ROOT DOWN BUILDING COLLECTIVE (RDBC) understands that long-term, sustainable, & equitable housing solutions can only be accomplished through a holistic approach. The problems contributing to our current housing crisis are multifaceted and must be addressed through multiple pathways. In order to create both carbon-negative & equitable homes, we must address the building materials, the construction methodologies, and the policies and codes governing them. We are taking a collective approach, working with a growing team of regional professionals and stakeholders to advance regenerative, bio-regional building materials and methods through continued research, development, pilot projects, and more.

Secondly, we must create new models of construction; by specializing in building workshops and training courses, RDBC will help create training pathways for the next generation of builders, specializing in carbon-negative, climate-smart, healthy materials, and methods. Less than 1% of the total construction workforce is female; by prioritizing under-represented demographics, we will tap into an under-utilized resource and diversify a new workforce. Worker-owned cooperatives and other regenerative models of construction will be centered.

Third, one of the largest underlying factors contributing to the lack of equitable housing, gentrification, the displacement of minority residents, and excessive carbon emissions, is due to city planning, ordinances, policies, and codes. By shifting away from monolithic zoning into diverse forms of zoning, and promoting live/work scenarios and community-style housing, we can solve many problems. Additionally, the IRC (International Residential Building Code) contains many alternative building codes, such as Tiny Homes, Strawbale, Adobe, Hempcrete, and more. But these codes are only useful if your state has adopted them. RDBC will advocate for the adoption of these codes, along with other codes and ordinances which promote equitable, attainable, and affordable housing.

RDBC is a collective of regional professionals and stakeholders, collaboratively developing multiple strategies, including but not limited to: 

• the development of new climate-smart building materials and methods, 

• equitable housing strategies

• workforce development in newly emerging construction industries, 

• diversification of skilled labor in the construction trades, 

• economic development in underserved regions of the south, 

• regenerative agricultural integration with building technology, 

• digital technology integration with building technology, 

• and more.