Areas of Expertise

Alberta's environmental sector is helping to preserve the province's natural environment. The sector has become well known for its expertise in:

  • Climate change solutions
    The Alberta Innovates - Energy and Environment Solutions (formerly the Alberta Energy Research Institute) is responsible for energy-related research in Alberta and works with government and industry to promote innovation and technology in the energy sector. There is a focus on increased funding for the development and implementation of greenhouse gas related technologies which includes carbon capture and storage.

  • Recycling
    Alberta's environmental products and services sector actively encourages recycling. Some specialized initiatives include recycling programs covering plastics, paint, electronics and tires.

  • Remediation
    Alberta's environment sector is restoring land and water, making these natural resources clean, safe and usable. Drilling and production in the oil and gas industry require a wide range of environmental products and services.

  • Waste Management
    Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence (EWMCE) is a non-profit corporation established to meet solid waste and wastewater challenges worldwide. The Centre is a collaborative hub for innovative research, technology development and training.

  • Water Treatment
    Municipal infrastructure is expanding to meet the economic and population growth in the province. Investment in oil sands mining will require increased water treatment.

Award Winning Companies

Alberta-based companies are also winning awards due to their innovation and leading edge technologies. The Alberta Emerald Foundation (AEF) recognizes environmental leadership in Alberta, and awards Alberta companies that demonstrate innovations in environmental education and management.

Examples of AEF award winning firms include:

  • Waterworks Technologies Inc.
    In 2009, Calgary-based Waterworks Technologies Inc. received an Alberta Export Sustainability Award for their environmentally friendly packaged water and wastewater treatment plants and equipment. By combining complete design and engineering services Waterworks Technologies Inc. provides their clients with systems that reuse, recycle and conserve energy. Waterworks Technologies Inc. has a global reach, exporting their products to the United States, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Honduras, Thailand and Mexico. The Alberta Export Sustainability Award recognizes companies that have shown leadership in integrating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability into their management practices.

  • EPCOR & Associated Engineering E.L.
    E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

    Continued population and economic growth in the Edmonton capital region are increasing overall customer demand for treated water. EPCOR, with the support of Associated Engineering, increased the E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant production from 240 million litres per day to an ultimate capacity of 600 million litres per day; a 150 per cent increase in production capacity with only a 20 per cent increase in plant footprint.

    The plant’s design includes a number of creative ideas that help achieve the required capacity increase while reusing parts of the existing process and converting some of their functions. Upgrades also included installation of an award-winning environmentally friendly water disinfection process and construction of a water intake system that diverts and returns fish downstream of the treatment plant.

  • David Manz, P. Eng

    After witnessing the daily struggle for clean drinking water in developing nations in the 1980s, Dr. David Manz was determined to design a water purifier that would be effective and inexpensively built and operated. His University of Calgary students' solution was basically a garbage can with a faucet at the bottom. Building on this idea, Manz developed the Biosand Water Filter (BSF) which may be the most positive single invention affecting the health of people living in disadvantaged communities throughout the world.

    Most of the BSFs have been installed for use by individual families, although they are often shared with extended family members, friends and neighbours. Dr. Manz has also trained individuals and organizations to properly apply the BSF technology, mostly in support of humanitarian projects. This knowledge has been passed on to others, and over the past decade, hundreds of BSF projects have been established.

For a complete list of past Emerald Award recipients, visit:

Date Updated: Jan 14, 2010
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