How do Prefabricated Bathroom Pods contribute to Sustainable Building Practices?

​The true value of the modular construction of prefabricated bathrooms goes well beyond cost and time savings; they also benefit people and the planet.

Modular construction has gained increasing attention in the building industry due to the ability to cost-effectively address issues like the rising costs of traditional construction methods, recent shortages of skilled construction labour, and Australia’s housing crisis.

Prefab bathrooms outperform traditional on-site bathroom construction at almost every phase in sustainable building practices. In this article, we breakdown some of the reasons why prefabricated bathrooms are more sustainable compared to traditional on-site bathroom construction.

Sustainability Benefits of Modular Bathrooms

Prefab Bathrooms Generate Less Waste

Factory manufacturing is inherently less wasteful, typically less than 1.5% compared with >7% on a traditional construction site. Designed and constructed in-house, Interpod’s modular bathrooms are built using lean manufacturing techniques maximise the use resources and materials and minimises waste. Our factory-like processes result in a reduction in the incidence of errors and defects, thus less waste.

Interpod’s Waste-less Process

Minimise onsite waste by recycling only one Interpod bathroom wrap and two timber lifting gluts per pod; both are recyclable and hence prevent landfill. Reduce material storage space required onsite. Contribute to a better future and comply with new sustainability guidelines at the same time. At Interpod, all structural bathroom pod components such as steel frames & GRC bases are fabricated in our Australian factory; this eliminates fuel and emissions associated with importing fabricated items We reduce and reuse materials that would be considered waste on a regular worksite. We are able to sustain exceptional waste management systems due to our strict quality control measures.

Tighter Quality Control & Quality Assurances

Fabricated in a closed and controlled factory setting, Interpod bathroom pods are constructed using the same materials and designed to the same codes and standards as conventionally built bathrooms. Yet we manage it all under more more stringent Quality Control measures and more stringent Environmental Management protocols for much higher levels of efficiency, compliance, sustainable building practices and quality control.

Huge Efficiency Gains

Interpod’s production capacity allows completion of 1 large pod every 15 minutes. Interpod’s process-driven manufacturing is efficient and consistent. Controlled processes give clients clarity on completion dates and output times. Speeding up construction process and positively contributing to a sustainable housing supply.

Reduction in Life-cycle Embodied Energy and Carbon Footprint

From a life-cycle perspective, the amount of material waste saved by the modular construction process of a prefabricated bathroom more than offsets the increased structural material used. Hence, equating to a lesser carbon cost.

Transportation Energy Reduction

According to Green Building, modular construction has the capacity to reduce the footprint of emissions, noise and air pollution caused by transportation of materials to job sites. Off-site construction in factories can reduce the total number of deliveries to sites by 90%, and decrease the average travel distance of workers to the site by 75%”.

Supporting A Circular Economy

Modular bathroom construction contributes to the work towards a circular economy. The modularity of prefabricated bathrooms means that is is easier to reuse, recycle and recover all of the products that form each pod.

Reducing of Indoor Environmental Quality Issues

Our factory-based prefabrication of modular bathrooms allows for a longer period of off-gassing of VOCs from adhesives, sealants, and finishes before occupancy. Our pods also have more airtime, which eliminates the potential for moisture defects that are characteristic of on-site waterproofing.

Safer Workplaces

Compared to conventional onsite construction, modular construction conducted in a factory environment is significantly safer than conventional onsite workplaces. Workers are not exposed to the high risk heights, tripping hazards, outdoor elements or heavy machinery that are typically onsite.

Reduced Community Disruption

Modular projects generally have a smaller construction footprint than conventional projects. With less vehicles onsite, less foot traffic and less noise and air pollution, offsite construction is far less disruptive.

Read more on our sustainable construction practices in this article.

Interpod Prefab Bathrooms: A Sustainable Construction Alternative to On-site Bathroom Construction

Significant Construction Cost-savings

By removing the bathroom construction process onsite, you accelerate the project timeline up to 30% faster, significantly reduce construction time, eliminating the stress and cost of managing up to 15 trades or more per bathroom. Deliver your project sooner with better value for you and your clients.

Cut Construction Times Down

Prefab bathrooms significantly reduces construction time and the management of trades on-site. Construction of modular bathrooms can occur simultaneously with the site preparation and foundation work, projects can be completed 30% to 50% sooner than traditional construction. Simultaneously, prefab bathrooms remove up to 20% of labour from your site, for less site traffic, less defects and less of a footprint onsite.

Delivered Fully Complete and Cleaned, No Further Internal Works Needed

Bathroom pods can remain locked up until handover. No onsite cleaning is needs for Interpod prefab bathrooms. Maximise project cost savings with the option of choosing from our standard pod range.

A Sustainable Australian Economy

We have some of the best manufacturing facilities right here in Australia. It is our priority to support the Australian construction industry by keeping jobs local, because a strong construction industry means a stronger economy and compliant developments.