Grant will help build the future of Central Appalachia’s construction workforce

Grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to Address Affordable Housing Crisis and Promote Sustainable Construction Practices

A grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will help Virginia Tech create a road map to address the affordable housing crisis and promote innovative and sustainable construction practices in Central Appalachia.

Introduction

The Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE), in partnership with the Virginia Center for Housing Research in the College of Engineering, received a $453,743 grant through the commission’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) initiative that aims to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multistate collaborative projects across Appalachia.

Workforce Training Strategy for Industrialized Construction

The Virginia Tech-led project will develop a comprehensive workforce training strategy for industrialized construction, a promising approach that aims to reduce costs, waste, and emissions while addressing housing affordability challenges. After the completion of the planning grant, the team will be eligible to apply for $10 million in implementation funding.

Often referred to as modular or off-site construction, industrialized construction involves the manufacturing of building components in a controlled factory setting and their subsequent assembly at a construction site. This approach not only speeds up construction but also reduces waste and minimizes the environmental impact of building projects.

Addressing Housing Affordability in Central Appalachia

“Housing is an issue that economic developers in every community wrestle with,” CECE Executive Director John Provo said. “Central Appalachia, with its existing workforce skills and infrastructure, is poised to be a national leader in industrialized construction, meeting the demand for affordable and market-rate housing that attracts workers and companies to the region.”

The rural areas of the region often face economic challenges with the decline of coal and traditional manufacturing. By partnering with local organizations, CECE can leverage Virginia Tech’s expertise and resources to grow and diversify the area’s economy, fostering greater economic and community resilience.

Promoting Inclusivity and Solidarity

CECE, part of Outreach and International Affairs, also is a member of a regional consortium that recently won a federal Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant focused on additive manufacturing and applied materials.

“These collaborations promote a sense of inclusivity and solidarity, strengthening the university’s commitment to the broader region and developing a reciprocal relationship that benefits both the university and the communities it serves,” Provo said.

Workforce Pipeline and Demand for Affordable Structures

The industrialization of construction is inevitable, according to Nol Browne, founder of ADL Ventures, the lead industry partner for the ARISE grant and a venture development firm focused on scaling decarbonization technologies in the buildings, energy, and transportation sectors. “The construction industry cannot sustain itself the way its key factors are trending.”

Browne said the workforce pipeline is diminishing while the demand for affordable structures is growing exponentially.

Addressing Labor Shortage and Introducing Students to Industrialized Construction

The project will help address the labor shortage by introducing middle and high school students to the industrialized construction industry through visits to local factories and job sites.

“Providing students an up-close look at the careers available in industrialized construction can create a tangible connection between classroom learning, real-world applications, and their future,” Lyon-Hill said.

Partnerships and Collaboration

The  Virginia Center for Housing Research will advise CECE, facilitate regional workshops, and lead the development of the road map’s curriculum. Led by Andrew McCoy, the Beliveau Professor and associate director of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, the Blacksburg-based center is the official housing research center for the commonwealth.

The center has addressed affordable-housing needs across Virginia, including building Richmond’s first 3D-printed house and partnering with the Virginia Tech Richmond Center to develop a program to help construction companies grapple with a shortage of project managers.

Conclusion

“Combining better options for affordable housing, the creation of new workforce opportunities, including needed skills and training, and the growth of local economies around industrialized construction makes this project special,” McCoy added. “We have an opportunity to change the industry and the way Appalachian residents live and work.”

Regional Impact

The project will serve Virginia and West Virginia, as well as Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Other partners include Community Colleges of Appalachia, Ohio University, Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, and over 40 other industry, workforce, education, and economic development organizations. 

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action

The article addresses various issues related to affordable housing, economic growth, industrialized construction, sustainable cities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. These issues are connected to the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property.
• SDG 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises.
• SDG 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
• SDG 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
• SDG 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
• SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

Based on the article’s content, these specific targets are relevant to the issues discussed.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure.
• Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex.
• Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added.
• Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing.
• Indicator 12.2.1: Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP.
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have communicated the establishment or operationalization of an integrated policy/strategy/plan which increases their ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development in a manner that does not threaten food production.

These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets based on the information provided in the article.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: news.vt.edu

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