The Ontario Construction Report – MARCH 2014 – PAGE OCR B1 NORTH AMERICAN STEEL CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE NASCC attracts 3,500 industry leaders to Toronto STAFF WRITER – The Ontario Construction Report Special Feature The 2014 NASCC (North American Steel Construction Conference) is expected to attract more than 3,500 structural engi- neers, steel fabricators, erectors, detailers and educators to the Metro Toronto Con- vention Centre March 26 to 28. The American Institute of Steel Con- struction (AISC) event will offer almost 250 technical sessions and expert-led sem- inars on topics including the latest design concepts and construction techniques and more than 200 exhibitors displaying cutting edge technologies and products. AISC vice president Scott Melnick says The Steel Conference is a once-a-year op- portunity for engineers, fabricators, detail- ers and erectors to learn about structural steel design and construction, interact with peers and discover the latest products for steel buildings and bridges. “We try to bring the conference to a ge- ographically diverse area annually so that attendees who can't afford to travel across country can still come to some of the events,” he said. “Last year we were in St. Louis and next year we're in Nashville.” Melnick says other upcoming confer- ences are in Orlando, San Antonio and Bal- timore. In 2005 the conference took place in Montreal and in 1999 in Toronto. He says venues are chosen by soliciting bids from host cities and consider the cost of renting the conference venue, hotel room rates, di- rect air flight schedules, and the success of the conference in the same city in previous years. Conference organizers select speaker topics based on interest and relevance. This year's topics include the new direct analysis method and the Code of Standard Practice, weld inspection and practical aspects of de- signing for torsion. “This year is the 20th anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake (in southern Cali- fornia) and we have a series of sessions looking at what happened and how the re- sults of that earthquake have impacted cur- rent and future seismic design,” says Melnick. Keynote speaker Neil Pasricha, author of The Book of Awesome, will speak on “1,000 Awesome Things,” and his project of posting one awesome thing every week- day for 1,000 consecutive weekdays. The Steel Conference also incorporates the Structural Stability Research Council’s Annual Stability Conference, the Technol- ogy in Steel Construction Conference (TSCC) and the World Steel Bridge Sym- posium (WSBS). Melnick says this is also only the second time the conference has co-located with the World Steel Bridge Symposium. “Atten- dees who are interested in bridges are in for a treat,” he says. “The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) is very excited to co-locate WSBS ––––––––––––––––––––––– Please see page OCR B5