eir home speaks with Manish Nayar, the CEO of OYA Solar, about Estrella concrete wall tiles

Manish Nayar describes his experience with eir and how it aligns with his company’s sustainability goals

Tell me about yourself and your company.

My name is Manish Nayar and I’m the founder and CEO of OYA Solar. At OYA, we develop large-scale solar projects across North America in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and really take on the renewable energy goals set out by our global leaders. It’s a collaborative effort between local communities, utilities, the state, and federal government to build these projects and then distribute clean energy to thousands of customers.

We’ve made it one of our priorities to increase accessibility to solar energy for low-to-moderate income households, so that they can take advantage of the cost-saving incentives offered by these solar projects.

What initially drove you to focus on sustainability and social justice issues?

One of the main reasons was that we witnessed inequity that limited access to the benefits of solar energy to those who had the means. Historically, only large corporations, and those individuals who could make a large investment, essentially the next largest to a house, were the only ones benefiting from clean energy initiatives. Now, there are many incentives and programs out there for those who want to do their part, whether or not they can afford to finance a solar installation. Climate change is everyone’s responsibility and we see it as crucial to our mission to breaking down those barriers so everyone can make that choice.

So, it made sense for us to focus on programs like community solar that provide equitable access to clean energy and the benefits of solar, especially to those who are most susceptible to the negative repercussions of climate change.

Why did you decide to go with eir home and not another company?

We recently acquired a new office space and were keen on making it our own, in keeping with our goals around sustainability. Eir Home was the right fit.

We found that eir was the only company that was able to come up with such a unique and innovative product. There are tons of standard tiles in the market, and of course, it would be easy to buy concrete tiles from anywhere. However, we couldn’t find a product that would fit well into a vertical wall application. We also loved the details in the tiles and couldn’t find anything comparable. Additionally, the fact that the product was so lightweight made it easy for the installation process. It really was a no-brainer to go with eir Home.

Can you describe why you chose to go with the Estrella concrete tiles for your office?

We wanted to opt for a product that aligned with our company’s values. We strive to invest in sustainable materials as much as possible and that’s why eir really stood out to us. We ended up choosing the Estrella concrete wall tile.

Can you describe the finished effect of your lobby’s concrete feature wall?

The wall is a beautiful geometric tile and from my perspective, really resembles the rays of the sun. They are small 12 to 18-inch tiles that form a delicate pattern. We noticed that when we installed the wall tiles along a feature wall in our lobby, they also had a really great texture. And, they are also very lightweight, which made it easy to install.

How does your choice of office décor fit in with the mission of your company?

We wanted to focus on sustainable materials as it directly reflects OYA’s mission as a solar company to combat climate change and promote sustainable business practices within our company. The wall tile we selected is made from sustainable concrete. It was seemingly the perfect fit for what we were looking for.

How did you find out about the company?

I saw an installation of eir’s wall tiles at an Atlantic Ave office in Toronto, and it was enough for me to reach out to eir home about concrete tiles for the lobby wall in our office.

What surprised you the most about the product?

I was taken aback by how consistent the tiles were and how the pattern formed into a final masterpiece when all the parts were pieced together. It was just immaculate – just the level of detail and the quality of the tiles itself.

Use one word to describe the company and tell us why.

Seamless. It was a seamless experience. Their technical knowledge and expertise made the entire process extremely easy, from selecting the product, to its delivery and installation. The staff were able to provide us with all the information our contractor needed to be able to complete the job.

Anything else you would like to tell us about the company?

I really like the way they continue to innovate and come up with new products. We will definitely keep our eye on eir for other products as our company continues to grow in new and innovative ways.