Offsite construction - Essay Example

Section Topic definition and objectives of the study. The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate whether off-site construction provides themost viable and cost-effective means of building new housing, and whether the means offered may be considered acceptable to the public. Offsite construction refers in general to construction techniques where the some portion of the construction activity is carried out at locations outside the construction site. Pre-fabrication is another term used in the context of off-site construction. The UK Government has also coined the phrase ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ to refer to off-site construction techniques. The portions fabricated off-site are referred to as components or modules, and these are integrated into the building shell at the appropriate stage in the construction. Innovations in manufacturing technology have improved the quality and effectiveness of pre-fabricated components, and changing lifestyles and demands of the public have increased the suitability of these technologies in the house building industry. The government too has increasingly become interested in these Modern Methods of Construction as a means of providing quick and affordable solutions to meet the ever-growing demand for new housing. The objectives of this dissertation will be to study the current market scenario and recent developments in the construction industry. The dissertation will attempt to identify the issues that face the construction industry, and the manner in which off-site construction techniques are helping tackle these issues. The dissertation will, in reference to the historical context of off-site construction, attempt to study the suitability of these methods, as well as the possibilities of acceptance of these techniques by the public. The quality, cost-effectiveness and application of buildings constructed by the process of off-site construction will be studied to establish the viability of the techniques. Some case studies will be used in the dissertation to illustrate the changing nature and increasing impact of off-site construction technologies on the market in general, and the construction industry in particular. The role played by government policies and legislations will also be examined in reference to the future scope for off-site construction in the UK. The dissertation will conclude by drawing inferences about the effectiveness of off-site construction and pre-fabrication, the level of acceptance among the end-users, and the suitability of these techniques in terms of providing a viable and economical alternative in the construction of new housing. Section 2: Research methodology - Work carried out to date: To date, the study has focussed upon obtaining a preliminary understanding of the topic, with a view to confirming the need for the study and the relevance of the topic in the present market scenario. To this end, both books and internet sources have been consulted. It has been observed that, generally speaking, the information available in books is more of theoretical value. An understanding of the history and methods of off-site construction is to be gained from this form of study. However, many of the latest developments and innovations in the field are available online. Similarly, the latest observations regarding the practical experiences and responses of the construction community and the public are also available online. Therefore, the study has so far attempted to use both forms of sources to best advantage, by drawing upon the most useful and up-to-date information available in these sources. Various governmental organisations too have posted the latest developments, policies and programmes related to the field of off-site construction on their websites. The results and details of recent studies conducted by government agencies to compare conventional construction with off-site construction are also available on the Internet. These sources will also form a part of the study, and will help provide an understanding of the approach adopted by the administration towards the modern methods of construction. The research will also focus upon Internet-based sources for the case studies for two reasons: Information on the most recent developments and models of prefabricated housing is available online, and these examples showcase the latest innovations and trends in the field. The various forums available for discussions online provide a rich resource for an understanding of the attitudes of the buyers and users towards these off-site construction methods and the houses built using these technologies. Both these factors will contribute towards ensuring that the benchmarks used, to evaluate the developments in the field and the public attitude to these new developments, are up-to-date. Section 3: Literature review – first draft: The DTI Construction Industry Directorate Project Report:’Current practice and potential uses of prefabrication’, prepared by Mark Phillipson, BRE Scotland, will be used as a source of information with regard to history of prefabrication in the UK, current prefab systems, as well as sustainability aspects and potential future uses of prefabrication in building construction. The report by the National Audit Office, ‘Using modern methods of construction to build homes more quickly and efficiently’, prepared by Raymond Fawcett and Kerry Allison, will be used for information on topics such as the modern methods of construction, advantages of MMC, and risk management initiatives. The paper ‘modern methods of house building’, a postnote prepared by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, provides information on a variety of topics such as history of MMC, and current uses of MMC. The paper also sheds light upon the government policies and planning regulations concerning MMC, and the environmental benefits of the modern methods of construction. The report ‘Integrating Construction Resources and Technology into Engineering’, which is a construction industry cost effectiveness project, provides insights on the various forms of integration in the construction industry, its advantages and potential impact. The paper ‘ Building Technologies Cluster – 3 year plan’, offers an overview of the current market situation, as well as a note on some of the important issues for the next decade. The buildoffsite ‘Glossary of terms’, edited by Alistair Gibb and Martin Pendlebury, provides information on many of the terms used in off-site construction, as well as the benefits and categories of off-site construction. The publication ‘Off-site construction’ – ‘Integrating Technology into new homes’, discusses issues such as the impact of changing lifestyles and changes in technology on the development patterns of new homes. The article ‘Achieving sustainable communities – the ZED challenge’discussed the importance of sustainability in building construction. The sources listed above, along with the books listed in the bibliography at the end, have provided the initial information to help structure this study. These will be used in conjunction with other sources to provide a more complete understanding of the various facets of the topic under study. Section 4: Proposed structure of the dissertation: Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION: What is offsite construction? And, why? Chapter 2: AIMS and OBJECTIVES: Establish the focus of the study. This chapter will state the hypothesis to be tested in the course of the study. Chapter 3: RESEARCH and METHODOLOGY – Literature review This section will discuss the sources used in the study Chapter 4: THE CORE ISSUES This section will attempt to define and discuss the issues facing the construction industry, with emphasis on issues where off-site construction is able to provide solutions. Chapter 5: OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION AND PREFABRICATION This section will discuss the off-site construction methods in greater detail. Chapter 6: CURRENT SCENARIO, CHALLENGES AND POLICIES: This section will look at recent developments in the field, and at administrative policies related to the subject. Chapter 7: CASE STUDIES: This section will examine a few case studies in order to better understand the changing technologies and approaches. Chapter 8: PUBLIC RESPONSE: This section will look at public response to these construction techniques, and the perceived advantages / problems. Chapter 9: CONCLUSIONS: This will consist of a summary of the study, and will highlight some of the more relevant facts learned from the study. Section 5: Work plan – detailed chapter plan: The first chapter, the Introduction, will introduce the terms ‘off-site construction’ and ‘pre-fabrication’. The chapter will dwell briefly upon these terms and the reasons which necessitated the formulation of these methods of construction. The chapter will only attempt to provide a basic introduction to these terms, which will be then discussed in greater depth later in the study. The second chapter will set out the aims and objectives of the dissertation. These will include the concerns set out at the start of this report, viz.: To establish whether off-site construction techniques are suitable for building new housing. To examine whether these methods provide a viable and cost-effective means of construction. To study public perceptions and acceptance of these new techniques. The third chapter will detail the research and methodology used in conducting the study for this dissertation. This chapter will provide an overview of the sources used in the dissertation, and the contribution made by these sources in the understanding of the topic. The sources will be discussed in the context of the insights provided in understanding the advantages and pitfalls of off-site construction and prefabrication. The section will also explain the choice of the case studies which will be used later in the dissertation to illustrate the latest developments in the field. The fourth chapter will establish the grounds for the dissertation by defining and discussing the problems faced by the construction industry today. A look at the current construction scenario and market analysis will help define these problems. The issues of labour shortage coupled with the increasing demand for housing, further complicated by the restrictions of urban sites, and the stipulations of new policies will be some of the concerns outlined in this chapter. The chapter will attempt to identify some of the issues that are likely to influence the development of new construction techniques in the near future. The fifth chapter will deal with off-site construction and pre-fabrication in detail. This will include a study of the history of pre-fabrication. The various forms of pre-fabrication, and their applications, will be discussed, along with the processes and developments in off-site construction. The various off-site construction techniques will be analysed and the advantages of these methods will be discussed in some detail. The chapter will attempt to discuss the benefits of off-site construction techniques in view of the problems facing the construction industry (as discussed in the earlier chapter). In this manner, the effectiveness of these modern methods of construction in tackling these problems will be illustrated. The sixth chapter will discuss the challenges faced by the off-site construction and pre-fabrication industry. The relevant government and international policies and their role in terms of their potential impact upon the construction industry will also form a part of this chapter. The seventh chapter will consist of the case studies. The case studies will be selected and studied with a view to understanding the successes and pitfalls of off-site construction. Another purpose of these case studies will be to understand the innovations and applications of these new technologies in the construction field in the present, and the possible improvements for the future. The eighth chapter will focus upon the response of the public to the housing constructed using these modern methods of construction. The changes, if any, in public attitudes towards off-site construction and pre-fabrication will be studied to help gauge the acceptability of these techniques in the construction of new housing units. The chapter will also attempt to outline methods to improve the acceptance of these construction technologies. The ninth and final chapter will discuss the conclusions drawn from the study. This chapter will summarise the salient features of the dissertation, and will conclude with an examination of the validity of the hypothesis set out at the start of the dissertation. Section 6: Goal of the dissertation – anticipated conclusions: It will be the purpose of the dissertation to establish the accuracy of the hypothesis stated at the start of the dissertation. From the initial studies carried out so far, it is anticipated that the study will be able to provide facts and figures to support the hypothesis. Accordingly, the concluding portion of the dissertation will be planned along the lines detailed below. The concluding chapter will begin with a brief summary of the issues of concern in the construction industry today, so as to establish the need for alternative systems of construction. The study will go on to discuss some of the advantages of off-site construction techniques, with particular relevance to the issues of concern outlined earlier, with a view to establishing the appropriateness of these techniques to meet the market demands. The concluding chapter will also attempt to highlight the scope of applications and prospects for off-site construction technologies in the near future. The areas upon which the off-site construction industry will need to focus to be able to capitalise upon its strengths and establish a firm footing in the market will be discussed. From all of this, the conclusions will attempt to prove the accuracy of the hypothesis, and to answer the questions raised at the start of the dissertation. Bibliography: Bryan T., 2005, Construction technology : analysis and choice. Illingworth J.R., 2000, Construction methods and planning. King R.W., Hudson R., 1985, Construction hazard and safety handbook. McGeorge W.D., Palmer A., 2002, Construction management : new directions. Read More