< PreviousThe drive for net-negative could be given a massive boost with the introduction of an innovative new building technique called Breathe Bricks. This process, designed by Ar. Carmen Trudell, an assistant professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obis- po’s School of Architecture, is made from a type of porous rock and is based on the basic principle of air filtration. By using an innovative design and including a ‘cyclone’ within the structure, these bricks absorb polluted air and release clear air in return. The research and testing that brought this process to fruition is based on the concept of filters. Indeed, Trudell worked with engineering professor Tracy Thatcher to develop a building component that works as a sort of passive filtration system. The Breathe Brick itself is a porous masonry unit that stacks to produce a filtration and structural façade system. Breathe Bricks are not the only materials that are assisting in the gradual shift towards a net-negative construction landscape, however. In a huge turnaround for what had been a virtually ignored material, hemp is making something of a comeback in recent times. While industrial hemp has been used as part of the construction process for thousands of years, it has been ignored in more recent times. However, it is now becoming a genuinely exciting proposition for meeting net-negative targets. Due to its incredible properties such as fast growth, dense canopy, and its ability to grow in nutri- ent-poor soil, it is vastly more efficient at sequestering car- bon than trees. While in construction, when combined with a lime-based binder it forms a material called Hempcrete, a carbon-negative building material that can sequester around 100 kgs of CO2 per square meter. The mix creates a long-last- ing fibrous insulation wall assembly that is fire-resistant, carbon-sequestering and repels mold and pests. Because hemp sequesters carbon while in the walls of a building, hempcrete is an excellent zero-carbon building material that can offset the construction industry’s carbon footprint. While the lightweight blocks do not have the structural strength for load-bearing situations, they have many uses on a jobsite. From replacing traditional drywall, to its benefits as both insulation and siding, it offers huge energy-saving benefits. Coexist Build, a PA-licensed architect-led company that is “determined to revolutionize conventional construction prac- tices and bring healthier options to the market,” is one of the loudest voices in developing hempcrete as a genuine option. The company combines an architectural studio with its very own regenerative organic farm to run a research and develop- ment lab for hemp-based materials. The main aim of Coexist Build is to produce building materials that give back to the environment they are built from. In essence, it is seeking to produce net-negative. “We develop systems that create an ecosystem where the natural world can coexist with humans in a clean and healthy way because our systems give back. We believe there is a lot to be explored and that is why we operate a research and development facility to innovate and create new materials and systems that work.” | 70 JULY 2023The company was set up by husband-and-wife team Anasta- siya Konopatskaya and Drew Oberholtzer with Konopatskaya recently assisting in the writing of a successful application for hempcrete to become officially approved in the model US residential building code for 2024. The hearing was overseen by the International Code Council and is an enormous break- through for advocates of the material. Speaking after the successful application, Konopatskaya said that the certifica- tion is a huge step forward. “It is a groundbreaking achieve- ment. As an architect, including hemplime into the building code is of paramount importance. It will allow architects like myself, focused on sustainability, to specify this product in any municipality across the US.” Due to industrial hemp production only recently being legal- ized in the United States, much of the hemp used in hemp- crete production is still imported from Europe. Despite this challenge, production is well under way and blocks are now being brought to the industry. According to Oberholtzer, this shift in production will have hugely positive effects on the scale of carbon savings that can now be achieved. “The big- gest variable in the amount of carbon sequestered in man- ufacturing hempcrete is transportation of raw material to a manufacturer and [then to the] project site. With the devel- opment of local supply chains from seed or farm to gate, the amount of carbon sequestered will be optimal.” Since 2019, Coexist has been developing hempcrete and demonstrating its potential with the goal being a shift in the way the industry thinks and acts. With much work being done since then, it seems as though things might be paying off. Recently, hempcrete has been reaching the mainstream with commercial projects such as the American Airlines Terminal upgrade at LAX, to residential condos in TriBeCa. For Ober- holtzer, Konopatskaya and all at Coexist Build, attitudes are changing. With net-negative now becoming a necessity rather than an add-on, it can’t change quickly enough. “Concern over toxics, allergens, synthetics, and plastics is rising. Also, peo- ple care more about the Earth than ever before. Attention is being given to carbon embodiment, carbon impact, regenera- tive materials, recycling, sustainability, waste, and renewabil- ity. Coexist Build addresses all of these concerns through the design and construction, using methods and materials that are natural and coexist with the environment.” | 71 APEIRON CONSTRUCTION| 72 JULY 2023WRITTEN BY ERIC O’CALLAGHAN W hat defines a basement? While many will be familiar with the word, are they familiar with the possibilities? The word itself, and its stereotypical uses, can often be considered negative, or uninspiring. However, for those at Penguin Base- ments, this is a missed opportunity and can prevent people from seeing the extraordinary possibility this space has to offer. At this company, a basement can become something life changing. Turning basements into bedrooms, apart- ments, games rooms and wine cellars are just some of the many innovative ways Penguin Basements have transformed what is often considered usable space, into something of real importance and value. The team at Penguin Basements are now on a mission to showcase the limitless potential basements have to offer, while rede- fining exactly what a basement is. | 73 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONFounded in 2011 and based in Ontario, Penguin Basements set out to rise above its competition by employing higher build standards, utilizing more suitable materials, and imple- menting a proven build process (similar to that employed by housing developers) to deliver a better basement in terms of design, functionality, quality, and durability. After discovering the demand for housing and construction outside of the Greater Toronto Area during COVID, Penguin Basements expanded to Cottage Country, The Muskokas, and also up north in places such as London, Ontario, and Ottawa. Today, the business now caters to most of the Ontario province. Penguin Basements offers a range of services that can be designed to client’s needs, but often involve creating more liv- ing space to add to the functionality of an existing residence. A previous project, for example, involved leveraging a base- ment to create a separate recreational and living space for a family. Thus, allowing the children to claim the space as their own during the day, while giving the adults an entertainment space for themselves at night. With the increase in numbers of people working from home, Penguin Basements has helped create office space to pro- vide a better work/home life environment. The possibilities of what the space can become are limitless, but the team thrive on client satisfaction and aim to provide the best fit for each individual circumstance. In some situations, Penguin Base- ments has transformed basements into apartments, which in turn has alleviated the pressure of income for homeowners and also helped customer to pay off their mortgages quicker. Founder of Penguin Basements, Guy Solomon, has worked on a range of projects since business began more than 10 years ago. Throughout his time, Solomon has built and created spaces that have transformed homes. “We build all kinds of projects. We've had situations where we had to install elevator lifts or chair lifts for the ageing population. Currently, we are seeing a lot of families amalgamate due to real estate prices being so high. Whether it's the baby boomer parents moving in with their kids, or the millennials moving back in with their parents, they all want their own space.” For Solomon, this shift in culture towards amalgamated family spaces is borne from a number of factors. Amidst a housing crisis and materials shortage, renovation projects simply make the most sense. “Predominantly what people have been doing is trying to figure out how the family formation can continue to develop and grow, so young families can find a place of residence without this outlandish expense. The trend recently has been towards habitable spaces and affordable spaces, and with the interest rates where they are, that’s kind of where people have been focusing their attention.” Whatever project the team at Penguin Basements undertakes, its main priority is to help clients make use of the extra living space. In order to do this, relationships are key. The service it provides is never a one-sided recommendation from the team, but instead a collaboration between the clients wishes and Penguins Basements extensive experience. | 74 JULY 2023While it goes without saying that customer satisfaction is crucial to any business, in the construction industry word of mouth is as much of a powerful ally as it is a deadly foe. With this in mind, it is important for businesses to not only provide a professional standard of business, but to maintain it. Penguin Basements do this by making sure it sticks to its brand promise of building better basements and providing fair pricing. Solomon has been running a more systematic process over the last number of years by having a road labor and delivering materials all in one go. This streamlined approach has inev- itably served his customers well and helps ensure the brand promise of building better basements. But with a promise of building better basements, I was curious to know what makes their basements better. “We always comply with building code. So, when it comes to an older basement, we always make sure they are insu- lated properly, and we drop the mechanical vents. We make sure that the heating and cooling system works so that the basement is insulated and complies with the Ontario building code. Along with that, we make sure to use best practices in the products that we use, whether it's a mold resistant board, or a commercial grade vinyl flooring, we try to make sure that the products that we use will last the test of time.” After the company’s success with basement renovations, Penguin Basements has decided to grow its business and expand upon the impressive work it has become known for. Using its position in the current marketplace, the team are acting upon the customer’s needs by currently developing houses and other types of real estate. By exploring these new opportunities, Penguin Basements is hoping to alleviate the housing shortage in the province of Ontario somewhat by launching new brands, such as Penguin Living. Penguin Living will focus on creating custom housing prod- ucts and homes for specific markets, one of which is acces- sibility. As Solomon explains, the rationale for this venture is to meet the needs of the market while also capitalizing on the unrivalled experience the company has gathered over the past decade. “We think that there's a market here for custom homes. Our new brands will be taking a lot of prac- tices that we've learned within building basements, servic- ing an emerging market and the accessibility kind of side of things. So, it's not directly linked with Penguin basements, but it's definitely something related to us because we do build a lot of second suites that are used for in laws and ageing family members. This is a way of expanding on that into something, hopefully for the future.” The team at Penguin Basements has spent a good chunk of their lives turning unused space into cherished space, but now it seems like the right time for the company to grow. Having spent so long in the basement, it only seems right that the team works its way up and evolves. Although, with the highest level of expertise and quality, I’d happily stay in a Penguin basement forever. “The possibilities of what the space can become are limitless.”SUPPORTED BY 12 Venture Construction Services ECONO PLUMBING AND HEATING SENSO GROUP WASTE MANAGEMENT TARGET DRYWALL 18 WellDone, Inc AKC GROUP SCAFOM-RUX TRUE CANADA EQUIPMENT 30 Nortex Roofing PERIDOT SUPPLY 42 Bothar Construction J.C. SMITH, INC. PAVILION DRAINAGE SUPPLY COMPANY INC. VACRI CONSTRUCTION CORP. 48 Celtic Sheet Metal ALLIANT INSURANCE SERVICES, INC. HARBOUR MECHANICAL 58 Americase Fabrication and Construction OCEAN MACHINERY, INC. PRODEVCO QUICKEN STEEL 62 Seletech Electrical Enterprises COMMSCOPE TRIBUILD| 77 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONAN APEIRON MEDIA INC. PUBLICATION APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONNext >