According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population has grown substantially in the last year, outpacing average annual growth. Catering for this population growth will require an enormous investment in new housing, more retail, better roads, bigger schools and hospitals, more critical utilities such as stormwater infrastructure.
Amid this intensifying demand, and what many are calling a ‘golden age of infrastructure,’ the construction industry stands at a crossroads. Although poised to thrive from this unprecedented investment, the sector is facing significant challenges, including a shortfall of skilled labor, more stringent regulation of standards and increased frequency of unpredictable weather events. As a result, there is a clear need for innovative, more efficient construction methods that deliver speed, efficiency, and resilience.
Among the many innovative methods developed to address these challenges, industrialized construction, which streamlines the building process through the use of prefabrication, modular building systems, structural precast concrete elements and other advanced manufacturing techniques continues to grow in demand. Digital integration is fundamental to this approach, with each phase of a project meticulously planned using advanced digital tools, which ensures seamless communication and coordination, enhances precision and allows for more efficient installation.
Industrialized construction is an approach to building that aims to transform traditional, bespoke building practices into more systematic and predictable processes. Techniques emphasize efficiency, by uniting advanced manufacturing, integrated supply chains and digital capabilities. Examples include modular construction and precast construction, which involve casting individual concrete components off-site, in controlled, industrial environments. This method of construction appeals to a number of residential, commercial and infrastructure applications, and can be found today in anything from high-rise buildings to underground utility networks.
Speed and efficiency: The fabrication of building sections or modules in a factory environment eliminates many on-site delays from uncontrolled variables like weather or scope changes. These building sections are then transported to the construction site for quicker installation. In the case of modular construction, the focus is on creating units that can easily be combined or stacked, to form complete structures, and in the future, they can potentially be disassembled and repurposed.
Less waste and fewer emissions: Standardized components that are created through advanced manufacturing, as is the case with prefabrication methods, optimize material use and minimize waste. Since components are manufactured off-site and then assembled on-site, transportation can be streamlined too, meaning fewer trips, less time and lower emissions. Furthermore, this sustainable construction method often utilizes technologies like automation, which optimizes the use of energy during production.
Flexible, future-ready design: Industrialized components are inherently more adaptable than traditional building styles and the technology leveraged means it can be designed for disassembly and re-use as demands change. In essence, the asset can be more easily reconfigured to meet other requirements, without the need for extensive demolition. This idea of repurposing spaces could revolutionize urban planning.
Enhanced safety: Last but not least, off-site construction minimizes workers’ exposure to hazardous conditions because the manufacturing site is standardized, with fewer variables, and can therefore improve the health and safety of workers on site.
Heightened collaboration and integration of supply chains is critical to the success of industrialized construction. By managing more of the process, companies like CRH can reduce complexity across the project lifecycle and streamline workflows. Aligning more of the value chain in this way, from concept and design through to construction and maintenance phases helps to mitigate risk associated with material selection and availability. What’s more, early engagement and partnership with the stakeholders involved in planning, design and specification of the project helps to optimize design decisions which can improve the speed of construction and performance outcomes, optimizing the operational efficiency of the built asset.
The industry is embracing this revolutionary era of construction. However, we acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead in promoting its widespread adoption, which requires a cultural shift in the industry and new expectations from developers, architects, designers, contractors, policy makers and academia.
The rise in prefabricated structures, or technically advanced techniques will still need a developer willing to buy it, a designer to accommodate it and a capital provider ready to finance it. And the sector needs to upskill and reskill to strengthen the talent pool’s capabilities to manufacture and install it.
However, the potential rewards are significant.
By embracing industrialized construction, we can improve process and accelerate the adoption of more efficient, digitally enabled and resilient construction ecosystems. With changing expectations in the market, this construction model can address the impacts of a shrinking workforce, evolving regulations and the increasing emphasis on the social impact of the construction industry.
In a world where resource scarcity and supply chain continuity is a significant challenge, industrialized construction offers a beacon of hope, empowering us with more options to create spaces that are not only functional, but responsive to our evolving needs, creating more resilient structures for future generations to come.
