The team at IBACOS has, for some time, been greatly concerned by the distinct lack of building code regulations that are in place to control the standard to which gingerbread homes are built. This entire seasonal segment of the housing industry seems to have ‘slipped under’ the proverbial legislative wire and has been given free range to do whatever it wants from a design, engineering and construction perspective, provided the demands for decorative appeal and memorable taste

Hi, it’s me... your freshly presidentially-pardoned turkey. Yes, that  turkey. The one who got the handshake, the photo op, and the sudden realization that I came within 24 hours of becoming a very different kind of centerpiece in your home. Now that I’m safely out of oven range, I’d like to have a heart-to-heart. Can we talk about why turkeys always get chosen for Thanksgiving dinner? I mean, every year, millions of us get drafted for a job that none of us applied for. Tradi

We keep saying we want affordable housing in the U.S. But if that’s true, why do our building codes act more like roadblocks than green lights?  Look north. Canada runs on the National Building Code. Provinces make a few tweaks, but the foundation stays consistent coast to coast. A builder can take the same house from Halifax to Calgary without rewriting the rulebook every hundred miles. It’s like driving the Trans-Canada Highway: long, predictable, and direct. Less confusion

Recent advancements in generative AI are undeniably impressive. These systems can write, code, summarize, and reason in ways that often feel almost human. It’s easy to imagine we’re on the brink of machines that are truly super-smart — capable of replacing or at least competing with human thinking. Using these tools myself, I’ve been amazed by how much they can do. Which naturally raises the question: are we getting close to true Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) — a syst

You’re likely familiar with the “Extreme Home Makeover” shows that have become popular with audiences. The premise is simple: build a new house from the ground up in a week. The execution is not simple – it requires months of planning and coordination long before the volunteers show up. This is critical because the volunteer workforce is often counted in the hundreds or beyond. Production homebuilders don’t typically build homes in one week. They also don’t have thousands of

You’re a prospective homebuyer exploring a new neighborhood under development by a well-known local builder. You and your partner are excited: great schools, beautiful lots, and the promise of a fresh start for your growing family. You’re here to see if this could be the  place, or if the other community down the road might be a better fit. Scenario 1: The Messy Jobsite As you stroll through the neighborhood, chatting about your wish list, a messy pile of lumber scattered acr

When Lennar invested in ICON’s 3D-printed homes, it signaled that venture capital had finally noticed residential construction. However, most investors underestimate the complexity of the homebuilding ecosystem where trust, regulation, and risk define the pace of change far more than technology. Unfortunately, many venture bets in housing fail because when people live inside the product, you can’t “move fast and break things,” as is the norm for other types of product innovat