Rise | We've Done the Research
Prefabs We Love for 2021
In the last decade, "prefab" has come to mean something quite different from the "manufactured" (otherwise known as trailer or mobile) homes of the past. Innovative architects and builders, even "starchitects," are now designing homes that can be prefabricated. These modular components can be built off-site in quality-controlled factories, then transported and constructed to the worksite in a matter of days.
Now, designers are also innovating prefab homes that are LEED, Passive House, or Net-Zero ready. Dodge Data & Analytics recently released a report entitled the Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 SmartMarket Report. It compiles information and insights from designers and architects, engineers and contractors already working within the prefab industry.
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The report's authors write that prefab and modular construction are on the rise as the "industry seeks to improve safety, productivity, quality, cost, schedule, and sustainability performance." In particular, they add, "Construction sites are greener due to less waste being generated, and safer due to working with assemblies and modules produced off-site."
We agree and are equally enthused about prefab's potential. So much so that we'd like to share with you our favorite prefab manufacturers and models and why we're fans. Let's get started.
Building Materials
Shop high-performance building materials that are vetted for benefits to your health, your pocketbook, and the planet.
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Take a look at the HOMB Series, for instance, based on 100-square-foot triangular modules. The Simpatico series (a zero-energy home that includes the solar voltaic system in the base costs), Annata series (single-level, to bring the outdoors in), and Elemental series all feature a modern sensibility. All can be built to obtain LEED, ENERGY STAR, Living Building Challenge, or Passive House certification.
High-performance floor-to-ceiling windows and doors complete the thermal envelope. The minimalist, inviting models in the OS Collection have open plan living inspired by the Scandinavian concept of Hygge.
Camille LeFevre
Camille LeFevre is an architecture and design writer based in the Twin Cities.
