Month: November 2021

Spotlight on the East Coast: A Look Back at Completed SurePods Projects

Jesse Knapp

Founded in New England almost 20 years ago, SurePods has become the North American leader of factory-built bathroom pods. As the demand for modular construction continues to increase, we’re excited to continue bringing speed, simplicity, superior quality and safety to East Coast construction sites and support architects and developers who understand the benefits of prefabricated bathroom pods.

With some of our earliest work stretching down the East Coast, we’re looking back at accomplishments that span from New York all the way down to Florida.

Massachusetts

Prism Apartments, Cambridge, MA

When developing Prism Apartments, Consigli Construction enlisted SurePods to prefabricate bathrooms offsite. Project architects worked collaboratively with the SurePods team to design 159 modular bathroom pods for a variety of the apartment’s layouts, ranging from studios to 2-bedroom units. The project team estimates that prefabricating bathroom pods offsite saved $2,500 per bathroom compared to built-in-place bathrooms and eliminated 10 days of on-site labor per bathroom.

New York

Prospect Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

Opened in February 2016, Prospect Plaza, is a 110-unit low-income housing facility located in Brooklyn, New York. This award-winning project leveraged the advantages of SurePods’ unique manufacturing process to achieve a 94% construction waste diversion. The SurePods team was happy to combine their environmentally conscious manufacturing process with lean design processes to provide Prospect Plaza with 114 bathrooms.

Florida

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Opened in July 2011, The Boca Raton Residence Hall at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) marked SurePods’ largest and first dormitory project. FAU enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 700-bathroom units to shorten its construction schedule amid a tight fall deadline. SurePods’ offsite manufacturing and on-time delivery helped to ensure this project’s completion just in time for students arriving in the fall.

If you’re an East Coast- based developer or designer, let’s create something together. Contact us at [email protected].

commARCH Article – Consigli Construction Making the most of Modular with SurePods

Jesse Knapp

As modular methods continue to gain traction across the country, media outlets are seizing the moment and covering projects where the tandem build process led to valuable time- and cost-savings. commARCH recently spotlighted Prism Apartments, a multifamily residential project that turned to the prefab process to optimize skilled labor resources and accelerate construction timelines in one of the most expensive metro areas to build in the United States.

When developing Prism Apartments in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, a dense and sought-after location for students and young professionals, general contractor; Consigli Construction enlisted SurePods to prefabricate bathrooms offsite. Project architects worked collaboratively with the SurePods team to design 159 modular bathroom pods for a variety of the apartment’s layouts, ranging from studios to 2-bedroom units.

Bathrooms typically require 8 -12 construction trades, which can present the enormous risk of damaging previously completed work. Since bathroom reworks can account for up to 60% of punch lists in most multi-unit projects, Consigli Construction saved valuable time and resources with SurePods’ modular model. In fact, the project team estimates that prefabricating bathroom pods offsite saved $2,500 per bathroom compared to built-in-place bathrooms and also eliminated 10 days of on-site labor per bathroom.

As seen in the article, this resulted in significant time savings. Following a successfully coordinated delivery, bathrooms were ready for installation and the project was on track to open just in time to meet student housing needs.

See all the ways in which SurePods accelerated this project here: Consigli Construction Making the Most of Modular (commarch.com)

Spotlight on Multifamily: A Look Back at Completed SurePods Projects in the Multifamily Market

Jesse Knapp

According to the recent Dodge Data Market Report, multifamily housing construction starts rose five percent this past April. As more prospective tenants consider returning to cities and urban environments, multifamily housing developers continue to face familiar challenges when it comes to onsite bathroom construction. Complicated transportation logistics, coordinating schedules of 8-12 construction trades, a tight skilled labor market and onsite reworks are known for causing months of opening delays. In fact, in most multi-unit projects, bathroom reworks account for about 60% of punch lists.

Knowing many developers are on the lookout for solutions to eliminate the bathroom punch list, we’re profiling successful residential projects with SurePods modular bathroom pods. From luxury apartments and affordable housing to student dormitories and senior living communities, below are four examples of how SurePods saved developers valuable time and resources.

Prism Apartments, Cambridge, MA

The Prism Apartments project team estimates that prefabricating 159 bathroom pods offsite saved $2,500 per bathroom compared to built-in-place bathrooms and also eliminated 10 days of on-site labor per bathroom. Opened January 2021, Prism successfully opened ahead of the spring semester to accommodate Cambridge’s student housing needs.

Prospect Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

Built on behalf of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and NYC Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), Prospect Plaza opened February 2016 and features 114 SurePods bathrooms, which helped meet airtightness requirements between individual apartments and the exterior for several green building designations.

Fair Haven Retirement Community, Birmingham, AL

Keeping residents’ needs top of mind, the Fair Haven Retirement Community project team collaborated with SurePods to design bathrooms that feature code compliant roll in showers and floors with tighter tolerances than required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Pre-fabricating bathrooms offsite also helped trim two months off of the project’s construction schedule.

University of Tampa: Jenkins Hall Dorm, Tampa, FL

Opened August 2013, the University of Tampa’s Jenkins Hall Dorm features 250 SurePods bathroom pods. The award-winning student residence received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and was recognized as an “outstanding project of the year” in the category of LEED for New Construction, Higher Education.

If you’re a multifamily housing developer looking to expedite the construction process for an upcoming project, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

Spotlight on the West Coast: A Look Back at Completed SurePods Projects

Jesse Knapp

SurePods got its start in the Northeast almost 20 years ago, our production plant expanded to the Southeast in the decade following, and completed SurePods projects can be found up and down the West Coast. As modular construction methods continue to gain momentum, we’re excited and eager to continue working with forward-thinking developers who recognize the advantages of bringing speed, superior quality, simplicity and safety to projects with prefabricated bathroom pods.

To showcase the spectacular hospitality, residential and healthcare projects we’ve already been a part of on the Western side of the United States, we’re taking a look back at SurePods’ successes in the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and Colorado.

Washington

Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA

TGB Architects and Skanska USA Building general contractors were the first to partner with SurePods on a “shell and core” building method; the team turned to SurePods early in the design and preconstruction phase to prefabricate bathrooms for Seattle’s Virginia Mason Medical Center. Opened in 2015, the non-profit hospital features 51 SurePods bathroom pods.

Embassy Suites by Hilton, Seattle, WA

The Emerald City’s construction and real estate market has been hot for quite some time, as evidenced by dozens of cranes throughout downtown and the impressive growth of tech companies headquartered on the West Coast. Seattle-based American Life, the developer of the 23-story Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 282 bathroom units to shorten its construction schedule amid a tight local skilled labor market.

California

LA Live by Marriott, Los Angeles, CA

Opened May 2014, Marriott’s dual-branded Courtyard and Residence Inn LA Live rises higher than 20 stories and is situated in the heart of Los Angeles. To decrease traffic and community disturbances during construction of the property, GBD Architects, SODO Builders and developer American Life elected to have the hotels’ 400 bathroom pods delivered at night.

Wilshire Grand Intercontinental Hotel, Los Angeles, CA

Opened February 2017, the Wilshire Grand Intercontinental Hotel engaged SurePods to prefabricate 698-bathroom pods for the 73-story upscale hotel, which is recognized as the tallest building east of the Mississippi River.

Colorado

Exempla Saint Joseph Heritage, Denver, CO

Over in the Rocky Mountains, Davis Partnership Architects & H+L Architecture enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 440 SurePods bathrooms for Exempla Saint Joseph Heritage, the very first healthcare project to feature modular bathroom pods on the Western side of the United States. The faith-based hospital opened in Colorado’s capital city of Denver in 2015.

Military Barracks, Fort Carson, CO

The Army Corp of Engineers, Mortenson Construction and TranSystems achieved a LEED Gold project certification and earned the National DBIA Award for the military barracks in Fort Carson, Colorado. SurePods was honored to prefabricate 120 bathrooms for the unique multi-unit residential project that opened in 2012.

If you’re a West Coast-based developer, designer or construction industry pro, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

An Interview with Dave Curry, Preconstruction Director, Consigli Construction

Jesse Knapp

To meet the growing demand for centrally located housing in Cambridge, Mass., Alexandria Real Estate Equities partnered with Consigli Construction and Boston-based architecture firm DiMella Shaffer to develop Prism Apartments at 50 Rogers Street. With limited inventory for new construction, complicated transportation logistics and a tight skilled trade labor market, cost certainty, accelerating construction timelines and optimizing trade labor resources were top priorities for the design and construction teams.

After analyzing key schedule drivers for the multifamily residential project, Consigli Construction enlisted SurePods to prefabricate Prism’s bathrooms offsite. To learn more about how SurePods saved the project team valuable time and resources, we sat down with Dave Curry, preconstruction director, Consigli Construction, to get the inside scoop.

SurePods: When did Prism’s project team decide to engage SurePods and why?

Curry: In 2017, we engaged SurePods early in the pre-con phase and gathered substantial data. Our findings proved that SurePods could deliver exactly what we were looking for: a high-quality, finished bathroom unit efficiently designed to our exact project specifications.

SurePods: What was the design process like?

Curry: The design process was very collaborative; SurePods proactively offered ideas to bring the project architects’ design goals to life and presented solutions to address challenges during the pre-con phase. The streamlined communication and lean manufacturing methods also made it easier to stay on budget and on schedule. The pods arrived on time and in perfect condition.

SurePods: How did working with SurePods help Prism’s project team accomplish its goals?

Curry: SurePods helped us accomplish what would traditionally require 100 hours of labor per bathroom in 10 minutes. Our estimates show that prefabricating bathroom pods offsite saved $2,500 per bathroom compared to built-in-place bathrooms and also eliminated 10 days of on-site labor per bathroom.

SurePods: Any other advantages of working with SurePods come to mind that you’d like to share?

Curry: Even though we knew SurePods would accelerate our construction schedule from the pre-con phase, we couldn’t have imagined the unusual circumstances brought on by the pandemic. Because the bathrooms were manufactured offsite, tradespeople had safer, more efficient working conditions onsite. This also made it easier to adhere to health and safety regulations without having to sacrifice valuable time.

If you’re a developer, designer or construction industry pro working in the multifamily residential space, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

Spotlight on Healthcare: A look back at SurePods Projects from Coast to Coast

Jesse Knapp

As building owners, construction industry leaders and facility designers alike take inventory of lessons learned over the past year, there’s no doubt that priorities in healthcare design and construction processes will change.

According to Consigli Construction’s latest Market Outlook Report (published March 2021), 71% of surveyed subcontractors and suppliers reported they had seen an increase in requests for design-assist proposals, which Building Design + Construction (BD+C) notes is “a strong sign that speed-to-market is a priority.”

With speed-to-market becoming increasingly important across the board, BD+C also observes that, “the survey’s respondents are also more receptive to cost-saving material management software, tool upgrades, and robotics that improve efficiency.”

Underscoring the importance of speed and efficiency in the future of healthcare design, a Construction Executive feature (published September 2020) titled “Health Care Construction in the Post-COVID Era” dedicates an entire sub-section to the concept of “build efficiency.” Construction Executive explains that “by collaborating with clients and leveraging technology, construction teams can overcome the hurdles brought by COVID-19 to build post-pandemic facilities in an even more safe and efficient manner.”

Healthcare has become one of SurePods’ fastest-growing market sectors over the past year for all the reasons mentioned above. Not to mention, bathroom construction typically requires the complex coordination of hiring and scheduling 8 – 12 construction trades, ranging from plumbing, electrical, painting, tiling and drywall.

To highlight the healthcare industry’s early adopters of SurePods’ modular prefab bathroom pods, we’re taking a look back at trend-leading projects with notable “firsts” for modular construction in this field. From the Western Rockies in Denver to the Gold Coast of South Florida, below are three healthcare projects featuring SurePods modular bathroom pods:

Wellington, FL

Opened in 2012, Wellington Regional Medical Center was the first SurePods project to receive AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration) approval. Designed by HKS, the South Florida-based acute care hospital features 80 SurePods bathrooms.

Denver, CO

Over in the Rocky Mountains, Davis Partnership Architects & H+L Architecture enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 440 SurePods bathrooms for Exempla Saint Joseph Heritage, the very first healthcare project to feature modular bathroom pods on the Western side of the United States. The faith-based hospital opened in Colorado’s capital city of Denver in 2015.

Seattle, WA

TGB Architects and Skanska USA Building general contractors were the first to partner with SurePods on a “shell and core” building method; the team turned to SurePods early in the design and preconstruction phase to prefabricate bathrooms for Seattle’s Virginia Mason Medical Center. Opened in 2015, the non-profit hospital features 51 SurePods bathroom pods.

If you’re a construction industry pro working in the healthcare space, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

Construction Safety Week 2021: Four Ways SurePods De-Risk Jobsites

Jesse Knapp

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Here at SurePods, we celebrated Construction Safety Week! During the first week of May, contractors and building industry professionals work together to share resources and highlight the importance of promoting a culture of safety in construction.

As modular and prefab construction continues to gain momentum as a mainstream building method, SurePods’ commitment to de-risking jobsites remains a top priority. Safety Week 2021 focuses on construction safety from a holistic perspective, so we’re taking a look at the advantages offsite prefabrication offers and how SurePods is uniquely positioned to provide safer working conditions:

Well-lit, climate-controlled work environment

All prefabrication takes place in a climate-controlled, sheltered setting free of dangerous rain-slick floors or the merciless overhead sun. Temperatures remain consistent, supporting an ideal climate for doing one’s best work. With the absence of harsh weather conditions, the factory setting offers a more comfortable and predictable work environment.

Operations take place at ground-level

Most modular building takes place at ground-level, which largely eliminates the likelihood of injury caused by overhead debris. According to OSHA’s “Construction Focus Four” training, each hour pulled off-site and done in the factory at ground-level virtually eliminates fatalities from falls and from getting caught between hazards. With 39.2% of construction deaths related to falls and 5.1% of construction fatalities related to crushing, the single-level, pre-fab factory floor is indeed a safer place to build.

Assistance with automation

Like other modular facilities, SurePods’ multitude of automated systems contribute to the unmatched efficiency of the manufacturing process. They also promote worker wellbeing. Tasks that would otherwise require heavy lifting are simplified and made safer with automation. For example, handling gypsum in the field typically requires two people. In plants like SurePods, manufacturers add vacuum lifters that require only one person to operate.

Efficient operations and spacious settings

By reducing the number of floors where construction employees work inside (compared to outside on a vertical construction site), coordinators and managers have improved visibility of employees’ movements and can be quicker to respond to a potential hazard. Modular methods also require fewer hands-on-deck than a traditional jobsite; fewer employees mean there’s less chance of an incident.

Not only do factory-based modular methods stand to protect employees from substantial injuries compared to traditional construction sites, but the de-risked option can also lessen insurance costs for general contracting firms. Want to learn more about the added value of a de-risked jobsite during Construction Safety Week? Get in touch at [email protected].

https://youtu.be/wjv0zkj_c7Y

Sustainability: SurePods’ Silent “S” – Earth Day 2021

Jesse Knapp

Now more than ever, it’s important for manufacturers to support the building industry’s collective goal of using resources more efficiently and reducing material waste. While SurePods is known for its four S’s of prefab – simplicity, safety, speed and superior quality – one equally important benefit is our “silent S,” sustainability. SurePods bathroom pods help save approximately three cubic yards of waste on projects and can result in approximately $500 a month in electricity savings.

But that’s just the start. In honor of Earth Day, we’re highlighting three ways SurePods modular prefab bathroom pods can help reduce a project’s carbon footprint:

Building with recycled materials and reducing material waste: Modular bathroom pod components are largely comprised of steel and wall board – two building materials that can be produced using recycled content. SurePods relies on 100% recycled steel and 97% recycled wall board to manufacture custom bathroom pods. Thanks to precision manufacturing afforded by a factory-controlled setting, correct amounts of material are ordered and unnecessary material waste is largely eliminated. In the instance a project does yield excess material scraps, SurePods is able to repurpose it in other in-house projects.

Using durable, high-quality materials to conserve resources over the long term: In addition to reducing material waste during initial construction, high-quality prefabricated modular bathrooms help building owners conserve resources over the long-term; especially when it comes time to renovate and refresh high-use facilities. SurePods manufactures its bathroom pods using durable materials like a fully waterproof and crack-proof ceiling and USG Fiberock Aqua-Tough interior panels. Such materials provide a solid foundation for future bathroom upgrades and eliminate the need for drywall replacement. Consider the number of bathrooms in multifamily apartments, hospitals and hotel rooms, and how often they are used. By eliminating the need for unnecessary renovations in the short and long term, building materials and resources can be easily conserved.

Leaning on precision manufacturing to improve air quality and energy efficiency: One surprising green building benefit of modular prefabricated bathrooms is its role in improving air quality by reducing the potential for harmful molds. Factory-controlled environments allow for more accurate construction techniques. The Modular Building Institute explains that modular construction can improve indoor air quality because, “the modular structure is substantially completed in a factory-controlled setting using dry materials, [so] the potential for high levels of moisture being trapped in the new construction is eliminated.”

Electrical, plumbing, finishes and everything in between is constructed to exact project specifications offsite. This means that modular bathroom pods built in a factory can have tighter joints and air filtration, which, in application, allows for better wall insulation and optimized energy efficiency. Pods are also purposefully designed with energy-savings in mind. Energy efficient LEDs, low-energy consumption occupancy sensors and water-conserving fixtures, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, are just a few examples of design features that help conserve resources and energy.

If you think your project could benefit from the green building benefits SurePods offers, let’s talk. To get started, contact us at [email protected].

Construction Market Update: West Coast Developers See Value of Modular Building Methods

Jesse Knapp

In a recently published article chronicling “How L.A. built homeless housing in just 4 weeks,” Fast Company gives credit where credit is due – noting that “modular construction is becoming a popular way to quickly build affordable and supportive housing.”

Despite the challenges of building new construction in a dense urban environment like Los Angeles, the article notes that “the process of constructing the housing units was fast, with the steel modules craned into place in just four weeks.”

Further supporting the case for adoption of modular building methods in California, an opinion column published by The Orange County Register, “Modular housing could be an answer to the housing crisis,” echoes a similar sentiment. The author explains how “modular construction offers a potential solution to one of the most vexing aspects of California’s housing crisis — the extremely high costs of building apartments meant to house low- and moderate-income families.”

Interestingly, despite public statements in support of modular, Bisnow notes that “modular construction is used in only about 5% of commercial and residential development projects in the United States,” in a feature titled, “Developers Still Reluctant To Go Whole-Hog With Modular Construction.”

While areas like the West Coast are benefitting from modular building techniques, what’s holding developers back as a whole? According to The Dodge Data & Analytics Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 report, “the top obstacle in the U.S. for the adoption of modular construction is that company owners aren’t interested in the technique — possibly the old stigma rearing its head.”

“There’s still somewhat of a stigma to it. People hear modular or off-site construction and they instantly think ‘mobile home,’ which is kind of funny, considering that we use modular construction to build very high-end luxury townhomes,” Resolute Capital Partners Managing Director Candace Powell said.

While modular and prefab building methods continue to gain momentum as an efficient, practical and cost-effective solution to challenges associated with affordable housing on the West Coast, the benefits of the building technique span much further. SurePods has been operating in the high-end and luxury development space for over a decade, with several completed hospitality, healthcare and residential projects across North America.

Check out our portfolio of stunning multifamily residential and hospitality projects and get in touch if you think modular bathroom pods sound like a match for your next project. We have a checklist of technical issues we review with the project team based on our extensive experience to make projects seamless. Contact us at [email protected].

Spotlight on Hospitality: A look back at SurePods Projects from Coast to Coast

Jesse Knapp

After a year spent at home, many are eager to get out and safely enjoy a long-awaited vacation. According to the latest research by Cars.com, 57% of Americans plan to take a trip this spring (up 32% from 2020) and 70% are opting to drive to their destinations. The data is unsurprising – in Oct. 2020, a survey conducted by Hilton revealed that 94% of Americans plan to travel once restrictions are lifted.

As one of the earliest adopters of modular prefab building solutions, the hospitality industry has played an important role in SurePods’ success. In fact, the first project to include SurePods’ modular bathroom pods is a hotel that opened 15 years ago.

We’re eager to support the brands and partners that have helped us become the company we are today. With that in mind, we’re taking a look back at some of the recent hospitality projects that feature SurePods bathroom pods. From the Pacific Northwest and sunny Southern California to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, below are three stunning hotels with SurePods modular bathroom pods:

Los Angeles, California: Opened February 2017, the Wilshire Grand Intercontinental Hotel engaged SurePods to prefabricate 698-bathroom pods for the 73-story upscale hotel, which is recognized as the tallest building east of the Mississippi River.

Seattle, Washington: The Emerald City’s construction and real estate market has been hot for quite some time, as evidenced by dozens of cranes throughout downtown and impressive growth of tech companies headquartered on the West Coast. Seattle-based American Life, the developer of the 23-story Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 282 bathroom units to shorten its construction schedule amid a tight local skilled labor market.

Louisville, Kentucky: Designed by renowned architecture firm HKS, the Omni Louisville Hotel is situated in the heart of downtown and soars 30-stories tall. Opened May 2018, SurePods prefabricated 575 bathrooms for the vibrant downtown destination, which is considered the tallest hotel in Louisville.

If you’re a developer or hotelier looking to make up for lost time in 2020, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].