As the energy and mining industries continue to expand in Canada, creating instant cities that last for 20-25 years and then disband, companies need to quickly get the project up and running while controlling costs, and government wants the economic impact/revenue without environmental upheaval. Instead of the old metal shelters, companies have to provide decent accommodations, schools, churches and recreational facilities in order to keep employees and their families content. According to the MontrealGazette, Scott Weston of Hemmera in Vancouver says the new standard is to scale up or down along the life of the project so the footprint will be minimal when the project ends. He says modular building translates into cheaper to build, faster to deploy, and, more importantly, easier to dismantle, move or recycle. Sprung Structures in Calgary produces modular facilities that range from offices and barracks to churches and hockey rinks. Phil Sprung says assembly can be done by ten unskilled laborers at a rate of 2,000 square feet a day. He says his buildings are 99 percent recyclable because they do not corrode.
