Champion Homes is strengthening its commitment to affordable, sustainable housing in North America with a new arrangement with iUnit Communities to build attainable and environmentally responsible homes in Accomack County, Va.
This arrangement with prefab home builder and developer iUnit Communities leverages an Innovation Grant from Virginia Housing. Two modular cottages called the Innovation Cottages will be built at Champion Homes’s Liverpool, Pa., factory as a part of the initiative.
iUnit Communities Founder Brice Leconte, a recognized leader in the factory-built construction industry, has established long-standing relationships with organizations focused on energy efficiency. Working with Champion Homes, iUnit Communities developed a 380-square-foot modular studio apartment that has been used as a prototype for joint research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dozens of renewable energy-focused organizations have toured the prototype apartment.
“Champion Homes has worked with Brice for over a decade, and we are confident that his leadership will significantly impact the Virginia housing market and set new standards for sustainable living," said Champion Homes President and CEO Mark Yost. "Our collaboration on this offsite construction project truly embodies our commitment to 'A Smarter Way to Build®.'"
The effort began when iUnit Communities partnered with Accomack County officials to submit a grant proposal for the Innovation Cottages, highlighting the importance of local collaboration in advancing housing innovation.
iUnit Communities and Champion put together a winning combination of viable systems to meet the rigorous energy efficiency standards for the homes.
An essential part of the project is GAF Energy’s award-winning solar shingle roofing system, Timberline Solar™. The Timberline Solar™ Energy Shingle, the world's first nailable solar shingle, boasts an industry-defying depth of less than a quarter inch, making it the optimal solar product for manufactured and modular homes due to its minimal load, lift withstanding, and travel capabilities. In addition to traditional installation on site-built construction or during roof replacement on existing homes, Timberline Solar™ can be seamlessly integrated into modular homes during offsite construction in the factory and safely shipped to the building site.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom cottages will also feature Insul-Stud®, a new energy efficient building material by Moment Innovations, LLC, a Virginia-based component manufacturer. The makers of Insul-Stud® claim that it is engineered to eliminate thermal bridging and uses one-third less lumber than a traditional 2x6 stud.
“iUnit’s collaboration with Champion Homes and Virginia Housing marks a new chapter in the development of sustainable, offsite-constructed homes in Virginia,” Leconte said. “These homes will serve as a model for future developments, demonstrating that energy-efficient, affordable housing is not just a goal but a reality within reach.”
