Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale

Our Construction Research Centre is addressing some of the biggest challenges facing Canada's construction industry and Canadians today, including the need for increased housing supply and innovative solutions for a low-carbon economy. In response, we launched the Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale – an initiative that is focused on supporting the development of solutions to accelerate construction sector productivity through digitalization and advanced construction practices.

Through the Platform, we are working closely with industry, academia and governments to address these challenges. We are leveraging our R&D expertise to collaborate on the development of new guidance and tools that will help the industry decarbonize, while supporting enhanced innovation, digitalization and greater efficiency in practices across the sector.

This initiative began in 2023 and is ongoing until 2029. It includes 3 program areas focused on developing and deploying a variety of solutions to support advancements within the construction industry.

Research areas

Construction Sector Digitalization and Productivity Challenge program

A mission-oriented program comprised of collaborative research projects and activities to support further modernization and digitalization of Canadian construction sector practices.

Learn more about the Construction Sector Digitalization and Productivity Challenge program

Low Carbon Built Environment Challenge program

A mission-oriented program comprised of collaborative research projects and activities to support the development of construction tools, products and services for a low-carbon economy.

Learn more about the Low Carbon Built Environment Challenge program

At-scale deployment of optimized solutions

We are working with collaborators to develop and support the implementation of digitalized, productivity-enhancing, low carbon solutions through new guidelines and specifications. We are also conducting research to support accelerated adoption through large-scale demonstration projects. Examples of our ongoing work includes:

• Digitalizing the National Model Codes and the Canadian National Master Construction Specification (NMS) to provide industry and regulators with greater access to content in machine-readable formats, including a Building Information Model (BIM) compatible format, which can significantly increase the efficiency of building permit and compliance processes
• Launching large-scale demonstration projects in new and retrofit low carbon construction to engage asset owners and the value chain on real-world projects
• Developing guidelines for the construction of low carbon buildings and infrastructure
• Supporting the development of new language for the 2025 and 2030 National Model Codes that will enable the regulation of operational and embodied GHG emissions, respectively
• Updating the NMS to include low carbon solutions
• Advancing knowledge use of low carbon solutions through training and outreach material

New research and technical solutions will support these activities, including life-cycle assessment, life-cycle performance of buildings and infrastructure, digitalization, and advanced construction practices and materials.

Collaborate with us

Work with us on collaborative R&D projects to support the development and deployment of low carbon construction solutions at scale.

The NRC's collaborative R&D environment with flexible business arrangements provides opportunities for:

• Demonstrating and validating technology in large-scale pilots
• Developing innovative low carbon materials, systems and services
• Developing solutions for low carbon design and retrofit of buildings, bridges, roads and water infrastructure
• Developing solutions for low building operational greenhouse gas emissions
• Developing solutions for optimizing infrastructure asset management operation to reduce life-cycle GHG emissions