Since the Canadian government has committed to a low-carbon economy, Canada has been a focus market for Cleantech and sustainable solutions at S-GE for over five years. The topic of sustainable construction has been earmarked as a priority for exporting Swiss SMEs; from building with wood – a topic that is also particularly advanced in Canada with wooden high-rise buildings – to highlighting the success of Swiss companies that already have a considerable footprint in the Canadian construction market. 

We have created a series of webinars, roundtables and events for Swiss SMEs that are active in the sustainable building sector, from innovators in wood construction, to retrofitting, HVAC technology, energy storage and management, monitoring, sensoring, building skins, membranes, architecture, sound and noise engineering, and prefabrication technology or consulting. 

The demand for sustainable buildings by commercial clients is already quite strong in Canada and largely driven by consumers as well as governmental initiatives, which make energy-efficient buildings more attractive. For example, more than 50 per cent of the commercial inventory in Toronto and Vancouver now boast LEED or BOMA BEST status – two of the principal private sector standards used to label sustainable buildings in Canada.

The Canadian Green Business Council estimates that there is a $30 billion economic opportunity in sustainable building in Canada over the coming years. In addition to design and construction, there are opportunities for Swiss companies with products that will facilitate objectives of cities such as Toronto and Vancouver to move toward zero carbon buildings. Products would include windows that meet a U-factor of 0.8, slab-style doors, electric heat pumps capable of operating in cooler weather, heat pumps for commercial buildings, condensing furnaces, gas heat pumps, heat recovery ventilators, energy recovery ventilators, advanced water storage technology and drain water heat recovery technology. Increased popularity of tall wood and buildings built according to Passive House standards present opportunities for companies with expertise in designing or constructing such buildings as well as the provision of products including cross-laminated timber panels and Glulam.

The reduction of carbon emissions is an important driver to change building codes and to establish new government incentives. The CaGBC has developed a Roadmap for Retrofits in Canada, which provides useful insights into where opportunities for carbon reduction and potential business opportunities may lie. It is based on research that concludes that national targets set out in the federal government’s Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change can only be met by significantly reducing emissions from existing buildings.

Swiss SMEs interested in accessing information on which products and services are in high demand in Canada (and for a large part not yet widely distributed in adequate quality) should look at our recordings below. Our experts present in detail which products and services are in demand in Canada and we can support you in accessing those opportunities. 
 

This business trip will allow you to learn first-hand about current trends in the sustainable building market in Vancouver and ensuing opportunities for your business. You will be able to adapt your business strategy for the North American market accordingly. By leveraging S-GE’s network in Vancouver, we will invite important local stakeholders in the sustainable building space to make it easy for you to establish first connections and build your network with Canadian experts and companies.

Follow the link to find out more!