Quebec has potential to be a pioneer in net-zero buildings, says expert [Video]

A Montreal expert believes Quebec has the potential to be a world leader in reducing carbon emissions.

Volt-Age researches electrification and constructing net-zero buildings. CEO Karim Zaghib believes that alternative methods for powering buildings can reduce carbon emissions.

“First, we need to learn how much buildings use fossil fuel energy,” said Zaghib, also a professor of chemical and materials engineering at Concordia University. “We try to see the calculations, how we can build and replace this fossil fuel energy that gives power to buildings. It can be by a combination of solar energy, batteries and making it smart (electric).”

He feels that using electric vehicles as an energy source is one way to electrify buildings and bring them closer to net-zero.

If a building stores 50 electric vehicles, each capable of holding 100 kilowatt-hours, then the building has a total of five megawatt-hours in electric vehicles, which is huge, according …