Plans are an underway for a zero-carbon office building for Teck employees in Sparwood.
This 121,500 sq foot facility will house approximately 580 Teck employees and bring eleven local company offices under one roof. It will house engineers, geologists, water quality specialists, land reclamation specialists, information technology specialists, administration, human resources, and health and safety personnel.
According to a Teck press release, this merger will help improve efficiency and increase cooperation between departments.
“The intention is to have plenty of collaborative meeting space. We’re looking at the best way to structure the facility so that we can just create an environment that’s true to the history of coal mining and the future of the industry here in the valley,” said Teck social responsibility manager Rory O’Connor.
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The building will be located at the intersection between Highway 3 and 43, and is slated to be completed by 2025. A cost estimate for the project has not been announced yet, but Teck will be paying for the whole project.
It will be a zero-carbon space, complete with energy efficient lighting, electric vehicle charging stations, employee bike storage, water-efficient washroom fixtures such as sinks, toilets and showers, and landscaping with native drought-resistant plants to reduce the need for irrigation.
Teck plans to have the space certified by the Canada Green Building Council. To obtain council approval, a building must be constructed according to the Zero Carbon Building Design Standard, which provides guidelines on building materials, building airtightness and refrigerants used in HVAC equipment. Projects that use combustion equipment for hot water or peak heating are required to provide a zero-carbon transition plan outlining how equipment can be adapted. The council would also evaluate the building annually to ensure it is maintaining zero-carbon standards.
O’Connor said this is part of a greater long-term company plan that involves reducing carbon emissions by 33 per cent by 2030, and transitioning mining equipment from diesel-powered to electric or battery powered.
“Building this is a great step to demonstrate the commitments and the future potential that we’re working towards,” he said.
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