Good morning, everyone.
Thank you, Madam Chair and the committee for inviting our company, Mitrex: Integrated Solar Technology, to appear as a witness.
Increases in urbanization, higher energy demands and non-renewable energy sources have created an environmental disaster in the form of climate change. Although the Canadian government has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, this is a huge goal, requiring everyone involved to achieve it in terms of commercial and economical options.
The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how vulnerable our society and economy are to external environmental factors. We as a nation may either continue to invest in the traditional carbon-emitting industries, or we may choose a different path for the recovery, the path that is greener and built back better than what we had.
Canada’s construction industry directly employs 1.4 million Canadians. From an environmental perspective, the buildings we construct are responsible for 17% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is an astonishing number if you're looking at the buildings that are being constructed today, and 75% of these inefficient buildings will still be standing in 2030 and beyond. Unless we build more sustainable buildings and existing buildings are retrofitted, I highly doubt that we can achieve our 2050 goals. This will be a key industry to rebuilding our economy while encouraging sustainable growth.
As a Canadian and as a human, you can always turn problems into solutions. This is one of those areas where we can turn it around, and develop a solution to create an opportunity out of the problem.
As cities grow, and as the high-rises are rising, we have this option. Our cities are growing vertically in the form of high-rises. This creates that specific opportunity. At Mitrex, we are creating the solution through BIPVs, building-integrated photovoltaics systems. These are building materials that are built with solar, and the solar is built within them. These are not added on top. These are not layers on top of layers. These are different groups of building materials that are built with solar.
The BIPV solves all of the problems that are mentioned regarding global warming and all of the issues we're having. BIPV is one of the solutions that can help us build more buildings, build better buildings, and help us achieve our goals by 2050.
Due to the significant R and D that we have done at Mitrex, the BIPV materials that we have created eliminate the trade-off between aesthetics and sustainability, and create positive financial impacts. We have solved the equation. We have created a product that is embedded into the materials. We can actually build our buildings using solar panels for the first time on the commercial stage.
This will create Canadian jobs in STEM fields and in skilled trades. As our country's portfolio of green buildings expands, so will Canada’s trade agenda, pursuing new agreements and opportunities that create jobs and economic benefits.
Greener buildings and sustainable construction will reduce energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions, helping us meet our 2050 net-zero goals and securing our environment’s future.
Thank you for your time and attention. We look forward to answering your questions.