Not exactly. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different approaches to off-site and modern construction.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is the broadest term. Rather than referring to one specific building method, MMC encompasses a range of approaches that use manufacturing, technology, automation, digital tools, and improved processes to make construction more efficient, predictable, and higher performing.

MMC can be organized into seven broad categories:

Volumetric (3D) modular construction – Complete three-dimensional building units or modules are manufactured in a factory and then transported and assembled on-site.

Panelized (2D) systems – Building elements such as walls, floors, and roofs are manufactured as two-dimensional panels and assembled on-site. However, panelized systems can vary significantly in what is included within the panel.

Open wall systems - Typically consist of framing alone, or framing combined with sheathing and sometimes a housewrap. Additional components such as insulation, air barriers, weather barriers, windows, and finishes are installed on site.

Insulated structural systems - Integrate significantly more of the building enclosure into the factory-made panel. Depending on the system, this can include the structural framing, sheathing, insulation, air barrier, weather barrier, cladding attachment systems, windows, and a service cavity. SEED Building Systems falls within this category.

Closed wall systems -Take prefabrication even further by incorporating the structure, insulation, windows, and interior and exterior finishes into the completed wall. Electrical and plumbing connections may also be integrated at wall connections or installed as surface-mounted or exposed systems after assembly.

Prefabricated components – Individual building components, such as piles, beams, columns, staircases, or other structural elements, are manufactured off site and brought to the project for installation.

Non-structural assemblies – Factory-made assemblies such as bathroom or kitchen pods, façades, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems that simplify and accelerate installation on site.

Additive manufacturing – Components or entire structures produced using additive manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing, either on or off site.Product-led site improvements – Improvements to conventional on-site construction through products and materials that reduce labour, waste, or installation time, such as pre-cut components and pre-made formwork.

Process-led site improvements – Improvements to the way construction projects are delivered, including digital tools, automation, robotics, lean construction practices, and other technologies or processes that improve workflow and productivity.

So, where does prefab fit?

Prefabrication, or “prefab,” is a general term for building components that are manufactured or assembled away from their final location before being transported to the construction site. Prefab can therefore include modular buildings, panelized systems, individual prefabricated components, and other factory-made assemblies.

Modular construction is one type of prefab construction. The key difference is that modular construction generally refers to complete three-dimensional building modules, whereas panelized construction uses two-dimensional elements such as walls, floors, and roofs.

Where does SEED fit?

SEED Building Systems is a prefabricated, panelized (2D) building system. More specifically, SEED is an insulated structural system designed to create an air- and weather-tight building enclosure, rather than simply providing prefabricated framing.

This distinction is important because “panelized construction” does not describe a single level of prefabrication or performance. An open wall panel may simply arrive as a framed wall that still requires insulation, air and weather barriers, windows, and other enclosure components to be installed on site. A more advanced panelized system can integrate many of these functions before the panel leaves the factory.

SEED panels are designed to integrate key structural and building-envelope functions into a factory-manufactured system. This can reduce the amount of work required on site, improve consistency and quality, and help create a more predictable, high-performance building enclosure.

In short: MMC is the broad category; modular, panelized, prefabricated components, and other approaches are different methods within it. Prefab describes the off-site manufacturing approach, while panelized describes the form of the building system. SEED is a panelized MMC approach that integrates structure and insulation to create a high-performance building enclosure.

That depends what comes to mind when you hear "robot." If you're picturing a Terminator or a Replicant, off-site construction is a lot tamer than that.

Technically, a robot is a machine that automates a task and can act at least semi-autonomously, adjusting to its environment on its own; think of a robot vacuum finding its own way around a room.

What we use is closer to a paper shredder: high-tech automation that does exactly what we tell it to, in a precise, repeatable pattern, every time, with no independent decision-making involved. Our facility uses equipment like CNC (computer numerical control) saws, window installation lifts, material handling and lifting equipment, and insulation machinery, all operated by our skilled team, from CAD designers to panel assemblers, certified heavy equipment operators, and maintenance technicians.

The automation gives us precision and consistency; our people provide the judgment and quality control.

Our clients say no, and the research backs them up. While we do build a very high-quality product with high-performance materials that may cost more than the materials and labour in a code-minimum or lower-quality building, that is only one factor that contributes to cost, and by far the most important. A 2024 BC Housing case study of 38 buildings found no correlation between high-efficiency energy performance and high construction costs; some of the best-performing buildings in the study cost less to build than conventional stick-frame.

As BC Housing put it: "High performance buildings can be built at or below the cost of lower performance buildings when higher performance is considered by an experienced design team from the start of a project."

One of the biggest ways we help save money in the cost of construction is by saving time. Prefabricating your enclosure off site while you prepare the foundation shaves months off the riskiest, most unpredictable phase of a build. That cuts financing, interest, and insurance costs, gets people into their homes sooner, and eliminates expensive site costs like scaffolding, heavy equipment rental, supervision, snow removal, tarping, and portable toilets. It also depends on what you're counting: factor in utility bills, maintenance, and repairs over the life of the building, and the savings compound further.

Research from SEEFAR Building Analytics shows that Net-Zero and Passive House buildings with electric systems can save more than the entire cost of construction within 40-50 years of use.

To save money: plan well, build well.

Almost certainly. Our SEED Building System is highly flexible by design: a prefabricated panelized wall, floor, and roof system with a standard, repeatable process and consistent QA/QC. Plus, we can go as high as wood-frame construction can go. That covers ADUs (accessory dwelling units), single custom homes and cottages, missing-middle housing like townhomes and six-plexes, and multi-storey apartment buildings and condos.

We work with you from the start of your design process— whether that's a single-family custom home, a design selected from the federal Housing Design Catalogue or purchased from one of our partners, or a multi-storey building from your own design team or a partner like EllisDon Community Builders—customizing our panels to make your design efficient and cost-effective to build without compromising your quality standards. Reach out, and we'll find a way to panelize your project!

No! Reach out as early as possible, even at the concept stage. Panelization works best when it's considered during design; wall thickness, R-value, window placement, and panel sizing all affect how efficiently your home can be built. Bringing us in early can save you money on a redesign later. If you don't have a design yet, we can help: Tooketree has in-house design capability, and we also work with outside architects and our partner Passive Design Solutions, which has a catalogue of 60+ Passive House plans ready to build.

The federal GST/HST New Housing Rebate applies to new home builds using SEED Building Systems. A Tooketree home is eligible on the same basis as any new build (currently up to $6,300 federally for homes under $450,000, with larger amounts available to eligible first-time buyers, and an enhanced provincial rebate in Ontario).

By choosing SEED Building Systems, other rebates and incentives become applicable:

CMHC's MLI Select program offers mortgage insurance premium discounts (10-30%) and extended amortization for developers building energy-efficient purpose-built rental housing; SEED's Passive House and Net Zero-ready performance can help you score well on your application.

For municipal and other non-market housing developers, there are a number of incentives Tooketree can help you secure. FCM has recently opened funding for several Sustainable Building programs that align with the SEED Building System, and the investment priorities of Build Canada Homes (BCH) require Modern Methods of Construction and align with what Tooketree delivers. We are also a social enterprise which can assist with government funding as social procurement is often valued or required. Note that the Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan, a popular federal incentive for efficient homes, closed to new applicants in October 2025.

Provincial, municipal, and utility incentives change often and vary by location, so we recommend checking current programs with your accountant or local utility. Our team can supply the documentation you'll need for any application: CSA certification, R-values, and Passive House or Net Zero qualification. We're not tax or financial advisors, so please confirm eligibility with a qualified professional or the program administrator.

Yes! Build Canada Homes (BCH), the federal government's new housing agency, is championing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC): factory-built, prefabricated, and modular systems that speed up delivery and improve cost certainty.

Our SEED system aligns closely with those priorities. BCH funding targets non-market housing providers—non-profit, municipal, and co-operative housing organizations—building a multi-year pipeline of projects, so eligibility comes down to your organization and project type rather than the panels themselves. Tooketree is actively engaged in BCH's development, consultations, and ongoing program design, so reach out, and we'll help you understand how SEED panels support an MMC-aligned application.

The number of housing units we produce annually depends on the type of project. With our current factory space and our new equipment, we can manufacture panels for ten 50-unit apartment buildings per year. Single-family custom homes typically require more panels and take longer to produce than apartment units.

Once our panels arrive on site, a large single-family home can be assembled and made airtight in about 3 days, while a small family home may take only a few hours. For an 80-unit apartment building, the process from foundation to airtight structural insulated enclosure takes about a month. Our panels can reduce total construction time by six months to over a year, depending on the project.

Ultimately, our annual output is determined more by the mix and size of projects than by a fixed number of units.

We are always looking to expand by training partners across Canada to manufacture SEED Building Systems for their own communities, including supporting a women-led Indigenous construction enterprise in Kirkland Lake.