Lafarge and PCL Maximize Use of Sustainable Products in Repowering Project

Rhea-AI Summary

Lafarge Canada and PCL Construction collaborate on the Genesee Generating Station project to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in construction. By utilizing Lafarge's ECOPact concrete, they achieved a 40% reduction in embodied CO₂, equating to the energy use of 70 single houses annually. The partnership not only meets but exceeds performance targets through innovative recycling of fly ash byproducts, aligning with sustainability goals. This project showcases a commitment to lower carbon solutions while enhancing construction quality.

Positive

• Achieved a 40% CO2 reduction in concrete manufacturing compared to standard methods.
• Utilized fly ash byproducts in ECOPact concrete, promoting a circular economy.
• Collaboration enhances construction quality while meeting sustainability targets.

Negative

• None.

Alberta producers collaborate to reduce CO₂ in construction

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- From the outside looking in, the Genesee Generating Station just west of Edmonton is a key provider for thousands of Albertans who need reliable power. But there’s more to the project, thanks to an industry-leading collaboration between the project’s constructor, PCL, and Lafarge Canada.

“Lafarge brought ECOPact to the table,” says Chris Pullen, vice president and general manager, Edmonton Industrial Management, at PCL. “We knew it was exactly what our client would want to see going into the project.”

ECOPact is Lafarge’s greenest and lowest-carbon concrete and is positioned to be a game-changer for construction across Canada. “It has the same performance and quality that we’ve always provided in our concretes,” explains Prez Skiba, vice president and general manager for Lafarge in Northern Alberta. “The difference is that now we can reduce the carbon emissions that go into its manufacturing.”

The partners in the project benefited with emissions reductions beyond their initial targets. “Lafarge understood the performance requirements our engineers had identified,” says Pullen. “A project this size had many specific requirements. So to hit the emissions reduction targets that Lafarge proposed, we needed to ensure that we didn’t compromise on any of them.”

“The original concrete proposed was already a low carbon design, with emissions lower than standard concrete, but we knew we could take it further,” says Skiba. “We brought in further emissions reductions with our ECOPact design, and we were able to reduce embodied CO2 by an additional 20%. That's 20% over and above the original design, which already offered a 20% reduction. The combined 40% CO2 reduction is equivalent to the energy used by 70 single houses in one year.”

Lafarge's Quality Assurance team, conveniently located nearby at Lafarge's Western Canada Innovation Centre, achieved both PCL’s strength and performance targets while maximizing CO2 emissions reductions. Thanks to its global network of research and development facilities, Lafarge optimizes cement content by customizing blends and including upcycled construction and demolition materials.

The customized blend on this project was built on the circular partnership between Lafarge and PCL. “Power generation creates fly-ash byproducts,” explains Skiba. “But with ECOPact, we can seize those byproducts and use them in the concrete, keeping them out of the landfill, decreasing embedded carbon and keeping the circular economy going.”

“We have a shared responsibility to maximize the circular economy whenever we can. Instead of sending fly ash from power generation to a landfill, we have an opportunity to use it right here in our own operations. It’s in line with the sustainability goals we have as a team,” shares Pullen.

Both partners – two of Alberta’s largest employers – see this as one of many future innovations. “We’re construction specialists and solution providers,” says Pullen, “and we’re also innovators. We aren’t afraid to push the limits of what’s possible while delivering the expertise and quality that our clients have come to expect from us.”

“We’ve got to challenge ourselves and think outside the box,” shares Skiba. “Having partners like PCL who are open to using new technologies is essential for us to change the way that we’re building. ECOPact is just one example of how we can maximize the circular economy, collaborate, and find lower carbon solutions. We’re not stopping now – building sustainably is what we do.”

About Lafarge Canada Inc.
Lafarge is Canada’s largest provider of sustainable construction materials and a member of the global group, Holcim. With 6,000 employees and 350 sites across Canada, our mission is to provide construction solutions that build better cities and communities. The cities where Canadians live, work and raise their families along with the community’s infrastructure benefit from the solutions provided by Lafarge consisting of aggregates, asphalt and paving, cement, precast concrete, ready-mix concrete, and road construction. www.lafarge.ca

About PCL Construction
PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of $9 billion, making PCL the largest contracting organization in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220222005034/en/

Media

Jill Truscott

Communications Manager

Lafarge Canada Inc.

Tel: (403) 354-5063

jill.truscott@lafargeholcim.com

Source: Lafarge Canada Inc.

FAQ

What is the significance of the Lafarge and PCL collaboration for HCMLY?

The collaboration focuses on reducing CO2 emissions in construction, achieving a 40% reduction through the use of ECOPact concrete.

How much CO2 reduction was achieved in the Genesee Generating Station project?

The project achieved a 40% reduction in embodied CO2, equivalent to the energy used by 70 single houses annually.

What innovative materials are used in the construction project by Lafarge and PCL?

Lafarge’s ECOPact concrete incorporates recycled fly ash byproducts from power generation, minimizing landfill waste.

What sustainability goals do Lafarge and PCL aim to achieve in the construction industry?

Both companies are focused on maximizing the circular economy and finding lower carbon solutions in their construction projects.