I keep hearing more and more about modular housing and the technology is very impressive but when will I hear of someone I know actually buying and living in one? Perhaps the key to getting this as the newest, implemented housing system in our society starts with people understanding that they have all the same choices that they do with traditional standard housing systems. Choices such as:
- Materials
- Sizes
- Varying configurations
These systems are showing up in other countries such as in th Modular Tulip systems in Spain but we are still behind.Perhaps the real answer lies in that people do not always embrace change and are afraid of what these changes will cost and how long they will have to wait for their home to be built.
Construction Phases of SAVMS
Well these two answers may come as a surprise, but CSO Arquitectura of Madrid has established a modular housing system with a delivery and construction time of under one and a half months and an approximate cost of $85 per square foot which is determined by the homeowners choice of finishes. The advantages to Prefab homes are discussed in Green Modular Homes – Inexpensive and Efficient by Scott Cooney.
CSO Arquitectura teamed with prefab construction specialists Torsan and created Sistema Abierto de Viviendas Modulares Sostenibles (SAVMS) which translate to the “open sustainable modular housing system.”
The flexibility of the system allows customers to choose their own house’s design and since they are prefabricated it keeps the costs low and/or fixed. The frame is steel structure and there are ten standard layouts and preferred finishes that customers can select from. Some of those selections for the exterior facades of the homes are:
- Porcelain
- Corrugated galvanized steel
- Wood
- VIROC
CSO Arquitectura has made their name with projects in community service, modular housing, single family housing and collective housing. These concepts are where housing developments should begin from in today’s world.
The SAVMS are sustainable designs as well as smart constructed ideas. They include natural cross ventilation systems, rainwater harvesting systems, photovoltaic systems and thermal solar systems. The newest technologies can be included and are being demonstrated in smarter, less costly design spaces.
This is the next step in building the American dream one house and one owner at a time. I’m looking forward to when this is the norm and no one questions the low cost or high, smart technology of modular housing systems.
Resources: CSO Arquitectura, Arch Daily, Top News Today and GizMag