The Center for Offsite Construction at the School of Architecture and Design, in partnership with the International Code Council (ICC), is making strides to establish essential standards for modular construction. This collaboration is designed to address the growing need for quality, sustainability, resilience, and affordability in the construction industry by providing detailed guidelines for how modular components should connect and function together.

As part of their work, the center aims to create standards that will cover important requirements such as module-to-module and building-to-module connection specifications, as well as the dimensions of modular components. These standards will apply to a wide range of construction elements, including componentized, panelized, and modularized structures.

“We are excited to collaborate with the Code Council on developing a standard that will transform how modular components are designed and connected,” said Jason Van Nest, M.Arch., executive director of the Center for Offsite Construction. “This partnership will support the growth of industrialized construction methods and ensure that offsite construction systems meet the highest standards of performance and interoperability.”

This collaboration with the Code Council highlights the importance of academic research in shaping the future of construction practices. “The School of Architecture and Design is committed to preparing professionals who will shape the future of the built environment. Meaningful collaboration with industry partners is essential to our mission,” said Dean Maria R. Perbellini, M.Arch. “We are proud that the Center for Offsite Construction positions New York Tech among the first academic institutions in the nation entrusted to lead the development of standards. This partnership with the International Code Council not only highlights the importance of academic research in advancing industry practices but also reflects our dedication to fostering innovation and rigor and to making a significant impact on the field at the national level.”

Ryan Colker, the executive director of energy, resilience, and innovation at the Code Council, expressed his support for the initiative. “The Code Council is pleased to partner with the Center for Offsite Construction to create a standard that helps address some of the key challenges in advancing deployment of offsite construction, including supporting a project pipeline for factories, bringing certainty to developers through the availability of multiple sources for components, and increasing efficiency of the fabrication and approval processes.”

This partnership reflects a shared vision to modernize the construction industry through consistent, rigorous standards that will enhance the performance and compatibility of offsite construction practices. The creation of these standards is expected to significantly boost the adoption of offsite construction methods, benefiting projects in multifamily housing, commercial developments, and institutional sectors.

The collaboration is poised to create a shift in how the industry approaches modular construction. By focusing on performance, sustainability, and scalability, the new standards are expected to drive increased efficiency and facilitate the widespread adoption of offsite construction techniques, ultimately shaping the future of the construction industry.

Originally reported by NYIT.