If you’ve talked to me at any point in the last five years, there’s a good chance I’ve hit you with some version of “wanna join me in changing the goddamn world?!?!”
Well, guess what? I’m still here.
Still dreaming. Still scheming. Still full of relentless optimism.
Still absolutely convinced we can do better – especially when it comes to how we build our cities, how we can much more creatively approach our housing crisis, how we look at our existing and heritage buildings, how we respond to climate change and throwaway culture in the construction industry, how we use tech and innovation as a tool for ‘good’, how nice it would be if the norm was to collaborate as humans as opposed to seeing almost everything everywhere as competition and ‘what’s in it for me?’, how as a collective we look at accessibility and inclusivity, human rights and racial justice, Indigenous truth and reconciliation here in Canada, and how shape the future of construction and land development. Abridged version, how we Rebuild Earth and go way, way, beyond the codes.
People love to say ‘policy takes time’ or ‘code adoption is a slow process.’ But in a world powered by AI, digital tools, and real-time data…I call bullshit.
We can move faster. We have to move faster.
SIDEBAR | Now that I’m back grounded on planet earth after five years of being an untamable wild horse wanting to learn about absolutely everything and lacking the ability to focus on something in particular for longer than a day, I’ve decided to be a little less cryptic and a little more clear. Please note my intentional use of ‘a little’. And, I mean, the name Kilo Lima in itself is ode to clarity, so I might as well start walking the talk. I’m a MULTIPOTENTIALITE AND HYBRID Professional and my brain is an complex web that can create connections between almost anything, and as such my writing is full of rabbit holes should you wish to join me down them. Anything BOLD AND ALL CAPS is a link to something (other than what I just bolded and capped). Could be some of my previous writing, interesting articles I’ve come across, music, or anything else that tickles my fancy and comes to mind. Turns out, I may have finally found a balance between only talking and only thinking, and cracked my own unique human code on how to navigate my way through this this unspeakable world.
Now back to the the main quest.
THE big idea | my vision
My approach isn’t just a little tweak to the way we adopt and administer the Canadian Construction Codes – it’s a full-on reimagining of how we build in Canada. Also a rebrand cause goddess knows the word Code has mental blocks for people no matter how easy I can make it.
Think: digitized and automated Codes, smarter tools, faster approvals, better training, and an actual connection between Code developers and Code users. But it’s going to take a village. And man, do I love my Kilo Villagers.
Right now, the building industry is stuck in the mud. Everyone is pointing fingers, most are afraid to call a spade, a spade and actually address the root of the problem, and too many are a little too comfortable with the status quo. But not all. We’ve got:
- Wildy complicated Energy and Building Codes that take a small army to interpret (Fun fact. The minimum stair width number in the Code is based on the shoulder width of two soldiers in Napoleons army needing to pass each other while going up and down and the same time. Super relevant for todays use of buildings, and definitely something to adhere to for existing and heritage buildings, right? (please note I am being facetious if it wasn’t obvious)),
- Endless bottlenecks in permitting and reviews,
- Gaps in training and knowledge across the entire industry including building owners, design professionals, municipalities and higher levels of government, building operators, and even Code writers themselves,
- High compliance costs and consulting fees that crush innovation and dreams, and
- Construction Codes that often overlook the unique needs and perspectives of Indigenous communities where no presence of enforceable rules leads to many ‘professionals’ taking advantage of the situation (much, much more on that later).
so what is my approach?
It’s a new way forward.
AI-Powered Search + Compliance Tools | No more sifting through hundreds of pages long documents (the Codes, other relevant legislation, best practice guides, etc). Need to know how something applies to your project? Boom – get the answer in seconds.
Interactive Learning + Tools | Training that actually sticks. Building industry knowledge, close those skill gaps, get everyone talking the same dialect, and get the collective from planners and architects to building owners ready for what’s coming next. Imagine the already available content we’ve been building through the blog and code school, tied right into the online Codes. It will be magical.
Support for Indigenous-Led Development | Tailored resources and collaborative tools that elevate Indigenous voices and perspectives, instead of sidelining them. We can rebrand traditional Indigenous knowledge all we want into concepts like biomimicry and passive design, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking they are new concepts. Building relationships and trust takes time, and in my opinion is a two-way street that starts with sharing space and sHaring our stories so we can find common ground and understanding to be able to work together towards solutions with a human centered approach.
Digital Workspaces for Regulatory Approvals | No more chasing signatures and waiting on snail-paced approvals. Streamlined Code alignment and faster project delivery.
Compliance Built Into the Design Phase | Start with standards and best practice applicable to your project before you start building. Save money. Save ‘time’. Do it not just right, but the best it can possible be.
what makes it work? data, baby.
My approach is not just a tool – it’s a data goldmine. Imagine the kind of insights we could unlock:
Code Trends | What’s working, what’s stalling, and where we need clarity.
Project Types | What’s being built, where, and why. Spot trends. Shift focus. Fuel innovation.
Consultant Performance | Who’s crushing it? Who needs support? Build trust with real data.
Material Use | What’s being used in the field and does it even meet minimum standards? Are (actual) sustainable and resilient materials gaining traction? Let’s find out.
Regulatory Bottlenecks | Where are we stuck? Let’s find out and fix it – together.
why it matters
This is about more than just the Construction Codes.
It’s about building smarter, more resilient, and faster.
It’s about empowering communities, supporting Indigenous development, and making the path to carbon positive buildings inclusive and achievable.
My approach is a game-changer. It’s the leap we need to take if we’re serious about our climate goals, housing crisis, and innovation in construction and the circular economy.
So yeah. I’m still here.
Still thinking big. Still ready to disrupt.
And if you’re still in the mood to help me change the goddamn world and you align with The culture here at Kilo Lima, my door is always open.
A little bit of human
For most of my life, I’ve stood behind ‘we’ when it comes to success and recognition, happily played scapegoat and martyr so others did not have to take the blame for collective mishaps, and silenced myself in the name of ‘keeping the peace.’
But no more. Not with this, anyways. Time will tell for the rest.
I have been working on growing this baby for five years. And although the bajillions of people I’ve talked to about my vision have helped shape it into what it is today, it is a fire burning in my soul. Mine. And if you’ve ever heard me talk about it in person, over the internet cloud, or via podcast I’m sure you could feel the passion that is coursing through my veins.
I have made a fuck tonne, and also seemingly no, progress over the last five years. I could look at my current situation of still not having a product built after all the work I’ve put in and could easily say it’s a gender equality issue and I’m living in a mans world, or that I’m stigmatized due to what current mainstream science calls mental illness (let’s be real, both likely play a part here). But I’ve done enough soul work to know that my external world isn’t going to change until my internal one does.
Someone who played a very significant role in me getting to where I am in this exact moment said to me after I had told them about the big world changing vision in my head: ‘so you figured everything out, and now you just need to figure yourself out.’ And that, right there, is the whole point.
I’ve been patiently waiting for something to click. The right opportunity to actually catch. I often say ‘the first domino to fall.’
But it turns out, we’re our own first domino. And until that switched flipped in my brain (finally, two days ago), I was outsourcing my power to something other than what’s within. Glad I got that one figured out.
p.s. THE GOLDEN BOY
There isn’t much that I do that isn’t accompanied by a some sort of symbolism, cryptic message, or deeper reason. I acknowledge that only a handful see the method to my madness, and to most I seem mercurial and unfocused.
But the thing is, I don’t actually care what people think of me (99.314% of the time) and it actually blows me away that people spend their precious energy thinking judgemental thoughts about others. To each their own though. I’m a mongoose, so it’s just in my nature to think this way.
Back to the reason for this section of the post. The images I choose for blog headings can be a bit questionable. For this one I chose an image I found with The Golden Boy, who sits atop the Manitoba Legislature, and a crescent moon shining brightly in the night sky. A crescent moon symbolizes change, and a transition from one phase to another.
“The Golden Boy faces north. North is where they thought Manitoba’s future lay in resources like minerals and hydro electricity. In his right hand the golden boy holds a torch, while in the left arm a sheaf of wheat. He serves as a symbol of Manitoba’s eternal youth and progress. The Golden Boy is intended to give the same kind of welcoming message to immigrants as the Statue of Liberty does in the US.” – George Simandas via The Winnipeg Time Machine, January 31, 2007.
I serendipitously came across The Golden Boy back in March when I was in Winnipeg, MB and thought ‘how curious’. And then again a couple weeks later when I was randomly flipping through an old book I had. That time I took note of the importance. Now, I’m not going to tell Manitoba how to think about their future, but my suspicions are it does not lay in minerals and hydro electricity. Partly because I have a fundamental belief that we are smart enough as humans that we no longer need to ravage Mother Earth for resources or change the natural flow of water for our benefit (I do acknowledge Tesla likely had to work by candle light while working on his electricity inventions and that he had a hard time staying in touch with ‘reality’). And partly because I’ve got some ideas cooking.
There is a multitude of other reasons I chose this image, but that is likely a better fit for a long rambly vlog in the future.
P.P.S. I DECIDED TO GET mad
I’ve already gone mad, which I’m sure you’ve picked up on if you made it all the way down here and are still reading this. I’m an absolute madwoman.
But a few days ago, I decided to GET Mad. Like the angry kind.
Not about what this post is about. Business and software is an infinite game, and my energy is best spent pivoting when needed and playing offense.
But I decided to get mad at the current state of the world when it comes to structures and systems that do not at all support wild brains. Because souls are being crushed and we are missing out on so much brilliance, simply because we still think people fit into boxes. They don’t.
But don’t worry, I’ve got a plan for that too. If you feel hopeless about how most of our world treats brains, I have enough hope for us all. I’m just going to be over here creating a new world where the wild brains absolutely thrive.
But until I get there, I’m going to have to keep grinding and continuing to split my attention between my kiddos and building what I’m building because it turns out money isn’t entirely made up…yet. I also have a plan to disrupt the money system, but I digress.
