Nexii Building Solutions Inc. announces a partnership with actor and Pittsburgh native Michael Keaton, who will have an ownership stake and play an active role in Nexii’s upcoming Pittsburgh manufacturing plant. The new plant, to be developed by Trinity Sustainable Solutions, a new entity composed of Keaton, Nexii, and Craig Rippole of Trinity Commercial Development, will be the sixth plant, the second in the United States, for the fast-growing green construction technology company. It will also be the first built entirely from its proprietary, sustainable concrete alternative, Nexiite. The Nexii composite results in the creation of sustainable buildings that are cost-efficient, use less energy and are resilient in the face of climate change. Nexii products are precision manufactured off-site and rapidly assembled on-site, reducing build times and construction costs.
Growing up, many of my neighbors worked in Pittsburgh’s famous steel plants; the lore was that a businessman would take an extra white shirt to work because the one he started with would get so dirty from the mills’ polluted air that he’d have to put on a fresh one to come home,” said Keaton, who was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and first began acting in local theatre there. “Nexii’s new plant will create more than 300 green, healthy job opportunities and help revitalize my hometown in a way that helps folks right now while paving the way for future generations.”
Keaton, a self-described “unapologetic environmentalist,” added, “I’ve always been interested in design and construction, but I only recently learned the game-changing impact the construction industry can have in improving the environment by adopting innovative, lower-carbon techniques. For me, the opportunity to marry job creation with an environmentally sustainable business is incredibly exciting.”
Pittsburgh is a fitting home for Nexii’s newest manufacturing site, as the city continues to evolve from The Steel City into a more equitable Green City that’s home to disruptive technology companies and industry pioneers. Slated to open in Summer 2022, the Nexii manufacturing plant will benefit from the strong local ties and expertise of co-owner Craig Rippole, President of Pittsburgh-based Trinity Commercial Development, whose company has developed over 1.5 million square feet of commercial space and has a successful track record of forming public-private partnerships to clean up brownfield sites and return them to productive use.
“This partnership with Michael Keaton, Nexii and Pittsburgh is ideal.” said Rippole. “Not only will the new plant provide manufacturing jobs but the environmentally friendly panels being produced will also provide real estate owners and developers, like me, with a cost-competitive building solution that significantly reduces carbon emission. This is a true sustainability-based economic recovery initiative.”
Nexii’s sister Pennsylvania plant, about to open in Hazleton, will produce the Nexiite panels and other materials used to build the Pittsburgh plant. These lightweight panels will be shipped to Pittsburgh and bolted together onsite—a process that cuts build times by an average of 75 percent and slashes on-site waste, labor costs and accidents. Nexii’s two Pennsylvania plants will be able to supply eco-friendly construction materials to building and retrofit projects across the East Coast and the Midwest.
Trinity Sustainable Solutions is working with Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) – the 10-county Pittsburgh region’s economic development organization – to identify sites located within federally designated Opportunity Zones and other under-invested communities where this initiative can be realized and have impact.
PRA President Mark Anthony Thomas remarked, “Nexii’s expansion instantly bolsters our region’s leadership in sustainability and what’s next in manufacturing. Pittsburgh natives Michael Keaton and partner Craig Rippole, following in a long line of Pittsburgh innovators, are building something truly transformative here, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue supporting this effort.”
“Together, the building and construction industries account for 39 percent of global emissions; the time to reinvent the way the world builds is now,” said Nexii CEO Stephen Sidwell. “We’re honored to have so many passionate and knowledgeable champions in our corner as we scale Nexii rapidly to meet increased demand for cost-efficient green buildings.”
Today’s announcement is the latest in a string of exciting news for Nexii, including the completion the first-of-its-kind, sustainably constructed Starbucks, built in just six days, reducing carbon emissions by 30%, with near-zero construction waste; and the addition of advisers including Bill McNabb, former chairman and CEO of Vanguard and Dr. Ronald Sugar, chairman of Uber and board director at Apple.
About Nexii:
Nexii Building Solutions Inc. is a green construction technology company that is committed to building a vibrant future for people and the planet. Nexii designs and manufactures high-performance buildings and green building products that are sustainable, cost-efficient and resilient in the face of climate change. The Nexii System also significantly reduces construction timelines, enabling the rapid development of green buildings across North America. Nexii is suited for industrial/commercial/institutional, mixed-use, multi-family residential and single-family homes, as well as for the green retrofit market.
About Trinity Sustainable Solutions:
A newly formed Nexii certified manufacturing company that benefits from the industry knowledge of Trinity Commercial Development, a full-service commercial real estate firm with almost 25-years of experience developing big-box retail, neighborhood shopping centers, single tenant retail, light industrial, and office. Proficient in all aspects of ground-up development, including site selection, land assembly and acquisition, permitting / approvals, civil engineering, architectural design, and construction management; Trinity Sustainable Solutions will not only produce Nexii’s innovative, environmentally-friendly building materials but also have the capability to deliver sustainable build-to-suit development projects constructed with Nexii precision manufactured panels for clients looking for turnkey sustainable, real estate solutions. Trinity has served as a Preferred Developer for a number of national retailers; past projects include Walmart, Rite Aid, Advance Auto, Speedway, Goodwill, CSX Transportation, and the Allegheny County Housing Authority. F
