The Big Green House

A Showcase of Innovation, Collaboration, and the Future of Construction

by Christine Wagner

The Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) returned to Washington, D.C. this past September (2025) with its iconic “Big Green House,” once again serving as a Showcase Co-Sponsor and Exhibitor for the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s (HUD) Innovative Housing Showcase (IHS). This year’s exhibit, a two-story 3,000 square-foot duplex (1,500 square feet per unit), was framed in only 10 hours, demonstrating in real time the efficiency, scalability, and quality of offsite manufactured components in one of the most visible public settings in the country.

The 2025 event marked SBCA’s fourth consecutive year participating in IHS, which draws policymakers, housing advocates, building professionals, and members of the public to explore solutions to the nation’s housing crisis. More than 2,000 people toured SBCA’s duplex during the multi-day event, including HUD Secretary Scott Turner, HUD Deputy Secretary Andrew Hughes, HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research John Gibbs, and many other HUD staff. Several members of Congress, along with congressional staff and policy advisors, also toured the home, underscoring the growing recognition on Capitol Hill that structural building components are central to any national strategy for affordable housing.

“The housing crisis requires solutions that are available today, not years from now,” says Jess Lohse, SBCA Executive Director. “Structural building components are already scaled across the country, providing accessible, affordable, and efficient building methods that can be manufactured and deployed immediately to expand housing availability.”

Collaboration and Industry Partnership

This year’s duplex would not have been possible without the support of SBCA members and industry partners. 84 Lumber returned for the second year in a row as the lead sponsor, generously providing all of the structural framing, windows and doors, as well as the framing labor. Their team worked hand-in-hand with SBCA to bring the “Big Green House” to life.

In addition, all the design work for the duplex was provided by Apex, BeLit, and True Design Studios. Simpson Strong-Tie provided the structural connectors in the home, Huber Engineered Wood provided the floor and exterior sheathing, and MiTek provided all the marketing materials used inside the house to tell the industry’s story. 

The result was more than just a building. It was a coordinated, collaborative effort by leading companies across the component manufacturing supply chain to demonstrate what is possible when building with components. “This project is proof that collaboration, paired with proven component technology, can change the way America builds,” says Jess. “Components are not a future idea; they are a present-day solution to one of the most pressing challenges of our time.”

Leadership on Display

SBCA’s role as an IHS Co-Sponsor carried additional opportunities to showcase industry leadership. SBCA Executive Director, Jess Lohse, was invited to speak on a high-profile panel entitled Innovative Construction: Materials, Design, & Development. The discussion highlighted the way in which different construction methods can help streamline how homes are built and are shaping the future of the housing industry. Jess emphasized that structural components and the process used with them are what helps drive a scalable solution across the country to where we are addressing the affordability and availability issue the nation faces. This approach emphasizes the importance of aligning the right Product, Process, and Plan—leveraging components, efficient framing techniques, and close collaboration between component manufacturers and framers to deliver scalable solutions. 

During the panel, Jess shared the importance of collaboration in addressing the housing crisis. “Events like the Innovative Housing Showcase give the construction industry an opportunity to come together and share ideas,” says Jess. “We’re talking about an all-of-the-above solution. There isn’t one prevailing idea that’s going to take hold and be the be all end all. It’s everyone working together through experiences like this that we can tackle these problems we’re facing throughout our country.” 

Check out the session here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeGcZizCbYg&t=14100s.

On opening day, HUD hosted the Showcase Kick-off Ceremony, inviting sponsors to address attendees. Molly Butz, SBCA Managing Director, delivered remarks on behalf of SBCA, explaining how structural building components provide available, accessible, and affordable solutions that are already scalable nationwide. She emphasized the importance of showing what is possible today, telling the crowd, “As the voice of the structural building components industry, SBCA is proud to demonstrate how trusses and wall panels provide scalable, efficient building methods supporting greater housing availability, accessibility, and affordability.” She also highlighted the value of partnership, saying SBCA was “honored to stand alongside HUD and our fellow co-sponsors to highlight innovation methodologies and technologies that are moving housing forward.”

 Another highlight was an invitation-only dinner with HUD Secretary Scott Turner, other senior HUD leaders, and Showcase sponsors. SBCA was represented by Jess Lohse and NFC Past President and current SBCA Board Member Chris Tatge, who both spoke directly with Secretary Turner about the importance of including “components” in the housing solution vocabulary. The dinner provided a unique platform to strengthen SBCA’s connections at the federal level and ensure that policymakers understand the role of the structural building components and framing industry in addressing the nation’s housing shortage.

Media Spotlight and National Exposure

HUD significantly increased its media outreach around this year’s Showcase, resulting in broad coverage and heightened visibility. Secretary Turner appeared on Fox & Friends to promote the event, bringing national attention to the effort to find housing solutions with SBCA’s “Big Green House” as a backdrop in front of the U.S. Capitol. SBCA benefited from this elevated spotlight, participating in multiple media interviews on the National Mall.

In addition, HUD’s own social media platforms and promotional materials featured SBCA prominently throughout the event. This exposure amplified SBCA’s message to lawmakers, policymakers, and the general public, raising awareness of the industry’s capabilities and leadership in innovation.

“The housing crisis is urgent, but the good news is the solution already exists,” says Chris Tatge, President of Dynamic Construction. “Building with components can accelerate housing production without sacrificing quality, and it is available right now in every community across the country.”

A Lasting Impact

While the Showcase itself lasted only five days, the impact of SBCA’s participation will extend well beyond the National Mall. Once the event concluded, the duplex was disassembled in less than six hours and transported to Staunton, VA. There, Habitat for Humanity will rebuild the structure to create two homes for families in need of housing.

This partnership not only ensures the house will serve a meaningful purpose, but also highlights how offsite construction can accelerate affordable housing efforts. Habitat for Humanity is producing a documentary series that will follow the duplex from its construction at the Showcase to its final use in Virginia. SBCA’s role in that story will further increase awareness of building with structural components as a solution for America’s housing crisis.

Building Momentum

SBCA’s continued presence at HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase demonstrates both commitment and momentum. Each year, the “Big Green House” grows in visibility and impact, attracting attention from policymakers, industry partners, and the general public. The 2025 Showcase underscored that structural building components are not a niche idea, but a proven, scalable, and cost-effective way to build high-quality housing. “Components are the framework of the housing solution,” says Jess. “As policymakers look for ways to close the housing gap, our industry offers a practical model that is already working and already scaled.”

The momentum also extends beyond the National Mall. SBCA’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill are a vital part of advancing the industry’s role in addressing the housing crisis. As the voice of the structural building components industry, SBCA is actively engaged with lawmakers, demonstrating that components are an immediate, scalable solution to the nation’s housing shortage. Executive Director Jess Lohse followed up the Showcase with meetings on Capitol Hill, visiting several congressional offices that were a part of SBCA’s Legislative Fly-In earlier this summer in June. These conversations reinforced that SBCA is here to help, offer solutions, and be a resource for HUD, other agencies, Congress, and policymakers at every level.

These first-hand experiences matter. When lawmakers and their staff walk through a component-framed home, they can see for themselves how quickly and efficiently housing can be built without compromising quality. That tangible experience, paired with SBCA’s ongoing conversations on Capitol Hill, makes the case that components are not just theoretical. They are practical, available, and already improving housing outcomes across the country.

Looking Ahead

SBCA’s “Big Green House” is more than an exhibit. It is a symbol of what the component manufacturing industry can achieve when it works together and shares its story. For SBCA, the 2025 Innovative Housing Showcase was an opportunity not just to demonstrate efficiency and technology, but to lead.

The relationships built, the exposure gained, and the message delivered on the National Mall this year will resonate long after the duplex finds its permanent home in Virginia. SBCA will continue to advocate, educate, and demonstrate that components are not simply part of the housing solution, they are the foundation of it. They are the best way to frame. 

Check out all the coverage and information on SBCA’s “Big Green House” at: www.sbcacomponents.com/his.

The “Big Green House” at a Glance

• 3,000 square feet
      Two-story duplex (1,500 sq. ft. per unit)
• Framed in 10 hours
      Time to frame the entire structure on the National Mall
• 2,000+ visitors
      Walked through the home during the Showcase
• 6 hours for disassembly
      Time to disassemble the duplex after the event
• 4th consecutive year
      SBCA has exhibited at HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase since 2022
• High-profile visitors
      HUD Secretary Scott Turner, HUD Deputy Secretary Andrew Hughes, and other federal officials toured the home
• Industry partnerships
      84 Lumber, Apex, BeLit, True Design Studios, Simpson Strong-Tie, Huber Engineered Wood, MiTek
• A second life
      The 3,000 square foot duplex will be rebuilt in Staunton, VA, by Habitat for Humanity to house two families in need