Revolutionizing Sustainable Building with Industrialized Construction

In an interview with Construction Business Review, Walter Terry, director of project controls at Rudolph and Sletten, sheds light on the impact of Industrialized Construction on sustainable building, and the approaches and tools that can unearth the plethora of benefits that it brings to the industry.

Can you briefly highlight the sustainability benefits of industrialized construction?

Industrialized Construction (IC) brings an extraordinary opportunity for green technology. It offers resource efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, waste reduction, and the use of sustainable materials. Yet, the implementation of IC may be overwhelming to those with little or no prior experience with their applications.

What are some of the key benefits of IC?

IC offers several significant advantages in terms of sustainability and environmental impact. Shifting construction activities to IC facilities minimizes onsite emissions and reduces traffic congestion by enabling larger deliveries. Waste reduction is achieved through prefabrication in controlled environments, optimizing material use, and facilitating better waste management. IC optimizes labor utilization, eliminating spikes and trade stacking while reducing traffic congestion and emissions by locating prefabrication facilities closer to the labor pool. It also facilitates the use of eco-friendly materials by providing specialized processing conditions. What’s more, it reduces the duration and intensity of onsite activities, resulting in cleaner air and minimized release of pollutants. Overall, IC offers a streamlined and sustainable approach to construction with reduced environmental impact.

What are the primary categories of IC techniques?

IC can be categorized into three main efforts, each with its own focus and production methods. The first category is off-site construction, which emphasizes high-volume and rapid production. This includes manufacturing full modular units, or prefabricated repetitive assemblies.

The second category is on-site or near-site prefabrication, which is suitable for the prefabrication of assemblies, make-ups, or any smaller batch components.

The third category is on-site automated construction fabrication, which utilizes advanced technologies to automate the construction process. In this category, production can occur either through machine-to-machine or human-to-machine processes. Machine-to-machine production involves the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, where a single machine, such as an AI-controlled system, interacts with another physical machine to carry out construction tasks. On the other hand, human-to-machine production involves the use of machines to perform physical construction work under the control and guidance of human operators.

What are some factors to keep in mind when selecting building components for IC?

When determining which parts of a building are suitable for IC, a variety of key factors need to be considered. Standardization is important for easily replicated and standardized components like wall panels, floor systems, roof components, and bathroom modules. Simple assembly is preferable for IC, although advancements in modular construction enable complex building components to be manufactured off-site. Planning for IC is crucial for large and heavy elements such as steel beams or precast concrete panels, which reduces emissions and streamlines transportation logistics.

IC can even address challenges posed by complex site conditions, weather limitations, or time-consuming on-site construction. Safety and quality are prioritized through controlled factory environments and rigorous quality checks. Future flexibility is supported by selecting components that are easily disassembled, reconfigured, or relocated. Project scheduling and management practices are vital for effective coordination between off-site fabrication and on-site construction. Considering these factors optimizes the benefits of IC and supports sustainable construction practices.

What does project scheduling look like for a typical IC project?

To fully realize the benefits of IC, it is essential to integrate them into the overall project construction plan using lean construction methods, particularly takt time methods. For instance, during a hospital construction project, near-site prefabrication and partial modularization had a localized advantage of producing pre-fabricated components.

However, the project failed to recognize the impact on the overall schedule. The off-site production of IC components led to overproduction and rework due to damaged inventory. This issue arose because the project schedule was managed using a critical path method (CPM) software tool, which is not optimized for production. Consequently, the authors adopted takt time planning for production, which focuses on synchronizing production processes with work demand and establishes a pace for production. It facilitates efficient workflow, trade flow, and logistical flow, thereby maximizing the benefits of IC investments.

Finally, collaboration among experts in architecture, engineering, contracting, and modular construction is vital to identify suitable components for IC based on project-specific factors. Partnering with experienced engineers and contractors familiar with Takt planning is crucial to enhance and advance IC implementation.