22 Cornerstone Winter 2025–2026 agchouston.org Consistency One of the biggest benefits of prefab is consistency, as factory-controlled envi- ronments allow for standardized quality checks, precision tools and consistent working conditions including tempera- ture and lighting — all of which is often a stark contrast to Houston’s sweltering, storm-prone jobsites. “When we first got into modular, we focused on quality control to assure we were delivering projects that were done the right way,” Hruska said. In the field, it’s difficult to be able to inspect every flashing and detail, every area that could have water penetration, but factory-based construction changes that. “We have a constant monitoring process in place for continuous inspection across the entire production process, including plumbing and electrical, before it leaves the factory.” That predictability, which translates into fewer defects and less material waste, also results in improved safety and workforce stability. Instead of climbing scaffolds in 100-degree heat, crews work on level floors with predictable hours. For contractors, that translates into lower insurance exposure and a stronger ability to retain skilled labor. “Safety is improved because you need fewer people on the jobsite with pre- fabrication. On-site fabrication means cutting parts and pieces — whether it’s framing or sheetrock — and that means sharp blades and saws,” said Alavi, who knows that mistakes can cause accidents and injuries, and moving these tasks from the jobsites to a prefabrication-focused environment reduces the opportunity for accidents. “Plus, a lot of traditional work is on scissor lifts or ladders, so prefabrication helps cut down the time spent up in the air.” Productivity Benefits Jobsite productivity improves with pre- fab and modular methods, too. Fewer material deliveries cut congestion and emissions, while reduced rework keeps schedules tight. For dense urban proj- ects, like in downtown Houston or the near Texas Medical Center, less site clutter is a major advantage. And, the quiet efficiency of modular installation makes even urban infill projects more manageable. “We build volumetric modular — not just flat-pack or panelized components, but fully-completed modules, inside and out, either single units or multi-module projects that piece together like Legos,” Hruska said, pointing out that hospi- tals and hospitality projects generally benefit well from prefabrication due to the number of repeatable units. “It’s not limiting in terms of what you can do, you just have to break a building down into parts and ship it in pieces.” While speed and cost often headline prefab’s advantages, sustainability may prove to be its most enduring legacy geared towards the greater good. Hous- ton’s commercial builders are under growing pressure from clients looking for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification — a globally recognized green building rat- ing system — as well as ESG (Environ- mental, Social, Governance) reporting goals and carbon-neutral targets, and prefabrication directly aligns with all of those efforts. By manufacturing in bulk to mini- mize waste — reducing the impacts of redundant transportation and improv- ing energy efficiency during production — prefab systems deliver substantial sustainability gains. Additionally, some Houston-area facilities have even inte- grated renewable energy and closed-loop recycling into their fabrication process. And, because modules are built to tight tolerances, the completed structures often have better thermal performance than their constructed-on-site counter- parts, which reduces the overall opera- tional energy use long after construction is complete. Despite its momentum, though, pre- fab adoption still faces some hesitancy in regard to acceptance, especially in Houston’s market. Clients worry that modular buildings may look like unin- spired “cookie-cutter” carbon copies, while others question the upfront cost or logistical complexity of transport- ing large modules through Houston’s crowded freeways. “Our field people didn’t think prefab gave them enough control over the job, so it was up to us to show them the ben- efits, including that a job can be finished A prefabricated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) produced by Aura Dwellings & Hospitality.
