Author Archives: Jason McLaughlin

About Jason McLaughlin

I'm ModSpace's director of sales for the Western Region. Along with my team, I combine local knowledge with years of experience in the construction industry to provide our customers with better building solutions.

5 Ways Modular Construction is Greener

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Modular Construction is GreenerAs we pause to celebrate Earth Day today, many of us may stop to consider what we can do to help the environment. Selfishly, we hope your considerations lead you to waste reduction through modular construction.

At nearly 25 percent, construction waste is the largest contributor to our waste stream. Cutting it would have a measurable impact on landfills, air pollution and our consumption of natural resources.

The US Green Building Council agrees. That’s why modular construction is worth additional points for Continue reading →

5 Reasons Why Schools Should Consider Modular Construction

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Rising enrollments, decreasing budgets and natural disasters have America’s schools facing difficult times. When it comes to adding new teaching space quickly and affordably, modular construction offers temporary and permanent solutions that get students back to class sooner, even on tight budgets.

Here are five reasons to look closely at modular learning space. Click the link in each one to see how schools can benefit from temporary and permanent modular construction.

1. Faster Permanent Buildings

5 Reasons Why Schools Should Consider Permanent Modular ConstructionThe Jesse Kaplan School in West Nyack, NY needed four ADA-approved classrooms with restrooms for special needs children. The classrooms had to blend seamlessly with the existing facility. Innovative floorless modular construction Continue reading →

Decoding Mixed Messages in Construction Industry Reporting

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Decoding Mixed Messages in Construction Industry ReportingYou don’t have to look far to find contradicting reports on the current and future state of construction. On their own, the numbers usually speak for themselves. Putting them together for a clear view of the industry and where it’s headed is the challenge.

Statistical Confusion

This month, Reuters reported that construction spending in January was unexpectedly weak. A week later, the news agency reported that new Labor Department numbers showed a February increase in construction sector hiring, with approximately 48,000 employees added to national payrolls — nearly Continue reading →

Forecast: Construction Employment to Improve in 2013

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Construction employment in 20132012 was dismal at best for adding new construction jobs.  Fortunately, one forecast is predicting a decided uptick in construction hiring this year.

In a recent article in the Washington Post, Patrick Newport, an economist at international research firm IHS Global Insight said, “Construction companies will add 140,000 jobs this year, up from a meager 18,000 in 2012.” If correct, 2013 construction job growth would mark a 678 percent increase in hiring over last year, a number I think we can all live with.

A report from the Bureau of Labor Statics would seem to suggest that job growth has already started with a Continue reading →

4 Green Building Trends to Watch in 2013

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2013 Green Building TrendsThere’s little question that green building is on the rise. Now, as all indicators point to a promising 2013 for commercial and residential construction alike, here are a few green trends likely to hit your radar sometime this year.

1. Greening Existing Workspaces
The U.S. Green Building Council spent most of 2012 working with individual states to expand their portfolio of sustainable projects. For 2013, the USGBC continues this push with a new framework for companies and cities that applies to both new projects and renovations.

2. It’s All in the Cloud
2012 introduced cloud computing to the general public. Apple and Google led the way, creating remotely stored systems and data for customers to access via the Internet, instead of a local hard drive. This year, Continue reading →

Prefab Building Offers Housing for Los Angeles’ Homeless

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Prefab Building Offers Housing for Los Angeles' HomelessDowntown Los Angeles’ Central City East, known as Skid Row, is an impoverished neighborhood with more than 4,000 homeless individuals. It’s one of the highest-concentrated areas of homelessness in the U.S.

Fortunately, the Skid Row Housing Trust is working hard to combat this and get as many homeless individuals off of the streets as possible, according to a report from CBS Los Angeles. Earlier this week, the Housing Trust unveiled Star Apartments, which are currently being worked on and expected to be up and running by spring. The apartments, which consist of more than 100 prefabricated Continue reading →