The new generation relocatable classrooms have concrete floors, concrete and
steel walls, heavy steel doors, larger tinted windows, and a weather proof
rubber roof.
 The Modular Building Institute ("MBI")
estimates that more than 220,000 relocatable classrooms are currently in use by
public school systems throughout the United States. California has long
been the leader spurred on by legislation which withholds state funding to the
local districts unless a significant portion of facility additions are capable
of being moved.
The ability to relocate classrooms has long been recognized as a viable method
to address shifting demographics. In addition to the relocatability
feature the factory built classrooms offer speed of delivery and speed of
installation. The time saving attributes work to minimize disruption
while school is in session and allow for far more construction during summer
recess. Site and foundation work are often done at the same time a
classroom is being manufactured. It is these concurrent tasks, as well as
the ability to manufacture pre-order, that generate the time savings.
For many decades, the positive product attributes have been overshadowed by the
perception the classrooms were of inferior construction. In many cases,
this has been true.
Public school systems have long viewed relocatable classrooms as a temporary
facility solution. As such, the goal of the public school facilities
department has been to get as many students as possible in classrooms for as
little money as possible. With a promise (or hope) of new site built
schools in the long range plan, all the facilities department had to do was
bridge the enrollment gap as cheaply as possible. In budget-constrained
environments, the result was easily predictable. Relocatable classrooms
were ordered with the minimum of acceptable building materials. While the
relocatable classrooms satisfied all building codes, the materials were not
intended for long-term use. Aluminum exteriors, a metal roof, an air
conditioning unit hanging off the side of the building and an elevated
structure with tires often exposed added up to a trailer. These wood
based buildings could be built cheaply and rented by the public school systems
out of the annual operating budget. This practice saved monies in the
capital budget for site built construction.
School budgets used to be largely about labor and facilities. The rapid
advance of technology has upset the historic paradigm. Hardware, software
and cabling now compete for precious dollars. On top of that, reduced
class sizes, special education, adult education, continuing education,
pre-kindergarten classes and head start initiatives all demand more
space. Even without an influx of students due to shifting demographics,
facilities demands are nearly overwhelming.>
A wood based relocatable classroom built with minimally acceptable building
materials is capable of twenty or more years useful life given normal use and
careful maintenance. Filters need to be changed monthly, care must be
exercised to avoid standing water either in or under the units and repairs must
be made on a timely basis. Roof leaks left unattended will rot wood
floors and walls. Relocatable classrooms built of wood can deteriorate
rapidly when mistreated. A deteriorating environment coupled with poor
trailer-like aesthetics contributes to a less than desirable image. The
negative image is further compounded when the classrooms appear in a haphazard
array occupying otherwise useable recreational fields and parking lots
Many jurisdictions have been taking a hard look at their use of relocatable
classrooms. As complaints rise from disgruntled parents and citizens, public
schools are faced with a choice: suffer the criticism and hide behind the
budget woes; abandon the use of relocatable classrooms; or upgrade the
relocatable classroom specifications. The first alternative is
shortsighted and often political in nature. Abandoning relocatable
classrooms often times is not practical from either a space or an economic
standpoint. Often, alternative space is simply not available.
Relocatable classrooms are available today that offer all the positive
attributes of relocatability, speed of delivery and speed of installation yet
look and operate like a site-constructed school. They can easily be
relocated from school to school and have the same life expectancy as those
built by a general contractor on site. These relocatable classrooms meet
all building codes and are constructed of the same materials a general
contractor would use. Gone are the aluminum sides; gone are the exposed
air conditioning units; gone is the metal roof. Moreover, these
relocatable classrooms sit on the ground and avoid the requirement of steps and
skirting to hide tires. In fact, the new generation of relocatable
classrooms does not even have it's own wheels and axels. They are
transported to site on a flat bed trailer and lifted by crane right onto an
awaiting foundation.
 The new generation relocatable
classrooms have a concrete floor poured in the factory, concrete and steel
walls, heavy steel doors, larger tinted windows, suspended ceilings, energy
efficient lighting, vastly improved air circulation and a weather proof rubber
roof. In the State of Florida, the classrooms now being delivered satisfy
the wind standards imposed as the result of hurricane Andrew. The wind
standards reach 130 miles per hour in the Keys; fall to 120 on the coast; and
110 for the remainder of the state. Many relocatable classrooms have
actually tested to 150 mile per hour standards.
Recent bids in the State of Florida demand a relocatable classroom built of
either all concrete or a combination of concrete and steel. In some
jurisdictions, these new relocatables are replacing wood based units that have
been in service since the early 1960's. In every jurisdiction, the
requested relocatables are taking the place of site built construction.
The new school construction strategy combines the ability to relocate classrooms
with the permanency of what once was confined to site constructed
buildings. A general contractor builds a cafeteria, gymnasium and a hall
(wheel and spoke) system and relocatable classrooms are set in clusters at the
end of the halls to create the school. The classrooms have a fifty year
life and are non-combustible construction yet can move to other schools as the
need arises.
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