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Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

nytimes.com

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Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#161

Post by tsenkov »

bane wrote: post #155

I think it's very interesting how prefab construction seems to pop up from time to time in the media. I grew up in a prefab house, trucked to the property in two halves and bolted together on a poured concrete foundation -- it's incredibly common. Apartment blocks however, they seem to be locked in a perpetual demonstrator state. One, maybe two prefab buildings will go up, and then no more, eliminating the point of t…

Interesting points.

I doubt the logistics would make the task of prefabrication not worth doing, though.

The analogy in software that first came to mind was server vs. client-side rendering of websites. (I think much of it holds true for physical construction, too.) This topic seem to reappear every few years (2010 -> everything on the server; 2014 -> everything on the client; 2018 -> everything BACK on the server.) It will likely cycle for at least an iteration more (especially if someone finds a way to advance CPU's vertically, once again), but I believe in future, the consensus will settle to: if you can afford it -> do it on the server. (maybe it already has?)

In the web world, the "builder" would be paying a larger bill, if they would "prefabricate" what they serve to the world, but customers will be happier to get their product/service faster. On the other side - the builder will be able to get to a larger audience with smaller investment into infrastructure, if much of that computation is off-loaded to the clients.

But if we look at the overall cost of those computations - the servers should execute the same amount of computation cheaper (being a dedicated infrastructure for this specific purpose), (generally) it should be in everyone's best interest that computation happens on the server, because overall it costs less for everybody.

Which means that all that it comes down to, would be the question - how critical is this decision, in growing the service/product's customer/user-base and does the RoI make sense (i.e. would that company make more profit getting larger portion of the computation along with a larger userbase, or does it only make sense with lesser server bill)?

So while it would be cheaper, logistically, for facebook to serve their content in a completely raw format (to be fully rendered on the client), would they've still been able to grow their product to what it is right now, if they never made the switch. (I'm speculating about facebook, but I thought it was a safe bet that they do much of the rendering on the server, without confirming that first elsewhere)

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#162

Post by joe_the_user »

bradknowles wrote: post #116
joe_the_user wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but if you have a prefabricated wall, floor and ceiling solution, that solution could contain all "fiddly bits" pre-installed in an arrangement that was pre-approved and so should theoretically be much faster. Especially, you need wires and pipes and these require significant time and labor even with no zoning requirements.

Try doing that with Legos. Build all the plumbing into those walls. Build all the wiring into those walls. Build all the windows and doors and other openings into those walls. Then try to put those walls together in a way that connects all the plumbing and all the wiring. Now, let's look at the real world, at least here in the US. Yes, there is a national electrical code that covers many parts that aspect, but lots o…

Sure, in the US now codes make this and so many other things impossible.

But if it's just the problem of connecting various kinds of pre-built conduit in lego-like walls, yes it would be a hard problem but it seems solvable in itself. Especially, you don't to have just fixed pieces. rather you can have pieces whose routining "logic" is adjustable after that fact (switch the flow of pipes from an internal panel of the wall). And you could have an app for verifying a given arrangement could work, before you ordered your "lego" set.

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#165

Post by DrScump »

bobthepanda wrote: post #108
tomjakubowski wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are the state zoning laws? As far as I know, the state constitution leaves zoning as an issue for the cities/counties to handle. Is that your beef or are there laws on the books I'm ignorant of?

The issue is that regional concerns (there is not enough housing in the region) do not mesh well with local control. Every locality thinks that everyone else should relieve the burden of housing because they are already "crowded" and new residents mean more money needed for services, which is a hard ask in a place like CA where raising local taxes is fiendishly difficult. If all the localities in a region, or even mo…

  CA where raising local taxes is fiendishly difficult
The vast majority of local tax increase attempts (sales tax add-ons, parcel taxes) over the past few decades passed, and on the first try.

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#166

Post by DrScump »

swaggyBoatswain wrote: post #157
bane wrote: post #155

I think it's very interesting how prefab construction seems to pop up from time to time in the media. I grew up in a prefab house, trucked to the property in two halves and bolted together on a poured concrete foundation -- it's incredibly common. Apartment blocks however, they seem to be locked in a perpetual demonstrator state. One, maybe two prefab buildings will go up, and then no more, eliminating the point of t…

Its not just a logistics thing. Prefab components are mostly used for faster RoI by building quicker. A good example of a real estate holdings company using prefab construction is mcdonalds, wawa, etc. These establishments have the same churn and burn formula. From start to finish, some of these stores can be completed in a little under a month from start of construction to open time. It makes sense for them to spend…

  Prefab components are mostly used for faster RoI by building quicker
... or by displacing work to places where labor and materials are cheaper (even if mainly due to poor QC and/or compromised worker safety).

A classic example of this was the imported prefab segments of the New Bay Bridge, which costs tens (hundreds?) of millions in rework costs and who-knows-how-many remaining unfixed defects.

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#167

Post by DrScump »

castratikron wrote: post #111
Joeri wrote: post #6

I’ve always found it odd that house construction is so bespoke. All that pouring and sawing and drilling and slathering of raw materials to do one-off designs for houses that are then filled with standardized ikea furniture which fits the custom room shape poorly. Manual labor is too costly for such a bespoke approach. Either we make carpenter and bricklayer robots to do the bespoke work cheaply, or we build homes fr…

Bricklaying robots have been a thing for a few years now. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/540916/robots-lay-three-t...

Unreinforced masonry won't cut it in earthquake country.

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#168

Post by DrScump »

jpao79 wrote: post #26
jpao79 wrote: post #22

It's also gaining popularity in the hotel industry. Inspiring video: http://www.guerdonmodularbuildings.com/modular-now-marriotts... It has many benefits for the construction teams. They can work in a controlled environment, and focus on technical skills versus getting through urban commutes, live in lower cost of living areas (in this case Idaho), all the tools/materials are there, have quality assurance processes,…

Here's an advocate in the Bay Area: Solving the housing part of homelessness through the construction of modular, micro-housing is described in the above video by Patrick Kennedy, founder of Panoramic Interests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC0fyFtbaQk And here's an example in Sunnyvale: http://www.palisadebuilders.com/projects/domain/

  And here's an example in Sunnyvale:
All 3 are in San Jose, according to the page.

Re: Developers are manufacturing prefabricated apartment buildings

#169

Post by gambiting »

baursak wrote: post #85
maerF0x0 wrote: post #37

China has been able to do this for at least 7 yrs now. 30 Story building in 15 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdpf-MQM9vY

USSR had prefab block high-rises for a very long time. Most current housing in Russia is pretty much that.

Yep, I lived in one in Poland for most of my life, they were absolutely fine. Most of them erected in the 60-70s too. All made in factory and assembled on-site:

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wielka_p%C5%82yta

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