Canada’s National Observer is proud to announce business correspondent Darius Snieckus has been nominated for the Canadian Journalism Foundation's annual Award for Climate Solutions Reporting.
Snieckus made the shortlist for Big Green Build, a series of deeply reported stories on Canada’s housing construction crisis and the generational opportunity to build greener and better to meet the country’s climate targets.
“This series does an excellent job reminding us of the challenges new buildings pose to planet — but also the opportunities new technologies and design offer for mitigating the problem,” one juror wrote, adding it draws attention to “green innovations that could be used not just in Canada but across the world.”
The series explored deep retrofits for high-rise buildings in Toronto, affordable upgrades to century-old residential and office spaces in Montreal, and a state-of-the-art EV residential project in London, Ont. It also analyzed innovations in materials, from low-carbon cement and concrete to engineered wood, which offers net-zero benefits but faces questions over the sustainability of mass timber.
"Climate journalism can get stuck in a few modes, like wonkish big-picture policy stories or recounting environmental collapse," said Jimmy Thomson, editor-in-chief of Canada's National Observer. "This series breaks that mold. It examines smart solutions and exciting developments that can improve our quality of life while delivering better climate outcomes."
Winners of the Canadian Journalism Foundation awards will be announced on June 12 in Toronto.
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