Summary- Reader Response Draft 1
Description:
Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction
In the
article “Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA)” published by (BCA) (n.d),
it stated that Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) is one
of the DfMA technologies. DfMA is a key pillar of Singapore’s Construction
Industry Transformation Map (ITM). It is a game-changing method of construction
which involves construction being designed for manufacturing off-site in a
controlled environment before being assembled on-site. According to the website
“Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction” published by (BCA) (n.d),
it is a construction method whereby free-standing 3-dimensional modules are
completed with internal finishes, fixtures and fittings in an off-site
fabrication facility before it is delivered and installed on-site. By planning
more works offside, manpower and time needed to construct buildings are reduced
while ensuring work sites are safe, conducive and minimal impact on the
surrounding living environment, according to the guidebook “Design for
Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) - Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric
Construction” by (BCA, 2017). Accordance to Chiang, Y.-H., Hon-Wan Chan,E.,
& Ka-Leung Lok, L. (2006), with its numerous benefits, off-site
construction has been highly recognised by global construction community and
widely used by the construction industries in many countries and regions such
as Hong Kong (Chiang et al.,2006) and Spain (Pons and Wadel, 2011).
PPVC
presents a game-changing approach that not only addresses convectional
construction challenges but also emerges as a pivotal force in shaping the future
of sustainable and resilient urban development.
Adopting
PPVC offers efficiency in accordance with (BCA) (n.d) guidebook, fabrication of
PPVC can proceed in parallel in the factory while other worksite activities are
ongoing to streamline the construction process. The on-site construction
activities can be significantly reduced through the use of PPVC. It can potentially
achieve a productivity improvement of more than 40% in terms of manpower on
site and more than 20% time savings depending on the complexity of the
projects. Unlike conventional construction methods that are often executed in a
consecutive manner, PPVC allows works to proceed concurrently. Therefore, it
can reduce the construction schedule significantly. According to the definition
of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) (n.d), PPVC is a construction
method whereby freestanding volumetric modules (complete with finishes for
walls, floors, and ceilings) are manufactured and assembled in an accredited
fabrication facility in accordance with any accredited fabrication method, and
then transported to site and installed to form a building. In comparison with
conventional construction methods where design, engineering, and construction
activities are consecutive, PPVC allows works to be done in parallel. Thus, it
can expedite the project implementation significantly and thereby increase
productivity. Furthermore, PPVC can bring tangible cost savings through a
reduction in on-site manpower and equipment requirement when compared to
conventional construction methods.
Secondly, PPVC provides sustainability which offers
significant benefits over traditional onsite construction such as faster and
safer manufacturing, better quality control and lower environmental impacts,
thereby leading to sustainability benefits in terms of material efficiency,
reduced onsite waste (up to 90%) and improved working conditions. The use PPVC
can reduce construction time by 50% and save cost by 20% based on a case study
of recent projects by Thai, H. -T., Ngo, T., &Uy, B. (2020). As more
activities are done off-site, a reduction of environment pollution can be
ensured as dust and noise pollution are potentially minimised. Disamenities
to the surrounding neighbourhoods during construction can be diminished. Prefabrication
of the building modules also leads to cleaner worksites by generating less
overall construction waste on-site (BCA) (n.d).
Lastly,
PPVC allows innovation in shaping resilient urban development. With accordance from
Thai, H. -T., Ngo, T., &Uy, B. (2020), Australian construction industry is
now experiencing rapid growth in modular construction. This is evidenced by the
fact that four out of ten of the world’s tallest modular buildings were
constructed in Australia in the last five years. Notable among them is Collins
House in Melbourne which currently sets a new record as the world’s tallest
modular building with 60 storeys. In recent years, the Singapore government has
expended great efforts to encourage the use of modular construction for
residential housing projects. Since 2014, it has been mandatory to use modular
construction in public residential buildings. A series of guidebooks on design
for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) technologies were also recently published
by Building and Construction Authority of Singapore to provide practical
guidance to practitioners on how modular buildings could be designed,
fabricated and assembled to achieve the full benefits of DfMA methods. In
addition, the Singapore government also provided significant financial
assistance to support Singapore’s construction industry in moving towards the
adoption of DfMA to enhance quality and productivity. A list of current modular
construction projects in Singapore is reported, which indicated that most of current
modular buildings were constructed up to 20 storeys high. Only one project
completed recently (Clement Canopy Tower) was constructed up to 40 storeys and
became the tallest modular building in Singapore. This tower set a new record
for the world tallest concrete building constructed using PPVC method. The
Clement Canopy tower is also one of the world’s tallest modular buildings. The
Clement Canopy project comprising twin towers with 505 residential units was
constructed from 1,899 prefabricated prefinished volumetric concrete modules
with 48 different module shapes using the core-based method. Each module was
prefabricated in an off-site factory with approximately 85% finishes for walls,
floors, ceilings and MEP systems before being transported to the construction
site and attached to the concrete core using wet joints. This project
demonstrated the benefits of using the PPVC method in terms of saving
construction time (30%) and reducing environmental impact (up to 70% onsite
waste 30% off-site waste).
To summarise, PPVC is a transformative method
offering solutions to traditional construction hurdles while significantly
contributing to the advancement of sustainable and resilient urban development.
Its innovative approach marks a crucial shift in the construction industry
towards a more efficient and environmentally conscious future.
References
Chiang, Y.-H., Hon-Wan Chan, E., & Ka-Leung Lok, L. (2006).
Prefabrication and barriers to entry—a case study of public housing and
institutional buildings in Hong Kong. Habitat International, 30(3),
482–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2004.12.004
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) - Prefabricated Prefinished
Volumetric Construction Guidebook. (n.d.).
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) | Building and Construction
Authority (BCA). (n.d.). Www1.Bca.gov.sg. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/productivity/design-for-manufacturing-and-assembly-dfma
Hwang, B.-G., Shan, M., & Looi, K.-Y. (2018a). Key constraints and
mitigation strategies for prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction. Journal
of Cleaner Production, 183, 183–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.136
Hwang, B.-G., Shan, M., & Looi, K.-Y. (2018b). Key constraints and
mitigation strategies for prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction. Journal
of Cleaner Production, 183, 183–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.136
Hwang, B.-G., Shan, M., & Looi, K.-Y. (2018c). Knowledge-based
decision support system for prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction. Automation
in Construction, 94, 168–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2018.06.016
Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) | Building and
Construction Authority (BCA). (n.d.).
Www1.Bca.gov.sg. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/productivity/design-for-manufacturing-and-assembly-dfma/prefabricated-prefinished-volumetric-construction-ppvc
Thai, H.-T., Ngo, T., & Uy, B. (2020). A review on modular
construction for high-rise buildings. Structures, 28, 1265–1290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2020.09.070
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