Kael Opie juries student competition focused on material innovation

June 11, 2026

Last week, principal Kael Opie served as a juror for a student case competition focused on the real-world challenges facing Seafoam Materials, a Vancouver-based low-carbon material innovator.

Organized by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Social Ventures Zone — one of Canada’s leading social enterprise incubators — and sponsored by KPMB, the annual case competition tasks interdisciplinary student teams with addressing challenges related to the future of sustainable construction.

Seafoam Materials develops building insulation from seaweed and upcycled waste. The product is non-toxic, carbon-storing, and designed as a drop-in replacement for conventional insulation, with the potential to reduce a building’s upfront embodied carbon by as much as 20 percent.

Teams were tasked with devising a path to achieving national market scale without compromising the material’s non-toxic and low-carbon properties.

Kael juried the competition with Seafoam Materials co-founder Chloe Doesburg and Centre for Social Innovation community director Stefan Hostetter. Pitches were evaluated according to their depth of insight, strategy, feasibility, and delivery.

The winning team featured students from a wide range of disciplines, including spatial analysis, materials science, computer science, environmental studies, and business administration.

“When it comes to reducing the embodied carbon of the construction industry, material innovation is essential — but it’s only one piece of the puzzle,” says Kael, who also leads KPMB Lab and is a founding member of the Toronto BioBuild Collective.

“Making an impact hinges on these materials becoming viable products that gain market share and secure regulatory approvals. That’s best achieved through greater collaboration and cooperation across disciplines, rather than working in siloes.”

KPMB and KPMB Lab are engaged in ongoing material research and exploration. Recent efforts include a natural materials exhibition co-curated by KPMB Lab and SvN in collaboration with the Toronto BioBuild Collective and a collaborative research project focused on low-carbon concrete.

(Images courtesy of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Social Ventures Zone)