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Monday 8:15am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:15am - 4:30pm

UNB OCRC

Off-site Construction Research Centre at UNB - Revolutionizing the construction industry

10/29/2026

Canada’s construction industry is facing a workforce challenge. But the answer isn’t simply to find more people.

BuildForce Canada’s latest 2026–2035 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward reports highlight the scale of the challenge.

Nationally, the industry could need 306,200 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 2034 when growth and retirements are considered; and could still face a shortfall of 34,300 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬.

In 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤, as many as 6,600 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬: 20% of the province’s 2025 construction workforce are projected to retire by 2035. At the same time, major infrastructure and non-residential projects are expected to keep demand for construction labor elevated.

So how do we build more with a workforce that is changing?

This is where Off-Site Construction (OSC) and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) can be part of the solution.

🏭 Shift more work into controlled manufacturing environments
Prefabrication can move portions of construction away from the jobsite, allowing work to be performed in more standardized and repeatable conditions.

⚙️ Increase productivity through standardization and automation
MMC can help organizations rethink processes, reduce repetitive tasks and make better use of technology; allowing skilled workers to focus where their expertise is most valuable.

🧠 Build new pathways for skills development
As construction and manufacturing increasingly intersect, workers will need capabilities spanning traditional construction knowledge, digital tools, manufacturing processes, quality control and automation.

🔄 Design jobs and workflows differently
The future workforce may not simply be larger. It may work differently with closer integration between designers, manufacturers, trades, technology and project teams.

📚 Invest in upskilling alongside technology
New tools only create value when people have the knowledge and confidence to use them effectively.

OSC or MMC is not a replacement for the construction workforce. It is an opportunity to rethink how that workforce is deployed, supported and equipped to deliver more.

At UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC), this is central to our work: applied research, industry collaboration, advanced manufacturing, digitalization, automation and workforce development that can help industry build the capabilities needed for this transition.

The workforce challenge is real. So is the opportunity to rethink how we build.

10/20/2026

📣 A new opportunity to strengthen Canada’s workforce.

The Government of Canada has launched the 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 (𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐅) - a new funding stream aimed at addressing skilled labour shortages and helping industries build the workforce they need for the future.
For the construction and advanced manufacturing sectors, this is particularly relevant as the industry continues to adopt new technologies, modern methods of construction and more productive ways of working.

The Fund will support initiatives focused on:
🔹 Scaling proven workforce and upskilling solutions
🔹 Building talent pipelines for growing sectors
🔹 Developing skills for emerging technologies such as AI and robotics
🔹 Creating collaborative, industry-driven training solutions
🔹 Improving workforce readiness and productivity

At UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC), we see workforce development as an essential part of transforming construction. Technology, processes and people need to evolve together.

Programs like the SWIF create opportunities for industry, employers, training providers and post-secondary institutions to collaborate on solutions that can help build a more skilled, adaptable and future-ready construction workforce.

The application intake is now open on a continuous basis until funding is exhausted, with projects eligible for up to $10 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 over a maximum of 36 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬.

🔗 Learn more about the Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/sectoral-workforce-innovation-fund/overview.html -cont

10/16/2026

𝐀𝐈 + 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 + 𝐈𝐨𝐓 + 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐌𝐂

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are changing 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 and 𝒉𝒐𝒘 we build.
But technology can take that transformation even further.

🤖 𝐀𝐈 can analyze designs, identify clashes, optimize material use, predict project risks and help teams make better decisions before production begins.

🏭 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 can take on repetitive, precision-dependent tasks in manufacturing; improving consistency while reducing reliance on manual processes.

📡 𝐈𝐨𝐓 can connect machines, materials and building components, providing real-time data on production, equipment performance, environmental conditions and quality.

🪞𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 & 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 can connect the physical building with its digital counterpart, creating a continuous flow of information from design and manufacturing through construction and operation.

The real power isn't in any one technology. It's in connecting them.
Imagine a housing component moving through a factory:
Digital model → AI optimization → automated production → IoT monitoring → digital twin → real-world performance data → improved next design.

That creates something construction has historically struggled to achieve: 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩.

Every building can generate data.
Every project can generate learning.
Every iteration can make the next one better.

For MMC to truly scale, we need more than factories. We need intelligent, connected construction systems.

And that's where AI, automation, IoT and digital twins can help move MMC from 𝐨𝐟𝐟-𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

10/14/2026

What separates someone who works in the industry from someone who can lead it?

As the construction industry evolves, professionals are being asked to navigate 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬.

That means reskilling isn’t just about learning another tool.

It’s about building the confidence and capability to 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.

That’s where OCRC can help.

Through our 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 (𝐀𝐌𝐂), industry professionals can strengthen their knowledge across areas such as:

🔹ENGG6301 Design for Manufacturing and Assembly
🔹ENGG6302 Lean Production
🔹ENGG6303 Project Management and Planning
🔹ENGG6304 Building Science and Technology
🔹ENGG6305 BIM and Digital Technology
🔹ENGG6306 Automation and Robotics

The goal? To help professionals move beyond 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 to better understanding 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭.

Because tomorrow’s industry leaders won't just need to keep up with change. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭.

📚 Ready to strengthen your foundation? Explore the AMC Graduate Certificate at OCRC: https://lnkd.in/dKxaWaDN

10/13/2026

🔬 𝐀 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐍𝐁 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤!

Last week, OCRC joined UNB’s to connect with students, faculty and the wider campus community and share a closer look at what we do.

From off-site construction and advanced manufacturing to building performance and digital technologies, it was a chance to show how research can help tackle real-world challenges in the construction industry.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth, joined our Lunch & Learn, asked questions and showed interest in our work!

👀 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠?

Join us on October 22 for our next Transforming Construction Webinar, featuring Michael Lacasse of Concordia University on Applying Building Science to Pre-fabricated, Off-Site Construction.

Discover how building science principles shape the performance of prefabricated and modular buildings.

🔗 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://bit.ly/TC26-27Oct22Webinar

10/12/2026

🏗️ What happens when building science meets off-site construction?

We’re exploring that question on October 22 as part of OCRC’s Transforming Construction Webinar Series, featuring Michael Lacasse, Research Associate & Project Manager at Concordia University.

This webinar is also part of 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤, an initiative supported by the Government of New Brunswick’s Environmental Trust Fund.

The program brings together building science and technology education, hands-on research using instrumented mini homes, and industry engagement to strengthen skills and knowledge in high-performance buildings across Atlantic Canada.

🔎 Applying Building Science to Pre-fabricated, Off-Site Construction

Michael will explore how building science and building performance principles apply to prefabricated and modular construction — including:

• Heat, air and moisture movement
• Moisture control and air sealing
• Thermal bridging
• Building envelope performance
• Design considerations unique to off-site construction

If you work with or are curious about prefabricated, modular or off-site construction, this is a conversation worth joining.

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://bit.ly/TC26-27Oct22Webinar

10/10/2026

What if mental health in construction is partly a question of where the work happens?
Construction workers deal with more than physical hazards. Long hours. Weather. Changing worksites. Tight schedules. Workload. Trade overlap. Uncertainty. And the pressure that comes with getting everything done on site.
We often respond to these challenges with wellness programs, awareness campaigns and individual support.

Those things matter. But there’s another question worth asking: 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟?

is beginning to suggest that the working environment may matter more than we think. (Swipe through the images to read in detail)

- 2024 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11431501/?)

- A systematic review from 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐖 (https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/14/12/4025?)

And the physical side matters too.
- 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐙𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 (https://www.op.ac.nz/research/research-stories/prefabricated-construction-safety)

That distinction is important. OSC isn't a shortcut to better mental health.

A factory can introduce its own pressures : production targets, repetitive work, coordination demands and new safety risks. But it gives us something a traditional construction site often doesn't: more control over the conditions in which people work.

-More predictable environments.
-More opportunities for mechanization.
-Better control of weather exposure.
-Less work happening simultaneously in the same space.
-And the ability to design processes around people, rather than asking people to constantly adapt to unpredictable sites.

Interestingly, a 2026 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 found that only one of 160 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 it examined specifically addressed psychosocial exposures in off-site or prefabricated construction. (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/built-environment/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1868534)

And perhaps that's the conversation worth having this .

Not just: “How can we help construction workers cope with the pressures of the job?” But also: “How can we design the job so that some of those pressures aren't there in the first place?”

At OCRC, we're interested in what happens when we look at construction through that lens: productivity, safety, building performance and worker well-being aren't necessarily separate conversations.

What would construction look like if worker well-being was considered at the design stage of the work itself?

10/05/2026

Free pizza. Cool research. What more do you need? 🍕

Join the UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC) for a casual Lunch & Learn as part of UNB’s Research Celebration Week.

📅 Thursday, October 8
🕧 12:30–1:30 p.m.
📍 Head Hall, Room C9

Come grab some pizza and get a quick look at what’s happening at OCRC. From off-site and modular construction and advanced manufacturing to building performance, digital technologies and our High Performance Buildings Research Lab.

We’ll also highlight how students can get involved in OCRC research and industry projects.

Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gTxS6EqZ

Come for the pizza. Stay for the research. 🍕🏗️

No need to overthink it; just bring yourself (and maybe a friend) and drop by!

10/05/2026

🏠 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

Canada doesn’t have one climate, one building code, or one housing need.

So why would we expect one construction solution to work everywhere?

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) offer something more valuable than simply building faster: the ability to adapt.

🌨️ 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
A housing system designed for Atlantic Canada needs to account for snow, wind, freeze-thaw cycles, moisture and coastal exposure. Off-site construction can improve consistency and quality control by moving much of the work into a controlled factory environment.

🏗️ 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.
Standards such as CSA A277 provide a framework for certifying the manufacturing process and quality control of factory-built and modular construction.

🏘️ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.
In Nova Scotia, modular public housing has been used across communities including Glace Bay, Ingonish, Port Hawkesbury, Antigonish, Amherst, Springhill, Westville and Barrington, showing how a common construction approach can serve very different communities. (https://lnkd.in/eTpq_4xi)

🏠 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨.
A 10-unit public housing development in Fredericton is using modular construction, with components built off-site using local materials and assembled on site. (https://lnkd.in/gkPx-wX9)

🚛 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
A 38-unit modular rental townhome project in Halifax used modules manufactured at the Prestige Homes facility in Sussex, New Brunswick, then transported and craned into place in Halifax. The project demonstrated how factory production can help address both skilled-labour constraints and Atlantic Canada’s challenging construction seasons (https://lnkd.in/gTrpZ-XT)

And that's the key: 𝐌𝐌𝐂 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚. It's about creating systems that can be standardized where it makes sense; and adapted where it matters.

Different climate.
Different community.
Different housing type.
Different site.

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥: 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲.

For Atlantic Canada, the future of MMC isn't 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞-𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬-𝐚𝐥𝐥. It's 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 + 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

10/01/2026

☕ 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲!

Today at UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC), we’re celebrating the one thing that has supported more meetings, deadlines and questionable early-morning decisions than any project plan ever could.

𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞.

Hot. Iced. Black. Milky. Fancy. Questionably strong.

Whatever your order, we hope your cup is full and your caffeine levels are appropriately managed. 😂

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐕𝐏 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐂𝐑𝐂’𝐬 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠. ☕

Address

Head Hall, 17 Dineen Drive Faculty Of Engineering University Of New Brunswick P. O. Box 4400
Fredericton, NB
E3B5A3

Opening Hours

Monday	8:15am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:15am - 4:30pm

Website

http://www.unb.ca/ocrc

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