Posts in Construction Technology
Featured in Green Building Advisor: Next-Generation Prefabrication
 
 

Green Canopy NODE was featured in a Green Building Advisor article highlighting our innovative approach to prefabrication.

The article highlights our Utility Kit system, which integrates mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems for offsite construction, helping streamline installation.

Photo Credit: Fernando Pages Ruiz

Additionally, the author visited The Trillium at Grow Community on Bainbridge Island, Washington where our team installed our Utility Kits into six homes.

The article also explores a growing shift in the modular construction industry: focusing on high-value building components rather than entire structures. This approach addresses challenges like transportation costs and labor shortages, improving efficiency without sacrificing quality.

Green Canopy NODE Exhibits at the 2024 HUD Innovative Housing Showcase

Green Canopy NODE had the honor of exhibiting US HUD Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall. Supported by the US Forest Service, American Wood Council, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, and Mercer Mass Timber, our exhibit showcased how mass timber and prefabricated, integrated systems can revolutionize offsite construction for faster, more affordable housing.

Aimed at raising awareness of new and affordable housing solutions, the HUD Showcase is a public event that focuses on increasing affordable housing, reducing construction costs, improving energy efficiency, and lowering housing expenses for both homeowners and renters.

Green Canopy NODE’s exhibit featured a showcase of our prefabricated, modular mass timber building system, including our proprietary utility wall. Visitors had the opportunity to explore a volumetric module and interact with various layers of a mass timber home, including the rainscreen siding, timber fiber insulation, and weather barrier.

Highlights from our exhibit:

The key benefits of our mass timber building system include:

  • Sustainability: Mass timber homes are exceptional in carbon sequestration, storing the carbon absorbed by trees throughout their growth, which remains locked in the timber for the life of the building. This results in a significant environmental impact, with mass timber homes storing 6.6 times more carbon than comparable traditional stick-frame homes.

  • Speed: The prefabricated components of mass timber enable quicker on-site assembly, significantly shortening construction times. Our approach is 44% faster than traditional construction methods, leading to substantial savings in time and cost.

  • Strength: Mass timber offers durability and strength comparable to traditional construction materials, ensuring the longevity and reliability of the structures.

  • Waste Reduction: 29% of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition - prefabricated mass timber can reach 95% efficiency with the potential to downcycle into other materials.

Our proprietary utility system combines mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services into pre-engineered units to maximize efficiency. Key benefits include:

  • Efficiency and Speed: Our prefabricated utility kits significantly reduce the time required for traditional mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installations by 50%, eliminating many of the inefficiencies and potential callbacks associated with conventional methods.

  • Architectural Coordination: Our systems are meticulously designed to integrate seamlessly with the designated layouts of kitchens and bathrooms, and are optimized for use across multiple floors, ensuring a cohesive and functional design.

  • Seamless Installation: Preconstructed in an off-site factory during the site work phase, our utility kits are ready for a smooth and seamless installation process during the framing phase, enhancing overall project efficiency.

Our team had a wonderful time connecting with other industry leaders at the showcase, and the event underscored the critical role of innovation in addressing the pressing challenges of climate and housing. Engaging with forward-thinking organizations reinforced our commitment to pioneering solutions that not only meet current needs but help shape a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

Integrate our building systems into your next project – learn how you can partner with our Development Services.

National Building Science Institute Names Green Canopy NODE as 2024 Innovator

Green Canopy NODE is honored to have received the 2024 National Institute of Building Sciences Innovator Award! The NIBS Innovator Award recognizes an individual, organization, or project that has made groundbreaking advances and significant technological contributions to the built environment.

Prefabricated construction holds immense potential, promising to mitigate risks, reduce costs, and minimize waste, while accelerating construction timelines by up to 50%. However, in the United States, the adoption of permanent modular construction remains largely untapped, representing only a fraction of the vast construction market.

With a critical shortage of housing units exacerbating societal challenges, fostering growth in the prefabricated construction sector has become imperative. The primary obstacle lies in the misalignment between prefabricated production systems and traditional construction business models, necessitating transformative solutions to reconcile these differences.

Recognizing the urgent need for change, Green Canopy NODE has emerged as a trailblazer, reshaping the landscape of construction through innovative approaches that address industry challenges and drive unparalleled progress. 

Over the past five years, Green Canopy NODE has spearheaded a paradigm shift within the construction industry by reimagining the conventional business model. As a vertically integrated full-service development company encompassing construction, design, and research and development (R&D), Green Canopy NODE approaches the entire value chain as a dynamic product in need of continuous innovation.

Innovation is the cornerstone of progress, and Green Canopy NODE exemplifies the transformative power of visionary leadership and bold experimentation. By challenging conventions, embracing technological advancements, and fostering collaboration across sectors, Green Canopy NODE is reshaping the built environment and paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future. 

Advancing Sustainable Homebuilding Through Informed Design

Green Canopy NODE’s Work Beta Testing Autodesk’s New Industry Transformative Software 

For the longest time, the building industry has remained siloed from the manufacturing industry. Yet, it’s at the intersection of these two industries that we can find solutions to quickly build housing and drastically reduce its carbon footprint. 

At Green Canopy NODE, we are dedicated to bringing Industrialized Construction to the world of sustainable housing. Recognizing a significant data transfer gap in preparing 3D architectural models for manufacturing, our team members Abby Willets and Benjamin Hall seized an opportunity to serve as beta testers for Autodesk's cutting-edge software, Informed Design. 

“Informed Design for Inventor is the master planner,” said Abby, R&D engineer. “It really lets me set up the parameters and the boundaries which the architect can take and configure to fit their design, all while knowing it’s manufacturable.” 

As a beta tester, Abby transformed our MEP Utility Kit into a dynamic, configurable Revit family, enabling architects to tailor features and dimensions effortlessly. Gone are the days of laborious coordination for every tweak – with this software, we can envision a future free of shop drawings while streamlining our processes and workflows. 

With an architectural background, Benjamin sees productized building components not as design inhibitors but as enablers of mass-produced quality. 

“Autodesk Informed Design has shown that there’s a way to bring customized details, good aesthetics, and quality engineering into a product that can be mass-produced,” said Benjamin Hall, senior product manager. “Designing with constraints doesn’t curb my creativity – it gives me choices I know will work. And that is good for the planet, the building’s inhabitants, and the building industry.”   

While challenges undoubtedly lie ahead on our journey to affordable, sustainable housing, we see Autodesk’s Informed Design as one of many tools in helping us get there. We extend our gratitude to the Informed Design team, with a special mention to Ryan McMahon, for granting us early access to this transformative software. We eagerly anticipate delving deeper into the full-release version and leveraging its capabilities to their fullest extent. 

 

KXLY: Spokane Valley Mass Timber pitches eco-friendly, easy-to-build townhomes

Green Canopy NODE was honored to host Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Commissioner of Public Lands Hillary Franz at our Mass Timber Model Home in Spokane, alongside our partner Mercer Mass Timber.

Mass Timber represents an opportunity to revolutionize home construction, providing faster, more affordable, and environmentally friendly housing solutions. Beyond that, mass timber structures serve as carbon sinks, effectively addressing issues related to both forest health and the housing crisis.

In an article about Commissioner Franz’s visit, KXLY noted, “Developers say there is no one solution to the current housing crisis, but they hope this can be a step in the right direction.

‘If you think about all the wood that is in this building, it's like a carbon battery. We are taking it out of the environment and storing it so that it's not burnt, not wasted, not rotting and releasing methane and we are designing these buildings to last over 100 years. 150 years is our target,’ said developer Darrin Griechen.”

Featured in GeekWire: Fire resistant, quake safe, climate friendly: Mass timber is on the rise as a construction alternative
 
 

Mass timber is revolutionizing construction as a climate-friendly alternative to concrete and steel, with the carbon footprint of mass timber buildings being 40% less than traditional materials. This innovative approach is reshaping the construction industry and paving the way for a more sustainable future.

The article, Fire resistant, quake safe, climate friendly: Mass timber is on the rise as a construction alternative by Lisa Stiffler, contributor to GeekWire, explores several types of Mass Timber projects, including Green Canopy NODE’s Mass Timber Model Home. Read the article to learn how mass timber is revolutionizing construction, and don’t miss the insights from Green Canopy NODE’s co-CEO Bec Wilder.

Offsite Builder Magazine Feature: High-Efficiency, CLT Modular Homes

Construction Project Manager, Mark Grismer, was interviewed by Offsite Builder Magazine in the article High-Efficiency, CLT Modular Homes. Learn more about our prefabricated Building Kits and how they offer energy-efficient and fast-to-assemble solutions for multifamily residential buildings.

“When you walk into the prototype home, it feels like you’re in nature,” says Mark Grismer, Construction Project Manager. “And eliminating the steps of screwing on drywall and painting over it significantly reduces the on-site construction timeline. It also eliminates the on-site waste typically generated by drywall installation.” - Mark Grismer

Green Canopy NODE Showcases Mass Timber Model Home, Revolutionizing Construction and Advancing Sustainable Building Practices

Seattle, WA, March 27, 2023 - Green Canopy NODE, a leading sustainable construction technology company, is proud to announce the launch and completion of its Mass Timber Model Home, designed as a turnkey workforce housing unit. The Model Home showcases the benefits of Green Canopy NODE's Building Mass Timber Assembly Kits providing developers a path to deliver housing twice as fast with greater predictability.

The Mass Timber Model Home is a two-story modular home built using precision-engineered mass timber components manufactured offsite, demonstrating the power of prefabrication, installation, and logistics. The modules for the home were assembled offsite and ready for shipping in two days. Onsite assembly for the entire home occurred in two days during a blizzard, further testing the company’s process and capabilities to build under extreme conditions.

"Green Canopy NODE's Mass Timber Model Home is a game-changer for developers. We all want to solve the housing market’s pains, but we get stuck in long development timelines and traditional construction schedules. Our Model Home will help cut out a lot of hurdles and risks we all have traditionally struggled with and help us all simply deliver more housing," said Bec Chapin, Co-CEO of Green Canopy NODE.

Green Canopy NODE's Mass Timber Model Home is at the forefront of sustainability, storing carbon and reducing embodied carbon footprint and waste. Building with mass timber delivers increased efficiency, enhanced sustainability, health benefits, and unparalleled aesthetics, making it an ideal choice for developers and investors interested in low- and mid-rise residential construction technology.

"We are excited to bring the power of manufacturing to help regenerate communities and environments, all while reducing waste and minimizing embodied carbon," said Aaron Fairchild, Co-CEO of Green Canopy NODE.

Modern Home Builders Magazine Feature: The leader of energy efficiency in the Pacific Northwest, Green Canopy NODE, is developing sustainable, healthy homes for everyone

Co-CEOs Aaron Fairchild and Bec Wilder were interviewed by Modern Home Builders Magazine in the article The leader of energy efficiency in the Pacific Northwest, Green Canopy NODE, is developing sustainable, healthy homes for everyone. Learn more about our current construction tech + residential real estate projects, with our partners Mercer Mass Timber and Grow Community. Plus, find out the vision for where the company is headed in the next few years.

"Through harnessing the power of manufacturing, we are hoping to improve on our sustainability targets and regenerative environmental goals." - Bec Wilder, Co-CEO of Green Canopy NODE

Green Canopy NODE’s Crowdfunding Campaign Successfully Comes to an End

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Seattle-based Construction Tech Company Concluded its 90-day StartEngine Raise to Scale Innovative Mass Timber Products to Build Healthier Homes Faster and More Sustainably  

SEATTLE, Washington (February 22, 2023) – Green Canopy NODE is pleased to announce the successful closing of its first equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine. The Company is extremely proud to welcome over 60 new shareholders, who joined in bringing the power of manufacturing to build homes, relationships, and businesses that help regenerate communities and environments.​ 

This was a valuable opportunity for Green Canopy NODE to democratize investing in the growing company. "We are humbled and grateful for the support we've received from our community,” said co-CEO Aaron Fairchild. "Their excitement in our team and mission is energizing and will help us continue innovating within the sustainable housing industry." 

Green Canopy NODE is scaling construction-tech systems to build sustainable homes faster and with cost-control. The funds raised will be used to further develop and expand the company's innovative mass timber building products, bringing sustainable housing solutions to more residents, developers, and builders around the United States.  

The Company's Innovation Ecosystem Model integrates construction technology products, sustainable residential development pipeline, and real estate fund management. This unique approach creates a flywheel to help clients deliver high-quality, energy-efficient homes that are both beautiful and healthier for residents and the environment. “We are leveraging our integrated construction ecosystem to provide product-market fit on-site, with clear proof points on how our products simplify construction while boosting productivity,” said co-CEO Bec Wilder Chapin.  

The success of this crowdfunding campaign solidifies the company's position as a leader in sustainable housing and construction technology innovation. Green Canopy NODE will join the International Mass Timber Conference in Portland next March, in an ongoing effort to connect with the industry and create partnerships to foster a sustainable transformation of the built environment.   

To learn more about Green Canopy NODE, follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

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About Green Canopy NODE 

Green Canopy NODE is an integrated construction technology, real estate development, and fund management company. Over its history, it has sought to embrace the innovation required to change the current paradigm of housing development and deliver on its commitment to help regenerate communities and environments. The company works with its clients and investors to develop high-performing, deep green, all-electric, and healthy housing.  

 

For more information, please contact:  

Susan Fairchild   
Chief Marketing Officer  
susan@greencanopynode.com

Investing in Green Canopy NODE: A Webinar Recap and a Big Thank You!
 
 

Green Canopy NODE’s team was pleased to host its first equity crowdfunding webinar. For those of you that were able to join the call, on behalf of the team, thank you for taking the time and for asking such insightful questions! 

Still, considering investing? Here are some key takeaways! 

Q: What do you plan to do with the money you’re raising or why are you raising money on start engine? 

A: We are raising money on start engine to democratize investing in sustainable housing. We know a lot of people are passionate about finding sustainable housing solutions and until now, only accredited investors could invest in new construction technology.  

Additional capital will allow us to go at an enhanced speed and eliminate more friction for added growth next year. 

Learn about our mission and values here

Q: Why is the construction industry slow to change, and what is Green Canopy NODE doing about it? 

Stakeholders in construction tend to work in silos, which is not very seamless or efficient. Combined with the long development timelines, innovation in construction is difficult. Even those that can break ground and innovate face an industry in which adopting new technologies can be a hurdle. The hack we are most excited about is integrating real estate development with a product that creates the speed to bypass long development timelines and expensive customer acquisition costs. We have already proven this out! 

Green Canopy NODE’s Construction-Tech Systems – including a whole house set of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structural and component products – improve the quality and timeliness of construction.   

Q: When is the best time for a developer to explore purchasing Green Canopy NODE’s products?   

Product inquiry usually comes during the pre-development phases of a project. Working with our Real Estate Development Services team, clients can optimize the construction process ahead, reduce timelines and increase project efficiency. We work with clients to build out a thoroughly engineered and manufactured structural solution for their project. 

Interested in knowing more about our Mass Timber model home? Sign up for our newsletter and stay tuned to our progress! 

Q: What is Coming up for Green Canopy NODE? 

Green Canopy NODE made greater progress in 2022 than anticipated. In 2023, the company will launch its fifth real estate investment fund, and it is excitedly working toward opening a new MEP light-manufacturing facility in a new region while continuing to fulfill more product.  

Likewise, we continue to be excited about the opportunity to democratize investing in our company. This is the first time the company has been able to raise capital from non-accredited investors who are interested in our company and what we are doing. Thank you for considering joining our team as a shareholder!  

We invite you to learn more about our StartEngine campaign and invest today.  

Together, we can scale sustainable, healthy homes for everyone! 

Green Canopy NODE Launches Equity Crowdfunding Raise to Democratize Investment, Now Live on StartEngine

The Seattle Construction Tech Company is Raising Capital to Scale its Innovative Construction Products that Enable Developers to Build Healthier Homes Faster and More Sustainably

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEATTLE, Washington (December 1, 2022) - Green Canopy NODE is pleased to announce the launch of its first crowdfunding campaign, now available for investment to the public on StartEngine. The Seattle-based construction technology, real estate development, and fund management company has long believed that investment in private companies should be democratized. Launching this campaign allows everyone, not just institutional or accredited investors, to invest in revolutionizing the construction industry to build more sustainable, healthy homes faster.

“We are excited about crowdfunding because it gives more people an opportunity to be a part of transforming how homes are built, while at the same time offering real positive social and environmental impact for our communities and the planet,” said Co-CEO Aaron Fairchild. “When individuals with normal incomes align their values to their investments, they become direct participants in positive transformation with us –they become impact investors for a better world.”

Green Canopy NODE is raising capital to scale its technology development with innovative construction products that simplify construction while boosting productivity – building faster and more sustainably. The company leverages its integrated construction ecosystem, proving product-market fit on-site through its certified green real estate development pipeline and real estate funds.

In 2023, Green Canopy NODE plans to install millions of dollars worth of utility and structural products on site and develop a new region of expansion across the US – selling to other developers and builders directly and through channel partners with its configurable product catalog. “Our roadmap is clear – we’re here to scale healthy and sustainable homes from everyone,” said Co-CEO Bec Chapin. “Given the labor and supply shortages, traditional homebuilders simply can’t produce enough.  It’s time to revolutionize the industry, and we see our integrated construction ecosystem as the model required for scale.”

The vertically integrated company is also an experienced fund manager. Green Canopy NODE Capital has successfully launched and managed four real estate funds and is soon to launch its pioneering fifth fund on mass timber. Learn more about Green Canopy NODE’s offering and how to invest at www.startengine.com/greencanopynode

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About Green Canopy NODE
Green Canopy NODE is an integrated construction technology, real estate development, and fund management company. Over its history, it has sought to embrace the innovation required to change the current paradigm of housing development and deliver on its commitment to help regenerate communities and environments. The company works with its clients and investors to develop high-performing, deep green, all-electric, and healthy housing.

For more information, please contact: 
Susan Fairchild  
Chief Marketing Officer 
susan@greencanopynode.com 
206-792-7280 

Making investments in privately held companies is considered high risk. Before making an investment, please review the full campaign page on StartEngine, which includes risks and disclosures.