Innovation has become highly imperative due to the constant demand for affordable housing in today’s era. The challenges of providing quality and affordable-priced housing brought monumental changes in the construction industry, especially in the United States. The need for sustainable, low-cost housing is a necessity compelled by economic pressures and desirable equity in housing. More recently, over the last couple of decades, there has been an increasing realization that affordable housing is central to social stability and community building, eliciting a wide variety of ways to serve different populations from the urban core to the rural country. One of the key figures in this movement has been Fernando Pagés Ruiz, whose footprints in the Affordable Housing sector are impactful.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pagés Ruiz’s road to the forefront of the U.S. construction industry reflects his commitment to affordable housing solutions. At age 14, Pagés Ruiz, now 56, immigrated to the United States in 1970, a move that would shape his future career. Early life in the foreign land was tinged with a certain dedication to education and a relationship with the arts. He went to Queens College and moved on to the California Institute of the Arts, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1984. Though originating from art studies, this educational background gave him a particular view to be transferred into construction.
Pagés Ruiz started his professional life in the building and construction industry in Los Angeles, California, right after his studies. He did all sorts of jobs within the construction companies and rapidly gained experience that showed him the great possibilities of changing how housing was built. Instead, what motivated him was affordable housing without conceding either quality or sustainability; thus, his search for innovative means and materials that would reduce the cost of construction without compromising standards. Pagés Ruiz moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1992 and began a company called Brighton Construction Company, which was later quite important to him.
Of all the projects Pagés Ruiz had undertaken since being at Brighton Construction, perhaps the most exciting was the one involving the development of Liberty Village in Lincoln, Nebraska. The concept of Liberty Village was that of a multicultural neighborhood with a range of affordable housing available. It was much more than building homes: building a community that was focused on inclusivity and sustainability. The success of the project was recognized nationally when it won the National Association of Homebuilders’ Innovation in Workforce Housing Award. It underlined Pagés Ruiz’s ability to intermix affordability with innovation single-pointedly, a benchmark to be pursued by housing developments around the nation.
In 2006, another project was undertaken by Pagés Ruiz: the PATH Concept Home in Omaha, Nebraska. That particular project was in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing-known as PATH- in an attempt to show how advanced construction technologies can be used in affordable and energy-efficient homes. The PATH Concept Home served as a sustainability model, meeting the criteria for LEED for Homes, ENERGY STAR, and other similar green building certifications. Pagés Ruiz’s involvement in this project further set him out as one of the notable figures when it came to affordable and sustainable housing.
Beyond his work as a developer, Pagés Ruiz has held various roles that have allowed him to influence housing policies and practices on a broader scale. He’s served as a project manager, consultant, and founder of Building Affordable, a company that focuses on reducing construction costs while maintaining quality. His expertise has been requested, and he has served as a consultant for organizations such as the Polymeric Exterior Products Association and the Vinyl Siding Institute. In these roles, Pagés Ruiz has applied his knowledge and experience to shape a wide range of housing policies and practices that will help promote innovation in providing more affordable housing to those who need it.
Pagés Ruiz’s skills and contributions to the industry go beyond hands-on work in construction and development. Indeed, he is an author who has shared his experiences and expertise through various publications. Some of his books, such as “Building an Affordable House: Trade Secrets to High-Value Low-Cost Construction” and “Affordable Remodel: How to Get Custom Results on Any Budget,” are beneficial within the industry for the pros themselves. Pagés Ruiz infused his messages in his writings and imbued a generation of constructors and architects with the ideology that quality and affordability are not mutually exclusive.
Pagés Ruiz’s impact on his work has been recognized through the winning of various awards and accolades. Apart from the National Association of Homebuilders Innovation in Workforce Housing Award, he received other awards for his contributions to green building practices, such as “Green Building Single Family House of the Year.”
Fernando Pagés Ruiz’s career can be considered a valid example among the examples of how dedication to the causes of affordable and sustainable housing can yield great strides in the construction industry. From humble beginnings in Buenos Aires to an influential voice in the United States, Pagés Ruiz has advocated for credible solutions that address the pressing need for quality and affordable housing.
Published By: Aize Perez
