Round Table Discussion – Overcoming Obstacles in the Construction Industry's Sustainability Journey

On January 25th, the BC Construction Roundtable will host a round table discussion to support learning and dialogue between owners, consultants, general contractors and others in the construction industry on overcoming obstacles in the Construction Industry's sustainability journey. Attendees will participate in table group discussions to provide input and inform the discussion. A facilitator and a recorder will be at each table to guide and to support the dialogue.

Table discussion themes will be documented and consolidated into white papers to be shared with attendees and BCCR members. A debrief and networking session will follow the table discussions. The ticket price includes two drinks tickets and canapes. 

The following panellists will start the afternoon session by offering their perspectives: Marcos Alejandro Badra – City of Richmond, Program Manager – Circular Economy, Stephanie Voysey – Lafarge, Head of Sustainability and Environment and Pia Abercromby – McElhanney, Lead – Sustainability, Climate and Asset Management Solutions.

Speakers:

Marcos Alejandro Badra is the Program Manager - Circular Economy for the City of Richmond. Marcos's passions include sustainability, circular economy, economic growth, and social development. With over 15 years of experience working in a circular economy, he has experience with material flow, life cycle assessment, zero waste programs, environmental risk assessment, environmental management systems, human development, and community engagement. He has worked in and with numerous industries (chemistry, pharmaceuticals, automotive, energy, food and beverage, pulp and paper, and mining) and policymakers in Latin America and Europe. In addition to circular economy and sustainability, he is experienced in partnership building, stakeholder engagement, and human development. Marcos holds a BSc in Environmental Management, an MSc in Project Design, Management and Administration, and an MSc in International Cooperation for Project Management. He is a prospective MSc graduate in Sustainability Development Management from Blas Pascal University.

Stephanie Voysey, PEng, is the Head of Sustainability and Environment at Lafarge Canada; Stephanie oversees Lafarge's sustainability initiatives and ensures that all sites operate to minimize their impact on the surrounding environment. She works closely with stakeholders across the organization to develop and implement cutting-edge sustainability programs and initiatives that drive real change. Stephanie is a strategic thinker known for her ability to identify and prioritize opportunities for reducing environmental impact while driving value for the business. She leads by example and fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, focusing on empowering her team to take ownership of sustainability initiatives and initiatives. 

Pia Abercromby, PEng, ENV SP, leads McElhanney’s Sustainability, Climate, and Asset Management Solutions Group. Her experience in both New Zealand and Canada shaped her passion for improving the outcomes of her clients’ projects. Her experience ranges from acting as the Envision Sustainability Lead for a large Design Build transportation project to facilitating conversations with contractors on the practicalities of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the road building sector. Her pragmatism and love of problem-solving help debunk the myth that sustainable design is prohibitively expensive and only possible for “green” projects.

Moderator:

Mary Chow is an Architect and Principal with HDR who has dedicated the last 20+ years of her career to designing community infrastructure. She advocates for community amenities that serve the people for which they are created and are resilient for future generations. Mary is a certified Passive House Designer and a LEED-accredited professional. 

Industry leaders will then facilitate individual table discussions and a sharing of perspectives, experiences, questions and challenges on incorporating collaborative project delivery methods for all types of construction projects. 

Table discussion facilitators include:

• Charles Allen – Owner – City of Burnaby - Director, Civic Building Projects
• Emma Fyfe – Owner – SHAPE - VP, Platform Excellence 
• Jeff Busby - Owner - Translink - Vice President, Engineering
• Malcolm Shield - Owner - Wesgroup Properties, Vice President Sustainability.
• Megan Pate – Owner - City of Vancouver, Manager – Northeast False Creek Project
• Melanie Kilpatrick - Owner - Fortis BC, Project Director Major Projects Governance and Controls
• Rodrigo Disegni - Owner - Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure - Director, Rehabilitation and Maintenance
• Willy Yung - Owner - Port of Vancouver - Director, Engineering & Asset Management
• Zosia Brown - Contractor - Nexii, Vice President Sustainability

Thank you Lafarge and Tetra Tech for sponsoring this event.