Elder Eagle Inc. is an Indigenous Supplier Partner available through OECM’s Indigenous Marketplace and an authorized dealer of Kubebooth acoustic privacy and sensory pods. Kubebooth products are also available through Capital Office Interiors Ltd., Hollend Furnishings Ltd., and POI Business Interiors LP on OECM’s Furniture, Mattresses and Related Services agreement.
In This Article
- An Indigenous Business Built on Relationships and Community
- Why Privacy Pods Are Becoming More Relevant
- Matching the Pod to the Need
- Made in Toronto and Designed for Flexible Installation
- What to Compare When Evaluating an Acoustic Pod
- Considering Cost, Utilization and Long-Term Value
- A Sensory Pod Designed with Students in Mind
- Proven in Canadian Educational and Public Spaces
- See the Pods at the OPBA Annual Conference and Tradeshow
- Explore Elder Eagle’s Solutions
Elder Eagle Inc., an Indigenous Supplier Partner available through OECM’s Indigenous Marketplace, recently welcomed OECM to the Toronto facility where Kubebooth acoustic pods are manufactured. The visit provided a closer look at how Canadian-made acoustic privacy pods are designed, customized, manufactured and installed, and how they can help public sector organizations make better use of existing space.
For OECM customers, the tour showed that a privacy pod can be much more than a place to take a phone call. Depending on its size and configuration, it can support focused work, virtual meetings, confidential conversations, student services, collaboration, newcomer programming, sensory regulation, and other evolving workplace and learning needs.
An Indigenous Business Built on Relationships and Community
Elder Eagle is a Canadian, Ojibway-owned business led by Larry Frost, an Ojibway Elder from Serpent River First Nation. Larry has worked with Indigenous organizations and communities for decades, including 17 years as Executive Director of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.
As an authorized Kubebooth dealer, Elder Eagle helps customers access privacy and sensory pod solutions while advancing Indigenous procurement objectives. The company’s approach is grounded in relationship-building, community well-being and stronger connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners.
“Share a story, because First Nations is all about sharing.”
Larry Frost, CEO, Elder Eagle Inc.
For customers beginning or advancing their Indigenous procurement journey, Elder Eagle offers one way to access these solutions while supporting an Indigenous-owned business through OECM’s Indigenous Marketplace.
Why Privacy Pods Are Becoming More Relevant
Open and shared spaces can make collaboration easier, but they can also create challenges when people need to concentrate, join a virtual meeting, or have a conversation that should not be overheard. These needs are particularly noticeable in hybrid environments, where employees may share workstations and participate in virtual meetings throughout the day.
Kubebooth’s modular pods are designed to introduce enclosed, quieter spaces without requiring permanent walls. Potential applications across public sector environments include:
- individual phone and video calls
- focused work, studying, and virtual learning
- interviews and confidential human resources conversations
- student counselling and support services
- small meetings and team collaboration
- accessible meeting and work areas
- library study and community-service spaces
- virtual consultations and appointments
- sensory regulation and mental reset spaces
Matching the Pod to the Need
During the tour, Elder Eagle and Kubebooth introduced OECM to a product family ranging from compact one-person booths to larger meeting spaces for teams of up to eight people. Choosing the right model begins with the activity the space must support, how many people will use it, the desired level of accessibility, the technology required and the amount of time users are likely to spend inside.
“You can begin with a two-person pod and add an extension when you need something larger. If you later downsize, a larger pod can be divided.”
Rachel Sekler, CEO, Kubebooth
The Signature Collection
The Signature Collection includes the KSelfi and KSelfi Plus, which offer compact spaces for calls, video meetings and short periods of focused work. The Kme models offer more room for an individual workstation, while Kwe models support two-person conversations and smaller collaborative sessions.
Kteam models provide larger environments that can function as meeting rooms, group-study rooms, or private offices with space for visitors.
The modular construction also gives customers flexibility as their needs change. Larger models are assembled from connected sections, making it possible in some configurations to extend a pod or divide a larger pod into smaller spaces.
All Signature Collection models include levelling casters for repositioning within a suitable area. All models can be disassembled, relocated and reassembled at another site.
The Floorless Collection
Kubebooth’s Floorless Collection removes the raised threshold found in many traditional acoustic pods, providing a level entrance for more inclusive work, meeting and service spaces.
The collection includes individual configurations for private calls, virtual meetings and focused work, as well as collaborative pods for groups of up to eight people. This allows organizations to consider accessibility across a range of applications rather than limiting it to one pod model.
For customers accommodating mobility devices, larger floorless models can be configured with additional interior space and suitable furniture layouts. Customers must consider more than the pod entrance: doorway clearance, turning space and the placement of tables, chairs and other furniture can all affect whether the finished interior remains accessible and usable.
“When we decided to create a more inclusive pod, we didn’t want to stop with one product. We developed a full floorless collection.”
Rachel Sekler, CEO, Kubebooth
Elder Eagle and Kubebooth can work with customers to review interior layouts, furniture placement, automatic door options, electrical requirements and other accessibility considerations before recommending a configuration.
Unlike Signature Collection models with levelling casters, floorless pods must be anchored to the building floor. Customers should confirm drilling, flooring and other site requirements during project planning. Furniture and accessories shown in product images are illustrative and should also be confirmed when selecting a configuration.
Made in Toronto and Designed for Flexible Installation
During the facility tour, OECM saw how Kubebooth panels and components are produced in Toronto before being transported and assembled at the customer’s location.
Local manufacturing gives the team greater control over quality, customization, replacement components, and production timelines. Kubebooth shared that standard orders can typically be produced within approximately three to four weeks, depending on project requirements and selected customizations.
Because the pods are modular furniture, they can provide an alternative to constructing a permanent room. Installation requirements will depend on the model and site conditions, but the work can generally be completed with less disruption than a traditional renovation. This can be particularly useful in leased spaces, heritage buildings, libraries, campuses, and facilities where layouts may need to change over time.
“We are a family business. The relationship and the service are very important. You call us, and you get the service right away.”
Rachel Sekler, CEO, Kubebooth
What to Compare When Evaluating an Acoustic Pod
The tour highlighted the importance of looking beyond appearance when comparing acoustic pods. Customers should consider product performance, installation requirements and long-term user needs.
Important considerations include:
- Acoustic performance: Kubebooth reports noise reduction of up to 36 dB. Customers should compare tested sound-reduction performance rather than relying only on terms such as “quiet” or “soundproof.”
- Ventilation: Kubebooth reports that, depending on the model and configuration, its pods provide up to 100 air exchanges per hour through integrated ventilation.
- Accessibility: Customers should assess the entrance, interior dimensions, turning space, furniture placement and available automatic door options, not simply whether a model is described as accessible.
- Lighting and controls: Features include LED lighting, ventilation controls and motion-activated operation.
- Power and connectivity: Electrical outlets and USB-A and USB-C charging are available, along with options such as monitor brackets, additional power and occupancy lights.
- Fire-protection requirements: Pods include a pre-engineered sprinkler knockout, but customers should confirm applicable building, fire and site requirements before installation.
- Customization: Interior and exterior finishes, height-adjustable work surfaces, privacy film and organizational branding can be selected depending on the model and project.
- Installation and service: Customers should confirm delivery access, anchoring, assembly, warranty support, replacement components and the process for relocating the pod later
Kubebooth pods are also supported by certifications related to quality, environmental management, furniture sustainability, electrical safety and low-emitting materials. These include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, BIFMA LEVEL 2, UL certification and MAS Certified Green.
Customers should confirm which certifications apply to the model and configuration being considered. Elder Eagle can help OECM customers review these considerations with Kubebooth and identify the configuration, options and site requirements relevant to their intended use.
Considering Cost, Utilization and Long-Term Value
For customers comparing a pod with a permanently constructed room, the purchase price is only one part of the decision. A traditional room may involve design work, permits or approvals, multiple trades, demolition, construction, finishing and disruption to the surrounding space. A modular pod arrives as a finished product and can generally be installed more quickly, depending on the model and site requirements.
The key long-term difference is flexibility. A permanent room remains with the building, while a pod is designed to be disassembled, relocated and reused when a department moves or a floor plan changes. This can be valuable for organizations working in leased facilities or managing campuses, libraries, offices and other spaces with changing needs.
There is no single payback period that will apply to every organization. A useful business case should compare:
- the pod purchase, delivery, installation, furniture, accessories and applicable subscription costs
- electrical, fire-protection, anchoring and other site-specific requirements
- the cost and operational disruption of constructing a permanent room
- how frequently the new space is expected to be used
- the value of being able to relocate or reconfigure the pod later
- whether the pod could reduce pressure on existing meeting rooms
- whether it could support services that currently lack an appropriate private space
Using SmartCare to Understand Space Utilization
For greater control over the user experience and insight into pod use, Kubebooth offers SmartCare. This technology-enabled system combines booking, personalized environmental controls, well-being features, safety functions and workspace information.
Through an integrated touchscreen, users can adjust lighting, fan speed, music, ambient sound, white noise and timers. Preset modes can prepare the pod for focused work, a virtual meeting or a mindful reset. Users can also create profiles that remember their preferred settings, allowing them to recreate a familiar environment when they return.
Additional functions can include multilingual controls, mindful-moment content, remote support and an emergency assistance alert. Available features will depend on the selected configuration.
From a space-planning perspective, SmartCare can provide booking and anonymous utilization information. This can help facility teams understand how frequently pods are used, identify periods of peak demand and make more informed decisions about relocation or additional capacity.
Connecting utilization information to the business case allows organizations to assess long-term value using their own usage patterns rather than relying on a generic productivity estimate. SmartCare compatibility, available features and subscription requirements should be confirmed during project planning.
A Sensory Pod Designed with Students in Mind
One of the most innovative parts of the visit was learning about Kubebooth’s sensory pod concept for K-12 environments. The pod is being developed as an in-class or nearby space where students can step away from sensory demands, regulate, and prepare to return to learning.
Depending on the configuration, students may be able to adjust lighting, select calming music or ambient sounds, use a timer, follow a mindful moment, and identify how they are feeling. The intention is to help students discover which sensory tools and environmental settings work best for them.
“I don’t want children to feel that something is wrong with them. They need to know that they may learn differently – and that is okay. We want to help build their confidence.”
Rachel Sekler, CEO, Kubebooth
By placing the space within or close to the classroom, schools may be able to offer students a regulation tool without completely separating them from their classmates and learning environment.
Interested in exploring a sensory pod pilot?
Elder Eagle and Kubebooth are seeking opportunities to work with schools, including initiatives supporting Indigenous students and communities. OECM customers interested in discussing a potential pilot are invited to contact Elder Eagle.
Proven in Canadian Educational and Public Spaces
The tour and presentation showed how Canadian institutions use Kubebooth pods across a range of applications available to OECM customers through Elder Eagle and other OECM Supplier Partners on OECM’s Furniture, Mattresses and Related Services agreement.
Collège Boréal: Kubebooth supplied three Kteam pods to create private group-study areas inside a heritage building. The college was able to add enclosed spaces without permanent construction, demolition, or lengthy approval requirements. According to the presentation, the turnkey installation was completed in one day.
“A smart decision for the college. Very satisfied with the quality, installation, and overall service.”
Terry Comeau, Executive Director, Collège Boréal
Université de Montréal: Twenty pods – 18 individual models and two four-person models, were installed across multiple buildings and library locations. Approximately two years later, the university expanded the installation to meet evolving demand.
George Brown College: A larger pod was adapted into a virtual clinic where students can connect privately with a healthcare professional. The space incorporates the technology, furniture, and acoustic privacy needed for virtual consultations.
Toronto Public Library: A Kteam 6 Floorless pod was configured as a welcome space for newcomers. The customized installation incorporated monitors, a printer, additional power and network connections, and other technology to help visitors access information about library and community services.
Join Elder Eagle’s Quiet by Design Webinar
Public sector customers are invited to join Elder Eagle’s upcoming virtual webinar, Quiet by Design: Building Healthy, Focus-Ready Workspaces.
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
The webinar will explore how acoustic pods can support focus, privacy, well-being and accessibility while providing a flexible alternative to traditional construction. Attendees will also learn about Canadian institutional applications, SmartCare support and analytics, and Indigenous procurement opportunities through OECM.
Explore Kubebooth Privacy Pod Solutions Through OECM
OECM customers can access Kubebooth acoustic privacy pods, sensory pods and related workspace solutions through two OECM purchasing options.
Option 1: Through Elder Eagle and OECM’s Indigenous Marketplace
Elder Eagle is an Indigenous-owned authorized Kubebooth dealer available through OECM’s Indigenous Marketplace. Working with Elder Eagle provides an opportunity to address facility and workspace needs while supporting Indigenous economic participation, community advancement and reconciliation.
Option 2: Through OECM’s Furniture Agreement
Kubebooth products are also available through Capital Office Interiors Ltd., Hollend Furnishings Ltd., and POI Business Interiors LP on OECM’s Furniture, Mattresses and Related Services agreement. Customers can review the agreement and participating supplier partners to determine which purchasing option best meets their organizational requirements.
Interested in Hosting an OECM Educational Tour?
OECM is always eager to learn more about our supplier partners and OEMs. If you are a supplier partner or OEM on one of our agreements and would like to host an OECM Educational Tour or event, please reach out to your OECM Supplier Relationship Manager.
