How to build faster and better homes?

How to build faster and better homes?

Today around 4.2 billion inhabitants, that is 55% of the world’s total population lives in cities. The projected data shows that by 2050 number the of urban population will in fact double in size. It falls upon the construction industry to cater to the rising needs caused by this increasing urbanization and overpopulation. This means meeting the accelerated demand for well-connected roads, transport system and affordable housing.

Affordable quality housing is now becoming a universal problem. From developing economies to leading countries-everyone is facing this issue in some manner or the other. In US nearly 2/3 renters can’t afford to buy a home and with house prices rising twice as fast as the wages the situation is not expected to improve anytime soon. Similarly, in UK, millions of people are currently living in unsuitable homes while the dream of a high quality social housing is becoming a distant dream. The UK government has pledged to build around 300,000 houses by the end of 2025, the question is how will they accomplish that.

Factors Contributing to Slow Construction of houses:

There are obviously factors not completely related to the construction industry like government policy, interest rates, income of people which lead to lack of affordable housing, but low supply is perhaps the biggest issue. The lack of supply can be attributed to unavailability of suitable development sites, low productivity, construction’s reliance on outdated building method and lack of skilled labour. All of this combined is leading to a drastic reduction in houses built.

The answer can be found in the modern methods of construction, from Building Design Solutions to Prefabrication all of this can speed up the construction process and make the process cheaper and the quality better. Below we address possible solutions.

Modern Methods of Construction for faster building:

Building Information Model: BIM is an information rich 3D model which gives the architects, engineers and designers the insight and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure. BIM helps boost the productivity both at the pre-planning stage and later during the onsite construction. With enhanced collaboration, BIM allows all the stakeholders involved in the project to share information easily. It avoids mistakes and delays arising out of miscommunication. With 3D visualization and clash detection tools like Navisworks one can also detect clashes before onsite construction saving time and reducing re-work. The various dimensions of BIM allow to extract material quantities, manage schedule and get a cost estimate right from the start. All this goes a long way in streamlining the process and reducing any delays.

Homes are not just about the structure but they also need to embody aesthetics and characteristics that is unique to each individual. With Architectural BIM Services, the architect can design the floor layout, add doors, windows, furniture and use 3D rendering to give a photorealistic portrayal of the home. Proper visualization helps the architect communicate to the client how the end product will look like and also enables the clients to make quick decisions and changes. Thus, BIM not just helps construct the houses but in making it so that the occupants can rapidly move and live in it.

Prefabrication: Prefabrication is the practice of building components of a structure in a factory, warehouse or any offsite manufacturing location. Once the components are built they are transported to the on-site location for assembly and installation. Since, prefabrication is done in a climate controlled location there are no unexpected delays caused by weather conditions like rain or snow. Almost half of all new houses in Sweden are now produced off-site. In a country where the temperatures can drop of below -20 C making the ground impenetrable and construction hazardous and challenging, prefabrication has become a crucial way of delivering houses. Furthermore, economies of scale can be easily achieved by using automated production lines. It increases the speed, reduces risk and even ensures the quality of the product.

Benefits of using Modern Construction Methods

Whenever design is made in 2D, the structural engineers are limited by constraints of time and have the option to only explore a handful of different approach. With BIM the engineers can use 3D BIM tools to quickly analyze multiple options and choose the optimal design. The intelligent 3D model allows to address competing design parameters, quickly test for viability and structural integrity in the design phase. By creating a 3D model in the preconstruction stage itself the designers can ensure that there will be no expected surprises during the actual construction phase which could lead to delay.

The materials that are commonly used for prefabrication maybe a little more expensive than the traditional materials but they lead to higher efficiency and reduces labour cost as well as wastage bringing the overall cost down. The houses which are prefabricated show better performance during its lifecycle as they have been constructed in environmentally neutral location under strict norms. Pre-fabricated houses are also easy to modify to expand since most of these buildings are modular with independent blocks that can be added or removed. Finally, the automation which is used during the off site manufacturing also provides an alternative to lack of adequate skilled labour.

By connecting BIM with prefabrication firms can significantly reduce their project timelines and ensure that the components manufactured in factory location can actually be installed onsite. With Structural BIM Services, the strength and integrity of the components are checked to ensure that prefabricated structural components will be able to support the building. Similarly, with MEP BIM, is used to ensure that MEP components like pipes, ducts fabricated offsite can be installed without any inter or intra clashes.

Conclusion:

It is the need of the hour is to create more homes that can accommodate the growing population. Though, the task ahead of the construction industry is a humungous one the new technologies provide a way out. The future though uncertain, it is definitely a huge opportunity for the construction industry; one that requires designing and building a future for the 10-billion-person planet.

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