Regional Interest Spurs Attendance as the Offsite Construction Summit Returns to Atlanta
An exclusive article from the Offsite Construction Network
The Offsite Construction Summit returned to Atlanta, GA, on November 20, 2024, nearly a year to the day after its inaugural event in 2023. This event not only brought together nearly 200 of the area’s leading offsite industry experts and government officials, it boasted a 60 percent jump in attendees versus 2023, cementing the Summit as one of Atlanta’s best offsite construction events.
A Regional Focus on the Potential of Offsite Construction
This year’s Atlanta Summit featured a packed agenda of speakers and exhibitors from across Georgia and the Southeast, including state and local government officials critical to the success of the region’s offsite building industry.
The day started with a presentation from Trent Gilley, lead architect at Chick-fil-A, which is based just miles from the Summit’s location in Atlanta. His session, entitled “How Chick-fil-A is Reimagining Restaurant Construction,” dove into how the restaurant chain is morphing their delivery method into a hybrid of onsite and offsite construction with a growing network of manufacturers while also focusing on brand design integrity, quality, and reduced waste.
The second session, “Modular Construction in the Built-for-Rent Market,” was presented by Kelly Williams, vice president of business development at Tennessee-based Impact Housing Group. Williams shared Impact Housing’s strategy of using single- and multi-family modular construction to not only push the boundaries of rental housing, but to provide tenants more privacy than an apartment building, generate a quick return on investment for developers, create easier maintenance options for landlords, and drive greater acceptance from existing neighbors.
“In order to grow our industry,” said Williams, “we need to disseminate information and spark interest. Quality events like the Offsite Construction Summit are paramount to that mission.”
Two additional speakers, Scott Bridger of ProSet Modular and Michael Lynch of Murray Engineering, also presented that morning. Bridger, vice president at ProSet, one of the country’s leading modular set companies, took attendees through the complete module setting process—from the first visit to a site before construction even begins to setting the last module. Lynch then presented “Revitalizing Senior Living with Offsite Passive House Construction,” a look inside his company’s design of a recent 58-apartment complex that utilized advanced modular techniques.
Face to Face with Government Officials
Buoyed by Atlanta’s embrace of modular construction to help address the city’s affordable housing needs, a panel consisting of several state and local government officials took the stage in the afternoon to discuss the issues and opportunities for offsite construction stakeholders in Georgia. Led by Jon Hannah-Spacagna, government affairs director for the Modular Building Institute, the panel consisted of key state and local building officials, including Kimberly Craig, Assistant Director, Chief Building Officer, Office of Buildings, City of Atlanta; Ted Miltiades, Director, Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings, State of Georgia; Christian Poulos, Lead Industrialized Buildings Consultant, Georgia Department of Community Affairs; as well as Tom Hardiman, CAE, executive director of the Modular Building Institute and of the Offsite Construction Network.
Products, Services, and More on Display at Atlanta’s Best Offsite Construction Event
Besides the speakers, the day was filled with ample opportunities for attendees to mingle with exhibitors—and for exhibitors to gather valuable leads.
Anibal De La Cruz, vice president of business development at Roman Products, Ltd, was one of many who exhibited at the Atlanta Summit as well as previous Offsite Construction Network events.
“It is a great opportunity to connect with the regional players in the industry and share, learn, and collaborate with each other to improve the way that projects are executed,” said De La Cruz.
Speaking about the attendees themselves, De La Cruz spoke about the benefits of this and recent Offsite Summits. “The audience is there because they are interested in improving their processes and learning about new materials, new equipment, and new players that can help the segment to grow.”
Looking Ahead to More of the Best Offsite Construction Events in 2025
The Offsite Construction Network is planning multiple events in 2025, including a return to Atlanta to continue building on the interest in the region and the success of this event.
“2025 is going to be a great year,” says Hardiman. “We’ll be returning to some familiar places and bringing the Offsite Construction to a couple of new locations as well. If we’ve learned anything these past few years, it’s that the demand for offsite and modular construction is taking off around the country, and I can’t wait to get back on the road in 2025.”
About the Author: John McMullen, PCM, is the marketing director for the Offsite Construction Network. You can reach him at mcmullen@hardimanwilliams.com.
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