Purdue Northwest Lands Grant for Housing Research

Students will serve as research assistants for a project using automation to make new home construction more affordable.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Financial Aid

Purdue Northwest Lands Grant for Housing Research

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Do you believe robotics and AI will help solve the national shortage of affordable housing?

Purdue University Northwest has received a $718,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to study affordable housing construction. Students will participate as research assistants in the project, which evaluates the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in building homes.

Why it matters

This research project aims to determine whether automation can lower construction costs and increase the speed of housing development. By analyzing real-world labor and material efficiency, the team hopes to provide data-backed insights on the potential for more affordable housing solutions.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a $718,000 grant as part of a $3.19 million total funding package for the SCALE-HOME project. Students are involved as research assistants, with the project evaluating technologies from Lightspeed Build Technologies.

The players

Purdue University Northwest

A regional university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs and serves as a research site for the SCALE-HOME project.

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

A federal agency that provides grants and policies intended to increase access to affordable housing and community development.

Afshin Zahraee

The principal investigator and evaluation director for the SCALE-HOME project at Purdue University Northwest.

Suryeon Kim

The co-principal investigator who works with university researchers to assess housing construction automation.

Lightspeed Build Technologies

A technology partner providing the construction automation systems being evaluated for labor and cost impacts.

The details

Researchers are deploying construction automation technologies from Lightspeed Build Technologies into active, ongoing housing construction sites. The team measures labor savings, material efficiency, and overall schedule performance to see if AI and robotics offer a scalable path to affordability. Principal investigator Afshin Zahraee and co-principal investigator Suryeon Kim lead the study, which coordinates input from academics, housing developers, and other regional stakeholders.

Purdue University Northwest announced the grant award on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Education Landscape

This project aligns with a broader push in higher education to integrate students into applied research that addresses critical national challenges like housing supply. It reflects a growing federal priority to use university-led testing to validate new construction methods against rising infrastructure costs.

Students at Purdue University Northwest may have the chance to gain hands-on experience in construction automation as research assistants. Those interested in research roles should reach out to the university's engineering or construction management department to inquire about participation.

The takeaway

Innovation in construction automation may eventually lead to more affordable homes, but the technology is currently in the testing phase. Students interested in housing policy or construction tech should keep an eye on project outcomes to understand how new labor-saving tools are adopted.