Construction of new buildings contributes substantially to carbon emissions as concrete is one of the most intensive carbon materials. Concrete contributes 8 percent of all global carbon dioxide emissions. We’ve tripled our per capita production of concrete in the last forty years. A key component of concrete is cement, and it's the old and inefficient production method of cement that is responsible for the emissions.
A new development on the east side of Toronto, Canada's largest city, is taking a different approach. Kennedy Green, which broke ground last December, is being constructed to reduce its carbon footprint by using the One Planet Living Framework as a guide. The project will have over 600 units and will be the largest non-profit rental co-op in Canada.
Kennedy Green is prioritizing the use of low-carbon construction materials including using recycled materials along with concrete and rebar. By doing so, it is expected the buildings will exceed the city's target for embodied carbon by 8%. Embodied carbon is total greenhouse gas emissions that come from manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building and infrastructure materials.
The buildings at Kennedy Green will not be heated or cooled by fossil fuels, but instead will use geothermal systems to maintain temperatures. Not only are greenhouse gas emissions lower with this system, it will also be cheaper for residents. Wells are being drilled to a depth of 850 feet to access water that is warmed naturally by the earth.
The location for the development was selected to be close to public transit which will provide climate-friendly transportation options to residents.
Although completion is several years away, the hope is that this is just the beginning of a new way of building housing which can be replicated in other projects in Toronto and other cities.