In prefab construction, building components are made off site, transported and assembled on site, leading to faster, more economical, better quality construction with reduced environmental impacts. Buildings of all types are going prefab with less expense and quicker timeframes than traditional construction methods. Floating opera houses, refugee camps, and smart homes are just a few building types to take advantage of prefab materials that are economical in cost and easy to design and work with. Because pre-assembled pieces mean that construction crews can finish the job quickly and easily. Prefab construction is especially beneficial where low-cost facilities are needed and or in environments with extreme climates.
Check out the following link to see examples and benefits of today’s prefab housing construction.
One of the ways builders can increase a project’s sustainability quotient is through building materials. New technology has and will continue to give us sometimes mind-boggling options, from self-healing concrete to wool bricks, aluminum foam and nano crystals and more. Read about 18 game-changing materials here.
Check out the following link to see examples and benefits of today’s prefab housing construction.
Industry leaders are making building products out of 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement which adds up to significant environmental benefits including fewer materials being sent to landfills and reducing material transport costs. Existing asphalt is removed, re-crushed, mixed with additional aggregate and virgin asphalt cement, and placed back on the road. Besides its environmental benefits, studies show that reused asphalt performs better the second or even third time around. How’s that for a win win?!
High Line
New York, NY Built on an old railway line, the High Line is one of New York’s most interesting green spaces. The Central Railroad fell into disuse in 1980, and 23 years later it was reinvented as a 1.45-mile-long park along the lower west side of Manhattan. A favorite of New Yorkers and tourists, the park stretches over lively neighborhoods, offers great views of the Hudson River and Manhattan cityscapes, and features food vendors, public art installations, and space to picnic and chill out. Materials used in building the project came from the world over—glass from Mexico, mesh from Austria, reclaimed wood from Indonesia, elevator panels from Canada. Definitely a standout urban park.
A Bright Future for Solar Power
Solar power is on a roll. According to the US government, solar power capacity has grown from 0.34 gigawatts (GW) in 2008, to 97.2 (GW) today—sufficient to power 18 million homes. While only 3 percent of the country’s electricity comes from solar energy, with the cost of solar panels dropping some 70 percent since 2014, solar now competes with many conventional energy sources. And experts estimate that solar panels on an area approximately the size of Lake Michigan, would provide the solar energy to power the entire country.
All this means jobs, and lots of them. In the solar energy field, jobs have increased five times faster than the nation’s overall job growth rate. Today there are more than 250,000 solar jobs in the US, with workers involved in manufacturing, installation, project development, trade, and distribution. Will you be one of them?
Fast Facts about Builders
Augmented reality is affecting construction—in winning more projects, improving safety and facilitating team interaction.
Women are increasingly joining the construction workforce, in skilled trades all the way to the executive suite.
From AI and advanced intelligent materials to drones and robotics, the construction industry is building better and more sustainably.
Skilled trades let you follow your passion in a specialized way.
Infrastructure builds big to move people and products.
There are many paths to construction and many ways to get there.
Construction is going green every which way, every day.
You can use your skills, make good money, and do something meaningful.
