Capstone projects: FCI

Partner: Agrivoltaics Canada

Description: Advance municipal and provincial policy pathways to enable agrivoltaics deployment on prime agricultural land across Ontario.

Partner: Township of Bonfield

Description: Assess surface water drainage in Bonfield and design green infrastructure solutions to reduce flooding and improve lake health and water quality.

Partner: CAIVAN 

Description: Explore the current lack of big picture cost / benefit assessments of climate policy options and establish a framework for full cost accounting of climate policies and mandates.

Partner: EllisDon Community Builders

Description: Explore infrastructure‑based development models to improve the delivery, financing, and scalability of affordable rental housing across Canada.

Partner: The Food Bank of Waterloo Region

Description: Build a forecasting model that can predict food insecurity rates using real-world data and socioeconomic indicators to move from reactive food distribution to predictive, data-driven planning.

Partner: GHD

Description: Identify key challenges and propose engineering and science-based solutions to ensure a high-quality student experience.

Partner: GHD

Description: Analyze how nature-based solutions can be employed on private, public, and indigenous/unceded lands to advance Canada’s biodiversity outcomes under the 2030 Nature Strategy.

Partner: Haíɫzaqv Climate Action – Heiltsuk First Nation

Description: Conduct a pre-feasibility study for hydrogen production using hydroelectric power to address reliance on diesel fuel and foster energy sovereignty for the Haíɫzaqv community.

Partner: City of Iqaluit

Description: Design and test precast concrete solutions that can withstand Arctic permafrost conditions to improve the durability and performance of Iqaluit’s utilidor infrastructure.

Partner: City of Kitchener

Description: Conduct a high-level feasibility study of hydrogen blending in Kitchener’s natural gas distribution network, examining technical, business, customer, community, and energy futures perspectives.

Partner: City of Kitchener

Description: Assess how well the City of Kitchener’s current services support social resilience and identify strategic initiatives to strengthen community belonging, inclusion, and adaptability.

Partner: Massif Energy

Description: Explore the technical and economic feasibility of establishing a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Alberta, comparing black mass export versus local processing for circular economy outcomes.

Partner: Modeco Construction

Description: Identify high‑potential markets and design a modular, DfMA‑optimized prototype that leverages modern construction technologies to deliver affordable, resilient, and scalable prefab housing solutions.

Partner: Municipality of McDougall

Description: Identify and address sources of inflow and infiltration in McDougall’s wastewater system while developing cost‑effective strategies for homeowners to reduce runoff and extend the life of the communal septic bed.

Partner: Nunavut Economic Developers Association (NEDA)

Description: Develop a user-friendly AI-powered tool that can generate comprehensive Community Economic Development plans using Statistics Canada data and public surveys informed by community needs.

Partner: Provocation Ideas Festival

Description: Design an ethical, community‑driven AI storytelling platform that co‑creates a living “novel” of Toronto by collecting, protecting, and amplifying diverse narratives through an inclusive digital infrastructure.

Partner: Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

Description: Build an AI tool that assesses buildings for green certifications and outlines required upgrades, costs, and incentives.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Develop a plan for using natural gas for peak load shaving and cold-weather redundancy in Canada.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Investigate how sustainability and decarbonization can be better integrated into Canada’s national building codes.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: A project examining how commercial building owners can access tenant energy-use data required for scope 3 emissions reporting, evaluating whether a “green button” system or alternative data-sharing mechanisms could provide a workable solution.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Researching Canada’s heat pump market and which systems best match different commercial building types.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Identify leading CRE firms using physical climate risk in decisions and showcasing real-world case studies.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Explore renewable energy opportunities for CRE across Canada and the role of VPPAs in Ontario.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Assess Canada’s carbon offset market, key players, and how CRE should prepare for rising future demand.

Partner: REALPAC

Description: Assess Canada’s carbon offset market, key players, and how CRE should prepare for rising future demand.

Partner: Town of The Blue Mountains

Description: Identify and design near‑term natural asset enhancement projects that help The Blue Mountains protect, restore, and expand its ecological features while supporting sustainable growth and community resilience.

Partner: Town of The Blue Mountains

Description: Develop a defensible methodology to value forests, trees, and wetlands in The Blue Mountains and apply it to real development scenarios to guide fair, effective ecological replacement and compensation decisions.

Partner: University of Waterloo Sustainability Office

Description: Develop a scalable waste‑audit methodology for the University of Waterloo, supported by best‑practice research and a marketing strategy, to identify long‑term opportunities to improve waste diversion and move the campus toward its zero‑waste goals.

Partner: Velocity

Description: Explore more efficient and less expensive ways to maintain critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, sewers, and waterworks.