Dennis Steigerwalt, president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, will give the 2025 Hankin Distinguished Lecture at 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 in Robb Hall at the Hintz Family Alumni Center at University Park. The event is free and open to the public. Credit: Provided by Dennis Steigerwalt.
2025 Hankin Lecture to explore the future of housing
Oct 7, 2025
By Mindy Boffemmyer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Dennis Steigerwalt, president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, will deliver the 2025 Hankin Distinguished Lecture, hosted by the residential construction program and the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center, housed in Penn State’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His talk, “The Future of Housing Is Now,” will be held at 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 in Robb Hall at the Hintz Family Alumni Center at University Park. A reception will follow the event, both of which are free and open to the public.
In today’s rapidly evolving homebuilding industry, innovation is not just a concept but a necessity. With 75% of Americans valuing homeownership as part of the American Dream — and over half of Gen Z and Millennials viewing their only chance as luck — builders face the urgent challenge of delivering attainable, high-quality homes amid rising prices and shifting consumer expectations across market segments. Drawing on international experience across roles in industry collaboration, technology investment and hands-on project development, Steigerwalt provides an actionable path for advancing the housing sector. Highlighting the critical role of collaboration among builders, regulators and technologists, this lecture will showcase recent innovations in design, materials and construction techniques that are making a tangible difference on the ground. Steigerwalt’s lecture will encourage industry leaders to be bold, experiment and prioritize ongoing strategic innovation — highlighting that progress is happening “on the go” through collective effort, early partnerships and decisive action — and emphasizing that you don’t have to, nor should you, go it alone.
Steigerwalt is a leading voice in housing innovation and is driven by a passion to create places for people to thrive. With extensive experience in change management and strategic innovation within residential development and homebuilding, Steigerwalt has a proven track record of leading large-scale market engagement initiatives and cultivating partnerships across diverse business ecosystems. His background includes advising on international government-backed housing programs and orchestrating comprehensive industry transformation efforts. As the leader of strategy and programming at the Housing Innovation Alliance, Steigerwalt activates industry collaboration across more than 2,000 organizations, opening new opportunities for business growth in the U.S. housing market. Dedicated to empowering industry talent, he is committed to mentoring and investing in the next generation of housing-focused entrepreneurs, ensuring that the ecosystem continues to grow and evolve.
The Hankin Distinguished Lecture series was established in 2006 to honor the late Bernard Hankin and his family for their continuous and dedicated support of the residential construction program at Penn State. It brings world-class speakers to Penn State to address students, faculty, industry members and the public with thought-provoking topics and education related to the housing industry.
The PHRC collaboratively engages with the residential construction industry to catalyze advancements in homebuilding through education, training, innovation, research and dissemination. The PHRC envisions a residential construction industry equipped with the knowledge, skills and technology to build better homes. Learn more at phrc.psu.edu.
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