Vantem is a startup construction company manufacturing high-efficiency, net-zero homes at competitive costs and low embodied carbon. The company recently raised a Series A round of investment from the Bill Gates-founded firm Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Net-zero homes, buildings that produce as much energy as they use, are typically cheaper to own than standard housing. Still, they often involve high construction costs since they require advanced building technologies and engineering. Vantem aims to change this dynamic by employing modular construction technology.
The modules are built of large structural panels. The proprietary technology has built-in high insulation, providing an efficient thermal envelope. The panels are made from refractory materials, making them resistant to high temperatures and protecting the structures from fires. The company reports that the resulting modular units are hurricane and earthquake resistant. This system simplifies construction and reduces costs and delivery times while also being well-suited for a wide range of regions and climates.
Construction in this sector has seen the least amount of innovation and productivity gains and is one of the greatest direct and indirect sources of carbon emissions. At the same time, affordable housing is a global need that must be addressed, but if we build with traditional methods, we will solve one problem only to worsen another. At Vantem, we are committed to addressing both challenges on a global scale. . - Vantem CEO Chris Anderson
The company first launched in South America and the Caribbean. After an extended period of testing, code approval, and building proofs of concept, it has deployed its system in over three million square feet of living space in countries such as Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and the Caribbean. The company partners with local developers at each location to build new factories. The company plans to build 15 factories in the U.S. over the next seven years, each capable of producing a million square feet of homes each year.
According to Breakthrough Energy Venture, the world annually adds approximately 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, trapping heat and driving up global temperatures. The only way to avoid the worst impacts of climate change is to stop adding greenhouse gases by 2050. The company is founded on the belief that innovations in all industry fields are the solution to replacing the greenhouse gas-producing tools we currently rely on with a new set, powerful enough to give everyone in the world access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
