Member Spotlight: hcma

Our Member Spotlight interview continues with hcma, where we had a chance to connect with Rebecca Holt, Senior Director of Sustainability. Certified B Corp and B2E member since May 2022, hcma designs buildings, brands, and shared experiences that connect people. In her role, Rebecca is responsible for advancing the sustainability agenda within the practice and across business operations, engaging in learning and research that can deepen knowledge of sustainable design, and working with others to advocate for change.   

Why did you become a B2E member?   

We design and advance low energy and low- to zero-carbon buildings and communities, and we believe in the power of collective action and peer learning. B2E is working to connect, educate, advocate, and transform the market, and we consider it a part of our core work to help and contribute. 

What impact has the B2E community had on you/your organization?   

B2E members have shared how they are working to lower barriers to electrification in the built-environment—be they regulatory, building industry capacity, or managing supply chains, or other factors. We carry these strategic insights and observations forward into our own work; they help us more effectively advocate for low energy and carbon solutions with clients and partners. In turn, we try to share our experiences in the hopes that those insights may help others. 

Tell us about an exciting building electrification project that you’re working on.  

Municipal and public buildings represent a core practice area for our firm, and we’re proud to have helped the City of New Westminster with one of the first low operational carbon aquatic centres in Canada. The təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is presently under construction, and in the process of certifying through the CAGBC Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard. Indoor pools and recreation centres are inherently energy-intensive buildings and can represent significant operational emissions. Pool systems, heating demand, and ventilation loads are high, and this project is an early adopter of a new approach – an all-electric heat pump-based system maintains pool heat, provides domestic hot water and heats/cools the space. We love this project because it has helped our industry redefine what is possible for aquatic centres. 

What do you see as a key driver in advancing electrification in your industry?  

We can and do advocate for low- or zero-carbon all-electric buildings in conversations with clients and partners. But unless and until regulators require higher performance, the path of least resistance remains fossil fuels. Even with existing policy such as emissions pricing, the economics of high-performance projects can often be challenging for local governments. 

Do you have any advice for others (individuals or organizations) who want to follow your path? 

Participate in organizations like B2E that offer peer-learning and networking opportunities. Share your experiences, share your data, share your insights! Set science-based climate targets for your work and develop plans to deliver on them. 

To connect with Rebecca on Linkedin, please click here. hcma can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and their website.

Want to hear more from our B2E members? Check out the rest of our Member Spotlight series here.