Dr. Somik Ghosh and Dr. Ben Bigelow, Haskell and Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science faculty members, along with Vivek Patel, a Construction Science alumnus, recently published a paper in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s publication Cityscape. The paper examines the current use of panelized components in homebuilding in the Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Panelization is a type of prefabrication in which certain framing components are built off site and then transported to the site for assembly. This technique has been reported to make homebuilding more efficient and affordable. Panelization might also offer a one strategy to help with the growing labor shortage. Despite these benefits, adoption of panelization in the United States has been relatively limited.
Researchers from the Haskell and Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science conducted ten semi-structured interviews with production homebuilders from the OKC and DFW metropolitan areas in order to better understand the benefits and challenges of panelization.
Although most of the benefits (faster, more consistent, and less waste) and challenges (cost, logistics, and labor issues) found in these interviews were consistent with previous research, new benefits related to warranties and new challenges relating to transportation and delivery were identified. In addition, the study concludes that national and regional production builders differ in their priorities and perceptions of panelization: national builders are trying to increase their use of panelization, whereas regional builders are moving away from it.
Congratulations to Dr. Ghosh, Dr. Bigelow, and Vivek Patel on their publication!
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
