Highlighting the thinkers and their ideas driving the evolution of Offsite Construction. 
Be inspired, be informed, be innovative!

An Innovative Future for Bricks: How Coffee Grounds Could Transform Construction

When you finish your morning espresso, the last thing on your mind is what happens to those spent coffee grounds. Most of us assume they vanish into the trash, destined for landfills. But what if that leftover caffeine kick could help build your next home or office building? Thanks to groundbreaking research at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, that’s no longer a wild fantasy — it’s a promising new reality.

Swinburne’s team, led by Dr. Yat Wong, has unveiled an innovative process that turns used coffee grounds into sturdy, low-emission bricks. Their work not only promises a greener alternative to traditional clay bricks but also offers a creative solution to one of the world’s most overlooked waste problems.

Globally, we produce about 10 billion kilograms of spent coffee grounds each year. Most of this aromatic byproduct ends up in landfills, where it releases methane — a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. Recognizing both the environmental threat and the untapped potential, the Swinburne team set out to transform this waste stream into something valuable.

The process begins by partnering with local coffee shops to collect the used grounds directly from espresso machines. These grounds are then combined with natural clay and an alkali activator to create a unique mixture. Unlike traditional bricks, which require firing at temperatures around 1,000 degrees Celsius, these coffee bricks are cured at just 200 degrees Celsius. This drastic reduction in heat slashes electricity-related carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80% per brick.

But sustainability isn’t the only win here. Swinburne’s coffee bricks are faster and cheaper to produce than conventional clay bricks. The lower curing temperatures mean factories consume less energy, cutting production costs while reducing their environmental impact. Plus, each brick effectively locks away what would otherwise be a potent source of methane.

From a performance standpoint, the results are equally impressive. According to Swinburne, these bricks exceed Australia’s minimum construction strength standards by roughly double. That means they aren’t just an eco-friendly novelty — they’re a genuine contender for mainstream construction applications.

The innovation has already taken a big step toward real-world use. In a move that signals serious commercial potential, Swinburne recently signed an intellectual property licensing deal with Green Brick, a company focused on sustainable building materials. This partnership will help scale production and move these coffee-infused bricks from the laboratory into the marketplace. Soon, we may see office buildings, apartment complexes, and even single-family homes built with the remnants of our morning brew.

This development is part of a broader global push to find circular economy solutions within construction — a sector that accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions. By finding creative ways to reuse materials, researchers and entrepreneurs are reshaping what our buildings are made of, and how we think about waste.

Beyond environmental benefits, this project also offers a compelling economic argument. Coffee shops gain a sustainable disposal solution, brick manufacturers save on energy costs, and developers can market their projects as green and forward-thinking. It’s a rare case where environmental responsibility and business efficiency go hand in hand.

From Coffee to Concrete: Turning Everyday Waste into Tomorrow’s Building Material

As cities worldwide grapple with the urgent need to cut emissions and move toward net-zero goals, innovations like Swinburne’s coffee bricks show us that solutions can come from unexpected places — even your local café. Each espresso, latte, or flat white you enjoy could contribute to the walls of future homes and offices, closing the loop on a daily ritual most of us take for granted.

For now, the next time you sip your morning coffee, imagine a future where that leftover sludge isn’t just waste but the foundation of a more sustainable world. With visionary research and practical partnerships, Swinburne University of Technology has turned an everyday habit into a bold step forward for construction — one cup at a time.

From Trash to Treasure: The New Circular Economy Revolution in Construction

Imagine walking by a demolition site and instead of seeing mountains of concrete rubble and twisted rebar destined for a landfill, you see workers delicately removing windows, carefully unbolting steel beams, and labeling wooden panels for future use. It sounds like a scene from a utopian future, but it’s happening today—and it’s about to change everything we thought we knew about construction.

For decades, the construction industry has thrived on a linear model: extract raw materials, build, and demolish when outdated or worn out. This model not only generates about 40% of global waste but also contributes massively to carbon emissions. Yet, a powerful shift is underway—a shift towards the circular economy, where buildings are no longer considered disposable, but rather valuable material banks waiting to be reinvested into future projects.

One company leading this charge is Rotor Deconstruction in Belgium. Instead of wielding wrecking balls, their crews methodically dismantle structures, preserving everything from marble staircases to light fixtures. These salvaged treasures are then sold through their marketplace RotorDC, where architects and builders eager to incorporate sustainable materials can find high-quality, character-rich components. This approach isn’t just green—it’s smart economics. Reclaimed materials often cost less than new, and add unique charm that new products can’t replicate.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Harvest Works partners with contractors to systematically “harvest” reusable components during renovation and teardown projects. Think of it as urban mining—scouring buildings for hidden gems like hardwood floors, steel columns, and vintage doors, then repurposing them instead of burying them under tons of concrete debris.

But the circular revolution doesn’t stop at deconstruction. Manufacturers are stepping up too. Global carpet tile giant Interface has pioneered a take-back program where they reclaim used tiles, refurbish them, or recycle them into new products. This kind of closed-loop system doesn’t just reduce landfill waste—it creates a marketing edge and loyal customers who share in the environmental mission.

Knauf Insulation has launched a similar initiative, collecting cut-off scraps and site waste from its mineral wool products to reprocess into new insulation. And over in the Netherlands, Finch Buildings designs modular timber cabins with every panel and component engineered for easy disassembly and reuse. Rather than tearing down entire structures when needs change, these cabins can be relocated, reconfigured, or reimagined.

Beyond corporate programs, online marketplaces like Salvo (UK) and Construction Junction (US) are transforming the way we think about building supplies. These platforms serve as digital bazaars for used and salvaged materials, connecting architects, builders, and DIY enthusiasts eager to blend sustainability with creativity. Imagine designing a sleek modern home using reclaimed oak beams from a 19th-century barn or incorporating vintage tiles from a historic public building—stories and character that new materials just can’t offer.

Driving this momentum is a new generation of architects and developers who see buildings not as static, single-use products but as dynamic repositories of valuable resources. The concept of a material passport, already gaining traction in the Netherlands, catalogs every component in a building, from façade panels to electrical systems, so they can be more easily retrieved and reused at the end of their initial life cycle.

This isn’t just about waste reduction; it’s about rethinking value, creating economic opportunities, and infusing construction projects with new narratives. When we salvage, reuse, and reimagine, we honor the embodied energy and stories of every piece of material, transforming waste into wealth.

Let’s be clear: shifting to a circular model isn’t without its challenges. It requires upfront design thinking, changes in regulations, and a robust logistics network to manage recovered materials. But the payoff is enormous. Reduced environmental impact, lower material costs, new business models, and buildings that are no longer environmental liabilities but future material banks.

As cities grow and resources become scarcer, the circular economy offers not just a solution, but a thrilling opportunity to reimagine our built environment. Next time you pass a construction site, imagine the possibilities. Could those bricks become part of a new school? Could that steel beam support a future community center? In the new age of circular construction, the answer is a resounding yes.

It’s time to stop in our tracks and rethink what’s possible. From trash to treasure, the future of construction is not only about building—but about rebuilding, reusing, and reinvigorating our world, one salvaged beam at a time.

Coastal Modular Innovation Meets Coastal Confidence

When rising sea levels and intensifying hurricanes threaten to wash away our coastal dreams, Seasafe Homes stands as a powerful beacon of innovation. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, Seasafe isn’t merely building homes — they’re creating a new standard of resilience, speed, and energy efficiency designed to thrive where others buckle. This is more than a company; it’s a movement to redefine what it means to live on the coast, blending modern modular technology with timeless coastal charm and a purpose-driven mission.

Ask any Floridian: the coast is as beautiful as it is unpredictable. Seasafe Homes takes this challenge head-on, creating structures designed to withstand wind speeds up to 180 mph — a rating that meets and even exceeds Miami-Dade’s most stringent codes. At the heart of this strength is a full box-frame modular construction, which creates a rigid and unified structure that resists twisting and shifting during storms.

Unlike traditional stick-built houses that rely on piecemeal framing on-site, Seasafe’s approach is methodical and robust from day one. The walls and roofs are engineered using 2×6 studs and upgraded sheathing, adding extra layers of security. Elevated solid masonry foundations keep these homes above potential flood levels, safeguarding both the structure and the precious memories inside.

When these modules arrive on site, they’re craned into place with precision, instantly transforming an empty foundation into a fully enclosed, hurricane-hardened fortress. For homeowners in hurricane-prone areas, this isn’t just a selling point — it’s a life-saving feature.

Speed is critical, especially when dealing with unpredictable weather patterns and a tight housing market. Seasafe’s BuildFast process flips the traditional homebuilding timeline on its head. While coastal homes typically take a year or longer to complete — often plagued by weather delays, material shortages, and labor hiccups — Seasafe offers a dramatically faster alternative.

Their process is brilliantly simple and highly effective. While the foundation work is underway on-site, your home is being simultaneously constructed inside a climate-controlled factory. By the time the foundation is ready, your modules are already complete, waiting to be delivered and set.

From initial design to final move-in, homeowners can expect the entire process to take around six months. This streamlined approach not only saves time but also minimizes the overall disruption and uncertainty that come with building a new home near the water. For many, it means getting out of temporary rentals or short-term accommodations sooner, and into a permanent, secure home faster.

Seasafe isn’t stopping at simply building strong homes — they’re also committed to building smart, energy-efficient ones. Beginning in 2025, every Seasafe home will be constructed to meet the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standard.

What does this mean for homeowners? These homes are designed to achieve ultra-low energy use, significantly reducing monthly utility bills and environmental impact. Advanced insulation systems, high-performance HVAC, energy-efficient windows and doors, and solar-ready designs are all part of the package.

In a world of soaring energy prices and growing concerns about climate change, these features are more than just marketing talk — they’re a proactive solution to protect your wallet and the environment. Seasafe is essentially future-proofing their homes, making them not only safe during storms but also financially sustainable in the long run.

One of the great misconceptions about modular construction is that it leaves little room for personalization. Seasafe proves this myth wrong in the most beautiful way possible. Their partnership with Affinity and Vantem modular systems allows homeowners to choose from a wide array of finishes, fixtures, and design options.

Want a coastal cottage vibe with whitewashed shiplap walls and crisp blue accents? You can have it. Prefer a modern beach retreat with sleek cabinetry, minimalist lines, and an open, airy floor plan? That’s on the table too.

Unlike many site-built homes where weather delays and on-site errors can compromise design quality, Seasafe’s modules are crafted in a controlled environment, ensuring consistency and precision at every stage. The result is a home that feels uniquely yours without sacrificing the speed and strength of modular construction.

Perhaps the most inspiring part of Seasafe’s story is their commitment to a higher mission. Beyond building homes, they’ve woven generosity and community support into their business model. Seasafe donates 20% of its net profits to Christian ministries and mission-driven projects.

This includes support for local community initiatives, faith-based outreach programs, and broader humanitarian efforts. By choosing Seasafe, homeowners become part of a larger story — one that extends beyond bricks, mortar, and profit margins. It’s about building communities, uplifting lives, and making a tangible impact where it’s needed most.

Coastal areas are under increasing threat from rising sea levels and severe weather events. Meanwhile, housing shortages continue to plague popular waterfront regions. Seasafe steps into this void with a solution that addresses both challenges: durable, storm-resistant homes delivered quickly and designed to reduce long-term energy costs.

For retirees looking to enjoy golden years on the beach, young families seeking security and stability, or investors aiming to develop resilient rental properties, Seasafe offers a compelling option. These homes represent a fusion of safety, sustainability, and coastal beauty — all delivered with predictability and heart.

Seasafe Modular Homes is pushing the envelope, transforming what it means to live — and thrive — on the coast. They’re proving that modular construction isn’t a compromise; it’s a competitive advantage.

With hurricane-hardened engineering, rapid delivery timelines, future-ready energy systems, and a dedication to giving back, Seasafe stands as a model for what the future of coastal housing can and should look like. Their homes are more than just shelters; they’re sanctuaries built on innovation, compassion, and faith.

With Florida beaches constantly challenged by the elements, Seasafe Homes delivers an inspiring answer: strong, beautiful, and ready for whatever the future brings.

From Washing Machines to Wall Panels—Can LG Turn Their Smart Cottage Into a Trusted Modular Home

LG is already a household name—literally. But now the brand is on a mission to bring that same trust into the realm of modular homes with its clever Smart Cottage. Think of it as the ultimate synergy: your favorite ThinQ-enabled laundry paired with a roof that produces its own energy. Dreamy, right?

LG introduced the Smart Cottage at IFA 2023 and has since officially launched it to both B2B and B2C customers. The line-up includes the compact Mono—a cozy single-story layout—and the double-decker Duo, complete with a loft bedroom. Full prefab design means 70% is built off-site, cutting construction time by over half compared to traditional methods.

This isn’t just a fancy shed. The Smart Cottage packs impressive eco-features like 4 kW solar panels, energy storage, and an air-to-water heat pump that meets net-zero energy goals. With energy usage per year down to just 40% of a conventional home, it’s about as green as a cottage can get—without actual thatch.

Inside, it showcases LG’s full smart-appliances lineup: WashTower Compact, QuadWash dishwasher, induction range, water purifier, and even ThinQ-controlled blinds, smart locks, and cameras . Some models can even sync with your phone’s GPS to preheat the cottage or turn on lights just as you’re pulling up.

Originally demoed in Europe and Korea, it’s making inroads fast. LG already delivered units to SM Entertainment’s training center in Korea for use as pop-up offices or living labs and preliminary interest isn’t limited to celebrity campuses—Europeans and even Aussies are reportedly eyeing it as either a primary or a countryside getaway .

Of course, LG faces challenges. Home-buyers are used to old-school construction and long warranties, not tech integrations that could go glitch. But if you’ve already welcomed LG TVs and fridges into your life, why not open the door to a whole cottage?

With turnkey prefab, solar juice, and ThinQ smarts all rolled into one neat package, LG is aiming to earn its stripes in modular living—one cubic meter of confidence at a time.

It might feel quirky to think of a cottage coming from a TV-maker, but LG’s Smart Cottage has substance. If you’re ready to trust more of your daily life to ThinQ—heating, lighting, home security, the works—this tiny modular marvel could be the start of something beautifully smart.

Where Can the Next Generation of Construction Innovators Turn for Help?

After nearly two decades writing about offsite construction and spending even more time in the trenches of the building industry, I’ve come to appreciate something simple but powerful:
The best ideas don’t always come from the top.

They often come from high schoolers, trade students, and college freshmen who see the problems in our industry differently—and aren’t afraid to ask “Why not?”

So, where can these young innovators turn? Here’s what I’ve found:

This is the first support system.
Parents who notice their kid tinkering with CAD programs or 3D printing in the garage should ask, “What would help you take this further?” Teachers who see students excelling in shop class, robotics, or environmental science can help them enter local innovation fairs or apply for grants. One good nudge can change a life.

Yes, they exist—and some of them are fantastic.
These programs offer more than encouragement. They offer real mentorship, funding, and even investor-style pitching experiences for students:

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams – Up to $10,000 in funding for technical inventions. Real-world problem solving with a teacher-mentor.

LaunchX – A summer entrepreneurship program for high schoolers who want to launch a product or service.

Diamond Challenge (Univ. of Delaware) – Offers cash prizes for high school business pitches with categories for innovation.

Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) – Helps teens build and launch real businesses with an investor pitch at the end.

These programs aren’t just “pretend business camps.” Many students come out with functioning prototypes, early sales, and connections that last for years.

Our industry isn’t always great at outreach, but we do have a few powerful allies:

NAHB Student Chapters – These are tied directly to the building industry and offer student competitions, training, and trade show access.

SkillsUSA – One of the best programs out there for trades. It builds pride, skill, and innovation across a wide range of disciplines.

ACE Mentor Program – Architecture, Construction, and Engineering mentors team up with students on real design challenges.

ASCE Student Chapters – While more focused on civil engineering, many chapters support innovation challenges and infrastructure design projects.

If you know a student with a passion for building, even if it’s just Minecraft maps right now, these programs can help them connect the dots to a real career—and potentially a real product.

These are the physical playgrounds for innovation:

Fab Labs and makerspaces at libraries or community colleges now come equipped with CNC routers, 3D printers, and design software. Many offer youth memberships or “teen innovation nights.”

These are great places to prototype ideas, meet mentors, and get comfortable failing and trying again.

You don’t have to be enrolled to benefit. Some schools open up their entrepreneur centers, pitch competitions, and prototyping labs to high schoolers through summer programs.

I’ve seen kids build solar-powered models, prefab prototypes, and AI tools for estimating—all before they’ve taken their SATs.

If you’re a parent or teacher reading this, check out what nearby colleges offer.

Don’t underestimate the power of a well-placed video or forum post:

Hack Club and 1517 Fund support young builders and coders with actual money and guidance.

Some kids are raising their first funds through Kickstarter and IndieGoGo—with help from an adult to manage the business side. Others are gaining early attention for construction-adjacent innovations on platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn.

I’ve seen a 14-year-old weld a custom trailer, another turn a shed into a smart home lab, and one who mapped out a fully modular disaster response village on his bedroom floor. These kids need guidance, not limits.

If you’re a parent, teacher, or someone in the building industry like me, your voice matters.
A quick introduction, a “You should talk to this person,” or a “Try entering this challenge” might be all it takes to keep a young person moving forward with an idea that could genuinely change how we build.

Let’s stop treating youth innovation as cute and start treating it as essential.

If you know someone under 21 working on a promising idea in construction, modular housing, or building materials—send them my way. I’ll connect them to someone who can help.

Framing the Future: How BotBuilt’s AI-Powered Robots Are Transforming Offsite Construction

In a quiet corner of Durham, North Carolina, a small team of engineers is quietly working on something that could reshape the future of homebuilding. The company is called BotBuilt, and their mission is simple—but far from easy: use AI-powered robotics to solve one of the biggest problems in construction today—how to build more homes, faster, with fewer skilled laborers, and at a price people can actually afford.

Founded in 2020 by Brent Wadas, Barrett Ames, and Colin Devine, BotBuilt sits at the intersection of advanced robotics and offsite construction. While many startups in the offsite space are tweaking existing systems or trying to reinvent the wheel, BotBuilt is doing something far more radical: it’s building a flexible, intelligent framing system that can adapt to almost any residential home design. And it’s doing it with industrial robots, AI, and a software platform that turns architectural plans into reality.

A New Kind of Framing System

BotBuilt isn’t a component factory in the traditional sense. Builders don’t order from a catalog of panel designs—they send over their house plans. From there, BotBuilt’s software analyzes the plans, converts them into 3D models, and generates instructions for robotic arms. These robots then frame out the home’s walls, floors, and trusses with speed and precision, adapting in real time to the quirks and flaws of real-world lumber.

The company has already completed framing for forty homes and has over 2,000 homes in the pipeline through partnerships with builders. The framing components are created in BotBuilt’s Durham-area facility and shipped to job sites, where on-site crews can quickly assemble them. What would normally take weeks of manual labor can now be completed in just a few hours.

According to co-founder Brent Wadas, the key to BotBuilt’s speed and flexibility is its combination of computer vision and AI. Unlike traditional prefab systems that require perfectly milled lumber or complex, custom jigs, BotBuilt’s robots use AI to adapt to imperfections in materials. That means less waste, fewer stoppages, and significantly lower cost.

Built for Builders, Not Just Techies

At its core, BotBuilt is a service company—not a product manufacturer. Builders don’t need to change their workflow, software, or design preferences. They just send over the plans and get back ready-to-install framing systems. That’s a key difference in a world where many offsite construction technologies require the builder to adapt to the system, not the other way around.

In fact, the founders say they designed the platform specifically to accommodate the variability of the real world. Barrett Ames, one of the founders and a Duke-trained roboticist, first came up with the idea while building his own home and realizing how repetitive—and dangerously inefficient—framing could be. That insight became BotBuilt’s foundation: create a smarter way to do what framers already do, but with robots that can handle more volume, more accurately, and without calling in sick.

Funding, Factories, and the Future

BotBuilt has raised $12.4 million in seed funding from an impressive list of investors, including Y Combinator, Ambassador Supply, Owens Corning, and Shadow Ventures. With that capital, they’ve already opened two factory operations in North Carolina and are expanding their workforce. The team is still small—fewer than 20 full-time employees—but the impact they’re targeting is massive.

Their technology is built to scale. The team envisions a future where BotBuilt-powered micro-factories could exist across the U.S., serving regional markets with customized, just-in-time framing systems. They’re also in early conversations with international partners, including groups in Japan, where space and labor are even more constrained.

Perhaps most important is the promise of cost savings. Traditional framing can cost $4 to $10 per square foot and take weeks—delayed by weather, inspections, or labor shortages. BotBuilt’s system? Roughly $1 per robot-hour and immune to most of the challenges that plague traditional jobsites.

A Solution for Offsite’s Growing Pains

The offsite construction industry has spent years trying to solve its identity crisis: how to balance the scalability of manufacturing with the flexibility that developers and homeowners demand. BotBuilt might just have found a third way—combining the predictability of automation with the adaptability of software-driven design.

Joel Bell, Director

What they’re offering isn’t just a new tool; it’s a whole new framing philosophy. One that turns traditional bottlenecks into programmable tasks. One that removes friction between design and production. And one that gives offsite construction a chance to scale at a pace that meets today’s housing needs—without sacrificing quality or affordability.

As the company continues to grow, the founders say their goal isn’t to replace framers—it’s to empower builders. In a labor market where fewer young workers are entering the trades, BotBuilt’s robots don’t compete with people. They complement them, doing the hard, repetitive work so that human crews can focus on installation, coordination, and quality control.

Our Thoughts

Offsite Innovators will be keeping a close eye on BotBuilt as they continue to scale operations and refine their systems. In an industry often slow to adopt radical change, BotBuilt is a rare example of what happens when vision, technology, and construction experience collide.

If their current trajectory holds, we may one day look back on this small team in Durham as the ones who didn’t just build a robot—but built the future of offsite housing.

“Don’t Hire a Dog, Then Bark Yourself”: Let Your Advisors Do the Barking

There’s an old saying in advertising that goes, “Don’t hire a dog, then bark yourself.” It’s one of those deceptively simple lines that packs more wisdom than a 400-page business strategy manual. Credited to Donald Ogilvy—often called the Father of Advertising—it’s also the perfect message for companies who hire outside help, then proceed to ignore everything they’re told. If that’s your game plan, save your money. Or better yet, send it to us. We’ll bark at the moon for you.

At Offsite Innovators, we’ve spent decades barking on behalf of offsite construction companies—big and small, new and old, confident and clueless. We’re not consultants who hand you a report, wish you luck, and vanish like a magician in a puff of dry-erase marker fumes. We’re advisors. There’s a difference. Consultants often tell you what you already know, dressed up in bullet points and PowerPoint. Advisors roll up their sleeves, tell you what you don’t want to hear, and then help you actually do something about it.

But—and here’s the serious part—you have to let us.

We’ve seen it time and again. A modular startup, flush with VC money and ambition, brings in an advisory team to develop a go-to-market strategy. We spend hours researching, interviewing staff, analyzing competitors, and crafting a smart, lean, practical plan. Then the CEO decides they’ll just do what their cousin in Boise recommended instead. (His cousin owns a landscaping business, but still—“marketing is marketing,” right?) Next thing we know, they’ve got a billboard on a dirt road in Nebraska and no sales pipeline. But hey, at least the billboard’s got a QR code.

Hiring advisors and then second-guessing every step of the plan is like bringing in a plumber and then telling them which wrench to use. If you know how to do it all, why’d you call us in the first place?

When you work with Offsite Innovators, we bark on behalf of your brand. That means telling your story to your best customers—not just your loudest ones. It means helping you make sense of the tech, tools, software, and shifting standards this industry throws at you faster than a nail gun with a hair trigger. We advise because we’ve been there. Factory floors, executive meetings, VC pitches, crisis turnarounds—we’ve barked through it all.

And here’s the funny thing: when companies let us do our job, they often realize we’re not just barking—we’re pointing. Pointing at opportunity, pointing at risk, pointing at areas you’ve overlooked because you’ve been too busy keeping the lights on and the modules moving.

But you’ve got to trust the dog.

That doesn’t mean blind obedience. It means collaboration. Respect. Letting experience have a seat at the table instead of a spot under it. Because the truth is, we want you to succeed more than your investors do. They’re watching the numbers. We’re watching the road.

So, next time you bring on an advisory team—whether it’s for marketing, strategy, operations, or leadership—don’t leash them to a corner and hope things improve. Let them bark. Let them growl. Let them do what you hired them to do.

Because when you hire the right dog, you don’t need to bark.

You just need to listen.

Gary Fleisher and Bill Murray of Offsite Innovators have decades of combined experience in offsite construction, modular housing, and factory operations. They’ve helped dozens of companies make better decisions—and avoided barking up the wrong trees.

East Vancouver’s Innovative Bold Tiny Home Vision Blends Affordability with Community

In a quiet corner of East Vancouver, something big is happening—on a tiny scale. A project from local developer Urban Homestead has set its sights on transforming the way cities think about density, affordability, and dignity in housing. At the heart of this initiative is a collection of charming, modern tiny homes built not just to house people, but to reimagine what “home” looks like in the face of rising costs and land scarcity.

Where others see limitations, this project sees opportunity: 17 detached cottages, each under 700 square feet, nestled together in a thoughtfully designed community on a single parcel of land. But this isn’t a dorm-style compromise. These homes offer privacy, comfort, and style—proving that smaller footprints don’t require smaller dreams.

“We want to break the idea that higher density means lower quality,” said Ben Baird, the project’s developer. “This isn’t about squeezing people into boxes—it’s about giving them beautiful, attainable homes in thriving neighborhoods.”

What makes this project truly innovative is its zoning backstory. The homes are being built on a single lot under a unique “co-housing” designation. Rather than pursuing traditional subdivision permits, which can be cost-prohibitive and politically fraught, Urban Homestead worked within city codes to use a condominium-style legal structure—treating each home as a separate unit with shared common space. The result? Efficient land use with a human-centered design.

Derek Huegel

“People often say, ‘I want to live in a neighborhood, not a project,’” said Derek Huegel, co-founder of Urban Homestead. “That’s exactly what we’re creating—a place that feels like home, not compromise. It’s the kind of housing that builds community from the ground up.”

Buyers, expected to be a mix of singles, couples, and downsizers, can purchase these homes for around $300,000—well below the average price for new construction in the area. And with a communal green space and walkability to local amenities, it’s the kind of living that could appeal not just to those seeking affordability, but to those seeking connection.

If this pilot proves successful, East Vancouver may find itself a national model for how zoning, design, and mission-driven development can align to create affordable housing without sacrificing charm or community spirit.

Credit: Original reporting by Calley Hair for The Columbian, June 9, 2025.
Read the full article

Yesterday’s Logic Can’t Solve Today’s Housing Crisis

In the words of Peter Drucker, “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence—it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” Never has that statement rung more true than in the current crisis gripping housing markets across North America. We are living in a time of turbulence: high interest rates, construction labor shortages, bureaucratic delays, NIMBY resistance, and rising material costs. Yet the industry’s response—more of the same—shows a stubborn reliance on outdated systems and thinking that continue to fail us.

Affordable housing isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s become an emergency. Cities, developers, and governments agree that something must be done, yet many still try to solve the problem with the same stick-built timelines, zoning restrictions, and approval processes that helped create the crisis in the first place. The result? More reports, more meetings, and more time lost. Meanwhile, working families are being priced out, young professionals are stuck in rental limbo, and entire generations have given up hope of owning a home.

Offsite construction should be the logical answer. Faster, leaner, and more efficient, modular and panelized building methods have already proven they can deliver homes in half the time with fewer on-site delays. But entrenched thinking—yesterday’s logic—keeps this solution on the fringe. City planning offices still don’t know how to permit modular builds without confusion. Financing institutions struggle to understand how to underwrite factories instead of foundations. And builders themselves often hesitate to break from the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset, even as their backlogs grow and their profits shrink.

Here’s the hard truth: sticking with yesterday’s logic is not only slowing down innovation, it’s costing us lives and livelihoods. Homelessness is rising, housing starts are down, and the industry’s skilled labor force is aging out faster than we can replace them. What worked in 1995 doesn’t work in 2025. Drucker’s warning wasn’t about change being dangerous—it was about failing to change when the world demands it.

So what’s next? Embracing today’s logic means training tomorrow’s workforce in factories instead of on scaffolding. It means designing homes for precision manufacturing, not field improvisation. It means aligning public policy with industrialized construction methods, allowing offsite factories to compete on a level playing field. And most of all, it means leaders at every level—from city halls to construction firms—need to stop romanticizing traditional building and start thinking like innovators.

The turbulence is here, and it’s not going away anytime soon. But as Drucker reminds us, turbulence alone doesn’t sink a ship—refusing to change course does.

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Floating Futures: Rotterdam’s Bold Leap into Waterborne Living

In the heart of Rotterdam, a transformative vision is taking shape—one that reimagines urban living by embracing the city’s most abundant resource: water. Danish maritime architecture firm MAST, in collaboration with local contractor BIK bouw, has unveiled plans for Europe’s largest floating housing development in the Spoorweghaven district. This ambitious project aims to convert a disused dock into a vibrant, modular neighborhood featuring over 100 prefabricated apartments, green public spaces, commercial zones, and recreational harbors.

The Netherlands faces a pressing housing crisis, with a need for one million new homes over the next decade. However, limited available land has prompted innovative solutions. MAST’s floating community addresses this challenge by utilizing underused harbor spaces, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional land-based development. The design not only provides much-needed housing but also preserves Rotterdam’s maritime heritage by integrating seamlessly with the existing harbor landscape.

Central to the project’s sustainability is the use of prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) modules, constructed off-site and floated into position. This method minimizes construction noise, traffic, and material waste, while allowing for flexibility and adaptability in response to changing urban needs. Additionally, the incorporation of over 900 square meters of floating reedbeds, in partnership with Biomatrix, enhances water quality and biodiversity, contributing to a healthier urban ecosystem.

MAST’s vision for the Spoorweghaven district exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to urban development, where architecture harmonizes with the environment. By embracing water as a living part of the city, this floating neighborhood sets a precedent for resilient, adaptable, and sustainable urban living in the face of climate change and urbanization pressures.

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