Three Case Studies For More Affordable, Scalable Housing

The lack of affordable housing options around the world is driving interest in innovative concepts that can reimagine designs and processes in cost-saving ways.

recent panel discussion At the 2023 SXSW conference in Austin, three of these innovators came together to share their insights – and very importantly – on how new smart solutions can scale to reduce costs.

Move offsite

Joe Wheeler is co-director of the Center for Design Studies at Virginia Tech and State University, and over the course of his 30 years of experience has been involved in several concept projects, helping the entire industry by teaching students to explore design. I’ve been Sustainability with the global award-winning Solar Decathlon project.

He has also been able to use his expertise to help several builders bring their products to market. van meterBy moving all construction offsite, the products he delivered with Van Meter arrived on site at $100 per square foot in new smart townhomes.

He says a combination of clever space planning and elimination of site inefficiencies are the two keys to getting the product under $100 per square foot. But these changes do not come without friction.

“Trading is very resistant to change,” said Wheeler. “They add thousands to the project when they see something new or different.”

Another project focuses on scalable disaster relief housing that can withstand hurricanes and tornadoes. To develop its resilience, he uses a patented carbon-neutral concrete.

automation

Rick Murdock is the co-founder and CEO of an Idaho-based modular building company. Autobol We work on multi-story projects in a highly automated process. The company has invested heavily in automation to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

The robot works with the company’s “solutions guys” to build five wooden frame modules per day that can be connected to residential buildings up to five stories high. All mechanical, engineering and plumbing, along with cleanup work, are handled by human hands, or solvers.

“We delivered the first modular project, and the tolerance was within an eighth of an inch for a five-story building,” says Murdock. “You can see the amazing difference between the quality of work and the quality of construction.”

The average cost of delivered products is about $140 per square foot, so the efficiency savings are significant. In addition, 100 modular units can be installed in two weeks, providing more affordable housing online at a pace that is critical given today’s demand.

Murdock is passionate about providing more affordable housing online, and he does this with Autovol, in addition to his other business activities that complement that process. He founded a business that teaches how to create manufacturing facilities, and another that teaches how to build modules. The companies are now in the process of designing seven of his new factories for other housing developers, giving them a big boost to meet the needed supply.

“Most people cannot afford single-family homes, so multifamily housing will be the biggest need,” he said.

3D printing

Alexey Dubov is the COO and co-founder of California-based . Mighty Building, Innovative 3D printing, prefab startup using new process to optimize quality and speed. The company introduced a proprietary material that is 60% recycled, with the remainder being the aggregate used to print the panelized walls, floors and ceilings.

The manufacturing process focuses on panels. In addition, there is robotics for filling insulation and other machining of connectors between panels. A unique feature of the 3D printing process is that it offers the opportunity to create new designs and explore new geometries.

At the factory, the low voltage wiring is pre-wired inside the panel, so no electrician is required. By the time all this is brought to the job site, all he needs are two coats of primer and paint. A recent project required just two days of on-site work for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

With enhanced processes and new materials, prices are similar to traditional projects at $300-$350 per square foot. However, due to advanced materials, the product is of higher quality and is expected to last approximately 75 years.

Mighty Buildings currently operates two factories online. One in Oakland, CA and another in Monterrey, Mexico. The factory is online and can produce panels within 3 months. According to Dubov, the breakeven point for the factory investment is just 300 units, which is a key gateway for scaling innovation.

future

These three champions of change believe that the process of building a house in a factory will become an integral part of the future.

clock Full SXSW session Learn more about what these leaders think about sustainability, workforce and other hot topics.