The Bakken oil boom has been a terrific boost to North Dakota's economy, but it has been a mixed blessing as Williams County regulators struggle with the burgeoning man camps that have sprung up to house oil workers. These temporary housing structures are of varying quality prompting county officials to find safer and more efficient living quarters that will continue to be useful once the population stabilizes.
Modular structures offer an excellent alternative to temporary man camps. They can be quickly moved into place as the need for workforce housing increases and relocated if needs change. Construction time is greatly minimized since site work and building construction occurs simultaneously. The modular units can function as stand-alone facilities or they can be combined and configured into large complexes or residential communities.
One of the best features of modular housing units and modular buildings is that they are flexible. They can be quickly disassembled and relocated as needs arise. This flexibility is perfect for county regulators in North Dakota because they can designate different locations for temporary housing to accommodate infrastructure and zoning needs, and the structures can be easily moved to the new location with little disruption to the environment or the workforce.
With the sudden and large influx of temporary workers, other infrastructure is essential, such as healthcare facilities for the workforce. Healthcare construction is often time consuming and costly. Modular medical buildings are gaining traction in North Dakota as quick and efficient solutions to this problem.
Structures can be custom designed or standard and may be used as an urgent care clinic or a modular hospital. Healthcare is the fastest growing segment of the modular construction market and manufacturers continue to design custom options to meet the needs of healthcare providers. The quality of these modular healthcare buildings is equal to that of traditional facilities and these units can serve as permanent structures as well.
Modular building manufacturers have made great strides in the past decades and today's modular housing units are aesthetically pleasing and integrate easily into traditional housing developments. As an added benefit, modular construction is intrinsically more environmentally friendly due to less waste in the building process and the reusable nature of the components. The benefits of modular buildings and modular housing structures offer a viable and efficient alternative to North Dakota temporary man camps.
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