Value & reuse: sustainable construction and circular economy

But just as people no longer have their shoes tailor-made by a shoe maker, it’s time for the construction industry to embrace change and forge a new path toward progress.

This is starting to change with the government and private sector looking at other DfMA solutions such as panelised lightweight construction and CLT (cross-laminated timber), both of which have been successfully used in Singapore.However, local industry discussion of DfMA remains dominated by the idea of standardised PPVC modules being stacked up to form finished buildings..

The ongoing struggle to deliver PPVC cost-effectively in Singapore has an increasing degree of urgency.The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in Singapore’s foreign workforce shows the need to drive greater productivity while reducing over-reliance on foreign labour is more urgent than ever before.But the big question is, ‘What next?’.

Hong Kong: Modular Integrated Construction.The Hong Kong Government is also a leading agent for change in the regional construction industry.

In recent years there has been a growing focus on the potential afforded by DfMA to address systemic issues in construction in Hong Kong.

The Construction Industry Council, a statutory body established in 2007 to advocate for and promote the Hong Kong construction industry, has been instrumental in growing awareness of the opportunities afforded by DfMA and particularly MiC, the local term for prefabricated and prefinished volumetric modules..This can typically take 12 to 18 months.. To contend with some of these challenges, developers are pushing the boundaries of their operations and getting directly involved in the delivery of electrical distribution infrastructure by contracting private companies to carry out the work.

This approach is growing significantly in Asia.Private companies like Octopus in the UK are looking at expanding their remit and starting to invest in distribution of power..

The regulatory hurdles are not lessening.In fact, most believe they are tightening.