Architectural Design for Manufacturing and Assembly for Sustainability

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are strenuously pursued around the globe. The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has also attempted to develop its strategy for soft-landing these goals. Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) presents enormous potentials for achieving sustainability in the AEC industry. However, DfMA for sustainability has not been well discussed in either literature or practice. This chapter aims to develop an integrated DfMA process to achieve the SDGs in the AEC industry. By reviewing literature, visiting two case studies, and referring to the RIBA’s (Royal Institute of British Architects) Plan of Work 2020, this research ratifies the implementation of 11 DfMA suggestions during four design stages to achieve the four SDGs, including good health and well-being, sustainable life cycle cost, net-zero embodied carbon, and sustainable land use and ecology. DfMA can be employed by both cases for sustainable building construction and renovation, but their implementation processes are dissimilar depending on the reinterpretation and adaptation for a specific project context. Future research is recommended to investigate other sustainable design methods and assistive tools to manage the complication of DfMA practice.