The internet has an extraordinary amount of knowledge on any topic, including concrete and construction! At the same time, we know that not all of this knowledge is trustworthy. This is why we’ve created a list of our favorite resources to help you navigate the concrete industry.
Download the full Checklist now and experience smoother, stress-free cold-weather concreting like never before.
The Big Concrete Authorities
To start, there are two organizations that always contain trustworthy, important information. These are ASTM International and the American Concrete Institute. ASTM International provides over 12,000 standards for a variety of industries, including construction. When researching a construction product or company, be sure to check which standards they follow, as it can greatly impact your project.
The second authority to refer to is the American Concrete Institute (ACI). With 30,000 members in over 120 countries, ACI is a well-known and respected organization. They provide the development, dissemination, and adoption of standards, technical resources, training programs, certification programs, and expertise for individuals and organizations. ACI is a resource we refer to often at Giatec, as it is an excellent source of in-depth knowledge of the concrete industry. They have a mix of free and paid education on their website, depending on the depth and type of information you need.
The Blogs
Blogs are a great way to increase your knowledge of the concrete industry, and they are usually written in a way that is easy to understand. Whether you want to quickly learn about a topic you don’t know much about, find tips for your next project, or stay up to date with construction news, blogs can be a great resource.
Giatec’s Concrete Hub
To start, we want to recommend staying up to date with the blog you are on right now! At Giatec, we work hard to regularly publish educational, helpful, and accurate blogs about all things concrete. To start, check out our most popular blog: Concrete Mix Design Just Got Easier. What’s more, we have an extensive list of definitions for concrete terminology that you can use to clear up any confusion when reading our blogs.
ConstructConnect
ConstructConnect is a company that specializes in the pre-construction process, providing construction information and technology solutions in North America. Their blog contains a lot of construction news and tips and is updated often. They post lists of their “Hot Projects” as well as updates on “The Economy Under COVID-19.”
Building Magazine
Building Magazine is Canada’s #1 building and urban development publication. They publish 6 print magazines a year and post online articles daily. Topics include, “trends, challenges and strategies shaping modern innovative city building and urban development.”
Construction in Focus
Another construction magazine, Construction in Focus provides a comprehensive update on the industry every month. An excellent online resource for news and education, you can access current and past articles for free on their website.
Construction Canada
Construction Canada regularly publishes features, news articles, and products for the construction industry, with a focus on Canada. In addition, they have webinars, magazines and a job board.
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company is a large, well-respected business that helps their partners transform their organizations. They work with and write about a variety of industries, and their articles are thought-provoking and interesting to read. Click here to read their “Insights on Capital Projects & Infrastructure.”
Construction Business Owner
Construction Business Owner’s magazine is written with contractors in mind and is “designed to help owners of construction firms run successful businesses.” However, even if you are not a contractor, their website is still an interesting place to learn about strategy, technology, equipment, or to simply catch up on some construction-related news.
*Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
One Response
Just as technology is changing, so is the world of concrete installation. I think you for the knowledge I try keep up on to keep my concrete business thriving.