The focus must be on broader value.
If you'd like to continue to learn about our Design to Value approach and Modern Methods of Construction, sign up for our monthly newsletter here:.http://bit.ly/BWNewsUpdatesWe’ve talked extensively about the benefits a Platforms approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (P-DfMA) can bring to a construction project.
Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030. , published in September 2021, the IPA has announced that the Government will mandate a platforms approach within two years for social infrastructure..The benefits of the platforms approach include cost savings, increased safety on-site, better quality, and more sustainable buildings.So, what does a plausible future look like in practice, if the government and private sector adopt this way of working?
A good illustration of this can be achieved by looking at the lifecycle of a construction project from design to assembly.We can then explore what is technically achievable with construction Platforms, as well as what this looks like in a near-future state.
All of the technologies and initiatives we’ll outline here are underpinned by, or based around, the idea of using standardised, repeatable components.
This convergence of components and processes unlocks the true power of digital, data and manufacturing.. D for design in DfMA: digital design tools, simulation and optimisation.In both cases of adaptive reuse, the light-touch refurbishment and full refurbishment are more advantageous than new construction..
It is important to flag that this trend favouring the reuse of buildings does not necessarily apply to every building.The results will vary depending on the structural and architectural characteristics of the building and its life expectancy.. Whilst carbon emissions are a key point of decision when considering adaptive reuse, other factors, such as the resilience of the grid, the impact on fuel poverty and wellbeing, the adaptability of the building for a new use (for example converting offices to residential) need to be quantified and added into the discussion..
Refurbishing buildings for a more sustainable future.The Climate Emergency requires that we pay more attention to the refurbishment and reuse of existing buildings, with a focus on energy and carbon efficiency..