An Empirical Analysis of the Effect of Prefabrication on Fostering Sustainable Construction

Abstract

While the industry professionals and government bodies have been advocating the use of prefabrication as a more sustainable option, literature indicates reducing construction time and the reliance of labours may be the true motives for pushing prefabrication forward. This study aims to investigate the roles of prefabrication in fostering sustainable construction. The effectiveness of prefabrication on fostering sustainable construction was evaluated on the five aspects enlisted by the UK’s Green Construction Board: Biodiversity, Carbon, Materials, Waste and Water. An industry survey was conducted. 200 questionnaires were sent to industry practitioners in greater Melbourne region in Australia. The results indicate that prefabrication is effective in reducing waste and fostering the use of more environmental friendly construction materials. However, respondents do not have high regard for seeing prefabrication as a way to reduce carbon, avoid water pollution and reduce the impact of the projects on biodiversity. The results from the Analysis of Variance further indicate significant different views between the developers/consultants and the contractors on the effect of prefabrication on waste reduction and the use of more environmental friendly materials. It is suggested that proactive actions should be taken at the design stage to unleash the potential of prefabrication in construction.