Articles tagged with "low-carbon-materials"
UK: World’s first hydrogen-run digger marks carbon-neutral milestone
The UK’s £10 billion Lower Thames Crossing project has become the nation’s first major infrastructure development to commit to carbon-neutral construction, marked by the deployment of the world’s first hydrogen-powered digger on site in Kent. This British-made JCB backhoe loader, operated by Skanska and fueled by hydrogen supplied by Ryze, is the first hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine machine used outside a test environment. In its first month, the digger has already reduced CO₂ emissions by over 1.1 US tons, supporting National Highways’ broader goal to eliminate diesel machinery from worksites by 2027. This initiative is backed by the UK’s largest-ever purchase of green hydrogen for construction. The Lower Thames Crossing aims to reduce its construction carbon footprint by 70% through the use of low-carbon materials such as steel and concrete, alongside innovative building methods, with any remaining emissions to be offset by the early 2030s. The project, which received planning permission in March
energyhydrogen-fuelcarbon-neutral-constructiongreen-hydrogenlow-carbon-materialsconstruction-machinerysustainable-infrastructureCanada must build homes that are clean, comfortable and meet the needs of Canadians - Clean Energy Canada
Clean Energy Canada’s Ollie Sheldrick-Moyle responded to the Government of Canada’s Build Canada Homes (BCH) initiative, emphasizing the need for the program to focus on constructing homes that are not only affordable but also clean, comfortable, and suited to Canadians’ needs amid climate change. Sheldrick-Moyle highlighted that affordability should encompass long-term cost savings, such as making homes EV-ready to reduce transportation expenses, and ensuring homes are resilient to increasingly hot summers by installing heat pumps for efficient cooling and heating. Additionally, the statement encourages the government to leverage BCH to support Canadian material producers, particularly by prioritizing low-carbon building materials like lumber and steel to enhance the competitiveness of these sectors. Aligning BCH with existing green government procurement standards could stimulate domestic industry growth and incentivize innovation in low-carbon investments. Overall, the federal government is urged to develop BCH investment criteria that ensure homes are safe, comfortable, affordable, and contribute to Canada’s clean material industries in the long term.
energyclean-energylow-carbon-materialsEV-ready-homessustainable-housingheat-pumpsgreen-building-materialsFrom Sawmill To Module: How Canada Can Scale A Low-Carbon Timber Value Chain - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica outlines Canada’s significant opportunity to develop a low-carbon mass timber value chain by integrating the entire process from forests to finished housing modules. Rather than simply expanding sawmill capacity, the strategy involves linking sawmills, energy systems, adhesives, logistics, and modular factories into a cohesive industrial ecosystem. According to the Transition Accelerator’s roadmap, this integrated approach could grow the Canadian mass timber market to $1.2 billion by 2030 and $2.4 billion by 2035, potentially capturing up to 25% of the global market. Achieving these targets requires addressing several critical bottlenecks in feedstock supply, energy-intensive drying processes, petrochemical-based adhesives, and carbon-heavy logistics. Key challenges include the mismatch between sawmill outputs and the specific lumber dimensions and moisture content needed for engineered wood products like cross-laminated timber (CLT), leading to supply shortages and higher costs. Drying lumber to the required moisture level is energy-intensive, often relying on
energymaterialssustainable-energytimber-industrybioenergymodular-constructionlow-carbon-materialsPoll: Two-thirds of Canadians favour developing clean energy over fossil fuels, while 85% wish to maintain or increase federal climate action - Clean Energy Canada
A recent survey by Abacus Data for Clean Energy Canada reveals strong Canadian support for prioritizing clean energy development over fossil fuels. Two-thirds (67%) of respondents favor investing in clean energy projects such as critical minerals, renewable power, and energy storage, compared to 33% who prefer conventional fossil fuel projects like oil, gas, and LNG. While both sectors are seen as important to Canada’s economy over the next decade, clean energy holds a slight edge, especially among those who view one sector as "very important." This reflects a broad consensus that clean energy will play a crucial role in the country’s future. Support for federal climate action remains robust amid ongoing climate challenges, with 85% of Canadians wanting the government to maintain or increase efforts to combat climate change. Only 14% believe the government should reduce its climate initiatives. This support spans regions and political affiliations, including 72% in Alberta and 70% of Conservative supporters. Younger Canadians (ages 18-29) are particularly
clean-energyrenewable-powerenergy-storageclimate-actionsustainable-constructionlow-carbon-materialselectric-vehicle-chargingBuilding economic growth and improving affordability should be realized in a way that stands the test of time - Clean Energy Canada
The article from Clean Energy Canada emphasizes that Canada's new government, as reflected in the recent Throne Speech, is embracing a vision centered on transformative change rather than maintaining the status quo. Key to this vision is rethinking trade relationships, investing in emerging industries, and integrating affordability and sustainability into economic growth strategies from the outset. The government aims to implement an industrial strategy that simultaneously enhances global competitiveness and addresses climate change, viewing these goals as complementary rather than separate. The piece highlights that transitioning to clean energy and using low-carbon construction materials can reduce household energy costs over time and lower emissions, making homes more affordable to live in monthly. Canada’s extensive trade agreements with 60% of the global economy position it well to diversify away from reliance on U.S. markets, especially as many of its major trade partners have net-zero commitments and carbon pricing policies. The article underscores the significant opportunities in Canada’s critical minerals, clean technologies, and low-carbon industrial products sectors. It calls on the federal government to invest domestically by adopting “Buy Clean” policies that support Canadian industries and make clean technologies more accessible and affordable for Canadians, reinforcing that now is the time for innovative, forward-thinking policies rather than maintaining existing approaches.
energyclean-energylow-carbon-materialssustainabilityclimate-changeindustrial-strategynet-zeroTrump administration to claw back $3.7B in clean energy and manufacturing awards
energyclean-energymanufacturinglow-carbon-materialscritical-mineralscement-productionnatural-gasWebinar: Why clean construction doesn’t equal costly construction
clean-constructionlow-carbon-materialssustainable-buildingenergy-efficiencycarbon-emissionsCanadian-industriesinfrastructure-development