Modular Construction

Modular Construction DESIGN INVESTIGATIONS

Some industries - like finance, media, and retail - have radically transformed themselves and their productivity performance. The iPhone is a popular example: the inventors of the first telephone would have been hard pressed to imagine the sleek wireless devices we carry around with us now, which also function as calculators, cameras, navigation systems, music and video players, address books, and answering machines. The pace of change in telecommunications is remarkable.

Other industries - like architecture and construction - have been much slower to evolve. Our tools may have changed in recent years, but the fundamental ways in which we think about design and construction have not. The opportunities for innovative growth would have substantial returns that would come from increased productivity in our industry.

What’s holding us back? Those who work in the architecture industry embrace innovation. We love the idea of bringing something new into the built environment, but too often we are focused on a bespoke design and the one-building-at-a-time scale. We want to deliver beautiful, functional, and contextual buildings to our clients for every project, but we sometimes overlook a fundamental question: is there a better way?

opportunities for disruption & transformation abound

A Seismic Shift In 2017, a report by the McKinsey Global Institutei sent

shockwaves

through

the

construction

industry, highlighting the continuing “remarkably low productivity” of the global construction industry compared to other large industries. The report pointed out the glacial pace of change in the way buildings are built, and targeted ways to improve efficiency and boost productivity in construction. This systemic inefficiency, however, is equally an architecture issue. Designers spend countless project hours reinventing the wheel and re-drawing custom components that could easily be standardized. When we fail to take advantage of tools that streamline our workflows, we add cost to our projects, reduce our profitability, and remain tethered to outmoded processes.

Modular construction is an as-yet-underutilized construction method which addresses many of the concerns of the McKinsey report. Repeatable building components, fabricated in a factory setting and assembled onsite, can yield substantial benefits in cost, efficiency, time, and sustainability. Prefabrication and off-site manufacturing have been around for a long time in construction, but the combination of lighter-weight materials and digital planning and production technologies can achieve new levels of quality, variability, and efficiency. In this model, delivering a building component becomes more like producing a car, essentially making construction more like automotive manufacturing through automated production systems and robotics-supported on-site assembly.

Modular construction is growing in popularity. According to McKinsey, modular projects can be delivered 20-50% faster than stick-built construction, and can yield up to 20% cost savings.ii Because the work is done in a controlled indoor environment with most tasks taking place at ground level, modular construction tends to be safer and more predictable for workers.iii The indoor setting for 60-90% of the construction process effectively eliminates weather delays for a significant portion of the work, contributing to schedule compression and faster speed to market.iv Construction waste is another differentiator: approximately 30% of materials are wasted in traditional construction, compared with 1.8% for modular construction.v Owners, contractors, and construction workers all experience direct benefits from modular construction.

These benefits extend to architects as well. Though embracing modular construction means exploring new ways of thinking and working, this shift could be transformative for the industry.

Benefits include:

Knowledge

Transfer:

Volumetric modules can encode our designers’ substantial expertise into each component, eliminating the need to start each design at square one and allowing for efficient knowledge transfer across teams. We can design a perfect loading dock or egress stair once, and never have to do it again; we can move standards out of books and into our volumetric components.

Optimization of Repetitive Spaces: A modular approach works well for building types with repetitive spaces such as senior living, K-12, higher education, and healthcare. When we know that functional efficiency and state-of-the-art best practices are already woven into our models for standardized components, we free up time to innovate and invest in custom designs for high-impact spaces. We can stop redrawing restrooms, and dive headfirst into applying our design skills where they are most needed.

Quality Control: Volumetric thinking is also essential for quality control. Architects and construction administrators spend a great deal of time dealing with construction issues in the field, and it often takes a long time to make something very simple. Modular construction technology can help us maximize precision, and help us to get more building elements constructed impeccably, more often. We can change our ideas of construction tolerances, eliminate waste, and bring functional proficiency to a project at construction scale.

Cost Modeling: Embedding detailed knowledge of materials and quantities into the volumetric module also facilitates the cost estimating process with a more comprehensive, more real-time bill of materials. The ability to generate an accurate cost model early in the design process is significant: armed with knowledge, architects can break down components by cost to address supply chain issues and demystify cost estimating for clients. When we can identify all elements contributing to the cost, we can work closely with clients to prioritize and set cost parameters.

Client Engagement: In addition to integrating materials and cost data into the model, BIM also allows a client to experience a space early in the design to see what it feels like. In the past, programming details were developed and shared as data points on a spreadsheet, but clients can often better visualize the design through BIM technology. A virtual walk-through can help clients understand the pros and cons of eliminating, expanding, or shrinking spaces when they have tools to compare geometry, cost, and materiality. Value engineering at the end of design is a time-consuming process, but volumetric design can provide the real-time cost data for continuous adjustment and refinement from the early stages of the project.

Win/Win/Win Solutions: When architects spend less time on repetitive work, we have more time for “Big D” design, and can focus on program areas which will have the most impact. We can free up time for iterative design, research, innovation, and solving pressing problems. Minimizing “churn” is better for the budget and the schedule; when we reduce project costs, we help drive down costs for the tenant while potentially increasing profit margins for owners and architects alike.

Volumetric Thinking Re-imagining the Agency of the Architect Harnessing the benefits of modular construction will require a fundamental shift in the way architects work. When we transition from one-off designs to highly refined, repeatable elements, Building Information Modeling (BIM) itself becomes the deliverable. For the right projects, however, the payoff is substantial. Maximizing efficiencies in the design and construction process translates directly into viable, affordable solutions to real-world problems, delivered at scale: for example, we can begin to think in terms of hundreds of units of affordable housing at a time instead of one house at a time. Architects can and should be champions for this kind of change.

LS3P’s Chief Practice Officer Katherine Peele, FAIA, is deeply invested in bringing innovation to architectural practice, and reflects on the exciting opportunities ahead to re-think the way we deliver buildings. “Though there are many who argue that the fundamental process of designing and constructing buildings has not really changed in the last 100 years, the industry is absolutely positioned to re-imagine how buildings get built,” she explains. “We’ve often used technology to help us do the same old tasks faster; modular design and construction, on the other hand, allows us to automate the things that are slowing us down, and frees designers up to do the creative, human centered tasks we do best.”

“We’ve often used technology to help us do the same old tasks faster; modular design and construction, on the other hand, allows us to automate the things that are slowing us down, and frees designers up to do the creative, human centered tasks we do best.”

Katherine Peele, FAIA Chief Practice Officer

Real World Applications Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis One of the most significant challenges facing the Southeast (and other regions) is the undersupply of high-quality affordable housing. Modular design and construction could be transformational in maximizing opportunities and addressing challenges in this market sector. According to the US Census Bureau, six of the ten states with the highest numeric growth between 2021 and 2022 are in the Southeast.vi On average, large southern cities have grown by 11.8% since the 2010 census; small southern towns have grown by 6.7%. vii

Many factors – the mild climate, the varied geography, the professional

opportunities, the relaxed lifestyle, and the charming towns – draw people to the region. Both residents and corporations are finding the Southeast to be an attractive place to live, work, and travel.

With rapid growth comes both investment and responsibility. Growth has to be smart to be beneficial and equitable, and finding affordable housing is difficultto-impossible for many seeking to make a home here. “Missing middle” and workforce housing are in particularly short supply. Without this housing stock available at an affordable price point, the people who keep our communities running are too often priced out of the market. This gap in housing demand and housing availability not only drives rising costs, but also diminishes the quality of life across the region. The Southeast needs high-quality, affordable, community-oriented housing – and we need it fast.

Modular design and construction has the potential to meet this and other growing needs, and can help us apply our collective resources to provide affordable, attractive neighborhoods where they are most needed. LS3P’s CEO Marc Marchant, AIA, LEED AP, sees this work as integral to advancing the firm’s vision. “Continuous evolution is critical to making sure our industry can effectively meet the needs of our rapidly changing region,” he says.

“LS3P is committed to serving our communities through design excellence, expertise, innovation, and collaborative engagement; these tenets are embedded in our vision, and our firm’s work with modular design to deliver much-needed workforce housing is a strong example of our vision in action.”

“LS3P is committed to serving our communities through design excellence, expertise, innovation, and collaborative engagement; these tenets are embedded in our vision, and our firm’s work with modular design to deliver muchneeded workforce housing is a strong example of our vision in action.”

Marc Marchant, AIA, LEED AP CEO

case study Greystar’s Modern Living Solutions Global real estate company Greystar founded Modern Living Solutions (MLS) to develop and deliver attractive, efficient, and attainable housing through modular construction. As one of the largest providers of rental housing in the United States, Greystar offers nearly 800,000 beds and serves 227 global markets from 65 offices around the world. The scale of Greystar’s work means that even small efficiencies can yield substantial positive impacts, and the company’s new capability for modular construction is at the leading edge of transforming the delivery process. In 2023, MLS began fabricating units for the first new workforce housing developments near Pittsburgh and Baltimore from its factory in Knox, PA. LS3P works with MLS on the volumetric modules for the individual units, bringing substantial multi-family design expertise to the complex task. The BIM prototypes for modular studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units are optimized with layers of detail and expertise, including ADA/FHA standards and transportation dimensions for flatbed trucks. When completed, the units can be shipped to a site and quickly assembled into an attractive, welcoming residential development.

Getting to the production stage required close collaboration between LS3P’s designers and Greystar’s vertically integrated team focused on development, construction, and engineering. The team used the volumetric modules to explore cost saving fabrication strategies and more efficient layouts while optimizing overall dimensions for modular transport.

The

patented light-gauge steel structural system offers the advantage of being both lightweight and recyclable; 75% of the steel going into the product is recycled, and 100% of it is recyclable down the road as units are removed or reconfigured. Also critical: the modular units can be delivered with less than 2% waste, eliminating an estimated 40% more waste than traditional construction, and leading to a more sustainable product which substantially reduces carbon emissions.

The process has required extensive collaboration. Dimensional units and costs are dependent on shipping distances and flatbed truck capacity, so these constraints greatly influenced the design. The model had to factor in integrated hooks for transport and unit-to-unit connections. Discussions with potential manufacturers were also critical to the evolution of the design, and maximum efficiency will rely on a supply chain which can stabilize costs and provide a reliable stream of materials.

MEP design for the modular units was guided by similar factors: supply chain, efficiency, shipping, and assembly. The most important piece of advice was to “place a high priority on protecting the box” in order to contain everything within the shipping module. The design team also pursued a very detailed MEP | FP BIM model, which required several complex remodeling efforts and multiple discussions of optimization ideas with the client. Design teams work in high level of development (LOD) modeling and the virtual design and construction (VDC) team applies directto-fabrication level 3D modeling.

The neighborhood plan for these modular units is focused not on sheer volume, but on quality of life for the residents. The developments will be attractive, comfortably scaled for their communities, and carefully designed to incorporate green space and an enjoyable pedestrian experience. Greystar, unlike many developers who complete multifamily housing projects and sell them immediately, is also committed to longterm ownership and management of the property.

“As a regional firm, we support the commitment to our communities with the rich knowledge of our expertise of building types and market sectors.

With an advanced digital practice focus and a wealthy body of architectural expertise, we are investing in laying the groundwork for building modular components that can address our region’s intractable problems” Darrell Puffer, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP Technology Leader

Redesigning Design Though the architecture industry has traditionally been a slow-moving ship, we stand at the threshold of a paradigm shift. We are not only redesigning the built environment, but also redesigning design itself. The way we’ve always done things shouldn’t be a limiting factor in our ambition to build better; volumetric design and construction has the potential to transform the way we design and deliver buildings in a way that yields massive benefits to our clients, our communities, and the profession as a whole. LS3P’s Darrell Puffer has led the team for the firm’s modular design work to date, and believes that modular design and construction represents a paradigm shift for the industry. “The architect has a vital role in developing solutions that can leverage offsite modular fabrication and address context and optimization of effort,” Puffer says. “Our work centers on Building Information Model components, assemblies, and data that support multiple functional market sectors. Focusing on digital content harvesting and craftsmanship opens the door to productivity and can facilitate early phase discussion of modular offside construction. Architects also bring order to the work as a whole and resolve issues where the building meets the ground, town and community.”

Because architects often work at the building scale, we forget that sometimes we have the opportunity – and responsibility – to make a one-project issue into a local, regional, or global issue. With modular design and construction, can begin to think of more than one building at a time. The processes that will Improve productivity, increase efficiency, and reduce costs for one design can be scaled to solve pressing issues such as the need for affordable housing, the need for excellence and efficiency in healthcare facilities, and the need for more sustainable construction. Modular design and construction can propel us forward, and can be a powerful tool for translating our unique design skills into massive benefits for the region and for leaving our communities better than we found them.

Works Cited Barbosa, Filipe et. al.” Reinventing Construction Through a Productivity Revolution” McKinsey Global Institute, February 27, 2017. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/ operations/our-insights/reinventing-construction-through-a-productivity-revolution. i.

Bertram, Nick; Fuchs, Steffen; Mischke, Jan; Palter, Robert; Strube, Gernot; and Woetzel, Jonathan. June 18, 2019. “Modular Construction: From Projects to Products.” https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/ modular-construction-from-projects-to-products. ii.

Miller, Jen. September 7, 2023. “Modular Building Creates Fewer Jobsite Hazards, But Isn’t Without Dangers.” https://www.constructiondive.com/news/ modular-building-jobsite-hazards-safety-benefits/691785/. iii.

Modular Building Institute. N.d. “What Is Modular Construction?” Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.modular.org/what-is-modular-construction/#:~:text=Because%20 construction%20of%20modular%20buildings,the%20risk%20of%20weather%20delays. iv.

Modular Building Institute. N.d. “The Environmental Impacts of Traditional vs. Modular Construction.” Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.modular.org/2021/07/14/ the-environmental-impact-of-traditonal-vs-modular-construction/. v.

US Census Bureau. “Growth in U.S. Population Shows Early Indication of Recovery Amid Covid-19 Pandemic. December 22, 2022. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2022/2022-population-estimates.html. vi.

US Census Bureau. “Southern and Western Regions Experienced Rapid Growth This Decade.” May 21, 2020. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/south-westfastest-growing.html. vii.