Modular Mobilization Coalition for the COVID-19 Crisis Response

PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2020 (Newswire.com) - ​​​Volumetric Building Companies (VBC) is mobilizing a coalition of industry partners with access to dozens of factories nationwide to execute its 10X Mobilization Plan to face today’s crisis head-on, addressing the shortage of healthcare facilities by standardizing designated Supplemental Care Unit (SCU). 

SCU's are wood-frame modular units containing six patient beds and two bathrooms. Daisy-chaining these factories together with a single point of contact, the Modular Mobilization Coalition is enabled to expedite the build process by 2X and increase collective output by 10X, resulting in units arriving at hot spots within a month. The Modular Mobilization Coalition is also partnering with Modular Building Institute (MBI), the modular industry association, to mobilize its membership of 100+ factories around the country as needed.

“The Modular Mobilization Coalition is ready, willing and able to stand up today and support the nation’s front-line workers battling this crisis,” said Vaughan Buckley, President of Volumetric Building Companies.

SCUs are intelligently designed dual-purpose shelters addressing the immediate needs for triage, quarantine, patient recovery, and care staff resting quarters. They can also move quickly from city to city, as the virus peaks and wanes. When the pandemic subsides, the SCUs will be repurposed as permanent supportive housing for the homeless, at-risk seniors, veterans, those with disabilities or our most vulnerable.

“Our industry is the most capable to support front-line hospital bed shortages with off-site construction and that we can do it in a cohesive, safe, coordinated and efficient way is incredible,” said Colby Swanson, Managing Partner of Momentum Innovation Group. “The reality that once the crisis is over, we can re-purpose this into housing for the nation’s most vulnerable citizens is really special. This is our chance to make a meaningful impact on the affordable housing crisis while simultaneously considering  what's right for the country and for the taxpayer.”

SCUs are not meant for critical patients but do allow 80% of non-critical patients to be cared for by healthcare professionals off-site, freeing up limited and crucial hospital space. Talented architects and designers worked tirelessly to assure the modules comply with the International Building Code, FGI’s National Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities, and the USACE requirements for Alternative Care Sites.

The established industry of volumetric modular construction consists of hundreds of factories nationally, with partners in the MMC coalition growing daily. The MMC is poised to immediately focus its entire resources to address the U.S. health care crisis. The current coalition of factories spans the nation from California, Indiana, North Carolina, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania, allowing for immediate local and regional response. With thousands of employees primarily in rural environments, the effects of COVID–19 are minimal, providing a stable workforce for continuous production. 

“In a time where companies are trying to protect themselves,” said Rick Holliday, CEO and co-founder at Factory OS, “it's been an incredible collaboration. Companies aligning for what's right resulting in a powerful coalition. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

To ensure the success of this initiative, VBC is coordinating and/or partnering with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), the National Association of Home Builders – Building Systems Council (NAHB), Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA).

“We're excited to work with VBC and help leverage industry capacity to build solutions that address this crisis,” said Tom Hardiman, Executive Director of the Modular Building Institute. “Vaughan and his team have put in tremendous time, energy, and resources to pull this together.” Tom also stressed the amazing work going into this by the entire industry. “In seven years leading this industry association, I have never seen this level of collaboration among architects, engineers, suppliers, and manufacturers, who considered each other competitors prior to this.”

For more information, contact:

Shawn Hendrix, VP of Marketing at Volumetric Building Companies
[email protected]
317-775-9415

or visit:

http://modularmobilization.vbc.co

Source: Volumetric Building Companies