Advanced manufacturing for affordable building construction
Launched in 2025, the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s fifth Convergent Research Initiative (CRI) is leveraging UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s joint expertise to provide more economical, energy-efficient building solutions.
With construction costs at record highs and a nationwide shortage of over five million affordable homes, this joint UT-ORNL initiative aims to transform the building industry through cutting-edge research in robotics, automation, advanced materials and streamlined construction processes.
UT and ORNL will hire 20 additional joint researchers and 25 graduate students over the next five years, who will partner with others from UT, ORNL, the community and industry to drive innovation, boost productivity and establish Tennessee as a tech hub for building technologies. Through strategically hiring talented junior researchers, holistic and team mentoring, and providing necessary facilities, space, and other resources, the CRI will evolve into a ecosystem for convergent research to accomplish its vision and mission.
CRI Leadership Team
Diana Hun, ORNL Group Leader for Building Envelope Materials Research
Mingzhou Jin, University of Tennessee John D. Tickle Professor, Department Head and ISSE Director
Brian Post, ORNL Group Leader for Manufacturing Systems Design Group
Hairong Qi, University of Tennessee Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Gonzalez Family Professor
