Special guest Lance Amato of Canoa joins Evan Troxel’s podcast to talk about the vast (dis)array of energy code adoption in the US, the need to hit the reset button, the need for architects to generate standards for the building industry, and more.
Lance starts by introducing Canoa, why the company started, and how it uses technology and automation to put sustainability and transparency at the forefront.
“We are over-building, we are building cheaply, we are building without an understanding of the impact we are putting on the environment…everyone that joined Canoa wholeheartedly believes that we need to change, and we need to change at a rapid pace, at a very very grand scale, and we need to do everything we can to support that” Lance Amato
Lance discusses his background at a traditional architecture firm, and how he reassessed the impact his work had and decided he wanted to make a switch to a company that was trying to be part of the solution, so that he could affect change.
Much of this episode focuses on the state of energy code adoption and compliance and lack of consistency across the United States. Lance’s background in traditional architecture and his focus on interiors has led him to research the mess of energy codes in the US, and he has a lot to say! All architects are forced to deal with it, but it’s interesting that the problem hasn’t been solved. At the time, Canoa was trying to help solve a part of this problem by leveraging technology to ensure code compliance was built into designs.
Lance introduces the idea of adaptive reuse and building with prefabricated modular construction. He talks about Canoa’s mission to bring modular spaces and sustainable furniture to interior design, which can then be put back into a circular economy rather than end in a landfill. He ends with a call to action - if you have well-built, sustainable products that you are trying to get rid of, give him a call!
Join architect Evan Troxel to explore important topics surrounding the co-evolution of architecture and technology.
Guests from the architectural community and beyond have conversations with Evan about the influence digital transformation is having on the profession with long digressions on leadership, change management, knowledge transfer, where all this may lead to in the future of the building industry, and more.