How Pre-Fab Homes Can Solve US Housing Crisis

It is no surprise that American cities are currently suffering from a housing crisis. As many homes stand vacant, it becomes evident that what many major metropolises are missing is affordable housing. The average cost of constructing a home is around $428,000, and with rents rising faster than wages, these are less plausible options for many Americans.

Faced with challenges such as construction costs and policy, there is no single solution to the crisis at the moment, but some startups are trying to step in to intervene. One such startup is the Seattle-based company Node. In order to ease the cost of living for working- and middle-class residents in cities, there needs to be cheaper homes created at scale, and quickly. Node’s approach to this is modular, prefabricated homes that can be flat-packed, à la Ikea furniture. The homes can be assembled within days rather than weeks, and the walls snap together with metal brackets without the use of nails or screws. In essence, the structures sound like sheds but are distinguished by their beautiful woods, expansive windows, and modernist aesthetic. The best description for the system, according to Node’s co-founder and chief operating officer Bec Chapin, is that “it’s Legos.”

So far, homes sold are in the $250,000 range, which isn’t much lower than conventional construction. In the future, Node hopes to integrate all the materials, including water and electrical systems into factory-made assemblies to cut down the on-site labor costs. This, in turn, can contribute to significant price reductions for buyers.

Prefabricated housing addresses the construction cost aspect of the housing crisis, but other battles remain. Housing regulations and zoning laws are barriers to affordable housing. Approximately 28% of people in America live alone, but many cities and neighborhoods ban the construction of multi-unit buildings through exclusionary zoning. Over twenty cities are changing zoning laws to encourage the addition of in-law units and backyard cottages. Whereas the construction of new apartment buildings tends to draw protesters, backyard cottages are popular for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that it avoids a lot of housing politics, such as the American aversion to population density. Another reason is that it puts money in the pockets of homeowners by putting an additional unit on their property.

This post was originally published on DanielLambraia.com 

The Development of the Construction Industry Over the Last Two Decades

The construction industry is a crucial part and parcel of the global economy. The industry has undergone a significant revolution, particularly with the increased application of technology and innovation. Research and development have led to the creation of revolutionary solutions that are capable of fast-tracking construction work while also facilitating safety and accuracy in the industry. The last two decades have seen a major boost in the application of technology in the construction industry.

Tech gadgets

Technology gadgets have been developed and evolved in the construction industry, targeting making easy the work of engineers, contractors, foremen, and construction site workers. Portable devices, including simple smartphones and walkie-talkies, facilitate the ability of construction site coordinators to communicate effectively with their ground team. More complex construction site gadgets such as lasers and GPS devices enable contractors to achieve pinpoint accuracy when it comes to measurements on the construction site.

Digitization of construction engineering

Software has been developed, designed to make the work of construction engineers relatively easy, particularly as far as drawing and sketching digital construction plans is concerned. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional software enables engineers to achieve pinpoint accuracy when simulating the appearance of a client’s building. The software also allows clients to visualize the finished product in virtual form, therefore making it easy to pinpoint adjustments before the actual construction work begins.

Construction site management

The construction site is a multi-disaster-prone area which, if not well coordinated, can not only cause accidents but also lead to underperformance. The development of construction site management software has come a long way for the last 20 years to the present-day software which enables resource planning, resource utilization, timeline management, multi-team collaboration, billing, and real-time communication. Together, this makes the work of supervisors and project managers very easy as work can be done at the click or touch of a button.

Autonomous technology

The invention of drones has made it easy for project managers to monitor the progress of large construction sites. Drones that are fitted with high-resolution cameras can follow a pre-programmed flight pattern coordinated by the GPS technology to ensure proper surveillance when facilitating the proper resource mobilization and utilization.

Construction site safety

Safety is a crucial issue in every construction site. Thanks to technology, such as wearable devices, construction site safety engineers can enforce the highest levels of health and safety standards in compliance with regulatory demands. For instance, such wearable gadgets can help warn construction site workers whenever they approach a site infested with potential hazardous features and chemicals.

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This article was originally published at DanielLambraia.com

7 Notable Construction Projects in History

Because genius has always existed in human beings, some construction projects throughout the centuries have defied expectations.

Feats of Construction

1. The Egyptian Pyramids

Completed in 2560 B.C., the pyramids often amaze many tourists who realize that the construction of these structures was completed when heavy equipment did not exist. The first (and largest) of the pyramids was constructed with 2.3 million limestone blocks that were carried from over 500 miles away by slaves and other workers, many of whom died in the process.

2. El Mirador

Located in Guatemala, El Mirador is a 500,000 acre site that has the remains of what was the first highway system. Because it is hidden inside a remote jungle, El Mirador was not discovered until 1926. The civic center is under 11 square miles and is a marvel of Mayan civilization with 35 triadic structures.

3. The Panama Canal

The 48-mile ship canal connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean began in 1904 and was completed in 1914. It was an engineering feat because of the dense jungle, mountains and the need to remove soil and rocks. This canal saves ships thousands of miles of travel.

4. Viaduc de Millau Bridge

Considered the tallest bridge in the world, this cable-stayed road bridge has a length of 1.6 miles across a valley near Millau, France, and it reaches heights of 1,132 feet. This bridge in the clouds is the tallest in the world, and is over a mile and a half long.

Infrastructure Projects

1. The Interstate Highway System of the United States

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a general in World War II, realized that if America were attacked, transporting defensive troops where needed would take too long on existing roads. Truck transport of goods was also too slow. So, the President signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, creating an interstate highway system that spans 47,876 miles.

2. China’s South to North Water Transfer Project

While almost half of China’s 1.4 billion people live in Northern China, this region only contains 20 percent of the water resources. A project for providing this region with water involves three canals that each run 600 miles long. In 2014, the central canal was completed, but the Western and Eastern canals are still under construction. When all three canals are finished, they will route 44.8 billion cubic meters of fresh water each year.

3. Songdo International Business District

Near Seol, South Korea, 1,500 acres of land in the ocean have become the largest real estate project in history. The Songdo International Business District houses thousands of apartments, retail space and office space. Funded by U.S. and South Korean funds, the city is supplied with countless technological innovations.