Iris Solutions has been selected as the preferred proponent by the City of Surrey to finalize an agreement to design, build, partially finance, maintain and operate the Surrey Biofuels Processing Facility, in Vancouver, Canada.

Iris Solutions is composed by Orgaworld Canada Ltd., Shanks Group, Stantec Consulting Ltd. and Smith Bros. Wilson(BC) Ltd.

The team bat out competition from two other shortlisted firms: Plenary Harvest Surrey (led by Plenary Group) and Urbaser S.A. (part of ACS group).

The City expects to finalize a fixed price, performance-based agreement with Iris Solutions in early 2015, with design-build activities getting underway shortly thereafter. The facility will be operational by late 2016.

Once the biofuel processing facility is operational, Surrey will be home to the first closed-loop fully-integrated organics waste management system in North America. The facility will convert kitchen waste and yard waste collected at curbside into renewable natural gas that will fuel the City's natural gas waste collection trucks. The facility will also produce a compost product that will be suitable for landscaping and agricultural applications.

The facility will be designed to receive and process 115,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. When completed, the facility will be the largest of its kind in Canada with a capacity to process 100% of the City's organic waste, along with commercial organic waste, helping Metro Vancouver achieve its regional 70% waste diversion target.

The project cost is estimated at CAD$60 million (US$52 million). As an added financial benefit, the Government of Canada has agreed to contribute 25 per cent of the capital costs of the project through its "Public Private Partnerships Canada" fund.

Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, stated:

"We've reached an exciting and important milestone in our progression towards generating renewable energy from our waste. The City of Surrey is very proud to be a world leader in sustainable waste management practices."

Councillor Bruce Hayne commented:

"Council is pleased to move forward with this exciting and environmentally sustainable project. We look forward to continuing Surrey's positive growth within clean energy industries, as laid out in our Sustainability Charter."

This project is integral to Surrey's Rethink Waste program launched in October 2012, which includes curbside organics collection and a fleet of compressed natural gas waste collection trucks. The Rethink Waste program has already led to an over 40% reduction in Surrey's residential garbage sent to the landfill.