Component Construction Gains Traction [Monday Minute]


January 26, 2026, Edition

#CreatingWherePeopleLive

This weekly newsletter

is created by and for those designing homes in North America.

Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals.

Here's what you get:

  • Field Notes
  • Nuts & Bolts
  • Highlights
  • Workshops & Gatherings
  • What We're Up To
  • Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry.

Let's dive in.

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Field Notes

Modular and Off-Site Component Construction Gains Traction

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The residential modular construction market is projected to reach $72.84 billion by 2030, growing at a 5.57% annual rate. Industry experts increasingly view modular, panelized systems, and other off-site methods as necessary to overcome labor constraints, reduce timelines, and improve predictability—moving from fringe concepts to mainstream solutions.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Upcoming NAHB Webinar Will Highlight Updates to NGBS

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A new edition of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) will be coming out soon. NAHB is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, January 28, at 2 p.m. EST for those who want to learn more about the update.

This webinar is free to attend.

Source: NAHB

Are Your Trusses Ready for the Next "Web War"? 🏗️

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In the world of structural engineering, the smallest details often determine whether a build is rock-solid or catastrophic. The latest industry update from the Structural Building Components Association dives into the high-stakes battle of permanent web bracing.

Source: SBCA

Why Hartford, CT, Claims the Hottest Housing Market

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For two years, Buffalo held the crown as the nation's hottest housing market—but a new contender just staged a massive upset.

Zillow’s latest 2026 forecast is officially out, and Hartford, Connecticut, has surged to the #1 spot. With inventory down a staggering 63%, and over two-thirds of homes selling above list price.

Source: Zillow

Is the "Starter Home" Making a Comeback? 🏠

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A new Utah proposal aims to simplify housing development by granting automatic approval for building on smaller lots if local authorities don't act within a month. It includes incentives for building on lots as small as 5,400 square feet to support first-time buyers and introduces a centralized housing division to reduce bureaucracy and speed up construction.

Source: Construction Owners

Nuts & Bolts

CAD Scale Factors made simple.

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Manual math sucks! Stop wasting time on that and scale errors with this CAD Scale Factors resource. Whether you are a solo designer or managing a full production team, precision is non-negotiable. Avoid costly site errors.

Source: Archtoolbox

Highlights

Welcome New Members

And those returning

Maritza Wells, California Modular Houses, Inc. (CA), Associate Member

Kam Florida (FL), Professional Member

John Seitzinger, HI, CRC (FL), Fine Line Design & Drafting, Professional Member

Gregory Dobrzelewski (MI), BuildSMART-Residential Plan Service, Professional Member

Calvin Ballard, CPBD (TX), Ballard Architecture + Planning, Professional Member

Thanks for Referring AIBD

This week's movers and shakers:

Congrats! Chris Wells (FL) for recruiting an Associate member and joining the Compass Club! 🎉🥳

Please support our sponsor:

Murus high-performance building enclosures simplify designing sustainable, energy-efficient, and net-zero residential and light commercial buildings. For more information, call 570-549-2100 or visit www.murus.com.

Workshops & Gatherings

AIBD Chapters, Boards, and Councils

Click the links to view the topics and add to your calendar.

February 4 - Board of Directors (Virtual) 4:00 pm ET - Members First - Connect with your board members and share your insights.

NEW February 11 - Tristate OKI Chapter (Virtual) - 10:00 am ET

February 17 - National Council of Building Designer Certification (Virtual) 11:00 am ET.

February 17 - AIBD Pizza Party (In Person) - 5:30 pm ET - Orlando, Florida - Please RSVP

NEW February 18 - Eastern Shore Chapter (Virtual) - 3:30 pm ET

May 1 - AIBD Connect - Colorado - Castle Rock, CO.

AIBD Webinars

January 27 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET - SoftPlan: What's New in Version 2026 | Part 1s (1.0 P3 CE)

February 13 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Cost-Effective Build and Design Ideas (1.0 P3 -CE)

New January 20 - High-Performance Homes Team - Cost, trade‑offs, and “how far to go” - 2:00 p.m. ET (1.0 P4 CE)

Training Events

Hosted By AIBD CE Providers

AEC Daily - Look for in-person and virtual events.

AIBD Annual Conference - July 29-August 1, 2026 - Reserve your hotel room

AirVent Attic Ventilation: Ask the Expert™ Seminar Schedule - In-person events - Schedule & Registration

New Chief Architect Live Training- February 20 & 21, 2025

Green Home Institute - Look for in-person and virtual events.

SoftPlan - Virtual training dates

Traditional Building Conference - March 24-25, 2026 - Salem, MA - Registration Is Now Open

What We're Up to

ICYMI: A new fee for suspended CPBDs to recertify is taking effect.

Starting January 1, 2026, the National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) will implement a $45 recertification fee for Certified Professional Building Designers (CPBDs) with suspended certifications.

Suspensions occur when certification maintenance isn't completed within 60 days of the expiration date.

For questions about this fee, contact Certification Director Rusty Hudnet.

Have a triumphant week.


Thank you to our AIBD Corporate Partners. Their generous support champions our profession, and we encourage you to support them in return. Atlas Roofing, Chief Architect, Cogram, GreenHome Institute, JDS Consulting, National Association of Home Builders, RL Mace Universal Design Institute, Shelter, and SoftPlan Systems,


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