HUD chooses NIBS as factory-built multifamily housing trailblazer

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support a new initiative aimed at expanding the use of factory-built construction for multifamily housing, according to an NIBS announcement. Factory-built construction involves producing all or part of a building in a controlled setting before transporting and assembling it on site. While these methods can speed up housing delivery and improve consistency and efficiency, multifamily projects still face barriers tied to building codes, financing, insurance and regulatory approval. Over a 12-month period, NIBS and strategic partner MOD X will work with experts from government, industry, building science, engineering, finance and code development to help HUD address those challenges. The effort will focus on creating a clearer pathway for using manufactured housing in developments of five or more homes and on supporting HUD’s planning for future demonstrations of factory-built multifamily housing. The award builds on HUD Office of Policy Development and Research–funded work by NIBS and MOD X, including the “Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Ro...