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Advantages and Disadvantages of Modular Construction, including Environmental Impacts

Dita Hořínková 1

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering , Volume 1203 , Papers Citation Dita Hořínková 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 1203 032002 DOI 10.1088/1757-899X/1203/3/032002

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1 Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Technology, Mechanization and Construction Management, Veveří 331/95, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic

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Similar to other fields, the construction industry tends to constantly evolve. There is an increasing demand for the construction of new buildings regarding the speed of the construction process, economy, and minimization of the negative effects on the environment, i.e. sustainability. These requirements can be met by using prefabrication for this construction. Modular construction represents one of the prefabrication technologies that is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The topic of this article is the use of modular construction, even from the sustainability point of view. There is a basic overview of modular construction, its history in the construction field, an overview of the materials used, and the possibilities of its implementation. Furthermore, this article provides an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of modular construction. The advantages are listed in terms of quality, economy, time, and ecology as well as in terms of construction flexibility and work safety, both during production and assembly on the construction site. The disadvantages of modular construction discussed in this article are the complicated transportation of modules, demanding coordination of production and construction, the requirement for detailed construction planning, and the non-acceptance of this construction technology by the general, and sometimes professional public. This article also deals with the comparison of modular construction technology with conventional construction technologies. It points out the possibility of reusing materials from disassembled modular buildings. It also points out the ways to control and mitigate the impact of modular construction on the environment throughout the life cycle of modular building. Only after a thorough analysis of these aspects of modular construction, is it possible to explore other ways to further increase the efficiency of this technology in all directions and also to make even better use of its environmental impact minimization potential.

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Challenges in Transport Logistics for Modular Construction: A Case Study

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• First Online: 29 September 2022
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• P. A. N. Peiris 14 ,
• F. K. P. Hui 14 ,
• T. Ngo 14 ,
• C. Duffield 14 &
• M. G. Garcia 14  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering ((LNCE,volume 266))

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Construction logistics is one of the essential functions in the modular construction industry due to the high demand for on-time delivery of components. For modular component suppliers, there is minimal flexibility in delivery times as generally, the installation times of modular components are critical to the contractor’s construction programme. There are several studies conducted in recent years that articulate novel methodologies in construction logistics scheduling; however, the industry still faces challenges in streamlining the whole supply chain to better cater to potential uncertainties that impact construction logistics. This paper looks at a case study on a modular component supplier in Melbourne, with regarding to the challenges faced and how they have effectively overcome these challenges and provides a framework to mitigate construction logistics related discrepancies in the supply chain. The resilience of these methods in facing unforeseen events such as COVID-19 will also be discussed. The overarching objectives of this paper are to include: (1) bibliographic mapping of related publications; (2) identification of current methods, problems and technologies used in modular construction logistics; and (3) propose best practice guidelines that can be implemented to effectively cater to such uncertainties in construction logistics to minimise the impact on the supply chain. Further, incorporating lean principles for planning construction logistics and transport for the modular construction industry is also in discussion. Finally, the potential future research directions are highlighted to guide the researchers to pursue areas of much importance.

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Acknowledgements

The first author would like to acknowledge The University of Melbourne for offering the Melbourne Research Scholarship. This study is sponsored by the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) and the authors would like to acknowledge the support given by Schiavello Group, for the implementations and providing the factory setting. This article was prepared as an industry paper, within the guidelines of the project stated above.

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Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

P. A. N. Peiris, F. K. P. Hui, T. Ngo, C. Duffield & M. G. Garcia

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Correspondence to F. K. P. Hui .

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Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka

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Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

Priyan Mendis

Department of Civil Engineering, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

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Chaminda Konthesingha

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Peiris, P.A.N., Hui, F.K.P., Ngo, T., Duffield, C., Garcia, M.G. (2023). Challenges in Transport Logistics for Modular Construction: A Case Study. In: Dissanayake, R., Mendis, P., Weerasekera, K., De Silva, S., Fernando, S., Konthesingha, C. (eds) 12th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 266. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2886-4_35

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The Future of Modular Architecture

• Published on June 09, 2021

Just published and available for purchase online, The Future of Modular Architecture presents an unprecedented proposal for mass-customized mid- and high-rise modular housing that can be manufactured and distributed on a global scale. The book’s thesis springs from the idea that adopting the dimensional standards of the existing intermodal freight transportation system is the key to achieving meaningful economies of scale.

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Plans to use modular homes as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees scaled back

Decision taken to deliver 654 units rather than 700 originally envisaged.

Modular homes in Mahon, Cork: The Department of Integration says the decision to provide 46 fewer homes at 10 sites around the country was taken to keep the project within budget and finish it by the end of the year. Photograph: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Plans to use modular homes as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees have been scaled back, with 654 units now set to be delivered instead of 700.

The Department of Integration said the decision to provide 46 fewer homes was taken so that the project would stay within a certain budget and would be finished before the end of the year.

It means that some 2,616 people fleeing the war in Ukraine will be accommodated in modular homes rather than the intended 2,800.

The project to provide the homes has been beset with delays including difficulties identifying suitable sites and there have been additional costs for works to bring selected locations up to the necessary standards to install the modular units.

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The original plan to provide 500 homes was approved by Government in June 2022 and it was hoped the first units would become available in November that year. In the end the first homes did not become available until June 2023.

[  Planning rules around modular homes may be changed to fast-track refugee accommodation  ]

A preliminary estimate for the cost of the original 500 homes was €100 million but this was revised upwards to €155.5 million due to the additional costs related to the sites as well as the impact of inflation.

The most recent publicly available cost estimate for all 700 homes was €237 million.

Neither the Department of Integration nor the Office of Public Works – which was tasked with delivering the project – would provide the current cost estimate for the delivery of the reduced number of homes.

The department confirmed the decision to scale back the project with a statement saying there were a number of issues that had arisen in recent months.

These relate to “the identification of viable sites, site conditions, remedial works, boundaries, ESB connections, etc”.

It added: “These issues have led to the overall programme incurring increased costs and have also delayed dates of completion.

[  Ukrainian refugees to have welfare allowances cut from €232 per week to €38.80, under new plan  ]

“These increased costs and delays led [the Department of Integration] to review the Rapid Build Programme in conjunction with OPW.

“Based on this review, a decision was taken not to proceed with the full 700 units in order to ensure the programme was completed within a certain budget and timeline (before the end of 2024). A total of 654 units will be delivered on 11 sites.”

The department added: “The remaining 46 units were not under order and as such there is no financial commitment in place for them.”

Hundreds of modular homes are either in use or expected to become available later this year at 10 sites around the country.

[  Taoiseach expresses concern on divisive language ‘pitting one group against another’ over housing  ]

The final site will be at Clonmel, Co Tipperary, where the plan is to install 82 homes.

The OPW said that the total delivery would be 654. “No further homes are in production and it has been agreed with [the Department of Integration] that the programme will cease upon completion of the Clonmel site,” it said.

Asked about reports of protests about the plans to provide modular homes in Clonmel, the OPW said: “Engagement has taken place with the local authority and local councillors ahead of the commencement of works.”

It said the Department of Integration and OPW “will continue to monitor the site for further developments”.

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