Champion Homes Partners with iUnit Communities to build “sustainable, affordable housing” in Accomack County

Pictured: a modular home constructed by Champion Homes, courtesy of their website.

Champion Homes is partnering with iUnit Communities to build what the companies call “affordable, environmentally responsible housing” in Accomack County, Virginia. The collaboration is supported by a Virginia Housing Innovation Grant and will involve the construction of two modular homes, called the Innovation Cottages, at Champion Homes’ factory in Liverpool, Pennsylvania.

Accomack County Administrator Mike Mason confirmed the county received state funding to build two model homes in the Parksley area as part of this initiative.

The Innovation Cottages will be built using cutting-edge energy-efficient technology, including GAF Energy’s award-winning Timberline Solar™ roofing system, which integrates solar shingles into the modular home’s roof during factory construction. The cottages will also feature Insul-Stud®, a new energy-efficient building material designed to reduce thermal bridging and use less lumber than traditional framing methods.

The project builds on years of collaboration between iUnit Communities founder Brice Leconte and Champion Homes. Leconte, an expert in factory-built housing, previously developed a 380-square-foot modular studio apartment prototype that has been studied for its energy efficiency at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

“Champion Homes has worked with Brice for over a decade, and we are confident that his leadership will significantly impact the Virginia housing market and set new standards for sustainable living,” said Mark Yost, President and CEO of Champion Homes.

iUnit Communities and Champion Homes combined innovative building systems to meet the rigorous energy efficiency standards required for the Innovation Cottages. According to Leconte, the project marks a key step in demonstrating that sustainable, affordable housing is both attainable and scalable.

The two three-bedroom, two-bathroom cottages will serve as models for future housing projects in the region, showcasing the potential for modular homes to meet both energy efficiency and affordability goals.