A large volume of Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions comes from buildings, according to a report from Environment and Climate Change Canada. In 2020, an estimated 87.8 million tonnes of GHG came from buildings, making the sector the third largest emitter. Furthermore, an estimated 60% of municipal carbon emissions are attributed to buildings. Given the role of buildings in Canada’s carbon emissions, urgent action is required to meet the 2030 emissions target set out by the federal government.
Modern Niagara had an objective of achieving 30% carbon reduction in 2022 at our Vaughan offices. To achieve this goal, we invested in Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) as a viable carbon reduction solution. RNG is produced from organic waste derived from farms, green bin waste, food waste, landfill sites and wastewater treatment plants. The gas is captured, upgraded, and injected into the existing natural gas network to be used for the same applications as conventional natural gas.
“Modern Niagara acquired a significant amount of RNG primarily for our clients. As an industry leader, we jumped ahead of the government’s mandate to reduce our carbon footprint by 30% in 2030. We are buying enough RNG to lower our overall carbon footprint of the energy consumed in our office by 30%. We’ve managed to do this in 2022, with a net zero 2030 target,” explains Kevin Spencer, Vice President of Energy Solutions at Modern Niagara.
Last year, Modern Niagara partnered with Storm Fisher – the largest private organic waste-to-energy biogas facility in North America based in London, Ontario. Through this strategic partnership, Modern Niagara introduced RNG, resulting in lower carbon emissions at our Vaughan offices.
The process of integrating RNG at our Vaughan offices spanned approximately a year. “We began blending RNG within our Vaughan offices as of April 2022,” says Stefan Ritchie, Construction Services Manager at Modern Niagara. Ritchie, who is responsible for administering RNG for both clients as well as for Modern Niagara’s own usage, says the initial stages of the project involved significant research and extensive communication with external partners as this project was the first of its kind in North America, for a private organization.
“Modern Niagara is the first private company in North America and quite possibly in the world that has acquired RNG as a client, outside of utilities. In order to achieve this, we had to essentially create the process from start to finish. This involved identifying a gas marketer who could provide a blend of RNG to an amount of 80 M3 a day for our Vaughan offices,” explains Ritchie.
The carbon tax applied to conventional natural gas is expected to reach $170 per tonne by 2030. In addition to achieving our goal of reducing our carbon footprint by 30% in 2022, Modern Niagara has benefited from integrating RNG as we received a carbon tax reduction which is reflected on our gas utility invoice monthly.
Without a doubt, climate change impacts all of us. We’re conscious of our actions and acknowledge the role we play in addressing the climate crisis. Modern Niagara is committed to building Canada’s infrastructure and contributing to a sustainable future.
