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Research

Research at MLSoC

Research lies at the heart of the Myers-Lawson School's mission. Our faculty is committed to uncovering answers to industry's most pressing questions and finding solutions to the greatest challenges in the built environment.

A person works with a 3D printer to form parts of a house

The Myers-Lawson School of Construction (MLSoC) pioneers research in the built environment, focusing on technical and managerial aspects of the dynamic construction industry. Our faculty expertise covers diverse specializations, integral to advancing construction knowledge.

Housing unique labs and centers, MLSoC investigates areas from housing research and construction safety to automation, sustainable infrastructure, and smart infrastructure. This multi-disciplinary approach ensures our research continually evolves with the industry, pushing the boundaries of construction technology.

Research Centers

  • Home Item
    Up close view of a 3D printer printing a house.
    Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) , home

    The Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research is the official housing research center for the Commonwealth of Virginia and a college center in Virginia Tech's College of Engineering. VCHR strives to serve as an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource on housing by providing housing-related research for localities and the Commonwealth, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses.

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    Photo of an active construction site.
    Center for Innovation in Construction Safety, Health, and Well-being (IC-SAFE) , redirect

    The Center for Innovation in Construction Safety, Health, and Well-being provides national leadership for construction safety, health, and well-being through research, teaching, and engagement.

Research Labs

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    Researchers work with a modeling tool.
    ARCADE Lab , redirect

    Researchers in the ARCADE (Automation & Robotics in Construction And Design Engineering) Lab at Virginia Tech are involved in collaborative interdisciplinary research between the College of Architecture and College of Engineering to develop new solutions for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry. The Lab's focus includes applied research through industry collaboration, scientific investigations, educational excellence, and technology leadership.

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    A testing lab.
    BEST Lab , redirect

    The Building Enclosure and Systems Technologies (BEST) Lab engages a team of faculty and industry partners in system performance-related technologies. We specifically focus on building enclosure systems and their interrelated thermal, hygrothermal, and acoustic performance.

  • General Item
    Exterior of the Hitt Research and Innovation Lab
    Hitt Research and Innovation Lab

    The Hitt Research and Innovation Lab will be a defining feature of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction's state-of-the-art Hitt Hall. This modern multipurpose facility is set to be an epicenter of construction innovation, fostering an environment where creativity, exploration, and cutting-edge technology meet.

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    Blueprints.
    SF&I Lab , redirect

    The Sustainable Facilities & Infrastructure Lab at Virginia Tech is a collaborative team of faculty, students, and external partners, working towards a sustainable future through innovation in the built environment.

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    Students and their professor set up an array of sensors to digitally map a practice worksite on the Virginia Tech campus.
    Smart Systems Lab , redirect

    The Smart Systems laboratory at Virginia Tech is a research group focused on basic and applied research on the design of decision support systems, Cyberlearning and Educational Technologies with applications to workforce health, safety and technical training, Smart education, Smart buildings, and Cyber-physical construction systems.

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    Students sitting at laptops work in a lab space.
    Virtual Facilities Research Lab

    The goal of the Virtual Facilities Research Lab is to advance construction through dedicated research in the applied use of Building Information Modeling across the facility lifecycle.

MLSoC Research NEWS

  • Article Item
    (From Left) Ashley Shew, Elizabeth McLain, and Kereshmeh Afsari.
    Research team receives grant to launch ‘Just Dis Tech’ project , article

    Virginia Tech researchers plan to launch an education and arts outreach residency program with artists focused on disability justice, as part of a grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation.

    Date: May 18, 2023
  • Video Item
    3D-printing a home in Richmond
    3D-printing a home in Richmond , video

    The Printing for Affordable Concrete Housing and Training (PACT) project out of Myers-Lawson School of Construction in CAUS prototyped and is constructing a 3D-printed concrete home in Richmond. The pilot project will explore the cost savings and efficiencies of using concrete 3D-printing technology to build affordable homes in Virginia and beyond. Researchers are printing the 1,400-square-foot home on site using a massive, modular 3D-printer called COBOD2, a technology pioneered by the Danish that readily adapts to any location and design.

    Date: Jun 29, 2021
  • Video Item
    Using robots to monitor construction progress
    Using robots to monitor construction progress , video

    Faculty and students in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction welcomed industry partner Procon Consulting to campus for the unboxing of the school's new robot from Boston Dynamics. The robot is part of sponsored research to investigate the usability and effectiveness of using robots for on-site construction progress monitoring.

    Date: Nov 18, 2020
  • Article Item
    ECO-Graphio and the winning TreeHAUS Teams at the 2019 SDDC
    MLSOC-led VT student team wins international 2019 Solar Decathlon Design Challenge , article

    Teams competing in the Solar Decathlon Design Challenge develop creative solutions for real-world issues in the building industry

    Date: Apr 16, 2019

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