Modular Advantage Magazine
In each bi-monthly issue, Modular Advantage Magazine explores a specific modular construction topic and features interviews and articles along with industry news, updates from the Modular Building Institute and its members, modular case studies, and upcoming industry events. This construction trade magazine is a valuable resource for anyone interested in commercial modular construction.
While printed copies are mailed free to MBI members, we have partnered with PBC Today and BD+C magazines to send digital versions of the magazine to 300,000+ industry professionals around the world, including architects, engineers, developers, and general contractors in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Free digital versions are also available by subscribing to MBI's weekly e-newsletter..
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Latest Articles & Interviews
Inside the Construction of 355 Sango Court
This year’s winner for Best of Show for Permanent Structures is 355 Sango Court, a 105,818 square foot affordable housing development manufactured by Nampa, Idaho based Autovol. The project team also included Prefab Logic for module design, Nibbi Brothers as the general contractor, Acc U Set Construction as the modular installer, and the overall project design was by David Baker Architects and DCI and Fard.
Aster Place by ROC Modular
Aster Place, a supportive housing building in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, won the Best of Show Award and Honorable Mention for relocatable structures in the social and supportive housing category at this year’s World of Modular conference.
Looking Back at the 2024 World of Modular
On March 18-21, the Modular Building Institute presented its 41st annual
convention and tradeshow, hosted again at the luxurious the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FL. Nearly 1,500 attendees from around the world gathered to learn, network, and find ways to expand both their businesses and the industry at-large.
Touring Japan’s Offsite Construction Industry: An Interview with James Haas, Offsite Construction Sales Manager for Nichiha
Nichiha USA, a premier provider of building envelope solutions and member of the Modular Building Institute (MBI), recently partnered with MBI for a trip to Japan to visit the Nichiha home office in Nagoya as well as several other offsite manufacturers around the country. Besides learning about different offsite building methodologies and systems, the trip was an excellent chance for both MBI and Nichiha to create closer ties with potential industry partners in Japan.
Modular Multi-family Construction: A Field Study of Energy Code Compliance and Performance through Offsite Prefabrication
Prefabrication in a factory setting may improve the performance of modular buildings compared to traditional site-built buildings. To validate this premise, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded a 3-year study from 2020-2023 comparing the energy performance of more than 50 modular and site-built multifamily buildings under construction in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Inflation Comes in Hot to Begin ’24
Last year was a shockingly good one for the U.S. economy, at least relative to expectations. Coming into 2023, the conventional wisdom was that near-term recession was inevitable in America. In the face of belligerent excess inflation (above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent mandate), monetary policymakers began ratcheting interest rates higher in March 2022. That process continued throughout the balance of the year and into 2023.
Featured Modular Building Case Studies
The Sphere Made Possible with Exterior Wall Panels
This one-of-a-kind structure required one-of-a-kind building materials and exterior cladding that could accommodate the atypical geometries, project timelines, and significant daily foot traffic. Offsite construction, in the form of Dryvit’s Outsulite prefabricated panels of continuous insulation (CI), was the key method for streamlining the façade installation and ensuring quality control for the difficult building connections.
Modular Construction for Financial Viability: The Norwalk Project Case Study
The Norwalk project serves as a prime example of how Offsite Modular Construction, in collaboration with Architects, Consultants/Engineers, General Contractors (GC), and Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection (MEP/FP) Subcontractors, can make projects financially feasible by closely working with the Owner/Developer under an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach.
STAAT MOD Patient Bed Expansion at M Health Fairview – St. John’s Hospital
Construction firm The Boldt Company, and interdisciplinary design firm, HGA were engaged by St. John’s Hospital to deliver a 16-bed ICU patient observation wing onto the existing facility, built to over 90 percent completion offsite in Appleton, Wisc., then seamlessly transported and installed on the St. John’s campus – the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota.
Offsite Modular Construction Builds and Installs 12 New Classrooms for Westlake Academy in 100 Days
OMC utilized modular construction techniques to manufacture two brand new permanent 6,400-square-foot modular buildings, each housing six classrooms. The process included innovative design features for safety, durability, environmental sustainability, integrated technology enhancements, and health-oriented construction.
Formula 1 Race, Las Vegas, Nevada
In partnership with InProduction, Phoenix Modular Elevator (PME) designed, manufactured, and installed seven modular elevators for the F1 Grand Prix race in Las Vegas, Nevada. To minimize space, the design utilized machine roomless (MRL) hydraulic elevators, eliminating the need for separate machine rooms for each elevator. Instead, using the MRL design, the machine room equipment is built into the hoistway, and accessed via a small door on the side.
Silverking Student Housing, Selkirk College
ROC Modular was proud to deliver a much-needed new permanent modular Student Housing Residence for Selkirk College, located at the Silverking Campus in Nelson BC. The project is a 3-storey, 12-module 38-student bed building with a mass-timber main common area for student amenities.
Parkhurst Elementary School Classroom Additions
The Parkhurst Elementary School in Winchester, MA, has recently undergone an expansion of 13,074 square feet. Due to renovations at the neighboring Lynch School, students were temporarily relocated to Parkhurst. Modular construction was chosen as the preferred method to accommodate the influx of students and prepare for the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
VBC Chooses MAESTRO SMART 9 HP
Volumetric Building Companies (VBC), a global leader in the construction sector with a focus on building the future through volumetric modular techniques, choose the Maestro Smart 9 Heat Pump as their ideal comfort solution to heat and cool their modular housing project in Philadelphia, PA, consisting of 60 modular housing units.
16’ x 37’ Welded Substation Enclosure
Instead of sourcing a new transformer, which would have taken over 100 weeks and cost several million dollars, Raytheon Technologies turned to Panel Built Inc. for a modular solution. Panel Built designed a 16’ x 37’ prefabricated enclosure that could be delivered to Guam in two pieces. Once it was put together, it was lowered over the transformer.
Temporary Visitors Center at Antietam National Battlefield Park
Antietam National Battlefield Park, a revered site listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, presented unique challenges demanding meticulous preservation efforts. The paramount goal was to ensure minimal disruption to the sacred grounds surrounding the new modular building.
Wraptite Airtightness Protection for Northampton School for Boys
The Wraptite external air barrier system from the A. Proctor Group has been chosen for its high-performance, airtight insulation for a Department for Education (DfE) funded project of the offsite construction of Northampton School for Boys Multi-Academy Trust.
University Temporary Modular Student Housing— Ettrick, VA
Modular Genius, Inc. designed and built three temporary modular dormitory complexes featuring 134 dorm rooms, totaling 49,632 sq. ft. All three modular dorms feature a shared laundry room, kitchen and lounge area, showers, and restrooms for residents.
Hage’s Badehotel — Case Study — Denmark
For this project, Forta PRO delivered 72 buildings, 144 modules, with 5,200 m2 of gross modular area. With final onsite completion in June 2023, it provides exceptional long-stay accommodation in a stunning and serene environment.
355 Sango Court Case Study
The logic-intensive preconstruction method demanded of automated modular brought extra benefits to the Sango Court project. Autovol had worked side by side with preconstruction innovator Prefab Logic to create a digital twin modeling approach and a sprint process as advanced as the Autovol factory.
Enhancing Building Performance with Wraptite
The Wraptite external air barrier system from A. Proctor Group was installed in combination with the innovative, unique pre-panelized and fully load-bearing Hadley Frame offsite system, which is ideal for developments of low to medium rise structures.
Hearst Elementary School Case Study from Wilmot Modular
Wilmot Modular was hired to consult and provide what was originally a two-story classroom expansion project. The school district wanted the building to match nearby
buildings on the campus, and fit in a steeply graded, small site. There were also budget constraints that had to be managed.
Unity Malmö – New Student Housing in Southern Sweden from Forta PRO
The city of Malmö in southern Sweden is set to welcome a new student housing project Unity Malmö, comprised of 5 building blocks, 450 micro-living apartments, where Forta PRO delivered 269 modules, total of 9,671.9 m2.
CertainTeed’s ONE PRECISION ASSEMBLIES™ Panelized Solution
Using the latest advances in building science and prefabrication, CertainTeed developed these wall, floor, ceiling, and roof panel assemblies to meet the needs of builders and developers wanting to build higher-performing
homes, faster.
Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Solutions from DMDmodular
DMDmodular has recently achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing a relevant energy-efficient housing project, fully financed by EU funds, that tackles the industry’s most pressing challenges.
The Rapid Rise of Affordable Modular Housing in Canada
Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative represents a huge success for the modular construction industry, and MBI members are building modular multifamily homes fast. Here are some examples.
Currently an MBI member? Submit your case studies for publication today!
Online Exclusives
Recent Issues
Past Articles
The Envelope Insulation Design Regarding Material Alteration Compatibility in Blast-Resistant Modular Buildings
BRM envelope insulation configuration has impacts on construction schedule time, potential redesign workload, and market competitiveness, which are all critical to the success of a BRM project.
Observations from My Travels to Ukraine
With over 2,300 damaged or destroyed schools, the potential for modular construction as part of the rebuilding effort is huge. In fact, mayors from several cities asked me about this exact issue when I visited in May. And, of course, the needs for medical clinics and housing are greater than ever.
Is the World Deglobalizing?
There is a popular narrative indicating that the world is now splintering after a period of coming together. For decades, the world seemed destined to become a unified production unit. Dozens of free trade agreements, the expansion of World Trade Organization (WTO) membership, and import/export data suggested that national boundaries were falling, at least with respect to the movement of goods, including productive construction inputs.
Inside The Inspection Process With PFS TECO’s Bob Gorleski
Bob has been involved with the expansion of the company since 1999, and has seen the company grow. PFS TECO has not only expanded but has evolved: to becoming an employee-owned company. In fact, the company offers ESOP (employee stock ownership
plans) available to 100 employees.
A Construction Journey from Conventional to Modular
Like a stick-built structure, a modular building requires a lot of coordination in going from design to finished building. One crucial element of the process is the setting of the modules on the foundation, and there are companies that specialize in that work. ProSet of Montrose, Colorado, is one of those companies.
BECC Modular: Manufacturing for Future Generations Through Industrialization and Improvement
Ali hammers out BECC Modular’s mission down to one sentence. “I would say that we are in the business of manufacturing industrialized developments for future generations.” This mission is something that’s also baked into their structures, which follow Net Zero and Passive House design principles to create carbon neutral buildings.
“Obsession” with Modular Logistics Leads to Business Success
In the short time Stream Logistics have been in business, the team has learned a lot about modular transportation, learning more in four months than they had the last two years without the specialized focus.
Creating “Smarter” Smart Buildings, Smartly
A California start-up, Domatic, has taken on the task of making smart buildings “smarter” through its revolutionary electrical distribution and automation system. The low voltage system saves energy, reduces copper wiring, and is safer to install. And with its plug-and-play capabilities, it is already making a wave in the modular construction industry. The company’s system has been showcased in multiple high-rise residential projects, including market-rate high-rises and affordable housing projects.
From a Basement Office to a Team of Modular Experts
Starting from his basement office 17 years ago, Dean Dalvit leveraged his professional training in both architecture and engineering to develop EVstudio into a fully integrated architecture and engineering firm. Now with over 120 staff members in four offices, including two in Colorado, one in Boise, Idaho, and one in Austin, Texas, the firm is a regional design powerhouse.
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