Provencher_Roy is the first architecture firm in Quebec to publish a sustainable development report.  

Founded in 1983, Provencher_Roy is a multidisciplinary firm offering services in architecture, urban design, industrial design and sustainable development. The Montreal-based firm employees over 200 professionals working in all areas of the built environment in Canada and abroad. To-date, the firm has received over 80 architecture prizes and distinctions, and has worked on such projects as the Technopôle Angus, the Iberville International Maritime Terminal, the Alexandra Pier and the Montreal Casino. The goal of this first report was, in part, to conduct an assessment of the company, and also to report on the company’s greenhouse gas emissions. “Sustainable development has been an integral part of Provencher_Roy’s values for a long time, yet 2016 was a pivotal year for the firm because we set ourselves the objective of reporting on our own socio-environmental footprint,” explained Matthieu Kieken, sustainable development coordinator with Provencher_Roy. As such, the report mentions that in 2016, the company emitted 114 tons of CO2 and to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, it decided to implement a series of energy-saving measures and a more responsible procurement process. Some of these initiatives include replacing fluorescent lightbulbs with LED lights, using FSC-certified paper, eliminating plastic water bottles, and encouraging employees to use public transit and electric vehicles.

Read more : First commercial LEED v4 Platinium certified project in Canada

International Maritime Station Iberville in Montreal

“One of the benefits of the sustainable development approach is to see employees become more aware of their impacts and change their behaviours or propose solutions to the company,” added Kieken. “It puts positive pressure on those who may be less ‘convinced.’ These good practices then become habits that the employees continue to do at home.”

Kieken notes that although architecture firms are becoming increasingly mindful of the impact their projects’ have, the same can’t always be said about assessing the impact of their own organization. “We’ve worked on over 32 LEED projects, and others that are in the process of getting certified, like the Sainte-Justine Hospital or the new pavilion for the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Québec. It seems surprising that we’re the first architecture firm in Quebec to publish this type of report. We were inspired by what’s happening in the United States, particularly, Architect magazine’s annual top 50, which awards the most sustainable firms.”

In a process of continuous improvement, the company will conduct a new self-assessment in 2017 and update its environmental policy and priorities. A platform will also be put in place that will not only allow employees to discuss sustainable development issues, but also to organize activities or coordinate carpooling.  

CHU Sainte-Justine in Quebec city.

To view the report, click here.

Cover photo : Reception Pavilion Quebec National Assembly