BBA won first prize in the Water Resources category for the Woodworth Dam project in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. The new structure, a 15-meter-high concrete gravity dam, was built downstream from the existing dam in a rocky canyon and will provide a stable water supply for the next 50 to 100 years.
BBA’s team of experts proposed an approach that optimized the original design while reducing the project budget by nearly 17%. Since the Woodworth Dam is located on First Nations land, the communities were involved throughout the project to ensure that special attention and care was taken to respect the location and their culture. “This project makes innovation work for citizens, communities and the environment,” states Roger Austin, Senior Engineer – Civil and Structural Engineering and Dam Safety at BBA. “To be rewarded with one of the country's highest honours is a testament to the values that inform our profession and to the role we have in creating an equitable, sustainable and resilient future.”
At the same gala, BBA won a second award in the Natural Resources, Mining, Industry and Energy category for the local, carbon-neutral biofuel project carried out at the ArcelorMittal pellet plant in Port-Cartier, Québec. ArcelorMittal wanted to reduce its greenhouse gases, so it decided to incorporate pyrolytic oil into this plant. BBA performed the feasibility study for this project, which recovers forest waste to benefit the environment and the local economy. This project is the first in the world to use pyrolytic oil continuously in its processes. It’s also the largest consumption of a fuel made from forest biomass.
The conversion will allow ArcelorMittal to cut its annual use of heavy fuel oil and coal by 23%, reducing its CO2 emissions by 57 tonnes, equivalent to the annual GHG emissions of 14 vehicles. The project is using pyrolytic oil that BioÉnergie AE Côte-Nord Canada produces from forest waste. This waste comes from the Arbec sawmill in Port-Cartier and would otherwise have been burned. “At BBA, we’re committed to being involved in forward-thinking projects that have a positive impact on the community, the economy and the environment,” says Stéphane Charest, Vice-President – Energy and Chemicals Market at BBA. Receiving this kind of recognition for our local, carbon-neutral biofuel project shows how important it is to continue down this path and help industries in Canada make the energy transition.”
