If you ask the leadership team at Unbrick, a sustainable housing design and engineering company with roots in the Netherlands, about housing innovation in the U.S. they will say that it is not where it should be. Adhering to the confines of existing building codes are limiting the potential of more affordable and sustainable housing solutions. Industrialized construction processes can reduce build costs and time and help mitigate the production limitations of our aging and shrinking construction labor force.
Unbrick believes that their three decades of global experience in design for manufacturing and assembly can contribute to a new way of building in the U.S. More affordable homes, designed for middle income earners, are designed for sustainability. It starts with a business model that leverages local supply chains, natural resources, design and technology, and the appropriate equipment to optimize the manufacturing process. Eric Balderas, Managing Partner of Unbrick USA, shared, “We are design engineers first and we have a background in that for three decades. We design for manufacturing and assembly and have seen that business model thrive in other countries who are ultimately 15-20 years ahead of the United States.”
Units are first designed in a digital space to ensure that plans can be tested, replicated, and standardized in components. The team then creates a value chain with local suppliers, with a sustainability focus guiding the selection of materials and vendors. For example, homes in the U.S. will be built with mass timber which can be locally sourced in Oregon and Washington. The rest of their components from electrical to bathroom and kitchen all meet specified environmental standards. They arrive produced and ready for assembly in a factory environment – similar to how the automotive industry operates today. The designs can be tailored to the needs of the end user and site environment, including integration of smart home technology and added features such as giant French drains in flood-prone areas. The result is an American product, locally and sustainably designed, that creates homes and industry so that U.S. economies can thrive.
Looking to expand upon their success in the Netherlands, Unbrick has set up their North American headquarters in Oregon. Over the last three years consumers have been living in their approximately 100 homes in the Netherlands in a pocket community or cottage cluster. These homes have been designed over several iterations to optimize for key performance metrics around energy consumption, quality, and durability, which has informed their mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and energy systems. For example, solar panels on homes in the Netherlands help generate 14,000-16,000 kw hours per year, but those who live in them are only consuming on average around 6,000 kw hours per year. This results in energy savings which are contributed back to the grid. Additionally, homes are designed and built with materials and systems that allow for circularity of use. If any part of a home gets damaged due to natural disasters or fire, it can easily be rebuilt or fixed. Based on this learning, they now have a performance prototype they are ready to deploy in the U.S. Frank Paulus, Managing Partner of Unbrick USA, added, “With our use of mass timber materials, energy efficient features, and optimized designs, we are ticking a lot of boxes that could help the planet but also give people a house they can afford with dignity. Our houses are designed like Lego and assembled like Ikea.”
Unbrick will serve multiple target groups with their approach, but their largest audience will be middle-income workers. The company believes that their product and industrialized process produces the product that this target desires at a price they can afford. Balderas and Paulus believe that the younger generation of workers wants a minimalistic home with a flexible floor plan that meets their sustainable values. Balderas stated, “They are not looking for Mom and Dad’s house – they want something that represents them.” Paulus added, “In Holland we don’t have the space to build 3-4,000 square foot homes. Our designs optimize the living space inside and out in a sustainable way that gives back to the Earth.”
Unbrick currently has designs for three differently sized prototypes (900+, 1100, and1500 square feet) that are currently undergoing the permitting approval process for production in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The company anticipates being ready to deliver their first home in Q1 of 2025. “Our goal is to make change in production. In a factory we can complete 300-500 houses a year with a low cost/investment assembly production model. We are also creating jobs by employing 75-100 people in each factory with a goal of 10-12 factories across the Pacific Northwest,” stated Paulus.
In the next three to five years, Unbrick anticipates being able to build 5,000 workforce housing units per year. They acknowledge that their goal is based on partnership and investment and are currently looking for both. “We cannot do this alone,” said Balderas. “We are looking to partner with companies who have the same philosophy to positively impact the industry and create long term industry change.”
If you are interested in learning more about Unbrick, please reach out to Frank Paulus (frankpaulus@unbrickusa.com) or Eric Balderas (ericbalderas@unbrickusa.com).