Global architecture and engineering firm NORR has announced a new collaboration with construction data platform Qflow to support a Toronto-based workplace project targeting zero carbon certification.
The project is pursuing the Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon Certification (v1.1), underscoring NORR’s focus on data-driven sustainability and precise carbon accounting.
The partnership also marks Qflow’s expansion into North America.
Closing the Gap Between Design and Delivery
With 750 professionals working across 12 market sectors, NORR is positioning itself at the forefront of total carbon accounting for high-performance buildings.
The collaboration tackles a persistent challenge in sustainable construction: the disconnect between carbon assumptions made during design and the actual materials delivered and installed onsite.
Traditional lifecycle assessment (LCA) tools generate carbon estimates during the design phase. Qflow’s platform builds on that foundation by capturing real-time data on materials, waste, utilities and carbon as they arrive onsite. The result is more detailed, easier-to-collect information that reflects as-built conditions — a key requirement for rigorous certification programs.
Bridging Design Intent and Construction Reality
Through real-time visibility into site deliveries, NORR’s sustainability team will be able to identify supply chain risks, verify Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and make informed material substitutions during construction rather than relying solely on earlier projections.
The approach is intended to ensure that performance targets set at the design stage are achieved in the finished building.
Enabling Faster, Carbon-Informed Decisions
NORR identified three core advantages the Qflow platform brings to sustainability-focused projects:
- Reducing embodied carbon through accurate tracking and identification of reduction opportunities
- Providing fast access to verified data for material selection and environmentally friendlier alternatives
- Creating an auditable trail of as-built carbon data that meets the stringent requirements of zero carbon certification bodies
By embedding data capture directly into construction workflows, the firms aim to minimize reliance on spreadsheets and manual supplier follow-ups, streamlining compliance documentation.
A Foundation for Future Projects
Beyond the Toronto pilot, NORR plans to use the collaboration as a framework for future sustainability-driven work. As industry standards evolve toward requiring verified as-built carbon data — rather than design-phase estimates alone — the firm sees this partnership as a proactive step.
The collaboration also aligns with NORR’s integrated design philosophy, strengthening its ability to educate clients on the long-term return on investment of high-performance, low-carbon buildings.
About Qflow
Qflow operates across the UK, U.S., and Australia, delivering real-time construction data capture to ensure “as-designed means as-delivered.” The platform connects planned specifications with actual site deliveries and usage data, helping teams improve quality control, reduce waste, lower risk, and avoid costly delays.
For NORR, the partnership represents not only a sustainability milestone but also a strategic investment in the data infrastructure increasingly required for next-generation building certifications.
Originally reported by Qualis Flow in Construction Dive.
