Rents are rising, and at the same time living space is becoming increasingly scarce. But there is a promising approach to solving these challenges: serial and modular construction with industrially prefabricated components. Modular construction is currently one of the most important future trends in the construction industry. Learn more about the most efficient ideas from the modular construction sector at BAU 2023.
In modular construction as the construction method of the future, individual, three-dimensional modules are industrially pre-produced according to the modular principle. The individual construction parts for serial building are created beforehand on the computer using digital tools and can be assembled and disassembled in any number of variants. This includes all the necessary information: from the number of elements and physical properties to the graphical representation of all connections. In this way, different variants of a building with different floor plans can be sketched within a few minutes. This digital data is then used to create standardized, freely combinable building kits that are assembled fully automatically in the factory - similar to cars on an assembly line. Except that instead of bodies and engines, windows and facades are assembled. Ultimately, all the components come together at the construction site.
Incidentally, modular construction is also called serial construction, because the industry uses a construction method here that produces modular parts in series. The modular process is not entirely new. Gropius, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe were already working with it in the 1920s. In the 1960s and 1970s, serial construction experienced another boom with the well-known prefabricated buildings. Today, it is once again in vogue because it is seen as a promising solution for creating new living space as quickly, flexibly and cheaply as possible.
Not only does modular construction counteract the shortage of materials and skilled labor, it also combines many other plus points:
Even though there are many advantages, according to VdW Südwest, the Association of the Southwest German Housing Industry, the current market share of modular buildings is only around four percent. But that is set to change in the future: Urban densification is steadily increasing. Modern construction methods such as modular building make it possible to create living space quickly. Urban planners are already facing major challenges because they have to represent municipal interests and at the same time deliver sustainable, sensible concepts for daycare centers, schools, offices, dormitories or single- and multi-family homes.
The speed of modular construction offers a key advantage here: compared to the normal construction of an apartment building, which can take one to two years, the construction of a serial apartment building takes only about four months. In addition, demand is growing for so-called mixed-use properties, which combine various functions and areas of life such as living, sports, work and so on in a confined space. New strategies and concepts for mixed-use real estate are needed here.
Modular construction also plays an important role in terms of sustainability. This is because serial productions make it easier to implement climate-friendly energy concepts because they produce less construction waste. In addition, it is possible to save fossil resources such as electricity or gasoline. Raw materials can also be reused thanks to modular construction. An old single-family house can quickly be turned into a new student apartment using modular components. Modular construction will prevail in the future, as the demand for modern housing concepts continues to grow. Industry experts predict that modular and serial construction will probably continue to gain acceptance in Germany within the next five to ten years.