Globally, developed countries have been applying building information modeling (BIM) to transform the value chain and improve workflows in the construction industry. In addition, many countries, such as Singapore, have adopted a modular construction approach to improve the overall productivity of the industry to meet the growing demand for housing. with the help of BIM, the construction industry has shifted to mass production and modular construction to meet market demand.
What is modular architecture?
Simply put, it is the process of manufacturing building components off-site under controlled factory conditions using the same design and materials and delivering them to be assembled on-site. the main objective is to reduce construction project completion time while achieving high quality work.
Singapore's Housing and Development Board (HDB) was an early adopter of modular construction. in all HDB residential projects, about 70% of the building components (by volume) are prefabricated. currently, HDB is interested in developing more complex and integrated components, such as concrete prefabricated bathroom units (PBUs), and plans to implement PBUs in all possible homes starting in 2019.
Why modular architecture?
With modular construction, a large part of the structure is built away from the job site. the site where they are assembled can be almost anywhere, from a neighboring town to another country. in land-locked Singapore, many of the building structures are fabricated in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and transported to the project site.
Given current conditions such as skilled labor shortages, economic pressures, and rising material and labor costs, modular construction can be an attractive way to make industries smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient.
Modular construction is a smarter way to build.
your work environment becomes safer. offsite, factory-based conditions make it easier to meet and monitor safety requirements.
address labor shortages. skilled labor is in short supply these days, and in developed countries like Singapore and South Korea, labor can be very expensive for a variety of reasons. this makes it difficult for builders to complete construction projects on time and within a given budget. however, modular construction, which benefits from machine automation, improves productivity while minimizing the need for skilled laborers. This can lead to labor savings in many places, with potential manufacturing cost savings of between 15 and 25 percent.
Improve design and planning with BIM. Information technologies like BIM help develop prefabricated components. it can also facilitate collaboration and communication between project participants and improve the overall construction workflow through machine automation.
Robin Village Development (RVD) is a leading provider of prefabricated components in Singapore. most recently, it successfully implemented a smart BIM-based solution for the shop drawings phase of the fabrication process. the cloud-based solution was purpose-built to improve communication with project participants, and RVD has since seen up to a 36% increase in productivity.
It's a sustainable construction method
reduce energy use. with the growing concern for the environment around the world, the construction industry is being forced to adopt a greener approach. since modular construction is similar to assembly line manufacturing, the manufacturing process is more energy efficient than traditional methods.
reduce material waste. modular construction strives to control the amount of waste and maximize recycling within the factory. In addition, by integrating just-in-time (JIT) inventory management with modular construction, inventory can be minimized or eliminated to meet demand.
It's an efficient way to build
reduce construction time and costs. the benefits of modular construction are significant when planned correctly, with on-site and off-site concurrent construction operations saving 25 to 50 percent in time and up to 25 percent of a typical construction budget.
minimize delays due to weather south Korea has experienced unprecedented weather conditions. inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow can lead to delays on site, which can have a significant impact on the profitability of a construction project. modular construction is not directly affected by the weather, as fabrication takes place in a controlled environment and work continues.
By combining the capabilities of BIM with a modular construction process, Yeonwoo PC Engineeringachieved higher levels of productivity. this has increased work efficiency by about 50% compared to 2D and reduced design errors by almost 90%.
As the future of building construction, there's no arguing that modular construction has advantages over traditional construction. But there are also obstacles.
The construction industry does not welcome change. However, implementing modular construction requires extensive transformation of existing processes and practices, as well as a change in attitude and work culture among project participants. Nevertheless, if the construction industry wants to adopt smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient construction methods, it will have to be accompanied by training in modular construction throughout the supply chain.
Written by: dr. Thomas Phang, General Manager, Asia Pacific, Trimble
*this article was originally published on September 16, 2022 in eKorea Economy. view original article
