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Sector · Education

Schools, universities, and classrooms delivered in months, not years

Universidad del Rosario added 5,500 m² across its Mutis and Norte campuses in just 3 months on site. Steel framing for permanent buildings and relocatable modular classrooms — dry, phased construction engineered to NSR-10 and REP-21 — for campuses that can't afford to stop.

Summary · Education sector
  • 4 documented education projects in Colombia and Panamá — verifiable area, timeline, and location.
  • Universidad del Rosario: 5,500 m² in 3 months (Mutis and Norte campuses, Bogotá).
  • Colegio Bilingüe: 1,100 m² in 8 phases, without interrupting classes (Panama City).
  • Two systems: steel framing for permanent buildings and relocatable prefabricated modular classrooms.
01 · The challenge

The challenge of building for education.

Rigid academic calendars, campuses in full operation, and demanding codes: education construction does not forgive uncertain schedules.

A campus can't shut down because construction is underway. The academic calendar allows only short intervention windows — breaks, inter-semester recesses, weekends — and every week of delay is paid for in classrooms that don't open on time. Traditional wet, sequential construction rarely fits those windows: timelines stretch into years, and the worksite shares the campus far too long with students, noise, and debris.

Prefabrication inverts that equation. While foundations advance on campus, the structure is fabricated in parallel at the group's CNC plant (EMMA · Zona Franca de Panamá), with ZAM 180 g/m² steel and ±0.5 mm fabrication tolerance. On site there is only assembly: dry construction, less noise, and up to 30% less construction waste — up to 90% faster than traditional construction. That is why a steel framing school building typically takes 3–5 months from foundations, and prefabricated modular classrooms deploy in weeks.

Student safety also demands phased construction: each zone is isolated and built out while the rest of the campus operates normally. That is how the Colegio Bilingüe in Panama City was built — 1,100 m² executed in 8 phases — without interrupting classes. And speed doesn't waive compliance: every project is engineered to NSR-10 in Colombia and REP-21 in Panamá, with electrical installations under RETIE, within Grupo PEB Corp's ISO 9001 · 14001 · 45001 · 37001 quality system. The full evidence lives in the projects portfolio.

02 · Advantages

Six advantages for schools and universities.

What industrialized construction solves on a campus — with evidence from delivered projects.

  • 01
    Delivery between academic terms

    Steel framing buildings in 3–5 months from foundations and modular projects in 60–120 days: work is scheduled so classrooms open at the start of the term, not mid-course.

  • 02
    Phased works without closing the campus

    The structure arrives fabricated and is dry-assembled in stages. Evidence: the Colegio Bilingüe in Panama City — 1,100 m² in 8 phases — without interrupting classes.

  • 03
    Code-compliant learning spaces

    Design and engineering to NSR-10 (Colombia) and REP-21 (Panamá), electrical installations per RETIE, and profiles per AISI S100 — with permit documentation included.

  • 04
    Expandable, relocatable classrooms

    Interconnectable modules grow with enrollment: expand classroom by classroom, then demount and relocate them to another campus when demand shifts.

  • 05
    Acoustics and thermal comfort by design

    Envelope assemblies are specified layer by layer in the BIM model, room by room: classrooms, labs, and libraries with acoustic and thermal insulation defined before fabrication.

  • 06
    Reduced maintenance

    ZAM 180 g/m² coated steel profiles and dry assembly: a dimensionally stable, corrosion-resistant, low-maintenance structure.

Colegio Santa Luisa in Bogotá — steel framing school construction, 2,500 m² delivered in 3 months

Colegio Santa Luisa · 2,500 m² in 3 months · Bogotá, Colombia

04 · Quick facts

Systems, timelines, and codes for the sector.

The data an infrastructure director needs to evaluate the industrialized option.

Systems
Steel framing (LGS/CFS) for permanent buildings · prefabricated modules for relocatable classrooms
Timelines
Modular classrooms in weeks · school buildings in 3–5 months from foundations · complete modular projects in 60–120 days
Codes
NSR-10 (Colombia) · REP-21 (Panamá) · RETIE (electrical installations) · AISI S100
Delivery model
Turnkey: BIM design and engineering, fabrication, logistics, civil works, and installation — one contract
05 · Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about modular schools.

How long does it take to build a modular school?
It depends on the system. Prefabricated modular classrooms deploy in weeks, and a complete modular project is delivered in 60–120 days. Steel framing school buildings typically take 3–5 months from foundations: Universidad del Rosario (5,500 m²) and Colegio Santa Luisa (2,500 m²) were each delivered in 3 months.
Can you build while the school stays in operation?
Yes. Work is scheduled in phases: each zone is isolated and built out while the rest of the campus operates normally. Components arrive fabricated from the plant and are dry-assembled on site, with less noise and up to 30% less construction waste. Evidence: the Colegio Bilingüe in Panama City — 1,100 m² in 8 phases — was built without interrupting classes.
Do modular classrooms meet building codes?
Yes. Every project is designed and engineered to the code of its jurisdiction: NSR-10 in Colombia, REP-21 in Panamá, and IBC where applicable, with electrical installations under RETIE and profiles per AISI S100. Drawings and permit documentation are part of the turnkey scope.
What does it cost to build a prefabricated school?
For education infrastructure, the 2026 Grupo PEB Corp reference for industrialized structure, by project size, is: approx. 220–260 USD/m² for 500 m² projects, 180–220 USD/m² for 2,000 m², and 150–180 USD/m² for 5,000 m² (structure only, MEP not included). The final cost of a school depends on finishes, fit-out, and installations, so every project is quoted by scope: request a technical proposal and get an answer within 48 hours.

Your next school building, ready in months.

Tell us the project's area, use, and location — get a technical proposal within 48 hours.

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