Sustainability by Design: Implementing the Greening Government Strategy for Waste Management Enabling Facilities

Abstract

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has committed to a vision of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and this vision underpins the design and planning for new waste management enabling facilities. The management of High-Level Waste (HLW) and co-stored Intermediate-level Waste (ILW) from the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) inventory across Canada requires the development of new facilities and capabilities for receipt, conditioning, and interim storage of waste liabilities until disposal solutions are available. These new facilities incorporate significant considerations for energy efficiency, lifecycle carbon accounting, and climate resiliency.

As the operator of AECL’s laboratories, CNL is aligned with the Government of Canada’s Greening Government Strategy. This strategy informs CNL’s work with recognition that carbon emissions are not currently a consideration in regulatory and licensing decisions. By demonstrating a proactive approach, CNL has developed a Lifecycle Carbon Accounting Standard to establish the methodology for new infrastructure projects. This Standard draws from industry standards such as the Canada Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building Design Standard and National Research Council's Guideline for Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment.

This presentation and paper provide an overview of how CNL has incorporated sustainability elements into the ongoing design of new waste management enabling facilities. There will be a specific focus on CNL’s experience developing lifecycle carbon account reports and climate resilience plans, as well as an analysis of common hotspots and solutions for embodied carbon, special passive loads for energy modelling, methodology for lifecycle cost analyses, and evaluation of future climate scenarios effect on design. The unique challenges and solutions for incorporating sustainability elements into nuclear facilities will be highlighted. Finally, this presentation and paper briefly summarizes the comparison of CNL’s approach in Canada against requirements for Department of Energy sites in the United States to draw conclusions for a suitable framework for future new build considerations.