The Commercial Modular Building Blog

We’ve talked about modular nuclear reactors before. Basically any new construction technology that employs modular construction methods is of interest to this blog. As we’ve said before, modular construction methods are quickly becoming the dominant mode of construction and are being used for many different kinds of applications in today’s construction industry.  

It seems as though the US government is showing increasing interest in the modular nuclear industry. According to an article, the United States government announced a new funding initiative for the reactors which will involve the Department of Energy sharing costs with private modular reactor manufacturers to build small modular nuclear reactors.

The smaller reactors are deemed more flexible and cost-effective to construct, due to their modular nature. Also, these new modular reactors are much more safe, utilizing passive, automatic safety controls that more effectively monitor safety conditions than the old active controls that required human interaction to function.

Improved safety conditions will especially be important to the public, considering the recent Fukushima disaster being fresh in the public’s mind.  China itself has already been investing in the smaller modular nuclear reactors to accommodate its ever-increasing industrial capacities.

With modular design making more and more construction projects more efficient and cost-effective, we may be seeing all sorts of new construction activity spring up that was previously in the form of dormant  projects. For example, not many companies could make nuclear reactors because of the astronomical costs associated with construction, as well as the long period of time before the reactors would start turning a profit. Now with a more efficient construction method, higher quality and safer reactors can be constructed.

Expect modular reactors to start popping up around the United States in the next decade.

Now here’s an interesting proposal: a 200-story skyscraper that functions as an entire city. The city would hold about 100,000 people and would contain many features of a city such as business/retail, entertainment, shopping, etc.

The inhabitants wouldn’t need cars, and the building would be highly energy and material efficient. The skyscraper is of a modular design, so it is claimed the building could be constructed in 6 months.

That’s one of the more ambitious concepts being proposed by a Chinese company called Broad Sustainable Buildings. There are some who doubt that such a project is possible at this time, though the company did recently build a 30-story hotel in 15 days.

The fact of the matter is, with modular construction as the new standard in building, we are going to see more and more concepts popping up such as this, and perhaps more of them becoming a reality in the near future.

Here is an interesting article that talks about the emerging trends in the architecture-engineering-construction sector. Mentioned in the article are trends towards more green and sustainable buildings, an industry-wide adoption of LEEDS, implementation of building sensors to monitor a building’s stability (among other things), greener building materials, and a growing trend towards modular construction. The author noted that trends towards modular construction seem to come in waves, but are now really taking hold for good due to economic reasons. Definitely an interesting analysis.

Housing is making its slow recovery as well, thanks to cost-effective modular houses and a growing demand for green, energy efficient, low-maintenance residences.

Another trend that could take hold is that of the modular nuclear reactor. We talked about this concept in a previous post. Nuclear reactor technology is growing cheaper to manufacture due to modular construction methods, and the reactors themselves have become much more safe according to a scientist in this article. Nuclear reactors will be smaller and modular in nature, so that reactors can be added or relocated if need be. They will also feature underground facilities, further reducing risk of disaster.

After Fukushima, it will be interesting to see how the public handles that proposal. But proponents are insisting that the modular reactors are an economically viable source of energy that is green and safe, and that the facilities at Fukushima were old designs that weren’t maintained as well as they could have been. So time will tell on that one.

All in all look for a future of green modular building designs that are seeking to improve building sustainability. Of course, not every building is going to be a modular building, but we will definitely see a higher proportion of them.  Also we will be seeing smart, self-regulating, net-zero energy buildings that will handle the self-regulating and energy-saving tasks with built in sensors and computer systems. These trends will continue into the future and don’t seem to be letting up anytime soon.

We’ve had a lot of great projects this year as you’ve seen from all the case studies we’ve recently posted. We’ve taken modular construction to places previously unimagined; though considering the flexible nature of modular construction, the possibilities for construction are endless. We’ve built modular theaters, security units, hydroelectric equipment assembly facilities, drinking fountain enclosures, and more. And we expect to build much more next year!

The modular construction industry continues to grow rapidly, filling in places of the market where the aging methods of traditional construction are falling out of favor. Our company itself has experienced a lot of growth this year, and we expect to continue growing throughout 2012.

So here’s to the end of a year of growth. The economy still struggles through another year, while modular construction keeps growing and innovating within the downturn. Have a Happy New Year from Allied Modular and we will see you next year!

Patrick Gutman receives a donation from Allied President Kevin Peithman

Allied Modular Building Systems is proud to announce a large contribution to support  Chapman University’s Alpha Phi with a donation to their Mr. University philanthropic event. Pictured is Patrick Gutman, representative for Alpha Phi and one of the candidates for this year’s Mr. University event, receiving a donation check from Allied Modular President Kevin Peithman.   

The Alpha Phi Foundation is an international philanthropic organization that promotes issues like women’s cardiovascular health and other similar causes. The organization also works with local charities such as the Orange County Make a Wish Foundation, the well known organization that grants wishes to ill children. 

In fact, the Mr. University event at Chapman University is going to feature proceeds that go to the Make a Wish Foundation. The Mr. University event is going to consist of a male mock beauty pageant where 14 young men will compete in evening wear, beach wear, and talent events in order to raise money for charity. It should be a fun event and it is all for a great cause. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. 

We are proud to be able to donate to the organizations and charities that give so much to our communities. We wish the best for Alpha Phi and Make a Wish and look forward to seeing how this year’s Mr. University turns out! 

We believe that through better technologies in construction we can join others in industry in bettering the day to day lives of those around us. In addition to better technologies, we hope to better the lives of our customers and the community around us through customer service and positive community interaction.

Modular technologies have been featuring more and more prominently in various tech and construction news outlets around the world. It seems that not only in the construction industry, but across many industries, modular design has been gaining more and more favor as an alternate construction and manufacturing methodology.

Across many of these industries, modular design has become more prominent for common reasons: for system flexibility and lower construction/implementation times in an increasingly fast-paced economic world, and for cost effectiveness in a painfully protracted recessionary economy.

For example, we’ve been talking about all of the schools and businesses increasingly relying on modular construction because of time and budget constraints. Then there’s the growing use of modular construction in disaster relief programs such as for schools, medical buildings, housing, and even bridges in places like Joplin. Tech companies are increasingly using modular systems for their data centers in order to cut costs, save time, and improve efficiency among other things. Then there are the ongoing explorations into smaller, modular nuclear reactors that can be promising (of course if they are found to be safe, which with the modular designs, seems to be the case). And for you futurists out there, we are even seeing the development of modular, self-assembling foam robots (yep, that’s right) which could provide all sorts of exciting possibilities.  

What we are seeing is a broad paradigm shift in not only construction technology, but other manufacturing and data technologies as well. We are seeing an entire shift in thought towards a new, flexible, efficient mode of production. It is all very fascinating, and we will all benefit from it!

If you take a glance at the latest news headlines having to do with modular construction, you’ll find stories that show how schools all around the world are adopting modular buildings for their unique blend of efficiency and affordability along with quality and sturdiness.

You may be aware that school districts everywhere are still feeling the after-effects (or the ongoing effects, depending on your opinion) of the global recession. Districts are cutting back on expenses to cope with ever-shrinking budgets. 

Many schools are turning to modular construction for their classroom-building needs and for good reason. Modular buildings cut costs with efficient and time-saving construction methods that also minimize site disruption (which is a must for an educational environment).

How is this possible? Modular buildings are manufactured in components inside factories, where resources are used more efficiently and construction time is shortened. Most of the construction occurs offsite, leaving the build site clean and quiet so that children can continue to learn effectively, even as the new buildings are being built.

On top of these many unique advantages to the method of modular construction, finished modular buildings are sturdy, well-insulated, high-quality structures that can accomodate the ideal learning environment, and are a huge improvement over the trailer units that price-minded schools have turned to in the past.

Allied Modular itself offers modular educational classrooms that can be configured to meet the needs of any educational program. What’s more, these modular buildings can easily be altered, expanded, or relocated to account for the ever-changing student body of a given school.

As documented here on our modular building blog, this trend is not going to slow down any time soon; in fact there are signs that it is growing tremendously. It is not much of a surprise, considering the revolutionary nature of modular construction and its methods!

Last week, we talked about the utility, convenience, and efficiency of using modular buildings for disaster relief projects. Well, looks like a field hospital in Joplin is getting an upgrade.

You’ll probably remember Joplin from the news a bit ago when that city was battered with a horrific outbreak of tornadoes. It was quite a disaster and many people were hurt and killed. Luckily, the city is on its way to rebuilding, as well as installing modular buildings in certain areas to help keep things moving.

The article mentions the fact that the hospital will have a more sturdy building, thanks to modular technology, to conduct operations; added benefits include stable floors, indoor plumbing, and a more comfortable atmosphere complete with windows (the field hospital was originally sheltered with a sort of tent-type structure).  Both the staff and the patients seem to be excited about the upgrade.

These area definitely positive developments and we are happy to see that institutions in Joplin are managing their recovery so well.

Disasters can hit fast and unexpectedly, leaving victims scrambling for resources and shelter in the aftermath. Reconstruction can take time. Temporary solutions can range from flimsy tents that only offer limited protection to dehumanizing and suffocating barracks-type accomodations for mass numbers such as within recreation centers or similar large buildings. 

Luckily, construction technology is always advancing, and today’s modular construction can be used to great advantage, such as providing for a population that finds themselves in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The great thing about modular construction is that it can provide sturdy and well-insulated buildings for a higher level of comfort all in a short amount of time.  

Modular construction can be used for all sorts of applications to address disaster-related situations, such as a modular bridge to assist with flooding.

Using flexible and efficient modular technology, we can now address even adverse conditions with better construction methods. Rebuilding an office and getting a business back online, or sheltering people affected by a disaster, or even building a bridge can be made all the easier with modular construction. Parts can be manufactured and shipped to the build site and installed much more quickly than with traditional construction methods.

Better living through technology, certainly!