Collaboration

<h2>Creating scalable, sustainable housing solutions that balance creativity with manufacturability</h2>
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<p>What if the biggest barrier to solving the housing and climate crises isn&rsquo;t a lack of technology or cost, but our reluctance to let go of traditional methods? Benjamin Hall and Abby Willets from Green Canopy NODE address this by highlighting the urgent need for 5 million housing units in the U.S., the unaffordability of homes for 77% of Americans, and the residential construction sector's 16% contribution to global CO2 emissions. They argue that the core challenge is transforming home design and construction, advocating for off-site, industrialized construction as a solution. This approach merges the bespoke world of architecture with the efficiency of manufacturing, exemplified by their use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in modular housing. Despite facing significant challenges, such as tight tolerances and misaligned assembly practices, their journey underscores the importance of collaboration between designers, engineers, and manufacturers. Utilizing Autodesk Informed Design, they created scalable, sustainable housing solutions that balance creativity with manufacturability. Their work demonstrates that true innovation arises from the friction between different disciplines, pushing the boundaries of traditional construction to achieve affordable, sustainable, and scalable housing.</p>
<h4>About the speakers&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Benjamin Hall is Senior Product Manager at Green Canopy NODE. He is a seasoned product manager and designer with over 12 years of experience in architecture, construction technology, product design, and mass timber systems. At Green Canopy NODE, he led the design and assembly of modular CLT structures and a volumetric mass timber townhome, significantly reducing costs and timelines.</p>
<p>Abby Willets is R&amp;D Engineer at Green Canopy NODE. She earned her Mechanical Engineering degree from MIT and has gathered extensive experience across various industries and manufacturing techniques. From custom fabrication shops to international mass production in the consumer and industrial sectors, Abby is always looking for ways to improve and find new efficiencies.</p>

AU Articles

Industrializing Residential Construction with Mass Timber