Ron Suzuki combines his love of yoga with his passion for building and renovating homes that will last for at least 40 years before they require upgrading.
"Nowadays we think that 10 years is a long time for a house to go maintenance-free," said Suzuki. "But if it is built with the right materials and correct attention is paid to insulation and proper air flow there is no reason for it not to last at least four decades before renos are required.
Sustainability, recycling and ecological impact are mantras Suzuki stands by when adding to or renovating a building.
A graduate civil engineer and currently owner of Sensible Homes in Winnipeg Beach, Suzuki began his career at age 14 when he worked in the summer with a construction crew managed by his father who built custom homes.
"When I was 21, I had sufficient experience to oversee my own summer crew," he said.
After working as a civil engineer, Suzuki joined a prestigious architectural firm and later acted as property manager for the Richardson Centre.
"There came a point in my life when family crises became so difficult that I was advised by a friend to take a year off and study yoga in Costa Rica under Indira Kate Kalmblach and Ray Young, world-renowned specialists," said Suzuki.
He said his time at the the Pavones Yoga Centre, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and features wild horse running on the beach, grounded him.
When he returned to Manitoba, he purchased a dilapidated 2,000-square-foot car repair garage in Winnipeg Beach that was built in three stages starting in the 1930s and ending in 1970.
The building had been vacant for about 10 years when he acquired it and the studs were rotten at the bottom -- one-inch-thick stucco was holding up the walls.
The roof trusses were sagging by half a foot and most of the exterior wall insulation was damaged by condensation.
Fortunately, the concrete pad on which the building sat was in good condition, so he started his renovation by jacking up the roof and repairing the trusses.
The exterior walls were all replaced with Roxul insulation with a minimum R22-value.
The west and north walls were constructed of staggered two by fours to allow extra depth for R30 insulation.
The east wall was insulated with Roxul as well as 1 1/2-inch rigid insulation to bridge the thermal gaps; the studs were placed at 24 inches OC to maximize thermal efficiency.
The front elevation is a combination of cement board and galvanized metal fastened to battens to create a design that prevents rain from penetrating the wall.
Suzuki used triple-pane Paramount windows throughout as he has never had a problem with a seal breaking on any of their products.
He covered the concrete pad in the yoga studio with dry-lift floor insulation with an R5 value and used a polished-cork product as a finish floor.
Fir plywood was used on most of the ceilings for durability and ease of installation of services, pipes and electrical.
"I wanted to maintain an unbroken vapour barrier throughout as much as the structure as possible, so I had everything mounted on the ceiling where it is visible but does not penetrate the barrier," said Suzuki.
The spot where the barrier is broken is an electrical connection that supplies power to a light in a cupola on the building's roof.
As well as being part of the building's venting system, the cupola is provides a wonderful outlook from which Suzuki can see Winnipeg Beach from all four directions.
Rigid foam insulation was placed below grade around the perimeter of the building to minimize heat loss, retain ground heat and to eliminate heaving of concrete entrance slabs in winter.
Suzuki said the all the construction materials used were either zero or low VOC, as well as recycled wood beams and boards salvaged from old cottages and the building itself.
He added the materials are durable and have a long lifespan including metal cladding, 50 to 75 years; porcelain tile floor, 75 years; cement board, 40 years; metal roofing, 75 years and commercial-grade cork flooring about 30 years.
The building also includes LED lighting, a high-efficiency gas furnace and a heat recovery ventilation system -- air conditioning is not required in summer because of the super-efficient insulation.
For the physically challenged, the studio has an automatic front door and a bathroom that is wheelchair-accessible.
When he is not practising yoga or working on his studio, Suzuki is busy renovating cottages and homes in the Winnipeg Beach area.
His next dream is to construct his own 600-square-foot home on property adjacent to his yoga studio.
"Sensible Homes specializes in space and energy efficient design of new and existing homes. I believe there is a market for those who want to simplify their lives and want their homes to allow them greater financial freedom with time and finances to do other meaningful activities in their lives," said Suzuki.
If this lifestyle appeals to you, he has land in Winnipeg Beach near the beach, the provincial park and town amenities on which future small homes could be built.
It's also close to his UU (united unique)Yoga Studio.
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