Prefabricated and modular commercial construction is becoming more and more popular, and many predict this trend will continue well into 2025. This kind of building is changing the construction process and giving the sector opportunities that are safer and greener. It is estimated that this market will reach $110 billion by 2025 if current trends hold true. So, all construction companies should seriously consider modular design. Individuals possessing expertise and familiarity with this kind of building will exhibit a degree of diversity in their portfolio.
Misconceptions
Prefabricated and modular design carries some stigma. Many people don’t know exactly what modular design entails. Some people might equate modular architecture with a mobile double-wide home, set up on a piece of land, and driven down a freeway. However, that is just a cursory look at prefabricated structures.
The building components are constructed off-site and then transported to the site when finished. On the construction site, the larger building components are assembled like enormous jigsaw puzzles. The only structures that matched this description in the 1950s were mobile homes. Modular design has now expanded from its initial niche market to a wider one. Massive, multi-story skyscrapers that are permanently anchored on a site foundation are all part of the modular design, along with extra classrooms and useful office space. The buildings can be built in a secure indoor environment that reduces delays, which is an inventive feature of this kind of design.
Benefits of modular design
The use of modular design has spread to a number of market sectors, such as multi-family housing, office buildings, hotels, and educational institutions. Not only is this kind of design adaptable to many different industries, but it’s also a safer option for construction workers, quicker to complete with fewer delays, and environmentally friendly.
This kind of design gives more opportunities for material reuse and generates less waste from materials. Peer-reviewed research by the Modular Building Institute found that the modular construction process reduced CO2 emissions by 43% and sent 75% less wood and drywall waste to landfills. These facilities offer filtered air to workers and have less pollution from heavy machinery because construction is done indoors and off-site.
Creating a safer working environment for general contractors and subcontractors on a project is another advantage of modular design. Compared to a typical construction site, workers are safer and the work environment is more consistent because the majority of construction is done indoors. Reduced barriers and safety risks lessen the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and falls.
Modular design is not only safer and greener than most conventional designs, but it also happens faster. The Journal of Civil Engineering & Management reports that weather delays account for 45% of construction project delays. Modular design helps to reduce some of these delays, even though many of them happen during the foundation-laying and site preparation phases. A general contractor or construction manager does not have to account for weather delays when building pre-fabricated components because some construction can take place indoors. Before the buildings are delivered, contractors can prepare the site by finishing all of the grading, foundation work, and concrete. It is possible to build every component of the project concurrently without causing conflicts with one another.
Modular design gives the construction industry an additional option for these and many other reasons. It offers several advantages, one of which is a quicker and safer method of creating usable buildings. For more information consult a general contractor in Queens NY.