Modularization: The Fine Art of Offsite Preassembly for Capital Projects

A practical, hands-on guide to offsite preassembly, beginning with the project as just a concept gleam in the CEO’s eye and winding all the way through implementation at the construction site.

Modularization is a philosophy change! And along with that change, comes the need to understand the implementation requirements and project mindset adjustments that impact and influence all aspects of the modular project. To accomplish this, the book provides a complete (from beginning to end) identification and evaluation of the differences that make a modular project unique, starting with the very basics in terms of definitions and setting the groundwork of expectations by identifying benefits and challenges. Then, because the journey is as important as the destination, the reader is guided through the various project phases in a manner that reflects how they would be addressed in the workplace. From the very earliest identification of concepts, through early assessment and selection of the optimal choice to be finally carried into detailed design, the reader is acquainted with each phase of the development process, including explanations and relevant suggestions for many of the questions and issues that typically come up.

A perfect reference for professional and technical leaders when developing the early, critical planning phases of modular projects, this guide offers useful examples and details on the fundamentals required to get a modular project started correctly and keep it on track. And, for those whom this is not their first foray into modular project management, this guide includes suggestions, examples, and/or lessons learned to make the subsequent module projects easier to implement.

Recognized industry experts Michael Kluck and Dr. Jin Ouk Choi have authored this guide to modularization that is ideal for owners, contractors, project management, engineers, project controls, and procurement—in fact, anyone interested in improving current construction project management practices. In addition, its thought-provoking examples and project case studies provide the perfect platform for its instructional use in teaching modular concepts.

Written from the perspective of both the Client/Owner and the EPC Contractor, this guide provides useful information needed for initial project management setup and technical details useful to working functional groups within the project. As such, it is truly a universal guide that can provide personnel at all levels within the project with the information needed to make project implementation more seamless. This book is written in terms of the large-scale industrial modularization project, but the steps and process are equally applicable to small-scale projects and projects outside the industrial construction realm.

Some of the topics covered in this guide include:

• The basics (to set a basis for major topic presentations)
• Module configurations (“good, bad, and ugly”)
• A deep dive into modularization business case
• Module team and project interactions
• Module execution planning and timing
• Success factors, pitfalls and avoidance
• A walk through the “module project”
• A modular project case exercise – tying it all together
• Standardization – the next step
• What the future holds

MICHAEL KLUCK (Houston, TX) is a Senior Project Manager and modularization subject matter expert for KBR (Kellogg Brown & Root). With over 40 years in the industry, his equal time on both sides (Owner/Client and EPC contractor) of the modular project management fence has provided the basis for the unique perspective reflected in this guide.

JIN OUK CHOI, PH.D. (Las Vegas, NV) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Construction at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). His extensive technical and academic work on the Modularization and Standardization research efforts dovetails nicely, providing both historic and state of the art information as well as linking the practical applications and efforts with documented technical research