Six years later, Vance is now Competition Manager for the 2025 Gateway Decathlon in St. Louis, an international design-build collegiate competition highlighting housing innovation. At a moment when residential and commercial buildings account for nearly one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, consuming 40% of the nation’s energy and 75% of its electricity, the building industry is not keeping pace with the demands of a changing climate. The competition highlights Vance’s commitment to rethinking how we design and build in an era of environmental transformation.
During his EI fellowship, Vance will work closely with faculty from the School of Architecture, including Schaeffer Somers and Eric Field, to develop an interdisciplinary research program and course curriculum. This work aims to make smart, energy-efficient, affordable housing accessible to households in Charlottesville that are vulnerable to high energy burdens. By working with architecture and engineering students and collaborating with local government, non-profits, and community stakeholders, the program seeks to design and implement Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—small, independent residential spaces that can be added to existing properties. This effort revives UVA School of Architecture’s strong tradition of community-engaged, design-build programs and supports the Environmental Institute’s community-engaged research initiatives in climate adaptation and mitigation.
As a fellow, Vance will lend his toolkit to ongoing work at UVA. He will advise research and teaching teams, analyze case studies, and present his findings in a lecture series that will culminate in a comprehensive white paper. Additionally, Vance will support faculty in both Architecture and Engineering, serve as a design critic in studio courses, and co-teach a spring seminar with Somers and Field, drawing on his extensive experience in design-build and project management.
Beyond his academic contributions, Vance will play a key role in developing relationships with industry partners and securing external funding opportunities. His efforts will help set up a long-term commitment to the School of Architecture’s design-build-evaluate program for ADUs, ensuring that the University stays at the forefront of innovation in affordable, decarbonized housing.
Somers, who nominated Vance for the fellowship, emphasized the significance of Vance’s appointment: “As an expert in the design, research, and construction of innovative, decarbonized buildings, Bobby will be instrumental in advancing UVA’s network, combining research and education in holistic, hands-on student design experiences.”
Vance is the third practitioner fellow supported by the Environmental Institute through the Grand Challenges initiative and his work advances UVA’s investment in environmental resilience and sustainability.
Learn more about the Practitioner Fellows program at the Environmental Institute.
