Key Takeaways
- Across our case studies of buildings in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, we find that lower-carbon materials can generally be procured at no or marginal cost increases. Share this
- In a multi-unit residential building case study in Quebec, we find that combining design optimization with lower-carbon materials would reduce embodied emissions by 30% while lowering total construction costs by 12%. Share this
- Across nine roadway case studies, we find that lifetime emissions could be reduced by 17% to 31%, while construction costs could decrease by up to 16%, through the use of reclaimed asphalt, lower-carbon concrete, and design changes. Share this
Executive Summary
Canada is set to build at a rapid pace, but to maximize the benefits, we need to not only “build Canada strong,” but also build Canada clean.
That’s because the materials we use to build homes and infrastructure—like concrete, steel, and asphalt—are emissions-intensive and significant contributors to planet-heating pollution. Without transitioning to lower-carbon alternatives, Canada risks locking in an immense amount of embodied carbon.
The good news is that Canadian manufacturers are already producing those alternatives, including steel made in electric arc furnaces, concrete that uses industrial byproducts to replace cement, and reclaimed asphalt.
Building on Building Toward Low Cost and Carbon, this report expands the evidence base by including additional building case studies in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, and extends the analysis to public infrastructure, including roads and water systems. It finds that lower-carbon materials can generally be procured at no or marginal cost increases, and that many of these materials are already made in Canada, consistent with previous findings.
Buy Clean—a procurement approach that prioritizes lower-carbon materials and design in public projects—can therefore help lower emissions while supporting Canadian industry over the long term, and is a key lever governments at all levels can use to unlock the full opportunity.
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