Modular volumetric construction requires more planning than conventional construction to reap its potential benefits of time and cost savings. On-site stitching details to guarantee structural and climatic performance are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the required systemic coordination. The rigorous design of connections and networks to produce code-compliant electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems involves upstream, rational modularization. In a typical flat composed of two neighbouring modules, or two stacked boxes, connections to building systems are sectioned and capped, or in the case of electrical systems, cable lengths are provided to connect individual private dwelling systems to collective grids.
Precise planning according to how modules will be positioned on site means that mechanical design and coordination is complexified with teams having to not just plan systems but also understand and manage manufacturing logistics for streamlined production and comprehensive functionality. In the best cases, the entanglement that is synonymous with on-site coordination is avoided or at least minimized as systems are planned as discrete components with efficient clear distributions and links.
Access hatches, loose cable lengths, vertical service stacking, repeating mechanical distribution using corridors as runways and vertical stacked wet cores adjacent to pipe chases facilitate mechanical distribution. All system locations should be carefully noted and catalogued in the factory for onsite and future reference during building construction and operation. Along with professional cooperation and collaboration, strict factory management and control tools as well as DfMA digital software platforms for virtual design of systems networks aid in determining the most efficient paths for pipes, wires, ducts, equipment placement and optimal arrangements for onsite completion, without deconstructing what was efficiently assembled in the factory.
While the upstream planning requires greater synchronization between professionals and builders, a repeating pattern of flats from floor to floor makes it easier to scale these strategies for connecting systems along with confirming all the code-required fireproofing and acoustic performance at specific modular touch points. This comprehensive and coherent modularization has multiple advantages for initial construction, but can also facilitate repairs, retrofitting, and replacement of elements during a building's lifespan.
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| Organizing mechanical systems in a factory setting |
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