Abstract
Implementation of off-site production on construction projects isoften hindered by a number of specific process and procurementconstraints. These constraints are largely influenced by decisionswithin the control of construction clients, suggesting that theyhave a significant influence over the adoption of off-site productioninto construction projects. However, an appreciation of the effectof these constraints has been lacking. Addressing this need, anoff-site production implementation assessment instrument thatresides within a larger toolkit (IMMPREST) was developed usingquestionnaire survey data and a series of industrial workshops.IMMPREST is an interactive electronic toolkit developed byLoughborough University (UK), in conjunction with eleven industrialpartners, which facilitates the evaluation of benefit arising fromuse of off-site production within construction. It identifies thefactors that need to be considered for an evaluation, the datarequired to assess the effect of these factors, and where therequired data resides within the supply chain. Development ofthe implementation assessment instrument is discussed, whilstalso making reference to the role that clients can play in creatingthe process and procurement conditions that promote rather thanconstrain the adoption of off-site production.
Highlights
Recent UK government reports, including the Egan Report “Rethinking Construction” (1998), produced by the Construction Task Force, discussed the need for performance improvements in the UK construction industry
Off-site production has been widely promoted as a means of improving construction performance and transforming it into a modern, safe and efficient industry
Wider off-site production1 (OSP) adoption requires an increased awareness by clients and construction project teams of the benefits and constraints associated with such an approach
Summary
Recent UK government reports, including the Egan Report “Rethinking Construction” (1998), produced by the Construction Task Force, discussed the need for performance improvements in the UK construction industry. As part of IMMPREST a survey was undertaken to understand the effects of these constraints on OSP projects and thereby appreciate the level of influence that these exerted on projects From these surveys, an OSP implementation assessment instrument (IAI), that forms part of the toolkit, was developed. The IAI uses a penalty point scoring system to evaluate the suitability of OSP for a given project by considering its process and procurement constraints The effect of this is to guide the team during the preproject and pre-construction phases, and to provide a learning vehicle for future projects. Common methods of evaluation took material, labour and transportation costs into account when comparing various options, disregarding other cost-related items such as site facilities, crane use and rectification of works Often these cost factors were buried within the imprecise enabling works or preliminaries figures, with little reference to the approach. The final list of drivers, constraints and their groupings are listed in Table 1 below
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