This is the Future of Steel Construction

Steel Design Magazine | July 2024
Dominic Mattman,BASc, MASc, P.Eng., LEED® AP | Associate
Andrew Voth, BASc., Ph.D., P.Eng. | Associate

What are engineers saying about new XCarb® EPDs?

Today’s architects and engineers are faced with a growing problem. In an economic climate that wants to build, build, build – whether it’s high-rise, high-density housing; public facilities such as recreation centres, schools, and hospitals; or towering offices for real estate developers – those who design these buildings must consider more factors than ever before.

And there’s one factor that – at least in the steel industry – is becoming more and more prominent: embodied carbon.

“Clients aren’t just looking at the efficiency of operating their buildings anymore,” says Dominic Mattman, an Associate at RJC Engineers in Toronto.  “They’re looking at what’s going into those buildings during construction, and into the materials.”

Today’s ‘green’ buildings are energy efficient, yes, but they also have low carbon footprints due to the materials they are made from and used during construction. For those looking to hit ambitious carbon targets, one piece of documentation is proving its importance: Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs.

The Importance of Being On Paper

If a word describes Ian Mountfort, Principal at Blackwell Structural Engineers, it’s ‘informed’. “Most of my work is in the public realm,” he says. “That means ‘fixed budget.’ So, you need to be innovative. You really need to refine your solutions. You need to be pretty thoughtful about optimization.”

Embodied carbon targets are adding a wrinkle to Mountfort’s already accountable design. “If you want access to certain funding – or even a building permit in some circumstances – you need to meet these benchmarks and targets,” he explains. “It’s not just from the [federal or provincial] government. It’s the municipalities pushing these targets.”

Andrew Voth – another Associate at RJC Engineers with Mattman – says the same thing. “It’s absolutely a growing trend where authorities are implementing standards that they want within cities and municipalities,” he says. “But also, our clients are becoming very savvy with respect to the energy they’re putting into their buildings.”

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