When Hurricane Katrina stormed through Louisiana in 2005, nobody could have predicted the extent of its devastation. Over the past decade, more than 1 million people have moved from the Gulf Coast to other parts of the country. Some analysts believe the storm will ultimately cost the U.S. economy more than $150 billion. However, these long-term issues pale in comparison to the day-to-day struggles faced by Katrina survivors in the first two years after the storm.
A Lack of Resources
In the immediate aftermath, disaster relief agencies funneled basic supplies such as food and water to survivors who hadn't fled the Gulf Coast. Tents sprang up by the tens of thousands, but they offered little in the way of room, comfort, or protection. These poor living conditions contributed to health problems, which were exacerbated by large mosquito populations in late August.
An Alternative Solution
Instead of using tents as temporary shelter solutions, disaster relief agencies can use prefabricated buildings to offer a more viable solution. Relocatable buildings are extremely durable and setup times are exceptionally short which results in a quick and dependable recovery. They can also be refurbished and reconfigured for future use.
The government has already made great use of prefabricated buildings in response to a natural disaster. Prefabricated courthouses, health clinics, and police stations provide the institutions people rely on every day, and help to prevent disaster zones from dissolving into chaos.
Clients often choose a temporary or relocatable modular building for a quick and convenient short-term solution to their space needs.
Temporary modular buildings are built to the same high quality standards as
permanent buildings but offer extreme speed and flexibility. These buildings
are not site specific and can be easily disassembled, relocated and
reconfigured for various uses.
Temporary modular buildings can be used as additions to
existing structures or stand-alone buildings. For instance, a school may
require a temporary modular classroom be placed on its campus until additions
to its existing school are complete. This allows students and educators to
continue learning without having to relocate off campus. Temporary buildings
are great option for organizations undergoing large renovation projects or for
those who are relocating and need a temporary location to house functions until
the move is complete. In times of natural disaster, temporary modular buildings
offer a quick and safe space for residents, businesses and clients rebuilding.
Many people dismiss the idea of temporary/relocatable
modular buildings because they envision an outdated construction trailer.
Although the industry can provide basic buildings upon the client’s need,
modular construction has advanced tremendously. Temporary buildings can be
single or multi-story and designed with a variety of interior and exterior
finishes including basic aluminum siding or fiber cement siding with a brick
finish. The next time you or your company are looking to expand, relocate or explore
the capabilities of temporary modular buildings and minimize any down time
during the construction phase.
The term “relocatable buildings” is not something new to
many of us. However, it can be possible that we are not completely aware of the
advantages of a relocatable building. In the past several years, the demand for
relocatable buildings has sky rocketed. The modular construction industry has
developed high quality mobile building designs in their projects that not only
offer flexibility, but also allows the owners to easily relocate their
building. Here are some of the top benefits of relocatable buildings.
Time Savings:
One of the best advantages of a relocatable building is the
time savings. A relocatable building project takes less time to construct
because they are primarily built in a
climate-controlled factory environment and the entire building or major
components can be reused for future use.
Portability Option:
As relocatable buildings can be transported, you can easily
move these structures at any point of time. This becomes a huge benefit to a
business owner who may want to move their store or office to a more prosperous
area, or for school districts facing an increase in enrollment.
Temporary/relocatable modular buildings can be used as additions to existing
structures or stand-alone buildings.
Cost Effective:
Portable buildings can be more cost effective than
traditional buildings because of its short construction time frame. Buildings
are not site specific and can be easily disassembled, relocated and
reconfigured for various uses, saving money on new construction.
Eco-friendly:
Portable buildings are environmental friendly because they
can be re-used. That means the potential environmental impacts from demolition
or new construction are eliminated. In fact, it is an extremely sustainable
alternative to building a new structure. By relocating the buildings and
structures from one site to another, landfill can also be minimized. In
addition, such construction projects have minimal environmental impact as they
make use of less construction materials. Furthermore, the on-site impact of a
movable building project is comparatively lower than traditionally built
structures.
