Sustainable design is about taking responsibility for the future. It’s about thinking ahead. It can also save you money. While many different construction methods have recently begun using sustainable designs, modular construction and modular buildings have taken their naturally sustainable designs and refined them to create even greener construction methods.
Reusable Materials
Many traditional, non-modular construction methods only use materials once. If you want to rebuild a brick, wood, or steel building, you must demolish the structure and use new materials during re-construction. Even when materials such as concrete, drywall, and metal are recycled, the recycling process expends energy, polluting the air and using up valuable resources.
On the other hand, modular buildings use materials and parts that can be easily disassembled and reassembled. The process does not require complete demolition. Therefore, materials for modular buildings are not recycled at a plant but rather immediately reused, a process which requires far less energy and creates less pollution. In many cases, modular building companies like Porta-King can transform modular structures without needing additional materials.
Building Placement
Building placement is a more subtle aspect of sustainable design that relies on:
- The location of the sun during the day
- What kind of building you need
Sun Location
Well placed modular buildings can utilize daylight and reduce the need for artificial lighting while also avoiding glare and overheating. By using less energy for artificial lighting, you save energy and money.
Building Type
Sustainable design priorities for modular offices and housing differ. For instance, knowing when the building will be the most or least occupied can help determine lighting, heating, and ventilation needs.
LEED Certification
While LEED Certification is not a guarantee of green sustainable architecture, their guidelines are a good foundation to build off. Modular buildings from Porta-King offer many LEED features that can lead to a more sustainable structure.
