In downtown Fort Wayne, a single-family home is under construction on a city lot, but the bustling activity at the jobsite is only part of the story for this build. It is a first-of-its-kind construction milestone that has been driven by off-site automation and fabrication.
The project, led by Fort Wayne-based Rival Holdings in partnership with UK construction technology company AUAR, is the first U.S. residential build using AUAR’s robotic MicroFactory system. Unlike traditional construction, which entails on-site framing, the system produces precision-cut wall components that are then assembled by local construction crews at the jobsite.
What is truly building from this project is momentum behind a hybrid construction model that blends automated fabrication with conventional building processes. It is a solution to strengthen production in an industry that has long grappled with labor shortages, rising costs and a growing housing demand.
For Rival, the project is both a problem-solver and an exciting step into the future.
“At Rival, we invest in innovations that have the potential to transform how the built environment operates,” said Jerod Hevel, the company’s Vice President of Innovation and Strategy. “What attracted us to AUAR wasn’t simply the technology itself. It was the opportunity to address real challenges facing the housing industry. Being the first project in the United States to deploy this technology demonstrates how innovation can support builders while creating new housing opportunities in cities like Fort Wayne.”
Amos Lengacher, Founder of A&L Builders, the general contractor for the project, said that residential building, especially in the region, has been refined over many years, and contractors have become incredibly efficient at conventional framing. However, he noted, Rival’s bold move in introducing robotic construction was a way to innovate in the industry while addressing obstacles, especially workforce shortages.
“Finding skilled framers today is incredibly difficult. Those individuals already have jobs, and much of that expertise comes from years of on-the-job training,” said Lengacher. “With robotic construction, the BIM model is created first, and the robot builds exactly what's been designed. That shifts much of the expertise into the planning phase. Instead of relying entirely on highly experienced field carpenters, you're able to hire people who can follow detailed instructions during assembly.”
Building the System First
Long before construction crews drove a nail into lumber, the Fort Wayne project required an extended period of preparation that blended infrastructure upgrades, software integration and workforce training.
Robotic systems were installed inside a dedicated facility, adapting them to U.S. construction standards and rethinking how digital models translate into physical components.
“We had to do validation or simulations on even just how the technology was going to interface with our homebuilding style and type,” said Hevel. “AUAR had to make some major enhancements to the system to work with U.S. lumber, which is a pretty big task.”
The setup process also required physical modifications to the facility itself, including electrical work and structural reinforcement to support industrial robotic equipment.
“We had to get electrical run for them. We also had to pour a new concrete base to be able to support the robot,” said Troy Tiernon, Construction Manager at Rival Holdings. “We worked in tandem with AUAR. They would provide the specs, and then we would take all of their specs, go to the contractors and get everything implemented before they came over for commissioning.”
Before the system was ever used on a live residential project, the team also built and tested an accessory dwelling unit inside the facility, using it as a training and validation tool for contractors and tradespeople.
From Plans to Production
At the heart of the MicroFactory system is a digital workflow responsible for converting architectural drawings into production instructions for fabrication. Once the floor plan is finalized, it is processed through AUAR’s software platform, which breaks, or “blockifies,” the design into modular components optimized for manufacturing.
“The robot makes all the blocks, and then we manually put together the blocks into panels,” said Tiernon. “We try to optimize a standard block, four feet by nine feet, because that helps with robot time. Then we have more unique blocks around doors, windows and corners.”
Tiernon said the components are produced in the facility, then assembled into wall panels before being transported to the jobsite, where construction crews complete the installation. The result is a project that is equally dependent on automation and skilled labor. The robotic system produces the components, while people operate the equipment, manage the workflows and assemble the structure in the field.
Tiernon said the addition of AUAR’s MicroFactory is a major boost in efficiency.
“An operator still needs to run the robot. You have to be trained on it. Then, while we are cutting and panelizing, there are other jobs that still need to be done,” he said. “So, we are supplementing or supporting the framers out in the field. We’re trying to let them do more with less. If they can normally build two or three houses in a week, we want to be able to get them to the ability to build five houses in a week. If we do the work here in the warehouse, then that means the framer will be faster on site and be able to build more houses.”
Even with the learning curve needed to fully understand the operation of AUAR’s MicroFactory system, crews began construction on the Fort Wayne home in March, and completion is expected in August.
Efficiency and Cost Control
Project leaders say the value of the system will be measured not only in speed but in material efficiency as well.
Hevel pointed to precision manufacturing as a key factor in reducing waste and improving predictability.
“The primary cost advantage will be related to precision on the materials side,” he said. “And then there are also other inherent benefits of gaining speed and reducing the logistics factor going to the jobsite.”
More consistent outcomes in residential construction are also an advantage, as field conditions can affect both efficiency and material usage.
Emerging Role of Construction Technology
The leaders of Rival see the Fort Wayne build as part of a broader shift in how construction and manufacturing blend in the Midwest. Hevel said the company has engaged with Midwest builders and manufacturers about industrialized construction and robotics adoption.
“Many of us are going to have to adopt a cutting-edge, front-end-of-the-spear mindset in order to get the larger-scale outcomes we expect,” he said. “We believe there will be a rise of robotics on the jobsite, and we want to be part of it for the good of our entity but also because we believe it can be a significant economic driver for the state of Indiana and the Midwest region.”
Lengacher said the pilot build in downtown Fort Wayne gave everyone involved an opportunity to learn, refine the process and improve future applications.
“I believe there’s a significant opportunity for this technology to continue growing as efficiencies improve,” he said.
Tiernon noted these earliest uses of robotics in the construction industry are an indication that more transformation in how builds go up is on the horizon.
“We see robotics as the future on the job site, and we are trying to embrace that. It is definitely evolving at a rapid pace,” he said. “This is the first iteration of what the future holds. We are excited for what is to come.”
CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS
Owner: Rival Holdings
General Contractor: A&L Builders
Construction Technology Provider: AUAR
Architect: M Squared Architecture LLC
Architect: West 8th Design LLC
Building Materials Supplier: Orgain Building Supply
Building Materials Manufacturer: Huber Engineered Woods
Building Component Manufacturer: Trusco
