Coalition for Smart Construction
Advancing research, talent, and innovation toward a better built environment
The Coalition for Smart Construction is a Virginia Tech–led initiative that unites industry, government, educators, and technology providers to close construction's productivity gap — a collaborative platform that accelerates productivity, integrates emerging technologies into practice, develops skilled talent, and aligns capital to scale solutions.
Partner with usAbout the Coalition
Designed by and for partners
Construction is an essential industry that has historically lagged behind others in R&D investment, technology integration, and productivity growth. The Coalition for Smart Construction was created to change that.
The coalition is a Virginia Tech–led initiative advancing research, talent, and innovation toward a smarter, more productive built environment. Its mission is to create a collaborative platform that accelerates productivity, integrates emerging technologies into practice, develops skilled talent, and aligns capital to scale solutions that transform how the industry works.
Operationally, the coalition is a sustaining platform for collaboration that encourages a wide array of project-level participation. Members can rally the community around a project idea of their choosing, join projects led by other members, or fund 1:1 directed sponsored programs — informed by their engagement with the broader community of members and Virginia Tech faculty. Member-driven bylaws support the Coalition's governance and operations.
The Coalition Platform
A virtual, industry-connected ecosystem that brings together companies, researchers, government, educators, students, and technology providers to collaboratively develop research concepts, share expertise, aggregate funding, and drive applied innovation around real industry needs.
The Smart Construction Lab
A state-of-the-art physical research, prototyping, and demonstration environment opening in Spring 2027 in Falls Church, Virginia, connected to Virginia Tech's Blacksburg ecosystem — a proving ground and showcase for construction innovation.
Membership
General
- Digital Commons access for up to 5 employees
- Eligible for Steering Committee membership
- Propose project topics through the Digital Commons for voting & Steering Committee review
- Reporting on state-of-the-art innovation
- Delayed access to coalition internal Programs
Steering
- Develop and fund a research agenda using coalition resources & networks
- Digital Commons access for up to 10 employees
- Automatic seat on the Steering Committee
- Fund cross-disciplinary R&D (with project sponsorship)
- Access to non-proprietary, non-PII data commons & IP licensing (with sponsorship)
- Conduct independent proprietary research with Virginia Tech (with sponsorship)
Foundational
- Help shape the Smart Construction Lab & research agenda, with priority access
- Digital Commons access for all employees
- Automatic seat on the Executive & Steering Committees
- Fund cross-disciplinary research and development
- Access to non-proprietary, non-PII data commons & IP licensing
- Conduct independent proprietary research with Virginia Tech
* Steering Membership requires research funding in addition to the annual membership fee.
Program Areas
Engineering a Productivity Revolution
Integrate AI, robotics, automation, digital twins, and advanced manufacturing into a new generation of project delivery systems that reduce rework and improve predictability.
- The Autonomous Project Manager
- The Zero-Rework Jobsite
- Real-Time Productivity Intelligence
- The Construction Operating System
Putting the Smart in Construction
Transform construction from a data-rich but information-poor industry into one driven by intelligence — systems that learn, predict, adapt, and continuously improve.
- The Construction Foundation Model
- AI Copilots for Every Role
- The Connected Project Digital Twin
- The Intelligent Jobsite Dashboard
Building at the Speed of Need
Compress infrastructure delivery timelines by combining modular construction, advanced manufacturing, intelligent supply chains, and AI-enabled planning.
- The 90-Day Data Center
- The 30-Day Disaster Recovery Facility
- AI-Powered Project Scheduling
- Autonomous Supply Chains
Conducting the Autonomous Jobsite
Create construction sites where people, machines, and intelligent systems operate as a coordinated ecosystem — safely scaling autonomy across the construction lifecycle.
- The Autonomous Jobsite Demonstrator
- The AI Site Conductor
- The Multi-Robot Construction Crew
- The Human-Robot Teaming Lab
From Factory-to-Field Innovation
Bring industrialized production methods into the built environment by connecting factory production, robotic fabrication, digital design, and field deployment.
- The Factory-Built Building Challenge
- The Robotic Fabrication Facility
- The One-Day Structural Assembly
- Next-Gen Modular Building Platform
Powering the AI Economy
Accelerate delivery of next-generation digital infrastructure — data centers, semiconductor and energy facilities — designed specifically for AI-era demand.
- The 12-Month Data Center
- The AI Infrastructure Accelerator
- The Modular Compute Campus
- The Next-Gen Data Center Testbed
Workforce Superpowers
Amplify human capability through AI, robotics, wearables, and immersive technologies — helping every worker become safer, more productive, and more effective.
- The AI Foreman
- The Construction Exoskeleton Initiative
- The Zero-Injury Jobsite
- The Immersive Workforce Academy
Building Strategic Infrastructure Anywhere
Develop the technologies, materials, and deployment models to rapidly deliver infrastructure in remote, contested, and resource-constrained environments.
- The 30-Day Base Camp
- Expeditionary Infrastructure in a Box
- The Rapid Energy Hub
- The Strategic Infrastructure Proving Ground
Reinventing Construction from the Material Up
Accelerate next-generation materials optimized for autonomous construction, resilient infrastructure, circular economies, and advanced manufacturing.
- The Self-Healing Infrastructure Challenge
- Carbon-Storing Concrete
- The Circular Building Demonstrator
- Smart Materials for Living Infrastructure
The Smart Construction Lab
Where research meets the jobsite
The Smart Construction Lab is a state-of-the-art physical research, prototyping, and demonstration environment — connected to Virginia Tech's Blacksburg ecosystem — designed as a proving ground and showcase space for construction innovation.
The Lab provides immersive environments for testing, fabrication, robotics, materials science, advanced manufacturing, workforce training, and industry-driven experimentation, supporting applied research and scalable deployment across a growing range of domains:
- Additive construction & digital fabrication
- Robotics & autonomous systems
- Mass timber & next-generation materials characterization
- Advanced manufacturing & modular prototyping
- Workforce training & immersive demonstration
Leadership with Industry Insight
Managing director Andrew McCoy champions partnership-driven research
With over 30 years in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, Andrew McCoy focuses on helping innovative construction ideas move from concept to practice. He has led millions of dollars in funded projects across areas including additive construction, innovative and emerging technologies, technoeconomic analysis, housing and safety for the construction industry.
Meet Andrew
John Ralston
Associate Director of Business Development,
Virginia Tech
jfr3f@vt.edu
Andrew McCoy
Managing Director, Coalition for Smart Construction
apmccoy@vt.edu
You’re changing the
world. So are we.
Let’s do it together.
The Coalition for Smart Construction is a global destination where industry, academia, and government showcase what’s possible when we work together. For companies, it’s a platform to scale innovation and reduce risk. For faculty, a framework for interdisciplinary impact. For students, a launchpad into high-value careers.
And for the construction industry, this is a path forward.
