RICHMOND, Calif., April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cloud Apartments, a modular development partner that reduces the risk and cost of multifamily development, today introduced CloudConnect, the industry’s first quick-connect mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) system for modular construction and a key new feature of its productized approach to development. The proprietary assembly drastically reduces the field labor required to finish Cloud Apartments units by making all module-to-module MEP connections during module installation, without any specialized tools or labor. It’s a key component of Cloud’s programmatic solution for multifamily development, which leverages productized unit designs, standardized building components, and a takt-time approach to field work to reduce construction costs by 30% over traditional methods.
“Conventional modular achieves time and cost savings in the factory, but 67% of construction costs occur in the field,” says Cloud Apartments Founder & CEO Curtis Wong. “Making modular consistently less expensive than traditional construction requires bringing manufacturing efficiencies to the jobsite. Cloud’s productized, takt-time-based approach achieves that.”
Addressing the Challenges of Modular Construction
In conventional modular construction, most of the building is prefabricated offsite as volumetric modules, with MEP infrastructure installed within each module. After shipment and site assembly, licensed plumbers and electricians make connections. This conventional approach requires an MEP design that connects seamlessly across modules and accounts for movement during installation. Achieving this level of precision in both production and assembly is nearly impossible, and misalignments require costly field rework. Such additional site expenses offset factory savings, making it difficult for modular projects to achieve promised cost efficiency.
Reducing Risks and Costs Through Standardized Products and Processes
Cloud Apartments developed its programmatic, takt-time approach to multifamily development specifically to address these challenges. CloudConnect is the latest addition to the company’s lines of affordable, workforce, and market-rate products, which Cloud has refined over the last four years with inputs from leading modular architects AO. Leveraging lessons learned from the team’s collective experience delivering over 50,000 modular-built units, Cloud’s products and process reduce the risks and costs of multifamily development through:
- Accelerated Design & Permitting: Fully-designed and engineered Cloud Apartment products give developers a fast-track to permitting.
- Efficient Factory Manufacturing: Standardized components produced by Cloud-certified factories ensure consistent, high-quality construction.
- Expedient Installation with Precision Alignment: CloudConnect’s simple design and integrated alignment pin facilitate fast, precise alignment, reducing delays and rework.
- Reduced Field Labor: CloudConnect’s MEP quick-connect facilitates faster site work with significantly less labor.
Reliable Cost Savings
Cloud Apartments reduces overall project costs by 25-30%, with significant reductions in field work. A pricing study conducted in collaboration with general contractors Marvulli Inc. for Cloud’s 60-unit, six-over-podium workforce housing project in Los Angeles revealed that using Cloud’s product and process saves 13% more than conventional modular construction. Shifting more scope to the factory and employing a takt-time approach to site finish work reduced field construction costs from 67% to 40% of total project costs, enabling the project to pencil.
“With rising material costs, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions, developers are finding it increasingly difficult to make their projects profitable,” notes Cloud Apartments COO Apoorva Pasricha. “Conventional prefab often fails to materially reduce project costs, but Cloud’s productized approach achieves incremental savings and reduces risk at every step of the process. It closes the gap for developers, so their projects are able to secure financing.”
Cloud Apartments has 1,000 units of housing currently in development using their products, partnering with modular industry leaders AO, DCI Engineers, Emerald City Engineers, Plant Prefab, Marvulli Inc., and others to execute modular design, engineering, and construction.
Cloud will formally unveil CloudConnect at the 2025 MBI World of Modular conference kicking off later today in Las Vegas, NV. The company will display a CloudConnect assembly at their booth (#325) and share details of their pricing study in a conference session entitled “The Hidden Cost Driver in Modular Construction: Rethinking Field Labor Efficiency” on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 10:30 AM.
Developers interested in working with Cloud Apartments and manufacturers interested in producing CloudConnect may contact Cloud Apartments at connect@cloudapartments.com.
ABOUT CLOUD APARTMENTS
Cloud Apartments is a modular development partner that reduces the risk and cost of multifamily development through specialized modular design, engineering, and construction expertise. With a mission to dramatically increase the supply and quality of U.S. urban housing, Cloud has developed a streamlined design-build solution that solves for the challenges of conventional modular construction to achieve greater time and cost efficiencies. Leveraging insights gained from over 25 years of modular multifamily development, Cloud’s productized designs, standardized building assemblies, and certified partners help developers deliver multifamily projects for 30% less than traditional building methods. To learn more, visit cloudapartments.com.
CONTACT:
Cloud Apartments
Apoorva Pasricha
apoorva@cloudapartments.com
415-853-2557
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