MTX Education explores the reasons behind the growing popularity of modular build designs for schools
At MTX Education we have been heartened by the trend for schools to choose modular designs. It is good for our business, but it is also a validation of our belief that modular build design is a better means of construction for schools.
There are many reasons why schools are beginning to favour modular classrooms. Here we lay out the significant benefits school managers and leaders have identified.
Modular build designs look good
It is best to get the elephant out of the corner of the room first. Modular builds used to mean pre-fab huts at the back of the school. They would be ugly and ill-suited to the work of a classroom. There would be too little space, and it was almost impossible to manage the environmental conditions of the school.
Modern modular build designs are different from this. They are conceived especially for use as an educational space, based on all current research on how children can learn effectively. They are light and airy and add to the aesthetic of the school. Most would choose to have the modular space at the front of the site, as the design quality is so high. Plus, if you want your modular spaces to fit with the design of the main school site, traditional cladding and roofing can be used to help them merge and form a cohesive whole.
Modular classrooms cost less
One of the primary reasons modular design builds has become so popular is because they are cost-effective. A business manager is given flexibility in managing the space against the changing needs of the school population. There is the option of increasing numbers without incurring a large bill for this investment, which comes with the construction of fixed school buildings. When population levels ebb and flow this flexibility is invaluable.
The initial outlay is lower, as are the long-term running costs. The energy it takes to keep a modular building warm, and lit is smaller than traditional bricks and mortar construction.
You can also move the modular classroom should you need to. This means that as you grow, you can re-configure your use of space much more easily.
Modular builds can be constructed quickly
Construction on a school site is stressful and disruptive. There is obviously the noise that is caused, which can stop effective teaching and learning. However, there are also the health and safety concerns of having a construction site and children mixing for an extended period. You could have your extra classrooms in a matter of months, from the moment you start planning.
The ease and speed of constructions mean a business manager in a school can be adaptive to quickly changing trends. Although we would all like a five-year plan for the use of the school buildings, context can change year on year. Modular builds offer an easy solution to a complex problem. You will find that your modular classroom builder can provide some flexibility in the way the project is completed that a traditional construction firm could not offer.
Modular is good for the environment
With children becoming more and more conscious of the environmental challenges we face, it is no small thing for the head teacher to stand up and say they have decided to help the planet. It is possible to put up a modular classroom that is sustainable. There is a minimal carbon footprint from the use of concrete, which is a significant issue for traditional builders. There is also limited waste, as the classrooms are built to tightly designed specifications and any cut-offs or materials left from design modifications can be used later, on a different project. Vehicular traffic is also reduced with modular classroom construction, meaning CO2 levels would be lower.
Modular build classrooms can be moved
Modular build classrooms can last for decades and are no longer the temporary portacabins of your imagination. This does not mean you lose some of the flexibility of the old-style pre-fab huts. Modular classrooms are designed in such a way that they can be moved. Space can be deconstructed and then reconstructed in a new place. If you need to keep the flexibility of a small amount of site space, then this is a way to go.
In a fast-moving sector such as education, modular build designs offer a cost-effective, flexible and environmentally sustainable choice for school leaders. It is no wonder they are becoming a more popular choice.
