Founder of ADL Ventures and Fraunhofer at MIT | Creating HardTech Ventures at the Corporate Start-up Interface | Expert in Industrialized Construction & ClimateTech | Senior R&D Leader, Board Member & Serial Entrepreneur
In today's construction landscape, offsite modular construction deserves a closer examination due to its myriad benefits that align with the demands of modern industry. This construction approach offers a highly predictable, replicable, and cost-efficient method that is adaptable to future needs. Offsite construction projects involve the creation of individual modular sections in controlled factory settings, which are subsequently transported to the project site for assembly. Predictability, often an uncommon term in the construction industry, takes center stage here. Forward-thinking organizations are realizing that relocating construction processes from the unpredictable on-site environment to a controlled factory assembly line mitigates risks associated with various factors, including the whims of weather. One of the most compelling advantages is the assurance of increased productivity, consistency, and quality. It provides a higher degree of cost certainty by enabling precise predictions of required materials, labor, and time. This approach also significantly shortens project timescales while reducing the physical labor involved, subsequently diminishing health and safety risks on the construction site. The benefits of offsite modular construction extend beyond predictability, offering a comprehensive solution to address the evolving needs of the construction industry. What other advantages of this approach do you see in terms of labor efficiency and safety? 🤔 #industrializedconstruction #offsitemanufacturing #offsiteconstruction Ken Semler Gary Fleisher Gerry McCaughey Jennifer Castenson Dave Cooper 🎥 Jennifer Krokus Cooper Daniel Small, Ben Hershey Doug Tollin Gary Fisher Max Conte Paul Richards Anna Whiting Sam Hart Tim Seims Andrew Seelye Jordie Puchinger Rob Howard Sneha Kumari, Steve Burrows Jonathan Cor Dennis Michaud Audree Grubesic Gaynor Tennant
Paul Richards
11mo
Nolan, your on point, our belief is , subassemblies will become more common, this common parts can either go to a fixed factory to become a volumetric product. Or fixed factory to become a larger assembly, ( panellised) or straight to site in either normal conditions or in a controlled environment, we call that the Thunderhaus, on site production with a controlled environment. Benefiting from all you have highlighted in your post. Now take that further. The Thunderhaus can produce its own subassemblies, and also build volumetric panellised or kits . But all without the huge overheads of fixed factories. Now like all construction technologies when you have it producing exactly how you like it. Take the whole system including the Thunderhaus to your next site. And benefit from your learning. Safe predictable construction. All year round 24hrs a day. Your factory on site. What’s not to like!
Doug Tollin, MBA
11mo
All of the benefits listed boil down to reduced risk for all stakeholders which is a key advantage of offsite construction.
Completely agree, of course, Nolan! And the advantages of offsite modular construction become even MORE pronounced when that offsite factory process is optimized and maximized by applying Lean manufacturing principles! 😉
💯 Great share Nolan! Besides being greener, faster, cheaper, flexibility is yet another benefit to add to the list. Safety is a big one. Reduce exposure to hazardous conditions, and somewhere potential mental health benefits too for the workforce , which is too often ignored.
Todd Usher, Ph.D.
11mo
Great points as always Nolan! Offsite construction can provide greater quality assurance than site-built construction. Nailing / fastening patterns followed and checked, flashing tape applied and correctly rolled, and other "basic" QC that are often struggles in the field.
Tina Holtz
11mo
Love this Nolan!
Consultant
11moLabor is scarce, scarcity brings surge pricing and in some aspects utilization is low for process reasons. These are the issues to be solved. Solutions involve creating means and methods that rely on less skilled labor, productizing low utilization aspects and increasing labor supply via technology training schools. All these things are being done, just too slowly when demand outstrips supply but that will change as construction booms are followed by busts and we are definitely overheated with economic indicators that suggest very choppy seas ahead (from a man sailing across the Atlantic next month !).