The Ashnola Project - Teaser

Summary

The transcript portrays a person's ambitious quest to establish a legacy for their family. They aim to construct an innovative, net-zero cabin in British Columbia that challenges traditional building methods while maintaining affordability, durability, and energy efficiency. With a focus on extraordinary approaches, they question every aspect of the construction process, from the foundation to the timber frame and insulation. The narrator believes this project will pave the way for new thinking in market housing across North America, demonstrating their expertise and leaving a lasting impact for future generations to admire.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The speaker wants to leave a lasting legacy for their family by building an extraordinary cabin that pushes boundaries and showcases their expertise.
• 🏡 The cabin is being built to meet British Columbia's net-zero emissions target for new homes by 2032, combining affordability, durability, and energy efficiency.
• ⚒️ The construction approach challenges traditional methods, such as using screw piles instead of a foundation and embracing the exposed timber frame structure.
• 🔩 The design separates wall elements, allowing for future floor plan reconfiguration and efficient service routing through a dedicated wall.
• 🌲 Mass timber construction enables a perimeter-only load-bearing structure, eliminating the need for interior walls and providing flexibility.
• 🪟 High-performance windows were installed, which reduced the cost of mechanical systems due to improved insulation and airtightness.
• 🧱 The continuous wrap of insulation and airtight envelope eliminate thermal bridges and air leakage, enhancing energy performance.
• ⚡ The efficient construction process, with components delivered and assembled on-site, is expected to reduce construction costs by 10-15%.
• 🔭 The speaker believes this project showcases innovative approaches that can reliably and durably transform market housing across North America.
• 💰 The speaker is willing to invest their own money in this project as a proof of concept, showcasing their expertise and potentially shaping the industry's future.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the speaker in building this cabin?

The speaker's main goal is to leave a lasting legacy for his family by building something that tests his abilities and proves his legacy, so that his family can look back on it and appreciate it as a cool achievement.

What is the significance of the quest for net zero by 2032 for new homes in British Columbia?

The quest for net zero by 2032 for all new homes built in British Columbia is now a law. This means that builders must find ways to construct energy-efficient and sustainable homes while also considering affordability, buildability, durability, and success in construction.

What unique approach is being taken in the construction of this cabin?

Instead of using a traditional foundation, the cabin is being built on 12 points of contact using screw piles, which allowed for a level first-floor platform for the heavy timber construction. Additionally, the timber frame embraces the exposed interior structure, and the building's elements are separated, with those that can't handle exterior exposure being pulled inside.

How does the use of mass timber contribute to the cabin's design?

Since mass timber is sufficient to carry the loads at the outer footprint of the building, there are no walls in the interior, allowing for flexibility in reconfiguring the floor plan as desired. All services can run through a service wall, and the building is only defined by its footprint and virtually indefinite performance.

What energy-efficient features have been incorporated into the cabin?

The cabin features the highest-performing windows available in Canada, continuous insulation wrap with no thermal bridges or air leakage points, and airtightness to ensure optimal energy performance. These measures allowed for reduced mechanical systems and potential cost savings.

How does the construction process contribute to efficiency and cost savings?

The construction process is highly efficient, with all materials being delivered by truck and hoisted using a single crane. The speaker mentions that this incredible efficiency could knock out 10-15% of the cost of the home, and the overall process is expected to be faster than anticipated.

What is the speaker's belief about the potential impact of this project?

The speaker firmly believes that he is in a position to introduce new thinking into market housing across North America, if not further, through this project. He sees it as an opportunity to gift innovative approaches to the housing market, even if it fails, as it is his own money and cabin at stake.

What alternative approaches are being considered in the construction of this cabin?

The speaker mentions that there are half a dozen different approaches that he believes will work reliably and even be more durable than anything built before, within the thin margin of success for this project.

What is the significance of the speaker using his own money for this project?

By using his own money for this project, the speaker is putting his money where his mouth is, addressing the accusation that he doesn't practice what he preaches. This personal investment adds credibility and conviction to his endeavor.

How does the speaker view the potential failure of this project?

While the speaker doesn't think the project will fail, he acknowledges that if it does fail, it will be his own money and cabin at stake. This attitude demonstrates his confidence in the project and his willingness to take personal risks to achieve his goals.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Leaving a Legacy through Innovative Construction

The speaker aims to leave a legacy for their family by building a cabin that challenges traditional construction methods and embraces sustainability. They are motivated to put their expertise into practice, addressing affordability, durability, and energy efficiency in home construction. The cabin's design eliminates the need for a traditional foundation, utilizing screw piles and a heavy timber frame structure. The exterior walls are separated from the interior, allowing flexibility in floor plan reconfiguration. The building incorporates high-performance windows, continuous insulation, and airtightness to optimize energy performance. The construction process is efficient, with prefabricated components assembled on-site using a crane. The speaker believes this innovative approach can reduce construction costs while delivering durability and environmental sustainability.

Keywords

💡Legacy

A legacy refers to something valuable or notable that is passed down from one generation to another. In the context of the video, the speaker expresses a desire to create a lasting impact or contribution that their family can look back on and appreciate, describing it as "pretty cool". This emphasizes their aspiration to establish a meaningful and memorable legacy through this cabin project.

💡Net Zero

Net zero refers to a building or structure that has zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions annually. The video mentions that by 2032, all new homes built in British Columbia must meet net zero standards, according to law. This highlights the importance of sustainable and energy-efficient construction practices in the cabin project, as it aims to comply with these environmental regulations.

💡Affordability

Affordability refers to the ability to obtain or access something at a reasonable cost or price. The speaker acknowledges the challenge of balancing the quest for net zero energy performance with maintaining affordability in construction. This implies that the cabin project must find cost-effective solutions to achieve high energy efficiency while keeping the overall expenses manageable.

💡Durability

Durability refers to the ability of a material or structure to withstand wear, damage, or deterioration over an extended period. The speaker emphasizes the importance of durability in the cabin's construction, suggesting that they are employing methods and materials that will ensure the longevity and resilience of the building, even as it pushes boundaries in energy performance.

💡Mass Timber

Mass timber refers to a category of engineered wood products that are designed for structural use in larger buildings. The video describes using a timber frame for the cabin's construction, which embraces the exposed interior structure and allows for an open floor plan. Mass timber is highlighted as a key material choice, contributing to the cabin's structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.

💡Thermal Bridging

Thermal bridging refers to the phenomenon where heat or cold is transferred through a building component or assembly, bypassing the insulation layer. The speaker mentions the absence of thermal bridges in the cabin's construction, thanks to the continuous wrap of insulation without any penetrations. This ensures optimal thermal performance and energy efficiency by preventing heat loss or gain through the building envelope.

💡Airtightness

Airtightness refers to the ability of a building envelope to prevent uncontrolled air leakage or infiltration. The video highlights the cabin's continuous surface of airtightness, which means there are no small air leakage points that could compromise the overall energy performance of the building. Achieving high levels of airtightness is crucial for maintaining indoor air quality and minimizing energy waste.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency refers to the ability to accomplish a task or achieve a desired outcome with minimal waste or effort. In the context of the video, the speaker mentions the incredible efficiency of the cabin's construction process, which allows for rapid assembly and weathertight completion within three weeks. This efficiency not only saves time but also reduces costs, contributing to the overall affordability and feasibility of the project.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the introduction of new ideas, methods, or products that create value or solve problems in novel ways. The speaker expresses confidence in their ability to gift new thinking and innovative approaches to market housing across North America through this cabin project. This suggests that the project aims to challenge traditional construction methods and serve as a model for sustainable and energy-efficient building practices.

💡Resilience

Resilience refers to the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity or challenging circumstances. The speaker implies that the cabin's construction methods and materials will result in a structure that is more durable and resilient than anything built before. This resilience is essential for ensuring the longevity and sustainability of the building, especially in the face of changing environmental conditions and energy demands.

Highlights

The speaker wants to leave a legacy for their family by building a cabin, putting their money where their mouth is and proving their expertise.

The speaker is addressing the new net zero by 2032 law for new homes in British Columbia, and aims to find a way to balance affordability, buildability, durability, and energy performance.

The cabin has no traditional foundation, instead using 12 screw pile contact points to create a level first floor platform for the heavy timber construction.

The timber frame embraces the exposed interior structure, which is gorgeous and perimeter-only.

The walls are separated into elements based on their exposure tolerance, with exterior-intolerant elements pulled inward, allowing for flexible floor plans.

The building's footprint and performance are virtually indefinite, with high-performing windows and continuous insulation wrap without thermal bridges or air leakage points.

The construction process is incredibly efficient, with all materials delivered by truck and hoisted using a single crane, enabling the cabin to be weathertight in just three weeks.

The efficiency of the construction method is expected to reduce the cost of the home by 10-15%.

The speaker believes there is a huge future in this approach and that it can introduce new thinking into market housing across North America, or potentially further.

The speaker acknowledges the risk of failure but considers it their personal investment, not the industry's.

Transcripts

I wanna leave a legacy for the family.

I wanna build something

that tests my metal,

that proves my legacy,

that at least my family's family can look back on

from time to time and go, "That was pretty cool".

For most of my professional career

the one accusation I haven't been effectively able to retort is,

"If you know what you're doing so much, why don't you put your

money where your mouth is?" So I'm

putting my money where my mouth is.

I'm building a cabin.

This quest towards net zero by

2032 for all new homes built in British Columbia,

it's law.

The question is how do we remain conscious

of affordability and build-ability,

and durability and success in construction

while we're making this quantum leap

In the energy performance of homes.

It turns out the answer is extraordinary.

Everything we're doing on this project

we're questioning why. Even traditional things:

It would have been prohibitively expensive to put a

traditional foundation in here, and we didn't need it, so

there is no foundation. There's just 12 points of contact

bearing the load on screw piles, and we were able to

deliver a first floor platform for the heavy

timber construction that is

absolutely dead level.

The timber frame sort of embraces

That very interior exposed structure. It's gorgeous.

And it's perimeter only.

We've taken all the elements of a wall to succeed and we've

separated them, and those that can't handle exterior exposure we've pulled them in.

And because mass timber is sufficient

to carry the loads at the very outside footprint of your building,

there's no walls in here. So forever

do what you want. Reset the entire floor plan in here.

All of your services can run through this service wall.

This building is only defined by its footprint

and virtually indefinite performance.

We've put in the highest performing windows available in Canada today.

We were actually able to save more than half

of the cost of that performance glazing

in the reduction of the mechanical systems

because it just isn't going to take much to heat it or cool it.

We got one continuous wrap of insulation.

No penetrations, no thermal bridges. We got

one continuous surface of airtightness

so there's no chance that we're gonna get small

air leakage points that compromise the overall

performance and the energy performance of the building.

Everything here can show up on a truck and we hoisted it

all in using a single 60-ton crane.

This stuff just goes together fast.

I don't know that we were expecting it

to go quite as fast as it has

but this thing will be weathertight in the first three weeks of construction.

This incredible efficiency is gonna knock

10-15% of the cost of the home out. You know there's a

half a dozen different approaches that I believe

are gonna work in that thin margin of success

and work reliably, and even be more durable

than anything we've ever built before.

So I think there's a huge future in this.

I firmly believe I'm in a position where I can gift

new thinking into

market housing across North America if not further

and if I fail it's my money, my cabin.

I don't think it's going to fail.