Opportunities of Building Information Modelling in Australian Offsite Manufacturing

Abstract

Offsite Manufacturing (OSM) is a modern construction method for the future of Australian house building due to its potential capacity in meeting the growing housing demand. Previous studies have proved the benefits of OSM in housing supply and quality. However, the application of OSM in Australia is limited to some challenges which could be classified into three groups: managing two working locations, house customer preferences, and house builder’s capacity. With the recent development of the Building Information Modelling (BIM), these challenges could be overcome through using BIM within the OSM supply chain. This paper aimed at discussing the opportunities of applying BIM in OSM in Australia in the light of existing literature using a systematic approach. As a result, the following five main OSM barriers have been identified and analysed with respect to BIM: (1) low level of OSM knowledge, (2) initial cost, (3) negative perception on OSM products, (4) longer lead times and (5) freeze design and specification at early stages. The discussion of integrating BIM to OSM conducted in this study could lead to future research on the five barriers and validity of the integration. Overcoming the barriers could expand the opportunity of OSM adoption in future Australian house building.