Modular building unit, building system, building and associated methods

Abstract

There is disclosed a modular building unit and system, a building, a method of constructing a building, and a method of constructing a modular building unit of a building. One building disclosed herein comprises: a modular building unit defining an internal volume, the modular building unit being transportable to a final location for the building in a substantially assembled form; a further building unit defining an internal volume which provides a living space within the building; and at least one service pod mounted within the internal volume of the modular building unit as a self-contained structure, the service pod providing a service function within the building. The modular building unit and the further building unit are connected to define at least part of the building. The modular building unit can be configured so that, in use, its internal volume communicates directly with the internal volume of the further building unit, to facilitate access into at least one service pod from the living space of the further building unit. The internal volume of the modular building unit can define a circulation space ( 36, 38 ) which provides access, in use, to both the internal volume of at least one self-contained service pod and the living space provided by the internal volume of the further building unit, from within the modular building unit. A plurality of service pods may be mounted within the internal volume of the modular building unit as self-contained structures, the service pods providing respective service functions within the building.

1 . A building comprising:
 a modular building unit defining an internal volume, the modular building unit being transportable to a final location for the building in a substantially assembled form;   a further building unit defining an internal volume which provides a living space within the building; and   at least one service pod mounted within the internal volume of the modular building unit as a self-contained structure, the at least one service pod providing a service function within the building;   in which the modular building unit and the further building unit are connected to define at least part of the building;   and in which the modular building unit is configured so that its internal volume communicates directly with the internal volume of the further building unit, to facilitate access into the at least one service pod from the living space of the further building unit.   
     
     
         2 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one service pod comprises an enclosed space forming a room in the building. 
     
     
         3 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of service pods which are each mountable within the internal volume of the modular building unit as self-contained structures, each service pod providing a respective service function within the building. 
     
     
         4 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the service function is selected from the group comprising: an access function; a sanitary function; and a technical function. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one service pod is releasably mounted within the internal volume of the modular building unit. 
     
     
         7 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the modular building unit comprises a structural frame, which provides structural support during use of the modular building unit, and in which the at least one service pod is connected to the structural frame, and optionally in which the at least one service pod comprises a structural frame which is connected to the structural frame of the modular building unit. 
     
     
         8 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one service pod comprises a perimeter structure, the perimeter structure comprising one or more wall;
 optionally in which:
 all of the walls of said service pod are defined by the pod itself; or 
 at least one wall of said service pod is defined by the modular building unit. 
   
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The building as claimed in  claim 8 , in which the at least one service pod defines an internal volume which is bordered by the perimeter structure, the perimeter structure comprising one or more of a floor and a roof. 
     
     
         12 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one service pod defines at least part of at least one wall of the modular building unit. 
     
     
         13 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one service pod defines an internal volume which houses equipment providing the service function, and a doorway which provides access into the internal volume of said pod, optionally in which a door is mounted in the doorway and provided integrally with said pod. 
     
     
         14 . The building as claimed in  claim 13 , in which;
 at least some of the equipment is mounted to one or more of a wall, a floor and a roof of said service pod; or   the at least one service pod comprises a structural frame, and in which at least some of the equipment is mounted to the structural frame.   
     
     
         15 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one service pod communicates directly with the internal volume of the further building unit so that the pod is accessible directly from the living space of the further building unit. 
     
     
         20 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the modular building unit has a perimeter which defines a boundary of its internal volume, and in which the at least one service pod is disposed within said perimeter. 
     
     
         21 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of modular building units which are connected to define at least part of the building, the modular building units each comprising at least one service pod;
 optionally in which the building comprises a lower modular building unit and an upper modular building unit stacked on the lower modular building unit, in which the service pod of the lower modular building unit provides an access function, and in which the upper modular building unit comprises an opening configured to cooperate with the access function service pod, to facilitate access between internal volumes of the lower and upper modular building units via said service pod.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the further building unit is an on-site construction at the final location for the building. 
     
     
         24 . The building as claimed in  claim 1 , in which there are a plurality of service pods, at least one of the service pods being connected to at least one other service pod to form a service pod assembly mounted within the internal volume of the modular building unit. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A building system comprising:
 a modular building unit defining an internal volume, the modular building unit being transportable to a final location for a building in a substantially assembled form;   a further building unit configured, in use, to define an internal volume which provides a living space within the building; and   at least one service pod which is mountable within the internal volume of the modular building unit as a self-contained structure, the at least one service pod providing, in use, a service function within the building;   in which the modular building unit and the further building unit are configured to be connected to define at least part of the building;   and in which the modular building unit is configured so that, in use, its internal volume communicates directly with the internal volume of the further building unit, to facilitate access into the at least one service pod from the living space of the further building unit.   
     
     
         27 . A method of constructing a building comprising the steps of:
 constructing a modular building unit to a substantially assembled form at a location which is distanced from a final location for the building;   mounting at least one self-contained service pod within an internal volume of the modular building unit, the at least one service pod configured to provide a service function within the building during use;   transporting the modular building unit to the final location in the substantially assembled form;   providing a further building unit at the final location, and arranging the further building unit so that it defines an internal volume which provides a living space within the building during use;   connecting the modular building unit with the further building unit at the final location, to define at least part of the building; and   arranging the modular building unit so that its internal volume communicates directly with the internal volume of the further building unit, to facilitate access into the at least one service pod from the living space of the further building unit.   
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising mounting the at least one service pod within the internal volume of the modular building unit, and then transporting the modular building unit to the final location. 
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising mounting a plurality of self-contained service pods within the internal volume of the modular building unit, and arranging said service pods so that they each provide a respective service function during use. 
     
     
         30 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising positioning equipment providing the required service function within an internal volume defined by the at least one service pod prior to mounting said pod within the internal volume of the modular building unit. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising: constructing a plurality of the modular building units and providing each of the modular building units with at least one self-contained service pod; transporting the modular building units to the final location; and then connecting the modular building units to define at least part of the building. 
     
     
         36 - 124 . (canceled)