Exploring New Ways to Build More Affordable Homes
For several years, we’ve been researching innovative construction methods, building materials, and energy technologies that could help make homeownership and renting more affordable. We know there isn’t a single solution to Lawrence’s housing challenges, but we believe it’s important to explore ideas that could become part of the solution. Today, I’d like to introduce three innovative companies whose construction methods and energy efficiency K-10 Development Group is evaluating as potential options for Beacon Landing.
The first company is Build SMART, a Lawrence-based company that manufactures and provides prefabricated high-performance enclosure and foundation systems for energy efficient buildings. Their prefabrication process makes energy efficiency easy. The company has been in Lawrence since 2015, but most of their business has been in other parts of the country. For the past two years, they have been making a push to build more in their own back yard.
They say that any building that can be built with wood can be a prefabricated Build SMART project. Their goal is to make the framing and dry-in stages of the construction process easier for local contractors by having one supplier for the most critical enclosure systems. Build SMART projects save an enormous amount of time in the framing process, and their buildings provide a higher level of thermal and acoustic comfort than traditional construction, and paired with the right HVAC system, provide superior indoor air quality.
As Connor Treanor, Principal and Owner says: “We are thrilled to be working with K-10 Development Group for deployment of the Build SMART system at scale, right here in Lawrence.”
K-10 Development Group intends to facilitate partnerships between Build SMART and local homebuilders to bring cost-effective and energy efficient homes to Beacon Landing that first-time homeowners and renters can afford to purchase or rent.
Another company we are exploring is Trident Homes, a Topeka-based company that uses large-scale 3D concrete printing to construct the walls of the homes it builds from the home buyer’s choice of its published floor plans.
Rather than reducing costs through lower-quality finishes, Trident’s approach reduces labor while producing durable dual-concrete walls with internal insulation and excellent energy performance. Each home is individually designed and finished, offering modern architecture with the strength and efficiency of advanced construction technology.
According to Chris Stemler, founder of Trident Homes: “Trident Homes is excited to bring reasonably priced, incredibly efficient housing to Kansas and is looking forward to collaborating on this project that will serve the Lawrence area for decades.”
K-10 Development Group is evaluating whether neighborhoods featuring this innovative construction method could become part of Beacon Landing.
Providing quality homes at a lower purchase price is an important step. Providing quality homes that also cost less to operate makes them even more attainable over the long term.
The next company we are exploring to help achieve that goal is EcoSmart Solution, a green energy services provider specializing in scalable, sustainable infrastructure for new residential developments. EcoSmart has developed GeoGrid®, a neighborhood-scale geothermal infrastructure that uses the stable temperature of the earth to heat and cool homes while also providing hot water pre-heating.
Geothermal systems provide inherent operational advantages over traditional air-source heat pumps. With systems expected to last twice as long – there’s greater longevity of the product. With no outdoor equipment exposed to extreme weather, GeoGrid® reduces mechanical wear, doubles typical equipment lifespan, and lowers overall heating and cooling energy demands.
According to Chris Gray, CEO of EcoSmart Solution: “Geothermal is one of the most effective ways to cut a building’s energy use and bills. Through highly efficient operations, GeoGrid® can lower heating and cooling costs: savings that make new homes more affordable to own for years to come.”
As we continue exploring these and other innovative approaches, I want to do more than simply announce the decisions we make. I want to share the journey. As Beacon Landing moves from planning to construction, we’ll share what we’re learning in real time, explain why we make the choices we do, and keep you informed as new opportunities and challenges emerge. The 2026 Lawrence Affordable Housing Study encourages an ongoing dialogue around housing, and I hope this newsletter becomes one small part of that conversation as we build a neighborhood together.
