Virginia Adopts Modular Building Standards

The regulations could help lower the cost of off-site housing production.

1 minute read

January 4, 2024, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Tan modular building with white swinging barn/garage door being transported on freeway with yellow "Oversize Load" banner across back.

K.A / Adobe Stock

The Commonwealth of Virginia adopted a suite of building codes developed by the International Code Council that are designed to streamline regulations around modular construction and make off-site building of housing units more affordable and efficient.

According to a press release published in Informed Infrastructure, “The Code Council and the Modular Building Institute (MBI) developed ICC/MBI Standard 1200-2021: Standard for Off-Site Construction: Planning, Design, Fabrication, and Assembly and ICC/MBI Standard 1205-2021: Standard for Off-Site Construction: Inspection and Regulatory Compliance in order to provide best practices based on existing off-site construction programs and support consistency and efficiency in how off-site construction is approved and inspected.”

Advocates of modular construction say the approach can play an important role in reducing the nationwide housing shortage and providing affordable housing units at lower cost in a shorter time frame.

Wednesday, January 3, 2024 in Informed Infrastructure

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation