The inaugural MOD-X exchanges, MOD X BOSTON/NYC, brought together a group of experts from Sweden, Japan, the UK and Poland with colleagues from the US to discuss the current state of offsite construction today, with a particular focus on volumetric modular.
The workshop participants engaged with these broad questions:
How are manufacturers approaching the challenge of growing capacity and capability sustainably and economically in North America? What can the new Unity Homes facility in New Hampshire tell us about this challenge?
What can innovative business models, product platforms, advocacy initiatives and regulatory frameworks from across the globe tell us about how offsite and particularly volumetric modular construction might evolve in the US in the next decade? How have Japanese, British, Swedish and Polish companies addressed these issues?
How have past, current and future initiatives shaped the context within which volumetric modular is delivered in New York City? Can other municipalities apply similar approaches to address their housing affordability challenges?
MOD X BOSTON/NYC began with a tour of Bensonwood's Unity Homes facility, located in Keene, NH.
MOD X participants learned how Ted Benson has gradually and incrementally grown capacity and capability in an economically sustainable manner.
The MOD X team discussed their collaboration with the Modular Building Institute on their 5 in 5 Industry Growth Initiative to grow the market share of the volumetric modular industry to 5% in 5 years.
MOD X participants engaged in a full day of discussions, building upon the previous days’ factory tour and the series of global best practices presentations. Participant backgrounds included manufacturers, lobbyists, academics, owners as well as public officials.
Mila Duncheva discussed the impact of the research of the Centre for Offsite Construction on the growth of the offsite industry in the U. K.
Susanne Rudenstam explained how Sweden has grown an inovative industrial ecology to support offsite construction.
Helena Lidelöw shared her expiriences as the Head of Engineering at Lindbäcks Bygg, Europe's leading mult-family volumetric modular manufacturer.
Ewelina Wozniak-Szpakiewicz, DMD Modular's CEO, mapped out the unique landscape of Poland's emerging export-focused volumetric modular industry.
Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen discussed NYC's commitment to volumetric modular construction, as an important tool in the city's housing affordabilty strategy.
Members of NYC's MOD SQUAD, Jon Cohen and Joshua Kraus, discussed NYC's first affordable housing RFP requring modular construction.
Margo Cramer, Advisor to Chief of Housing and Director of Neighborhood Development at the City of Boston, responded to the MOD SQUAD's innovative approach to volumetric modular advocacy.
Mila Duncheva compares and contrasts UK and NYC approaches to volumetric modular advocacy.
Brian Sweeney discussed Full Stack's unique experiences as a volumetric modular manufacturer based in one of the world's densest urban environments.
Ewelina Wozniak-Szpakiewicz explained the logistics of delivering volumetric modular projects across the Atlantic Ocean.
Following the presentations, the panelists discussed how the regulatory framework of NYC might evolve to better fascilitate volumetric modular delivery.
MOD X seeks to provoke active engagement from all participants, which in this case included Tom Hardiman of MBI, Dave Walsh and Jennifer Abuzeid of Marriott International, Joseph Tanney of Resolution 4 Architecture, Rebecca Lorenz of SHoP Architects and Jason Buchheit of Danny Forster Architects, to name a few.