Commercial Modular Buildings are

code In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communicati ...

-compliant, non-residential structures that are 60% to 90% completed offsite in a factory-controlled environment. They are then transported or shipped to a final destination where the modules are then erected onto a

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...

foundation to form a finished building. The word "modular" does not describe a building type or style; it simply describes a means of construction. The commercial modular construction industry comprises two distinct divisions: Permanent Modular Construction (PMC) – modular units built offsite for assembly onsite to create a permanent facility not intended to be relocated. They are comparable to buildings built strictly onsite in terms of quality, life span, and materials used for construction. Relocatable Buildings – modular units built offsite for assembly onsite that can be partially or completely reused and relocated at future building sites.

Benefits

A primary benefit of

modular construction Modular construction is a construction technique which involves the prefabrication of 2D panels or 3D volumetric structures in off-site factories and transportation to construction sites for assembly. This process has the potential to be superior ...

is its fast delivery. Due to the simultaneous process of creating modules in a

factory A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...

at the same time site work is occurring, modular buildings can be constructed in up to half the time as buildings built completely onsite. This allows the buildings to be occupied sooner and allows owners to see a faster return on

investment Investment is traditionally defined as the "commitment of resources into something expected to gain value over time". If an investment involves money, then it can be defined as a "commitment of money to receive more money later". From a broade ...

. So modular construction has the potential to shorten project design and engineering time and improve construction productivity. The installation of modular buildings is cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly. The introduction of modular prefabricated units is not only possible in low-rise construction but also in multi-story and high-rise construction. To save the most time and money and maximize the efficiency of the modular construction process, it must be implemented at the beginning of the design-build process. Other advantages of modular construction are design customization and sustainability. The latter is a factor that stands out in the use of modular construction in reference to corporate social responsibility, both in relation to waste minimization, the use of renewable energy and the use of sustainable building materials (such as bamboo and recycled steel and wood) that reduce environmental pollution. Given that the construction sector is one of the planet's main carbon emitters, these are aspects that are increasingly in demand by those in charge of construction projects, as well as by architects and designers. According to the UK group WRAP, (

Waste and Resources Action Programme WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is a British registered charity. It works with businesses, individuals and communities to achieve a circular economy, by helping them reduce waste, develop sustainable products and use resources in an e ...

) up to a 90% reduction in materials can be achieved through the use of modular construction. Materials minimized include: wood

pallet A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a Loader (equipment), front loader, a Jack (mechanical), jacking device, or an erect cra ...

s, shrink wrap, cardboard, plasterboard,

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...

s, and

cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mi ...

Uses

Modular builders provide all types of building space, from small temporary units to complex, multi-story permanent buildings. The most commonly served markets are

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

healthcare Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...

, general office, retail and commercial housing. Some common industrial uses may include: Application Rooms, Laser Rooms, Equipment Enclosures, Environmental Rooms, Maintenance Rooms, or Storage and Security Rooms. Commercial applications may include Offices, Reception Areas, Conference and Meeting Rooms, Copy Centers and Mail Rooms, Shipping and Receiving Rooms, Lunch Rooms and Cafeterias, Break Rooms, Dark Rooms, Training Rooms, and Storage Rooms.

Modular Architecture

The use of modular architecture, especially in large-scale facilities such as hotels or shopping malls, allows for a high-quality building result with excellent value for money. Within modular architecture the use of building information models and the use of 3D modeling design technology makes it easy to take full advantage of the benefits of commercial modular construction. Design From Modular Construction: An Introduction For Architects
(PDF). Aia.org. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-01-19 This is in addition to the automation of factory processes with the use of robotic fabrication which provides a result that is perfectly adapted to the needs and requirements of each project.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Modular Building Institute
- international trade association for commercial modular construction Construction Modularity Building Buildings and structures

Benefits

Uses

Modular Architecture

See also

References

External links