The Commercial Modular Building Blog

An interesting trend is beginning to take place among retailers across the country, particularly clothing and sports equipment retailers. 

As companies look into how they can improve their facilities for customers, and as they look into actual surveys they conduct with customers on preferred service improvements, more and more companies are finding that the dressing room has become an important feature in the retail environment.

In one study, as discussed in this article, customers are 71% more likely to purchase a product if they enter a dressing room to try something on. Many studies  are showing that the really serious customers are usually the ones using the dressing rooms, and so there is a general suggestion that a retail company’s dressing rooms be up to date, comfortable, secure, and functional.

More and more retailers are looking for different ways to improve the shopping experience when it comes to dressing rooms as well, such as installing social media-compatible screens and mirrors to communicate with friends before purchase, or enlarging the size of the dressing room, or installing service buttons.

At Allied Modular we have become more interested in dressing rooms as well, utilizing our modular wall system to function as an easy-to-install, affordable dressing room option for retailers looking to open or renovate. Definitely a trend to watch if you are in the clothing industry.

Several more articles have come up pertaining to the increasing modularization of our construction industry. This is a theme we have been talking about for a while now. Simply put, the concept of  modular design is permeating our understanding of manufacturing and construction and the process of building and producing items of utility. The flexibility, adaptability, and efficiency of a modular design is quickly making it the dominant mode of productive thought in this increasingly complex and fast paced society.

The first article has to do with how modular design benefits those looking to build central utility facilities, or facilities that produce utilities such as chilled air, heat, compressed air, and steam for a larger complex like an academic institution or medical complex. The article does a good job of laying out the benefits of modular design, such as increased efficiency and adaptability, while arguing that modular design can help infrastructure development in myriad ways, and consequently our society. The article is of longer length, but well worth a read for those interested in modular design from an engineering perspective.  

The second article deals with the U.S. Navy’s increased demand for the flexibility and adaptability of a modular ship design, explaining how modular ship designs are more efficient and cost effective.

One underlying theme we can take away from reading all of these articles is that the very nature of material change is evolving. Previously, we would have new iterations of a product, making the previous one obsolete and destined for the trash bin. Now, we see that technological change will come through the components themselves, and we can gradually update a building or ship design by replacing older parts over a longer period of time without having to waste all of the energy of throwing something out and building something completely new. By compartmentalizing change itself, we are making our own processes more efficient, and cutting down on unnecessary waste.

Quite a development!

It is very interesting following the latest developments in skyscraper construction, as the current shift from traditional construction to modular construction is slowly occurring in that sector as well, along with modular’s challenges and benefits. This article illustrates the changing trends quite nicely.

The benefits are similar to the benefits of other types of modular construction. Advocates are claiming as much as 50% in cost savings. For a project as involved as skyscraper construction, this could amount to huge savings for sure. There is also the fact that modular construction uses less labor and is more time/energy effective. Modules are manufactured in a factory, then transported to the site, where they are lifted on top of one another and secured by cranes. Cost savings also allow the builder to construct affordable housing for middle to low income families.

One of the unique challenges pertaining to skyscraper construction is the question of sturdiness. As a building grows in height, more sophisticated supports and anti-seismic technologies are required to ensure that the building is sturdy. Human ingenuity will definitely meet these challenges while cutting costs, improving quality, and saving time and energy.

We applaud modular technology in all its forms, and its growing acceptance in the world of construction. Here’s to our skyscraper-building friends!

Our national public education system took a nasty blow after the recession. States cut funding and school budgets shrank to levels lower than they already were.

These are complex problems we are facing, and I can’t claim to have all the answers, but when it comes to construction and cost-saving methods, we do have one compelling suggestion on how to ease the burden on a small school budget, especially if the school is facing overcrowding problems.

In the past, many schools resorted to those awful  trailers (we called them portables) they used to line up to function as extra classrooms.  These trailers were usually intended as temporary solutions and many schools simply relied on them for permanent use. My own school used these trailers and I often had classes in them. The floors and walls were thin and the air inside the building was stale. The air conditioning was inefficient. To say the least I didn’t enjoy this learning environment as a teenager.

Thanks to advances in modular construction, it is now possible to build affordable, efficient modular classrooms. These buildings are of a higher quality than the trailers and are well-insulated, lending to a quality learning environment.  They install cleanly and quickly, so they function well for temporary solutions, but the buildings themselves are sturdy and robust like a traditionally constructed building, so the school could easily use the building indefinitely.

Modular buildings, as we have mentioned before, are made out of recyclable materials and are reusable. The buildings are more energy efficient as well, cutting down on costs. Schools can rearrange their modular classrooms if they have further uses for it, and save on their budgets in the meantime.

Many in the housing industry have claimed modular construction can usher the damaged housing market back into business, due to increased efficiency and lowered costs. The problems with our public education may stretch beyond mere economics, but it certainly is a good start, especially for those feeling the budget shock.

A winery is being built in Lodi, California, and it is being built with modular construction.

This is the first winery to be built with modular construction. The builder’s aim is to create an eco-friendly, sustainable, clean winery using the latest in technology.

The actual winery equipment is going to be built with state of the art, green equipment and electronics. The building is seeking LEED gold status.

Not only is the building going to be affordably built with high quality, environmentally friendly materials, but the actual machinery inside will be subscribing to those same aims, supposedly powered with solar energy. Modular construction, coupled with smart green technology and design, is quickly permeating every aspect of modern construction.  

For wine lovers and green/modular technology advocates, this is great news. The full article is here.

Nuclear power plants are extremely expensive, time consuming, and energy/resource/labor intensive to construct. They are probably among the most involved and demanding construction projects on earth. Though they yield huge amounts of energy, they also take huge amounts of energy to actually build. Very few companies have the resources to undertake such a task.

This is not surprising, since harnessing something as powerful and potentially dangerous as nuclear energy takes large, intricate, well-reinforced structures.

In light of this, a very interesting article has been posted on Discovery News that is about a possible alternate way of thinking about nuclear power plant construction: modular construction.

There are numerous advantages to building a nuclear power plant with modular construction.

First, it would vastly cut down on costs and resource demands. Just imagine, hard construction projects are often problematic when it comes to resource transportation and utilization. Estimations get fudged, environmental variables could complicate things, resources could be underused and eventually wasted, the list could go on. Who knows what sorts of inefficiencies arise in a project as complicated and grandiose as that of a nuclear plant’s construction?

If a nuclear power plant could be planned in modules that could be premanufactured in a factory under controlled conditions, many variables that were previously unaccounted for could be kept under control. Resources would be more efficiently used. Engineering methods could be scrutinized and improved upon. Adverse weather conditions would not be a problem. The list goes on.

Also, there is talk of a possible “plug and play” approach. Modular power plants could be upgraded piece by piece with future advances in nuclear power, since the modules can be removed and replaced without being destroyed.

Some have questioned whether this would be safe. For the same reason modular homes and other modular buildings can be even more durable and feature higher quality: modular nuclear power plants can be manufactured in controlled conditions, usually in conditions where quality can be improved upon through design. Modular buildings usually feature more reinforcing materials as well, to endure potentially turbulent transportation to the build site. It is probable that power plants will be reinforced in this manner as well.

Another design aspect of the modular nuclear power plant could feature the reactors buried underground, which would have safety benefits.

The potential for reduced cost, higher quality, safer nuclear reactors could have favorable implications for energy in general, especially in developing countries that need the nuclear energy boost.

Seeking economy, sustainability, and increased efficiency, modular construction is becoming the new standard. Definitely a constructive trend, If I do say so myself. No pun intended.

Many in the industry have noted the encouraging phenomenon of the flourishing modular construction industry, especially given the fact that we are still experiencing a weak economy. Not only that, but the construction industry itself has taken an especially hard hit since the economy took a turn, especially housing.

Nevertheless, modular construction is surging ahead with new companies popping up every day.

More and more homeowners are venturing into the once-stigmatized modular home market, and more and more governments and businesses are choosing to build with modular construction, due to its lower costs and convenience.

So why the ongoing prosperity of modular construction?

My best guess is this: in a weak economy where everyone is trying to save money, the most cost effective solutions are going to win out. This accounts for the recent proliferation of bargain shopping companies.

Also, there is a hypervigilance in today’s business world to adapt quickly, innovate, and stay up to date with the latest economic trends. Modular construction combines cost effectiveness with the flexibility necessary for businesses to alter their physical workspaces and keep up with the changing times.

It also helps that modular construction and other forms of modular design have been increasingly associated with the green movement, due to inherent energy saving/recycling qualities found in modular construction.

In essence, modular construction is a more evolved, more intelligent form of construction that seeks to address the inefficiencies of traditional construction. In times of prosperity, change might come more slowly, as the current conventions seem to work alright. However, in recessionary times, it becomes essential to rethink old techniques and adapt to harsh landscapes.

It is the combination of these elements that have propelled modular construction into one of the fastest growing industries.

When promoting the green qualities of our modular walls, we often mention that modular construction contributes to a better overall air quality where the construction is taking place.

We all want good air quality. We want to be able to breathe easy and we want our lungs to be healthy. We’ve all seen those images of black smoker’s lungs, images that have probably been ingrained in our minds for generations to come, and we often act in opposition to that fate.

This claim of better air quality in our modular construction method raises several questions. How does modular construction improve air quality? Why is better air quality (usually situated indoors) considered green? And what effects does bad air quality have on human beings?

To answer the first question, air quality on the build site is improved due to better control. Modular walls are manufactured in controlled factory conditions, instead of cut and sanded and painted and patched in a variable environment. With previous iterations of construction, crews had to do all the shaping and fine tuning on the actual build site, which can lead to large quantities of particulate matter being released into the air and dispersed throughout, possibly posing a threat to workers and future occupants.

So why is indoor air quality considered green? Our modern understanding of the green movement is that there is an effort to save the environment by means of using less resources, using sustainable resources, and doing work that does less harm as opposed to benefit when it comes to the general environment. Isn’t indoor air pollution a solely human matter, seeing as how only humans are going to be inhabiting the space? Well, if you didn’t know already, you’ll be happy to know that the green movement is also concerned with human well being, and not just the narrow interest in the environment itself. The ideology of the eco friendly persuasion encompasses not only a concern for the environment, but a concern for the effect the environment has on Earth’s inhabitants, including humans!

In that respect, how do airborne particulates effect human beings? We know about the coughing, the difficulty breathing, and the lung irritation, but what is really going on?  

As it happens, particulates are classified by their size. Particles that are 10 micrometers (one-millionth of a meter) or more in diameter are considered coarse and are less dangerous than finer particles. Coarser particles end up in our throat and nose, which eventually get ejected via mucus and saliva and other such mechanisms. At less than 10 micrometers however, particles become more troublesome.  

As particles become finer, they become more dangerous. Particles at 2.5 micrometers and less start to become even more worrisome. Particles at 10 nanometers (on billionth of a meter) and less are extremely fine and even more dangerous.

The more fine the particles, the further they can enter the body. Finer particles reach deeper areas in the lungs and even finer particles can even enter the bloodstream and reach other organs. Particulate contamination and build-up can result in a number of disorders in disease, such as asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular problems, and even death.

So the less particulates we have in the air, the cleaner the air, the less of a risk we have of developing certain diseases. Cutting down in particulates is one aspect of the green endeavor, and necessary to continue the betterment of the human experience.

Among the many modular wall users are doctors and dentists, retailers, manufacturers, salon owners, governments (and armies), airports, researchers, pharmaceutical producers, security agencies, tech companies, photographers, music studios, educators, vendors, sports arenas, and the list goes on.  

So what does this tell us? Well, modular walls are widely used, that’s for sure.

The fascinating thing is, they are so widely used and fitted to so many purposes, but all of those applications are derived from the same wall panel. 

In the past, a construction company had to put up walls using concrete and wood and drywall, which used up large amounts of time, energy, and resources. Not only that, but when the walls no longer served their purpose, they had to be torn down and thrown in a landfill. Each of these walls was specific to a certain purpose. As purposes changed, the walls had to come down, bringing time and waste with them.

Now, walls are actually manufactured as panels, where they can be fitted together to create virtually any kind of building to serve any kind of function. Soon we will go down to the store and grab a couple of walls along with our furniture to expediently furnish a room or office. And like furniture, those walls can be moved wherever we go and placed wherever we want them to be placed.

Anything that requires walls and a ceiling, or even just walls can be accomplished with one universal type of wall panel. 

We cut down on waste, energy usage, labor use, and at the same time allow for more flexibility in our constructions. What an exciting new way to look at construction!

Of course, in the last few months I’ve been beating this point into the ground. But maybe I can’t beat it into the ground enough.

It is exciting to think about where the industry will go next.

Why has the modular building industry been growing so rapidly recently? And why has the industry been talked about so much in business and construction journals? Is it because of new technologies, making the modular building process more advantageous? Is it because of concern about the environment? Or because of concerns about efficiency?

I want to argue that it is all of the above. Due to coinciding advances in technology and various global problems, modular building is poised to set the new standard in construction practices.

Early modular technology saw cheap, quickly put-together prefabricated buildings being put up in a deliberate sacrifice of quality for quantity. As modular technology has improved, efficiency of the building process has not only improved, but building quality has vastly improved as well, a quality that makes modular buildings comparable to buildings of hard construction.

As technologies improve, more architects are becoming interested in designing with modular frameworks, making modular buildings not only functionally desirable, but aesthetically as well, attracting new portions of the market.

These changing trends in technology and design in the industry have coincided with not only economic panic, but environmental panic as well.

In a weak economy, businesses worldwide are looking to cut costs, improve efficiency, and adopt leaner practices in general. Modular buildings naturally account for this, as they save on material, labor, and energy costs. Not only that, but modular buildings are highly flexible and adaptable, and go hand in hand with leaner business strategy.

On top of all this, concern with our impact of the environment has reached a global high. With modular buildings’ recyclability and eco-friendly materials and design-aspects, modular construction can account for more sustainable building practices as well.

It is a converging of all of these seperate forces that is propelling the modular construction industry into a new worldwide standard. We can use technology and ingenious design techniques to solve many difficult societal and environmental problems. Certainly a beautiful thing.