b'CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGYWHEN THE WORKSITEIS OFFSITEMODULAR CONSTRUCTION IS REDESIGNING THE BUILDING PROCESS By Sarah B. HoodIF THE 21ST CENTURY HAS BEEN AWere on the cusp of an industry revolu- few places where it isnt an appropriate LITTLE SLOW TO MAKE ITSELF FELT,tion characterized by how fast things areapproach include existing sites that are ITS HERE NOW. The pandemic upheavalchanging. We need to be more nimble,simply too crowded to allow for prebuilt has tossed even the last holdouts intoflexible, able to evolve as we go, and partelements to be brought in and projects like the digital era, and every element of theof that is modular construction and offsitetheatres or arenas with spans of 150 to workplace is being re-examined, fromsubassembly, adds Mollenhauer. 200 feet or more.training methods to meeting formats and document approval.Troy Galvin is a manager with PCL Agile,PCL Agile has applied DFMA effectively which specializes in commercial modularfor Marriott International, which operates As a hands-on industry, construction hasconstruction in the Toronto area. He saysnumerous distinct hotel brands, some of been less pressured to adapt than some,DFMA is going to continue to becomewhich are now completely modular, with but global competition is beginning tomore and more prevalent in commercialentire rooms and hallways built offsite and reveal the value of new approaches to oldconstruction. Theres a very strong beliefconnected together onsite like gigantic challenges. One of the emerging areas tothat were going to see three-times growthbuilding blocks. Its a very prudent watch is modular construction, commonlyin the next three to five years in Northmethod in the area of hospitality, where its referred to as Design for ManufacturingAmerica. He notes that Asian countriesalways about opening fast, and modular and Assembly (DFMA). are already far ahead in this field, whileis always faster, Galvin says, noting that Europe has been embracing this for quitein one Texas case study where competing Historically, as an industry, we have beensome time. Currently, about four per centhotels were built side by side, the modular slow to change. It is apparent that weof construction starts in North AmericaMarriott building was completed a full year need to evolve to do things differently. Asincorporate modular or prefab design. faster than its competitor.the world becomes flat, and we compete with contractors from around the globe,Galvin says that DFMA is especiallyBRIDGING THE SKILLS GAPit becomes increasingly importantsuitable for the healthcare, hospitalityBeside speed, says Galvin, modular for domestic companies to focus onand sports and entertainment sectors,building is a tool for bridging the skilled-efficiencies and productivity, says TCAand that its even going so far as to solvetrade gap, since it requires fewer resources president and CEO John Mollenhauer. affordable housing challenges. Theand a more standardized skillset than 22Quarter 2 2020 BUILDERSDIGEST'