Modular Construction is Essential for a Sustainable Future

A discussion panel entitled What’s Next in Green Design: Factory Built Architecture hosted at the Build Green Conference looked at the current state of modular construction from the perspective of three separate industry professionals; Pat McDonald from the Onion Flats, Scott Kelly from Re:Vision Architecture, and Rick Terry from Pennsylvania College of Technology. What was interesting about this panel was the three different visions these men have for the future. Download discussion as mp3

Pat McDonald's Onion Flats focuses on the rectangular cell and maximizes it for an urban, flexible building. His projects are about as modern and efficient as we've seen, and their price-tags easily top 500k.
Download presentation

Scott from Re:Vision focuses on the design and thought process, finding the perfect solution for each project. He says each project is unique and will have unique solutions. I couldn't agree more. I was able to walk through his Bancroft Green project earlier this year, and the building lot posed a lot of challenges.
Download presentation

Finally, Rick Terry has long been a Director of Factory Built Housing, and argues that efficient production lines can create great homes. These are standard fiberglass insulation and stick built assembly. Rick's modulars are usually single family, single story homes. He was taking a beating in the urban modular conversation, but I have to stand up for him: The product he's delivering for rural Pennsylvania is perfect for the market because costs are lower and land ownership is plentiful.
Download presentation

Of course modular construction has many benefits over conventional site-built structures. Building modular on assembly lines or off site brings these benefits:

• Waste reduction up to 90% compared to site-built
• Increased product delivery time, sometimes out the door in as little as 2 weeks
• Controlled environment prevents moisture
• Cost savings through centralized production lines
• Reduction in carbon footprint - less travel and wasted energy
• Higher quality control

I hope to learn more about modular over the course of this program, hopefully getting a chance to talk further with Onion Flats and Re:Vision Architecture. These are progressive projects that are creating better housing options. Having a higher quality of housing (not always more $) creates a sense of well-being, leads to social equity, and builds strong communities. This should convince anyone who hasn't looked into modular to at least consider it for their next project.
PowerPoint presentations were copied from the Build Green website.