The Task Group (TG) on Modular Construction held its first meeting to review its terms of reference, three code change requests (CCRs) and a high-level environmental scan of provincial/territorial (p/t) code requirements on factory construction.

The group emphasized the importance of examining the provincial/territorial approaches on factory construction, identifying best practices, and developing recommendations for the national code, while clearly outlining which of the problems are being solved by the proposed new national provisions. The problems identified in the CCRs should become part of this review.

A key discussion item was whether the CSA A277 standard (procedural) could be and should be referenced in Division B (technical solutions) as one of the CCRs suggested. 

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) stressed the principle of not “fixing what is not broken,” and that the real barriers for acceptance of modular construction often lie in municipal bylaws, the permit processes, and the level of understanding of how off-site construction complies with code.

Reference was made to 

• a general CSA scoping paper 
• a paper focusing on factory-built high-rise construction
• the CSA Z252 guide for compliance and approval processes for modular construction.

Members agreed that an informal survey should be circulated among TG members and the observers in attendance (and their respective constituents) to identify key challenges facing the modular construction industry and to determine which of the key challenges relate to code compliance and whether they could be addressed within the National Building Code (NBC). Next steps include problem definition and prioritization, recognizing that many issues may fall outside the NBC’s scope.

 For any questions, please contact frank.lohmann@chba.ca

 The agenda package posted for this meeting can be found below: