CONTRIBUTED BY GROUNDSWELL
OPELIKA — The 2025 Rural Renaissance Roadshow will be held in Opelika Nov. 10–12, bringing together more than 200 local leaders from across the nation to focus on rural resilience in energy, food, water and healthy housing systems.
Andrew Freear, director of Auburn University’s acclaimed Rural Studio, will kick off the conference with an opening keynote address on “Resilience by Design,” the theme of this year’s Roadshow.
Based in Alabama’s Black Belt as part of Auburn’s School of Architecture, Rural Studio has completed more than 220 community-centered projects and educated more than 1,200 students. Its mission — to educate citizen architects — combines hands-on student learning with research on sustainable and healthy rural living through projects centered on housing and infrastructure.
“I’m honored to be part of this year’s Roadshow and to help highlight the creative, grounded work being done across rural America,” Freear said. “Research-based design is a powerful force for resilience in all ways — from residents’ health and stability to overall community well-being — especially when it grows from the people and places it’s meant to serve.”
“Rural towns and counties deliver the food, energy, water and other resources America has needed to grow, but the contributions of rural people and communities to our nation’s success have been undervalued for generations,” said Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell. “The Rural Studio is a powerful demonstration of a different way to work by serving our neighbors through whatever we do.”
Auburn University’s Rural Studio will also lead a special field trip for Roadshow attendees, offering a firsthand look at completed and in-progress projects. Highlights include a new community library, an innovative wastewater treatment system and housing research projects designed to enhance resilience to extreme weather and to support residents aging in place. Attendees will hear directly from the architects, researchers and community partners bringing this work to life.
Rural Studio Tours During the Rural Renaissance Roadshow
Tours of Rural Studio locations will offer a tangible exploration of the Roadshow’s four thematic tracks — Energy Systems, Food Systems, Water Systems and Healthy Housing — demonstrating how thoughtful, community-led design can strengthen resilience and improve quality of life in rural areas.
Energy Systems — Attendees will see how Rural Studio integrates both passive and active energy strategies into its designs, including a solar power array at the Rural Studio Farm and the use of earth tubes and solar chimneys in the Storehouse. These features reduce reliance on external energy sources and demonstrate how rural buildings can remain comfortable and functional while minimizing energy costs.
Water Systems — Participants will learn about an alternative wastewater treatment system developed for Newbern, providing a solution for communities without public sewer access. Rural Studio has also explored water conservation through rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems at the Farm to show how rural areas can manage water more sustainably.
Food Systems — The Rural Studio Farm supports hands-on student learning and research in sustainable small-scale agriculture. Through food production designed for efficiency and resilience, the Farm helps meet local food needs while modeling how rural communities can increase food security through regenerative practices.
Housing & Health — Rural Studio’s research has long supported the design of high-quality, efficient homes that are affordable for individuals with limited resources. These homes promote aging in place, climate resilience and financial stability.
About the Rural Renaissance Roadshow
Now in its third year, Groundswell’s Rural Renaissance Roadshow celebrates rural communities and connects like-minded local leaders with ideas, investment and one another to help build strength, prosperity and resilience for their hometowns.
The three-day event features workshops and tours focused on building resilient rural energy, food, water and housing systems, along with concerts, shared meals and outdoor activities.
An all-access pass, including meals, is $100. Register at ruralrenaissance.com.
About Groundswell
Groundswell builds community power to improve local resilience and reduce electricity bills for households most in need. The organization uses community solar, resilience hubs and energy efficiency programs to preserve affordable housing, strengthen the power grid and support local economic development.
Its place-based programs are tailored to deliver measurable benefits aligned with local priorities across the Heartland, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Groundswell’s SolMate™ data platform enables scale while ensuring measurable results.
By 2030, the organization expects to deliver more than $29 million in annual energy savings to more than 36,000 families and deploy more than 40 resilience hubs across 12 states.
