Building in a remote location starts with questions that reach well beyond the building itself. How will materials arrive? When can crews work safely? Where will the people working on the project stay?
For communities and project teams far from major supply centres, these questions help explain the value of volumetric modular construction. Three-dimensional building units are manufactured off site, allowing substantial work to be completed before they reach their destination.
Projects in Canada and northern Europe show how this approach can support accommodation, hospitality and essential services in locations shaped by distance and demanding weather.
Make the most of a short construction season
In northern and coastal communities, seasonal access and weather can define the construction schedule.
Factory production allows work to continue indoors while foundations and site infrastructure are prepared separately. This overlap helps teams make better use of the period available for installation.
A case study in Iqaluit illustrates the approach. CMHC reports that the modules were assembled in nine days after delivery. Exterior work, plumbing, mechanical systems, electrical connections and other finishing work followed.
Rapid installation is therefore one stage in delivering a completed building. Its value comes from coordinating manufacturing, delivery and the work that remains on site. Source: CMHC — Modular Construction Creates Affordable Community Housing
Shetland: accommodation that supports remote projects
Major projects need accommodation for the people delivering them.
On Scotland’s Shetland Islands, Algeco describes a 426-bed modular accommodation facility originally commissioned for workers building the Shetland Gas Plant at Sullom Voe and supporting other island investment programmes.
Bedrooms include en-suite facilities, workstations and internet access. Shared spaces and outdoor sports areas support life outside working hours.
The example broadens the discussion beyond construction speed. Worker accommodation is also living space, where privacy, everyday comfort and opportunities to spend time together deserve attention.
Algeco’s account also describes demand associated with renewable energy investment, illustrating how accommodation can support changing project activity over time. Source: Algeco — Shetland Project
Stord: compact modules, private apartments
A smaller Norwegian example shows how repeatable units can create individual accommodation.
On the island of Stord, CONTAINEX and its partner Algeco Norway delivered a micro-hotel for engineers working for Aker Solutions. The development combines 16 modules to provide 15 apartments, each with a bathroom and kitchenette.
The published module dimensions are 7.335 metres long by 2.435 metres wide, approximately 24 by 8 feet. These compact proportions demonstrate how transportable units can accommodate everyday residential functions.
Located in Leirvik, the project provides an island-based comparison rather than an example of extreme isolation. Its relevance is the arrangement: a series of small, self-contained living spaces brought together as one accommodation development. Source: CONTAINEX — Residential and Sleeping Accommodation, Island Stord
Bring more of the building with each delivery
At the Aqsarniit Hotel and Conference Centre in Iqaluit, modular guest accommodation arrived with furniture, fixtures and equipment installed.
Delivery required careful coordination. According to the project account published by the Modular Building Institute, modules were transferred from an offshore vessel to a barge, brought ashore and transported to the site at high tide.
This illustrates why the transport route belongs in the earliest design discussions. The level of factory completion, delivery sequence and handling arrangements all influence how the building reaches its destination. Source: Modular Building Institute — Aqsarniit Hotel and Conference Centre
Build for everyday comfort
In Bella Bella, British Columbia, modular construction provided staff housing for the local health authority.
Building sections were manufactured indoors and delivered by barge. The controlled production environment helped the team achieve the required airtightness and energy performance.
The project connects efficient delivery with the quality of the occupied building: accommodation must work for its residents long after installation is complete. Source: CMHC — Bella Bella Case Study
Protect the building between factory and site
Completed interiors require protection throughout transportation and storage. CMHC identifies moisture management as an important part of modular project planning.
The destination also needs suitable foundations, access for installation and connections for water, power and ventilation. Joints between modules must provide the required protection against wind and water.
These details connect factory quality with performance on site. Source: CMHC — Key Lessons on Modular Housing
An extreme example: Halley VI
Britain’s Halley VI Research Station in Antarctica demonstrates a more specialized response to location.
Its eight interconnected modules stand on hydraulic legs fitted with skis. They can be raised above accumulating snow and moved when required.
During the 2016–17 Antarctic summer, the modules were disconnected and transported approximately 23 kilometres across the ice. Relocation was an original design requirement, showing how clearly defined site conditions can shape an entire modular system. Source: British Antarctic Survey — Moving Halley
Start with the people and the place
Remote construction benefits from early collaboration with the people who will use and maintain the building.
CMHC’s research highlights community consultation and opportunities to involve or train local workers. These considerations help align the construction method with local priorities.
For architects and developers, the starting point is a shared plan: what people need, how the building will reach them, and how it will function once it arrives. Source: CMHC — Community Needs and Project Planning
Photo: “Aqsarniit Hotel” by OhanaUnited, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
