Sustainable Business Magazine 01/19 by Sustainable Business Magazine

SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 01/19

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ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE CEA • J.L. RICHARDS • PMAC • PORT ST. MAARTEN

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George Newell Marcus Bonnano Liam Pritchett Bree Hollinsworth Hailey Hollinsworth Channa S. Perera Glenn Roach Jacob Hall Graeme Watts George Bell Ashley Hewitt

CONTENTS ISSUE 01/19

Welcome to the latest North American edition of Sustainable Business Magazine Sustainable Business Magazine aims to spread awareness of the values of sustainability, as well as the exciting ways in which organizations continue to meet challenges and champion corporate social responsibility. In our cover feature, we spoke to Robbie Antonio, Founder and CEO of Revolution Precrafted, about bringing prefabricated homes designed by top artists and architects to the United States. We continue our Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) series with three new features on a changing energy landscape in Canada, preceded by a foreword by Channa S. Perera, Vice-President, Policy Development at the CEA. Dino Priore, Executive Vice-President and Chief Engineering and Construction Officer at Toronto Hydro, told us about transforming former industrial spaces and embracing new battery storage technology. We spoke to Debbie Gray, Senior Manager – Business Development at Hydro-Québec, about exporting clean energy to the Northeastern United States. Finally, in a conversation with Heather Ferguson, Vice President, Environment at Ontario Power Generation, we discussed the next frontier in reducing carbon emissions – electrifying transportation. Also as part of our focus on sustainable innovation in Canada, we spoke to Joan Haysom, Innovative Energy Market Chief at J.L. Richards & Associates Ltd, about integrating renewable energy and smart energy systems into projects as part of a multidisciplinary firm. And in a Q&A with Bree and Hailey Hollinsworth of Ungalli Clothing Co., we caught up with the company that is revolutionizing the fashion industry with long-lasting, sustainable products. We launch our new ‘Caribbean Ports’ series with a foreword from Glenn Roach, Executive Secretary of the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC). This issue, we spoke to Ian Stewart, Executive Manager for Terminal Operations at Barbados Port Inc., about making the Port of Bridgetown ‘best-in-class’. In a conversation with Lenius Lendor, Managing Director at the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, we discussed rebuilding and investing in new technology. And at Port St. Maarten Group of Companies, we spoke to Roger Lawrence, Port Operations Manager, about coming back stronger than ever after Hurricane Irma. To finish this issue, we spoke to Richard Pandohie, CEO of the Seprod Group, about responsible manufacturing in Jamaica. Details of upcoming sustainability events in North America throughout January and February can be found on our events calendar. Our featured events are the Energy Expo (formerly the MiaGreen Expo & Conference) on 23rd and 24th January 2019 at the MACC Convention Center in Miami, and the Water Expo on 28th and 29th August 2019, also at the MACC Convention Center. We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading. The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

Revolution Precrafted

Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) Foreword

Toronto Hydro

Hydro-Quebec

Ontario Power Generation

J.L. Richards

Q&A Ungalli Clothing Co.

Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC)

Barbados Port Inc.

British Virgin Islands Port Authority

Port St. Maarten

Seprod Group

Global Events

Advertisers Index

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ISSUE01/18 COVER IMAGE MR ROBBIE ANTONIO, CEO, REVOLUTION PRECRAFTED. IMAGE PROVIDED BY REVOLUTION PRECRAFTED.

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MR. ANTONIO’S NEWEST BUSINESS OCCUPIES THE SPACE WHERE ART, FUNCTIONALITY, AND NECESSITY INTERSECT.

EXTRAORDINARY

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Robbie Antonio, Founder and CEO of Revolution Precrafted, about prefabricated homes, working with some of the world’s top designers, and breaking into the U.S. market.

ROBBIE ANTONIO, FOUNDER AND CEO OF REVOLUTION PRECRAFTED.

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Robbie Antonio is a contradictory creature. With 82 million square feet of property developed, in-progress, or managed by his companies, he is, at first glance, an old-fashioned real estate tycoon – albeit an unusually youthful one. His brainchild, Antonio Development built the Centurion Building in New York, the first ever groundup residential condominium in New York to be designed by Pei Partners and I.M. Pei, while Century Properties built many of the best-known towers in Manila, with luxury brand names like Armani Casa, Missoni, Forbes Media, and Versace Home. Yet there’s something uncommon about this property magnate. In 2016, Artnet

named Mr. Antonio as one of 12 Young Art Collectors to Watch, and overall ranked him among the World’s Top 100 Art Collectors. Mr. Antonio’s Manila home was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, and his extensive collection of modern art contains masterpieces by Francis Bacon, Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst, to name a few Mr. Antonio’s newest business occupies the space where art, functionality and necessity intersect. Revolution Precrafted is an international supplier of prefabricated homes – with a twist. Unlike traditional prefabricated structures, Revolution Precrafted’s homes are designed by over 80 of the best-

known architects, designers and artists in the world, including Tom Dixon, Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie architects, the late Zaha Hadid, Marcel Wanders, Kengo Kuma, and Lenny Kravitz. By using cutting-edge production systems, Revolution Precrafted’s homes are priced to suit middle-income buyers and they are produced in as fast as 2-3 months.

EDEN HOME BY MARCEL WANDERS, ONE OF THE HOMES AVAILABLE AT THE BATULAO ARTSCAPES IN THE PHILIPPINES.

PREFABRICATED REVOLUTION “It’s democratizing design,” explains Mr. Antonio, Founder and CEO of Revolution Precrafted. “I started Revolution because I come from the industry, so I understand the pain points of high capex, site-specific construction loans. I wanted the complete opposite business plan, which is an asset-light business model, which provided the ability to get the cash flow much faster. I see our unique selling points as being an accessible price point, being global in nature, designer brands, using advanced technology to keep

costs low, and we can complete buildings in an expeditious manner, producing them in ninety days at most.” Revolution Precrafted is the fastest ever ‘unicorn’ in Southeast Asia, referring to a startup company which is valued at over $1 billion. It’s also the only Philippine startup to reach this valuation. Since founding in December 2015, Revolution Precrafted has earned over $9.1 billion in project revenues, and projects can be found in 28 different countries, from Japan to Dubai to Spain – and in the United States. CALIFORNIA PROJECT There’s nothing new about prefabricated housing in America. Between 1908 and 1940, Sears, Roebuck and Company sold between 70-75,000 kit homes through their ‘Modern Homes’ catalog, for anything from a few hundred dollars to thousands, many of which remain standing today. At the

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turn of the twentieth century, a buyer, who might not be able to afford a conventional home, could purchase a kit home to be shipped in a railroad boxcar and often to be assembled on site by friends and neighbors. By mass-producing the construction

materials, companies like Sears, Aladdin, and others were able to greatly reduce costs, making the homes highly affordable, ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Precut timber and lumber also reduced the time and expertise required for

construction. These homes featured central heating, indoor plumbing, and electricity, expanding access to these amenities to a new aspirational American middle class. Revolution Precrafted are relighting the torch for precrafted homes in the United States. What’s special about Revolution Prefabricated’s buildings is the opportunity, not just to own a prefabricated home, but to own one designed by great design luminaries such as Jean Nouvel, Christian de Portzamparc, and Daniel Libeskind. “We’re making these designs accessible to people at a different price points,” says Mr. Antonio. “It’s a true disruption to the status quo.” In August, Mr. Antonio signed a $210-million contract to build 60 villas in the new Imperial Heights Estates, a gated luxury community in the San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino County, California. The project will be executed in partnership with Imperial Heights LLC, who will handle land and site development. Each villa will be a minimum of 450 square meters, will have five to six bedrooms, and will be valued at $3.5 million each. “It has been slow to penetrate the North American market, given the difficulty of the permitting problem in America,” explains Mr. Antonio. “We’ve doing this in a very systematic manner, and we’re proud to have broken through in this target market.” ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS In addition to cost, another advantage of prefabricated buildings is the improved environmental impact. By centralizing the construction process, opportunities are unlocked to improve efficiencies and reduce resource consumption, as well as turnaround time. “We use advanced robotics to accelerate the process,” says Mr. Antonio. “It’s a B2B2C model, working with partners to localize the fabricators near where the orders are coming from. Actually, some people really want off-the-grid, sustainable homes, and this is also a very important part for many of our designers. Currently, some of our designers are working on these projects, and we’ve

DIAGO BY J. MAYER.

SKIN HOUSE BY DAPHNE GUINNESS.

INSTRUMENTAL HOME BY KRAVITZ DESIGN FOR INTERIORS AND MARMOL RADZINER FOR ARCHITECTURE.

POLYGONAL SUCCESSIONS BY EDUARDO CALMA, CAN ALSO BE SEEN AT BATULAO ARTSCAPES.

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REVOLUTION VISUAL ARTS MUSEUM BY JEAN NOUVEL.

had a lot of requests from developers, so we’re making sure we’re ready to produce these homes after the design stage.” TRANSFORMATIVE BUSINESS MODEL Revolution Precrafted is preparing to deliver 44,000 units over the next 3-5 years. Clearly, the business model has worked. The first Revolution Precrafted project, the $1.1 billion Batulao Artscapes park, was launched in December 2017 in the Philippines, with 8000 homes situated in ‘the world’s first liveable art park’; This development features

homes and museums designed by some of the best local and international designers including Kenneth Cobonpue, Eduardo Calma, Elizabeth de Portzamparc, and David Salle, among others. Its sister project, Revolution Flavorscapes, a ‘food park’ with 14,000 homes, was launched in March 2018 and promises to offer museums and pop-up restaurants that offer dishes from around the world. “As a developer, you’re used to competing with other developers,” explains Mr. Antonio. “Now, we serve the developers.

We’re asset-light, we’re global, we’re not site-specific, we’re cyclical. If a region is not doing very well, we can go to another region. In 2018, we grew 1000% in yearto-year revenue. We’re in 28 countries who have signed right now; we want to be in 55 next year, and between 85 and 100 in 2020. We’re focusing on growing our business further, being everywhere, and figuring out an amazing logistics system. But most important is that we’re just building beautiful homes for end users in different regions of the world.” c

HEDERA BY KENNETH COBONPUE.

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CEA

POWERING

SUSTAINABILITY A foreword by Channa S. Perera, Vice-President, Policy Development at the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA).

On behalf of the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), I am pleased to write this foreword to the ‘Powering Sustainability’ series in Sustainable Business Magazine. The Canadian electricity sector has a long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability and compliance. In 1997, CEA launched the Environmental Commitment & Responsibility (ECR) 6 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Program, which mandated each member utility to conform to the internationally recognized ISO 14001 Environmental Management System – the first energy sector association to make compliance a mandatory requirement of membership. The Sustainable Electricity Program promotes sustainability integration under the following five pillars:

• Low Carbon Future • Infrastructure Renewal and Modernization • Building Relationships • Risk Management • Business Excellence CEA members are making significant progress. Air emissions are at an all-time low; engagement levels with employees, local communities, stakeholders, and Indigenous Peoples have significantly improved; and investments to renew and modernize infrastructure are also on the rise. Today, over 80 percent of the electricity generation mix in Canada is Greenhouse Gas (GHG)-free,

making it one of the cleanest in the world. The utility success stories (initiatives) presented in this ‘Powering Sustainability’ series will help further illustrate how the sector is integrating sustainability into its activities. I hope you read these stories with interest and share your thoughts with us so that we can continue to improve our performance. As a sector, we recognize that sustainability is a journey and we still have a long way to go. We want to work with you to make this journey a success. Let’s partner for a sustainable future. Read more at www.electricity.ca and share your thoughts with me at perera@electricity.ca c

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TORONTO HYDRO

“THERE’S AN ENHANCED SENSITIVITY TO POWER QUALITY, ESPECIALLY BY OUR INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS.

PRESERVATION AND

TRANSFORMATION Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Toronto Hydro about adapting former industrial spaces to cater to the needs of a changing city.

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On May 2, 1911, three years after Toronto’s population of 376,000 voted in overwhelming numbers for the formation of a municipal electric company, the Toronto Hydro-Electric System was founded at the Old City Hall. In the 1910s, the new company supplied 7 GWh of electricity to just under 4,000 homes and businesses, with a peak demand of 4 MW. Over a century later, in 2017, the same company was supplying a city of 2.8 million people with 24,381 GWh of power, with a peak load of 4,316 MW. As Toronto has transformed, so too has Toronto Hydro. Today, according to the 13th annual Vital Signs Report, approximately 51% of Torontonians were born outside Canada, and the city is known around the world as a center for finance, technology, arts and culture, and business. As the economy of the city changed towards the end of the twentieth century and white-collar and service sector jobs in Toronto replaced the old manufacturing industries, factories closed, leaving large brownfield sites in the city. Meanwhile, in 2017, Toronto Hydro’s pioneering energy conservation and demand management programs resulted in estimated energy savings of 353,000 MWh, reducing Toronto’s greenhouse gas emissions by 14,120 tons of CO2. Toronto Hydro has been involved in envelope-pushing energy storage projects,

and is installing new charging stations for electric vehicles. But equally innovative is the way Toronto Hydro has reused buildings and spaces from Toronto’s industrial past. At both the Eglinton Light Rail Transit Battery Energy Storage System, currently under construction, and the new Clare R. Copeland Transformer Station (TS), Toronto Hydro has been involved in large-scale projects which have taken pieces of Toronto’s history, and preserved and adapted them for the needs of a thoroughly modern city.

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PRESERVATION AND RENEWAL Last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke to Toronto Hydro, in early 2016, the company was constructing Canada’s second ever underground transformer station. (See Sustainable Business Magazine issue 03/16 for the full story.) Today, Copeland TS is in the

energization phase, with structural, architectural, mechanical, and electrical work for phase 1 of the installation largely complete. “Upon final energization in 2019, Copeland TS will be capable of providing up to 144 MVA of additional capacity to the south core of Toronto,” explains Dino Priore, Executive

Vice-President and Chief Engineering and Construction Officer at Toronto Hydro. “This will help address the construction boom in the downtown core by supplying electricity to new condominium buildings and office towers in the area. Copeland TS will also allow the transfer of load from the aging Windsor

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TS, enabling several years of upgrades to the aging equipment there, and helping improve the overall reliability of supply to the financial and entertainment district.” The new transformer station is directly adjacent to – and, indeed, partly underneath – the historic John Street Roundhouse, which was once the largest combined passenger car and locomotive facility in Canada. After it closed in 1986, the Roundhouse was named a National Historic Site. Toronto Hydro and the construction team worked to preserve and enhance the site. “Copeland TS was built partially below the Roundhouse’s Machine Shop,” says Mr. Priore. “To preserve the historical value of the building, Toronto Hydro disassembled the building brick-by-brick, catalogued all materials, and stored everything offsite. When the underground station was completed, the Machine Shop was rebuilt and restored to its original appearance.” The new development has also improved public access and beautified the

environment – all while preserving and promoting a key piece of Toronto’s history. “Other work at the site includes the restoration of an access roadway, the addition of a public park, a green wall, roof installations, and the introduction of COR-TEN steel panels along the Lakeshore Boulevard and Rees Street faces of the station,” says Mr. Priore.

“The COR-TEN steel is perforated to enable airflow from the transformer cooling systems, using perforations that are patterned to reflect the layout of the railway lands from the 1930s. The overall effect is that of a very large mural, enhancing the beauty of the south core while paying homage to the industrial heritage of the area.”

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BATTERY STORAGE AT EGLINTON The new Line 5 Eglinton, better known as the Eglinton Crosstown Line, will be the fifth route in Toronto’s subway system, running from the new Mount Dennis station (currently under construction) at the intersection of Eglinton Avenue and Weston Road along 25 stops to terminate at Kennedy station. Owned by Metrolinx, the new line is scheduled to open in September 2021, and is expected to greatly improve convenience for Toronto’s 1.69 million weekly public transport users (ttc.ca, 2017), easing congestion, improving travel times, and allowing more passengers to travel at once.

In support of the Crosstown, a new maintenance and storage facility is being constructed near Mount Dennis station at the former Kodak Heights industrial park, which from 1912 to 2006 was a camera manufacturing factory for the Eastman Kodak Company. The facility will initially service 76 Bombardier vehicles, with a capacity of 135 to accommodate any expansions of the Crosstown. The site will also feature two artificial ponds and new plantings, including a green roof on the facility. In addition to this, the historic four-storey Kodak Building 9, formerly the recreation center for Kodak employees at the campus, was moved 60

meters by 24 dollies to allow station construction. It will be moved back to form part of the station’s entrance. In response to residents’ concerns about air quality in the Mount Dennis community, Metrolinx altered its plans for a gas-fired generating station on the site to provide backup power for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line. Instead, it worked together with Toronto Hydro to build an innovative battery energy storage system, helping to improve reliability, reduce operating costs, and reduce carbon emissions. The new Eglinton LRT Battery Energy Storage System will be owned by Toronto Hydro and located on Metrolinx lands at Mount Dennis. “This replacement represents a clean, battery energy storage solution,” explains Mr. Priore. “The 10MW system is one of the largest in Canada, and includes a 90 kW solar photovoltaic system. The Metrolinx maintenance and storage facility and our adjacent energy storage facility will help beautify the former Kodak lands, a location with a long industrial history. The new system is expected to be fully installed by the end of 2019.” A HISTORY OF INNOVATION Toronto Hydro has been involved in the cutting-edge of battery storage technology for many years now. Alongside other utilities, Toronto Hydro provides funding to the Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson University, where new energy storage projects are

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regularly studied. At 440 Commissioners Street, a 4 MW Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) pilot project, installed in 2018, connects to the Toronto Hydro control room, and is being used for peak shaving, reactive power support, and voltage control. At Toronto Hydro’s work center

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at 500 Commissioners Street, a 500 kW community energy storage project supports electric vehicle charging in addition to providing backup power and load shifting. The list goes on. A 660 kW underwater compressed air energy storage system in Lake Ontario called Hydrostor has attracted international interest. And a pilot project with a 15 kW pole-top energy storage system, installed in 2016, has effectively reduced the strain on the local transformer by storing energy during off-peak hours and releasing it when needed. This unit has no physical footprint, as it’s mounted on a previously-installed electricity pole. “Battery storage innovation is a promising technology and Toronto Hydro is currently involved

in several other energy storage projects at various stages of development across the city, though these projects are smaller in scale than the Eglinton LRT energy storage system,” says Mr. Priore. NEW FRONTIERS By the end of 2019, Toronto Hydro’s latest energy storage system is expected to be complete. The Bulwer Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project is a 2 MW project, situated at a retired 4.16kV Toronto Hydro electrical substation in downtown Toronto, Bulwer Municipal Station (MS).

“Downtown Toronto is becoming densely populated, and we anticipate the demand for electricity will lead to a strain within local pockets of our infrastructure,” says Mr. Priore. “This project is a collaboration with Renewable Energy Systems (RES), with partial funding from Ontario’s Smart Grid Fund. The BESS project can provide a reduction of peak demand in the area, provide support for demand response initiatives and allow us to defer investing in expensive new assets.” “If you consider a typical urban environment, we’re supplying residential customers and commercial and industrial customers,”

says Mr. Priore. “With modern microelectronic equipment there’s an enhanced sensitivity to power quality, especially by our industrial customers. Any time there’s a split-second blip, they have to reset their manufacturing processes, which can cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Battery storage technology can help the customers address this by conditioning the power, in addition to peak shaving. I’m very proud to work for a company like Toronto Hydro, where we have top-notch people and very challenging work, with such a diversity of interesting projects.” c

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HYDRO-QUÉBEC

THE PROVINCE GENERATES A THIRD OF THE COUNTRY’S ELECTRICITY, AND OVER 99% OF HYDRO-QUÉBEC’S OUTPUT IS FROM LOW-EMISSIONS HYDRO.

PATHWAYS OF CHANGE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Debbie Gray, Senior Manager – Business Development at Hydro-Québec, about the future of renewable energy in the Northeastern United States. It’s a tale of two electricity markets. On one side of the border, the six states of New England (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) have some of the highest wholesale energy prices in the continental United States, with natural gas and aging nuclear plants making up the bulk of the mix, and legacy coal- and oil-fired plants required to meet peak demand during cold spells. At the same time, these states, along with New York State, have some of the most ambitious 20 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

greenhouse gas reduction goals in America, targeting on average an 80% reduction below 1990 levels by 2050, levels in alignment with the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal of limiting the global average temperature rise to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. On the other side of the border, the province of Québec enjoys the lowest electricity rates in North America, while also emitting almost no greenhouse gases to generate it. The province generates a third of the country’s electricity, and over

99% of Hydro-Québec’s output is from low-emissions hydro. With 63 hydroelectric power plants and a total installed capacity of 37,309 MW, Québec produces a huge surplus of clean electricity, allowing it to export to Ontario, to the Maritime provinces, and mainly to its American neighbors: New England – where roughly 15% of electricity consumed is imported from Québec – and the State of New York. “We’ve been exporting clean electricity to the United States for over a century,”

LA GRANDE-1 GENERATING STATION. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

AERIAL VIEW OF PAUGAN GENERATING STATION. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

neighboring markets to about 34.4 TWh in 2017, approximately three-quarters of which goes to the Northeastern United States. Our exports generated 27% of our net income in 2017 but accounted for 17% of our total sales. So there’s a lucrative market beyond our borders.” CLEAN POWER Since a scientific consensus around human-caused emissions resulting in measurable global warming emerged in the 1990s, hydroelectricity has had another selling point: Unlike other legacy methods of generating electricity on a utility scale,

hydroelectricity is renewable. “Hydropower is a great solution for climate change challenges because it’s reliable, it’s flexible, and it can provide the balancing capacity that other renewable generation sources need,” explains Ms. Gray. “It’s a mature, well-known technology, which is also very long-lasting. At Hydro-Québec, we have two plants that are over 100 years old – and we’re not unique in this. Of course, you have to refurbish and change the mechanical works over time, but you can amortize the main cost of the civil infrastructure, which is the most expensive part, over a century. Also, because it’s a mature technology, we have the benefit

FISH PASS ON THE RIVIÈRE EASTMAIN. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

explains Debbie Gray, Senior Manager – Business Development at Hydro-Québec, the state-owned utility which manages electrical generation, transmission, and distribution in Québec. “One of the precursors of Hydro-Québec, a company called Montreal Light, Heat and Power, built the Les Cèdres–Dennison intertie back in the early 1910s. In 1978, we commissioned a high voltage transmission line to New York, after which our exports to the state increased substantially. More recently, our Strategic Plan calls for further increases in electricity exports. Since 2006, we’ve gone from exporting about 10 TWh to our SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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HYDRO-QUÉBEC of experience, which means we have been able to optimize the processes.” Hydroelectric generation also results in far lower greenhouse gas emissions than any fossil fuel-based electricity generation, including natural gas. “There have been some recent studies showing greenhouse gases, including methane, coming from reservoirs,” says Ms. Gray. “In fact, we’ve been studying this phenomenon for many years. We’ve found that right after reservoir creation, there is a peak in emissions, because flooded vegetation decomposes, but after five to ten years, emissions come down to the levels found in natural lakes. Studies done in tropical countries have shown high levels of methane emissions after reservoir impoundment. However, methane - which has a global warming potential about 25 times that of carbon dioxide - is not an issue in Québec reservoirs. This is because cold water contains more dissolved oxygen, leading to the formation of carbon dioxide and very little methane.” All Hydro-Québec facilities are certified to the ISO 14001 standard. “We’ve been integrating environmental and social concerns into our projects and operations since the 1970s,” says Ms. Gray. “We’ve signed landmark agreements with indigenous communities. We perform thorough environmental and social impact studies to identify the main impacts of our projects. We then design our projects to limit these impacts, and subsequently determine appropriate mitigation measures to be implemented during the construction and operation phases, and go through a rigorous public AERIAL VIEW OF RESERVOIR AND SPILLWAY OF ROBERT-BOURASSA GENERATING FACILITY. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

hearing process. We then monitor different variables, like greenhouse gas emissions, use of the territory, impacts on fish and other wildlife, et cetera, and adjust mitigation measures as needed.” Under current President and CEO Éric Martel, Hydro-Québec has climbed the Corporate Knights Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada list, reaching 4th place in 2017. In 2018, Hydro-Québec came in 1st place, with Corporate Knights citing high customer satisfaction, diversity in employees and senior management, and the utility’s overwhelming 99.5% of energy production from renewable sources. DEEP DECARBONIZATION In 2018, 18% of the electricity produced in the United States was derived from renewable sources, with solar and wind projects totaling 62% of the new energy projects constructed in 2017. New renewable industries are creating thousands of new jobs each year – in 2016, it was estimated that solar industries were creating jobs at 17 times the U.S. national average – and many more Americans now work in solar and wind than work in coal. As these new renewables come online, the need still remains for a non-intermittent source of clean energy, to balance the intermittent renewables and to ensure the grid can meet peak demand. In April this year, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), working with Hydro-Québec and Evolved Energy Research, produced a report as part of the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) on decarbonization INSIDE OF A SCROLL CASE AT ROMAINE-2 GENERATING STATION. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

in the Northeastern United States, looking specifically at the impact of expanding cooperation with Hydro-Québec. “Basically, this report had two main goals,” says Ms. Gray. “First, what changes are required for the Northeast to meet their ambitious greenhouse reduction goals? And second, what are the benefits of increased coordination with Hydro-Québec?” The DDPP is a global collaboration of energy research teams charting practical pathways to deeply reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The project has long argued that deep decarbonization of energy depends upon three pillars: Energy efficiency and conservation, decarbonizing energy and fuels, and switching energy end-uses to lower- and zero-carbon energy carriers. 22 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

“They first modeled the trajectory that the region is on with current policy,” says Ms. Gray. “They found that current policy would reduce emissions over the next 10 years, but then over the subsequent 20 years there would be a growth in carbon emissions from more industrial uses and population growth. They then applied those three pillars to the Northeast, to model a trajectory that would meet the region’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals and asked: What would the changes be in their energy mix, and what would the value be of increasing cooperation with Hydro-Québec?” The study’s hypothesis was that Hydro-Québec’s vast network of hydropower reservoirs would complement the development of solar and wind in the region. They

compared the wind and solar build-out that would be required to meet all the 2050 goals, with and without Hydro-Québec. “What they found was, in the scenario where the region coordinated with Hydro-Québec, cost savings would be around $4 billion per year,” explains Ms. Gray. “Why would it be cost-effective to increase coordination with us? In both scenarios, there would be a lot of development of onshore and offshore wind. But if they increase transmission ties and subsequent imports from Hydro-Québec, they would not have to develop the most expensive offshore wind. So Hydro-Québec would be replacing the last, marginal wind to be constructed. Another conclusion is, in having more coordination and more transmission interties with us,

we’re able to assist in the more efficient penetration of the intermittent renewables. Our reservoirs can absorb excess wind or solar that might be generated when demand is low, store energy in our reservoirs, then sell it back when demand is high. We can serve as a sort of battery for the region.” ELECTRICAL BACKBONE The study anticipates that electricity sales in the Northeast will double between now and 2050. “Right now, for example, there is very little electricity used in passenger transportation or for heating in the Northeast,” says Ms. Gray. “In the Northeast, it’s cheaper to use natural gas. In Québec, on the other hand, we already heat close to 80% of our houses with electricity. So one peculiarity of SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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HYDRO-QUÉBEC 735-KV TRANSMISSION LINES, NEAR RADISSON SUBSTATION. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

HYDRO-QUÉBEC HAS BEEN DEVELOPING NEW INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE PAST 2 DECADES TO SUPPLY A GROWING REGIONAL DEMAND FOR CLEAN ENERGY.

our system here is that it’s winter peaking, which is fairly unique – Norway is another winter-peaking jurisdiction. In neighboring jurisdictions, however, electricity is summer peaking because of the air conditioning load. That’s why we’re in a good position to sell electricity to the U.S. We have a lot of excess capacity in the summer months. If we look ahead to a deeply decarbonized 2050, whereby the Northeast is using more electricity for home heating, then its load profile is going to be coincident with ours, which is going to be interesting and could lead to some challenges.” The DDPP study also assumed some continued generation from gas, though 24 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

87% of the electricity generation would be carbon free. “Importantly, though some of the thermal generation will be gas, half of that will be biogas – residue from landfills or crop residues, intentionally transformed to methane,” says Ms. Gray. “It’s all part of a vision of the future where the supply of energy to the Northeast is consistent and meets requirements, but also adheres to the local greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.” “It’s one thing for Hydro-Québec to say: ‘We can be part of the solution to your current and future energy needs,” explains Ms. Gray. “It’s another to be part of a larger research project, and to have independent

modelers crunch the numbers and come out with the same solution. We’re currently discussing and educating. The study is high-level, and not all of the technical and economic questions are answered. We’re now looking at being associated with other modeling exercises, and we’re following very closely what other modeling work being done in North America is saying.” NEW FRONTIERS Separately from the DDPP study, Hydro-Québec recently won a contract to sell more electricity to the state of Massachusetts. “Under the Global Warming Solutions Act, the state has mandated the

FISH MONITORING ON THE RIVIÈRE ROMAINE PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

England Clean Energy Connect will reduce annual emissions across the region by over 36 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over 20 years. It will also bring down bills for Massachusetts customers by 2-4%, saving ratepayers a total of $4 billion. Hydro-Québec has been developing new infrastructure over the past 2 decades to supply a growing regional demand for clean energy. “We have a new power plant under construction on the Romaine river, which is projected to be completed in 2020,” says Ms. Gray. “There are already three power plants online along that river, which were all on time and on budget. The decision to build that complex was made partly with the export market in mind. One of the challenges with hydro is you can’t just decide to build a plant and then assume that it’ll be online in a year or two: It’s a long process of environmental studies, permitting, and construction that typically takes 10-15 years.” Another infrastructural challenge is adequate transmission lines. “These lines are expensive, and social acceptance is a challenge,” says Ms. Gray. “We actually won the RFP with another project called

electric distribution companies which buy electricity to find new sources of clean energy,” says Ms. Gray. “They put out an RFP for 9.45 TWh of electricity, which we won. We’re partnering with an American transmission developer, and we’re planning to build a new line from Québec into the state of Maine to connect to the New England grid. The project is called the New England Clean Energy Connect. This is noteworthy, because it shows that Massachusetts has identified that Hydro-Québec has a significant role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Northeast.” The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources estimates that the New

the Northern Pass Transmission, which was to go through New Hampshire. The transmission developer had all the permits bar one; it was denied shortly after the project was selected in Massachusetts. Fortunately for us, when Massachusetts went with their second option, that was also Hydro-Québec.” If the New England Clean Energy Connect proves to be successful, Hydro-Québec anticipates a growing demand for interconnections with the Northeastern region. “There are a number of transmission projects, including some which are fully permitted, on the table,” says Ms. Gray. “But we need a market signal or a contract to be able to go ahead and build them. We’re used to working very closely with American transmission developers. We see these interconnections as a win-win, and something which is essential to developing cost-effective, low-emissions energy in the region. We’re very pleased that this major DDPP study supports these conclusions, and we hope to continue working to be able to export more of our clean energy over the years to come.” c

SALMON REARING AREAS CREATED ON THE RIVIÈRE ROMAINE. PHOTO HYDRO-QUÉBEC.

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ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

NEW FRONTIERS IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Heather Ferguson, Vice President, Environment at Ontario Power Generation, about electrifying the transportation sector, working with local partners, and the largest clean energy project in Canada.

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ATIKOKAN BIOMASS SILOS.

PICKERING NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION.

In 1999, Ontario’s provincially-owned utility, Ontario Hydro, was broken up and reorganized into five companies: Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One, the Independent Electricity System Operator, the Electrical Safety Authority, and Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation. Hydro One was given control of all electricity transmission and distribution assets, while Ontario Power Generation (OPG) was tasked with owning and operating all the Ontario Hydro electricity generating stations, which at the time consisted of nuclear generating stations, over sixty hydroelectric generating stations – and five coal-fired power stations, including Nanticoke Generating Station, North America’s largest coal-fired plant, and one of the single largest emitters of greenhouse gas in Canada. Who at the time could have imagined that, less than twenty years later, 99% of OPG’s electricity would be produced without any greenhouse gas emissions at all? “It remains to this day the single largest climate change initiative that’s been done across North America to combat climate change,” says Heather Ferguson, Vice President, Environment at Ontario Power Generation. “By the end of 2014, we had closed all our coal assets. We were able to convert two of those facilities to biomass, which complements our nuclear and hydro fleet. Today, we have the two nuclear sites, sixty-six hydroelectric generation stations, and a handful of thermal facilities. We’re also working to develop a solar facility.” OPG generates roughly half of the electricity sold in the province of Ontario, with the other half generated by multiple producers. Overall, electricity generation in Ontario is 90% greenhouse gas-free. Now that the biggest obstacles to achieving a clean ener-

gy mix in Ontario have been overcome, OPG has two climate change mitigation goals for the future: To find new ways to reduce province-wide greenhouse gas emissions, and to ensure the hydroelectric and nuclear generating stations which represent the backbone of Ontario’s clean energy landscape keep operating without impacting the surrounding communities or the natural environment. CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTIONS Electricity generation is so clean in Ontario, new opportunities have been created for OPG to reduce emissions. “We now have this plentiful supply of clean electricity,” says Ms. Ferguson. “Rather than focusing our efforts now on reducing that final tiny bit of electricity that produces emissions – across the province, only 3% of overall emissions are from electricity – we decided to focus on the biggest-emitting sector in Ontario, which is transportation.” In Canada, in 2015, transportation was responsible for 24% of emissions, second only to the oil and gas sector (26% of total

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ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

PLUGIN ELECTRIC CAR.

emissions). In Ontario, the percentage further increases, partly due to the unusually clean electricity sector: in 2013, a full 35% of Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions came from transportation. “You’ve got all these emissions from internal combustion engines and diesel-powered engines,” explains Ms. Ferguson. “We decided transportation offered the best bang for our buck in terms of actually affecting emissions. The beautiful part of the equation is, the more we can electrify the transportation sector, not only do we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but we also reduce electricity rates. You take all that fixed cost, and share it with another sector by maximizing the use of existing clean generation investments. So it’s a win-win.” ELECTRIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION The provincial government’s 2016 Climate Change Action Plan highlights transportation electrification as a key target for Ontario. OPG has its own Electrification Transportation Strategy, in place since late 2016. “The strategy is anchored in a number of key areas,” says Ms. Ferguson. “In short, we want to 28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leverage existing assets to reduce the rates, and build out new commercial lines of business.” The strategy is divided roughly into internal and external approaches. Internally, OPG has begun converting its fleet to electric vehicles. “The total lifetime costs of owning and operating an electric vehicle is in many cases cheaper than an internal combustion engine vehicle,” says Ms. Ferguson. “We’re looking at the fleet to see where we can convert, and we’re installing workplace charging to support employees in their electric vehicle purchasing decision.

We’re also looking at converting to electric boats. Electric boats reduce emissions, reduce any chance of fuel spills, and they’re much quieter boats for our employees to work in.” Externally, OPG is looking into a new, potentially-transformative business model. “It’s called vehicle-grid integration,” says Ms. Ferguson. “It’s about the bidirectional flow of power not just from the grid to a vehicle, but from the vehicle’s battery back into the grid. If you imagine a world, maybe a decade from now, where there’s not just 15,000 electric vehicles on the road in On-

tario – there’s millions. These batteries have been charged up, likely overnight when power is cheap and clean, and OPG has the means to access those batteries, aggregate them, and feed the residual power they may contain back into the grid during times of peak demand. It’s almost a virtual power plant. We’re learning how the technology could work, and what the main issues are.” OPG is looking to start piloting this technology, beginning with school buses. “In Ontario, there are over 20,000 school buses,” says Ms. Ferguson. “They actually have the perfect operating profile for something like this. A school bus operates in a very predictable way. In the morning, it picks up and drops off children. It generally then sits all day, idle. It operates again from 3-4, taking children home, and then during the peak dinner hour and overnight it’s idle again, before it gets up in the morning and does it all again. It also sits idle all summer. So it’s the perfect vehicle, because it has predictable downtimes, and those downtimes are when the capacity remaining within the batteries could be needed in the grid. Also, who doesn’t love the idea of retiring a bunch of diesel-powered school buses, which pollute the environment and actually have a health impact on the children? We’re starting with these buses and a few commercial fleets, to test the technology and

to prove out the technical and commercial models behind it.” OPG is also engaging with the potential ramifications of transportation electrification on the grid. “We need to have some system by which we motivate people to charge their vehicles at the right time,” explains Ms. Ferguson. “If everybody comes home and charges their vehicles at 5 p.m., it creates a whole new peak in the system. We’ve done some modelling with this, and if our aggressive EV adoption scenario plays out, where in twenty years we have about three million electric vehicles on the road, it would create the need for fifteen new gas plants if everybody charges at peak time. That goes against the whole economic and environmental benefit. So we need to have a system of smart charging, which incentivizes people to charge when the base load power is clean and plentiful. We’re working

with the province at the moment on how we implement that behaviour.” FUEL CELLS In addition to traditional battery-powered electric vehicles, OPG is also looking at hydrogen-powered fuel cells. “Batteries are useful, but they have limitations with larger-haul vehicles, like rail or big transport trucks, because the battery has to be so large and the charging time becomes prohibitive,” says Ms. Ferguson. “We want to cover the full spectrum of transportation, which means investigating other ways the transportation sector could be cleanly powered through electrification. Hydrogen is one way. The key here is that the hydrogen is produced through a clean method, which means electrolysis. That way, you use the clean power that’s in the grid. We’re looking at the business model for hydrogen production.”

OPG BOLT.

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ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

THE DARLINGTON REFURBISHMENT, WHICH BEGAN IN 2016, IS THE LARGEST CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN CANADA.

DARLINGTON REFURBISHMENT All these plans are predicated on OPG’s continued ability to meet Ontario’s electricity needs for the foreseeable future. “Even as we transform to a more distributed model, you will always need at the backbone of that

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system a certain amount of centrally-held generating assets, to enable more intermittent distributed forms to exist,” says Ms. Ferguson. “We’re currently involved in a huge refurbishment project at our Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, which will ena-

ble the ongoing production of 3,500 MW of clean power over the next thirty years.” The Darlington refurbishment, which began in 2016, is the largest clean energy project currently underway in Canada. Worth $12.8 billion, and with an expected $89.9 billion in economic benefits to Ontario over the thirty years of operations, the project is scheduled for completion in 2026, and will continue Darlington’s operations until 2055. OPG is project managing the refurbishment themselves, working with local companies to ensure the economic benefits of the project are passed on to Ontario communities. Major Ontarian companies working on the refurbishment include AMEC Foster Wheeler, BWXT Technologies, Black & McDonald, E.S. Fox, GE Hitachi, SNC-Lavalin Nuclear and Aecon Construction, and Worley Parsons. “A project of this scale contributes significantly to the economy here in Ontario,”

ABITIBI CANYON GENERATION STATION.

says Ms. Ferguson. “Employment across the province will create 14,000 jobs annually, and 2,600 jobs onsite at the facility. It’s truly a mega-project, which will make a massive contribution to keeping electricity rates stable, keeping jobs in Ontario, and lowering energy prices.”

TOP VIEW OF DARLINGTON NUCLEAR TURBINE.

MICROGRID DEVELOPMENT The final key to OPG’s sustainable future is maintaining co-operative relationships with the communities and the natural environment around their generating assets. Recently, OPG began a project to supply reliable,

clean power to some of those communities in Ontario who aren’t connected to the overall transmission grid. “We’re currently working on a microgrid with a community called Gull Bay First Nation in Northern Ontario,” says Ms. Ferguson. “More than twenty First Nations communities in Northern Ontario are powered by diesel, as it wasn’t seen as economical to build out transmission to connect them. This raised an opportunity to do something more innovative.” The new microgrid, which is currently under development, will use a combination of solar generation, battery storage, and mi-

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ONTARIO POWER GENERATION

ABITIBI CANYON GENERATION STATION.

crogrid control technology to reduce diesel consumption by approximately 110,000 liters per year. Once completed, the microgrid will be owned by Gull Bay First Nation. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to solve an issue by deploying an innovative technological solution,” says Ms. Ferguson. “It’s also being deployed relatively quickly, and so it could present opportunities for other remote First Nations communities in Ontario.” GOOD NEIGHBORS OPG has longstanding relationships with many of the First Nations communities in Ontario, partly as a result of their sixty-six hydro generation assets, spanning the whole province. “Over the past number

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of decades, we’ve settled some historical grievances with these communities,” says Ms. Ferguson. “Back when we were Ontario Hydro, decades ago, some of our activities were not in keeping with current approaches for how you consult and work with First Nations communities. Over the last few decades, we’ve gone through a process of redressing that, and we’ve come to a final settlement agreement with twenty-one communities in Ontario. Now, in many cases, there’s opportunities to work in partnership with these communities to develop new generating assets. We have had several successful equity partnerships, where First Nations communities are co-owners. In places where economic sustainability can be

very challenging, it gives them a seat at the table, and a longer-term revenue stream. It’s so important to our social license to give back to these communities, and to work alongside them – because we’re in their backyard, in their traditional territory.” OPG also works to promote biodiversity in the natural environment around its sites – and further afield. “We’ve had our biodiversity program for a long time,” says Ms. Ferguson. “It began in the early 1990s, when we were Ontario Hydro. There are two sides to it. We have our site biodiversity management program, which is tied to our sites and the lands around them, and for which we get certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council. Then we also have a regional biodiversity program, where we partner with community organizations and conservation authorities to promote ongoing efforts to protect and restore natural heritage systems and habitat cores in our regions of operations. This is everything from

RANNY FALLS GENERATION STATION.

tree planting, to maintaining tall grass prairies and wetlands. Our biodiversity program is at the core of our social license.” With so many new frontiers in the electricity sector, OPG is aiming to adapt proactively and position itself to be a part of a 21st Century

energy landscape. “We’re learning as we go along,” says Ms. Ferguson. “It’s early days, but I think we now have a handle on these key areas. We’re still in the process of formulating our tactics and how we’re going to tackle these issues. We have unbelieva-

ble support from our executive team and our CEO. The reality is, the electricity sector is transforming, and innovation is moving at a very fast pace. We’re working to ensure we’re helping lead the charge, and really being a part of this low-carbon economy.” c

DECEW II.

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J.L. RICHARDS

JLR ADDED A NEW DISCIPLINE TO THEIR CORE SERVICES WITH THE CREATION OF THE FIRM’S INNOVATIVE ENERGY GROUP.

INNOVATIVE ENERGY EXPERTS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Joan Haysom, Innovative Energy Market Chief at J.L. Richards & Associates Limited, about working as part of a multidisciplinary firm, working with the Canadian federal government, and bringing proven new technologies to clients. J.L. Richards & Associates Limited (JLR) is a multidisciplinary engineering, architecture, planning, and project management firm based in Ontario, Canada. Since its founding in 1955, the company has had no outside shareholders. It is 100% employee owned, with no single individual controlling more than 5% of shares. In 2013, Deloitte named JLR one of Canada’s Best 34 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Managed Companies, and, after four consecutive years of maintaining this status, the company was awarded Gold Standard in 2017. JLR’s proven reputation as a firm that cares about sustainable growth and business development is due largely to its multidisciplinary structure and staff-centric business plan. “Due in part to the nature of the com-

pany, our team is driven to pursue sustainable enterprise, founded on reliable business plans and growth at an organic pace that manages risk and maximizes benefit to the organization,” explains Joan Haysom, JLR’s Innovative Energy Market Chief. “The company thinks long term and is concerned with developing employee support and a positive work environment. It is common for staff

THE INNOVATIVE ENERGY TEAM, AS FOUNDED IN 2018, CONSISTED OF 5 MEMBERS (STARTING FROM BOTTOM LEFT): JOAN HAYSOM, JILL TYMCHAK, NATHAN GAUCI, LARRY MCCLUNG, AND JARRETT CARRIERE.

THE INNOVATIVE ENERGY TEAM IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH JLR’S ARCHITECTURAL STAFF IN THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BUILDINGS THAT EXCEED CURRENT BUILDING CODES FOR THEIR ENERGY USE, AND ACHIEVE TARGETS SUCH AS NET-ZERO ENERGY AND NET-ZERO CARBON.

to join JLR early in their careers, working their way up in the organization over time. We are focused on ensuring the company is successful today and well into the future.” From a market perspective, the company is active in a range of different industries, working on both commercial and industrial buildings, mining projects, wastewater and water treatment plants, civil infrastructure, and innovative energy infrastructure. The depth of JLR’s experience in mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural engineering, as well as architecture and planning, allows the firm to provide a single point of contact and responsibility for the undertaking of building, infrastructure, and site development projects. In 2018, JLR added a new discipline to their core services with the creation of the

firm’s Innovative Energy Group, starting with a five-member team specializing in innovative energy services and energy systems engineering. The team, which has expertise in solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, solar thermal systems, heat pumps, district heating and cooling, energy systems modeling, and other innovative energy technologies, consists of Ms. Haysom, Larry McClung, Jarrett Carriere, Jill Tymchak, and Nathan Gauci. The team previously worked together at Leidos Canada from the early 2000s. ESTABLISHED FIRM, FRESH IDEAS The addition of an Innovative Energy department allows JLR to integrate renewable and smart energy systems into a wider variety of projects. “We are a collection

J.L. RICHARDS HAS EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CLIENTS TO ADDRESS SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDINGS AND BUILDING ENERGY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE R.A. CENTRE IN OTTAWA.

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J.L. RICHARDS wide range of interested clients,” says Ms. Haysom. “This was a market that JLR had been interested in for some time, but there are unique challenges in building something like this from scratch. So the opportunity to bring in an entire group with an existing set of contacts, networks, and clients has allowed everyone to hit the ground running. After only eight months of being here, we are already hiring new staff and expect to continue to add more throughout 2019.”

J.L. RICHARDS CAN HELP CLIENTS DESIGN AND REALIZE NET ZERO ENERGY AND NET ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS. TYPICAL TECHNOLOGIES TO BE USED ARE HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING ENVELOPES, HEAT PUMPS, AND PHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION.

of people who have been working in the energy sector for some time,” explains Ms. Haysom. “The group has been particularly focused on renewable energy and deep-greening energy retrofits. When we needed to move on from our previous roles, we decided to stay together and to create a new business within the welcoming home of JLR. We feel that renewable energy has moved from being a niche market to being extremely competitive and commercially viable, and that it is now something that can be merged into any infrastructure project. For example, if we are involved with a client figuring out what their current energy use is and how to reduce energy bills, that is likely to include energy efficiency measures as

well as introducing generation technologies into their facility; the latter has benefits in addition to energy production, such as backup power and peak shaving.” The new group will provide JLR clients with access to a deep well of expertise in renewable and conventional energy, which can be applied to their facilities to reduce operating costs and improve environmental performance. Meanwhile, for the team, working as part of a larger multidisciplinary firm means a new, broader client base and an established team of engineering experts to work alongside. “The timing is ideal for us to be bringing renewable and deep-greening concepts into an established engineering firm with such a

SUPPORTING RENEWABLES Before joining JLR, the majority of the Innovative Energy Group’s work involved providing independent engineering support for renewable energy generation facilities. “We continue to support that space, and we’re proud to say we have recently been supporting Axium Infrastructure, a Canadian investment firm, on three of their portfolios of utility-scale PV projects,” says Ms. Haysom. “Our work includes assessing performance of operating plants and, if required, developing adjusted predictions of performance for the future. We’ve also undertaken a technology review of a unique tracking algorithm for NEXTracker, which is the largest supplier of single-axis trackers to the solar PV industry. The technical depth gained in such detailed reviews of modules, trackers, and other PV technologies has allowed us to segue into providing conceptual and detailed design services. We are now expanding into more direct engineering support work with the owners and developers of various energy projects. As an example, we have been supporting utility-scale solar developments in two new provinces – Quebec and Alberta. Though Ontario is currently home to 99% of Cana-

J.L. RICHARDS USES ITS DEEP EXPERTISE IN PHOTOVOLTAIC PERFORMANCE TO QUANTIFY AND OPTIMIZE THE OVERLAP BETWEEN SOLAR AND ELECTRICITY DEMAND PEAKS, INCLUDING THE ONTARIO GRID PEAKS. THERE IS, ON AVERAGE, THE ORDER OF 50% OF AC NAMEPLATE POWER, AS WELL AS THE BENEFITS OF MIDDAY GENERATION AND OVERALL ENERGY SUPPLY, LEADING TO AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE PROJECT.

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THE INNOVATIVE ENERGY TEAM HAS PROVIDED INDEPENDENT AND OWNER’S ADVISORY SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 10 GWS OF UTILITY-SCALE PV FARMS ACROSS CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. OUR EXPERTISE COVERS ALL STAGES OF A PROJECT, INCLUDING VALIDATING OPERATING PERFORMANCE AND MEASUREMENT OF SNOW LOSSES.

da’s PV installed capacity, near-term growth will be in other provinces. Having provided advisory services to around half of Ontario’s deployed capacity, we have an excellent understanding of performance predictions,

technology selection, and design optimization of PV plants. We have also been developing an accurate snow loss tool that has been validated across the climates of Ontario.”

The team has recently been supporting the Canadian Federal Government’s Greening Government Strategy, which aims to transition the federal government’s assets into low-carbon and climate-resilient

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J.L. RICHARDS

“WE HAVE CREATED A GREAT TEAM AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE WORLD OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.”

WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE A CORE PART OF JLR’S BUSINESS, AND A MARKET SEGMENT WHICH IS SHOWING HIGH LEVELS OF INTEREST IN ENERGY OPTIMIZATION AND GHG REDUCTION. AS ONE EXAMPLE PROJECT, UTILITY KINGSTON’S RAVENSVIEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS DEVELOPED TO INCLUDE CO-GENERATION USING BIOGAS FROM ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ALONG WITH A BIOGAS FIRED HEATING PLANT AS A BACK-UP. OTHER FEATURES INCLUDED LEED(TM) SILVER CERTIFICATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT BIOLOGICALLY AERATED FILTERS, AND VENTILATION OPTIMIZATION THAT INCLUDES RE-USE OF VENTILATION AIR FROM CLEAN AREAS TO UNOCCUPIED PROCESS AREAS. JLR ALSO UNDERTOOK A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF SUPPLEMENTING THE PLANT’S BIOWASTE MATERIAL WITH MUNICIPAL SOURCES OF FATS, OILS AND GREASES FOR HIGHER OUTPUT OF THE DIGESTERS.

operations, with the intention of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. “One of the things the government is examining is the deployment of renewable energy generation within government lands and buildings,” says Ms. Haysom. “This is where we come in. We are able to draw on our expertise to advise any type of client, including the federal government, on strategy and expected capacities that they could deploy. We can also advise on technology choices, design, and best areas to target, as well as lifetime performance and economic returns. Recently, we have been supporting Public Services and Procurement Canada, providing them with an overview of the solar generation potential for federal facilities across Canada. There 38 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

is now also follow-on work based around that project that we are carrying out on a facility-by-facility basis.” BANKABLE SOLUTIONS When looking at new and emerging technologies in renewable energy, JLR’s Innovative Energy Group focuses on proven levels of performance. “We work on advising our clients on what is technically feasible with an economic return,” explains Ms. Haysom. “We use the term ‘bankable’, which is when you can count on the performance of a technology. However, we also ensure we are always educating ourselves on cutting edge ideas, in terms of innovations in both technology and business case approaches. We never advise on lab results alone, but

we like to work with leading-edge vendors who, through due diligence, ensure their products’ performance.” One area JLR’s Innovative Energy Group is increasingly looking at is thermal energy. “We’re working closely with heat pumps,” says Ms. Haysom. “While heat pumps have been around for some time, implementing them in a way that is highly efficient and cost effective – particularly in a cold northern environment – poses some challenges. We believe that, relying on continually improving technology, we can design solutions that will absolutely work for our clients. Concerning solar PV, right now we are particularly interested in bifacial modules and their potential for large-scale generating plants, as well as integration into new or

AN ENERGY STRATEGY STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN FOR THE CITY OF OTTAWA, WHICH EXAMINED BASELINE ENERGY USE, AS WELL AS COSTS AND CARBON EMISSIONS FOOTPRINT, FOLLOWED BY EVALUATION OF PATHWAYS TO INCREASE LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AND DECREASE FOSSIL FUEL USE.

carbon emissions. Our role is to suggest a variety of traditional and renewable energy options that will facilitate these clients’ goals. Two of the newer technologies that apply in this case are batteries and PV.” “In general, what is next for us is growth, through both direct hiring and continued integration into multidisciplinary teams with JLR’s other departments,” says Ms. Haysom. “We have been able to create many new opportunities with other departments already, and see an exciting list of further opportunities to pursue in 2019 and beyond. Many of

the projects so far have been at the feasibility stage, and some will move forward next year into detailed design and construction. Finally, we are continuing to look at northern Ontario communities and how to support community-owned renewable energy infrastructure in those regions. Clearly, energy is becoming a prominent concern to many people, including the industrial and commercial sectors, and JLR has supported this for some time. We have created a great team and will continue to have a strong presence in the world of renewable energy.” c

VENTILATION IN UNDERGROUND MINES REQUIRES SUBSTANTIVE AMOUNTS OF THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL POWER. OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMBINED HEAT AND POWER, HEAT PUMPS, HEAT RECOVERY, BIOMASS BOILERS, SOLAR THERMAL, PHOTOVOLTAICS AND STORAGE CAN ALL BE CONSIDERED AS MEANS TO REDUCE UTILITY BILLS AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

existing buildings. We are also excited about parking lot canopy structures that hold PV.” TRANSFORMING ENERGY One of JLR’s Innovative Energy Group’s most recent projects involved providing support for a client in the mining sector – a notoriously energy-intensive industry. “Approximately one third of the cost of a mining operation is energy use,” says Ms. Haysom. “The electricity charges for mines are highly dependent on their demand during the Ontario grid’s peak hours, so our clients are very interested in how they can manage their usage during these hours. We are also advising them on solutions that support cooling without increasing peak demands, and heating and cooling options that reduce SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Q&A UNGALLI

Bree & Hailey Hollinsworth Ungalli Clothing Co.

Can you give us a brief overview of the history of Ungalli? BREE: Hailey and I both worked in a clothing manufacturing facility one summer during university. We saw first-hand the devastating consequences the industry has both on the planet, and on people all over the world. We knew we wanted to do something about it. Ungalli was founded in 2014 with the mission to change the way people think about their clothing. We work hard to educate people

about shopping consciously, and to give them a product that allows them to have a positive impact on the world. What negative impacts can the clothing industry have (on the environment and on local communities), and how are you offering an alternative? HAILEY: We could go on for hours about the pollution this industry creates, the children that are forced into labor in developing countries, extremely unsafe working conditions for factory workers, unfair pay, and the massive amount of resources used to manufacture overseas. The main issue that creates all the problems I just mentioned is simply overconsumption â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the way that fast fashion (cheap clothes) feeds consumption. Clothes are extremely cheap for us to buy now. People treat clothes almost like disposable products. Even though your new shirt only lasts 15 laundry cycles, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter because it only cost you $15, and you can just throw it out and replace it. Clothes pile up in landfills, and the demand for more cheap clothes grows. Our answer is quality clothing made in ethical factories (in our case Canadian factories) with sustainable materials. Quality over quantity. Do you have any new products or initiatives we should know about? BREE: Yes! Our custom T-shirt program. We print logo T-shirts for

40 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

like-minded businesses and organizations here in Canada using sustainable fabrics. Our minimum order starts at just 25 tees, and we’ll send you an impact statement with your order to show you the impact your company has made by choosing Ungalli. What challenges are involved in local, sustainable manufacturing, and how have you overcome these challenges? BREE: It’s expensive and can be difficult to source materials. Luckily we have incredible customers who understand our process and who don’t mind paying more for the quality and the ethics behind the product. What achievements are you especially proud of? HAILEY: We got to spend four days with David Suzuki last year! We spoke at a conference with him and spent the week traveling around Gaspé, Quebec. We even got to go bird watching and hiking with him! Being able to talk to people about our story, and help them to get out there and make their own mark on the world is probably our biggest achievement, and a great honor. We also won a Nature Inspiration Award from the Canadian Museum of Nature last year. That was really special to us. What are your plans for the future? HAILEY: We are opening a new office space and flagship retail store in our hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It opens January 2019! Other plans for 2019 are product development, and we’re running some pretty major marketing campaigns. c

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PORT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE CARIBBEAN

THE PORT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE CARIBBEAN (PMAC) WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 1998.

CARIBBEAN

MR GLENN ROACH, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, PMAC.

Most countries in the Caribbean region are relatively small island-states. Despite the small size of the physical real estate which limits the accommodation of many international airports, actual shoreline space facil42 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PORTS A foreword to the ‘Caribbean Ports’ series by Glenn Roach, Executive Secretary of the Port Management Association of the Caribbean. itates a large number of marine ports and harbors through which regional and international maritime trade readily flows, as well as a relatively substantial segment of cruise tourism. These Caribbean island-states

collectively operate over two hundred seaports/harbors, the smaller of which are used for inter-island and schooner trade. Though these facilities are not physically alike, they all service the social and economic needs of

their respective countries while confronting similar institutional issues and concerns. Accordingly, such a situation demands a high level of effective management and operational efficiency. It is against this background that the Port Management Association of the Eastern Caribbean (PMAEC) was first founded in May 1988 to promote meaningful dialogue and foster better relations and networking among port managers. After ten years of existence, the scope of the organization was broadened to include the wider Caribbean, and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) was established in June 1998. DRIVING CONCERNS As the maritime industry became more technologically advanced, there was the requirement for greater reforms, incorporating increased productivity, provision of cost-effective services, and new training

methodologies in order to address the issues facing Caribbean ports. PMAC’s driving concerns therefore include the control of port cost and improvement of the technical skills of port staff within a safe and secure working environment. Moreover, the broader issues related to sustainability, including environmental issues such as climate change and its associated adverse weather effects, pollution, the requirements of the cruise industry for ever-increasing port infrastructure and services, and cyber security in a world where ship and cargo movement are increasingly being monitored by wireless technology and internet-based systems, require that the Association has a mandate to ensure these matters are meaningfully addressed. STRATEGIES EMPLOYED PMAC, being a focused and responsible organization, has sought to build its capability

and profile by effecting a five-year strategic plan aimed at enhanced training and empowerment of port personnel through appropriate workshops and international seminars. Accordingly, in order to enhance its instructive capabilities, the Caribbean Maritime University has been firmly engaged and continues to significantly contribute to the Association’s development, both in an advisory and training capacity. Furthermore, PMAC has also incorporated a significant number of Associate Members into its fold, as well as established a number of strategic alliances through the signing of MOUs with organisations such as the American Association of Port Authorities, the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Shipping Association, the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas, the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Central to its public outreach, PMAC’s profile was dramatically raised with its endorsement of Portside Caribbean, and the collaboration with that publication and the Caribbean Maritime University in staging a new regional event, the Caribbean Port Management Workshop. This event attracted the participation of seventy port management and port sector personnel from the four language groups of the Caribbean, and was a resounding success at its inauguration in January 2018. In light of the various challenges currently facing the maritime industry, PMAC, in collaboration with its strategic partners, continues to fulfil its mandate, and will spare no effort in facilitating the development of a sustainable and progressive future of this industry. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BARBADOS PORT INC.

THE BIGGEST PRIORITY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR BPI HAS BEEN IMPROVING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

BUILDING THE

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Ian Stewart, Executive Manager for Terminal Operations at Barbados Port Inc., about improving customer experience, investing in cutting-edge technology, and a new vision for Barbadosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; economic future. The Port of Bridgetown was built between 1956 and 1961, when Richard Costain (West Indies) Ltd was awarded a contract to create an isthmus from the west coast of Barbados out to Pelican Island, a small, uninhabited island previously used as a quarantine station. (Visitors to Bridgetown Port today passing through the main entrance will see a wooden statue of a pelican standing on a boulder in commemoration of Pelican Island.) The project cost EC$28,000,000, and in its first year the port handled 175,000 tons of cargo. 44 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Today, the Port of Bridgetown handles in excess of 86,000 TEUs per year, and is the entry point for approximately 90% of the goods used in manufacturing and retail in Barbados. As a result of huge expansion and dredging projects, the portâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s depth is now 11.6 meters and the cargo area has a capacity of 150,000 containers annually. Barbados Port Inc. (BPI), established in 2003 as the successor agency of the Barbados Port Authority, manages and operates the Bridgetown Port. Sustainable Business Magazine last spoke to BPI in early 2016,

when the port was preparing for a predicted rise in exports, reorganizing its facilities, and acquiring new equipment. (See Sustainable Business Magazine issue 02/16 for the full feature.) We caught up with Manager for Terminal Operations Ian Stewart to learn how the Bridgetown Port continues to position itself as the best-in-class port for shipping in the Southern Caribbean. PORT OF THE YEAR The Port of Bridgetown copped the highly coveted Caribbean Shipping Association

2020 and is gearing up for the development of new maritime related activities. Efforts are also underway to implement safety, health, and environmental initiatives in the port to support the adoption of relevant convention, codes, and standards for safety, health, and environment. CARGO OPERATIONS BPI has implemented a new terminal operating system called Octopi, to improve efficiency, data collection, and communications. “This system is provided by a company out of Miami, and it’s designed for small- and medium-sized ports,” says Mr. Stewart. “Octopi ensures that our customers have an easier time when clearing cargo from the port. It tracks the cargo in real-time, so from the time a container is offloaded from a vessel, both the customers and the port are able to track that cargo. It means at any given point in time, everyone knows where the cargo is, and everyone is on the same page.

When management receives these types of reports, we can provide the best possible service to our customers. This has added real depth to our systems, and has improved the ease of doing business at the port.” BETTER KNOWLEDGE Advances in IT mean that forward-looking ports can – with a little investment and adaptation – streamline a variety of processes while simultaneously collecting valuable data which can be used to inform future decision-making. “We’re now using IT solutions not only to track boxes, but also inside the warehouses to process data,” says Mr. Stewart. “When we input a cargo manifest into the portal, all the industry guidance (INDG) classification data is highlighted in our system, so everyone in the warehouse knows what the cargo is, ensuring safety and efficiency. The next stage is that we’re going to integrate our CCTV feed into our terminal operating systems, so we can track cargo

Multi-Purpose Port of the Year Award 2018, emerging the big winner among 12 competing Ports across the Caribbean and Latin America. The award is a fitting testimony to the progress BPI made in 2017 in enhancing the port’s performance and productivity, the expansion of transshipment business, and the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives. Winning in the Multi-Purpose Port category confirmed outstanding performance in dependability and flexibility, port efficiency and productivity, port growth and development, security, health, environment, and safety. Barbados Port Inc. has been repositioning itself with modernized infrastructure installed as part of the Master Plan 2010SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BARBADOS PORT INC.

visually. This will be useful not only from a security standpoint, but will also provide an operational overview of what’s going on with the cargo.” To help employees understand this new technology and equipment, BPI has invested heavily in training. “We’ve partnered with the Caribbean Maritime University to provide training on an ongoing basis to our staff,” says Mr. Stewart. “This training is in all aspects of port operations, including

how to utilize the new technology to its greatest effect in all areas. This is not only to ensure that employees are efficient, but that they are more flexible, while ensuring the highest levels of safety within the port for all persons.” MASTER PLAN All these changes tie into BPI’s 2010-2020 Master Plan for improving cargo operations. “The main aim is to make the port best-in-

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class for the region,” says Mr. Stewart. “We want to be able to use our resources much more efficiently. We’re changing our systems to make more of these new technologies, and to make the whole experience for our customers more efficient. Over the last two years, one of BPI’s main priorities has been improving customer experience.“Wait times are always an issue for most ports, and it’s one of our customers’ biggest concerns,” explains

Mr. Stewart. “Everyone wants to be able to do their business quickly, and then get back to work. To address this, we’ve expanded our equipment fleet, with an additional empty container handler, so there will be no wait for those truckers who are bringing in empties. We’ve also purchased additional 30-ton lift trucks to serve customers who are doing business at our commercial shed. The type of cargo coming into the port has been changing over the years, so we’ve added these larger lift trucks which can lift large tanks and other items off flat racks, again reducing waiting times.” “Our ultimate aim is to become a hub in the Southern Caribbean, providing shipping services to Guyana, Suriname, and the rest of South America. The next stage in our Master Plan is to build a new warehouse, which will house all our commercial activities under one roof. This warehouse will be 9,000 square meters, and will take the place of two others, which will be demolished to make way for a larger container area. It is about moving towards being a true, modern container port. This process will require high input of capital, so we’re also developing ways to partner and to increase

our revenue, so we can build this out in the next few years.” BLUE ECONOMY Earlier this year, new Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley created a Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, recognizing the importance of sustainable maritime industries to Barbados’s future. “This is a new initiative from the government, focusing on sustainable development, and how we can derive real economic benefit from a Blue Economy,” says Mr. Stewart. “In accordance with this focus, we’ve been looking at alternative methods of providing energy. Since 2017, a number of our roofs have carried solar panels. We’re also looking at wind turbines, and other ways we can sustainably generate electricity. Simultaneously, we’re looking to change the way we procure equipment; for example, making our straddle carriers electric, rather than diesel.” BPI has also been looking to ways to reduce the carbon footprint of vessels using Bridgetown Port. “To this end, we’re in the primary stages of a contractual agreement with local companies to provide LNG at the facility,” says Mr. Stewart. “We’ll have LNG storage tanks, with the prospect of being

able to provide LNG to vessels which have made the switch. We won’t be able to fill up a vessel from empty, but we can provide a top-up service. We hope this will give impetus to refitting cruise and cargo vessel from other fuels to LNG.” As part of its home porting arrangements, BPI accepts international wet/dry waste from cruise ships for disposal and as part of its cargo operations accepts discarded pallets and dunnage. This is in line with BPI’s commitments to preserving the ocean ecosystem. With this in mind, BPI is conducting feasibility studies for the acquisition of a new wet/dry incinerator for disposal of ships’ waste. It is the intention of the Port to acquire a waste-to-energy incinerator facility to complement its energy requirement. BPI’s future blue economy activities will be founded on the triple bottom line of sustainable development – growing the economy, employing best practices for the preservation of the marine environment, and advancing social well-being. Mr. Stewart says, “We understand the importance of the role we play in the economy of Barbados, and we intend to continue developing and moving towards the government’s vision of a Blue Economy.” c

GUY M. GRIFFITH ENGINEERS

CIVIL • COASTAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING 1st Ave. Rockley New Road, Christ Church, Barbados Tel: (246) 427-0921 • Cell: (246) 230-9295 Fax: (246) 437-0803 • Email: mardington@gmail.com

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY

“WE WANT TO PROVIDE SUPERIOR-QUALITY SEAPORT FACILITIES AND SERVICES.”

THAN EVER Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Lenius Lendor, Managing Director at the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, about rebuilding after natural disasters, improving efficiency, and embracing new technology. The British Virgin Islands Ports Authority (BVIPA) is a government-owned corporate entity which oversees the arrival and departure of seafaring passengers in the British Virgin Islands, in addition to the security and management of cargo and other sea-based trade. BVIPA emphasizes customer satisfaction, employee support, efficiency, and safety, and aims to lead the region with their seaport facilities. The BVIPA was established by the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority Act in 48 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

1990, and the authority began their operations under that act in January 1991. Recently, they have had a central role in the rebuilding efforts following hurricanes Irma and Maria, with a renewed emphasis on modern technology, sustainability, and more effective climate resilience underlying these various remodelling and construction projects. “The BVI Ports Authority is currently governed by a Board comprised of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, five members, and

CRUISE PIER.

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY MANAGEMENT TEAM.

four ex officio members,” explains Lenius Lendor, Managing Director at the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority. “Our day-to-day operations are assessed and actioned by a management team headed by myself, overseeing nine departments: Administration, Business Development, Human Resources, Finance, Information Systems, Maintenance, Marine, Security, and Operations. The Authority has affiliations with several regional organizations and serves as a Platinum Associate Member of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, a Member of the American Association of Port Authorities, a Member of the Caribbean Shipping Association, and a Member of the Ports Management Association of the Caribbean. We want to provide superior-quality seaport facilities and services, in an environment characterized by employee growth and development, cutting-edge technology, and teamwork for the betterment of the British Virgin Islands.” REBUILDING STRONGER The most recent ongoing priority for the BVIPA is rebuilding and remodelling in the

aftermath of damage caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. “Our port was affected, and, needless to say, the rebuilding effort is painstaking,” says Mr. Lendor. “Fortunately, it has been going reasonably well. We are looking at rebuilding it in a climate-resilient manner, to better withstand such storms which may come along in the future. Everything needs to be able to withstand hurricanes and other seismic events that can happen in this part of the world. Since the ferry terminal on the west side of the port was totally destroyed, we are in the process of erecting a temporary structure. The footprint for the permanent structure is also being worked on, and we are moving towards reopening everything for the ferry traffic. This is extra important because the island is very heavily dependent on tourism. The main cruise pier here is already fully operational, but some of the smaller islands have been a bit slower recovering from the damage, and we are still rebuilding there, once again with greater resilience in mind.” The damage caused by hurricanes has also afforded BVIPA another opportunity to take a look at the layout of the port. “We

TAXI ASSOCIATION ON A CRUISE DAY.

BVIPA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE LOBBY - AFTER HURRICANES.

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY have been reviewing the layout to have it organized more optimally,” explains Mr. Lendor. “This is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our services, and to streamline our operations. We are also trying to rebuild in a more eco-friendly way, with an emphasis on saving energy, and layouts and mechanisms to increase our sustainability and make operations as environmentally friendly as possible. Being an island that is dependent on tourism, we are especially cognizant of preserving the beaches and waterways, so we remain mindful of pollution and avoiding any damage to the local ecosystems. Our marine section is always vigilant, and, like any good company, we lead by example, enforcing any provisions and legislation against pollution and damage.” DIGITAL AGE As the rebuilding process continues, BVIPA ensures they are investing in appropriate new technology, to further improve efficiencies. “We are ensuring that we are fully International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code compliant, equipping security with CCTV and an upgraded computer system for processing cargo,” says Mr. Lendor. “This

ROAD TOWN FERRY TERMINAL.

will ensure optimum delivery, tracking, processing, record keeping, et cetera, and it will be integrated with our other departments, like Security, Finance, and Operations. We have started discussions with the other stakeholders with regard to electronic data interchange (EDI), working towards a more streamlined and digitized process. The in-

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tention is further integration, making things more user-friendly and more technologically advanced for the benefit of the customers, customs, immigration, and the port.” EMPLOYEE GROWTH While investing in physical and digital infrastructure, BVIPA recognizes that their most

PORT PURCELL CARGO FACILITY.

PORT PURCELL TORTOLA.

TENDER DOCK CRUISE PIER TERMINAL.

important asset is their staff. “We ensure we have a proper employee development plan and we have ongoing training,” says Mr. Lendor. “Staff at all levels have been learning together about anti-money laundering and terrorist financing measures, as well as the related occupational health and safety. The idea is that we are equipping our staff at all levels with the required training and knowledge so that everyone, from the manager to the individual employee, is aware of how to provide these services in an efficient and safe way.” BVIPA also assists staff in pursuing further qualifications and training. “We believe that this will enable them to grow both personally and professionally, and will of course be of benefit to their role within the Authority,” says Mr. Lendor. “We invest in scholarships and part-time or evening courses for those staff members, and support them with their studies. We also highlight health and safety and provide personal protective equipment and uniforms for all of our frontline staff. We ensure there is effective skill and information sharing so that all staff feel empowered and knowledgeable, and that there is a continuity in the standard of our work and the service provided. We always seek to promote people from within rather than advertise externally, as we would rather facilitate an existing staff member’s personal and professional growth wherever possible.”

layout of the port,” says Mr. Lendor. “The current layout is functional but not quite perfect, and we believe we can increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of our operations. We have approval for the procurement of equipment such as forklifts and so on, as well as the software that will facilitate further integration of different departments. We will also complete the rebuilding of infrastructure damaged in the hurricanes and continue expanding our Less Than Container Load (LCL). Also, all cargo will be stored in one location – a warehouse which will be approximately three times larger than our current space. We will also continue to ensure the safety of port users by separating pedestrian traffic from the operational area, minimizing risk and once again streamlining our organization.” “Moving forward, we will be making plans for eventually enlarging the Port Pur-

cell port operation,” says Mr. Lendor. “We believe it’s important to have one eye on the future and continue investing in future growth. The current footprint is functional, but we believe that future growth and development must be catered for and that there is always room for improvement and expansion. We would like to expand our quay to accommodate more ships, as well as expanding the cruise terminal into other areas, and even building a marina. The British Virgin Islands are a sailor’s paradise, and we would like to be able to accommodate the continuing use of our region for tourism and travel. Just one year after hurricanes impacted the British Virgin Islands so severely, we have made some truly remarkable strides towards recovery, and are back stronger than ever, open for business on both the cruise side and the cargo side of our operations.” c

MAIN FERRY TERMINAL.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Looking to the future, BVIPA’s focus is on continued improvements and streamlining their already effective methods of operation. “The priority for us is really optimizing the SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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PORT ST. MAARTEN

CRUISE

MECCA Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Roger Lawrence, Port Operations Manager at Port St. Maarten Group of Companies, about how one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most-visited cruise ports is rebuilding stronger than ever after a devastating natural disaster.

52 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

How does Sint Maarten, a small Englishand Dutch-speaking island country with approximately 45,000 people, no mineral or petroleum reserves, and no local food production beyond small amounts of fish, end up having the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the Caribbean and the fourteenth highest in the world, ahead of Kuwait, the United States, and even its parent country the Netherlands? To find the answer, we have to go back to 1954, when Dr. A. Claude Wathey, a politician in the Democratic Party Sint Maarten, was elected to the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles representing the Windward Islands – St. Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. At the time, St. Maarten was experiencing a population crisis, as salt exports ground almost to a halt and many residents

left the island to seek opportunities abroad. Between 1943 and 1950, the population dropped from 2085 people to 1487. Dr. Wathey’s great realization was that St. Maarten’s natural beauty represented another kind of commodity. Having been struck by the success of the tourist industry in Cuba after a visit in the late 1940s, Dr. Wathey promoted the development of the port facilities, and by 1980 Port St Maarten had a thriving cruise industry, registering 105,000 annual passengers. In 1989, the port recorded more than 600,000 cruise passengers, with over one million arriving in 2002, and two million in 2014, when Port St. Maarten celebrated their fiftieth anniversary of hosting cruise vessels. Today, the port is officially named the Dr. A. C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility. “From a cruise standpoint,

we are considered the Mecca of the Caribbean,” says Roger Lawrence, Port Operations Manager at Port St. Maarten. “This has been achieved through all key stakeholders working together with the government to be able to ensure our cruise product continues to be a vibrant, relevant consumer offering. Today, our operations fall under four pillars: Cruise, cargo, yachting, and real estate.” ECONOMIC VITALITY It’s no exaggeration to say that Port St. Maarten is indispensable to the overall St. Maarten economy. “Our GDP is roughly $1.4 billion and roughly 37% of GDP, and approximately 36% of the jobs on St. Maarten were linked to the maritime industry,” says Mr. Lawrence. “Because we have no natural resources that can be exported, our economy

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PORT ST. MAARTEN

“CURRENTLY WE ARE A 24/7 PORT, WITH A MARKET CONSISTING OF WEEKLY AND BI-WEEKLY CALLS FROM SOME OF THE WORLD’S TOP CARRIERS.”

is a service sector economy. It isn’t just cruise either. We are import-driven, and cargo feeds from cruise. If you have a vibrant cruise industry your cargo sector will automatically do well.” As the cruise sector continues to grow in St. Maarten, so does cargo. “Our cargo throughput has increased 27% from 2011 to 2017,” says Mr. Lawrence. “This upward trend is forecasted to continue well into the future. Currently we are a 24/7 port, with a market consisting of weekly and 54 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

bi-weekly calls from some of the world’s top carriers, including CMA CGM Group, Tropical Shipping, King Ocean Services, and Seaboard Marine. We are a regional sub-hub for the Northeastern Caribbean for container transshipment services. Our cargo division has established itself as a competitive option and an efficient choice for shippers.” Port St. Maarten has deep-water berths, modern equipment, a GLS software platform, and trained crane operators. “We’re

also soon rolling out a Port Community System, which will be an extension of our GLS Terminal Operating System,” explains Mr. Lawrence. “This will further enhance the port’s operational excellence.” FROM DEVASTATION TO OPPORTUNITY In 2017, disaster struck St. Maarten, in the form of Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful storms ever seen in the Atlantic. The hurricane damaged or

destroyed an estimated 70% of homes, as well as restaurants, hotels, and vital infrastructure – including the port. It took several months for many local hotels and businesses to reopen, badly affecting the tourism industry. Yet in only three months, cruise ships were able to stop at St. Maarten again, re-opening a vital source of income for many St. Maarteners at a time of crisis. Like other St. Maarten institutions, the port recognized the damage was an opportunity to rebuild

and even improve. “From a sustainable standpoint, our terminal terrain previously was primarily built of bricks,” says Mr. Lawrence. “We are now transitioning the terminal to concrete. Our cargo section is roughly 15 acres of property, which equates to about 60,000 square meters. We are looking to transition the entire terminal to concrete. This is in order to be better prepared for future storms and hurricanes, allowing us to make a quick full recovery and be back in operation within days.”

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT The port is also constructing a new training outpost, in a joint partnership with Global Port Training, from Belgium. “I recently visited Israel on a business conference and one of the key topics raised was the importance of globalization, privatization, and digitalization on the future of shipping,” says Mr. Lawrence. “It’s essential to ensure that all key partners at the port are fully trained and skilled to work, and that they have an understanding of new technologies coming into SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BACKBONE OF THE COMMUNITY. The Port of St. Maarten.

Tropical Shipping is proud to call the Port of St. Maarten a partner. From helping to rebuild following Hurricane Irma to investing in clean energy and supporting the cruise and cargo industries, the Port of St. Maarten is the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic foundation. Thank you for more than 50 years of exceptional service.

56 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

tropical.com

PORT ST. MAARTEN

play. This training outpost will make sure the port is much more efficient. Prior to anyone being able to come to the port, staff will go through a training process. We’ll certify them before they can start work, and it’ll be used for re-certification every three years as well. This will ensure our cargo sector maintains a high quality and efficient staffing capacity.” Since 2012, Port St. Maarten has also been investing in renewable energy infrastructure, with six 4kW vertical axis wind turbines connected to the national grid. These turbines were selected to be quiet and were situated away from passenger areas of the port. Now, a whole new form of green energy is being introduced, in the form of solar PV. “When you think about it, solar energy is simply common sense in sunny St. Maarten,” explains Mr. Lawrence. “We installed a solar array, which is connected to the national grid and on average it generates 3kW. Solar energy can be produced even when the clouds roll in, so we are planning to install even more. This is something we started as a pilot project but has now become a central focus of our long-term strategy.”

WORKING TOGETHER “Following Hurricane Irma, the port was a key component in ensuring that our population was able to receive the necessary supplies and in preventing shortages that could lead to unrest,” says Mr. Lawrence. “We achieved this by sitting down with our key stakeholders and with the government in order to ask the right questions and find the right solutions in a time of crisis after experiencing this natural disaster. We’re very aware of the importance of the port – it’s in our DNA. The next step is to increase collaboration between other ports in the Caribbean. The manner in which ports are evolving, we’re going to be more and more dependent on one another where port activities are concerned. Hopefully we can have discussions where we can see how to better ourselves and work together more. We want to discover complementary areas where we can share services and know-how.” Today, St. Maarten’s cruise sector has returned to full strength. In the first half of 2018, the island received 733,666 cruise

passengers, and in November 2018, the largest cruise ship in the world, Symphony of the Seas, called at St. Maarten for the first time. “This shows our resilience and the manner in which we recovered,” says Mr. Lawrence. “Our cruise sector is already at 100% operational capacity, while our cargo section is at 96% operational capacity. There are some areas in cargo right now that we are busy repairing as well as developing for the future. Nonetheless, we ended the year with over 20% increase in imports, which illustrates resoundingly that our recovery efforts are in full swing. We want to emphasize where we were last year after being struck by one of the worst hurricanes that's ever been seen here, and where we are now. The major cruise lines have returned, demonstrating that the country is open for business, and at the same time showing the continued support and commitment from the cruise sector for the destination. It shows the resilience of our people. It shows if you work together as a port, with key stakeholders both internal and external, you can definitely prevail.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SEPROD

SEPROD IS ALSO CONSCIOUS OF SUSTAINABILITY, ENDEAVORING TO ENSURE THEIR BUSINESS MINIMIZES ANY EFFECT ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.

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PROMOTING

POSITIVE

CHANGE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Richard Pandohie, CEO of the Seprod Group, about high standards, contributions to the community, and continued expansion. The Seprod Group manufactures and distributes consumer products throughout Jamaica and the Caribbean as well as to the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Based in Kingston, Seprod is known for their contributions to the economy, job creation, and involvement in the local community. Recently, Seprod’s primary goals have been related to maximizing growth and impact, leading to a series of successful acquisitions and investments in innovative technologies. Seprod is also conscious of sustainability, endeavouring to ensure their business minimizes any effect on the local environment. “Seprod started from humble beginnings around 1930, when six coconut growers decided to come together and form a cooperative,” says Richard Pandohie, CEO of the Seprod Group. “Over the years, the company has gone through a significant number of transformations. The Seprod you see today is a strategically diversified

company. The name Seprod initially stood for ‘soap and edible products’, but now we have grown to span diverse food subsidiaries, including biscuits, margarines, grains, sugar, and dairy.”

WORLD CLASS Seprod has come a long way since their modest beginning, and they continue to expand today. “A key part of our growth agenda is in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which we consider as our domestic market,” explains Mr. Pandohie. “But we also have a growing business in the Dominican Republic, the United States, Canada, Africa, and the United Kingdom. In order to have a presence in these countries, you have to meet numerous and very strict regulatory requirements to be approved by their relevant food safety agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SEPROD

RICHARD PANDOHIE, CEO THE SEPROD GROUP.

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in the U.S. We ensure that we invest in facilities and quality systems that can stand up to international audits. In the last three years, we have invested over US$100 million in retooling our plants, rebuilding plants, and acquisition, thereby ensuring that the facilities are up to a standard where we can meet any regulatory requirements and also to ensure that we are producing the best quality products for our domestic markets. In addition to producing our own brands, we also manufacture for third parties through co-manufacturing deals.” Seprod is investing across the board to increase efficiency and bring cutting-edge manufacturing practices to their markets. “In the case of our dairy production, we have re-tooled and brought in new lines, and we also have our own farms and have invested in irrigation systems to mitigate against drought,” says Mr. Pandohie. “But consistency is something that we prioritize everywhere, for both the consistency of quality and the reliability of supply. For 2016,

Seprod was named Champion Exporter in the Large category by the Jamaican Exporters’ Association, as we grew our export business by 48% year over year. For 2017, we were named Manufacturer of the Year, Large Champion Exporter, and Overall Champion Exporter of the Year. This was a first in our company’s history. So the trajectory is good, and it’s because of our investment in high standards, not only in equipment but also in our people, that we are doing so well.” NATIONAL ECONOMY The Seprod Group aims to benefit the Jamaican and Caribbean economy through their expansion. “We’re looking not only at import substitution, but also growth,” says Mr. Pandohie. “We want to create quality jobs here in Jamaica. Jamaica has had a very difficult economic situation for several decades, but with the economy now on a positive path, it is important that job creation has to be quality, not just quantity. We have moved from 3%

of all our business being exports up to 13%. Our target is 20%, so we are moving steadily in the right direction.” “Our food import bill in the Caribbean is astronomical, as we have to feed not only our local population, but the many visitors to our shores,” explains Mr. Pandohie. “This presents a massive opportunity to Caribbean companies to produce goods to reduce the import bills for our region. For a long time, Caribbean economies have focused on primary production, like harvesting sugar and shipping it out, instead of engaging in value-added processing to go further up the value chain. These are the opportunities that we are engaged in and exploring how we can continue to climb that value chain. We are very proud of our contribution to the national economy, but cognizant of the fact that we have more to do.” ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The Seprod Group is careful to ensure that their growth doesn’t come at the cost of Ja-

maica’s extraordinary natural environment. “We are engaged with environmental agencies and with our government partners to ensure that we grow in a responsible way,” says Mr. Pandohie. “We also have an entire department called Safety, Health, Environmental that is dedicated to assessing all of our centers and managing the company’s impact on the environment. In the last couple of years, we have installed wastewater treatment facilities, moved away from heavy fuel to clean fuel, and implemented systems to minimize our water and energy usage. We try to meet our consumption targets, be eco-friendly, and use bio-degradable packaging among other environmentally-conscious practices.” “Our island environment is priceless and it is imperative that it is protected to secure the livelihood of local Jamaicans and protect it for the enjoyment of future generations,” says Mr. Pandohie. “We minimize packaging and all resulting by-products in all of our operations, as well as on our farms and dairy

facilities. There is now a real awareness of the environment and recycling, and we are partnering with other companies, some of our global partners, and the government to lead by example in this area.” CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY Supporting local communities is a central part of the Seprod Group’s business philosophy. “There’s a huge sense of corporate social responsibility when it comes to businesses like ours,” says Mr. Pandohie. “In many ways, the community depends on the private sector, and that extends well beyond just providing jobs. As a result of this conscious effort, the Seprod Foundation was formed. The Foundation focuses on early childhood, specifically using technology as part of the education process, and especially focusing on the education of young girls. Technology is not only for the future; it is a crucial way to empower our children today. We have brought in innovators from MIT and from Harvard to work with young SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Suppliers of SPX Products to include Votator, Pumps, Valves and stainless steel fittings

Providing Complete Packaging Solutions and Technical Support Services to the Caribbean

With the compliments of

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Postal Address: P.O. Box 839, Greater Portmore,St. Catherine, Jamaica W.I. Business Address: Lot 293, Mount View Blvd, Mount View Estate, St. Catherine, Jamaica W.I • Telephone: (876) 919-5971 • 943-6072 Fax: (876) 943-6141 • Email: kdmach@cwjamaica.com

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EXCELSIOR

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62 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

• Reliable Packaging Solutions • Service & Quality ...The Heart of Our Business

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A LEADER IN THE FATS AND OILS INDUSTRY AS WELL AS GRAIN TRADING PASTERNAK, BAUM & CO., INC 500 Mamaroneck Ave, Harrison, New York 10528,USA T: 914-630-8080 E: Fatsandoils@pbaum.net

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Proud Supplier to Seprod We produce and support sustainable packaging and applaud Seprod’s commitment to a safe and clean environment.

19 Bell Road • Kingston 11 • Jamaica • Tel: 876.937.2800 SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SEPROD

SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IS A CENTRAL PART OF SEPROD GROUP’S BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY.

children from the inner cities and from the poorest communities in Jamaica. Earlier this year, we hosted Jamaica’s ‘Lego Yuh Mind Makers’, a primary school robotics team who distinguished themselves from a field of 80 competitors to win the award for Elementary Team Excellence at the F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Championships

64 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

in Pittsburgh, staged in January. For the winning kids, it was their first time traveling overseas in their lives, and they were so excited to be there. The Foundation has also been emphasizing music and its importance in maintaining and developing local and international culture. The Seprod Foundation sponsored the training of an

orchestra for children in early childhood and in inner-city areas. Every year, we provide scholarships for high schools and tertiary level education; we have a partnership with the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), which is an institution dedicated to building capability especially in agriculture and scientific inno-

States and successfully competed with manufacturing entities based in the U.S. to attract some of their customers to transfer their production to Jamaica. That involved amazing teamwork.” “Being an award-winning manufacturer and exporter, operating and growing aggressively outside of Jamaica, has been very satisfying,” says Mr. Pandohie. “We are growing rapidly but still have huge ambition. That sense of can-do pride that everyone possesses in the organization is so critical. We want to be recognized, and we want

people to know our brand. We are breaking new frontiers every quarter, for example. In January of this year, we made the first shipment of our Supligen product to the United Kingdom. That is going to be an amazing product that will have an international footprint, and it came from a year of intense work from our team with our partner in the U.K. and with the regulatory agencies there. Our footprint keeps increasing and we intend to keep on growing. We want to be defined by our passion, our strength, and our creativity.” c

vation, which we believe to be key pillars in driving Jamaica’s economic growth and its sustainability.” POSITIVE FUTURE “We’re very cognizant of our responsibility,” says Mr. Pandohie. “We are trying to make sure that we produce at the highest quality standard in the most cost-effective manner but at the same time ensuring that is safe for the environment, making sure that the environment continues to be sustainable for the Jamaican population, not just now but well into the future. It’s very exciting and I’m very proud of what we’re doing. There’s a lot of joy in working at Seprod as we see ourselves as being a key partner in our country’s growth. I’ve been here three years in this position and I’m really proud of what we have been doing. It is very exciting to be a part of this team and the journey that we are on. One of our biggest accomplishments in the last couple of months is that we’ve gone to the United SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBAL EVENTS

FEB

2019

5th - 8th

ProGreen EXPO Colorado, USA, www.progreenexpo.com

ProGreen EXPO is the only green industry conference in the Rocky Mountain Region of its kind. With 6,000+ green industry professionals gathering to gain vital knowledge and skills to improve business, educate employees, and discover the latest information for the upcoming season.

5th - 7th

Distributech Conference & Exhibition New Orleans, LA, USA www.distributech.com

520+ companies come together with information, products and services related to electricity delivery automation and control systems, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, T&D system operation and reliability, water utility technology and more.

11th - 13th

NET 2019 San Diego, CA, USA net.touchstoneenergy.com

The NET Conference is where coops and businesses meet. You’ll be immersed in everything from industry trends and emerging technologies to best practice sharing and valuable on-the-job intangibles.

20th - 22nd

2019 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference Chicago, IL, USA www.mwalliance.org

Each year, MES welcomes more than 600 of the region’s energy efficiency innovators, decision-makers, and professionals for 3 days of unparalleled networking and sessions on EE’s emerging issues.

22nd - 23rd

Renewable Energy and Resources San Francisco, CA, USA

The conference will focus on Renewable Energy, Green Energy and Economy, Advanced Materials for Energy Storage, Hybrid Renewable Energy Approaches, Biofuels and Bio-energy, Solar and Wind Energy, Hydro Power Generation, Marine Energy, Geothermal Energy and many more.

renewableenergy.conferenceseries.com

7th - 11th

Aquaculture 2019 New Orleans, LA, USA www.was.org

The largest aquaculture conference and tradeshow held in the world with nearly 4000 attendees from over 90 countries. Combining the annual meetings of the World Aquaculture Society, National Shellfisheries Association, Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society, and the National Aquaculture Association.

14th - 15th

BuildingEnergy Boston Boston, MA, USA www.nesea.org

The BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show is the region’s leading event for professionals and practitioners in the fields of high-performance building, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. The theme of BuildingEnergy Boston 2019 is Know-How.

17th - 19th

Seafood Expo North America Boston, MA, USA

Showcasing more than 900 suppliers from 120 countries offering a wide variety of seafood products, services, and equipment, it is the contintent’s largest seafood event that identifies current sustainability programs for each company.

www.seafoodexpo.com/north-america

20th - 21st

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Globalcon Boston, MA, USA www.globalconevent.com

The conference is designed to provide hands-on, up-to-the-minute information you can use right away to improve your energy management program, and get up to speed on the current generation of innovative technologies available to help you meet your goals.

MAR

2019

ADVERTISERS INDEX B Barry Bryan Associates Black & McDonald

P19 P11

C Crown Packaging Jamaica Ltd. Certified Slings and Supply

P62 P46

E Energy Expo Back Cover Excelsior International Group Inc. P62 G G&W Electric Inc. Guy M Griffith Engineering H Hinds Transport Services HTS Engineering

P14 P47

P46 P37

I Intermar Shipping

P56

K KD Machinery Ltd. King Ocean Services K.P.C. Power Electrical Ltd.

P62 P56 P15

O OMICRON Electronics Canada Corp. P17 P Pasternak, Baum & Co., Inc. Petro Barrier Systems Inc. Polecare International Inc.

P63 P12 P15

R Rotoflex Jamaica Ltd.

P62

S S&C Electric Canada Ltd. P14 S&D Security and Alarm Systems Ltd. P50 Scout Environmental Inside Front Sterling Packaging P63 Superior Crane P19 T Trade-Mark Industrial (TM3) Trane Tropical Shipping

P15 P37 P56

V Valard Construction LP

P10

W Water Expo 2019 Wesco Utility - LaPrairie Inc.

Back Cover P17

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR for these 2 outstanding events in MIAMI, The Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Capital.

Where manufacturers & distributors CONNECT BIG with Latin American, Caribbean & United States HUGE MARKETS 40 countries under one roof!

ENERGIZING

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SOLAR | ENERGY STORAGE | ENERGY EFFICIENCY CLEAN TRANSPORTATION | SMART BUILDINGS

January 23 & 24, 2019

In warm MIAMI - MACC Convention Center

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AUG.

8TH EDITION!

28 & 29

2019

In MIAMI

The WATER & WASTEWATER

MARKETPLACE for ALL of The AMERICAS

(305) 412-EXPO (3976) | w ww.TWE19.com

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