Will Milwaukee Become the Next Prefab Manufacturing Hub?

The City of Milwaukee announced earlier this week that they intend to issue a Request for Proposal in September 2021 to form a public-private partnership with the goal of bringing manufacturing facilities to Century City Business Park that are dedicated to creating the structural elements or modules of highly energy-efficient homes. Examples include prefabricated walls and foundations that meet Passive House U.S. (PHIUS) or the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards.

In a Request for Information (RFI), the city stated that they hope to identify interest among experienced off-site construction firms and to inform the contents of a form Request for Proposals.

The RFI notes that this plan is about more than just bringing a single factory into the area. “This is a long-term partnership aimed at social and climate transformation, creating an example for other cities nationwide,” the city wrote in the RFI. It is part of the larger vision of a Milwaukee that creates equity through high-quality, green jobs while also spurring neighborhood revitalization and economic development.

Interested parties should check out the RFI and contact the city’s Director of Sustainability, Erick Shambarger, at [email protected] or (414) 708-9187.