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Kit Switch Accelerates Interior Rehabs
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Kit Switch Accelerates Interior Rehabs

By Zarkon Group,

The United Nations estimates that the world will add about 2.6 trillion sqft of new floor area to the global building stock. This equates to adding an entire New York City, every month, for 40 years. A large proportion will be housing. Specifically, housing is needed in already dense urban areas and existing structures. So the way we build and maintain our housing stock needs to change drastically.

  • Renovating existing and functional buildings takes time. Yet the US has 44 million multifamily units. A full  50% were built before 1980.
  • Rehabilitating vacant and obsolete buildings seems cost prohibitive. Yet, the US has 6 billion sqft of commercial real estate sitting vacant.
  • New construction has improved in energy efficiency. But current designs do not sufficiently address the need for easy maintenance and future rehabilitation.

How can these time and cost challenges be solved? By creating standardized, simpler processes.

Simpler means faster

Kit Switch, a California-based, women-owned construction business, offers a simple approach to designing and constructing apartment interiors. Kit Switch replaces fragmented, uncertain, and time-consuming on-site retrofit processes with an end-to-end, design-build solution. These modular systems for apartment interiors streamline existing building rehabilitations and new construction build-outs.

Rehabilitating and retrofitting existing residential buildings will significantly reduce ongoing emissions. This will include replacing inefficient and gas-powered appliances with electric ones and making homes more energy efficient through weatherization and other upgrades. The overall mission of Kit Switch is to help close the housing gap through sustainable building reuse.

The products are kits-of-parts, ready-to-install apartment interiors, such as kitchen and bathroom kits. The company manages a digital library of components. Architects drag-and-drop 3D models to instantly generate layouts and quotes. Local manufacturers produce the modules concurrently with on-site work. Then contractors install and connect products in a few hours instead of weeks of site coordination.

Kit Switch benefits housing, both new construction and rehabs:

  1. streamlines schedules from design through coordination and construction
  2. cuts on costs, especially on prevailing-wage projects
  3. offers a more sustainable and durable alternative to traditional interior builds

With durable materials and low-waste assembly, they expect to reduce embodied carbon by a third, compared to traditional on-site construction.

three panel showing quick kitchen retrofit: before, post-demolition, and after completion including refrigerator, sink, cabinets, induction cooktop, and oven - photos and text reading Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Kitchens first

Kit-Kitchen is the first product to debut. It comprises three standard products:  Kit-Cook, Kit-Clean, and Kit-Store. This modular system for kitchen installations is assembled on-site in less than 1 day, compared to 4 to 5 days of labor for a traditional install. The innovative design consolidates plug-and-play electrical and plumbing systems inside the kits. This further reduces drywall, plumbing, and electrical work.

And while Kit Switch products are standard, the system is modular. So developers can customize the design needed for each project.

Kit Switch was formed as a public-benefit corporation, with a mission statement around affordability, sustainability, and opportunity. Co-Founders Armelle Coutant and Candice Delamarre envision a future where cities can achieve greater circularity and resiliency. Easily deployable and reconfigurable building interiors better meet the housing needs of communities.

Kit Switch is partnering with affordable housing developers across California to support ground-up and acquisition-rehab projects. Asset managers seek out Kit Switch to meet renovation and maintenance needs. The potential impact for the Los Angeles region was recently recognized with the Trailblazer Award from USGBC-LA.

USGBC-LA Net Zero Accelerator

Kit Switch joined the 2023 cohort of Net Zero Accelerator (NZA) in 2022. Since then, the team has exhibited at the MyGBCE conference, Net Zero Conference, and VERGE, sharing their work with the green building industry and generating leads for pilot projects based in the Los Angeles area.

The NZA, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council–Los Angeles (USGBC-LA), pairs cohort members with expert advisors, promotes their solutions to high value prospects, and places pilot projects. The goal is to help these growing companies better prepare for scaled adoption.

Since its founding in 2018, the accelerator has guided the success of 85 growth-stage companies in the cleantech space across the US and Canada. The accelerator leverages the insights, expertise, and relationships of partners and community members to speed the development and commercialization of sustainable innovations. The program brings thought leadership and broad awareness to high-potential pilot projects. It is the only one of its kind focused on the built environment. Targeting solutions for net zero carbon, energy, water, and waste, the program advances building decarbonization, occupant wellness, sustainable infrastructure, and clean construction.

The author:

Candice Delamarre is the Co-Founder and COO of Kit Switch, a women-owned construction company that has developed a modularized system for apartment interiors. Kit Switch streamlines schedules, cuts costs, and improves durability for multifamily housing developments and rehabilitations. Delamarre has long been passionate about circular and sustainable practices, and equitable access to housing. Before Kit Switch, she worked as a strategy and sustainability consultant to real estate and corporate stakeholders. Delamarre holds a master’s in civil engineering from École Centrale Paris and a master’s in Sustainable Design & Construction from Stanford University.

Our team researches products, companies, studies, and techniques to bring you the best of zero building. Zero Energy Project does not independently verify the accuracy of all claims regarding featured products, manufacturers, or linked articles. Additionally, product and brand mentions on Zero Energy Project do not imply endorsement or sponsorship unless specified otherwise.

Reference

ePAVE Joins the Battle Against Urban Heat Islands
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

ePAVE Joins the Battle Against Urban Heat Islands

By Zarkon Group,

With 45% of urban areas covered by pavement, climate change is pushing cityscape temperatures to record highs. Innovative, sustainable pavement solutions are urgently needed. Whether used with asphalt or conventional concrete, “cool pavement” solutions, such as ePAVE, can decrease the urban heat island effect by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and reducing heat absorption.

While on a vacation in Europe, after being seated for dinner with friends at an outside table at a popular restaurant, we could all feel the intense heat emanating from the asphalt nearby—even though the sun had set hours earlier. This scenario has become all too common and is being repeated in urban centers all over the world.

Across the planet, asphalt contributes to significant greenhouse gas emissions. Asphalt pavement absorbs solar radiation and re-emits the radiation as heat, warming the surrounding air and structures. This results in an escalating use of air conditioning (which further adds to outdoor heat) and drives up energy consumption. Due to high heat retention, darker asphalt surfaces are a major contributor to the urban heat island phenomenon.

During a day with a comfortable “ambient” temperature of 75° F (24° C), asphalt surface temperatures in full sun can rise to 125° F (52° C) or higher! Along with the significant heat emanating from the asphalt, comes an increase in toxic emissions into the environment.

How CoolPAVE works

The CoolPAVE coatings from ePAVE reflect some solar radiation, so the pavement stores and emits less heat. Safe and cost-effective, ePAVE’s cool pavement solution also seals in toxic emissions from underlying surfaces. Further, ePAVE solutions enhance the durability of treated pavement surfaces, extending their lifespan.

ePAVE products work on new and old, asphalt and concrete surfaces. Trained applicators prepare the pavement surface (minimally) and then apply the CoolPAVE product cold. It cures quickly and is ready for foot and vehicle traffic in about an hour, which keeps closures and delays to a minimum.

ePAVE products are tested and proven to lower surface temperatures by 5–20° F. In summary, this non-toxic pavement preservation solution with high solar reflectance impacts three key remits:

  • Human: ePAVE solutions make cityscapes cooler and more hospitable for people and their pets, by making streets and neighborhoods more walkable, livable, and equitable. Mitigation of urban heat islands is expected to reduce the incidence of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
  • Environmental: the ePAVE cool pavement product makes communities cooler, thus lowering toxic emissions and energy consumption. Overall cooler ambient temperatures can reduce heat-related stress on urban habitats.
  • Economic: CoolPAVE can save energy and those associated costs, and may extend the lifespan of treated pavement by up to twice as long as standard pavement treatments, requiring less frequent repairs and reducing maintenance costs.

ePAVE solutions are nontoxic and free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ePAVE seals asphalt surfaces, preventing outgassing and leaching of harmful chemicals into the environment via stormwater. ePAVE may also contribute to LEED certification. Under Sustainable Sites, up to two points can be earned for impacts on the Heat Island Effect.aerial view of asphalt street; access road running alongside has gray cool-pavement coating to reduce temperatures - photo

 

USGBC-LA Net Zero Accelerator

ePAVE, LLC joined the 2020 cohort of the Net Zero Accelerator (NZA) to benefit from learning from subject matter experts in marketing, business development, and networking. The NZA, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council–Los Angeles (USGBC-LA) focuses on piloting projects in real-world, trackable implementations, to drive measurable adoption of net zero solutions, today.

Since its founding in 2018, the accelerator has guided the success of 85 growth-stage companies in the cleantech and proptech space across the US and Canada. The program bridges the gap between net zero building policy and current technologies in use in both commercial and affordable housing sectors. The NZA builds awareness of viable solutions and market-ready innovations through marketing, media, events, and curated networking. Then shepherds the tech to market through onsite pilots with committed green building leaders, accelerating scaled adoption. The goal? Make net zero carbon, energy, water, and waste a reality for Los Angeles and beyond.

The author:

Klara Moradkhan is Co-Founder and CEO of ePAVE, LLC. She is passionate about building a sustainable and eco-friendly pavement solution that fits the 21st century.

Reference

SIPs for High-Performance Enclosures: Faster, Better, and Greater Value
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

SIPs for High-Performance Enclosures: Faster, Better, and Greater Value

By Zarkon Group,

Exterior of duplex with modern styling in xeriscape setting; glows warmly against dusk sky - photo

Increased productivity

SIPs offer a huge productivity advantage that helps builders reach lower cycle times: building construction can happen at the same time as site development and foundation work. (With site-built construction, building can’t start until site development and foundation work are complete.) Then, once foundation work is done, you assemble the pre-built panels on site. It’s faster, creates much less waste, and there’s hardly any site restoration.

Builders using SIPs for high-performance enclosures typically see a 30% to 50% time savings over on-site construction, according to Rashkin. “Consider that the average days on-site for SIP construction is 65, compared to 95 days for stick framing,” he explained. “If costs are between $500 and $800 per day, shaving 30 days off your build time could translate to a savings of $15,000 to $24,000.”

Insulation against labor shortages

“Over 90% of builders and remodelers reported framing crew and carpenter shortages in 2022. On top of that, we have an aging workforce. The median age of US construction workers is 42, and the industry continues to struggle to attract younger workers. So, this massive labor shortage is almost locked in,” said Rashkin. Since the shortage is unlikely to be solved by an influx of workers, it needs to be addressed on the builders’ side.

SIP construction can help reduce labor shortages by eliminating the need for some trades, like framing, insulation, air sealing, and air barriers. It also reduces the scope of work for drywall, finishes, trim, inspections and testing, site clean-up, and waste removal (another large productivity bonus for SIPs versus conventional framing).

exterior view home under construction: SIPs exterior framing is erect and additional SIP panels lie adjacent, ready for installation; construction workers laboring - photo

High-performance enclosures: better

“High-performance homes don’t only offer significant time savings for builders; they also result in a better quality enclosure,” Rashkin explained.

Moisture control

High-performance homes have more insulation, which can increase the risk of moisture control problems. First, added insulation raises wetting potential by increasing the temperature difference between the warm and cold sides of a wall. Second, it decreases drying potential by restricting air leakage.

“When building high-performance enclosures, we have so much more moisture risk that has to be managed, and we’re using materials and systems that are prone to quality control challenges,” said Rashkin. “This is a real problem when you consider that air leakage points in these tightly-sealed homes can create exponentially greater moisture flow than you’d see in a low-performance enclosure with widespread air diffusion.”

SIP construction is inherently better for minimizing moisture problems because it has ultra-low thermal, air, and vapor flow. “You’re taking the condensation problem out of the equation completely when it comes to moisture inside the construction assembly,” said Rashkin. “That’s a huge advantage for any builder.”

Air sealing

Air leakage represents significant potential for energy loss, disrupting the effective R-value of all the insulation you spent time and resources to install. Proper air sealing is the only way to get what you pay for from insulated enclosures. Plus, it helps protect the home from outdoor contaminants, like smoke and other air pollutants, and make the structure more resilient.

“I suggest aiming for a target air leakage level of 1.5 ACH50 or lower, a goal that’s readily achievable with SIPs,” said Rashkin. “SIPs optimize air tightness, automatically getting you to 1.5 ACH50 or lower. So you know you’ll reach your ACH50 target, no matter what your local code requires.”

Reference