Glossary

Terms, A to Z

Big Room. A lean-construction practice of bringing a project’s key people together, often in one place, to share information and make decisions quickly. Source: Lean Construction Institute

CDO (community development organization). A local nonprofit that builds or renovates housing and works to strengthen its neighborhood. Source: Maryland People’s Law Library

Demand aggregation. Pooling many small housing projects into one steady pipeline, so a factory can plan production and each project can use standard parts. Source: HUD

Digital twin. A detailed computer model of a real building, built from measurements such as laser scans and photos, used to plan work and track how the building changes. Source: NIBS

Existing conditions. The as-found state of a building or lot before new work begins, including its walls, floors, systems, damage and surroundings. Source: HUD

Homeowner stabilization. Repairs and upgrades that help people who already own their homes stay in them safely and affordably, which BMOD aims to deliver through industrialized construction.

Housing System Certification. A program being developed by the National Institute of Building Sciences with MOD X that would certify a repeatable housing system once, so projects using it can be permitted against that certification. Source: NIBS

Industrialized construction. Construction that uses manufacturing methods and technology, whether the work happens on site or in a factory. Source: HUD

Industrialized Housing Delivery (IHD). A way of delivering housing that plans, manufactures offsite and assembles onsite as one coordinated process, instead of designing first and asking builders to bid later. Source: HUD

Infill. New homes built on empty lots within an existing neighborhood, fitted to its street and block. Source: EPA

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). A way of running a project in which the owner, designers, builders and manufacturers work as one team from the start, sharing information and decisions. Source: American Institute of Architects

Kit of parts (1D). Individual building pieces, such as beams, posts or trusses, made in a factory and put together on site. Source: HUD

Microfactory. A small, flexible factory close to where homes are built that makes building parts or modules for a local market.

Offsite construction. Construction in which much of the work moves from the building site to a controlled setting such as a factory and is then installed on site. Source: NIBS

Panelized (2D). Flat wall, floor and roof sections built in a factory and set in place on site, either open (frame exposed) or closed (with insulation, wiring or finishes inside). Source: NIBS

Product platform. A family of standard, interchangeable parts and modules that combine in many ways to suit different houses and lots. Source: Institution of Structural Engineers

Retrofit. Upgrading an existing building’s structure, systems, energy use or layout instead of replacing it, which is called adaptive reuse when the building also takes on a new use. Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Scattered-lot. Vacant lots or houses spread across many blocks rather than grouped on one site, which makes them harder to build on at scale. Source: HUD

Volumetric (3D). Room-sized modules built and largely finished in a factory, then shipped and set in place on site. Source: Modular Building Institute

Wraparound services. Supports such as transportation, childcare and case management that help people stay in training and at work. Source: Maryland Department of Labor