Homes & shared places
A human-scale community framework with homes, gathering spaces, paths, and preserved landscape.
Proposed DFREL initiative
Planning a resilient community from the land up.
DFREL is exploring a Virginia community concept where housing, clean energy, food production, water strategy, and technology infrastructure are considered together—not added one system at a time.
Discuss land or partnershipThe opportunity
What if the site plan started with resilience?
This initiative applies DFREL’s land-sourcing and stakeholder-coordination capabilities to a place-based development idea. The goal is to identify the right land and partners, test feasibility, and shape a responsible pilot.
Community solar
On-site generation planned as part of the land strategy, subject to engineering and interconnection analysis.
Microgrid & storage
Battery storage and resilient power controls designed around essential community loads.
Agrivoltaics & food
Productive landscapes that can pair elevated solar with crops, gardens, and agricultural use.
Water-conscious design
Stormwater, conservation, and potential reuse strategies shaped by the selected site.
Connected infrastructure
Fiber and technology infrastructure that can support work, learning, and resilient operations.
A community, not a collection of equipment
People and productive land stay at the center.
The concept pairs contemporary homes and shared spaces with agrivoltaics, gardens, renewable generation, storage, and resilient infrastructure. Its final form must respond to the property, surrounding community, local planning priorities, and the partners at the table.
- Landowner and community engagement
- Site and infrastructure screening
- Development-partner coordination
- Practical site-control pathways
See the vision
A closer look at the community concept.
These short visual studies show how resilient housing, shared landscapes, renewable energy, and modern container-home design could come together within a thoughtfully planned community.
Conceptual visualizations only. Final design, configuration, location, infrastructure, approvals, and construction are subject to feasibility, engineering, zoning, permitting, financing, and partner review.
Where the work stands
This is a proposed concept—not a completed or approved development.
Location, acreage, unit count, technologies, utility strategy, economics, financing, environmental review, zoning, and permits remain subject to site selection and detailed feasibility work. Larger concepts may require substantial acreage; the final land need will depend on the program and site conditions.
Start with the site strategy
Have land, technology, capital, or community expertise to bring to the table?
DFREL is interested in conversations with aligned landowners, energy and infrastructure companies, development partners, public-sector leaders, and mission-aligned capital.