// ON THE RECORD
UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC)
The Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC) at the University of New Brunswick is an applied-research centre that advances industrialized and off-site construction methods — panelized, precast, mass timber, and volumetric modular — for the Canadian construction industry. It conducts industry-driven research spanning digital technology implementation, constructability and materials testing, lean construction, and market/industry research, operates a Building Enclosure Lab, and helps partner companies access federal and provincial R&D funding. Based in Fredericton and serving partners across Atlantic Canada and nationally, the OCRC reports supporting 90+ companies and completing 95+ projects, with $13M+ raised for research since its 2019 founding.
📍 Fredericton, New Brunswick, CanadaEst. 2019✓ 82% first-party verified
// CLIPS FROM UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC)
“a lot of the benefits to off-site construction is the shortened schedule”
“i think there's a ton of benefits but they're not always easily quantified”
“and that's where dfma will play a role”
“for sure there's definitely some naysayers let's say or people reluctant”
“there's an apartment building going up down the road for me”
“obviously there's this rapid housing initiative coming out from the feds”
“florenceville bristol where mccain french fries headquarters are”
“in the uk they kind of the government came out 10 years ago”
“they trucked in all the modules and there's another hotel built into iqaluit”
// LESSONS FROM UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC)
Embedding MEP into precast panels off-site can eliminate the on-site connection bottleneck that eats schedule gains from prefab.
The first two to three modular projects are a learning curve, not a cost saving — operators must budget for that.
Modular construction is not categorically cheaper; its competitive advantage is schedule compression and revenue acceleration, especially in commercial hospitality.
A Marriott hotel done in 15 months versus 2 years means guests (and revenue) arrive 9 months earlier — quantify schedule benefit in revenue, not just time.
GCs hiring modular manufacturers face a 50% deposit exposure with limited bonding protection; this financial risk must be priced into project financing before committing.
Using a university research centre as a low-risk test bed for AR/VR and other unproven technologies avoids the $20-30k hardware gamble while generating real operational insight.
// ON THE RECORD WITH
PLAEX Building Systems Inc.
Works with
UNB runs ASTM-standard product testing and recently published on the PLAEX product (1791-1802s).
OSCO Construction Group
Works with
Founding strategic partner; discussions 2016 led to centre launch.
Dalhousie University
Works with
Architecture and industrial engineering collaboration; complementary capabilities.
University of Wolverhampton
Works with
Formal UK partnership; cohort exchange planned for 2022.
City of Edmonton
Works with
Public sector partner on permitting research project.
New Brunswick Innovation Foundation
Backed by
Named as strong supporter of OCRC.
NRC IRAP
Backed by
NRC IRAP designated OCRC as a specialty research group; provides free access for SMEs under 500 employees.
CanBIM
Member of
Brandon Searle joined CanBIM board July 2020 — first Atlantic Canada representative.
Modular Building Institute
Member of
Brandon Searle joined Canadian Council of MBI.
// SELECTED PROJECTS
Florenceville-Bristol Modular Hotel Case Study (Iron Maple Constructors)
Status unconfirmedOCRC project profile (Iron Maple Constructors, 2020) on a hotel where the first floor was constructed on-site and floors two through four used off-site manufactured room modules; OCRC monitored module lifting/placement/connection productivity and conducted a BIM case study.
Building Enclosure Lab
Status unconfirmedOCRC lab facility for testing of wall assemblies and integrated building envelopes (impact, structural, air-pressure, and leakage testing).
Canadian Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Framework
Status unconfirmedNational framework developed by the OCRC to classify and bring clarity to modern (off-site/industrialized) construction methods across Canada.
Atlantic Off-site Housing Innovation Roadmap
Status unconfirmedOCRC industry research presented as a housing-innovation roadmap (listed under the centre's industry-wide research on the project-profiles page).
// KEY PEOPLE
// NOTABLE