Everything You Need to Know About Prefabricated Buildings

The concept and practice of prefabrication have been around for millennia, but the current notion of prefabricated buildings dates back to around 1905. With prefabrication, various building components such as walls, floors, roofs, and even entire modules or units can be fabricated in specialized factories or facilities. These parts can be built partially or entirely in a factory before being shipped to the job site for installation. Reusability, speedy completion, and cost efficiency make this construction famous for new buildings.

Prefabricated buildings can be modified, expanded, or disassembled as skilled workers play a significant role in doing so, allowing for flexibility and adaptability over time. So, structures like office buildings, medical institutions, evacuation centers, schools, and housing complexes can be built by prefabricated design. In recent years, prefabrication structures have gained popularity across various sectors, and advancements in technology, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), robotics, and automation, have further improved the efficiency and precision of the prefabrication process. As a result, prefabricated buildings are a viable solution to address the challenges of traditional construction methods.

What is Prefabrication Construction?

Prefabrication in construction refers to the process of manufacturing building components or entire structures off-site in a controlled environment, and then transporting and assembling them at the final construction site. This method offers numerous advantages over traditional on-site construction, including increased efficiency, cost savings, improved quality control, and reduced construction time.

Once the manufacturing is complete, the prefabricated components are transported to the construction site. Depending on the size and complexity of the building, parts can be transported using trucks, barges, or even helicopters. On-site, the components are assembled and connected, forming a complete structure. This assembly process is often quicker and requires less labour compared to traditional construction methods.

Real Examples of Prefabricated Buildings

To know what are prefabricated buildings, keep reading as some real-life examples of prefabricated buildings are given below:

01. Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen created the Bridge House, the original concept for the Charles and Ray Eames home, in 1949. The prefabrication method was derived from the war industry and it served as the foundation for the bridge house. It was created by a steel framework that rose above the ground and formed a huge cantilevered volume that reached out towards the Pacific Ocean, say Tabara Escudero and Isabel (authors of project report – Bridge House, the value of the unbuilt. Analysis and graphic restitution of the Eames house from 1945).

Prefabricated materials were utilised in the design. After placing an order for the elements, the Bridge House design was released in 1945. The bridge house is a prefabricated building example that has red, blue, and gold stuccoed facades and a steel and glass structure, making it a mid-century design classic.

02. Mod.Fab, a study in eco-conscious living in the Phoenix desert in the prefabricated design of Wright’s own American System-Built Homes completed between 1912 and 1916, was developed in 2009 by students at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin School of Architecture. Residents of the 600-square-foot housing, which is similar to a Piet Mondrian painting, have the option of connecting to modern utilities or being “unplugged” and relying only on renewable energy sources like solar and water power.

03. Alchemy Architects designed the weeZero inMoab, UT, a net-zero home constructed of oxidised panels, is a great prefabricated building example. Built using prefabricated technology, it mixes perfectly with the desert surroundings.

04. The villa, built by Daniel Libeskind, resembles a crystal growing out of rock in its rugged appearance. Prefabricated materials, the zinc façade, and floor-to-ceiling windows of this 5,500-square-foot, two-story mansion can be shipped and installed anywhere. The building’s facade conceals a solar thermal system, while a rainwater harvesting system feeds the garden’s irrigation system.

Benefits of Prefabricated Buildings

Some benefits of such construction are:

1. Installing these prefabricated buildings requires no additional costs due to their minimal weight.
2. Walls and ceilings can support ACs, LEDs, projectors, smoke detectors, and other heavy loads.
3. Maintaining a high-quality prefabricated structure is a one-time task.
4. Due to the capacity to progress work simultaneously in a factory and on a building site, it saves money.
5. It gives you the ability to work in bad weather conditions and in the winter.
6. It provides access to more affordable labour markets.
7. With prefabrication techniques, as much as 90% of a structure can be transported to a construction site. There is no need to wait months or even years to move into a new facility.
8. There is minimal or no trash at the construction site due to prefabricated construction, which takes place in a factory away from the site. Compared to conventional construction methods, this is a far cry from being a substantial source of pollution.
9. Compared to on-site building, prefabrication uses factory tools to provide additional quality assurance.
10. Prefabricated construction sub-assemblies are created to a uniform standard because they are made in a controlled manufacturing environment under strict guidelines.
11. Prefabricated building units can be used in a variety of settings, and because of their simple design, practically any type of structure can be paired with them.
12. Reduced pollution and work disruption are the results of increased offsite part production.

Limitations of Prefabricated Buildings

Some of the limitations include:

1. Leakage occurs at the joints of prefabricated components.
2. For large prefabricated portions, transportation costs may be prohibitive.
3. To ensure cost saving through prefabrication, an increase in production volume is required.
4. In the beginning, the design process takes a long time.
5. Cranes and temporary gantries must have their highest load capacity on site.
6. Permanent framing to support prefabricated assemblies is more expensive than the temporary bracing required for shipment and hoisting.
7. Factory assembly before disassembling for transportation and delivery adds expenses.
8. An increased level of precision is required for in-situ operations abutting prefabricated assemblies to minimise interface issues.
9. The transportation of materials to the construction site is a concern.
10. It requires heavy-duty cranes and precise measurements to transport and install large prefabricated components.
11. It may threaten local employment opportunities as it necessitates the use of specialized labour.
12. The architect, structural engineer, and manufacturer all need to work closely together on the design and construction of modular buildings and prefabricated components.

Myth about Prefabrication

People are often hesitant to implement prefabricated buildings due to their limited exposure to related knowledge. Below are a few myths debunked.

1. Temporary modular buildings are very innovative and functional; they have many uses. And practically every business makes use of these solutions. They also help to house people affected by disasters. Modular buildings might not just be added to temporary structures. It can also be used to construct permanent buildings and these structures can have beautifully planned interiors.
2. One of the most common critiques of modular construction is that the structures lack any architectural flexibility and appear unattractive. Many argue that modular construction technology is not sophisticated enough to allow for bespoke buildings with better design freedom and flexibility than traditional construction methods. This is not true, as modular construction can create a large range of modules with varying heights, lengths, and widths, allowing for countless layouts. Using larger yet smaller modules decreases the amount of shipping and site work required.
3. Many consider prefabrication in architecture as a hindrance to innovative building design. Modular construction, on the other hand, can have precise design constructions to meet specific requirements, but the individuality of the design is unrestricted. Modular construction methods have been used to build many beautiful and unusual structures in recent years. An increasing number of architectural and interior design professionals and builders believe that modular construction is the best way to achieve the ideal balance between aesthetics and usefulness in a construction project.

Conclusion

Modern construction methods like prefabrication are becoming increasingly common. Prefabricated construction’s popularity is expected to rise in the years to come, given how widely used it is already. Innovative ways and ideas are implemented in the construction industry to boost output and reduce costs. All in all, the prefabricated building saves time and money, ensures quality, and reduces environmental impact. High-quality, faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly construction methods are available to customers who make this choice. Even more importantly, enterprises in the building industry may soon boost their investment in modular construction procedures and prefabricated components, which will improve both their company and customer connections. It’s safe to say that prefabricated buildings will become increasingly popular as manufacturing technology improves.

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Author Bio

Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury – Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury is a Civil Engineer (completed B.E. from Assam Engineering College) and is currently pursuing M.Tech in Structural Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Silchar. She is a Technical Content Writer, having over 3 years of experience and has wrote many articles related to Civil Engineering. She is also a Book Author (Authored – “Dream Tales of NNC: Revenge By Murder”) and her book can be found on Amazon. She is also a Guest Author at Gharpedia. Moreover, she is a certified member at Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). She writes her blogs at her website – nnc2017.wordpress.com. She can be reached on LinkedIn.