Energy powers the infrastructure of society and the economy, a cold-climate necessity. Quebec’s energy cluster produces and distributes electrical energy and natural gas; a booming manufacturing industry supplies material, equipment and parts. In 2001, the cluster generated more than 20,000 jobs in Greater Montreal. Though much of it operates in remote regions, decision-making and management are concentrated in Montreal, with Hydro-Québec as a strategic player. Major equipment suppliers include General Electric of Canada, Alstom Canada, ABB and Siemens Canada; most are active in many industry segments, and even the SMEs innovate and export. The cluster is only beginning to recognize the enormous potential of the solar building industry, an area where Concordia is carving out entirely new ground.
Dr. Andreas Athienitis lights up when he describes his work as head of the Concordia-based Solar Research Building Network (SBRN). He is Concordia Research Chair, Tier 1, in Solar Energy in the department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering. The Network, primarily funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), includes ten Canadian universities, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Hydro-Québec and at least 15 industry partners.
Buildings account for almost a third of Canada’s energy use, about half of electricity use and 28% of greenhouse gas emissions. Athienitis seeks to achieve net-zero energy buildings (buildings which are energy consumption- production balanced), potentially an enormous economic and environmental contribution to the country’s well-being and prosperity.
In 2005, Concordia led Canada’s only entry in the prestigious Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C. Athienitis and his team produced a net zero-energy-consumption house that integrates solar energy technologies, energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting with smart controls. It is open to visitors on the Loyola campus, but Athienitis dreams of building a perfected version on the roof of the new JMSB building downtown, accessible to many more Montrealers and visitors.
His sense of urgency stems in part from frustration with the common discourse that views sustainable development as a sacrifice. “We can have our cake and eat it too,” says Athienitis. “We can have quality of life and save the planet by using technologies that harness free energy from the sun. But we need to be involved in every aspect of city and building planning now.”
We anticipate that within 10-15 years, solar energy will be a valuable energy source here in Quebec. That’s why it’s so important for us to be involved in networks like Concordia’s Solar Buildings Research Network. It fosters research and the development of applications that will prepare qualified workers for the emerging solar energy market in Quebec.
Dr. Gaétan Lantagne
Officer-in-charge of the Energy Technology Laboratory (LTE)
Research Institute of Hydro-Québec
(funded by NSERC, NRCan, CMHC, Hydro-Québec and other industries in the SBRN):
Page Title: Manufacturing Cluster - Energy - Dr. Andreas Athienitis - Concordia University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Page URL:http://www.concordia.ca/clusters/energy/index.php
Date Printed: Thu February 9, 2012
