2022 Year In Review
ZS2 Carbon Capture & Sequestration Breakthrough
April was a big month for ZS2 with a major recognition of some groundbreaking R&D work that Dr. Doug Brown and his team have been working on in The Lab for the past six months.
On April 19, that work was recognized with ZS2 being named one of the top 60 finalists out of more than 1,100 entrants for the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition from the Musk Foundation.
Based on the technology developed by our R&D team, one commercial plant producing magnesium cement building products could scrub and sequester about 3,000 tons of CO2 per year–double the amount the XPRIZE requires by 2025!
This milestone recognizes the scientific validity and potential for achieving a fully operational commercialized carbon removal and sequestration solution within the next three years. To reach this milestone, Dr. Doug’s team developed technology that pulls CO2 directly from the atmosphere and then sequesters it in carbon-negative magnesium-based cement, which ZS2 can then use to make sustainable building materials like our TechBoard™.
Environmental Product Declaration Completed for ZS2 TechPanels
An amazing step forward for our R&D team was achieved last month as our TechPanels received an Environmental Products Declaration (EPD) after a full Lifecycle Analysis. The best part? Our TechPanels achieved a 70% reduction in CO2 when compared to traditional tilt up concrete construction.
A global leader in independent, third party environmental and sustainability verification provided the full Lifecycle Analysis for ZS2 TechPanels, and they are now included in a Certified Green Products Guide.
ZS2 Turned 2!
ZS2 turned two years old back on April 23, and it is inspiring to look back at how much has been accomplished in those two short years!
We got our start at the height of pandemic pandemonium, opened our TechCentre in Calgary and promptly DOUBLED its size in only 6 months, and completed over 30 building projects–All since April 23, 2020!
In that time, we were also named one of the Foresight 50 top cleantech companies, made the Top 60 in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition, won the StartupTNT Cleantech Investment Summit, were a BuildEx Innovation Showcase winner, won the Calgary Mayor’s Innovation Challenge, and received our Solar Impulse Foundation Efficient Solution Label.
All of this is thanks to an incredible TechCrew that works tirelessly to build a better planet, and a passionate group of customers and stakeholders who believe in our mission. Buckle up for 2023… Lots of big news on the way!
Trico Communities Adopted ZS2 TechClad
ZS2’s largest project to date was in Calgary, Alberta with Trico Communities at their Shawnessy Station development.
Trico chose ZS2’s new TechClad panels to complete the exterior envelope for the first of 10 mixed-use buildings. Installation progress has been rapid with a crew of only two! TechClad provides a durable exterior and additional R-value to reduce operating costs, while reducing both the embodied and lifecycle carbon footprint of the building.
Cambridge Bay Community Centre Build
ZS2 partnered with the SAIT’s Green Building Technologies group to set a new standard for construction in the far north.
In early June, the project team from SAIT and Cambridge Bay, Nunavut arrived at the ZS2 TechCentre to finalize the design and learn how to build with ZS2 TechPanels for the Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq/Kitikmeot Heritage Society’s new cultural centre, which will be built in 2023.
This groundbreaking design will create a highly efficient, durable, and resilient building for the Society to continue allowing the Inuinnait community to keep their language and culture in Cambridge Bay. It will also be used to set the bar for future buildings in Canada’s arctic.
Stay tuned for a 2023 update regarding its progress!
10 TechPartner Milestone, and Beyond!
After less than a year of recruitment in May 2022, ZS2 reached the milestone of 10 leading North American companies having signed on as strategic distribution partners for our fast, safe, sustainable and healthy pre-manufactured building systems and materials.
Now that number has risen to 15 before the end of 2022!
ZS2 TechPartners are leading building companies in their markets that complement ZS2’s existing direct sales network by structuring their business around building with ZS2’s suite of rapid, fire resistant, highly efficient and low carbon building solutions, which to date includes Techboard, TechPanels, TechClad and TechBrick.
C Suite Additions
This year the ZS2 Board of Directors confirmed the promotions of three key members of our TechCrew to new senior roles.
Co-founder Kristin Davis to Chief Operating Officer.
Joel Douglas to Chief Financial Officer.
And Liana Gilmour to Chief Commercial Officer.
All three have played critical roles in the rapid success ZS2 has experienced over the past year and have laid the foundation for explosive growth across North America in the coming months.
ZS2 At Greenbuild 2022
After months of preparation, our TechCrew traveled down to San Francisco for Greenbuild 2022.
We collaborated with Falkbuilt to develop an amazing booth that integrated and showcased both companies’ premanufactured building technologies.
It was an amazing week of meeting like-minded professionals looking for ways to create more sustainable buildings. We even managed to light up a torch to demonstrate the fire resistance of TechBoard in the middle of the expo!
For those who couldn’t make it to San Fran, here’s a quick look at an exciting week of presenting ZS2 Technologies’ solutions at Greenbuild.
ZS2 Awards and Accolades!
We highlighted in the November edition of our TechInsider newsletter that ASTech Awards recognized ZS2 for Outstanding Achievement in Urban Development for our commercialization of low-carbon, prefabricated cement technologies.
Technology Alberta recognized that:
ZS2 Technologies has developed and is rapidly commercializing proprietary Made in Canada cement products which are high strength, fire resistant, sustainable and cost effective vs. conventional building materials. ZS2’s proprietary TechBoard, TechFloor, TechTile and other solutions in various stages of development have been recognized as a Solar Impulse Efficient Solution and ZS2 was recently recognized as Milestone Finalist in the Carbon Removal X-Prize sponsored by the Musk Foundation.
Dr. Doug Makes Top 40 Under 40
Dr. Doug Brown, our Chief Technology Officer, earned a place on Avenue Magazine’s list of Top 40 Under 40 for 2022.
We’re so fortunate to have someone of Doug’s talent and abilities on our team at ZS2. His brilliance in material science is truly changing the future of how we build our world, and how we can help preserve our planet while we do it. Avenue pointed out:
“In just 2.5 years, ZS2 has gone from four to 50 employees and has been recognized by the Alberta Cleantech Investment Summit and named by Foresight Canada as one of the 50 most-investable cleantech companies in the country. ZS2 is also finalizing B Corp certification, which measures a company’s social and environmental impact.”
Tom Jackson Receives Order of Canada
Congratulations to our Director of Community Engagement, Tom Jackson, who received an Order of Canada honour in Ottawa!
Tom is an award-winning actor, musician, and activist, working hard to create change in affordable housing throughout the country.
We are extremely proud to have Tom on our team helping to make the world a better, and more sustainable place.
Kristin Davis Wins Women of Inspiration Trailblazer Award
Capping off an incredible run of recognitions is our COO, Kristin Davis, who was recognized with a Women of Inspiration Award for being a trailblazer in the STEM field.
It’s an incredible accomplishment for our co-founder as she’s recognized by the Universal Women’s Network, who every year awards women from diverse industries around the world who lead, inspire and motivate with a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Builds, Builds, and More Builds!
2022 was an incredible year for builders across North America adopting ZS2 Technologies’ building solutions.
While there’s too many to delve into individually, here’s a compilation of many of the projects incorporating ZS2 solutions into their builds.
Looking to 2023
From the newsest additions to our TechCrew, to the multitude of awards and recognitions, and our TechParrtners, 2022 marks an innovative and momentous leap for us at ZS2.
We hope you’ll watch our progress for a more sustainable planet in 2023.
Feel free to reach out with any questions or to learn more about how ZS2 is building a better planet with our innovative construction technologies.
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter and supporting ZS2. We wish you and your loved ones a warm and joyful holiday season. We hope to see you again in the new year – because we’re just getting started.
Scott Jenkins & The ZS2 TechCrew
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