Abstract: Dual-side unfolding building modules are described that allow buildings with greater design flexibility, and particularly, large and open work or living spaces while allowing interesting roof designs such as butterfly type roofs. The building modules fold compactly for transport. The building modules can be prefabricated with interior and exterior finishing material thereby reducing the time required for finishing at the building site.

Abstract: Foldable building units are provided based on structural frame and connection assembly designs that enable greater construction efficiency and flexibility. The structural frame and connection assembly designs allow for easier connection of frame elements in the prefabrication process of the foldable building units and for easier connection of frame elements at the building site, for example, of foldably connected frame elements after unfolding. They also allow for more finish in the prefabrication process, and/or less and faster work at the building site, for example, by enabling conventional structural lumber grids that can be continuous through the edges and corners of the building envelope for conventional exterior finishing, while providing a tight building envelope with reduced heat transfer, particularly, through the edges of the foldable building unit.

Abstract: A configurator platform and a corresponding configurator environment, according to an embodiment of the invention enable a user to navigate a displayed virtual representation of a building configuration. The user is also enabled to customize the building configuration. The customization is based on a set of physical product specifications from which the user may make selections. A building configuration may be stored as a plurality of tags indicative of physical product specifications included in the building configuration. The building configuration may be sent to an engineering system where it is translated into an engineering model of the building. The configuration platform may further provide interaction with a geographic information system to provide environmental, geologic, and regulatory information as well as other location-based data associated with the geographic location of the building.