2025 – Mission Turning Point

Housing insecurity in Rolla, Missouri, is a pressing issue for vulnerable populations who face significant barriers to obtain stable housing. In 2022, the Rolla Mission served 212 individuals through its emergency shelter, but only 116 transitioned to permanent housing. This statistic highlights a critical gap in resources and support. The Missouri S&T campus is directly impacted by this issue, as students see the hardships of those in their own community day after day. This is why we believe it is essential to make supporting the Mission our mission.

Mental and physical health challenges complicate obtaining stable housing for displaced persons. An estimated 80% of patrons at the Rolla Mission report experiencing some form of mental illness, in addition to 39% facing physical health problems that hinder their ability to work and maintain housing. These combined health issues place additional strain on our local shelter, which often lacks the resources to provide adequate care. The absence of proper mental and physical health support leaves many without the tools they need to regain stability and achieve independence.

Moreover, shelter limitations force many individuals to leave prematurely. 30% of those seeking refuge cannot stay due to challenges such as the inability to accommodate children overnight and the lack of privacy for individuals who feel unsafe in shared spaces. These barriers further highlight the urgent need for housing solutions that offer safety, privacy, and inclusiveness for all.

Inspired by Mid-Century Modern architecture, the two-bedroom, one-bath layout emphasizes open spaces and functional design, with ADA-compliant rooms and anti-ligature features for both safety and style. The exterior facade features reclaimed wood siding and a cast stone veneer for aesthetic appeal and thermal resistance, along with a 30° pitched roof for optimal solar panel exposur

Each unit features a 9Kw solar panel system capable of battery storage as well as supplying energy back to the main grid. Additional engineering systems include a geothermal heat pump, selected for its durability and potential to expand into a district heating system, connecting all units in the community. Finally, we plan on utilizing a tankless water heater to lower water bills and boost savings.

Our modular Exterior Wall (E-Wall) assembly was developed in partnership with BUILD SMART, utilizing factory-assembled exterior wall panels. With the panels pre-manufactured off-site, we have the flexibility to customize key elements such as window, door sizes, and placements to meet specific design needs. This increases constructability by enabling workers to install a weather-resistant, fully enclosed structure in just 5 days, accelerating construction timelines and improving overall efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

Unlike typical design challenge projects, our team is working with a non-profit organization. This creates a critical focus on efficiency and reducing utility costs to align with the Rolla Mission’s budget. Our net-zero solar design nearly eliminates monthly electric bills, providing a solid foundation for the mission. Additionally, the geothermal heat pump reduces energy consumption, freeing up solar energy to power other loads. Occupancy sensors in lighting and receptacle systems further minimizes energy use in unoccupied spaces.

Through our Revolt Battery unit, our house can store produced energy from the PV system as well as feed excess back into the grid. This battery system can take strain off the Rolla Municipal Utility’s grid as well as improve each home’s energy efficiency. For further optimization of the system, a phone can be connected to the Ravolt inverter to observe the power usage of each unit.

Our design reduces embodied carbon in many ways. Using locally sourced reclaimed materials such as wood and PV panels, CO2 emissions are greatly decreased. This is due to less energy needed for production and avoided emissions from harvesting, transportation, and manufacturing. In addition, the prefabricated wall system reduces material use, decreases construction time, and creates a more efficient process. This strategy conserves resources and lowers the overall carbon footprint.

Due to a large number of patrons at the Rolla Mission having some mental or physical illness, health is an imperative part of our design. Our anti-ligature design introduces specialized furniture, doors, fixtures, and appliances that significantly increase the safety of patrons living in the home. Additionally, the home heavily promotes biophilic design, utilizing natural elements to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.

Our team’s focus is developing a design that offers an affordable solution for the needs of the Rolla Mission. We are leveraging rebates and tax incentives to make this project more financially viable and energy efficient. Rolla qualifies as an Energy Community, allowing us to utilize a 40% Investment Tax Credit to offset renewable energy costs. Additionally, the 45L tax credit provides $7,500 per unit for meeting Energy Star and Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards, further enhancing affordability while promoting long-term sustainability.

Community lies at the heart of our team’s design. In developing our project goals, we considered not only the patrons of the Rolla Mission but also the broader community. The current Rolla Mission, situated in the center of downtown Rolla, has limited access to community services and creates understandable stress for individuals who are not accustomed to a homeless population. We have purposely chosen a site which is blighted (unattractive to prospective business) yet is still closer to services necessary to meet patrons’ needs. By selecting this site, we are avoiding negative impact towards future developers while providing an effective solution for patrons to move beyond their current situation.