Shenandoah University Business Students Deliver Actionable Insights To Green Building Innovators
Class project was performed in collaboration with Winchester-based company Insul-Stud
In May, Shenandoah University students in the “Sustainability Strategy & Governance” course taught by Associate Professor of Business, Sustainability and Society Giles Jackson, Ph.D., presented their final consulting recommendations to representatives of Insul-Stud, a Winchester-based company pioneering high-performance green building systems.
In attendance for the students’ presentation were Gene Frogale, president of Insul-Stud; Shawn Kelley, Insul-Stud’s inventor; and David Baxa, a member of Shenandoah’s Board of Trustees and a longtime supporter of the university.
Insul-Stud addresses a key challenge in modern construction – thermal bridging, a major source of energy loss where heat escapes through conventional metal fasteners and framing. Insul-Stud’s patented structural system maintains strength while breaking the thermal bridge, helping buildings meet strict energy codes and operate more efficiently.
The student teams in Dr. Jackson’s class analyzed green building code compliance pathways, stakeholder engagement strategies, and market entry options, bridging classroom theory with real-world impact. One lucky student will continue the collaboration as a paid intern.
“We are impressed,” Frogale said. “The students understood our product and produced actionable research. Now we need a summer intern to help us act on it.”
“This is sustainability strategy in action,” said Jackson, who directs SU’s Institute for Business, Sustainability & Society and teaches its certificate program.
