The reality of an expedited schedule and lower costs has
made offsite construction a valued building solution for decades. With
curiosity about this process at an all-time high as developers turn to the
method with growing enthusiasm, the Modular Building Institute and Pratt Institute School of
Architecture will co-host a Modular Construction Summit on May 16, 2013, in
to separate modular myths from truth.
Do modular buildings last as long as stick built? Are they
environmentally sustainable? Can they be as attractive as their traditionally
built counterparts? While the answer to all of these questions is yes, the
summit will provide an opportunity for people to find out exactly why – and get
answers on many more issues.
The event will feature two morning sessions with panels of
high-profile architects and builders, as well as the Commissioner for the NYC
Department of Design and Construction. In the afternoon, attendees can tour the
factory of Capsys Corporation, the modular builder for the My Micro NY project – a 10-story
in 2015.
Tom Hanrahan, Dean of Pratt Institute School of
Architecture, will moderate the first morning session, “Permanent Modular
Construction for Multi-family Applications.” Confirmed speakers include James
Garrison, sustainable design pioneer and architect with Garrison Architects;
Ian Peter Atkins, BIM Application Manager for architecture firm Kohn Pedersen
Fox Associates; and Tom O’Hara, Director of Business Development at Capsys
Corporation.
The second panel, moderated by Modular Building Institute
Executive Director Tom Hardiman, will focus on “Modular Solutions for Disaster
Relief and Emergency Housing.” The confirmed speakers are David Burney,
Commissioner, NYC DCC; William Begley, Director, Modular Housing and Hotels,
Sea Box Inc.; and Douglas Cutler, architect with Douglas Cutler Architects.
Open to the general public, the event will take place at
Pratt Institute, Higgins Hall Auditorium at
from 8:00 a.m. to noon, with the factory tour from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Registration
is $25 before May 10, and $35 thereafter. To
register, please visit the MBI website. The summit is sponsored by
Capsys Corporation, DeLuxe Building Systems and NRB.
