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| In lieu of on-site construction, the Building Team for twin student residence halls at Rice University specified prefabricated modular bathrooms. | ||
L ater this month, construction crews are expected to begin installing more than 175 prefabricated modular bathrooms for twin, six-story, 120,000-sf student residence buildings at Rice University in Houston.
Manufactured by Kullman, Lebanon, N.J., the bathroom “pods” have an outer shell constructed entirely of glass reinforced plastic and are connected to a steel-based frame. The interior of the 6x8-foot pods includes all-white, wall-hung plumbing fixtures, ceiling and wall finishes, and light fixtures. The completed bathroom pods are delivered to the project site, hoisted, and set in place. Final plumbing and electrical connections are then made.
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| The bathroom “pods” come complete with wall-hung plumbing fixtures, ceiling and wall finishes, and light fixtures. | |||
Local contractor Linbeck Construction commissioned Kullman to build the pods in an effort to reduce on-site construction costs and accelerate the project schedule. Kullman CEO Avi Telyas estimates that the pod approach will offer cost savings of up to 50% over conventional construction.
“Typically, conventionally constructed bathrooms are one of the most inefficient components of a project during the construction phase of a new multifamily-type building,” said Telyas. “This is usually the result of up to 10 different trades required to work consecutively in such a confined area.”
All 178 pods are expected to be installed by July.
