Innovation Building Program

Combining software and off-site to reduce material waste

Charlotte Build 1

In 2021, MiTek launched the Innovation Building Program (IBP) to enhance residential construction methods through collaboration with industry partners. This data-based initiative focuses on a Design, Make, Build (DMB) approach, utilizing advanced off-site solutions to discover improved methods that support the overall building industry.

The next IBP started in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2022 with True Homes. The initial project involved a side-by-side comparison of attached three-story single-family homes. The construction was completed later that spring, and the team analyzed the data collected and lessons learned. 

One of the focuses during the Charlotte build, Steve McFall, SFS Design, Senior Director, explained, was for the builder to gain a better understanding of how much excess material they usually ship to a jobsite for a typical on-site build. Knowing and being able to measure on-site material waste is crucial for helping the industry recognize the value of off-site methods.

Fast Facts

  • Charlotte, NC, USA
  • August 2022
  • Partners
  • Builder: True Homes
  • Housing Product: Single-Family
  • 5-Unit Townhome Building (three-story single-family units)
  • Software Used:
  • MiTek® Structure™
  • MiTek® Wrightsoft®
  • Key Takeaways

*Foundation through MEP Rough-In

Knowing and being able to measure on-site material waste is crucial for helping the industry recognize the value of off-site methods.

Steve McFall
Senior Director – SFS Design, MiTek

Brett Jones, Sr. Project Manager – Installed Solutions, led this effort by using a digital model to determine how much material was needed to build the structure. They could then compare that to the builder’s estimated quantities and identify where discrepancies existed between what had historically been sent to the field and what materials were actually needed for construction.

Building on the positive experience from participating in the Innovation Build Program in Charlotte, True Homes is gaining deeper insights into Revit and assessing if it should be their chosen platform moving forward. Benjamin Tabolt, Director of Technical Development, is applying his expertise to help the customer understand and explore these tools.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Web Floor Trusses proved to be both cost- and time-efficient by reducing the amount of floor joist penetrations per unit that MEP trade partners did not have to cut/drill. 
  • Wall panels showed potential for on-site install efficiency gains, however their initial cost can be more than traditional stick-built. 
  • Significant opportunities (i.e., jobsite environment/management, materials management, use of equipment, logistics, trade partner management) were realized during the program builds that reduce costs, reduce cycle times, prevent injuries and theft, and improve trade partner relations. 
  • The completion of an Innovation Build Program helped build a partnership between True Homes and MiTek, while strengthening our learnings, collaboration, and our appreciation for innovation in the industry.

Cycle Time

Open Web Floor Trusses saved both cost and time by reducing 200 floor joist penetrations per unit

Overall labor was reduced by 80 hours by using wall panels

The cycle time savings above apply to this build only. Actual results will vary with each project. Learn more about typical whole home componentization savings results.

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IBP Overview

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