Better Buildings

More than a quarter of waste globally is generated through construction and demolition. Sheida Shahi and her team at Toronto-based Adaptis are working to reduce that colossal amount of refuse through its AI platform that helps building owners and operators improve energy efficiency while lowering operating expenses. Growing out of research conducted at the University of Waterloo, its technology can be used at all stages of a structure’s life — from acquisition to demolition. Through its holistic life-cycle assessments, Adaptis can identify thousands of design and retrofit options ranging from walls and windows to HVAC systems and even existing building materials that can be reused or salvaged. The startup can also help building managers qualify and apply for industry environmental certification, and provide recommendations for reducing Scope 1-3 emissions and reporting.

The world runs on Alternating Current (AC) power. But the majority of gadgets, including energy efficient devices like LEDs, run on Direct Current (DC) power. That means those eco-friendly lights become less sustainable as they lose heat energy converting the AC power it receives into the DC power it needs. Markam’s Cence Power has developed power adaptor hubs that can plug into any existing electrical panel, converting power to DC on the spot, rather than putting the burden on devices. Engineered to transmit power over longer distances using less copper, Cence Power’s systems can reduce operational energy consumption by upward of 40 percent, says CEO Bolis Ibrahim. The company’s low-voltage devices can be used in homes, offices and stores, while its higher-voltage models are designed for telecom, data centres and indoor lighting applications.

Keeping cool comes at a cost: Air conditioning accounts for a tenth of global electricity consumption, and that figure is set to skyrocket over the coming decades as more people look for respite from rising temperatures. A spin-out of the University of Waterloo, Kitchener-based Evercloak is working on a tiny solution that could have an outsized effect on the efficiency of cooling units. Founder Evelyn Allen and her team have created specialized membranes — thinner than a strand of hair — that can be applied to existing HVAC systems. This system filters out humidity before it reaches the A/C unit, making it much more efficient to cool down a space. In turn, this can double a building’s efficiency, Allen says. In 2025, Evercloak’s tech will be put to the test at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado.

When you picture dense, urban areas, visions of concrete and steel come to mind. Intelligent City is taking a different approach. This Vancouver-based startup’s material of choice is mass timber: thick, compressed layers of wood suitable for large-scale projects. The company works with clients from the initial design phase to the final stage of construction, streamlining the process with software automation, modular designs and robotic manufacturing. By pre-fabricating its mass timber components off-site, Intelligent City can cut construction times in half and lower costs by 20 percent, says co-founder Oliver Lang. “By bridging the gap between scalability and customization, we can significantly increase the production and affordability of housing,” he told Forbes magazine earlier this year. In 2020, the National Building Code of Canada updated regulations, allowing mass timber to be used in buildings upward of 12 storeys. In Ontario and B.C. that permit has been upped to 18 storeys. The company is working on several projects across the country, including two multi-storey mass timber rental buildings in Toronto and a mixed-use development in Vancouver.

Windows are one of the biggest culprits for a building’s energy loss. It’s the first place cooling escapes during sweltering summer heat, and where heating is lost on a cold winter day. Toronto’s NxLite has crafted a transparent, lightweight nanocoating that can be slid into existing window frames. This means building operators can save upward of 40 percent on energy bills, and lower a building’s carbon footprint by as much as 30 percent, says CEO David Mather. Its nanocoating can also be used on passenger and industrial vehicles, as well as industrial refrigerator windows to improve insulation. Having completed a Beta pilot project and modelled two large commercial projects, Mather and his team are now looking to establish a commercial pilot.

Tinybox, with operations in Toronto and Montreal, is developing a system to massively speed up construction — on a small scale. Its modular tiny home kits that can be assembled in as little as 48 hours. The company’s net-zero, self-reliant units feature a solar roof, ultra-insulated walls, a closed-loop shower system and a bioreactor toilet — meaning there’s no need for a septic tank or hydro grid hookup, says co-founder Pooya Saberi. While the homes have a small footprint — modules start from around 106 square feet — the ceiling heights are over 8 feet high, and are decked out with multi-purpose furniture for maximum space efficiency, whether it’s being used as a backyard office or off-grid cabin. In 2025, Tinybox plans to set up more than 15 units, including an off-grid resort in P.E.I., a four-unit cottage in Costa Rica and housing for a new city in Texas.