ZCAP + Timber [Zero Carbon Advanced Prefabrication Lab +Timber]

Zero Carbon Advanced Prefab Lab + Timber's mission is to contribute to the body of knowledge in the prefab/industrialized construction industry while reducing carbon emissions. ZCAP FabLab+Timber, using zero-carbon forest products and in close relationships with the industry, provides advanced prefabrication cost-effective solutions for affordable housing. We prototype, validate, and scale our solutions to make them ready to deploy.

Housing for Low-income Families

Architecture and engineering for design efficiency, reuse

Offsite construction and prefabrication, digital fabrication, sustainable supply-chain

Circular wood product industry for attainable housing

Sustainable resources: Utilization of underutilized wood, reclaimed lumber, harvesting from wildfire mitigation and private lands

Workforce development, trainings and outreach

People

Faculty: 

  • Arezou Sadoughi, PhD. 
  • Mitch Parry, Ph.D. 
  • Rahman Tashakkori, Ph.D.
  • Sirijeet Holder, Ph.D.
  • Benjamin Sanchez Andrade, Ph.D.

Graduate students:

  • Alex Gray - Alum
  • Maclean Frazer  - Alum 
  • Anthony Bird
  • Phillip Davis
  • Mike Akers
  • Noah Drake Muniz

Projects

External Projects

  • Optimization of Hybrid Mass Timber Structures for Carbon-Positive Affordable Housing

Generously funded by: Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture

Internal Projects

  • Carbon Assessment of a Hybrid Mass Timber Structure for Volumetric Modular Construction Funded by Appalachian Energy Center and University Research Council 
  • TRADEM - Using Generative Design Techniques for Deconstruction of Modular Prefab Structures. Two GRAM Awards 2021 and 2023 

Generously funded by: App State Office of Research, Appalachian Energy Center, Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies

Publications

  • Sadoughi, A. et al. 2023. Autonomous Building Design for Manufacturer and Assembly: A review. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. ASCE [under publication].
  • Gray, A. and Sadoughi. A. 2023. Mass Timber: A Review of Typologies and Environmental Benefits. In the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference (pp. 53-63). Springer, Singapore.
  • Ahrentzen, S.  … and Sadoughi, A.  2022. Shaping a Healthier LIHTC Housing Stock: Examining the Role of States’ Qualified Allocation Plans, Housing Policy Debate, DOI: 10.1080/10511482.2022.2086896
  • Sloditskie and Sadoughi, A., 2022. Dematerialization in Housing Industry: Modular Wood-Frame vs Conventional Wood-frame Structure for Multi-family Housing. CRC Conference Proceeding.
  • Sadoughi, A., and Raza. M.F., 2020. Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program: A Solution to the Crisis of Affordable Housing and Modular Construction? RBDCC Conference Proceeding.
  • Sadoughi, A. et al. 2020, The Role of Architects in Design-Manufacturing-Build of Building Industry: A Case Study.” CRC Conference Proceeding.
  • Sadoughi, A. et al. 2020, Incorporation of Indoor Air Quality in Multi-Family Affordable Housing: A Case Study.” CRC Conference Proceeding.
  • Ahrentzen, S. Sadoughi, A. et al, 2018, Creating healthy affordable housing by design, construction and policy: States' innovative strategies in advancing the Low-Income Housing Tax Program (LIHTC). American Public Health Association APHA 2018
  • Sadoughi, A., et al, 2018, Exploring the Benefits of Integrated Design to Build Green Affordable Housing:  A Review, CRC conference presentation, New Orleans, LA        

Sponsors

  • Appalachian Energy Center
  • Office of Research
  • Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies
  • Forest Services, US Department of Agriculture

Collaborators

  • Clemson University
  • ADL Ventures
  • Agorus
  • MassTiMod
  • Urban Machine