Future Here Now: The future of construction is right here, now

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I’ve written here before about Mod Fab, the Black-led company that is building virtually disaster-proof, inherently affordable and super-flexible houses and buildings using intermodal shipping containers coupled with the most efficient design and materials available. I’ve played a small role in helping this Black-led company get off the ground, but the CEO just announced that Mod Fab has landed the seed funding to get the first unit built and installed in Dayton, Ohio.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared the flagship design specs here, so I’m attaching the cut sheet for the 720, a single family home with all the necessary parts - and new built for $150,000.

I’m excited for ModFab, not just because of the cost, but because it exemplifies what design and construction will need to look like in a volatile and uncertain future. Container-based structures are near indestructible, and ModFab’s units use a patented pier system that is easy to install, near impossible to dislodge and yet easy to relocated to another site — without leaving a giant concrete pad behind. They can also receive siding treatments, rooflines, patios, porches and other features to visually fit into any built environment.

In an era where weather is becoming unpredictable, flooding is becoming more common and more severe - not to mention that most of us change jobs more frequently than ever, and that more and more workers find home ownership all but out of reach - the ModFab approach looks like Future Ready construction.

Learn more at Mod-Fab.com. If you are interested in a public sector application, such as affordable housing, let me know.