Canada’s homes and buildings represent an excellent opportunity to seize the opportunity that decarbonization presents, with its lower cost of construction and maintenance, and its ability to increase asset value.
Even better, those who inhabit these buildings have also indicated their improved levels of satisfaction with buildings that are designed to emit fewer emissions.
Moreover, Canadian federal policy has mandated that government building emissions must be reduced by 40% by 2025, with at least a 90% reduction in emissions by 2050 (from 2005 levels). Canadian cities have also issued new standards, with Vancouver mandating zero-emission buildings in new construction by 2030, and Toronto requiring buildings to attain net-zero gas emissions by 2040.
There are four pillars needed to maximize decarbonization, according to Commercial Readiness of Building Decarbonization Technologies in Large-Scale Real Estate: A Canadian Perspective, a new report released by Climate Insider.
Sustainable construction, the first pillar, requires that all building materials be produced in a low-carbon fashion, from concrete to building components to wood used. This category also includes prefabricated building components, green roofs and living walls, 3-D printing components, and materials for thermal management. Construction can emit between 10-20% of a building’s emissions over its lifecycle.
Another aspect of decarbonized construction includes residential solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps, solar PV systems with battery storage, radiant floor heating, and smart power strips – any system or technology which allows owners to improve efficiency, minimize emissions, and remove carbon-causing processes and materials.
The third pillar, smart building systems, involve the use of IoT sensors and controls, smart lighting systems, energy monitoring systems, and HVAC optimization which can be controlled by AI.
Finally, optimizing commercial buildings for decarbonization will involve high-level processes including building automation systems, variable air volume systems, demand-controlled ventilation, thermal energy storage systems, and other systems to manage retrofits, boilers and furnaces, motors, pumps, and HVAC systems.
Companies and individuals looking to transform their built environment into a decarbonized, low-emissions structure have several pathways to achieving this goal.
To embrace decarbonization, companies need to take a lifestyle approach and monitor carbon at all phases, from planning to engineering to construction. The adoption of leading technologies, such as AI, IoT, and building analytics to optimize energy tracking is necessary. Builders also need to perform climate risk assessments and adapt corporate strategies to meet these challenges, in every aspect of planning.
More governments, from the local level to the federal government, have put in place incentive programs and new regulations to better manage carbon emissions originating from the building sector. Planning and construction teams need to be aware of all these levels of regulations, and align their planning accordingly, as each municipality and province has unique approaches to grids, energy management, and building maintenance codes.
To better meet demand for low-carbon buildings, companies themselves need to foster a culture of learning and sustainability. Regular training in decarbonization technologies is critical to remaining competitive in the new building market.
Many companies now are working with hard-to-decarbonizing sectors to bring their buildings up to current regulations. In Germany, construction company Fluor is designing a net-zero cement plant retrofit, while also engineering for carbon capture facilities around the world. They’re also targeting steel operations and engineering their facilities to help the industry lower its emissions.
Toronto-based construction and infrastructure development company Aecon has prioritized renewable and efficiency projects, as well as pilots with innovative materials such as decarbonized concrete. Aecon has been working on low-carbon construction and trialling cement-free building, while also constructing solar farms and refurbishing nuclear facilities.
Dallas-based building consulting firm Jacobs has launched a Climate Action Plan with the goal of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030, and reducing Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions 90% by 2040. It is incorporating digital twin technology to craft high-performance building design. It is also engaged in managing energy retrofits for large campuses.
Learn more about new trends in decarbonizing buildings, and the approaches leaders in this space are applying in optimizing their returns on these projects.
