# Constructing modular buildings for sustainability Discover how sustainable modular construction using virtual twins on the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform cuts waste, lowers costs and accelerates large-scale infrastructure projects. Future-built: Inside CSADI’s Sustainable Construction Story Can bigger structures leave smaller footprints? CSADI’s Hubei Center of Disease Control project, built using Dassault Systèmes’ modular design approach, proved that speed, scale and sustainability can thrive together. The Visionary Builder Central-South Architectural Design Institute (CSADI) is a leading architectural and engineering powerhouse based in Wuhan, China. It specializes in large-scale construction and infrastructure projects. CSADI delivers cutting-edge design and construction solutions that shape communities across sectors, such as healthcare, education and public infrastructure. Designing Resilience Into Public Health The Hubei Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Comprehensive Capacity Enhancement Project (Phase I), led by CSADI, is a flagship initiative in Hubei Province’s public health infrastructure. The project was conceived to strengthen the province’s response to infectious diseases and public health emergencies, providing a model for future facilities. Minimizing environmental impact at this scale was not easy. Yet, the project demonstrated a clear commitment to sustainability by integrating energy efficiency and resource-conscious practices into its design and construction. At a Glance ~40,000m2 Floor area 6% Lower in construction cost 173t Avoided steel production The Challenge The key to the success of a multifaceted project like this is the ability to bring all stakeholders from across the value chain within a single environment, ensuring that everyone’s requirements are taken into account and no information gets lost along the way. From the get-go, CSADI had to mitigate: [The Challenge - Modular Construction](/media/25008) Worker Safety The construction industry in China is characterized by high safety risks, with unsafe worker behaviors among the leading causes of construction safety accidents. As such, designing effective mechanisms that motivate and encourage construction workers to adopt safer practices becomes key to addressing the construction safety problem. Fragmented Systems Many disciplines, such as architecture, structural engineering and electrical systems, require coordination, for which the **3D**EXPERIENCE® platform excels, achieving greater design efficiency. All stakeholders collaborated on the same model across their respective disciplines, making it the first project where a single model was used throughout its entire lifecycle. Complexities at Scale Building such a complicated project required fast, efficient construction with minimal errors. This means reducing building complexity and cost, while managing the large amount of data generated by such projects. Climate Goal Expectations Large projects often carry the biggest carbon footprint. CSADI had to defy this norm by reducing material use — cutting carbon emissions during the construction period. The Strategy Building sustainably at this scale takes more than speed. It demands precision, innovation and a modular approach. CSADI adopted Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twin experience powered by the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform to reimagine how large-scale infrastructure could be designed, manufactured and constructed with minimal waste and climate impact. [The Strategy - Modular Construction](/media/25009) The Solution **Virtual twins + Modular design = Precision at speed** This strategy made it possible to: Optimize material use ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-06/icon-263-production-holistic-blue-rvb.png) Enhancing safety ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-03/icon-246-safety-glasses-blue-rvb.png) Accelerate project completion ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-11/icon-395-modularity-blue-rvb.png) Collaborative design ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-11/icon-410-stakeholders-collaboration-blue-rvb.png) The End Results **Circular Economy and Climate Change Wins.** Through this project, CSADI is advancing in smart construction, contributing to lower costs and a shorter project duration for the Hubei Center for Disease Control. 173t of avoided steel production during the construction ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-05/icon-115-refresh-object-blue-rvb.png) 264.844tCO2e avoided emissions per construction ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-05/icon-093-refresh-blue-rvb.png) 19.2% waste reduction ![](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-05/icon-283-delivery-efficiency-blue-rvb.png) Our vision is to transform into a technology-based platform enterprise to manage all elements in urban construction. Yang Jianhua Chairman, CSADI CSADI Measuring the Sustainability Benefits of Our Solutions Discover how we accurately quantify the sustainability benefits of our solutions for customers, using a certified methodology. Through real-world use cases, see how we support organizations in their sustainability transition, delivering tangible, measurable results. [Measuring the Sustainability Benefits of Our Solutions](/media/24468) [ Learn more ](/sustainability/measurable-sustainability-benefits) Frequently Asked Questions How is modularization transforming the construction industry? Sustainable modular construction is reshaping how the built environment is designed, manufactured and assembled. By shifting from traditional on-site methods to factory-produced, prefabricated building modules, the industry is gaining new levels of precision, speed and quality control. Standardized components reduce errors, cut lead times and enable parallel workflows, allowing site preparation and module fabrication to happen simultaneously. The result is a leaner, smarter construction process that scales from individual buildings to complex public infrastructure, as explored in [productization in modular construction](/industries/architecture-engineering-construction/productization-modular-construction "Productization in Modular Construction: How Tomorrow’s Marvels Are Made"). What is the future of modular sustainability? The [environmental benefits of modular construction](/insights/disruptors-unleashed-podcast/modular-construction-ep31 "#31: How Does Modular Construction Shape Our Future?")[ ](/insights/disruptors-unleashed-podcast/modular-construction-ep31 "#31: How Does Modular Construction Shape Our Future?")are only growing as digital tools and circular design principles mature. Increased modularity means buildings can be designed for disassembly from the outset, enabling components to be reused, repurposed or recycled at end of life rather than sent to landfill. As environmental regulations tighten globally, modular approaches provide a practical path to compliance while reducing embodied carbon and material waste across entire project lifecycles. These themes are explored further in the podcast - [How Does Modular Construction Shape Our Future?](/node/8929). Why is modular construction considered more sustainable? Modular construction is considered more sustainable because it enables greater efficiency, precision and circularity at every stage of a project's lifecycle. By adopting a [circular approach to building smarter and more sustainable construction](/industries/architecture-engineering-construction/build-smarter-sustainable-construction "Build Smarter and Greener for Sustainable Construction"), teams can design components for reuse and disassembly from the outset, directly supporting sustainable and eco-efficient value chains across the entire supply chain. Virtual twins further amplify this by allowing teams to simulate, optimize and validate designs digitally before a single material is produced, reducing waste before it occurs. As environmental regulations demand greater accountability from the built environment, modular methods offer a measurable, auditable path to compliance: - **Reduced material waste:** Pre-cut components and optimized design minimize excess - **Lower carbon footprint:** Efficient production and reduced transport emissions - **Resource optimization:** Better planning through digital models and simulations - **Circular economy support:** Modules can be disassembled, reused or recycled The CSADI project illustrates this at scale: 173 tons of avoided steel production and over 264 tCO₂e in avoided emissions, a direct result of integrating virtual twins and a circular approach into every phase of construction. What are the benefits of using virtual twins in modular construction and infrastructure? Virtual twins transform how [modular structures](/industries/architecture-engineering-construction/build-smarter-sustainable-construction "Build Smarter and Greener for Sustainable Construction") are conceived, engineered and built. Through virtual prototyping, teams can design, test and refine every component in a digital environment before physical production begins, eliminating costly errors, compressing timelines and reducing material waste upstream. Rather than discovering clashes or inefficiencies on-site, project teams can resolve them virtually, ensuring that what gets manufactured is precise, optimized and ready to assemble. Beyond individual design accuracy, virtual twins enable seamless collaboration across all disciplines, bringing architecture, structural engineering and building systems onto a single shared model throughout the entire project lifecycle. This breaks down traditional silos, accelerates decision-making and ensures that sustainability goals are embedded from concept through to completion. The real-world impact is significant. [MODS Inc.'s reinvention of multi-residential construction and acceleration of affordable housing development](/newsroom/press-releases/mods-inc-reinvents-multi-residential-construction-and-accelerates-development-affordable-housing-dassault-systemes-virtual-twins "MODS Inc. Reinvents Multi-Residential Construction and Accelerates Development of Affordable Housing with Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual Twins") demonstrates how virtual prototyping of modular structures unlocks new levels of speed, cost efficiency and scalability, proving that the benefits extend far beyond individual projects to reshape how entire building typologies are delivered. Sources 1Disclaimer: a. The avoided emission estimation was calculated following the EU Taxonomy (Regulation Guideline), ISO 14067, 11044 and Guidance of WBCSD Net Zero Initiative Guidelines. b. Methodology was based on the comparison of two scenarios for one given functional unit (ISO 14067:2018 and ISO 14064-2:2019). c. The 3DS methodology has been certified by an independent third party and elaborated in compliance with the EU Taxonomy (Regulation Guideline), ISO 14067, 11044 and Guidance of WBCSD Net Zero Initiative Guidelines. The end result expressed in tCO2e remains an estimation. Related Content Regulatory Compliance Drive profitability and meet consumer demands while ensuring regulatory compliance with the **3D**EXPERIENCE® platform. [Discover](/industries/consumer-packaged-goods-retail/regulatory-compliance) Green Building Construction To achieve greener buildings, companies need technology that can enable decarbonization efforts quickly and keep costs under control. [Learn more](/sustainability/decarbonization/decarbonizing-industry-operations/green-buildings-carbon-construction) HVAC System Utilize simulation and virtual twin technology to create optimal HVAC systems and reduce building emissions from end to end. [Discover](/sustainability/decarbonization/decarbonizing-industry-operations/decarbonize-building-operations-hvac-systems) Circularity in Action It’s time for concerted action. Here’s how to make the circular economy achievable, scalable and profitable. [Learn more](/sustainability/circular-economy/circularity-action) ![""](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-05/modular-construction-hero-banner.webp) Modular Construction