Modular Construction: Benefits and Use in Housing - Research Paper

Abstract

In the recent past, there are numerous countries where modular construction is being practiced for housing. In 2009, the United Nations used up $72 million on modular construction buildings (Kamali, 2016). Usually, modular units are constructed on an assembly line in a plant and then moved to the construction site. The application of modular has benefits over the on-site construction traditional way of construction. The construction of the units indoors signifies that site work can progress at the same moment, or the units can be constructed when the weather does not permit outdoor construction and this speed up the building timelines.

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Modular construction has shorter timelines as well as effective and efficiencies, and affordability that can be achieved through an assembly line method can result in affordability since modular houses are constructed indoors with high and close supervision at every step-the modular construction results in higher quality. In addition, an appropriate design is one of the greatest advantages that is obtained in modular construction, and it offers a sustainable solution.

By looking at transportation, materials, plant process, on-site integration, and housing form, this report will study the seven core research questions, which include:

• Design and unit construction: what are the applications in the modular construction and design process to improve cost-effectiveness and the time efficiencies of modular construction?
• Materials: what are the materials, which can improve performance affordability and sustainability of modular construction?
• Transportation: what are the available options for transporting modular construction to the development site to ensure that the whole process is as cost-effective as possible and time-efficient?
• Form of Housing: what kind of modular constructions are proving efficient, affordable, and durable? What innovations are taking place?
• Emergency Lodging: what are the lessons obtained by using modular constructions for seasonal housing for the displaced in the occurrence of a natural disaster?

BC appropriateness of climate: what are the suitable applications identified through this research suitable for BC's landscape and climate.

Sustainability: what are the best applications to maximize the sustainability of the environment of modular construction units during the phase of construction and energy consumption once the constructions are occupied?

The data in this report was collected through the following sources:

• The case studies of the modular housing projects together with the non-housing projects applying modular construction.
• Literature reviews, comprising articles from industry newsletters, magazines, and industry newspapers together with the academic reports and research on modular construction.
• Evaluation reports, lessons obtained, and consultants.
• Selected interviews of the expert to validate research findings.

This report will give an outline of what is identified in the literature. The report is also intended to provide a summary of the literature. This information will be of assistance to residential, modular construction companies as it offers an examination of emerging ideas and some of the practices that are considered the best. This report can also be useful to the housing organization, which are considering modular construction.

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the innovation, the ideas, and practices that assist in maximizing the benefits of modular construction for affordable housing in Canada. These include quality, efficiency, and affordability in construction using modular. This report will suggest where possible consideration, challenges with each innovation, idea, and practices.

Introduction

Worldwide modular construction buildings have a lengthy history. The technology that is more than a thousand years; for instance, the Mongolia Yurt building was easy to be transported. In the seventeenth century, in Canada, the housing kits were taken to the east coast, and the entire homes started to be conveyed in the late nineteenth century by a company known as Nova Scotia, which transported modular wood-frame houses to the Caribbean and within Canada. It is estimated that in Bulgaria and Sofia, over 60 percent of the population lived in modular constructed buildings. In the recent past, there are numerous countries where modular construction is being practiced for housing. In 2009, the United Nations used up $72 million on modular construction buildings (Kamali, 2016). Usually, modular units are constructed on an assembly line in a plant and then moved to the construction site. The application of modular has benefits over the on-site construction traditional way of construction. The construction of the units indoors signifies that site work can progress at the same moment, or the units can be constructed when the weather does not permit outdoor construction and this speed up the building timelines. Modular construction has shorter timelines as well as effective and efficiencies, and affordability that can be achieved through an assembly line method can result in affordability since modular houses are constructed indoors with high and close supervision at every step-the modular construction results in higher quality. In addition, an appropriate design is one of the greatest advantages that is obtained in modular construction, and it offers a sustainable solution.

However, modular construction also has several shortcomings. Modular units can be very costly while transporting them to the site or the unites can be damaged because of moving them from one place to another. In addition, units may have to be conveyed over a very long distance to reach the site. Trucks essentially move groups. Moreover, this means that the units have to be lifted by the cranes, which makes it expensive to transport to the site. On the site, the units' integration can pose a problem in that the finishes can be altered while doing the electrical connections, plumbing, and hooking up mechanicals. Also, site planning is needed to be carried out to ensure the units and site hookups are arranged in a line. Also, if the groups are damaged while on transport or paucities are noticed while already on site, it could cause a problem if it is the responsibility of the site labor or plant to make the repairs. Lastly, modular construction may be time-consuming, especially when the required design is complex and needs different kinds of material to construct. This may be time-consuming in assembling when the areas to obtain the material from is far from the construction site.

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the innovation, the ideas, and practices that assist in maximizing the benefits of modular construction for affordable housing in Canada. These include quality, efficiency, and affordability in construction using modular. This report will suggest where possible consideration, challenges with each innovation, idea, and practices. The secondary purpose of this research is to determine how to maximize the efficiencies of modular construction and to improve the affordability and quality in construction in Canada. This report also pulls the innovations, ideas, and practices from other building forms that are not presently used in modular construction. Still, it could be reflected as part of the modular process of construction or finished product.

This report will give an outline of what is identified in the literature. The report is also intended to provide a summary of the literature. This information will be of assistance to residential, modular construction companies as it offers an examination of emerging ideas and some of the practices that are considered the best. This report can also be useful to the housing organization, which are considering modular construction.

By looking at transportation, materials, plant process, on-site integration, and housing form, this report will study the seven core research questions, which include:

• Design and unit construction: what are the applications in the modular construction and design process to improve cost-effectiveness and the time efficiencies of modular construction?
• Materials: what are the materials, which can improve performance affordability and sustainability of modular construction?
• Transportation: what are the available options for transporting modular construction to the development site to ensure that the whole process is as cost-effective as possible and time-efficient?
• Form of Housing: what kind of modular constructions are proving efficient, affordable, and durable? What innovations are taking place?
• Emergency Lodging: what are the lessons obtained by using modular constructions for seasonal housing for the displaced in the occurrence of a natural disaster?

BC appropriateness of climate: what are the suitable applications identified through this research suitable for BC's landscape and climate.

Sustainability: what are the best applications to maximize the sustainability of the environment of modular construction units during the phase of construction and energy consumption once the constructions are occupied?

The data in this report was collected through the following sources:

• The case studies of the modular housing projects together with the non-housing projects applying modular construction.
• Literature reviews, comprising articles from industry newsletters, magazines, and industry newspapers together with the academic reports and research on modular construction.
• Evaluation reports, lessons obtained, and consultants.
• Selected interviews of the expert to validate research findings.

Design and Unit Construction

What are the applications in the modular construction and design process to improve cost-effectiveness and the time efficiencies of modular construction? Numerous practices involve means to ensure proper management and communication of a project as it develops from concept through design, building, and occupancy. Modular construction and operations mostly need a heightened combination of information management, systems communication, and project management because of the timelines that are tightened and efficiencies.

Several articles and studies directed to a suite of tools that increase the possibility of success on manufactured projects or modular. This happens mainly on complicated or more extensive projects, which possess numerous units. These comprise the Building Information Modeling (BIM), Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD-CAMM), Modular Test Fit (MTF), and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) in manufacturing. These tools together are part of the combined design and project delivery progression (IDP, IPD).

Project integration (IDP, IPD), Building Information Modeling

The AIA (American Institute of Architects) presently describ...