ARCADE
Researchers in the ARCADE (Automation & Robotics in Construction And Design Engineering) Lab at Virginia Tech are involved in collaborative interdisciplinary research between College of Architecture and College of Engineering to develop new solutions for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry. ARCADE Lab is focused on:
Key areas or research in the ARCADE Lab include:
BEST Lab
In the Building Enclosure and Systems Technologies (BEST) Lab a team of faculty and industry partners engages students in any type of systems performance related technologies. Though mechanical, electrical, and lighting systems are also part of different research and exploratory projects, we place a specific focus on building enclosure systems and their interrelated thermal, hygrothermal, and acoustic performance.
BUILD Lab
The Build LAB is a new venture launched by Department of Building Construction and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech. Established in 2013 the goal of the lab is to serve the Virginia Tech community by providing access to physical assets such as tools, materials, and equipment; as well as the not-so-physical aspects of an experimental environment whose purpose is to foster and support innovation of all kinds.
I C - S A F E
Providing national leadership for construction safety, health, and well-being through research, teaching, and engagement.
S W I M
Clean and safe water is critical for human and ecosystem health. Most cities and towns utilize drinking water and wastewater collection systems that were constructed more than 100 years ago. Many of these systems have not received adequate upgrades, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation (U.S. EPA, 2005). Funding for these needs is limited, and a deferred maintenance, out-of-sight, out-of-mind, fix-on-failure problem-solving approach is the industry standard in many regions.
SF&I Lab
We are the Sustainable Facilities & Infrastructure Lab at Virginia Tech - a team of faculty, students, and external partners who work together to invent a sustainable future through innovation in the built environment. Founded in 2006, the SFI Lab operates under the direction of Dr. Annie Pearce, an Associate Professor in the Department of Building Construction and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction.
V C H R
The Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research (VCHR), located in Blacksburg, is the official housing research center for the Commonwealth and is a college center in Virginia Tech's College of Engineering. VCHR has a mission to serve as "an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource on housing for the Commonwealth of Virginia." Accordingly, VCHR provides housing-related research for localities and the Commonwealth, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses.
VT-SIL
Smart Infrastructure Laboratory (VT-SIL) mission is to advance research and education in topics that utilize sensor information to improve the design, monitoring and daily operation of civil and mechanical infrastructure as well as to investigate how humans interact with the built environment. The centerpiece of VT-SIL is the full-scale living laboratory in the 160,000 square foot Goodwin Hall, which is the most instrumented public building in the world for vibration monitoring of both the building structure as well as human activity in the building. In conjunction with the College of Eng
WATER Infrastructure DATABASE (WATERiD)
Agencies are investing enormous resources into asset management programs for their water and wastewater piping systems, including comprehensive asset condition assessments and predictive maintenance programs, which lead to asset renewal prioritization and scheduling. Unfortunately, once assets are scheduled for renewal, the concepts of asset management are then largely ignored. Without a sustainable “holistic” approach of “cradle to grave” sustainable asset management integration and implementation, the true cost-savings of asset management cannot be achieved.
