Standardizing Modular Designs Across Plants
Date Posted: January 23, 2025
Posted In: Discussion, Offsite Construction,
From Offsite Builder: Past articles in this magazine have discussed the idea of offsite manufacturers using standardized designs — both within a single project and across multiple projects — to gain efficiencies through repetition. Those articles assumed all projects being delivered from a single factory.
Of course, even greater efficiency can be gained by the sharing of standardized designs across multiple factories. A developer — a hotel chain, for example — could have different factories manufacturing the same modules in California, Colorado and Connecticut, with adjustments made to accommodate local conditions such a seismic activity, snow and wind.
In this article, we talk with four industry pros on how this model can benefit general developers, general contractors and manufacturers, and how this can lead more developers to make use of modular construction.
We also look at the efforts one of them is making to move the industry in this direction.
Developer Benefits
The benefits of standardizing designs across the modular industry include streamlined scheduling, faster production, better ability to work in multiple markets, more trust in the product, the ability to bid multiple factories, easier financing and shorter permitting times.
Standardization would make it easier for developers to use modular construction for their regional or national programs. If the same design could be manufactured in factories across the country, the industry would be in a better position to grow.