MTX Education, like the schools we serve, is an organisation that is conscious of the future. We understand the importance of protecting the planet, so there will be a world that children can enjoy. Engineers in the modular construction sector are continually innovating, striving to minimise the impacts of our buildings now and with continued use.
Here we explore the ways modular construction is an ecologically friendly option.
Lower carbon emissions
Traditional construction methods are responsible for high levels of carbon emissions due first to the transportation of materials to and from the site. This not only impacts air-quality at the level where our children breathe but also sends harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
90% of modular construction is completed within a factory setting. The standardised materials can be ordered and supplied in bulk and stored on site. All the craftsmen working on your building will work within this same factory, and your school will be passed along the conveyor belt. Ultimately, this means there is less traffic too and from the site.
This is not just a matter of climate change. In a school, when expanding the building, the quality of the air being breathed by students is vitally important. Therefore, with much of the work being completed off-site, away from young lungs, the better for your students.
Reduce, recycle and reuse
This mantra for effective management of resources for the environment is at the heart of modular construction.
- Reduce: traditional construction methods expose materials to the weather during construction. This means there is natural wastage of resources, as well as a need for remediation work that requires more materials. In contrast, modular constructors can tightly control the necessary resources, therefore reducing the amount of non-renewable materials used.
- Recycle: modular construction engineers work to make the building they design as eco-friendly as possible. Therefore, the methods employed include recycled materials. Recycling technology now allows for recycled steel, wood and glass, the three major components of a modular building. It is unlikely that every part of your modular build can come from recycled material, but it is possible to use a lot more than traditional construction methods.
- Reuse: once a modular building has served its purpose, it is easy to deconstruct. You can not only move the building to a new site if required, but you can also take the components and seek to reuse them rather than waste them. Contrast this with traditional construction, where demolition not only destroys the resources used to create the building but also sends harmful dust and fumes into the atmosphere.
For a school business manager, someone looking to sell a project to governors, parents and local planning officers, the reduce, recycle and reuse credentials of the modular building will be essential.
Airtight and Energy Efficient
First, control of the built environment allows modular construction to use significantly less energy. The buildings are not only quicker to construct, therefore more efficient, but also produced in a tightly controlled factory. The build is generally 50% faster than
traditional builds, and the cost of energy is consequently proportionally lower.
Second, the buildings are designed to be as energy efficient as possible. The systems include energy-efficient glass, geothermal systems, solar panels and more. However, more essential to the eco-friendly credentials is the module building is airtight. Traditional construction cannot control the conditions the materials are used within as well and are therefore subject to gaps and cracks that create drafts. When a building is airtight, it heats up quickly, requiring less energy, and then retains this heat for longer. The design of the builds also focuses on allowing in more natural light, therefore reducing the need for electricity. The reduced costs in the long term for users is considerable. The cost-benefit analysis for modular build makes sense. You will end up saving money. More importantly, you will be showing a commitment to save the planet.
Summary
Modular construction and education make logical partners. Both sectors are interested in the future of our children. Engineering innovation in modular design is continually evolving to reduce the environmental footprint of the buildings. Therefore, they are working to sustain the planet for our children. This is the same concern of schools. Decisions made by leaders in education are always focused on delivering the best outcomes for the future lives of children. Choosing an eco-friendly build method, therefore, makes complete sense.