Building Better: Issue 2
Happy New Year! We’re thrilled about the exciting developments happening at Aerecura as we head into the new year, and are looking forward to another busy season creating durable, beautiful, and sustainable homes and spaces for our clients. In this issue, we’re sharing some of our latest updates (spoiler: our pre-designs are coming!) and reflecting on some of our favourite highlights of 2024.
Meet Pedro: Aerecura’s In House Designer
Pedro, an accomplished architect from Brazil, joined us in 2021. In 2024, he became our in-house designer after obtaining his BCIN, allowing him to carry out architectural design in Ontario.
Pedro’s portfolio is growing rapidly; in 2024, he designed three notable rammed earth homes, showcasing his ability to balance beauty, functionality, and sustainability. We are so happy to have him as part of our team.
Aerecura’s Pre-Designed Homes: Coming March 2025
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of The Petra, our first pre-designed rammed earth home, with full plans and pricing available March 1st.
This 1,200-square-foot, 3-bedroom home has been thoughtfully and thoroughly designed with sustainability and connection to the earth at its core. Featuring durable, eco-friendly rammed earth construction, The Petra offers unparalleled energy efficiency and provides a living space that harmonizes with the natural environment. Healthy, comfortable and beautiful.
Later this spring, we’ll introduce a stunning 1,500-square-foot, two-story home. This design includes a spacious den and emphasizes the thermal mass benefits of rammed earth; harnessing the sun’s energy to regulate indoor temperatures for year-round comfort and sustainability. As we work on its finishing touches, we know it's a home that you will fall in love with, just like we have.
If you’re interested in being first in the know when The Petra is released, sign up here.
2024: Year in Review
2024 marked significant growth for our team. Thank you to all who participated in that growth, as well as those of you who have supported us, right from the start! We are deeply grateful to be able to offer a better way to build right across Ontario, and wouldn't be able to do so without like-minded folks like yourselves. Here are some highlights from our year.
Notable Projects
While 2024 was a busy year for us project wise, there are a few projects that stood out for our crew.
Wildseed Centre Ramp and Planter, Toronto Another notable project was our second rammed earth endeavour in Toronto: a ramp with incorporated planters for the Wildseed Centre, the home of Black Lives Matter - Canada. This project enhanced the centre’s accessibility, providing safer and more inclusive access to its phenomenal programming and community space. We look forward to seeing what blossoms in those planters and at Wildseed in 2025.
Kelly Road and The Chocolate Suite, Prince Edward County We began the year by completing an exciting dual-purpose project: a single-dwelling home and an Airbnb in the heart of Prince Edward County, known as The Chocolate Suite. It was a pleasure to bring this project to life and know it will be enjoyed by guests from near and far.
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Blessington Road Home, Tyendinaga Township We finished the year completing the shell of Aerecura’s first custom design by Pedro. A single story dwelling overlooking the Salmon River, this home features spectacular views and a design that reflects our clients’ needs for a space that ties beauty with sustainability and comfort. Check out our Instagram for more shares of this home as we put the finishing touches on it over the next few months.
Rammed Earth Workshops
A major highlight of 2024 was the successful launch of our rammed earth workshops for educational institutions. These sessions connected us with faculty passionate about sustainability and allowed students to engage in hands-on craftsmanship. Participants left with a deeper appreciation for this ancient and ecological building method, and we left with great excitement for the burgeoning careers ahead of the students we had the pleasure of teaching.
We also led numerous information sessions with architectural firms across Ontario. It’s exciting to see rammed earth gaining in recognition and becoming part of the building profession vernacular. Sylvia is available for sessions again starting February, 2025.
Renovations and Retrofits
This year, we officially added sustainable renovations and deep energy retrofits into our service offerings; services we have been providing since our beginning.
These additions reflect our dedication to providing sustainable solutions that not only create new builds but also enhance the efficiency and livability of existing structures. From updating heritage homes into eco-friendly, functional spaces to improving energy performance in modern homes, our team has been busy bringing an eco-friendly, sustainable edge to each renovation project we have taken on. We’re looking forward to continuing to offer these services into the future. We still have room in our 2025 calendar if you're looking to make a sustainable change to your home.
Stay Tuned!
Stay tuned! We’re excited to announce that we will soon be adding to our You Tube channel, adding to the world of rammed earth knowledge, expertise and experience that is currently out there. These posts will explore the benefits, processes and science of rammed earth and sustainable building techniques used in constructing and transforming homes while contributing to a greener future. Have questions you would like answered? Curious about learning more about rammed earth? We're always looking to engage folks in how to #buildbetter, so let us know!
Yours in sustainability,
Lindsey Van De Keere, Communications and Marketing Manager