Sustainable Building With Modular

Sustainability is the mantra of modular building. This is because of modular’s many benefits: it’s cost-efficient, time-efficient, and can be just as design-savvy as traditional stick and brick construction. Its largest benefit of all: it is inherently more sustainable than conventional building practices.

According to the National Science and Technology Council, the construction industry accounts for 40 percent of primary energy consumption and 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. For companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint without scrimping on design, modular is the ideal option.

The modular construction process simply makes less waste. It is far more efficient in its use of material resources compared to traditional construction. Environmental controls in the manufacturing process reduce the amount of waste and minimize the release of harmful contaminants. The use of indoor air quality controls in the factory setting prevents fewer harmful emissions from escaping into our environment. Energy-efficient lighting with occupancy sensors, programmable HVAC systems and window glazing are also frequently incorporated into the design of modular buildings, further improving the energy efficiency and reducing operating costs of these designs.

Factory production also consumes less energy than traditional onsite construction. In fact, offsite manufacturing can reduce waste by up to 90 percent, thanks to a limited need for packaging materials such as wood pallets, shrink wrap, cardboard and concrete.

Additionally, the repetitive production process that modular uses allows for material resources to be accurately measured and strategically applied to minimize waste. For example, traditional construction processes include cutting wood planks to the size needed, and the leftover materials are left behind as scraps. In modular construction, the modular provider knows the exact amount of materials that will be needed, leaving near-zero waste.
Reduced waste is only one aspect of modular’s sustainability. Perhaps even more significant is the ability to reuse modular buildings in other locations and for other purposes which dramatically reduces the need for new construction. Modular buildings can be moved, rearranged, broken down, and rebuilt in other configurations, as opposed to just being torn down and disposed of as in traditional construction methods.

The material used in modular units is both durable and recyclable. As a result, buildings last for years, and can usually be recycled when the time is right. For example, ground offices have been repurposed as ski lodges, sales centers as first aid stations. With modular, large amounts of materials and energy are saved through these highly sustainable methods.

By: Jeff Dusing

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The Modular Space Corporation (also known as ModSpace), is a modular construction company that provides temporary and permanent solutions for commercial building projects, such as modular offices, portable classrooms, construction trailers, mobile storage units, and even designer offices.