Aerecura began with retired physics teacher’s question: how can we build better?
Our Foundation
For years, Sylvia Cook explored how to build a home that was truly sustainable — one that would be energy efficient, comfortable, healthy, and built to last.
What began as research became something more personal: a desire to create a home that reflected both her environmental values and how she wanted to live day to day. A dream to build the most sustainable ‘retirement home’ possible for herself and her partner.
That search led her to rammed earth.
Together with her son, Graham Cavalier, an environmentalist and experienced builder, and renowned architect Terrell Wong, Sylvia began designing and developing her own approach to home construction — combining home building with sustainable building science. In 2009, alongside a small team, they completed the first stabilized, insulated rammed earth wall in Ontario as part of Sylvia’s home.
This work became the foundation for Aerecura.
A different approach to building
From the beginning, Aerecura was shaped by a clear idea: that how we build matters.
Buildings account for a significant portion of global energy use and emissions — but they also shape how we live every day. For Sylvia, this wasn’t abstract. It was a practical problem, and an opportunity to do things differently.
Aerecura was created to bring a more thoughtful, performance-driven approach to building — one that prioritizes durability, energy efficiency, and long-term impact, while remaining grounded in real, buildable solutions.
Beyond materials
While Aerecura is known for rammed earth, Sylvia’s vision has always extended beyond any one material.
Her work has focused on helping shift the broader construction industry toward more sustainable, inclusive, and collaborative practices — through education, speaking, and mentorship.
As a women-founded company, Aerecura places a strong emphasis on equity and collaboration, helping foster a working environment where diverse perspectives are valued and supported.
Foundations Series: A conversation with Sylvia Cook and Graham Cavalier
A closer look at the origins of Aerecura, the development of rammed earth in Ontario, and the thinking behind our approach to building.