3D Modular Buildings: What They Are and How They’re Transforming Cities
For many, building a new building – from the ground up – one that reflects their organization’s goals, desires, and needs is truly exciting. We don’t often get a chance to watch as our ideas go from concept to drawings to reality – and when complete, we can delight in our achievement.
But the process of getting there is far from simple. In fact, it is difficult, expensive, time-consuming and stressful. Even seasoned developers find the process daunting. Putting all the pieces together to design, permit, and build a new building can be overwhelming.
Such frustrating conditions have inspired many to begin looking beyond the traditional means of constructing a building in search of a better way, leading them to finally discover 3D modular buildings and the possibilities they hold for taking the stress out of construction, while maximizing efficiency and quality.
But what are 3D modular buildings?
In order to best understand how 3D modular buildings are reshaping our cities, it’s first necessary to understand what they are.
What is 3D modular construction? 3D Modular construction is an innovative, sustainable construction delivery method utilizing offsite, lean manufacturing techniques to prefabricate whole building solutions in deliverable module sections.
This process permits constructing a building under controlled conditions in a factory, using the same materials and designed to the same building codes and standards as conventionally constructed buildings, but in about half the time.
While this process is gaining new momentum in the 21st century, the concept is nothing new.
3D Modular building construction has been used by a great number of owners and builders for a variety of purposes. An increased need for housing, changes in the labor force, and growing dissatisfaction with the current, inefficient methods of construction, however, have renewed interest in modular construction.
There are two types of 3D modular buildings
Because the modules come 95% complete with all the cabinetry, appliances and finishes already installed, volumetric 3D modular is best suited for uses where the entire unit (other than hallways) can be completed, locked, and “punched-out” in the factory, with no construction workers going in and out after its been finished and inspected, making the best choice for any building that needs to be completed off-site
There are, however, two types of 3D modular buildings, both with characteristics that make them well suited for certain functions.
1. Relocatable Buildings
These are buildings that are transported to a site for a specific, but temporary purpose. This kind of 3D modular building is typically smaller and well suited for uses such as:
- Disaster relief
- Temporary worker housing
- Medical clinics
- Construction site offices
As they’re not permanently installed onto the site, relocatable 3D modular buildings can be easily moved once their purpose has been served and delivered to its next location in a short amount of time.
2. Permanent 3D Modular Construction
As the name suggests, Permanent 3D Modular Construction (PMC) are buildings that are designed to be permanently assembled on-site and are typically larger than temporary buildings. Permanent modular buildings can be built to serve virtually any function but are most commonly used for:
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- Apartments/condos
- Hospitality
- Senior Living Communities
- Education
- Student Housing
- Office Buildings
- Retail
How are 3D modular buildings constructed?
All 3D modular buildings or 3D modular structures have two basic components: the on-site component, and the off-site component. The on-site component consists of all the work that needs to be done on the project site. This usually includes site work, earthwork, utilities, infrastructure, foundations, and other below-grade structures. If applicable, it may also include above-grade structures, including, cellars, basements, parking facilities, plinths and platforms. The off-site component consists of modular units built in a factory and then transported to, and assembled upon the platform constructed on-site.
Whether you choose the full Turnkey option or elect to just have NDAG Fabricated Spaces handle the off-site component, building the 3D modular units for you, is up to you.
How does off-site construction work?
What sets 3D modular construction apart from traditional methods is that as much as 80% of the total construction takes place within a controlled facility.
The NDAG Fabricated Spaces factory in Istanbul, Turkey, for instance, features two long assembly lines, along which the individual units are built by our team 3D modular technicians.
Once all building materials are ordered and pre-cut according to the design, 3D modular unit construction breaks down into 6 basic steps:
- Structural fabrication:
The six sides of the unit are built and attached together to form the structure.A quality 3D modular unit requires quality materials. NDAG Fabricated Spaces 3D Modular uses steel and concrete for its structural frames for superior strength, non-combustibility, stability, mold/pest resistance, and sustainability. - Framing:
Walls, floors, windows, and doors take shape. - Assembly:
Walls and flooring sections, fabricated at a different station, are added to the unit. - MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing):
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing utilities are added. - Exterior:
The exterior of the unit is completed. - Interior:
Flooring, appliances, cabinetry, trims, and all other interior finishes are added to form a completed unit, ready for delivery.
How does assembly work?
Once the units are completed, they are transported to the build site, where a construction team has already prepared the foundation. From there, the units are pieced and stacked together, like a puzzle, to form a finished building or 3D modular structure, ready for use.
What are the benefits of 3D modular buildings?
Choosing 3D modular construction over traditional, onsite construction comes with a number of key benefits.
Efficiency
Constructing a building through onsite methods is notoriously inefficient. It typically involves the coordination of multiple, disjointed teams that all too often results in miscommunications, conflicts, and mistakes that require costly returns to the drawing board all before the ground is even broken.
Once plans are finally solidified, the construction process is no more efficient. Delays in material deliveries, difficulty organizing large teams and equipment, and inclement weather are just some of the factors that most commonly lead to delays.
3D Modular construction minimizes all of these issues by streamlining the entire preconstruction and construction process.
Selecting from existing, pre-engineered design templates, approved and scalable to fit a wide variety of needs cuts down on the time required to design a 3D modular building. And the process of fabricating the units off-site while the site is prepared means that any delays experienced on-site do not impact the progress being made in the facility.
The efficiency continues into the final stage of the building. As the 3D modular units have already been completed in the facility, right down to the finishes, they need only be assembled onsite – a task that can be accomplished in a matter of days, not months or years.
By the end of the project, choosing 3D modular can save a property owner as much as 50% of the time, compared to traditional construction.
Cost Savings
Streamlining the process does not only reduce the time it takes to complete a project. It also reduces the cost. Minimizing the teams, delays, and wasted materials typically associated with designing and constructing a building means choosing 3D modular can cut costs by up to 20%.
Sustainability
Traditional construction produces enormous amounts of waste, most of which ends up in landfills, polluting our environment. With most of the construction process taking place in a controlled facility on a highly organized assembly line, 3D modular construction is able to minimize the amount of waste created and can prevent pollutants from entering the soil, air, or groundwater.
In addition to reducing waste, NDAG Fabricated Spaces takes pride in recycling materials that cannot be used during fabrication. For example, leftover scraps of drywall are sent back to our supplier to be processed and turned into new drywall for later use.
Safety
In addition to enhanced completion time, cost savings and greater sustainability, 3D modular construction significantly reduces site disruption by removing approximately 80% of construction activity from the site, resulting in improved overall safety and security and avoids additional vehicular traffic.
Strength
Structurally, 3D modular buildings are generally stronger than on-site built buildings because each module is engineered independently to withstand the rigors of transportation and craning onto the project platform. Once connected and sealed, the modules become a single integrated building. Building in the factory permits better construction quality management.
NDAG Fabricated Spaces has a stringent quality control program with third-party independent inspectors in our factory daily testing protocols and certifying our work to International standards.