DIRTT Expands and Excels With Interior Solutions
CALGARY, Alberta — DIRTT Environmental Solutions, a manufacturer of customized prefabricated interiors, is expanding across sectors and across the globe using cutting-edge technology and a sustainable focus. The company recently announced contracts to design and manufacture DIRTT solutions for five leaders in energy, engineering, insurance and health care sectors.
DIRTT, which stands for “Doing It Right This Time,” uses ICE technology to provide 3-D, immediate feedback in design to create highly flexible and customized interior solutions for each individual client. Architects, builders and clients can see their interiors in detail before construction begins. This greatly reduces construction time, waste and errors for a truly sustainable interior that can be reused as occupant needs change.
“DIRTT has tried to create an ecosystem to allow you the client to create what you want, but we’re basing it in technology to allow us to deliver faster, higher quality, significantly less waste in the construction process and then allowing flexibility,” said Scott Jenkins, president of DIRTT.
Expansion into International Market
DIRTT recently announced that it will complete its ninth project, which is a state-of-the-art hospital Saudi Arabia. Jenkins believes that markets in the Middle East understand the quality and cost certainty of prefabricated construction.
“[These projects] have been wildly successful for us,” Jenkins said. “I believe that DIRTT solutions is the right solution at exactly the right time for exactly the right industry, that being health care in the Middle East.”
DIRTT has also completed projects for the U.S. embassy in Nicaragua.
Elevating the Game
According to Jenkins, DIRTT is elevating its game to increase sustainable and beautiful interior solutions that can change over time.
“At DIRTT, there’s no such thing as a product catalog,” Jenkins said. “Everything we build is based on the client, the architects, the designers and what they specify. We combine the best of built-in-place, high-end custom design by skilled trades people worth all the economic benefits and significant time benefits.”
DIRTT solutions are built on the fundamental foundation of flexibility, Jenkins said. The plug-and-play wall system sits on top of the floor, making it easy to reconfigure or move walls to the occupants liking.
“Everything DIRTT does is parametric, so it really is like Legos on steroids,” Jenkins said. “It’s modular, but its high design.”
Modern society lives in a process of building and then a few years later when needs change, the building is thrown away, Jenkins said. Using the ICE technology, DIRTT can view a proposed expansion or renovation and instruct clients on how to maximize reusable materials.
“The ICE file will tell us, based on the new plan, here are the parts and pieces you can use to get 60 percent reuse,” Jenkins said. “It also gives you suggestions on how to increase reusable materials.”
One client, BC Ferries, actually took its DIRTT interior to its new building. Because the new BC Ferries building contained higher ceilings than the previous facility, a glass stack was added above the existing walls for daylighting.
The company is expected to continue its expansion while constantly improving its product and furthering sustainable customized interior solutions for a wide variety of clients.
“We continue to invest heavily in product development and technology. Our product team is pushing the limit all the time in terms of coming up with new design aesthetics and flexibility,” Jenkins said.