The Green Benefits of Modular Construction

Green Modular Home

These days, most consumers understand the importance of sustainability. They look for products and materials that are good for the environment and choose them accordingly. This dynamic even comes into play when they are shopping for real estate, or thinking of building a new home or commercial structure. 

Modular construction doesn't refer to any particular architectural style, but rather an efficient construction process. Most traditional buildings are built on-site, but modular building uses prefabricated pieces made and assembled offsite in a factory environment. The prefabricated parts are assembled, transported and installed on the construction site nearly complete,reducing the amount of on-site construction and environmental impact. Modular buildings offers a number of benefits to the environment and can be considered a green technology. 

In addition, prefabricated construction reduces waste. In the U.S., the construction industry is responsible for about 40% of overall energy use and 40% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.

Experts say that as much as 30 percent of the materials used for on-site construction are wasted and go into a landfill. That amounts to more than 130 million tons of waste per year. However, modular construction uses well-engineered components built in controlled factory environments, where waste can easily be minimized. Even more, factory-built components can be designed for maximum efficiency by expert designers. Materials or entire modular buildings can be reused and re-purposed.

The construction process is more energy efficient with modular technology. The parts are built in a factory and can be shipped to the site all at once. That is more efficient than the typical conventional construction site that has to make multiple runs for materials. Since modular building means that most of the work is done in the factory, the on-site assembly goes very fast with modular construction, vastly reducing the time of completion and ensuring deadlines are met. That means fewer trips to the site by construction workers and less energy consumed.

The overall indoor air quality of the final building can be better with modular construction. Outdoor moisture can impact wood frames during conventional construction processes. The moisture ends up being trapped inside the walls, leading to air quality problems.

Modular buildings can be disassembled, moved and reassembled. They can be recombined, recycled and re-purposed. Buildings made on site are not nearly as flexible or recyclable. Considering modular building’s greater efficiency, reduced waste and recyclability, it makes good sense to choose green modular construction over conventional methods.

Going Green With Modular Homes

There are more products in the marketplace that allow consumers to be environmentally responsible than ever before. These products range from cleaning products to modular homes. Homes can actually be constructed with a green initiative in mind. This includes everything from the construction of the panels to the energy efficiency of the finished home.

Many of the modern modular homes are built to use less energy. There may be solar panels on the roof or thicker layers of insulation on the sides of the home. When there is less heat being absorbed into the home, the AC doesn’t have to work as hard. As a result, the electricity bills are considerably less. This has a direct result on the environment in a positive way.

Builders are creating green modular homes that use sustainable materials. In a standard construction home, a lot of materials are being taken directly from natural resources. This includes lumber and many other items. It’s not good for the planet, yet they are used anyway. The use of sustainable materials in construction is much more environmentally friendly. When these products are used, it creates a smaller environmental impact than traditional building materials. For example, a roof may be constructed of metal, slate shingles, or some other sustainable product instead of traditional asphalt shingles.

With modular homes, a homeowner often has more control over certain aspects of the home. There are endless floor plans available. Adjustments can be made to the floor plan based on individual preferences. Once the panels are constructed off site, they are then brought to where the home will reside. As the construction crew assembles the panels, other decisions and changes can be made.

The piping, hardware, and appliances will need to be selected. Many homes going green are built specifically to be energy efficient. There are faucets and shower heads that will reduce water flow. In addition, energy efficient appliances can be selected that will use less energy in their operation throughout the home.

Modern modular homes are being decorated with the green initiative in mind as well. Instead of carpet or tile, the flooring may be bamboo or cork. The walls will be painted with organic paints. Even the curtains on the windows may be made of organically-produced fabrics.

A standard construction home is expensive to build. Add green initiatives to it and it may be cost prohibitive for the average homeowner to build. Green modular homes are typically more affordable for home buyers because in general, they are less expensive to build. Those who are looking to embrace the green initiative in every way now have an affordable way to own an environmentally friendly home.

There are many companies that offer modular home specs. Choosing one should be based on the available floor plans, the materials used in construction, as well as the cost. Every company has a different way of doing business and a different set of offerings. Do your research and speak to a variety of companies before making your final decision on which company to purchase your new home from.