The End of the Road for Modern Prefab? This Just Might Be The Beginning!

The Glidehouse Is At The End Of The Road For Green Modern Prefab, my thoughts on the rise and, I thought, fall of the modern prefab movement. Joe Tanney is partner in Resolution: 4 architecture and architect of the original Dwell House and a master of modern prefab. As evidence, he sent pictures of a recent project, The Peconic Bay House, which he calls a "Power Plant" because it produces more energy than it consumes. Joe talks: "End of the road for green prefab? In fact, I think this just might be the beginning." He continues:

"This Prefab Power Plant operates $ 0.18 a day, because that's what it costs to be connected to the grid. In fact, several of our most recent projects are mini-power-plants. We are using co-generational systems of solar photovoltaic panels coupled with geo-thermal heat pumps (rather conventional technology these days) to generate more energy than are homes are designed to consume, and selling the unused energy back to the grid. RES4 PREFABS now produce more energy than they consume."

Joe then gave me his thoughts on the state of prefab: "It may be premature to call prefab dead when it has yet to really live. Or you might say we are still in the re-birthing phase ... maybe some have been still-born, yes. And maybe some will be resuscitated. Maybe not. Or maybe this is just part of the natural life cycle of prefab, which has always ebbed & flowed with varying degrees of success. Maybe this is prefab's winter season. Maybe some approaches are seasonal and some are evergreen. This pursuit of the "holy grail of modernism" is an ever evolving journey, a work-in-progress. History has clearly shown us that this is not a simple issue to be "solved" merely with branding or "productization." Maybe, it will take an evolution of one house at a time, instead of an immediate revolution, thus requiring a resolution ... "

Resolution 4 followed a different model than others, acting as full service architects and using prefabrication as just another tool. "As architects, we've been fortunate, so far, in that we have built RES4 PREFABS | THE MODERN MODULAR by RESOLUTION: 4 ARCHITECTURE from Maine to Hawaii, using modular, panelized, and hybrid delivery methods. We do not sell boxes; we are hired as architects and attempt to find the best bang for the buck by leveraging existing methods of prefabrication: working within the limits of the industry, always looking for fulfillment partners who are "best in class." In an effort not to fall prey to zombie prefab, we continue to refine and develop our system of design, the modern modular, with each home we complete."

"I just wanted to say, like Monty Python in the bring out your dead skit, we ain't dead yet..."