Our Team

meet Aerecura’s

sustainable builders

Our crew consists of a diverse group of talented craftspeople who bring their unique skills and expertise to each of our projects. We all share a commitment to sustainable building that informs our focus, inspires excellence, and has brought us all together under the title of ‘sustainable builders’. We value our crew for the creative, innovative, problem-solvers they are, and the constant camaraderie and support they provide each other, and our clients.

Aerecura is a women-owned business, and an inclusive employer. We place high importance in workplace equality and equity, especially operating within the construction industry. Aerecura is a safe workplace for all our employees, tradespeople and clients. We prioritize fostering a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard.

Sylvia CooK
Founder + CEO

A lifelong environmentalist, Sylvia was a physicist and teacher before turning sustainable builder. For her, rammed earth offers the elegant solution that every home owner seeks, a construction system that creates and maintains human-friendly spaces, ensures building longevity, and minimizes environmental impact.

Sylvia’s key role in Aerecura is education. Her passion for sustainable building science, along with her practical, professional knowledge of rammed earth, are evident whether she is sharing her wealth of knowledge with clients, industry professionals, or presenting to college students, or the general public.

Sylvia's vision extends far beyond the unique homes and rammed earth projects Aerecura builds. Through Aerecura, she strives to foster a world where sustainable building methods, inclusivity, and parity are not just an aspiration of the construction industry, but a reality.

Sylvia lives in Northumberland County, in the first rammed earth home built in Ontario.

  • Graham Cavalier, general manager of Aerecura Sustainable Builders, smiling at the camera in front of rammed earth.

    Graham Cavalier

    General Manager, Co Founder.

    Having worked on the more than 20 rammed earth projects completed since the inception of Aerecura in 2009, Graham is a master rammed earth builder. He also holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies where he explored global concepts of sustainable construction. Graham uses this wealth of practical and theoretical expertise and experience in his daily problem-solving in the context of building toward a greener future.

    As General Manager Graham’s inclusive leadership style and collaborative spirit foster a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard. His extensive knowledge of all aspects of sustainable building inform every design meeting while his gentle humour often leads the laughter on job sites.

    Graham lives in Prince Edward County.

  • Pedro Paes

    In House Designer, Project Manager.

    Pedro Paes, (B Arch., BCIN Licensed, Permaculture Designer) has been dedicated to researching and working with natural building methods since 2011. As the son of two architects, Pedro was immersed in the world of architecture from a young age and followed in their footsteps by designing and building sustainable and natural architecture.

    In Brazil, Pedro gained extensive experience with various construction techniques. He also developed projects with the Xukuru People, an Indigenous community in Brazil, helping to reaffirm their ancestral building practices and traditional construction knowledge.

    In 2018, Pedro moved from Brazil to Canada to pursue his dream of working with rammed earth construction. He joined Aerecura in 2021 and is now one of our esteemed Project Managers and our premier In-house Designer.

    Pedro lives in Toronto.

  • Andrew Dzenis, senior project manager for Aerecura Sustainable Builders

    Andrew Dzenis

    Senior Project Manager.

    Andrew Dzenis has been an integral part of Aerecura since 2014. He has consistently delivered exceptional results, earning him the title of senior project manager.

    Andrew fosters a work environment that inspires excellence from his employees. Under Andrew's leadership, Aerecura has completed numerous stunning rammed earth projects, each a testament to his commitment to quality and innovation.

    Andrew is our project manager for all builds within the Grey and Bruce Counties; his drive to build sustainably closer to home has allowed our company to flourish.

    Andrew lives in Owen Sound.

  • John Rogers

    Director of Operations.

    With 25 years of experience in the construction industry, John brings a deep understanding of project management and operational strategies to his role. His expertise in streamlining processes and optimizing resources ensures that our crews operate with maximum efficiency, allowing them to focus on delivering rammed earth homes and walls of the highest caliber.

    John's commitment to excellence and attention to detail make him an invaluable asset to the Aerecura team.

    John lives in Campbellford.

  • Lindsey Van De Keere

    Marketing and Communications Manager.

    If you have reached out to us, chances are you’ve had the opportunity to chat with Lindsey.

    As the Director of Communications, Lindsey skillfully has brought Aerecura into the 21st century. Her proficiency in web design and the ever evolving landscape of social media has allowed us the opportunity to build a captivating online presence… while we are busy building.

    Lindsey lives in Prince Edward County.