Resources

Modular Construction: From projects to products. McKinsey & Company. June 2019.

“Modular (or prefabricated) construction is not a new concept, but technological improvements, economic demands, and changing mind-sets mean it is attracting an unprecedented wave of interest and investment. If it takes hold, it could give the industry a huge productivity boost, help solve housing crises in many markets, and significantly reshape the way we build today. Our new report, Modular construction: From projects to products, dives deeper into the issues.”

Building Affordability by Building Affordably: Exploring the Benefits, Barriers, and Breakthroughs Needed to Scale Off-Site Multifamily Construction. University of California, Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation. March 2017.

“In this paper, the Terner Center for Housing Innovation explores the barriers and proposes a number of solutions that would enable off-site construction to expand from its currently limited operations in the United States, and deliver more housing, more affordably, and more rapidly, to the market.”

Faster, Better, More: Promising Construction and Technology Approaches for Accelerated and Efficient Affordable Housing Development. Bridge Housing, prepared by Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF). May 2019.

“The paper explores the benefits, potential cost savings, challenges and considerations of techniques such as offsite construction (OSC)… The paper also describes how broader use of more cost-effective and sustainable wood materials and components may offer another opportunity for cost or time savings... Included in the appendices are resources such as vendor and manufacturer profiles, and comparisons of features, time and costs.”

Modular Construction: A Manual for Project Managers. Mercy Housing. March 2019.

“This Manual for Project Managers was created in response to questions that developers and members of the board of directors at Mercy Housing California had regarding modular construction. As one of the leading affordable housing developers and managers in the country, Mercy Housing is continually seeking ways to reduce the cost and time for the development of high-quality affordable housing.”

Reinventing construction through a productivity revolution. McKinsey Global Institute. February 2017.

“The construction industry employs about 7 percent of the world’s working-age population and is one of the world economy’s largest sectors, with $10 trillion spent on construction-related goods and services every year. But the industry has an intractable productivity problem and, according to Reinventing construction: A route to higher productivity, a new McKinsey Global Institute report, an opportunity to boost value added by $1.6 trillion.”

A Home Builder Perspective on Housing Affordability and Construction Innovation. Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. July 2019.

“Based on the [Housing Innovation Vision Economics] Home Builder Survey, there has been relatively little change in the construction methods of building homes over the last forty years. However, the survey also provides an indication that change is coming – albeit slowly. A number of builders plan to increase the use of innovative construction methods over the next five years, and they recognize that more factory-built/modular housing is coming. However, how fast will this actually happen? Also, as innovation occurs, will it bring greater productivity and improve affordability?”

Modular Construction for Multifamily Affordable Housing. WSP. February 2018.

“As developers explore modular and factory-built housing (FBH) as a practical option for multifamily dwellings, a new study is providing valuable insight into the benefits and constraints of this emerging construction method. On behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), WSP USA prepared a 30-page report which describes a range of FBH manufacturing methods, summarizes recent industry developments, details advantages and disadvantages, elevates best practices and provides ways forward for industry stakeholders.”

Enterprise Community Partners. New Reflections on Affordable Housing Design, Policy, and Production. Overcoming Barriers to Bringing Off-site Construction to Scale. Enterprise Community Partners. July 2019.

“This white paper identifies opportunities and barriers to using prefabrication to expand the supply of affordable homes and address cost challenges. Our research focuses on four key elements: 1) Financing; 2) Design and Quality; 3) Regulations and Logistics; and 4) Construction Timeline and Cost. It offers key takeaways to facilitate a broad conversation among industry stakeholders on how these construction strategies can function effectively as part of the existing housing delivery system.”

“Modular construction used to have a bad rap of limiting architects’ design creativity. But new design and construction approaches are changing its reputation. When done thoughtfully—through early collaboration with fabricators—architects can create unique designs that address a range of client needs.

From quality and safety to schedule efficiency and sustainability, modular building has a lot to offer owners and project teams. Learn more about the variety of benefits of modular construction with the new AIA Modular and Off-Site Construction Guide.

The Modular and Off-Site Construction Guide serves as a primer on the modular approach for architects. It includes: value and opportunities of modular design; pitfalls designers should be wary of; case studies that exemplify successes and obstacles.”