Magna International Facility Emissions Challenge
Magna International sought innovative, reliable solutions to reduce Scope 1 facility emissions while having minimal impact on existing infrastructure and demonstrating a reasonable return on investment in the short-medium term.
Challenge Launch: February 2025
Driving Down Emissions for Year-Round Facility Comfort
Magna International sought innovative, reliable solutions to reduce Scope 1 facility emissions. The winning solution had minimal impact on existing infrastructure and demonstrated a reasonable return on investment in the short-medium term.
Magna International is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and innovative solutions are key to that goal. Scalable, cost-effective technologies were needed to significantly reduce Scope 1 facility emissions while enhancing operational efficiency without disrupting existing infrastructure.
Challenge Statement
Magna International sought to implement innovative technologies that minimize facility Scope 1 facility emissions while maintaining operational reliability and comfort.
Solutions may have included energy recovery systems, alternative fuels, efficient ventilation designs, or heat pumps. These technologies should have aligned with Magna’s operational and budgetary constraints and had the potential for scalability across its global facilities.
Challenge Opportunity
This Challenge offered innovators a unique opportunity to collaborate with Magna International, a leading global automotive components manufacturer. Successful finalists had the chance to pitch their solutions directly to the Magna team, gaining valuable exposure and insights.
The winning applicant will have the opportunity to pilot their technologies within Magna’s facilities, and successful pilots may lead to scaling solutions and connections across Magna’s global network.
This Challenge provided a pathway to build long-term relationships with an industry leader and to contribute meaningfully to advancing sustainability in manufacturing.
Challenge Background
Magna International aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A significant portion of Scope 1 facility emissions arises from make-up air units required to compensate for ventilation losses in manufacturing facilities. These systems currently exhaust conditioned air, resulting in substantial energy loss and increased emissions. Magna seeks innovative solutions to reduce Scope 1 facility emissions that work with minimal impact to existing processes.
Potential approaches included energy recovery systems, alternate fuels, efficient ventilation, heat pumps, or other solutions that address these challenges with minimal capital investment.
A successful solution needed to:
- Be an innovative yet proven and reliable solution that is ready for piloting or adoption to meet Scope 1 emission reduction targets.
- Have clear alignment with budget availability and timelines.
- Be scalable across Magna facilities if initial pilots are successful.
- Require minimal maintenance and demonstrate long-term reliability.
- Include access to support and troubleshooting for the Magna team related to ongoing maintenance and post-pilot/adoption.
Any proven solution that works in Canada could be considered for global operations.
Considerations & Barriers to Adoption
Innovators needed to be aware of several considerations and barriers to adoption that could impact the implementation of proposed solutions. Solutions should have addressed these factors while aligning Magna’s emission reduction target to increase the likelihood of success.
Below are the key barriers that need to be addressed for the solution to be successfully adopted:
- Financial
- Upfront capital costs must be minimal, with a strong business case for a short-medium-length ROI.
- Regulation
- The solution must comply with all regulatory and safety standards specific to manufacturing facilities in Southern Ontario.
- The solution must maintain workplace conditions, including a consistent interior temperature of 18°C.
- Operational Capacity
- Integration with existing systems should be well thought out to avoid operational disruptions.
- Technologies should require minimal maintenance to ensure long-term reliability and feasibility.
- Scalability
- Solutions must demonstrate scalability for potential implementation across Magna’s global network of facilities.
Evaluation & Eligibility Criteria
The Challenge was open to Canadian and global innovators. Applicants must have been able to operate within Magna’s facilities and meet all necessary safety, compliance, and operational requirements. Solutions should have also be commercially deployable and compatible with the regulations and standards of the target pilot facility (Southern Ontario).
Evaluation categories:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Strong business case with a short-to-medium-term return on investment.
- Emission Reduction Impact : Demonstrated capability to reduce Scope 1 facility emissions effectively.
- Reliability: Proven performance with minimal maintenance requirements.
- Scalability : Potential for implementation across multiple Magna facilities globally.
- Innovation: A unique but not first-of-a-kind demonstration is encouraged.
Key eligibility criteria included:
- Solutions must have been at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7+
- Open to Canadian and global innovators.
- Applicants must have met Magna’s safety, compliance, and operational standards.
- Solutions should have been commercially deployable and adhere to facility-specific regulations in Southern Ontario.
The Partner
Magna International is one of the world’s largest auto suppliers and has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with science-based targets verified to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.
The company is driving decarbonization through energy optimization initiatives, transitioning to 100% renewable electricity globally by 2030, and integrating sustainable practices into its manufacturing operations. Magna also collaborates with over 10,000 suppliers, customers, and startups to promote sustainability across the automotive supply chain.
Learn more about Magna’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Multiple Winners Exploring Partnerships with Magna International to Cut Costs and Emissions
Foresight Canada and Magna International are excited to announce the three winners of the Facility Emissions Challenge: Blade Air, Cardinal Volta, and Vitalis. These Canadian innovators will collaborate with Magna to explore solutions to reduce Scope 1 facility emissions in manufacturing facilities while enhancing operational efficiency without disrupting existing infrastructure.
Each company brings their own expertise to this Challenge:
- Blade Air: Blade Air is a Toronto-based clean-tech innovator and a global leader in energy-efficient HVAC filter manufacturing. Redefining the definition of what's possible, Blade Air represents the intersection of sustainability and air quality. Their solutions deliver confidence without compromise and set the new industry standard.
- Cardinal Volta: Cardinal Volta advances industrial energy efficiency and sustainability through innovative technologies. Also Toronto-based, their next-generation Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems transform waste heat into clean, reliable electricity, empowering their customers to reduce energy costs, enhance energy resilience, and accelerate sustainability.
- Vitalis: Kelowna-based Vitalis designs and manufactures CO2-based cleantech solutions, including chillers, heat pumps, and refrigeration systems using R744, CO2 as a refrigerant, for commercial, industrial, and district energy applications. Vitalis systems help companies and communities reduce emissions, lower operational costs, and transition away from harmful synthetic refrigerants.
In 2023, the manufacturing sector accounted for approximately 29% of the total reported emissions from large industrial facilities in Canada. This Challenge and its outcome will demonstrate the power of collaboration, showcasing how innovators and industry—by working together—can drive lasting, impactful change for a sustainable future.
Challenge Updates
February 12, 2025: Applications open
March 4, 2025: Informational webinar (watch recording)
March 26, 2025: Applications close
June 12, 2025: Winners announced
Our Partners
The Magna International Facility Emissions Challenge is run in partnerhip with Magna International.
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