Corvallis Waldorf School gets new green modular classroom building. The classrooms are in a new type of modular building that replaces the portable classroom structure that had been on the site since the 1980s, when the Waldorf school’s building was the Fairplay School in the Corvallis School District.
Read full article on the Corvallis Gazette Times
You may be pleasantly surprised to find out what can be accomplished today with modular office space. Modular construction is faster, less expensive, less disruptive, and more environmentally responsible than conventional construction. Modular buildings have evolved far beyond the portable office trailers we remember from the past and, today, a modular office building is a smart, fast way to expand.
With the integration of 3D design software, modern state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, and mechanized quality control, modular construction can now solve a wide range of residential, commercial and industrial needs, both temporary and permanent. In the case of office space, some examples of common uses include:
High-quality design-to-occupancy modular buildings offer customizable floor plans with an unlimited number of designs and styles to meet your unique design specifications. They can be designed to harmonize with any surrounding environment using brick, stucco, or vinyl siding, and custom architectural features. When the National Park Service was in need of a modular ranger station on Assateague Island, Modular Genius designed and delivered a solution that blended beautifully with their Cape Cod location.
If your budget won’t permit you to build what you want the conventional way, don’t overlook modular offices. They can be designed in a wide variety of dimensions, square footage of under 1,000 square feet to more than 20,000 square feet, a variety of siding options, roofing materials, and wall and floor finishes, and are priced to provide substantial savings.
The factory manufacturing process is precise, energy-efficient and not slowed by poor weather. Grading, foundations, utilities, paving and some landscaping take place at the site while the modules are being fabricated in the factory. Customers experience less waste, controllable costs, and their strict deadlines can be met without the delays inherent in traditional construction projects.
When you need a permanent or temporary solution to expand or to replace a stick-built building that needs too much maintenance, no other method of construction can provide a faster solution than modular office buildings. And, as you grow, the structures can move with you or be easily expanded.
Modular structures adhere to the same building standards and occupancy codes as conventionally built structures and are equally strong. Since they have to be transported by truck to the construction site, special consideration is given to building them to withstand wind and poor weather. With proper care and maintenance, modular office buildings can last 25 to 30 years.
Another advantage is that you can balance cost and environmental concerns. New modular building units are LEED-certified. They are durable, fire-resistant and mold-resistant. They can be enhanced with energy-efficient utilities, eco-friendly insulation, no-VOC or low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior wall and floor treatments, or efficient automatic sensors for lights and heating systems to make them exceptionally eco-friendly.
Modular offices can stand on their own as individual units or be combined to create large structures. Even multi-story structures larger than 100,000 SF, complete with elevators, are possible. And you can always add on to your modular office space when you need to expand without breaking the bank.
Most people are familiar with traditional mobile offices that appear on nearly every construction site. The ability to build and relocate them quickly makes them indispensible for commercial builders. However, modular office trailers are also ideal for in-plant buildings and field offices, and offer the following advantages:
Durability
Portable modular structures are built to the same standards as conventionally built structures and are equally strong. They adhere to the same building and occupancy codes. Due to the fact that they must be transported by truck to the construction site, extra attention is paid to their ability to withstand wind and poor weather along the way. With proper care and maintenance, modular trailers can last 25 to 30 years.
Cost-effectiveness
Not only are the costs of prefabricated offices about 20% lower than their stick-built counterparts, time is money, and modular buildings can be delivered in about half the time. Plumbing and electrical wiring are pre-installed, and quality control inspections are completed before the modules are delivered to the site at about 80% to 90% completion. This reduces the need for multiple subcontractors when the structure is put in place. So it is a wise move to consider buying used modular buildings if you are on a budget.
Speed of construction
Customers can generally occupy a modular office about 50% sooner than a conventional building, so modular trailers are an ideal solution for jobsites where there is an urgent need for space. Plumbing and electrical wiring are pre-installed, leaving a minimum of work to be done on delivery. Modular Genius in Joppa, Maryland, constructed, transported and assembled single-wide modular office cabins in a remote location in Alaska in about 60 days.
Eco-friendly and sustainable
Modular offices allow you to balance environmental concerns with cost. New modular units are often built with recycled steel, making them strong, fire-resistant and mold-resistant, and they are LEED-certified. Customers can choose from a variety of green elements to enhance the indoor air quality and environmental friendliness of their eco-friendly modular buildings, such as energy-efficient utilities, eco-friendly insulation, no-VOC or low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior wall and floor treatments, or efficient automatic sensors for lights and heating systems.
Flexibility
Another important feature of modular offices is their flexibility. Modules can stand on their own as individual units or combined to create larger structures. They can even be multi-story structures in excess of 100,000 SF, complete with elevators. Customers can easily add on modules when the need for more space arises.
Easy to move
Modular offices are typically available for immediate delivery. They are usually moveable by forklift and can be easily moved to another location when no longer needed, an option that is obviously not available with traditional stick-built structures.
Unlimited design options
Today’s state-of-the-art design and construction technologies mean that you can purchase modular offices that are both functional and attractive, and blend seamlessly into their surroundings. There are a wide range of choices for exterior and interior designs and floor plans. Single and multi-story designs can be designed to suit any conceivable purpose, with exterior finishes such as brick, stucco, siding and other architectural surfaces.
Mobile office trailer design options are virtually unlimited, and the finished structures are difficult to differentiate from conventionally built buildings. For example, take a look at one of the Modular Building Institute’s Awards of Distinction for a relocatable office design at White Sands Missile Range. Consider modular as an option when you need high-quality temporary office space.
Modular construction is ideal for administrative offices, military facilities, and other public and government buildings. Not only are these buildings cost-effective and code-compliant, but modular government buildings can be up and running in half the time as on-site projects. They also have some other notable advantages.
Blast Resistance
In the military or defense industries, and any industry where there is an increased chance of explosion, fire, or danger from toxic materials, blast resistant modular buildings provide a safe environment for working, sleeping and storing sensitive equipment.
The inherent design of modular buildings gives them greater flexibility in comparison to reinforced concrete and masonry buildings. They have the ability to bounce back under significant blasts without collapsing under pressure. The roof is also far less likely to give way, dramatically reducing the chance of casualties.
To meet strict specifications, mobile structures such as blast resistant modular buildings can be customized with:
Relief Barracks
Long, drawn-out site-built construction projects are not efficient when faced with urgent training requirements (often in remote locations) and rapid troop expansions. Base realignment and closure actions and force structure changes highlight the capabilities of modular buildings for relief living space projects.
Applications for modular living quarters include:
An unlimited variety of designs and floor plans is available, and structures can be manufactured, delivered and installed at a prepared site in a matter of weeks. Modular Genius in Joppa, MD, for example, installed a 3,136 Sq Ft award-winning government sleeping quarters project in 120 days.
Prefab modular barracks have uses in private industry as well, and are most often used for firefighting crews, oilfield and mining “man camps”, and in many other applications.
Storage for Flammable and Combustible Materials
The expense of building specialized facilities to store toxic and/or flammable materials can be high. When conventionally built, the structures cannot be relocated, and it may be difficult to determine if they meet the increasingly stringent code standards for fire resistance, secondary containment and structural strength.
Today, modular buildings can be reliably designed to meet specific requirements for fire resistant, hazardous material storage buildings. They can resist wind, snow and internal explosion loads and provide secondary containment to meet all relevant fire codes.
They can also be energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Visit GSA Modular Buildings to find out more about one of the only modular building manufacturers that offers green modular buildings to the Federal government.
Modular buildings for any government agency or department can be built to meet specific requirements with regards to site-specific building construction, anti-terrorism and force protection, SCIF, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and communications. Consider them for your most critical applications.