Contributed by Jon Lattin

​A long time ago modular construction had a limited understanding that brought it down to parked trailers and temporary metal buildings that did not retain heat. Fast forward to now, increased efficiency in the modular business has shifted the focus from stick building methods to new building processes.

What Is Modular Building Or Construction?

Put simply, modular construction or building is the method of having all the components of a structure pre-built in a secure and dry factory and finally assembled at the respective site. Most people who have seen this type of building have witnessed it in the construction of a home. An increase in modular construction saw nearly three percent of all commercial construction done using modular methods. Using modular construction is growing in popularity in the construction industry and with very good reasons.
 
One of those reasons for this popularity is that modular construction saves time and money. For example, construction slows down in the colder parts of the country, but using modular building methods means this is not normally the case. Construction is done inside a climate-controlled factory where workers do not have to battle the elements and construction companies don't have to be concerned about losing time and money due to inclement weather. It's estimated that a structure built through modular methods can be constructed 25 to 50 percent quicker than standard construction methods. This further adds to its popularity with companies looking to save money on building costs.

Questions That Come With This Type Of Construction

One of the most pertinent questions that come up when talk about modular construction happens, is how this type of construction will affect American workers' jobs. The most viable answer to this question is that foreign companies can try to create modular building segments to be used in America but they are not going to have the best insight into building exactly for American needs. This lessens the potential threat of job loss that this construction is perceived to bring.
 
Furthermore, shipping costs associated with getting big modular segments to the United States can prohibit foreign companies from building for American projects. As already stated above, foreign manufacturers might use materials and methods that do not meet American building costs. It is likely that foreign modular construction companies are going to be reluctant to change their methods in order to meet American specifications. What all this means is that there is a less chance American jobs will be taken out of the country and into foreign hands.

A Degree Of Accuracy Is Required

Another element of modular construction that needs to be taken into consideration is how precise the site preparation needs to be in order to for a structure to be built correctly. With regular building projects, imperfections in the foundation can be corrected by making adjustments on site. However, when it comes to modular buildings, the foundation has to be accurately level to within one-half of an inch otherwise the entire structure will need to be rebuilt. Many American construction companies have adjusted to this unique facet of modular construction, however the thought that one wrong move could ruin the whole project can certainly elicit a lot of frustration sometimes.

Will All Buildings End Up Looking Similar?

​Modular structures used to look alike a lot, regardless of their structure. Thankfully, technological advances have helped modular construction companies find ways to offer a lot of variety to their clients. Some of those advances now allow architects to design modular structures with curves and other various shapes that were not possible before. A desire for modular construction companies to acquire more of the commercial market is the reason behind this new innovation. Modular manufacturers turned to commercial construction after the residential housing market fell. Many manufacturers have found success in this market.

However, despite the changes and successes, modular construction still faces some limitations based on the look and functionality of a structure. That still does not mean modular construction is not something to consider for your projects. It is also worth noting that modular does not have to be done for the entire structure; heating, cooling or plumbing systems can be built in advance and shipped after completion. Whichever way modular construction is used, it is worth considering for its time and money saving purposes.

Author Bio:
Tom Moverman established the Lipsig Brooklyn Law Firm with Harry Lipsig and his partners in 1989; The firm’s focus is in products liability, personal injury, construction accidents, car accidents and medical malpractice.

Contributed by Cherise Lakeside

If you already know me, you know that young professional development is an area in AEC that is very important to me.  I have had mentors and guidance throughout my career that has helped me in my growth and success.  I still have amazing people helping and supporting me every day.  Because of that, I feel a burning need to give back what I have been given and help our younger professionals get ahead and succeed.

I have become more and more aware of an area where our young professionals are being neglected at an extremely critical time.  We need to fix this.

A few things happened recently that motivated me to write this blog:

1. I was having lunch with a product rep friend from my CSI Chapter.  I asked why I hadn’t seen him at our firm doing a lunch and learn.  He responded that his product was already in our specs and a product that is widely specified so he didn’t feel the need to come in very often.
2. I attended a conference last month in Miami geared toward pairing product manufacturers with PRINCIPALS in larger firms.
3. I met another product rep at a different conference.  I asked who their product rep was in my area and she told me.  I had never heard of him or seen him at our firm.  My firm has 3 offices and over 300 people, so I found that odd.
4. We get calls from product reps all the time who want to meet with the specifiers or the project managers, but rarely ask to include the designers in those meetings.
5. I have had product reps complain to me that they were disappointed after a lunch and learn because there were no Principals in attendance.
6. I often notice at my CSI Meetings that the product reps are only talking to the most experienced professionals in the room.

 
BREAKING NEWS: Manufacturers, you are missing the boat in a very big way.  You are missing the boat in marketing, you are missing the boat in risk management and you are missing the boat in educating the right people about your product.
​
Consider This:

1. There are 75 million Baby Boomers in the workforce that are retiring or preparing to retire.  There are only 45 million Gen X’ers (that’s me) to fill their shoes.  There are 75 million Millennials coming right behind me.  This generational gap is even wider in AEC because we lost so many Gen X’ers during two recessions who never returned.
2. If we have this major gap, who is going to fill the Baby Boomers shoes?  We don’t have enough experienced Gen X’ers to do it.  Somebody is going to have to.
3. What does that leave?  It leaves Millennials.  Millennials have tools and resources that we did not have.  The best and the brightest are well equipped to learn faster and step up into major positions of responsibility 10, 15 and even 20 years earlier than ever before in the AEC industry.  I am already watching it happen, I love it and I embrace it.  I am excited to work side by side with this fresh and exciting group.

Contributed by Sheldon Wolfe

Although it didn't seem like it at the time, one of the best parts of my CSI chapter's certification classes was reading the A201 - not selectively, but the whole thing, beginning to end. Being the heart of the construction contract, anyone who works on a project should know what's in it. I can't quote every part of it, but it's familiar enough that I can find what I'm looking for fairly quickly. I don't deal with much of it, e.g., claims and time requirements, but there are a few parts that I find of particular interest.

We'll start with what I call the complementary clause. 

​Most architects are aware of this requirement, which is quite useful when something is on the drawings but didn't make it into the specifications. Clearly, when that happens there has been a communication failure. The specifier might not have seen something on the drawings, or it might have been added unbeknownst to the specifier. Regardless of the reason, this clause has saved many an architect when something was missed.

It's obviously a useful fallback requirement, but it shouldn't be relied on to cover mistakes that should have been avoided. It is quite powerful, but it also is limited. Let's look at a couple of examples.

The bidding documents show a bathroom on the drawings, and in the bathroom, floor tile is indicated. Unfortunately, there is no specification for tile. No problem, right? The complementary clause requires the contractor to provide floor tile! Of course, there is that pesky provision that requires to contractor to ask the architect about obvious conflicts, but it's pretty much impossible to prove the contractor saw this error and failed to call the architect. 

Now we're in construction, and the contractor discovers the error. Because the tile should have been included in the bid, and because of the complementary clause, the contractor is on the hook; the tile must be provided. That is true, but without specifications, the contractor is free to choose any type of tile. The contractor can claim the bid was based on plastic tile on sale at the dollar store, instead of the really cool stuff the architect wanted, priced at $20 per square foot. Furthermore, without installation instructions, the contractor could argue that simply laying the tile on the floor is all that's required.

A silly example, to be sure, yet it emphasizes the importance of specifications as a way to ensure you get what you want.