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Kanaka Bar Resilient Housing Solutions Challenge Results

Artspan Inc.

Kanaka Bar Resilient Housing Solutions Challenge Results

Thank-you to the selection committee for choosing our building system to play a part in this re-build – we’re grateful for the opportunity to get involved and offer a solution.

Kanaka Bar Resilient Housing Solutions Challenge Results

May 27, 2022: In February 2022, the Kanaka Bar Indian Band, SAIT, Okanagan College, Foresight Canada and Seko Construction partnered to launch the Kanaka Bar Resilient Housing Challenge, an Innovation Challenge to help the communities of Lytton, BC and Kanaka Bar rebuild sustainably after the devastating wildfires of 2021.

There was an urgent need for ready-to-adopt building innovation to support these communities experiencing the worst impacts of climate change firsthand. In just four months, the Challenge was planned and launched, applications were received and reviewed, and the top solutions were selected for testing and piloting.

Despite the short Challenge application window, the Challenge received nearly 50 unique climate-resilient building technology solutions to help prevent future vulnerability to extreme weather events. These were reviewed by a panel of experts with extensive industry experience. After a rigorous evaluation process, the following companies have been selected to participate in the construction of four pilot houses at Kanaka Bar:

FORM Innovations: insulated and strong polyurethane concrete form that is highly water and fire resistant
Artspan: structural insulated steel panels that provide a durable building shell that is mold, fire, and rodent resistant
ZS2 Technologies: prefabricated, structurally insulated panels that are low carbon and fire resistant
A fourth building solution is currently being reviewed by SAIT, and will be selected in the coming weeks upon completion of the review process.

The winning solutions will be invited to participate in the construction of four pilot housing structures ready for occupancy by September 2022. Upon selection, further testing of products and assemblies may be completed to confirm performance in extreme climatic and fire conditions by SAIT.

The results of this Innovation Challenge offers sustainable new build and retrofitting solutions not only for Kanaka Bar, Lytton, and the surrounding region, but also to all Canadian communities looking to make their homes more resilient to ever-increasing extreme weather events.

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