Modular Dwelling Unit Design for Green Building Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of multi-family dwellings is labor-intensive and costly due to the need for custom designs that comply with various building codes and site-specific conditions, which hinders the widespread development of environmentally friendly 'green' residential buildings.
Innovation Solution
A collection of dwelling unit module designs is developed, using uniform grid intervals for structural support, allowing for modular construction and prefabrication, with a computer system for designing and filling building outlines with modules, including features for access, egress, and vertical circulation, to reduce design costs and enhance green building affordability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom designs are created for each building site to comply with building codes and site-specific conditions, then the design can satisfy all local requirements and site constraints, but the design process becomes labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The building design is divided into standardized modular units that can be independently designed and then assembled to create complete building layouts. Each module is pre-designed to meet building code requirements, allowing rapid deployment while maintaining adaptability to different site conditions through selective combination of modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a standardized grid interval parameter (e.g., 13 feet 6 inches) that can be adjusted to match different site dimensions and zoning requirements. By changing this fundamental parameter, the same modular system can adapt to various building sites while maintaining design efficiency.
2Productivity
If modular construction with uniform grid intervals is used, then design costs are reduced and green building affordability is enhanced, but the design must conform to fixed grid constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized modules are designed to serve multiple functions and can be arranged in various configurations to create different building types and layouts. The same basic module can be used in residential, commercial, or mixed-use buildings, providing universal applicability while maintaining design efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional floor plan design to three-dimensional modular stacking, where modules can be arranged vertically as well as horizontally. This adds a dimensional flexibility that allows the fixed-grid system to adapt to various site conditions and building requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A collection of dwelling unit module designs is created from which multi-family dwelling buildings or the multi-family portion of a mixed-use building may be designed. The module designs each fit onto uniform grid intervals defining a structural support system which may fit a parking layout below the units. A module design may include an individual unit or a stack of units. A graphical user interface to a computer system accommodates defining a site specific outline for the building and filling the outline with dwelling unit modules from the collection. The dwelling unit module designs may be designed and perfected in a manner independent of and in advance of any specific project and project schedule.