When decisions have to be made and there is no time to wait, modular classrooms offer a way for schools and businesses to pay the low costs of temporary units while saving other funds for other priorities. For instance in 2009 the Palm Beach County School District relocated several concrete modular classrooms from one facility to another, and according to Joe Sanches, chief facilities manager for Palm Beach County schools, "Reusing the [...] classrooms for this addition stands to save us probably more than 50 percent compared to building a new classroom addition."
Permanent school structures are static. They cannot be moved and remodeling them for a different purpose is often expensive and time-consuming. But modular units can be used for just about anything, can be maneuvered from one side of a school to the other or stacked or moved to an entirely different state. Modular units are made from metal, plastic, wood, concrete and a number of other materials (different building materials are appropriate for different regions and climates).
According to a 2010 EPA report, many modular classroom companies use large amounts of pressed-wood products that often contain high levels of formaldehyde and other chemicals that eventually seep into the air. Additionally many modular units have poorly functioning HVAC systems, leaving the interior air relatively uncirculated and unfiltered. Common building practices also result in moisture build-up in many units resulting in the growth of molds that are unsafe for children and adults with certain allergies.