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.

When we talk about the flexibility and versatility of our modular building systems, case studies like these really help us illustrate how versatile and flexible our modular walls really are. It is one thing to be able to produce endless variations of offices and enclosures, but custom applications like these really demonstrate the capabilities of our modular wall system.

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.

Needless to say, judging every phase of the project (design, manufacturing, and shipping) Allied Modular was able to deliver on all counts. Our team put together a tremendous effort to get such a large job done within the aggressive timeframe and our client was very happy with the results. According to Gaylord, they were exceptionally happy with the results, as the building turned out to be exactly what they thought it would be, and in the timeframe required, no less. In roughly two weeks, Gaylord Palms had a fully functioning, sound insulated 3D movie theater for its guests. Consider the conclusion of this project to be the beginning of another great business partnership!

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, an international leader in technology and industry, needed to provide a clean environment for drinking fountains on the manufacturing floors of their plants. They were looking for the modern look that a modular clean room affords, so they began requesting quotes from various modular clean room manufacturers.

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.

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!

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!

One of the enduring misconceptions that the public has about the modular construction industry is that modular buildings are equal to “trailers” or mobile buildings. Of course, modular buildings can be put on trailers or made into mobile buildings, but that’s besides the point. The point is that the public often sees the term “modular building” as designating only these trailers and mobile buildings.

We see this misconception come up in a story in which President Obama is surprised that public school teachers teach in trailers, or as the article states, “modular buildings.” Now, we are not here to discuss the politics of the situation, but we do want to clarify this “modular building” term that is being used so loosely.

Many people view trailer buildings in a harsh light, seeing as how the buildings are only meant to be temporary and provisional. These buildings tend to be thin-walled and built with lower quality materials to provide cost effectiveness. It is this negative view that can occasionally overshadow the public perception of “modular buildings”.

While it is true that trailer buildings like these were once referred to as modular buildings, and some modular companies do in fact make these trailer type buildings, they no longer represent as a whole the types of buildings that modular construction produces.

Modular construction technology has advanced well beyond the trailer and the old prefabricated houses (of course modular buildings are prefabricated, but the technology and the process are different now). Modular construction is now a rapidly growing industry filled with all sorts of different construction methods and approaches.

Many of these modern modular construction approaches are attempts to streamline and make more efficient the construction of buildings that are meant to be more durable and high quality than the old prefabricated and trailer buildings. Sitting inside these new modular buildings, it is hard to tell that they aren’t traditionally constructed buildings. The walls are thick and well insulated. The construction is solid and durable. But at the same time, the buildings are flexible and easily rearrangeable. With modular buildings, you have the advantage of a sturdiness characteristic of traditionally constructed buildings and at the same time you have the advantage of a flexible, cost effective building that you can easily modify or take with you.

So a modular building is no longer simply a trailer building. It is a building that is built from a type of construction that involves factory fabricated components that can be put together in an almost infinite variety of arrangements. This is the new definition of a modular building that we hope the public will adopt.