Guillermo Salazar’s Post

🏡 **Canada's Housing Challenge: A Call to Action for Innovation and Collaboration** 🚀 Canada faces a pressing need to build 3.5 million new housing units within the next seven years to address a critical shortfall in affordability, accessibility, and sustainability. To put this into perspective, this goal requires a staggering 500,000 homes per year, more than doubling our current output (which peaked in 1974). 🏗️ A deep dive into the issue reveals that 80% of the housing shortage is concentrated in Ontario, BC, and Alberta, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The challenge is not merely about quantity but also involves overcoming systemic issues such as affordability constraints, high material costs, and complex regulatory processes. The path forward calls for a multifaceted approach, emphasizing the pivotal role of government policy, technological innovations, and streamlined municipal processes. For instance, modular building, 3D printing, and AI can revolutionize construction, making it faster and more cost-effective, while also addressing labor shortages and optimizing land use. This isn't just about building homes; it's about reimagining the construction industry through collaboration and innovation. By leveraging technology and fostering partnerships among government, builders, and technologists, we can pave the way for a more efficient and sustainable housing market. Its time for Canada to transform the construction landscape. The future of housing is here, and it's time for all stakeholders to come together and make it a reality. #HousingCrisis #Innovation #SustainableDevelopment #CanadaHousing 🌍🔨 Blog post in comments!

🏡 **Canada's Housing Challenge: A Call to Action for Innovation and Collaboration** 🚀 Canada faces a pressing need to build 3.5 million new housing units within the next seven years to address a critical shortfall in affordability, accessibility, and sustainability. To put this into perspective, this goal requires a staggering 500,000 homes per year, more than doubling our current output (which peaked in 1974). 🏗️ A deep dive into the issue reveals that 80% of the housing shortage is concentrated in Ontario, BC, and Alberta, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The challenge is not merely about quantity but also involves overcoming systemic issues such as affordability constraints, high material costs, and complex regulatory processes. The path forward calls for a multifaceted approach, emphasizing the pivotal role of government policy, technological innovations, and streamlined municipal processes. For instance, modular building, 3D printing, and AI can revolutionize construction, making it faster and more cost-effective, while also addressing labor shortages and optimizing land use. This isn't just about building homes; it's about reimagining the construction industry through collaboration and innovation. By leveraging technology and fostering partnerships among government, builders, and technologists, we can pave the way for a more efficient and sustainable housing market. Its time for Canada to transform the construction landscape. The future of housing is here, and it's time for all stakeholders to come together and make it a reality. #HousingCrisis #Innovation #SustainableDevelopment #CanadaHousing 🌍🔨 Blog post in comments!

Why Modular Construction is California's Last Hope for Affordable Housing in 2025 California's housing market is heading into crisis mode. Skyrocketing prices, shrinking supply, and homes being snatched up in days—it's a battleground for buyers and developers alike. But there's a bold solution that's changing the game: Modular Construction. In my latest article, I dive deep into why modular homes are the key to tackling California's housing challenges: Build 3x faster than traditional methods Slash costs and make homeownership affordable again Sustainable, customizable, and HCD certified Perfect for real estate developers looking to maximize ROI Don't let the housing crisis leave you behind. Read the full article and discover how Connest is leading the modular revolution in California. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g22su8PG #RealEstateDeveloper #ModularConstruction #AffordableHousing #SustainableLiving #HousingCrisis #Build3xFaster #ADU #RealEstateSolutions #Connest

It's becoming increasingly dim. I find a lot of what Mr. Lee is describing is very ambitious. While I acknowledge the complexities outlined, I believe there's a disconnect in addressing these issues effectively. The current agenda seems to overlook the practical implications at ground level, leading to potentially disastrous consequences. While Mr. Lee correctly identifies the challenges, some of the proposed solutions, such as a complete overhaul of traditional building methods in favour of advanced technologies like offsite factories and robotics, seem impractical given our current infrastructure, labour force capabilities, and expertise. This approach could burden Canadian citizens further and create a progress trap, forcing us into an agenda that doesn't truly serve our needs. Instead, we should focus on addressing financing and policy obstacles that hinder construction projects. We should be emphasizing a simpler, traditional building techniques that we can adapt to address sustainability, waste, and efficiency to become more effective in the 5.8million home target. While technological advancements are important, we must recognize that our society isn't yet equipped to fully support such a drastic shift. It's crucial to involve stakeholders who understand the intricacies of home constructions, including design, engineering, material sourcing, and assembly, in crafting viable strategies. This way, we can pursue our housing goals in a manner that is both realistic and sustainable for all Canadians.

Here's an interesting read about how "the U.S. once looked to modular construction as an efficient way to build lots of housing at scale, but Sweden picked up the idea and put it into practice". https://lnkd.in/dygibdp2

Toronto’s housing affordability crisis is driven by a lack of supply. We need to build more homes of all types to accommodate our region's growing population, which is expected to double by 2050. Modular construction allows housing projects to be built in factories and assembled on site, resulting in faster and cheaper construction that can be easily tailored for the needs of the end user. To get ahead of this crisis we’re going to need smart, innovative approaches like more modular construction to do it. Yesterday’s adoption of PH11.21 (Taking Action to Accelerate Modular and Rapid Build Construction in Toronto) at Toronto City Council is a smart and practical step in the right direction. https://lnkd.in/gV3mf7Hq

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 #Sweden has mastered what the U.S. once envisioned: using #modularconstruction to solve housing shortages. Architect Ivan Rupnik's research into Operation Breakthrough, a 1970s U.S. initiative, highlights the untapped potential of industrialized housing that Sweden has fully embraced. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: 🔹 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: A U.S. initiative in the 1970s aimed to industrialize housing construction but was halted prematurely. 🔹 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Nearly half of Sweden's #construction is industrialized, using performance-based codes to foster #innovation and efficiency. 🔹 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆-𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀: Companies like 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗮̈𝗰𝗸𝘀 apply techniques from the automotive industry to produce high-quality, climate-friendly homes rapidly. 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Sweden’s flexible building codes streamline processes and reduce waste, unlike the U.S.'s prescriptive codes. 🔹 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹: With a skilled labor shortage and the urgent need for affordable housing, the U.S. could greatly benefit from adopting similar modular housing strategies. Let's learn from Sweden and reignite the ambition of Operation Breakthrough to address our housing challenges efficiently and sustainably. 🏗️ Read more about how Sweden’s approach to #prefabrication could revolutionize housing. 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧

🚀 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝘂𝗰𝗵-𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 🏡🇨🇦 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Fully or partially assembling homes in a factory before onsite installation. 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀: 1. Faster Construction: 20-50% faster than traditional methods. 2. Cost-Effective: Up to 20% cheaper. 3. Environmental Impact: Reduces waste and neighborhood disruption. 4. Labor Efficiency: Requires fewer workers. 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: - $500 million in loans for apartment builders using modular construction. - Funding for local innovative housing solutions. - Reducing regulatory barriers and standardizing designs. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: High startup costs for factories and need for steady demand. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀: Inefficiencies in financing and rising costs. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Contractors, engineers, and architects resist change. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗺-𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲: Market vagaries make investments risky. 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰.: Building Canada’s tallest modular project in Vancouver. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝘁𝗱.: Diversified projects from work camps to rural hospitals. 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹: - Increased use of prefabricated parts like wall panels. - Potential for more sustainable building materials. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Modular housing offers significant benefits in speed, cost, and environmental impact. With increased government support and industry adaptation, it could play a crucial role in addressing Canada's housing crisis. #ModularHousing 🏠 #InnovativeConstruction 🚀 #HousingCrisis 🏡 #SustainableBuilding 🌍 #CanadaHousing 🇨🇦 #PrefabHomes 🏗️ #ConstructionInnovation 🛠️ #AffordableHousing 💰 #FutureOfHousing 🔮 #GreenBuilding ♻️

Regulators need to be innovators too. When they are, they often have the biggest impact. "U.S. building codes dictate the thickness of drywall that must be used for fire resistance, how many layers are needed and how many nails are required to attach it. In Sweden, the code requires that a wall must resist burning for two hours, say, and lets engineers and manufacturers figure out how to accomplish that. The regulator’s job is to check the engineer’s work." That's probably the most important bit of this piece looking at why modular, factory built housing is a key piece of the housing shortage puzzle in Sweden, but not in the US. You could apply this to a lot of other built environment challenges too. It's why China, Taiwan or even Morocco can build a high speed train, for instance and why Britain or Canada can't. It's not enough to say we need to do more of this to solve the problem, it's how we need to change the way we think about the conventional methods. We can often build bigger, faster, better, cheaper if we challenge the standards that were set for a time long gone by. It's a bit like the general who wins by adapting to facing the war that is coming, not the one that has already been. https://lnkd.in/giqqTbgV

The concept of pre-approved housing designs should be applied to mass timber and light-frame wood buildings, not just steel modular construction.