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About
Initiated in 2022, the BC Embodied Carbon Awards are a first of its kind in North America. Designed to inspire and inform the possibilities available when embodied carbon is placed at the centre of a project or company's values.
The aim of the awards is to celebrate the achievements of projects in our province. Those that have endeavoured to minimize their material carbon footprint.
In the inaugural year, there are 5 categories of awards:
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Small scale projects, located within Metro Vancouver (max. 300m2)
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Small scale projects, rest of BC (max. 300m2)
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Large projects located within Metro Vancouver (> 300m2)
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Large projects, rest of BC (> 300m2)
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Commitment to change
We have chosen to delineate between those projects located in Vancouver, and those in the wider province, in recognition that BC is large and the supply chains, construction techniques, and project challenges vary widely across the province.
Our final award category "Commitment to Change" recognises that embodied carbon reduction strategies are not possible on all projects, but many organisations in BC make significant efforts across multiple projects or enable others to do so. These efforts add up, and we want an opportunity to celebrate the initiatives taking place in firms across the province. Embodied carbon reduction needs to occur beyond just those few flagship projects, and systemic, incremental change is the way we as an industry can meet our 2030 and 2050 commitments.
2023 Winners
Checkwitch Poiron Architects - Discover Montessori Project
Large Buildings Award Winner BC
Perkins&Will - 365 Railway Project
Large Buildings Award Winner Vancouver
CarbonWise - Deerhorn Project
Small Buildings Award Winner BC
City of Nelson
Commitment to Change
Introba - Discover Montessori Project
Small Buildings Award Winner BC
EllisDon
Commitment to Change
Why?
In a 2022 study carried out for the Province of BC, embodied emissions of the building stock within BC were found to represent 10% of all GHG emission between now and 2050. We cannot achieve our net zero ambitions without rapid decarbonization of the built environment.
All too often, we are diligent in our personal lives, taking measures to reduce our carbon footprints where ever possible. However, we overlook the impact we can have in our professional lives. We buy locally, we cycle, or work to minimize our personal carbon footprints, but in our professional capacity, the decisions we make have a much greater impact on carbon emissions than at home. Our work in the building sector provides us with an opportunity to have a significant positive impact on climate change.
In order to recognize those companies, projects, or individuals going above and beyond the status quo we created these awards. Our goals in doing so are:
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To inspire others as to the possibilities of low carbon design
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To educate on the scale of emissions reductions possible with today's technology and knowledge
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To celebrate those that achieve significant embodied carbon emissions reductions in their projects and work
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To foster community within low embodied carbon design,
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To generate friendly competition amongst the BC construction industry, and to spur each other to do better
Program Sponsors
Award Sponsors
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