The Time for Modular Construction

January 21, 2021

Featuring Dafna Kaplan of Cassette (Los Angeles) and Naomi Porat of Factory OS (Vallejo, former Naval Shipyard on Mare Island)

Is now the time? Prefabricated, off-site construction is not a new concept, but it is attracting a surge of interest and investment as construction costs and schedules become increasingly unpredictable, certainly exacerbated by Covid. According to a 2019 McKinsey report, recent modular projects have “established a solid track record of accelerating project timelines by 20 to 50%,” and there is significant promise of cost savings.  Dafna and Naomi are seasoned construction professionals and founders of modular start-ups, each with a different approach to prefabrication. We discussed the benefits of modular construction, as well as addressed some of the obstacles including financing and design.  Modular has tremendous potential to reduce waste and a project’s carbon footprint, but the construction industry has been slow to embrace it.  This WDC panel was moderated by Katie Faulkner of West Faulkner (Boston) and coordinated by Rebecca Martinez of Omgivning  (LA).