Media Appearances
AUG 27, 2024
While
the benefits of connectivity standards in offsite construction appear clear,
the Center for Offsite Construction sees additional challenges to overcome.
They illustrate Configure-to-Order methods as a solution to “the lending
problem,” and lending products that evolve to match the direction of
contemporary construction, among many other projects. (Related blog post.)
JUL 09, 2024
An interview focusing on current work as the Executive Director of NYIT’s Center for Offsite Construction. The converastaion traces Jason’s path first from Habitat for Humanity volunteer leader, then to help firms’ BIM adoption, to now leading an open-standards push that treats modular “plug-and-play” interfaces like a USB for kitchens, baths, and utility pods. The interview outlines the Center’s priorities: drafting an open, industry-governed connectivity standard with ICC alignment, catalyzing lending models that fit offsite manufacturing cashflows, and advancing data-driven research and education through Senior Research Fellows and industry collaboration.
FEB
20, 2024
Podcast
recorded live from the halls of Advancing Prefabrication 2025. The episode explores how prefab
construction innovation is about practical, repeatable open standards that allow
room for creativity and flexibility. Jason shares how a “configured-to-order”
mindset, paired with greater collaboration, is the future of industrialized
construction.
APR 12, 2023
Peace Talks - Community Wealth Development (TV Show)
Burlington | Center for Media and Democracy
Burlington | Center for Media and Democracy
Episode focusing on how an architect is transforming the housing market through careful design and economic research. Show Guest: Jason Van Nest, Architect, Associate Professor at New York Tech, founder of the Center for Offsite Construction, and founder of Logic Building Systems in Brattleboro, VT.
SEPT
14, 2021
Describing Jason’s signature Construction Documents course where students “reverse-engineer” real buildings and, through BIM, move from static representations to an active, lab-like medium that changes their professional mindset. Discussion about mentorship from the late Michelle Bertomen with shifting the course’s pedagogy from rule-giver to guide (i.e. prioritizing empathy, student agency, and love of the discipline) which proved decisive during COVID as Jason flipped lectures to quizzes-in-video, devoted live time to coaching, and saw stronger engagement.
Lectures
DEC 5, 2025
Presenter
Joint Editorial Board for Uniform Real Property Acts (JEBURPA)
Uniform aw Commission
Chicago, IL
Joint Editorial Board for Uniform Real Property Acts (JEBURPA)
Uniform aw Commission
Chicago, IL
Invited to deliver a focused briefing outlining the core arguments of the CfOC’s whitepaper Handshake. The session introduced the Board to the legal bottlenecks created by today’s Engineer-to-Order contract environment and explained why Configure-to-Order product delivery requires a complementary suite of UCC-grounded agreements.
The discussion emphasized how emerging modular interface standards, open marketplaces, and productized building elements create new legal patterns that current real-property frameworks do not yet accommodate.
The discussion emphasized how emerging modular interface standards, open marketplaces, and productized building elements create new legal patterns that current real-property frameworks do not yet accommodate.
NOV 5, 2025
American Institute of Architects (AIA) St. Louis, MO. Invited presenter at the AIA St. Louis “Innovation, Collaboration & Offsite Construction: Gateway South” event, held in partnership with Construct for St. Louis and the Home Builders Institute.
The session brought together national experts in modular and industrialized construction to discuss emerging standards, policy frameworks, and pathways for mainstream adoption.
Presented insights from the Center for Offsite Construction’s ongoing research on Configure-to-Order methodologies and the development of the CfOC–ICC-1220 Modular Interface Standard.
The session brought together national experts in modular and industrialized construction to discuss emerging standards, policy frameworks, and pathways for mainstream adoption.
Presented insights from the Center for Offsite Construction’s ongoing research on Configure-to-Order methodologies and the development of the CfOC–ICC-1220 Modular Interface Standard.
APR 7, 2025
Featured Panelist
World of Modular (MBI)
Las Vegas, NV
World of Modular (MBI)
Las Vegas, NV
Session presenter for “Collaboratively Building the Workforce,” alongside Emily Benson (Bensonwood), Heather Wallace, and Heather Packard (MBI), moderated by Colby Swanson.
The discussion explored strategies for workforce development in industrialized construction, emphasizing education pathways, credentialing frameworks, and the role of Configure-to-Order thinking in training a new generation of modular professionals.
The discussion explored strategies for workforce development in industrialized construction, emphasizing education pathways, credentialing frameworks, and the role of Configure-to-Order thinking in training a new generation of modular professionals.
APR 2, 2025
Delivered a plenary presentation
“Building the Configure-to-Order Marketplace,” at
Advancing PreFab 2025
, the premier national conference on industrialized construction.
Addressed an audience of executives, designers, and builders to present contemporary stids in authoring open standards, modular interface systems, and workforce reform to unlock scalable, pre-fabricated housing solutions.
The session highlighted ongoing research from the Center for Offsite Construction, including the CfOC–ICC-1220 Modular Interface Standard and the collaborative degree accreditation initiative with the Modular Building Institute.
Addressed an audience of executives, designers, and builders to present contemporary stids in authoring open standards, modular interface systems, and workforce reform to unlock scalable, pre-fabricated housing solutions.
The session highlighted ongoing research from the Center for Offsite Construction, including the CfOC–ICC-1220 Modular Interface Standard and the collaborative degree accreditation initiative with the Modular Building Institute.
NOV
10, 2021
Guest Lecturer
Illuminating Engineering Society
Manhattan, NY
Illuminating Engineering Society
Manhattan, NY
“Building Information Modeling Advancements for Lighting Design & Control,” Annual Illuminating Engineering Society 2021 Meeting.
AUG 04, 2020
Guest Lecturer
NYC Revit Users Group
Manhattan, NY
NYC Revit Users Group
Manhattan, NY
“BIM in Academia - Pandemic Lessons Learned.” Presented topics of BIM and VDC tool adoption at NYIT Undergrad and Grad curriculum. Focus on tool benefits when combined with hybrid and online learning modalities.
OCT 28, 2017
Invited Lecturer
‘17-’18 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
‘17-’18 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
“Simulating Paradoxes” Presented advancements in topics from the paper of the same name.
NOV
10, 2015
Invited Lecturer
‘15-’16 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
‘15-’16 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
“Advancements in Parametric Design” Presented topics of Computational Design in contemporary NYC-area practices, and how they relate to new Parametric Design topics developed for the SoAD curriculum.
NOV
12, 2013
Invited Lecturer
‘13-’14 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
‘13-’14 NYIT SoAD Lecture Series
Manhattan, NY
“New Design-Build Directions” Presented topics from the paper NewDesign-build Directions: Training the Architect as a Product Designer with Prof. F. Gandhi (in parallel with Kickstarter Campaign).