{"id":159554,"date":"2026-02-20T07:36:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T07:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=159554"},"modified":"2026-02-19T16:37:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:37:11","slug":"how-stack-modular-using-ai-de-risk-mid-high-rise-modular-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/mmc-news\/how-stack-modular-using-ai-de-risk-mid-high-rise-modular-construction\/159554\/","title":{"rendered":"How Stack Modular is using AI to de-risk mid- to high-rise modular construction"},"content":{"rendered":"

And what attendees can expect from Stack\u2019s Stuart Marshall at the 2026 World of Modular<\/a><\/h2>\n

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in modular construction\u2014it is already reshaping how complex buildings are evaluated, designed, and delivered. Few companies illustrate this shift more clearly than Stack Modular, where AI has become a practical tool for feasibility, cost certainty, and logistics planning on some of North America\u2019s most ambitious hybrid modular projects.<\/p>\n

That real-world experience is what Stuart Marshall, director of Global Sales at Stack Modular, will bring to his breakout session, \u201cAI in Hybrid Modular Construction: Feasibility, Design, & Global Logistics for Mid- to High-Rise Buildings,\u201d at the 2026 World of Modular Conference and Tradeshow<\/a>, taking place April 20\u201323, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and presented by the Modular Building Institute (MBI)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From field problems to front-end certainty<\/h3>\n

Marshall\u2019s perspective on AI is shaped by two decades in modular and offsite construction\u2014and by seeing what happens when critical decisions are made too late.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came into modular construction through working in the drywall industry and supporting early modular projects that were struggling with real on-site challenges like fire ratings, acoustics, durability and schedule pressure,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat drew me to modular was that it forces those decisions to be made earlier, in a controlled environment, instead of reacting to them late in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the industry moved from 2D drawings to BIM and 3D modeling, Marshall and his team at Stack Modular saw AI as a natural next step\u2014not as a replacement for expertise, but as a way to make experience more effective.<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, better tools lead to better outcomes when they\u2019re used by experienced people,\u201d he says. \u201cI see AI the same way\u2014not as a replacement for engineering judgement or project expertise, but as a practical way to speed up early option comparisons and improve decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n

AI as an enablement tool, not a sales gimmick<\/h3>\n

As director of Global Sales, Marshall is clear that Stack\u2019s business remains human-driven.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur business is built on trust, relationships and experience, which are inherently human-centric, and AI doesn\u2019t replace that,\u201d he says. \u201cThe balance is struck by positioning AI as the ultimate enablement tool for our people.\u201d<\/p>\n

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At Stack, AI is used to handle data-heavy early work\u2014running feasibility simulations, comparing cost and logistics scenarios, and testing assumptions\u2014so teams can focus on higher-value work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat gives us more time to focus on what matters most: advising clients, building relationships, solving problems creatively and guiding projects toward the best outcome,\u201d Marshall says. \u201cOur people, leveraging AI, deliver a level of service, speed, and de-risking that neither could achieve alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where AI Is making the biggest impact<\/h3>\n

For Stack\u2019s mid- to high-rise hybrid projects, AI plays its most important role early, when decisions have the greatest downstream impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuccess depends on rapid iteration and early de-risking,\u201d Marshall explains. \u201cAI fundamentally enables us to manage the massive complexity of tall hybrid projects by evaluating more feasibility scenarios earlier in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of weeks of manual analysis, AI allows Stack to quickly assess how modular configurations interact with steel structures, supply chains, and local constraints.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis allows us to establish the optimal balance between constructability, structural integrity and cost before design is fixed,\u201d he says. \u201cIt transforms feasibility studies from a slow, sequential process into a quick, comprehensive evaluation exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key areas where AI is delivering value at Stack include:<\/strong><\/p>\n