Category: Community Engagement


  • Repurposing Abandoned Properties

    CAP students took on the tough project of collaborating with neighborhood residents to decide which abandoned properties have the most potential for redevelopment in Muncie. The class, Repurposing Abandoned Property, was supported by an Immersive Learning grant and partnered with the Muncie Land Bank. The goal of the class was to create an abandoned property […]

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  • Renovation of Residential Structures

    There is a great need for affordable housing in Muncie. To address this need, local non-profit organizations, including Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity, ecoREHAB, Urban Light and Muncie Mission, have been renovating existing houses for local residents. To quote Carl Elefante, former president of the American Institute of Architects, “The greenest building is the one […]

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  • International Course in Construction Management

    More than a year ago, Tamer Breakah, assistant professor of construction management, got a call from a friend in Egypt, Sherif El-Badawy, vice dean for postgraduate studies at Mansoura University. He introduced Breakah to an exciting cultural exchange opportunity for the students. The Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced […]

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  • Improving Habitat for Monarchs and Other Pollinators

    Pollinators, which range from the less-than-glamorous flies to showy hummingbirds and butterflies, have established themselves as necessary actors in the reproduction of over 85% of the world’s flowering plants and two-thirds of the world’s crops, including more than 100 crops in the United States.  However, loss of habitat is resulting in decline of these essential […]

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  • CAP Students Design and Build a House

    2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge Since the Summer of 2021 a multi-disciplinary group of Ball State Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) students and faculty have ventured into a five-semester-long design and build project for the 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge, an international competition conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy. During this two-year […]

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  • Ball State CAP Celebrated the Future Build of the Eco-Friendly Duplex, Alley House

    R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) hosted a public groundbreaking event on July 13 that celebrated the future construction of an affordable, net-zero energy, sustainable duplex family home in Indianapolis’ Near Eastside designed by a team of CAP students and faculty. The event included several educational stations about the duplex, yard games, and […]

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  • Ball State Solar Decathlon Project History

    2013 SD Build – Collaboration with University of Louisville Market Strategy: The Phoenix house is designed for middle-class families affected by tornados or other natural disasters. Although designed to be built quickly, it is also designed to be durable, safe, and sustainable—reflecting a spirit of permanence and resilience. For its owners, the ultra-efficient house is designed for long-term comfort and cost savings. 2017 Race […]

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  • Virtual Escape Room

    IDIA Lab is working on a virtual multi-user escape room simulation for Ball State University’s College of Health. Escape rooms employ innovative learning strategies such as problem-based, immersive learning, role play, and game principles to improve teamwork, communication and leadership. Nationally, health profession curricula are beginning to explore the use of escape room experiences as […]

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