Photo coutesey of GE Modular Space

Your Space or Mine

Modular buildings began with construction trailers, but the newest designs reflect an increasing demand for the rapid deployment of flexible, reusable and sophisticated space.

Can you describe a modular building?
A construction trailer, you say. Indeed, this 8 ft x 16 ft to 18 ft x 84 ft mobile office, a wood frame on a steel chassis with fixed or reusable axles and hitches, symbolizes the modular building industry. However, a leased generic box of portable space, delivered fully assembled with standard features, no longer represents the only modular building serving education, retailing, health care, construction sites and general offices—the industry’s major markets. As the Modular Building Institute (MBI) indicates, modular buildings are increasingly designed and built to meet specific requirements of initial end users, who may regard them as permanent.

Construction trailers remain an industry mainstay. But many modular buildings have higher ambitions. “The role of modular buildings has moved forward greatly,” reports Judy Smith, executive director of the MBI. “They’re not always more economical. For many end users, their advantages are high quality, speed of occupancy, relocatability and the fact that they're temporary.”

Though the MBI’s market research data do not provide a complete picture of the industry, its 2001 Statistical Survey suggests a respectable level of activity. Example: MBI members and nonmembers produced approximately 132,756 new buildings in 2001 that covered roughly 67.5 million sq ft (about 509 sq ft per building), for some $5.33 billion.

Despite the drive toward customization, such conventional modular buildings as classrooms, in-plant offices and guardhouses are seldom idle because school districts and other organizations cannot always confront changing conditions fast enough using conventional construction. “There will always be a need for the standard, singlewide unit on a short-term lease,” notes Keith Swenson, senior vice president, North American sales, at General Electric’s GE Modular Space, a leading provider of mobile and modular buildings.

Successful manufacturers often monitor customers closely. “The power industry knows us well,” notes Mike Baldino, president of Kelly Klosures, a manufacturer of steel building systems, “because our buildings respond to the way they work.” Contrary to popular belief, modular buildings can even rival conventional construction in quality. “Quality control is better in factories than at construction sites,” explains Joe Vecchiolla, vice president of Williams Scotsman, another major dealer.

During recent classroom renovations, Middletown High School in Middletown, NJ, was in need of temporary gymnasium space. The school required a solution that could be converted into a permanent structure once the remodeling was complete. To resolve its dilemma, the Middletown School District contracted two Summit Structures Titan buildings to provide gymnasium space for three years. Why were these structures chosen over more traditional forms such as trailers? Rather than face an expensive trailer rental bill once renovations were complete, Middletown High School preferred to have high-quality structures that could serve as functioning field houses.

When the county sheriff, county prosecuting attorney and their staffs in Walla Walla, WA, decided to construct a new office building, the Downtown Business Association insisted the County of Walla Walla Public Safety Building match the appearance of historic downtown Walla Walla. The innovative—and cost-effective—solution combines modular building components with unique architectural enhancements. Williams Scotsman constructed a 15,984-sq-ft, two-story structure using 20 modular sections and such architectural enhancements as 14-ft x 22-ft tall windows, faux keystone bricking, and a 4:12 pitch hinged mansard roof structure to blend seamlessly with neighbors.

DaimlerChrysler’s Test Track Enclosure in Brampton, Ontario, University of Cincinnati’s Dining Pavilion, and the construction workers’ service center at Ground Zero in New York are just three examples why “engineered relocatable structures” from Sprung Instant Structures deliver quality space so quickly and effectively from a large inventory. Sprung invented the stressed membrane structure, the heart of Sprung Structures, by combining a light weight and rustproof extruded aluminum I-beam substructure with an acrylic—or Tedlar-coated—architectural membrane that offers exceptional fire retardancy and wind resistance. Each Sprung Structure carries a 30-year guarantee on its substructure, accepts optional insulation for hot or cold weather, and can be leased or purchased.

Big Top Manufacturing has been a leading provider in the prefabricated/modular building industry since the late 1970s. Its vinyl covered shelter systems are custom fabricated to meet each customer's exact needs, offering clearspan shelters from 12 ft to 166 ft wide with unlimited length. Whether there is equipment, machinery, or personnel to enclose, these structures offer quick and easy solutions at an affordable price. Contractors around the globe have used these structures for welding tents, warehouses, generator covers, and blast containment.