Leadership and Collaboration

The Factory OS team is committed to robust, integrated innovation to increase productivity in every aspect of our work – including factory processes, greener and more efficient material use, design and code changes, employee training, and coordination with on-site construction – with the goal of building more housing. Factory OS believes that achieving its goal of transforming the industry will require significant research breakthroughs far beyond those immediately applicable to our own business model.

To help spur the desired innovation, Factory OS is contributing towards the launch of an independent Innovation Lab within UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation. The Innovation Lab will be housed in the penthouse at Factory OS for $1 rent per year.

At this location, the Terner Center will have the space to identify and advance ideas that can modernize the work of industrialized building techniques and the broader operations of this nascent US industry. The Lab will convene architects, engineers, public officials, academics, corporations, developers, and students. Together, they will push the envelope in how off-site construction can be taken to new levels that enable housing to be built more efficiently while providing greater design, environmental, and community benefits. Most importantly, staff will use this knowledge to drive innovation so that quality 'smart' homes’ can be delivered at price points that middle-class families can actually afford.

Carol Galante, the Faculty Director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation will lead this work alongside other industry, civic, and philanthropic partners. In addition to the start-up capital, Factory OS will continue to dedicate a portion of its profits to this work.

All of the research findings and solutions will be publicly accessible to serve the ultimate goal of increasing access to quality housing for all.