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.

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.

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.

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!

Resort guests explore the convention hall in front of Gaylord's modular theater.

Gaylord Palms, a resort in Florida, had a unique project in mind: they needed to erect a temporary movie theater inside their convention hall which would be composed of tall, sound-reducing walls that could reach the ceiling of their facility. Due to the scheduling of the convention hall, the construction portion of the project had to be done in a slim 48 hours. Considering the nature of the project, the client decided on a modular solution. Modular construction could provide the speed and efficiency to put up a high-quality temporary wall within roughly 48 hours. Also, the client would be able to take down the wall and reuse the modular components for future applications. In the end, Gaylord Palms went with Allied Modular’s building solution to handle their construction needs.

During the design phase, there were constant changes to the structure of the building, even up to the start date of the construction phase. Throughout the process Allied Modular was able to work with the client every step of the way and explain exactly what could be done and how. The timeframe was the most essential component to this project. Gaylord contracted an event company called SenovvA out of California who ran the build-out like a Broadway production, coordinating every phase from beginning to end. There was absolutely no time to waste or else another portion of the project would falter. Allied Modular had to be incredibly precise with every aspect of the job.

The modular movie theater's interior.

Allied Modular’s solution that Fastenal was able to sell consisted of two modular enclosures that would utilize an existing wall, which maximized space and was cost-efficient. These enclosures would effectively isolate the necessary components in Nikon’s facility. There were many advantages to installing a modular system: the building was flexible and could easily be relocated or altered in the future. The system required minimal engineering, so costs could be cut, and more importantly, cost Nikon a minimal amount of downtime due to efficient and non-invasive construction.

Thanks to the excellent support and communication Allied Modular provided for Fastenal and the client, Fastenal was able to make a sale with Nikon, as well as build support for a potential 10+ additional buildings at other Nikon facilities worldwide, leading to another great relationship with a client and additional sales. Nikon in turn was provided with quality buildings to conduct business in.

Owens Corning gets some new modular buildings.

Fastenal’s client, Owens Corning, needed a building on their manufacturing floor that would provide a quiet environment to conduct meetings and train employees. The client needed a cost-effective long term solution with a manageable lead time so that the client wasn’t missing out on business or efficiency during construction.

Fastenal chose Allied Modular to work with in carrying out the project with the client. Due to our quality modular buildings that are constructed away from the build site in an efficient, non-invasive, and cost effective manner, our modular construction processes provided a perfect solution to the client’s needs.

Even with unforeseen delays, the project was completed in a favorable timeframe. Allied Modular was able to expedite the order to fulfill the client’s strict lead time. Due to the strong communication between Fastenal, Allied Modular, and the client, Fastenal was able to provide optimal customer service to the client, putting them high above the competition.

Fastenal was very happy with the end result, not to mention the client. Due to the quality of the product and the speed in which it was delivered, the client was very impressed with the end product and as a result, went on to continue business with Fastenal.

In the end, everyone came away from the project more than satisfied. The client was happy with the quality of the modular building and impressed with the short lead time, Fastenal was able to secure a strong relationship with an important client, and Allied Modular presided over another group of happy customers!

Johnson Controls' new fountain enclosure.

Eventually, Johnson Controls decided on using Allied Modular’s modular enclosure system to be constructed around the drinking fountains. Allied Modular’s enclosure would encase the drinking fountain area and keep out contaminants that could be found in the manufacturing plant so that the workers would have clean water to drink on the job.

According to Johnson Controls, it was very easy to work with us throughout the course of the project. They have stated that we were very responsive to any questions or concerns they had. Because of that and of course Allied Modular’s efficient modular building method, we were able to turn out a large number of enclosures in a short amount of time.

Needless to say, Johnson Controls was very happy with the end product. They were more than satisfied with the overall costs the project amounted to, noting that the modular method was highly cost-effective. Also, they were very impressed with the clean, modern look of the modular enclosures; it was just the sort of style they had in mind. In addition, after the initial delivery, Johnson Controls decided to make some changes to the equipment and we were able to respond immediately, write up a new quote, and implement the necessary changes right away.

Finally, we asked Johnson Controls if they would recommend our company to others and they said they would do it “without hesitation.” They also mentioned that they’d be working with us in the future the next time they require a quality solution for their building needs. We couldn’t be happier with their answer.

Voith had a solution in mind and so came to Allied Modular Building Systems with their concept and decided our product was a good fit. Voith chose modular technology because of the speed of the manufacturing and install process. They were impressed by the capabilities of modular technology and Allied Modular’s ability to manufacture a project away from the build site quickly without construction hassle, and then have the project installed fast so that the client is ready for business. And so Allied Modular worked with Voith through every step of the process to ensure that Voith’s vision was brought to completion.

So what was the solution? The modular building could be classified as a specialized assembly enclosure, utilizing Allied Modular’s Tall Wall. The enclosure was ultimately designed to feature an entire section of wall that was on tracks; this moving section of wall was attached to a movable section of ceiling so that an entire cross-section of the building could be moved to the side. In this way, an entire turbine could be carried out of the enclosure in one piece by crane and put on a flat bed for transport. Remarkable! This entire structure was built with an ingenious combination of universal modular panels and steel framing.

Was Voith Hydro happy with the result? They certainly were. In fact, they were blown away by the outcome; its functionality fit exactly what they were looking for. And they were able to install the enclosure quickly and efficiently with their own qualified installers with no construction mess necessary. In fact, Voith was so impressed with the product that they ended up ordering another modular building from Allied Modular: a modular lunchroom. Yet another satisfied customer!

Check out this video of the custom Voith enclosure below:

Mobile guard houses ready to ship in a moment’s notice.

For many companies, having a flexible security option can be highly advantageous. Whether you need guard houses in a hurry, or you move locations frequently, or you are a security company yourself and are looking for a portable guardhouse, mobile security units are a great choice and are highly convenient.