$4MM in New Markets Tax Credit Allocation Launches a New Industry for St. Louis Labor Force

Module Building Systems (MBS) received $4MM in New Markets Tax Credit allocation to establish their new manufacturing facility in St. Louis, MO. MBS will lease 40,000 square-feet of industrial space within an existing building to implement their patented modular panel technology, reducing the cost, waste, and time of construction for affordable and temporary housing.

With construction costs continuing to rise, obtainable housing is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. MBS can provide lower-cost, quick-to-install manufactured buildings to directly support low-income communities.

Module Building Systems Inc. is a leading construction innovator, specializing in developing and implementing unique panelized building solutions. MBS utilizes a post-tensioning technology engineered into fully finished panels that make up the walls and floors of a building. Their building delivery model features a quick-install, pre-manufactured “flat-pack” wood panelized and mass timber solution.

MBS’s mission is to revolutionize building construction, focusing on reducing waste, lowering costs, and accelerating timelines. By transforming the manufacturing process, Module Building Systems can further address the critical need for affordable housing and disaster relief across The United States.

The new MBS facility will be off North 20th Street in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri. In this Metro St. Louis census tract, 39% of residents live in poverty, a median family income at 36% of area average, and an unemployment rate at 1.87x the national average. MBS will hire employees locally, providing more opportunities for residents in severely distressed communities to attain quality, full-time careers.

Through the facilities’ expansion and revitalization, MBS will create and retain 80 full-time jobs by Year 7, offering an average wage of $30.58/hr. 91% of these jobs will be attainable without a 4-year degree. All jobs at MBS will provide benefits including health and dental insurance, retirement and profit sharing, advanced educational skill training, and opportunities for career advancement within the company.

MBS is looking forward to partnering with Ranken Technical College, one of the largest technical schools in the St. Louis area. MBS will utilize the school’s current manufacturing capabilities and construction program for employee development, maintenance, and product assembly. Ranken Technical College will also be able to expand their educational programs, offering real-world training and setting up students with MBS employment opportunities post-graduation. Together, the two groups will continue developing and advancing systems and IPs that unify and simplify the manufacturing and construction processes of modular housing products.

Module Building Systems has also established partnerships with several other groups, including St. Louis University, ONSITE3D, Ecora, ICC NTA, and local and regional developers.

Module Building System’s products are primarily made of wood, which is known for being sustainable building material. Steel, aluminum, and concrete construction account for 8% of global COS emissions. Wood offers a plethora of environmental advantages over other common building materials including:

• Wood is a renewable resource
• Conversion of wood requires 70-90% less energy than steel
• Wood is a tool for sequestering carbon dioxide
• Wood construction is 50% lighter than conventional concrete construction, and uses a higher percentage of recyclable materials
• Construction of a wood building uses significantly less water than other materials
• At the end of a wood building’s useful life, the structure can easily be disassembled and repurposed instead of being demolished and sent to landfills

The company’s offsite construction process enables the incorporation of Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles, including significant reductions of material waste by up to 80%.

The establishment of Module Building Systems in St. Louis will deliver meaningful and measurable results, addressing the need for obtainable housing while revitalizing a severely distressed community. By combining New Markets Tax Credit funding with innovative modular technology, MBS is building a scalable model that drives long-term community development, environmental stability, and housing accessibility.