The Atlantic‘s “10 Breakthroughs of the Year” special feature this week showcases applied brilliance. The science and technology advances writer Derek Thompson highlights are “are just the beginning of the long story we call progress.” They live up to their billing as standouts in a year full of stunning strides forward.

The accomplishments span every station of life, from birth to death, and every component, from our cells to the stars. They include a drug that revives the organs of dead animals; an embryo created without sperm or egg; a telescope to see the universe’s first moments; and an AI that conjures award-winning art.”

Image courtesy of Connect Homes
  • Connect Homes uses an assembly line process in its San Bernardino, CA,  facility to efficiently produce high quality prefabricated homes at scale.
  • Connect Homes’ factory is broken into 7 stations, where 1 home moves through 1 station per day.
  • They use a steel frame module so they can design the floor plan to be more efficient with big open spaces, larger slider doors, and floor to ceiling glass windows.
  • Homes arrive at site, 90% complete, with a Level 4 finish – HVAC, fire sprinklers, plumbing, electric, countertops, cabinetry, etc. all pre-installed.

With Leung at the helm, Connect Homes has optimize its supply chain to be as efficient as possible, so that they can produce modules that are 90-100% complete by the time the units are put on the loading truck and installed on site. They also provide pricing visibility for everything except for costs associated with the foundation (as this varies from site to site) which is unlike the typical design and build process.

Connect Homes earned honors this past Spring as an Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability finalist, which TBD notes here.

They talk about shelter as a basic human need, and it is,” says Leung. “But it also meets higher-level human needs when you talk about connecting with family, partners, friends, roommates, ties to nature, having a sense of peace. There’s something so moving when you see clients welling up with tears when they see their home and reflect, ‘this is going to change my life.’ Having that kind of impact, or at least working for it, is like nothing I’ve ever been able to do before now.”

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