Ontario Construction News staff writer
Bird Construction Inc. has been selected to lead the design and construction of a state-of-the-art, net-zero protein processing facility for Phyto Organix Foods Inc. in Strathmore, Alta.
The $225 million facility will be the largest-ever capital investment in Strathmore and provide a base for Phyto Organix to grow its plant protein business.
It will be the first net-zero plant protein processing facility in North America, employing industry-leading technology solutions to recycle and reuse water, leverage low emission energy sources, and reduce overall energy consumption by:
- situating it in the yellow pea heartland of Alberta, with annual crop production of over five times the processing capacity grown within 75 kilometres of the facility, minimizing emissions from transporting peas supplied by local farmers;
- employing industry leading water recycle/reuse technology, allowing the facility to recycle 75% of its process water;
- industry leading heat integration reducing overall energy consumption and emissions; and
- powering the facility with low emission energy sources.
“We are proud to be selected by Phyto Organix for this cutting-edge project. Early contractor involvement and a collaborative approach with our clients and partners continue to deliver immense value and drive sustainable, innovative solutions,” said Teri McKibbon, president and CEO of Bird.
“Over the past ten years, Bird has built an impressive resume of over 100 agri-food projects, establishing ourselves as a leader in Canada’s dynamic and evolving food processing sector. We look forward to bringing our expertise to this modern, net-zero facility as we continue to expand our diverse portfolio in Western Canada.”
When complete, the facility will use a proprietary wet fractionation technology to annually process 40,000 metric tonnes of yellow peas, grown in close proximity to the facility, into soluble and insoluble protein isolates, processed fibre and starch, and high-quality dietary pea hull fibre.
“Phyto Organix is pleased to be partnering with Bird for the design and construction of our new plant protein processing facility, scheduled to be operational in 2024,” said Chris Theal, founder, president and CEO of Phyto Organix.
“Bird is a proven leader in the agri-food and value-add processing sector, and its experience and collaborative approach has been critical in defining and differentiating the sustainability pedigree of our facility.”