What is modular construction?

Modular construction is an off-site building method where the structure is built in separate sections or modules, typically in a manufacturing plant, using a tightly controlled assembly line process. The buildings are designed to the same model building codes and standards and incorporate identical construction materials to those that are used in facilities that are primarily site-built.

How we make these modules.

Before they are shipped to their intended site where they will be incorporated into the overall design of a structure, prefabricated buildings shall be constructed from sections away from construction sites. The majority of the work has been carried out, either as complete structures or modular subsystems for a larger project, in an industrial controlled environment. onsite.

This off-site construction allows the use of lean manufacturing techniques to produce the prefabricated modules. These modular units can be placed end-to-end or stacked to create different configurations. The modular construction process is completed on site using inter-module (or inter-connection) joints to tie the units together.

Permanent modular buildings, such as prefabricated houses, are built to the same or higher standards as traditional site-built properties, ensuring a high level of quality control.

Types of modular constructions

There are two types of modular buildings: permanent or temporary. In this category, actual buildings may range from flat roof solutions to façade systems and construction where a significant portion of the building had been built off site before it was delivered and fitted together.

Relocatable Modular construction (RMC).

A relocatable building uses a factory-built modular construction process where the structures are typically 80% or more complete at the manufacturing plant, including the application of interior and exterior finishes. The buildings are designed with complete MEP, fixtures and finishes, enabling them to be conveniently reused or repurposed multiple times. They offer the fastest form of delivery, the ability to relocate to other sites, and potentially advantageous financing and tax features associated with the building’s classification as personal property. Relocatable buildings meet state and local building code requirements and are an ideal solution for quick temporary or interim space solutions.

Permanent Modular Construction (PMC)

How long modular constructions last.

The duration of the modular building depends on whether it has been designed as a temporary or permanent structure. Modern modular construction, however, can be built to last as long as a traditional building in cases where many people still associate modular buildings with temporary structures.

The construction rules need to be complied with by the PMCs, and most are constructed in the same material as ordinary buildings, according to building regulations which meet or exceed those set out for traditional builds. As modular buildings undergo a test to ensure quality and safety, maintenance will always be necessary in order for them to last longer than other types of construction.

Modular buildings, taking into account these factors, may be maintained for decades and much of the prefab constructions produced after World War II remain in use today.

Advantages of MDC over traditional methods

• The factory’s conditions allow a higher quality product to be produced, with better operational procedures and monitoring, as well as allowing workers to work in a more pleasant environment. If necessary, construction can be extended at any time and without delay for completing the project.
• Construction delays due to adverse weather and other onsite issues are not an issue with factory manufacture, eliminating many potential delays to project completion dates.
• In a manufacturing facility, material supply is more easily controlled which can reduce waste and thereby costs as well as decrease the impact of construction on the environment. It can reduce material consumption by as much as 90% compared with traditional buildings, according to the WRAP group in the United Kingdom.
• Modular construction enables multiple parts of a building to be made simultaneously, thereby cutting down on the length of time taken for project completion.
• In remote locations where the construction of an in-situ building may prove challenging or expensive, modularity is a very good fit. Furthermore, employees may work in areas where medical and sanitation services are more easily accessible, if necessary, by building out from these locations.
• It is possible to start module production early and accelerate the entire building process, before onsite preparation like foundations have been completed.
• Over time modules may be constructed or used as relocatable buildings, which can easily be transformed to meet new needs.
• The end product may become more robust as compared to a conventional build, which does not have to be assessed one by one, because modular buildings need to comply with travel and assembly regulations.
• As a result of modular construction, with inherent advantages in terms of cost savings, it was found to provide more than 50 %-time savings over conventional construction.
• When compared to materials such as timber, many modular units use Structural Insulated Panels that are light yet durable and provide better insulation of the structure while also providing enhanced damp and cold resistance. The construction of the factory also eliminates the possibility of high moisture content in the building, which improves the quality of the product.

Challenges of modular construction.

• Mass production, limited variety.

A modular (think mass production) approach on scale is better the more uniform and repetitive the spaces and products. Thus, if each unit may be standardized and stacked, apartment buildings and hotels are probably at the top of the list. The time and cost advantages of both buyer and supplier parties are reduced, possibly lost, at this stage in technology when trying to create separate or nonrepetitive modules.

• High number of complex decisions Front loaded design.

Modular demands that more decisions and wider design and engineering are made at an earlier stage of the process. The details of the modular assembly and erection process must be known to architects, engineers and contractors. For instance, the taller the building (higher modules stacked) the more attention is needed to how they are connected together to be aligned and how both modules and the exterior skin will allow for compression. His preloading design method ensures buyers and owners have a clear choice of finishing and appliances before the work even starts, so they can buy them in good time. It may seem to be advantageous for those in the construction business: You know that changes made late can become a headache.

• There may be complications in the approval process.

The approval process can be complicated. All projects must be in line with Federal, State and Local Regulations regardless of the way they are built. On the other hand, according to the method, the codes that apply are changed. There are more favorable conditions in some States and Local Authorities for the manufacturing of modules than others. In theory, the modules should be made subject to state codes and inspected and finished in a factory where only connections and works carried out on site are covered by local inspections. On the contrary, states like Maryland require local inspections of systems preventing walls from being closed and finishes applied until on site. The way that suppliers navigate trade relationships can also exacerbate both the approval and execution phases in areas where unions have a strong influence.

• A few suppliers are at risk.

In addition, you concentrate the execution risk for this project on one or several contractors. In particular, modular producers were concentrating on the production of homes with one or more families as their bread-and-butter products. The number of companies producing commercial and multifamily products has grown, but there are still very few in the market who have an interest or financial means to do so. Before entering into an agreement to place all their eggs in a single basket, buyers have to take the utmost care of businesses whether they are owners or general contractors. And throughout their work, they have to be diligent about follow up. If bonded, switching to another manufacturer in the middle of a project would have been a huge disaster.

• Transportation Costs & Risk.

Since modules are prepared at a factory miles from the site, they must either be transported directly to the location or made up in one of the surroundings and then put into place. When transporting any module, the carriers and riggers must be extremely careful because one failure during transport can lead to severe damage or replacement of an entire module. This may have a significant effect on the whole installation sequence. On our Philadelphia project delivery, staging and set went fairly smoothly with limited cracking of interior drywall due to lifting the modules into place. It was easy to repair the damage, so it didn’t concern me too much.

• Difficult Financing Process.

Since modular construction requires purchasing and making things on a faster timeline, the bills are usually much larger earlier in the construction period than investors and lenders may be used to seeing and paying. Therefore, take time to work with the manufacturer and contractor to understand the amounts and timing of anticipated funding (create a projection by month) and update it as the project unfolds. In doing so, it will make certain that adequate resources are available to keep the work going and prevent mechanic liens. A related item is that someone representing the contractor, owner and bank should plan to visit the factory at stages of production to make sure that funds are being invested into your modules and not into somebody else’s (this is applicable for any type of funding of stored materials and prefabricated purchases). While modular construction is beneficial in certain situations, it comes with its own problems and cannot be the answer for every project. But we are sure that, in the future, you will also see an increased number of Modular and Off-site constructions.

How Sustainable Is Modular Construction?

By reducing the industry’s waste problem and maximizing recycled materials, modular construction, a type of prefab, is leading the way in environmentally conscious building practices.

A modular is a portable home or commercial building that is built at an off-site facility and transported to a more permanent plot for assembly. Since it is produced under controlled conditions, the product may be of higher quality. The global modular market, which is expected to grow by an exceptional 50% between 2021 and 2028 in line with all its environmental benefits, will continue to thrive.

Here you will find information on the environment impact of manufactured modular buildings, and how their construction differs from conventional sites in terms of use of materials which contribute to emissions as well as lifespan.

The fact that modular buildings are less and less costly compared with building on a site is one of the most important reasons for their popularity. In the European Union’s survey of building and demolition waste in 2008, it found that C&D materials, often referred to as construction wastes, accounted for an amazing third of all waste generated in this region. There is twice as much C&D waste in the U.S. as there are local Solid Wastes.
It is easier to make accurate use of materials in a controlled manufacturing environment for modular construction. Without leaving the facility, any materials that are not used in one project may be stored for the next. Factory building also eliminates waste associated with weather damage (inevitable when building on-site), therefore reducing the need for demolition and keeping materials nice enough to recycle at the end of their lives.

Furthermore, modular buildings are virtually portable and can easily be moved off a site for the disposal of materials safely or continued use on another site without having to demolish them. Overall, it has been demonstrated that this method reduces the weight of C&D waste up to 83.2%.

Emissions from MD vs. Traditional methods.

Reductions in emissions due to frequent site deliveries are another important environmental benefit of modular construction. Indeed, according to a 2021 study of new construction in Pakistan, modular construction accounted for almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions of the conventional site construction, equivalent to 3,450 kgCO, compared to 6,500 kgCO.

Site deliveries make up a colossal portion of emissions generated from construction, but one must also consider the embodied carbon of building materials. In place of timber, weather resistant materials such as concrete and steel are often used for exterior constructions due to wood’s susceptibility to water damage from rain or even normal humidity. Research shows that it is possible to cut the construction phase’s emissions by 71% through use of sustainably produced wood rather than manmade materials.

What’s the life expectancy of a modular house?

Modular homes are known to be incredibly durable because they are made in a factory environment which has high quality control measures and do not suffer from any adverse weather effects during the construction process. In spite of not having officially defined life expectancy, it is claimed by manufacturers that they last decades for between 50 and 100 years or longer.

How long will it take for the modular to be built?

Depending on the type and complexity of construction, the timeline may differ considerably but consensus is that it usually takes six to 18 weeks for a transportable home to be built, fitted out and set up. This does not include the time it takes to build a house, up to 12 weeks, and the time it takes to obtain a permit, up to 9 weeks.

Applications of modular constructions.

Improvements in quality, design and unit sizes have led to new applications for modular buildings, where modular buildings had previously been associated with temporary structures. The use of prefab construction is constantly increasing from offices to homes and, most notably, large buildings such as sports halls.

Modern modular buildings, which offer cost and time savings in addition to a comparable level of quality as traditional constructions, have proved that they can be used on any number of applications due to their no longer associated with simple low-cost structures.

 Why don’t we just start building modular?

In terms of structural quality, modular buildings are generally more robust than built construction because each module has been individually adapted to withstand the rigors of transportation and assembly on a foundation. The modules shall be integrated into one unified wall, the floor and the roof once they have been assembled and sealed. A higher level of construction quality management is ensured by building offsite. Strict quality assurance and control programs with independent inspection and testing protocols are in place for the production plants to ensure better construction at every step of the way.

A modular construction offers owners a wide range of additional benefits, including better quality management and reduced time for completion. The removal of around 80% of the construction activities from the site location has a significant impact on traffic disruption and safety, as well as improvements in general security. Highly active businesses such as those in the education and healthcare markets have need for reduced on-site activity and offsite construction eliminates a large part of ongoing construction hazards, ensuring a tremendous advantage when building new projects.

Modular construction firms today can work with a level of design and construction expertise which exceeds everyone’s expectations, unlike their site-built counterpart, to the extent that they are able to appeal to architects, developers as well as owners. It is beneficial that when exploring the various project delivery methods, offsite construction is chosen early in the design development process, and the project built around that methodology, to avoid redesigning. Nevertheless, most modular manufacturers are capable of taking a site-built design and then making the modular version if necessary. It is thus never too late to explore possibilities!

As owners and designers look for more sustainable designs to improve environmental impact, modular construction is a natural fit. Building in a controlled environment reduces waste by preventing it up-stream rather than diverting it down-stream. This, together with improved quality management throughout the construction process and significantly reduced site activity and disruption, inherently promotes sustainability. High quality, sustainable, innovative, efficient, cost effective and faster to complete.