Multifamily, Affordable Housing
Prices Fork Village Apartments: Blacksburg, VA
Blacksburg, Virginia
The Old School at Prices Fork redevelopment in Blacksburg, Virginia, transformed a former elementary school property into a mixed-income residential community. As part of Phase III, 16 new apartments were built using Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) walls and roofs, including eight two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom homes. This affordable housing SIP project was designed to do more than add housing. By creating a highly insulated, airtight building envelope, SIPs help reduce the ongoing energy costs that matter to residents long after construction is complete.
Taylor Hollow Construction built the new apartments using 6 1/2-inch SIP walls and 10 1/2-inch SIP roof panels supplied by ACME. The continuous SIP envelope contributed to the project’s EarthCraft certification and documented annual energy savings of approximately $1,134 to $1,323 per unit compared with conventional construction. Across all 16 apartments, that represents roughly $18,100 to $21,200 in estimated energy savings each year.
The project demonstrates why building performance can be especially important in affordable housing, where lower monthly utility costs can have a meaningful impact on household budgets. The Old School at Prices Fork went on to receive the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference Best Multi-Family Housing Development Award and a Multifamily Honorable Mention in the SIPA Building Excellence Awards.
At a Glance
Project Details
| Location | Blacksburg, Virginia |
| Project Type | Multifamily, Affordable Housing |
| Builder | Taylor Hollow Construction |
| Architect | Taylor Hollow Construction |
| Size | 16 apartments (eight 2-bedroom, eight 3-bedroom) |
| SIP Application | Exterior walls and roof (6 1/2" walls, 10 1/2" roof) |
| Completion | |
| SIP Benefits | Lower ongoing energy costs, continuous insulated building envelope, improved airtightness and energy efficiency, faster enclosure, long-term performance for affordable housing |
Why SIPs, Here
- ✓ A tighter building envelope means less energy used to heat and cool it, winter and summer alike.
- ✓ Panels arrive cut to spec and go up fast, so the home was closed in before the weather turned.
- ✓ Less energy used over the life of the home means less carbon produced, for this family and the next one who lives here.
Ready to talk through your project?
If you're planning a build and want to know what a SIP home will actually feel like for your family, in your climate, on your lot, we're glad to walk through it with you.