Employee Profile: Mario Patenaude

Reserved, humble and charming, Mario aspires to make ecodesign more accessible and dispel the myths surrounding packaging by using an approach dedicated to knowledge transmission. Profile. 

Working as an ecodesign and circular economy advisor at ÉEQ, Mario contributes to several projects which aim to shed light on the benefits of packaging ecodesign. His experience in design, spanning over 15 years, has led him to work for an organization with a mission that values environmental and social impacts. In his own words, “whether our area of expertise lies in the ecodesign of buildings or products, the theory remains the same—the only difference is the scale of work.” 

Mario’s days don’t follow a strict routine: media monitoring at an international scale, training small and large businesses and assisting in ecodesign processes are just a few of his daily tasks. Outside office hours, his participation as jury member for the latest DUX Grand Prix Awards (packaging category) is also worth noting. 

Bolstered by his academic career, during which he completed a PhD (!) in design, he coordinates research projects and popularizes his discoveries. Watch out for his most recent and current favourite project: a complete report on the underside of compostable packaging. “I had fun carrying out this project from A to Z, where we debunk multiple myths all while keeping a neutral stance on the matter.” Mario was also able to participate in the National Zero Waste Council’s study, Less Food Loss and Waste, Less Packaging Waste. 

If you ever get the chance to visit our offices located at the heart of downtown Montreal, you’ll be able to admire the results of his hard work. His knowledge in green building certification programs have allowed us to transform our windowed premises using construction materials issued from curbside collection in Quebec. We don’t call him “Eco-Mario” for nothing! 

We leave you with his motto, which he admits himself is a little cliché but totally true. “Follow your passion: being passionate about what you do is so important!”