The Commercial Modular Building Blog

How can modular construction help you achieve energy efficiency? Well there are several ways that modular buildings themselves do this in terms of the way in which they are designed and the various energy saving options that can be implemented after the building itself is built.

Modular buildings can help you save on your energy use with their superior insulation and other energy efficient options such as efficient lighting. When it comes to insulation, our modular walls feature an inner core that improves insulation properties, meaning modular buildings will stay warm with lower heating requirements when it is cold out and stay cool with lower air conditioning requirements when it is hot outside.

In terms of lighting, we optimize energy usage  with our selection of efficient lighting, such as T8 and T5 style lights. We can also go over your building plans and implement lighting calculations in order to situate an array of lights that will most effectively and efficiently light a workspace. We also offer lighting controls and energy savers such as motion sensor controls. These aren’t necessarily intrinsic to the modular building itself, but are useful additions for improving energy efficiency.

With more efficient lighting options, and a well insulated modular building that will keep down your heating and cooling costs, the combination of these improvements can help you lower your yearly energy bill and save on costs.  

Thanks to the energy-saving properties of modular buildings, and their reusability and recyclability, they are considered a green construction process. This sustainable construction practice is quickly becoming the model to follow in the 21^st century.

Yet another indication that the construction industry is adopting more modular building methods as a whole: this article talks about a construction company considering modular construction for building high rise housing in New York, due to its many advantages. The article talks about the potential advantages of modern technology when it comes to building high rises in New York, and many of the stated advantages are quite similar to the advantages in commercial modular building that we have talked about before.

The first major advantage the article discusses is cost. One of the industry’s engineers mentioned around 20% in cost savings. The savings can depend on the project, but 20% is a pretty good figure, especially for something like high rises in New York. And these cost savings can be found across the board: modular construction saves on costs when it comes to any application.

Mentioned in the article, having most of the construction take place in the factory allows the company to allow for weather, control materials being used in the process and reduce waste, and lower labor costs, increasing efficiency. With these lower costs, more high rise projects become more affordable and lower cost housing can be made more available as well, a definite must considering the continuing weak state of the economy.

Many in the industry are keeping their eyes on whether modular high rise developments are successful, and if they are successful (we would bet they will be) expect many in the industry to adopt those methods. The article mentions that a college dorm that was 25-stories was built out of 805 modules in just 27 weeks, and the building is holding up well to winds, which was one of the initial engineering challenges for modular high rises.

So engineers everywhere are implementing modular designs in every facet of construction, solving unique structural challenges pertaining to each project and increasing efficiency, quality, and associated costs in doing so. Expect these trends to continue on in the next couple of years.

Fastenal’s client, Nikon, needed some enclosed spaces that could be used for isolating various light-sensitive components from the rest of the workspace in their facility. Several solutions were considered such as plastic carports lined with light-absorbing foam as with drywall and ceiling, but the modular enclosure solution presented by Allied Modular became the solution of choice due to the advantages of minimal engineering, ready availability, and system flexibility . Using Allied Modular’s modular building solution (and the accompanying cost-effectiveness and favorable lead time of such a solution), Fastenal was able to secure the sale and offer Nikon a solution to suit their needs.

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.

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 Siemens, or Voith Hydro, an international hydroelectric equipment manufacturing company, needed a very unique building. Voith had to have an inplant assembly enclosure where they could wire hydroelectric turbines in a contained environment and then load them up on flat beds to be shipped out. This would prove interesting, as these turbines were 30 feet in diameter and 6 feet tall. A special design was needed so that the turbines could be easily removed from the enclosure in one piece and then shipped out. These turbines were very large and it was apparent that a simple bay door wouldn’t do, so what sort of solution would work?

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:

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!