It’s a new record! Built by construction company Bouygues Bâtiment International,Clement Canopy, a pair of 140-mtowers made of prefabricated concrete modules, has set a new benchmark as the tallest modular building in the world. Previously, the title was held by 101 George Street, a 135-m tower built in Croydon, England, by Tide Construction. Notably, the first high-rise modular tower was built in New York in 2016 by SHoPArchitects. The specs Clement Canopy is a residential condominium located on Clementi Avenue. It has a gross floor area of 50,200 sq m, comprising 505 dwelling units spread over two 40-storey blocks and a multi-storied car park with one basement floor. The basement floor, car park and first floor of the blocks are of conventional construction, while the typical floors from level two to 40 have adopted prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC). The PPVC modules were designed as six-sided concrete PPVC modules. The weight of the modules range from 26 tonne to 31 tonne and have been installed using two 48-tonne capacity tower cranes. Clement Canopy's 1,899 prefabricated and prefinished modules,with weight ranging from 37,000 to 64,000 lb, were built offsite. Each module is around 85 per cent finished offsite before being assembled onsite. The main contractor was able to install 10 to 12 modules per day with a floor cycle time of seven days. The entire project was completed in 30 months, six months ahead of the scheduled date. The architecture has been designed by ADDP Architects LLP; the structural engineering has been done by TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd; and the main contractor is Dragages Singapore Pte Ltd. The construction of the skyscraper started in 2016 and was completed in 2019. Fast, reliable, flexible Developed by MCT Italy,the pioneering technique used in the project casts 3D modules in a fast, reliable and flexible way. The joint action of high-speed flying bucket and automatic casting machines increases the benefits of modular and prefabrication processes whereby: Construction time can be reduced up to 50 per cent Onsite labour can be reduced by 30 per cent Jobsite noise, pollution and neighbourhood disruption are reduced There are improvements in jobsite safety and the quality of the finished product. The module's structures are cast from concrete in a yard in Senai, Malaysia; then, a factory in Tuas, West Singapore, carries out the fitout in 15days to a nearly finished stage. This includes the painting, window frame and glazing, doors, wardrobes, and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing), including water and sanitary pipes, electrical conduits and ducting, which are all totally finished before the modules arrive on site. Clement Canopy's concrete core was built at the same time as the modules were stacked and installed, in a carefully choreographed sequence. This method helped reduce construction time and was more eco-friendly as the modules were built offsite in an eco-friendly environment. By industrialising and building 50 per cent of the project offsite, loss of time owing to poor onsite weather conditions was mitigated. PPVC benefits The adoption of PPVC at Clement Canopy brought about many learning points in design, production and siteworks. While quality of workmanship was improved as the bulk of architectural works were carried out in a factory-controlled environment, strict site control and discipline had to be maintained to ensure minimal damages to the finishes. Early confirmation of drawings and materials represented one of the major hurdles towards ensuring a smooth production cycle. Another important decision to be made was the location of the heavy-duty tower crane to determine the crane’s foundation and its tie-back to the main tower. This affected the overall structural design of the residential towers and the modules had to be strengthened to cater for this additional loading. The adoption of PPVC has helped all stakeholders of the project in achieving shorter construction duration, higher quality workmanship, a safer construction site and fewer disruptions to the surrounding schools. Truly, one for the record books!