WSP Structures Decarbonization Practice

Toronto, Ontario

The WSP Structural Decarbonization Practice is an in-house initiative driven by a dedicated team of structural engineers taking a holistic approach to decarbonizing their design practice. Their transformative journey began with establishing internal embodied carbon benchmarks and developing foundational training materials tailored to empower Canadian structural engineers to understand core decarbonization issues. Thereafter, they developed an industry-first, early-stage optioneering webapp that empowers clients to select the most carbon-efficient structural systems when the cost to change is low. Along with these efforts, the team also focused on bringing innovative design practices into construction, such as implementing low-carbon concrete and steel reuse. As a result of this practice initiative, WSP has now been able to become a leader in driving down embodied carbon emissions throughout their projects and industry engagements.

The app was a standout for the jury, who acknowledged the challenge of encouraging engineers to choose recycled materials over new ones. They appreciated the initiative’s potential for a positive impact, noting its dual benefits for both the company and its employees.

For additional information on this project, click here.