Chandos commits to net zero
Another major North American general contractor has made a commitment to be net zero in the coming decades.
Commercial builder Chandos Construction announced its commitment on November 10. To kickstart its efforts, the company has purchased United Nations-certified carbon credits to offset the carbon emissions generated by its 2020 operations.
The commitment follows a similar announcement by EllisDon to achieve zero emission across its supply chain by 2030.
"This is a massive, complex problem facing the construction industry," said Chandos president Tim Coldwell. "Achieving net-zero emissions across our entire portfolio of projects will not be possible without long-term partnerships and commitments."
Chandos has initiated a carbon-reduction plan that includes the planting of 6,900 trees next year and the use of electric equipment on jobsites and electric vehicles in its fleet. The company also uses virtual design and construction to reduce carbon emissions during the construction process.
Chandos has also said it will reduce the embodied carbon in the buildings it constructs by 15 percent each year to be net-zero by 2040.
"As a contractor, the embodied carbon of the work we put in place each year is equal to our emissions footprint as an organization,” said Coldwell. “To achieve net-zero, Chandos must work with our supply chain to get embodied carbon to zero over time. This requires leadership from contractors, owners, designers, trades, and material suppliers.”
Chandos sees collaboration and innovation as key to meeting its net-zero target. The company is a leader in using the integrated project delivery methodology, and is undertaking several major projects with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) to reduce embodied carbon by implementing mass timber structural solutions.
"Our work with CNL is contributing to Canada's clean energy transition," said vice-president of collaborative construction Jen Hancock. "When contractors are engaged early in a project, we bring a different perspective on how to reduce carbon during construction. It's this collaborative approach that can double or triple the positive outcomes for a given project.”
Chandos has mandated a company-wide program to reduce waste from construction and in the last two years diverted 78 percent of waste produced on its job sites away from landfills. Its goal is to divert a minimum of 80 percent of waste from 100 percent of its projects.
Featured image: Chandos Construction's work alongside Canadian Nuclear Laboratories will contribute to Canada's clean energy transition. (CNW Group/Chandos Construction Ltd.)