The University of Wolverhampton in England is making architectural history this month, as student residents move into Victoria Hall, a 25-story complex that entered the record books as the tallest modular building ever constructed. (At right is an artist’s rendering.)

Only the ground floor of the building is site built, with the other 24 floors being comprised of 383 individual modules built in Cork, Ireland. Each module weighs 21 to 29 tons and includes a steel frame designed to support the weight of the modules above it.

So, why did they choose modular construction over traditional methods? We’re glad you asked.

It seems Wolverhampton found itself in a predicament faced by many colleges and universities when its student population began to grow faster than the campus’s living quarters could support. In short, Wolverhampton needed dorms and needed them fast.

Enter modular construction.

The Victoria Hall project, which actually consists of three buildings, took just nine months to build. According to architect Gary West, using traditional methods, the project would have taken at least 24 months to complete.

Each student suite is comprised of multiple modules, which are pre-fitted with plumbing, fixtures, finishes, cabinets, and furnishings prior to being shipped. A glimpse of the suites can be seen on the right. Overall, the project is yet another example of the near limitless potential of modular construction.

Good news for those who haven’t been able to take advantage of the $8,000 first time homebuyer’s tax credit: There’s a chance it could be extended.

The deadline for the current tax credit is November 30, putting it out of reach for most people who haven’t started the process, but the tax credit has been very popular (1.4 million homebuyers and counting). And, as is typically the case with popular government initiatives, there’s a movement within the House and Senate to extend the program through 2010. That’s good news for would-be buyers and even better news for builders and real estate agents (who, not surprisingly, represent the majority of voices in support of an extension).

You might think that a successful tax credit program would result in an increase in housing sales, which would decrease the chances of the program being necessary in 2010, and you’d be right. Housing sales have been on the rise, but sales dropped 2.7 percent in August (the first decline since March) and housing prices have dropped more than 12 percent, which takes us back to the potential for a tax credit extension.

We’ve heard various versions of an extension are currently being considered in our nation’s capital – a total of six bills in the House and Senate – including one that would extend the program for military members who were stationed overseas in 2009 (likely to gain approval), one that would extend the $8,000 credit for all home buyers (not just first-timers), and one that would extend the credit and raise it to $15,000 (a suggestion by Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia, who happens to be a former real estate broker). The $15K Isakson idea isn’t the long shot you might think it is. Isakson’s bill was narrowly defeated in a 47-50 vote in August, but may make a comeback thanks to its 16 co-sponsors.

Detractors claim an extended tax credit would be too costly for an already strapped government budget, but proponents say new house sales pump much needed capital back into the economy as new homeowners buy furniture, appliances and other new home necessities.

Said tax credit supporter and National Association of Home Buyers President Jerry Howard in a CNNMoney.com article: “When I bought my first home, I begged, borrowed and, since the statute of limitations is now over, I can admit I stole from my parents to furnish it.”

In any new home, a roomy bathroom with plenty of amenities is a nearly universal selling point. Large bathtubs are an especially popular option, but surprisingly, we’ve recently seen a trend toward smaller tubs and simple shower stalls. Maybe it’s the economy, although you’d think with all the extra stress people are facing, a relaxing whirlpool tub would be high on most homeowners’ lists.

The trend was reported by Professional Builder magazine, which claimed that hectic lifestyles have left little time for soaking in the tub, as more families opt to put the luxury tub in a guest bathroom – if they choose a luxury tub at all.

Not that luxury has gone completely by the wayside, mind you. Instead of the tub, many new bathroom designs feature larger walk-in showers with multiple showerheads or the popular overhead “raining” showerhead.

Said one source in the Pro Builder article, “I don’t see whirlpool tubs as being a big deal anymore. Everybody who adds one says they never use it.”

The safety of modular homes is well known. Independent tests on homes in hurricane stricken areas have proven that modular dwellings stand up to the forces of Mother Nature better than stick-built homes, mainly because of the additional materials used in modular construction to help the home remain strong during the transport process.

Now, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is taking steps to make modular homes – actually, all homes – safer by requiring all new homes to be built with fire sprinkler systems beginning in the year 2011.

These safety requirements are nothing new. Over the years, there have been many upgrades in the residential construction process designed to make homes more fire safe. Circuit breakers replaced fuse boxes. Fire separation walls were mandated between garages and homes. All of these requirements are put in place to make families safer.

According to a news release announcing the sprinkler requirement, the new mandate “could prevent more than 3,000 fire-related deaths and 60,000 serious fire-related injuries across the nation each year.” Firefighters are main proponents of the new law, and understandably so. They’re the ones who see, first-hand, the devastating effects of residential fires, and they’re the ones risking their lives to minimize those effects.

But how will these sprinkler systems affect the cost of new homes? That’s the question on the minds of builders and homeowners. Some estimates claim the safety upgrade could cost $5,000 for a 2,000 square foot home and as much as $20,000 for rural homes not connected to public water supplies. For some, it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind and what could be a break in homeowners’ insurance costs.

And for those concerned that a smoking pizza in the oven will set off the sprinkler system the same way it sets off the smoke detector, fear not. Sprinkler systems are triggered by heat, not smoke, which means dinner may be ruined, but your furniture will stay dry.

There are a lot of things modular homes can do, but one of the most exciting ways modular construction is used is as urban infill housing. Put simply, infill housing is the creation of a home in an unoccupied space. In urban infill applications, that unused space is often a narrow lot sandwiched between two existing buildings.

Modular urban infill housing can be used to fill spaces as narrow as 12 feet wide (think townhouses). The benefit of filling this space via modular methods is that occupants of the units on either side of the space won’t be bothered by a lengthy traditional construction process. After all, it’s bad enough when something is being built across the street from your house – imagine construction happening on the other side of your living room wall for six months.

Modular urban infill is also advantageous because, as we all know, it’s not easy to set up a construction site, complete with trucks and cranes, for months at a time in a crowded city environment. We’re sure commuters on that route would have a few choice words for that contractor each morning.

Of course, that’s not the case with modular construction. The modules are built in a factory, without noise or interruption to the area where the home will finally rest. The modules arrive, the crane sets up, and it’s all done by the end of the day. True, there will be some post-delivery work to be done by a building crew, but compared to stick-built urban construction, it’s like a walk in the park.

For a good example of modular urban infill construction at work (at least in design), check out our Excel Drawing Board blog entry on the topic.

Excel is working hard to uphold and reinforce the environmentally friendly aspects of modular construction. One of our most recent efforts is our focus on internal sustainability and our effort to become a landfill-free home manufacturer.

It’s a lofty goal – contributing absolutely nothing to landfills in the process of making our homes – but we’re confident we can do it. This year we hope to reduce the amount of waste generated at our manufacturing facilities by 700 tons, and our newest facility in Marlboro, NY, is already landfill free.

Of course, being landfill free doesn’t mean producing zero waste. There will be waste and scraps associated with the construction process (although still far less than stick-built homes), but our goal is to recycle or repurpose that waste so that nothing goes to, well, waste.

We’re doing that by training plant employees to throw away less and be more concise in material usage. We’re also working with our vendors to supply us with the highest quality products with the least amount of waste in packaging by utilizing tools like returnable shipping solutions. Overall, it’s an exciting new part of our process and it’s one more reason why Excel home owners should feel good about their new purchase.