Stantec commits to carbon neutrality by 2022 and Net Zero by 2030

Ontario Construction News staff writer

Stantec, an Edmonton-headquartered global design firm, says it has pledged to carbon neutrality by 2022 as a first step in achieving net-zero operations by 2030 across its entire global footprint.

In doing so, “Stantec continues to demonstrate leadership in aligning itself to the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement―to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,” the architectural and engineering design firm said in a Feb. 11 statement.

Specifically, Stantec has committed to set science-based emissions reduction targets, for all three scopes, in line with 1.5°C emissions scenarios. “Furthermore, Stantec has committed to a long-term target to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2030 in line with the criteria and recommendations of the Science Based Targets initiative,” the statement said.

“We are making this commitment to do our part in protecting communities from the worst impacts of climate change,” said president and CEO Gord Johnston. “Our team members apply sustainable best practices to projects around the world daily. By making this pledge we demonstrate that Stantec applies the same passion to address our own impact.”

The organization anticipates achieving carbon neutrality – beginning with reported 2022 emissions – by meeting emission-reduction targets and addressing remaining emissions through the purchase of renewable energy certificates (or the country-level equivalent) and certified carbon offsets.

Carbon neutrality is recognized as an interim step towards the net-zero goal. To meet its net-zero commitment,  plans to transition offset purchases to options that directly produce renewable energy or reduce carbon. “That transition is anticipated to rely on a combination of traditional and innovative pathways that connect directly to Stantec’s client work and technical expertise,” the statement said.

Besides addressing Stantec’s operational carbon impact, net-zero also represents a significant business opportunity for engineering and design firms, which have the unique ability to lead in defining new innovative solutions for the market.

Stantec says its Innovation Office will fund employee-driven research and business solutions that will not only serve as a strategic resource in reducing Stantec’s carbon emissions, but also those of its clients.

In addition to Stantec’s carbon emission targets, the company says in the statement that its distributed teams are currently supporting clients on widely recognized sustainable projects in a variety of locales:

• Ontario– Company practitioners in Ontario, Canada, are helping communities navigate the energy transition by delivering projects like the Gull Bay microgrid which reduces the reliance on diesel fuel for local First Nations communities.
• Brussels – Stantec is currently managing the European Union’s largest external aid consultancy contract for sustainable energy.
• Ethiopia– Stantec recently designed the 254 MW Genale Dawa III Hydropower project to provide a vital renewable energy source for the region.
• Kentucky– Stantec designed and built an extension to Kentucky’s Hatchery Creek, successfully restoring a wildlife ecosystem where fluctuating water levels had once destroyed important trout habitat and spawning areas.
• Denver– Stantec’s buildings teams designed the Denver Water Operations Complex Redevelopment, which serves as a model for water conservation within the built environment.
• New York City– Stantec has been selected to lead design for the Battery Coastal Resilience Project, spanning one third of a mile of waterfront along the 25-acre Battery Park.
• Maryland– In the sphere of Bioenergy, Stantec is the lead designer of the Piscataway Water Resource Recovery Facility. The innovative facility closes a nutrient loop converting solids traditionally landfilled to create heat and power, clean gas for municipal use, and nutrient-rich fertilizer.