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Notes From the Road is a closer look at the learning opportunities and experiences of our employee owners from industry events, client engagements, and projects around the world.
PITTSBURGH, PA – How do you get the best outcome from your team on a modular building? That was one of the questions at the core of a presentation by Stefanie English, PE, LDG Director of Engineering and Associate Vice President, at the 2025 World of Modular conference this year, the premiere annual event hosted by the Modular Building Institute (MBI).
Stefanie presented “Avoiding Modular Mayhem Through Design” in a case-based session that explored the process of how architects and engineers should work with their project stakeholders – owners, building manufacturers, and general contractors/installers – to extract the highest input from each according to their areas of expertise and synthesize different skill sets into an exceptional result for the client. Stef also addressed how this process changes when the project is design-build versus design-bid-build and what else should be considered before work starts.
Using real experiences as case studies (with names changed “to protect the innocent”), Stefanie walked through a basic narrative, a breakdown of what went well and what didn’t, and how it could be done better. She used examples of both design-bid-build and design-build projects, highlighting the adaptability of the process and specific takeaways for attendees to consider for their own project delivery execution.
RELATED: Learn more about LDG’s modular expertise
“Modular construction is one tool in the toolbox that design professionals should be considering as we work to meet the needs of our clients,” Stefanie said. “This session really highlighted how a project team can come together, respecting what each player brings to the table. The audience participation was fantastic, and we learned a lot by sharing our experiences.”
Stef’s keen insights into modular construction – and sharing them at one of the most prestigious conferences for the industry – are significant, as the industry has been growing rapidly in recent years, roughly doubling its share of overall dollars spent on construction throughout the US.
There are good reasons for the growth: modular buildings are produced in climate-controlled factories, rather than traditional outdoor methods that are subject to the elements, and the method can shrink the overall schedule of a project dramatically – a building can be assembled while the site is being prepared and once the foundations are in the ground, the pre-manufactured building is trucked in, hoisted into place with cranes, and fastened to the framework. In addition, today’s modular designs are architectural statements and wonders of engineering, far from the perception of “simple” buildings like mobile homes or portable classrooms.
As one of the largest and most prestigious conferences for the modular building industry, World of Modular averages 1,500 attendees and 225 exhibitors from 32 countries every year.
ABOUT LDG
Founded in 1986, LDG is an award-winning, employee-owned architecture, engineering, and consulting firm offering full-service capabilities and a national reach. For more than 30 years, we have been providing an extraordinary breadth and depth of value-driven solutions to our diverse client base and investing in the sustainable business practices and innovative technologies that allow us to pursue our shared vision: creatively shaping our world. For more information, visit About – Larson Design Group.