30 Nov The Impact of Prefabricated Buildings on Construction and Design

While initially designed to meet emergencies like Britain’s post-war housing shortage, prefabricated buildings are equally vital now and for our future. We can no longer dismiss the impending threat of global warming or the role played by the construction industry in boosting the carbon footprint responsible. In addition, the rising cost of construction, higher land prices, and escalating interest rates have made new homes and office premises increasingly unaffordable. However, there is an upside. A surplus of new and used shipping containers has provided builders with a viable alternative to the traditional structures created using concrete or bricks and cement.   The Many Advantages of Prefabricated Buildings In practice, living or working spaces are merely box-like structures. They have four walls, a floor, and a ceiling and are usually constructed on-site by a team of workers with appropriate skills, such as bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. However, a shipping container is also a large rectangular box composed of the same six components. As the starting point for a construction project, these units offer several advantages: Economical: Shipping container buildings are far cheaper than comparable conventional structures, whether made from new or used units. Portable: Shipping containers were designed to be easily transportable by road,...