills and training required for a wide variety of skilled trades.

If you are interested in exploring the world of trades - this is a fantastic program.
Women Transitioning to Trades Program

We were looking through some older files and came across an event last year we were invited to speak: George Brown's Women Transitioning to Trades.

We hope many of the young ladies from that course were able to fulfill their dreams to have a career in the trades.

We wish them all the best and much success.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Firm Promotes Women Entering Construction

Collage: Metronews.ca Article Sisters Doing It for Themselves
2011 @ wobuilt.com

We just came accross this article about us:

Sisters doing it for themselves

Published: September 04, 2007 12:37 a.m.
Last modified: March 07, 2008 10:46 a.m.
Credit: metronews.ca

Firm promotes women entering construction

Wanted: A few good women. After more than a quarter century on Greater Toronto Area construction sites, Elida Huignard realized what was missing was a woman’s touch. So, along with fellow architect Martina Ernst, they’ve launched Wo-Built Inc., a firm dedicated to increasing the number of females in the building trades.

With women now making up just an estimated 2 per cent of workers in the field, they know there’s much work to be done. But since they established the company late last year, they’ve been able to sub-contract some of their home renovation work to females to do painting, tiling, plastering and cabinetry.

By early next year, they hope to have established a training and mentorship scheme that would see women working on job sites get exposure to different trades, hopefully through other women with experience. They’re also looking to establish pre-apprenticeship programs with college and trade groups. “There’s a big opportunity in construction trades for women that is not being used right now,” said Huignard. Among the barriers, she said, is the belief that it’s male-only work and too physical for females.

That’s why finishing work has such great potential, Ernst said. “It’s the work you see, where a woman’s attention to detail and patience are really an asset,” she said.

Rolf Priesnitz, chair of apprenticeship programs at George Brown College, said training for groups under-represented in the skilled trades — such as women, aboriginals, and those who are the first generation in their family to attend post-secondary school — will be increasingly important if Ontario is to combat its looming shortage.

torstar news service

Wo-Built’s Site Supervision Is Really Construction Management

Photo-collage: Less Glamorous Work for a Construction Manager
Rain? Construction Manager's Job Is Never Done!
2011 © Wo-Built Inc.

As managing contractors for design and build projects, especially for home additions, custom homes and commercial renovations we provide the site supervision. The importance of site management is not to be underestimated for the success of the project and requires a substantial time commitment in large scale projects. Our lead project manager, Elida Huignard, often spends countless hours to troubleshoot and co-ordinate different trades and materials on site.

Often we are asked what site supervision entails and why it is so important. Here are some key abilities we are looking for in our site managers.

Project Management Ability: Any construction site that has a number of trades involved needs project management to bring the project in on time, budget and with good quality.
It is the site supervisor’s responsibility to record, document and manage the initial scope, negotiate any changes and implement the scope by arranging for the trades and materials. A construction site manager is also responsible for enforcing the site safety and for providing the continuity in the project. It is also requires an enormous amount of commitment to the project. The position of the site supervisor is not a 9-5 job, in effect the site supervisor is on call 24/7.

Building Knowledge: In addition to the managerial skills a supervisor needs to know how the building is constructed, to have a good grasp of the building codes and is competent in resolving technical details. In our project, to add a second and third floor we had to connect a new timber structure and the existing structure to a steel frame. The assembly was shown in detailed drawings by the architect, but due to site conditions we had to make changes. As a site supervisor Elida had to think of a way to resolve the problem, obtain the engineer’s agreement, explain the changes to the trades and ensure that it was done properly. Read more about this project in our article The Little Bungalow That Grew Up into an Elegant Palace.

It may be necessary to have different supervisors for the main construction and the fine finishing. The finishing stage requires a good eye for design nuances and this skill is different from knowing the structural, environmental and building envelope’s technical aspects.

People Skills: Broad back, patience and a sense of humour. It has been said that the easy part of the building project are the technical requirements, the difficult part is the human factor. This portion of supervision is the unpredictable one, the most emotional and sometimes frustrating, sometimes funny but always the one which can make or break a project.

People skills are the real art, and a supervisor has to be a diplomat, an enforcer and a leader at the same time. Good communication skills for both the client and the trades are important. In an interview with College Foundation of North Carolina Elida mentions a key ingredient for successful site management: "I like the interaction with all kinds of different people. I have to deal with project engineers, the bricklayers, the plumbers - all the trades."

With all the skills required and the tasks expected, construction site supervision is really construction management. It ensures that the projects run smoothly, safely, have continuity and come to a successful conclusion. But not all the tasks of the construction manager are glamorous, it ranges from sweeping debris if no-one else is available to money negotiations with the client. With all of the above construction site management skills a well-run building project is like a modern dance performance – it looks effortless even when dealing with the unexpected. At Wo-Built we are committed to support our construction managers and make their complicated work possible.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

A Great Evening Celebrating CAWIC's (Canadian Women in Construction) 5th Anniversary

Booklet: CAWIC - Canadian Association of Women in Construction
Leadership - Mentorship - Membership - Partnership
Enhancing the Success of Women in Construction
Credit: www.cawic.ca

CAWIC Announces 5th Anniversary Celebration
The Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC), whose mission is to facilitate the success of women in the Canadian construction industry, is excited to commemorate its fifth anniversary of independent operation in Canada on November 17, 2010 commencing at 6 pm with an exciting evening of fun, food, fond memories and footwear as we walk through CAWIC's five years of success starting with a self-guided museum tour through the Bata Shoe Museum located at 327 Bloor Street West, Toronto, followed by delicious hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.

About CAWIC
CAWIC's membership consists of women of all ages and experience involved in many areas of the construction industry. CAWIC is proud to support its members through its core values of leadership, mentorship, membership and partnership.
Credit: www.cawic.ca

On November 17, I attended - together with Martina Ernst - the end of the year event organized by CAWIC. The goals of the Canadian Association for Women in Construction have always been very close to Wo-Built's Inc corporate goals. We wanted to participate and congratulate the organizers for elevating the profile of women in the construction industry.

The event was organized at the Bata Shoe Museum, a very appropriate location since the majority of the attendees were women. We all enjoyed and learned quite a bit about the social significance of shoes in history while perusing through the Museum and completing a quiz. This activity also gave us the opportunity of interacting with other attendees from various backgrounds: project managers, designers, construction companies’ administrative staff, and architects.

During the cocktails and hors d'oeuvres’ part of the event we re-acquainted ourselves with Angela Wilson, a past-president of CAWIC and, as always, an inspiration for us all; Ann Wilots representing George Brown College; and one of the young women recipients of the CAWIC annual bursaries, also from George Brown College.

During the speeches it was very interesting to hear the President of the Toronto Construction Association who talked about the future possibilities for women in construction filling in the shortage of project managers, superintendents, a various other positions where the Construction Industry foresees a future demand for new employees.

A very well appointed dessert table and auction completed the evening which serves not only as a fundraiser but as an important celebration of achievement for the organization and the women who run it on volunteer basis.

Elida Huignard
President
Wo-Built - Innovative Design and Build

Screenshot: dailycommercialnews.com: Canadian Association of Women in Construction celebrates fifth anniversary
by Patricia Williams, staff writer
Photo: CAWIC - Debbie Wadsworth, CAWIC past-president, Mira Fabian, president, and Angela Wilson, founding president.
Daily Commercial News and Construction Record, December 3, 2010
Credit: www.dailycommercialnews.com

links:
metronews.ca: Proud to be partners with CAWIC
"As an association executive, I know that the name of the game is membership. Myself and my colleagues in the construction and related sectors are always trying to expand our membership bases, knowing that there is strength in numbers...."
by Stephen Dupuis
METRO CANADA, December 09, 2010

news on twitter from @wobuilt:
Leaving for CAWIC (Canadian Women in Construction) 5th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION at the Bata Shoe Museum.- Congrat's Ladies for 5 great years. 5:41 PM Nov 17th via web from Corso Italia, Toronto

@lornaparsons In #Toronto we had a great evening celebrating CAWIC's (Canadian Women in Construction) 5th anniversary. Worthwhile event. 5:24 PM Nov 18th via web from Corso Italia, Toronto in reply to lornaparsons

What Is Coming Up In 2010 National Building Codes? Find out How This Will Affect Your Business.

Collage: Build for Tomorrow:
2010 National Building Codes of Canada
Credit: www.nationalcodes.ca

Recently, I attended the seminar “Significant Changes in 2010 National Building Codes Affecting Part 9 Buildings” at the Toronto Construction Show. This presentation was held by the Institute for Research in Construction from the NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA.

This is a guidance list for designers and contractors to check on the specific changes while working on designing and building residential projects.

Changes to foundation systems:

• Extra requirement of gravel and vapour barrier in basements and heated crawl spaces
• Changes related to the appearance of Radom gas now mandatory

Changes to insulation and heating systems:

• Use of foams as vapour barriers
• Hydronic heating better specified
• Fire and sound resistance ratings

Other changes:

• Range Vs cooktop ventilation requirements
• Ratings for wood products with phenolic adhesives
• Spans for Steel beams

Smaller changes:

• Washroom door sizes
• Starter strips
• Exhaust venting systems
• Location of Co Alarms
• Ducts for cooking equipment

Building codes are clearly an important basis for insuring good quality in structures. And we, as a design and build company working with our designers, architects, and engineers, design and specify interesting and innovative buildings taking all the codes requirements into account. The building code is the baseline for construction and we utilize innovative materials and methods that may provide better performance than the building code calls for to ensure best solutions for our clients.

The site where to check or request the building code is www.nationalcodes.ca or www.nrc.gc.ca/virtualstore.

Elida Huignard
President
Wo-Built - Innovative Design and Build

Here are several photos from the Construction Expo floor:

Screenshot: HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo + Construct Canada
flickr.com: photos Toronto, Dec 2, 2010 @ Olga Goubar, wobuilt.com

link:
National Research Council Canada: Significant technical changes in the 2010 National Model Construction Codes

What Is Special About Our Design And Built Construction Company?

Poster: Wo-Built Design @ Build Construction
2010 @ wobuilt.com

We would like to share our thoughts and expertise about what makes us special as a construction company in prior to opening the 14th Annual Residential Construction and Renovation Trade Show (December 1-3, 2010).

Wo-Built Inc, is a one-stop shop design and build construction company.

We specialize in home additions and extensions, and we have extensive expertise in residential renovations. One of our most popular renovation services is kitchen design and remodeling. As a company we provide our clients with innovative designs and excellent construction practices. Each project starts with our unique "dream home assessment", and is a wonderful starting point for evaluating the pros and cons of any project that our client has in mind.

As a female-led construction company we believe that women have a special talent for providing care & attention to detail and we use the distinctive talents of women whenever possible. We call this our unique "Women's touch". We are also looking to bring Wo-Built's expertise to include commercial projects as well.

When we started the company we did so with a social mission in mind. We wanted to provide women an avenue to explore the trades as a viable career option. We are presently in collaboration with George Brown College to establish a course outline for a training program for women in the trades.

We also play a mentoring role for women as well as providing them an opportunity to work on our various projects and hone their skills in the trades to fulfill their dreams. In addition we have created a cartoon character called WoBinna in the hopes of encouraging more young women to consider a career in the trades as one of their choices.

As a company, we embrace "green" building whenever and wherever we can, and in each project that we undertake, we strive to minimize our ecological footprint as much as possible.


For more information, please contact us

Elida Huignard, President
Martina Ernst, CEO

Wo-Built Inc
Suite #3, 1287 St. Clair Ave West
Toronto, ON M6E 1B8, Canada
In the heart of Corso Italia

phone: 416-402-2679
ph/fax: 416-354-2555
e-mail: info@wobuilt.com
website: wobuilt.com

Follow us on social media sites

blogger: wobuilt
twitter: @wobuilt
facebook: Wo-Built
linkedin: Wo-Built Inc

Links to Media Publications about Wo-Built:

Toronto Star: Women at Work - Driving home the message
"Wo-Build and the Canadian Association of Women in Construction are working with the Pink Nail Project . The proceeds go towards bursaries to aid women entering the trades."
by Shauna Rempel
Published Jun 29, 2007

Toronto Star: Women and Education - Trades program offers lesson on repairing lives
by Daniel Girard, education reporter
Published Aug 27, 2007

Toronto Star: Breaking Down Barriers - Building on women's skills
photo by Jim Ross: Martina Ernst and Elida Huignard at the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute, founded Wo-Built.
"Women, if you're good with your hands, detail-oriented, like watching renovation shows and don't mind getting a bit dirty, then maybe a career in the finishing trades is for you. Painting, drywalling, carpentry and cabinetmaking are part of the vast array of skilled trades that don't often register on women's radar."
by Donna Laporte, real estate reporter
Published Apr 19, 2008

SNAP Bloor-West Village: Craft Market Hosts Home Design Series
Photo: Martina and Deborah from Wo-Built Inc. with Mary (middle) of Wise Daughters Craft Market
"The ladies from Wo-Built Inc., a local design and build company, brought their expertise and knowledge to Wise Daughters Craft Market at the beginning of April for the first of six interactive talks centering around making changes in the home, a major focal point at this time of the year."
Published May 2009

Proud FM Radio: Wo-Built's Interview on 103.9 FM
Published July 8, 2009

Being Green in Toronto – Everyone Can Participate!

Collage: Being Green with Wo-Built

Being environmentally conscious is a topic that is very much in the forefront today and is a concern to everyone. In today’s eco conscious world everyone can do their part for the environment.

In the City of Toronto alone everyone from school-age children, large corporations and ordinary citizens are learning to be environmentally friendly. Most of us do the usual things such as recycling and using compact fluorescent bulbs but as the Green Toronto Winners and Finalists list proves, many people are thinking of new and innovative ways to be environmentally friendly and saving our resources. Highlighted on this list, you can read about the "Now House™ Project Inc.", a green design award winner for a home with a near zero energy retrofit that will hopefully be modeled for future "green" homes. Also highlighted is Campbell Company of Canada, a winner for the water efficiency award. They have implemented a water recovery program that saves 25 - 40 million liters of water a month. To read more about the many other creative ways that some people in our great City of Toronto have come up with to being environmentally friendly, please follow the link to Green Toronto Awards Winners and Finalists.

Although we didn’t make the list (maybe next year!), we at Wo-Built always try to do our part as green builders. One initiative that we strongly believe in is the donation of reusable items from our building projects. One such worthy cause close to our hearts is Habitat for Humanity. They will reuse most items in their building projects or they will be put up for resale at Habitat Restores to raise money for much needed supplies for their ventures. Follow this link Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction to read about Wobuilts’ adventures at Habitat for Humanity.

You can also join us on our twitter page for regular updates and links to some interesting reading. As well as saving resources for future generations, being green can be fun!

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

youtube.com: Future City Toronto
This video is being shown at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Mayor Miller will be attending to represent Toronto as Chair of the C40 at the Climate Summit for Mayors and continue to champion the leadership of cities in fighting climate change. Watch the video to see what Toronto is doing to fight climate change.
Find out what you can do at www.livegreentoronto.ca
Credit: livegreentoronto

links:
City of Toronto: Solid Waste Management: ReUseIt: Minimize the waste through reduction and reuse strategies
City of Toronto: Green Toronto Awards Winners and Finalists
City of Toronto: What's the City doing to shrink its footprint?
City of Toronto: Zerofootprint Toronto

Wo-Built: Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Part 2 - Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream
Part 3 - Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Wo-Built: Our Green and Eco Tweets to Follow

examiner.com: Toronto Mayor David Miller - Copenhagen climate change summit 2009
"The Toronto Mayor promises a plan to extend the Transit City plan with over 120km of light rail transit. In an attempt to restore and reuse, a plan to strengthen the economy and to create green jobs includes building construction to retrofit old high-rise concrete apartments fighting climate change in the process."
by Tomitheos Linardos
thestar.com: Toronto struts its stuff at Copenhagen climate conference
by Paul Moloney

Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction: Part 2

Photo: Elida Huignard at a volunteer shift during the Women Build Blitz
2009 © wobuilt.com

President Wo-Built Inc. Elida Huignard: My experience volunteering with Habitat for Humanity as part of the team for the Toronto Womens’ Blitz in May, 2009 - Part 2

When I arrived, the site already had a lot of houses being built by Daniels that were almost complete. Eight houses were to be built during the blitz, with the foundations completed and some corner panels for the 1st floor on. See photo. We were required to put all the tools and supplies from pencils to saws, from caulking guns to ladders, and safety equipment etc. in 4 different containers inside, in front of each group of semidetached houses. A lot of care was taken to put everything into an orderly manner so that the crew leaders in each shift were able to find everything easily.

At this time I noticed another team working at installing wall panels. I put in a request to switch teams so that I would be able to see some new techniques on the actual panel installation. The Sip panels used at the Hartford site are a sandwich of chip board with a Styrofoam core that simplifies the construction of the standard balloon-frame construction and has an intrinsic insulating value. This method of installation was different from the process that I was familiar with. Tom, our team leader put a lot of care in showing me how to handle the panels so that they did not get damaged, how to check the level and maintain them temporarily in position. Our team consisted of Tom, our crew leader, myself - a woman with a lot of experience in construction and 3 young men with no experience in construction at all. We prepared the posts that are installed in between panels which consisting in lots of hammering. We were shown nail removal skills, how to use a lot of sealant and got absolutely filthy with the caulking gun because we were not familiar with this particular type. We then had to use the sledge hammer to jam the panels into place and to take out some of our frustrations as well. At end of the day I realized that although I had been quite smug about not needing any training to go on site, I had learned quite a few different methods in the DIY area.

The following day I attended a dinner meeting with all the other female crew leaders and house leaders. It was a fun affair, and although it was a simple serve on picnic tables at the site, we were all required to wear our safety boots and hats. During the meeting the organizers and site supervisors clarified for us how to guide the volunteers assigned to us towards a successful experience during the blitz. We were also shown a finished semi-detached home to demonstrate what we were going to help build. When we realized the enormity of the task at hand – building 4 homes complete with a roof structure and windows with a group of people who had little or no experience - our doubts and fears were quickly dissipated and our questions
were answered during the Question and Answer period.

Afterwards, when chatting with Tom and his wife Laura, also crew leaders, I was delighted to discover they had just arrived from Argentina, my country of origin, where they had been trekking through the glaciers in Patagonia and also through Buenos Aires. It truly is a small world!

Elida Huignard
President
Wo-Built Inc.

Look for our next instalment of this amazing experience in future postings on our forum.

links:
Habitat for Humanity Toronto - The Women Build Blitz - May 1-9, 2009
Wo-Built Inc. Partners With Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build Initiative
Wo-Built Inc.: Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction: Part 1

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Building Homes - Leading Women into Construction

Photo: A Volunteer Shift During the Women Build Blitz on May, 2009
2009 © wobuilt.com + flickr.com: Habitat Toronto's photostream

President Wo-Built Inc. Elida Huignard: My experience volunteering with Habitat for Humanity as part of the team for the Toronto Womens’ Blitz in May, 2009

Because Wobuilt Inc. has a special objective of introducing more women into the skilled trades of the construction industry, when we heard about the Habitat for Humanity Toronto Womens’ Blitz in May of 2009 we wanted to participate in a very significant way.

After several meetings with Arundel Gibson VP of Peoples’ Communication in late 2008, we were able to contribute to the course outline for Crew Leaders. This course was designed mainly for female leaders, and ran in the months of February and March of 2009 at the Habitat University. It included a complete overview of the construction methods used at the Habitat sites, because the majority of women have very little experience in the construction industry. Women were taught how to use carpentry tools such as a hammer, a saw and drill etc. as well as many other skills required in the building trades.

As the project manager of Wobuilt Inc., and having had extensive experience in my field, I was able to join the Womens’ Build as a Crew Leader without going through the required course work. That morning I arrived at the site very early and was quite eager to make a start. Since I had already registered the day before the blitz started, I needed only to sign my waiver (assuming full responsibility for myself at the site). After donning my name tag, I was given a safety talk and the safety equipment that I would require on site. The Volunteer Coordinator was there to guide us and to help find our way around the site as well as providing us with coffee and cookies at the main trailer.

It was raining that day, but I was prepared with my rain poncho, while some of the others were making makeshift raincoats from garbage bags to protect themselves against the elements. We were then divided into teams and because of the rain which prevented us from participating in the building process, we worked on relocating all the supplies in anticipation for the hundreds of volunteers that would be arriving the following weekend. With the help of the Habitat van, we were able to move all the greeting supplies and t-shirts for the volunteers to the Hainford site in Scarborough.

Elida Huignard
President
Wo-Built Inc.

Look for our next instalment of this amazing experience in future postings on our forum.

links:
Wo-Built Inc. Partners With Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build Initiative
Habitat for Humanity Toronto - The Women Build Blitz - May 1-9, 2009
Arundel Gibson on Twitter

Wo-Built Inc. Partners With Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build Initiative

Photo: Elida Huignard at a volunteer shift during the Women Build Blitz
2009 © wobuilt.com

The Women Build Blueprint:
The objective: Breaking the cycle of poverty for 16 Toronto families, and generating thousands of new donors and volunteers to increase our ongoing build capacity.
The scope: 16 Energy Star® homes
The target: $2 million dollars
The launch: May 10, 2008 (Mother's Day)
The build blitz: Scheduled for May 1st through May 9th, 2009. A Women Build Blitz; thousands of Toronto women uniting to build homes and hope in their community.
The build site: Hainford St. (Lawrence Ave. and Manse Rd.)

We would like to give our wholehearted support to Habitat for Humanity which is a wonderful cause after our own heart. Our president, Elida Huignard has most generously volunteered her services as a Crew Leader and has already worked her first shift last week. She will be reporting on her experiences and the general progress of the project in our upcoming posts on our forum. Look for the exciting details!

Wo-built Inc. would like to congratulate Habitat for Humanity for a great project and offer our unconditional support for a worthy cause.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
On May 1st – 9th, Habitat for Humanity Toronto will host thousands of women for its Women Build initiative. These women will come together to build homes with low income families in the West Hill area of Scarborough. The Women Build is all about the solidarity of women, and the power to change the lives of those in need. It is also a tangible way for women to directly help other women. This Blitz Build will go down in Habitat for Humanity history as the largest Women Build in Canada, and our goal is to raise $2 million dollars.
For more information, please visit www.helpwomenbuild.ca,
email womenbuild@torontohabitat.on.ca or call 416-755-7353
by Joanna

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Wo-Built Is Talking to George Brown about Training Courses for Women in the Finishing Trades

...want to have a career in the finishing trades?
interested?
this could be you...
2008 @ wobuilt.com

We are talking to George Brown College about Training Courses for women who want to learn about the building trades.

Further to our initiation of the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Course for Women in the Finishing Trades, Wo-Built has become involved in discussions with George Brown College to put together a similar course package that would focus on training for women who are interested in the skilled trades. These discussions are still in the preliminary stages, so keep checking our forum www.wobuilt.blogspot.com for further updates on the progress of these discussions.

www.wobuilt.com
info@wobuilt.com
(416) 402-2679

Firm works to get more women on construction sites
Wanted: A few good women.

After more than a quarter century on GTA construction sites, Elida Huignard realized what was missing was a women's touch. So, along with fellow architect Martina Ernst, they've launched Wo-Built Inc., a firm dedicated to increasing the number of females in the building trades.
With women now making up just an estimated 2 per cent of workers in the field, they know there's much work to be done. But since they established the company late last year, they've been able to sub-contract some of their home renovation work to females to do painting, tiling, plastering and cabinetry.
By early next year, they hope to have established a training and mentorship scheme that would see women working on job sites get exposure to different trades, hopefully through other women with experience. They're also looking to establish pre-apprenticeship programs with college and trade groups.
"There's a big opportunity in construction trades for women that is not being used right now," said Huignard. Among the barriers, she said, is the belief it's male-only work is too physical for females.
That's why finishing work has such great potential, Ernst said.
"It's the work you see, where a woman's attention to detail and patience are really an asset," she said.
Rolf Priesnitz, chair of apprenticeship programs at George Brown College, said training for groups under-represented in the skilled trades – such as women, aboriginals, and those who are the first generation in their family to attend post-secondary school – will be increasingly important if Ontario is to combat its looming shortage.

WOMEN AND EDUCATION
TheStar.com: Trades program offers lesson on repairing lives
George Brown pilot project turns at-risk women into in-demand skilled tradeswomen
Aug 27, 2007 04:30 AM
Daniel Girard
education reporter
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/250115

Congratulations MicroSkills on Another Successful Year!

Booklet: MicroSkills 11th Annual Gala Celebration
"Celebrating women entrepreneurs, women leaders, youth leaders and corporate spirit"

We at Wo-Built, Elida and Martina, would like to thank the MicroSkills' team for such a wonderful gala. It was great to see the work which the MicroSkills is doing for women and the community.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc

links:
Community MicroSkills Development Centre
Artist's passion blooms into successful business
Ontario Mirror Guardian, Canada - 22 May 2008
BY CYNTHIA REASON Etobicoke artist Elena Espinoza was honoured for her tenacity at overcoming the odds in the business world at MicroSkills' Annual Gala ...
Cash for newcomer training in Ontario welcomed
Daily Commercial News, Canada - 21 May 2008
The Community MicroSkills Development Centre will receive $1.2 million for a program in partnership with the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, ...
More Job Programs For Newcomers
Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada - 12 May 2008
Community MicroSkills Development Centre - Manufacturing - This program, in partnership with the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, will help 225 trained individuals...

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We Were Mentioned in the Star

Martina Ernst and Elida Huignard at the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute, founded Wo-Built.
Photo by Jim Ross, The Toronto Star

We were mentioned in the Toronto Star on April 19th, 2008 Building on women's skills.
Article by Donna Laporte, REAL ESTATE Reporter, The Toronto Star, Condo section.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
Building on women's skills
Etobicoke contracting firm
encourages more to consider give
their careers a finishing touch

Women, if you're good with your hands, detail-oriented, like watching renovation shows and don't mind getting a bit dirty, then maybe a career in the finishing trades is for you.

Painting, drywalling, carpentry and cabinetmaking are part of the vast array of skilled trades that don't often register on women's radar.

Two female architects are out to change that.

More than a year ago, Martina Ernst and Elida Huignard co-founded Wo-Built, a general contracting firm based in Etobicoke, to encourage women to enter the building trades by hiring and mentoring them in their renovation business.

There is no shortage of work for women who are already trained. But there's room for many more.

If you want to read the whole article, please click on the link below.
http://www.thestar.com/article/414967

link:
TheStar.com - News & Features - Building on women's skills

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