The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $899,995 Project Grant under the Engineering (CFDA 47.041) program to the Regents of the University of Michigan to establish a comprehensive framework for system integration, structural mechanics, and financing for nimble, adaptive, and reusable structures (NARS). The objective is to develop simulation tools, design methods, experimental mechanics principles, smart financing models, and educational materials to accelerate and scale the adoption...
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) Project Grant award of $596,486 to Brigham Young University (BYU) aims to develop a new manufacturing approach that will enable the fabrication of customized building systems in a compact state for easy transport and on-site deployment. The key products and services to be delivered include: Developing kinematic models and fabrication methods for origami-inspired deployable building systems using sheet lamination additive...
This $100,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program will support the development of an intuitive design platform for sustainable multifamily residential buildings. The grant recipient, New Jersey Institute of Technology, will create a collaborative parametric design system allowing architects, engineers, developers and other users to quickly generate and modify schematic designs and dynamic 3D models through simple sketch-based...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $1,599,996 Project Grant under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) federal grant program to Purdue University. The goal of this award is to develop a new paradigm for smart energy assistants that monitor energy use and needs in affordable housing communities, and create customized interventions to mitigate energy-related disparities experienced by low to moderate income households. The project will involve...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $250,000 Project Grant under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program to the Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan) for the project "Using Waste Plastics from Regional Manufacturing to Create New Building Material". The project aims to commercialize a novel technology for forming architectural panels from a mixture of waste plastics, with a focus on evaluating the viability of using...
This Project Grant award of $528,090 from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research on housing infrastructure adaptation in coastal communities exposed to natural hazards in a changing climate. The project, titled "CLIMA/COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RIDERS ON THE STORM: CLIMATE ADAPTATION OF HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IN COASTAL CITIES," aims to develop a mathematical framework to analyze the interactions between...
This $444,562 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research at Michigan State University to address the digital transformation of the facility management industry. The key objectives are to: Construct a digital twin ecosystem to enhance the role of facility managers through physical and cognitive assistance. Develop a multi-modal user interface to promote effective interaction within the digital ecosystem. Gauge facility...
This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Policy Development and Research (CFDA 14.506 - General Research and Technology Activity) provides $151,423.00 to Clemson University, in partnership with a trade association (SBCA) and a building product manufacturer (MiTek), to conduct a mixed-methods study to better understand barriers to the adoption of offsite construction methods for homebuilding. The key activities include illustrational...
This $530,121 five-year Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program will support research at the University of Minnesota to study techniques for allocating affordable housing efficiently and equitably. The project aims to: (i) increase housing voucher utilization and ensure more high-barrier households benefit, (ii) increase the rate at which voucher waiting lists move while reducing administrative overhead, (iii) reduce the...
This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $439,266 to Purdue University to establish a 3-year Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site focused on built environment decarbonization. The REU site will engage 8 undergraduate students annually in applied research to address systems-level challenges and develop innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions across the lifecycle of the built environment, including...
NSF ENGINES DEVELOPMENT AWARD: DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR NEXT-GENERATION FACTORY-BUILT HOUSING (IN, MI) -THIS NSF REGIONAL INNOVATION ENGINE DEVELOPMENT AWARD IS FOCUSED ON FURTHER DEVELOPING AND SOLIDIFYING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT CAN TRANSFORM THE HOUSING INDUSTRY IN THE US BY SCALING UP PRODUCTION IN FACTORIES OF HIGH-QUALITY, SUSTAINABLE SINGLE AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING. THE CURRENT US HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR IS IN CRISIS. PLAGUED BY A CHRONIC SCARCITY OF AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE HOMES, RAPIDLY RISING COSTS, THE LARGEST HOME CONSTRUCTION LABOR SHORTAGE IN OVER TWENTY YEARS, AND PRE-INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION PRODUCTION PROCESSES THAT PROHIBIT INNOVATION AND EFFICIENCY, A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT PARADIGM IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE HIGH-QUALITY HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY, SECURITY, AND WELL-BEING OF ALL US FAMILIES. THE NEXTHOUSE VISION IS A FUTURE WHERE HOUSING IN THE US IS PRIMARILY BUILT IN FACTORIES AND DELIVERED AS INTEGRATED AND FULLY-ENGINEERED PRODUCTS ENABLING GREATER AFFORDABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCY, HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND EQUITY. THE NEXTHOUSE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM WILL BE A CENTRAL FIXTURE IN THE MIDWEST TECH CORRIDOR TO PRODUCE DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, SPUR NEW BUSINESS, AND DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH. BASED IN A REGION WITH A GLUT OF LEGACY CITIES AND CORRESPONDING RACIAL DISPARITIES, IT WILL CATALYZE MUCH-NEEDED ECONOMIC GROWTH AND IMPROVED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH AN EXPANDED FACTORY-BUILT HOUSING INDUSTRY. DRIVEN BY COORDINATED INDIANA AND MICHIGAN INNOVATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, A FULLY-AUTOMATED, AND SCALED-UP FACTORY-BUILT HOUSING INDUSTRY WILL DELIVER INNOVATIVE AND CUSTOMER-RESPONSIVE PRODUCTS THAT IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND HOUSING EQUITY WITH A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE. THE AWARD WILL BE USED TO LAUNCH AND GROW A NEXTHOUSE ORGANIZATION. THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL START BY DEVELOPING PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS FOR ENGAGING AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING A PROCESS FOR SOLICITING AND REVIEWING PROPOSALS FOR ACTIVITIES BY PARTNERS THAT STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM. A FEE-PAYING NEXTHOUSE INDUSTRY CONSORTIUM WILL BE ESTABLISHED AS A JOINT VENTURE WITH THE PURDUE CENTER FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS TO FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF DIRECT PATHWAYS (I.E., A TECHNOLOGY PIPELINE) TO PARTNER COMPANIES FOR DEPLOYMENT OF NEXTHOUSE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES. CONCEPTS FROM R & D AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS WILL BE FUNDED THAT DEMONSTRATE TECHNOLOGY PIPELINE BENEFITS TO STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS. NEXTHOUSE WILL ALSO FUND PARTNER PROPOSALS TO SUPPORT ASSESSMENTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ESTABLISHING NEW REGIONAL FACTORY-BUILT HOUSING FACTORIES. DURING THE AWARD, PARTNER WORKSHOPS WILL BE HELD TO: I) IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE NEEDS FOR R & D, TRANSLATION TO PRACTICE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND DEIA; II) ENGAGE REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS (E.G. HOUSING AUTHORITIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PARTNERSHIPS) TO IDENTIFY FEDERAL/STATE INITIATIVES AND PLAN PILOT SITES IN INDIANA AND MICHIGAN; AND III) GROW INDUSTRY AND VENTURE CAPITAL PARTICIPATION. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT FEATURES FOR FACILITIES THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE DEVELOPED FOR THE PLANNED NEXTHOUSE HEADQUARTERS, INCLUDING THE HEET (HOME ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION TESTING) LABORATORY THAT WILL ENABLE CONTROLLED TESTING OF MODULAR HOUSING AT SCALE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.