Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Decarbonize?
Yes, the “built environment” pollutes and alone accounts for 40% of global carbon emissions, according to a United Nations report. “The vast majority of buildings were built 40, 50, 60 years ago, and they will still exist in 2050,” explains Sébastien Mousseau, vice-president and general manager, energy and renewable energy, for SNC-Lavalin. Ventilation, oil heating, lights, deficient insulation, etc., the causes of these emissions are numerous. “You have to see the element of cause and effect. The bulb does not pollute as such in a building. However, if the lighting is powered by a coal plant or the heating is a gas furnace, the building will by extension be the source of emissions,” adds Mr. Mousseau.
SNC-Lavalin’s objective is therefore to find solutions to meet the objective of the UK government’s zero emissions programme. “Our ‘decarbonomy’ initiative is based on the installation of high-efficiency systems, interconnected by intelligent and ecological systems and infrastructures,” says Harold Fortin, director of communications at SNC-Lavalin.
PHOTO DANIEL LEAL, FRANCE-PRESSE AGENCY
The Ferris wheel, the London Eye, in central London
A three-step approach
SNC-Lavalin has already started work, and several buildings have met the targets. “We are witnessing a real political will supported by legislative decisions. The UK government wants to decarbonize as quickly as possible,” says Peter Dunn, Associate Director, UK and Europe, Faithful+Gould, member of SNC-Lavalin Group.
The task is far from always simple and it takes place in several stages, as Peter Dunn explains. “You must first identify the sources of emissions with a comparative analysis. This is benchmarking. Then, we establish the roadmap, ie: the inventory, the investments and the time required, etc. The best technical solutions must be determined. Once the plan is designed, we begin the interventions, which can be carried out by our team or other specialists. Our advantage is that we offer a turnkey solution, since we are there throughout the process. »
And Quebec, in all this?
Sébastien Mousseau does not currently see such a project reproduced in the short term with us. The reason is very simple: the problems are different there. “We are two years behind Europe regarding the principle of Net Zero [zéro émission de CO2], and it’s not because we don’t pollute. On the contrary, we generate 8 megatonnes of greenhouse gases in Quebec solely related to the building sector, which represents 10% of the province’s total emissions. So, yes, there are things to do. However, the issues are different and mainly concern the issue of transportation. This is why we are betting on the electrification of transport and soon green hydrogen. »
SNC-Lavalin’s Net Zero
The absence of government projects in the country concerning the decarbonization of buildings is far from discouraging the company, which observes that private developers are more and more inclined to move towards Net Zero. SNC-Lavalin has also made the bet to achieve this objective within its facilities by 2030. “We cannot act in the ostrich, the CO2 does not stop at the border. As a corporate citizen, it is our duty to be exemplary by reducing our own emissions during our operations. We must also continue our research and our development in engineering, artificial intelligence or others in order to help our customers reach their own target. It’s the challenge of a century”, maintains Sébastien Mousseau.