Paradigm Building Solutions Ltd.’s new CEO Philipp Gruner looks forward to seeing the company’s growth as people increasingly prioritize reducing greenhouse gases in a cost-effective way.
“Being part of the community has always been very important to me. Being respectful and supportive neighbours where we work has always been important to me personally,” Gruner said in an over-the-phone interview with the ronaldomanosa.
“I think walking the talk is really important with that.”
Gruner is a Vernon resident who works in Barriere roughly three days a week since he has taken the executive role. He intends to make new friends and connections by participating in community events.
Paradigm specializes in producing environmentally sustainable home exterior packages in its 23,000 sq.ft. automated manufacturing facility in Barriere. The company announced Gruner’s appointment publicly in a press release earlier this month.
Paradigm building homes consume as little as 10 per cent of the energy of a conventionally constructed home, according to the company.
“It is probably one of the most progressive and innovative organizations in Western Canada for sure,” Gruner said.
Gruner was impressed with the company when he was first introduced to it about a year ago. The production process has less waste than a traditionally-built new home, he said, because Paradigm builds off the construction site in a controlled setting.
One way the company will expand its operations is by selling energy-efficient windows — a product the company already uses in some of its new home packages — to customers who want to install them in their current homes.
“They are an incredible high-quality European window type that we can now offer to the B.C. market,” Gruner said.
Paradigm is also applying for Rapid Housing Initiative funds from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to build affordable housing in some Indigenous communities across the region surrounding Barriere. Gruner declined to provide which Indigenous nations Paradigm has partnered with in these applications to avoid breaching privacy agreements.
CMHC aims to build housing for people and populations experiencing severe housing needs. CMHC allocated more than $82 billion to the National Housing Strategy and one billion of that budget will be granted through projects approved under the Rapid Housing Initiative, according to the CMHC.
Paradigm is an employer of choice in the Barriere area with roughly 30 employees company-wide, Gruner added.
Gruner earned a master’s of business administration from Athabasca University, based in Alberta. He held the position of senior vice president for Civeo Corp., before consulting for a variety of industries including construction, according to Paradigm.
He succeeds Paradigm owner Stefan Maunz, who is stepping down as CEO, but will remain at the company as chairperson.
Maunz welcomed Gruner into his new role as CEO in the company’s written announcement, saying Grunder’s experience will be “integral” to the company’s expansion in the Pacific Northwest.
“During his engagement with Paradigm over the past few months, all of us at the company have been excited to see the steep trajectory and positive impact of his contributions in this short time frame. We are confident that Philipp will lead our organization to further success,” Maunz said in the statement.
