Two Decades of Conservation in Ladakh

PurposeModern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been promoted as a solution to address housing shortages and meet sustainability goals in the UK. However, the practical functioning of MMC, particularly in relation to early-stage environmental analyses, remains underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by providing empirical insights into how architects engage in environmental analysis in early-stage MMC housing designs.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative pilot study is based on a detailed case study of a UK architectural firm specializing in modular housing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight architects with varying MMC experience. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data allowed for the exploration of key themes influencing early-stage environmental analysis, offering a narrative account of architects’ experiences in MMC practices.FindingsThe study reveals that environmental analysis in MMC is shaped by social, organisational and project-based factors. Three key themes emerged: uncertainty in environmental assumptions, dependencies on external consultants and the dominance of Passivhaus principles in design decisions. These factors challenge the integration of environmental considerations during the early design stages of MMC projects.Research limitations/implicationsAs this is a single case study, the findings might not be generalizable. Future research should expand on multiple firms and project settings to validate and broaden these findings.Originality/valueThis study provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges architects face when integrating environmental analysis into MMC. This reveals the relational and interdependent nature of environmental analysis in MMC projects, where decisions are shaped by multiple social, organisational and project-specific factors. By emphasizing these interdependencies, this study provides original insights into how environmental considerations can be integrated more effectively into the early design stages of MMC projects.

This study seeks to critically evaluate the role and efficacy of modern methods of construction (MMC) in enhancing successful delivery of projects in the context of the purview and dynamics of time, quality and costs. This research inquiry stems from the background of continued construction overruns affecting time of delivery, costs and quality in several construction projects in Zimbabwe. The main strand permeating this research is aimed at establishing the relationship or nexus between MMC and the delivery of construction projects in terms of time, costs and quality. If MMC are the panacea to the achievement of the mentioned three variables, it could be asked; why is that the uptake is still low? The study is informed by pragmatism philosophy and adopts the abductive approach and the sequential exploratory design in sync with the adopted mixed methods paradigm. The major findings of the study are that MMC ensure quick delivery of housing units, offer low-cost material, faster construction, high savings, involve low labourers, are environmentally friendly, are energy saving due to the walls, are safer with reduced risk easily accessible materials, and are sustainable. However, if MMC are adopted within traditional and fragmented project delivery methods, project overruns in terms of costs, time and quality will still be experienced. The study also brings to the fore the fact that though the construction industry is privy to the benefits of MMC, the clientele is still stuck in Traditional Methods of Construction (TMC), the use of brick and mortar. There is need for government to promulgate a policy which enhances the uptake of MMC. The construction industry must adopt MMC within Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and other contemporary delivery processes. This will ensure that all parties to the construction are involved from the onset of the project up to its delivery.

The growth in the housing market in the UK has increased the demand for sustainable wood products for building of homes and a greater use of modern methods of construction (MMC) [1–3]. There is a need to consider the feasibility of remanufacture and reuse of treated timber construction wastes and other building products recovered at the ‘‘end-of-life’’ of a house. The reuse of recovered materials should reduce the demand of timber from nonrenewable sources. The MMC method of construction of housing has rerationalized the way houses are built; with a radical change of design and careful planning, this could also be a way that would enable easy deconstruction and disassembly of structures instead of demolishing at the ‘‘end-oflife’’ of housing. The treated building units can be remanufactured and reused for new housing development; for refurbishment or for building of temporary shelters for displaced families during disaster or emergency situations. The feasibility study should include an economic (cost benefit analysis) and commercial analysis of the reuse of recovered building products such as a roof structure and trusses, windows and doors, walls including studs frames and panels, floors structures and assemblies for building and other purposes. The assessment should include a consideration of social and environmental benefits and risks; as well as technical issues concerning the design and fitting of MMC housing. The key issues for the feasibility study would be the acceptability of treated timber and other construction wastes for reuse; design and planning of MMC housing, durability and performance of the building products to be remanufactured and reused in new housing development or in emergency housing. There are extensive database records from survey of conditions of timber frames and trusses in UK homes [4,5]. These surveys have shown that the majority of timber frames and trusses of existing houses are in good condition, indicating that the majority of the timber building elements can be remanufactured and reused for new applications in the future at the ‘‘end-of-life’’ of housing. Some new wood treatment products for timber have low emission rates and low impact on building environments and health of occupants [6]. The efficacy of these treated timber products would allow their future reuse either recovered from construction wastes or after the ‘‘end-of-life’’ of housings. In order to encourage the growth in the use of recovered materials and building components, there is a need to determine the economic demand, the end-of-life value of each building components and to decide which remanufactured products suit various markets (e.g. emergency housing and self-build market) [7,8], and to assess the commercial, social and environmental benefits to effect a marketing strategy for the reclaimed and remanufactured products. There is also a need to have a radical reassessment of design and fitting of MMC housing that would enable easy deconstruction, disassembly, remanufacture and reuse of building units at end-of-life of housings. There is also a need to develop a registry of materials for building as a part of a planning permission of housing and therefore treated materials can be identified. The outcome of the feasibility study should help construction industry to lessen impacts on the

The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.

Architecture is the stone book of history, and the evolution of architectural styles showcases a non-verbal history constructed through images. As an important part of China’s historical and cultural heritage, the architectural forms and styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples were initially modeled on Tang dynasty temple architecture and gradually evolved into the most significant architectural types in regions such as Tibet and Qinghai in China. Religious architecture has also played a significant role in shaping regional cultural landscapes. Existing research on Tibetan Buddhist temples is primarily focused on qualitative studies of individual temple buildings. This research takes the spatiotemporal evolution of architectural styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples as an entry point and, for the first time, employs ArcGIS technology to visualize the spatial and geographical distribution of Tibetan Buddhist temples from the 7th to the 18th century, establishing a comprehensive academic vision that encompasses both historical stratification and cross-regional spatial correlations. By analyzing the cultural symbolic features embodied in the construction styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples and the visual characteristics reflected in their decorative arts, we propose two spatiotemporal dimensions for the formation and transmission of Tibetan Buddhist temple architectural styles: “Westward Transmission” and “Eastward Diffusion”. Firstly, from the 7th to the 9th centuries, the architectural style and construction techniques of Tang dynasty Buddhist temples were transmitted westward along the Tang–Tibet ancient road, integrating with local Tibetan elements to form the Tubo architectural style, which was further refined into the “Sino–Tibetan Combined Style” with strong visual characteristics around the 13th century. Subsequently, along with the spread of Tibetan Buddhism, this temple architectural style underwent an eastward diffusion from the 13th to the 18th century, reaching regions, such as Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Beijing, presenting a spatial gradient from west to east in the geographical dimension. On this basis, in this research, we construct a historical evolution mapping of Tibetan Buddhist temple architectural styles based on bidirectional transmission, attempting to elucidate that the intrinsic driving forces are religious and the cultural identity that guided the bidirectional transmission mechanism of these architectural styles under the historical context of the formation and dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism from the 7th to the 18th century.

Modern methods of construction (MMC) are advised in order to address the incertitude that construction frequently presents to clients and contractors. For instance, consider time, faults, safety, environmental impact, costs, income, and lifecycle performance. But does MMC really make these doubts lessen? Additionally, MMC include intrinsic hazards from the previous century, such as substandard quality and social marginalization, and alter the frames of reference of stakeholders. Instead of reducing ambiguity, MMC can make it worse. In addition to institutional reports from India and the UK and recent research from the best construction management periodicals, these problems are explored in this thesis. The properties of MMC are assessed in terms of their ability to reduce the inherent uncertainties of traditional construction. uncertainty, affecting both clients and contractors. Conclusions drawn from the review indicate that, when completely implemented, the industrialized construction process does reduce uncertainty by being more predictable in terms of time schedules, prices, and working conditions. Keywords: Barriers, Construction Method, Highrise building, innovation, Modern method

Modern Construction Methods (MMC) in Saudi Arabia: Evaluation Aspects and Barriers Dr. Ali Ali Shash, Mohammed Alawad Abstract Several modern methods of construction (MMC) are implemented to construct houses in Saudi Arabia to close the gap between the demand and supply of housing units. This study aims to evaluate the MMC based on various features, and to identify hindering factors of implementing MMC. The required data were gathered from MMC contractors, through a questionnaire survey. MMC are found to share encouraging and undesirable features in produced housing units and differ in several others. The high initial and operating costs, dominance of the traditional building method, lack of professionals are the highest critical factors affecting the implementation of MMC. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jea.v8n2a8

The rapid adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in the United Kingdom has introduced new challenges in ensuring structural rigidity, particular in light-gauge steel structures. This study investigates the impact of fastener installation methods on the mechanical performance of connections in MMC applications, addressing a critical knowledge gap in the industry. The research focused on comparing the performance of self-drilling, self-tapping fasteners installed using traditional electric screwdrivers and increasingly popular impact-type screwdrivers. Two standardised test series based on EAD 330046-01-0602 were conducted to determine the characteristic lap-shearing resistance and characteristic withdrawal resistance of fastener connections. Test specimens were prepared using stainless-steel fasteners (EN 1.4301) and coldrolled mild structural steel (S350GD+Z) in various thicknesses, representing common MMC configurations. A total of 500 tests were performed using a calibrated universal testing machine, with rigorous quality control measures implemented throughout the experimental process. Results revealed significant reductions in fastener performance when impact screwdrivers were used for installation. Withdrawal resistance decreased by 34.71% to 59.71%, while lap-shearing resistance reduced by 47.85% to 70.65% compared to traditional installation methods. Statistical analysis confirmed the significance of these findings, with all tests falling within ± 3.0 standard deviations in Z-score analysis. These results have profound implications for the structural integrity of MMC units. Connections designed based on traditional installation assumptions may be significantly under strength when impact screwdrivers are used, potentially leading to premature structural failures. The research highlights the need for updated design guidelines, stricter quality control in MMC fabrication, and potential revisions to building codes and standards. The research also establishes a foundation for future studies, including investigations into the long-term effects of installation methods on fastener performance, coating integrity and overall structural health. The findings underscore the importance of proper installation techniques in ensuring the safety and reliability of MMC structures. This research contributes valuable insights to the field of fastener technology in MMC and calls for immediate action from industry stakeholders to address the identified issues. The results provide a basis for updating fastener selection and installation guidelines for MMC applications, ultimately enhancing the structural performance longevity of light-gauge steel structures in innovative construction techniques.

Traditional construction practices have always faced issues such as cost overruns, construction delays, and construction waste. Oman is no exception to these challenges because it primarily relies on traditional construction methods. To overcome these challenges and increase project efficiency, adopting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in Oman is crucial. However, the successful implementation of MMC is hindered by various barriers, which need to be addressed. This research project aims to identify the barriers that impede the implementation of MMC in Oman. Data was collected through surveys and indepth interviews with MMC stakeholders in Oman. The survey questionnaire presented 18 potential barriers, and respondents were encouraged to distribute the survey to their contactors who are familiar with MMC. About 400 surveys were distributed to a selected sample of civil engineers, architects, academic institutions, clients, consultants, contractors, and other relevant professionals. Additionally, four MMC experts in Oman were interviewed for their insights. The findings reveal that the most significant barriers to MMC implementation in Oman are high initial costs, supply chain disruptions, an emerging MMC market, inadequate government support, and transportation challenges. These barriers hinder the adoption of MMC and impede the realization of its potential benefits.

PurposeThe recent failures and insolvencies of organisations related to the modern methods of construction (MMC) have gained increased attention and controversy across the UK construction sector. Such failures are linked to their inability to achieve an economy of scale and drive key clients to accept the MMC as an alternative to traditional methods. This paper aims to unravel whether a phenomenon of “innovation negativism” has manifested and is contributing to public clients' indecision towards broader MMC, whether this is only linked to past negative experiences formed after the Second World War or whether additional contributing reasons exist to influence adoption.Design/methodology/approachThis study focusses on exploring the decision-making of the UK public construction sector; therefore, this paper adopts a qualitative approach, utilising interviews with 14 carefully selected MMC experts, government advisors and public clients. The phenomenological stance adopted herewith enables the authors to make better sense of the perceptions of the interviewees, leading to the conceptualisation of the innovation negativism phenomenon.FindingsThe paper identifies nine themes that may be argued to promote a profound understanding of the MMC negativism influencing public clients' decision-making. The study has found that more than just the previous negative perceptions formulated post Second World War are driving innovation negativism in the UK public sector. Notably, the emerging themes are incomprehension, lacking evidence, communication, relationship history, bad experiences, uncertainty, inadequate experimentation, the business case and localism.Originality/valueThis study is the first construction management research that acts as a fair departure point to conceptualise the reasoning behind innovation negativism in the construction setting. Through mirroring demand's unipolarity for traditional methods, policy and decision-makers can now rely on the conceptualised reasoning to determine practical solutions to overcome clients' indecisions towards MMC.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been used to drive construction productivity, innovation, and sustainability in the building industry. However, the road to implementing MMC has been hindered. This paper attempts to establish a roadmap for the implementation of MMC in the Saudi construction sector through analyzing the current situation and determining the critical aspects involved. The research examines multiple aspects of MMC implementation in Saudi Arabia covering the type of MMCs available, the frequency of use of MMC, benefits, and barriers to MMC implementation. The investigation was executed through semi-structured questionnaire surveys involving 100 participants in the construction industry in Saudi Arabia. The study revealed that 66% of participants were aware of MMC, with flat slab construction being the most recognized method according to 86% of respondents. Furthermore, 98% believed MMC is underutilized in the Saudi Construction Industry. The potential benefits identified by the respondents include: reducing environmental harm according to 58% of the respondents, as well as improving project management, client satisfaction, and safety. However, concerns about training, supplier support, and rising costs were noted. The outcome of this investigation is expected to allow stakeholders to understand the key issues relating to MMC implementation and to develop suitable strategies for their wider implementation. The proposed roadmap is of a practical value which could support companies and practitioners on how to plan for MMC adoption.

Construction industry is a sector with rapid development. Progressive technologies of construction and new construction materials also called modern methods of construction (MMC) are developed constantly. MMC represent the adoption of construction industrialisation and the use of prefabrication of components in building construction. One of these modern methods is also system Varianthaus, which is based on, insulated concrete forms principle and provides complete production plant for wall, ceiling and roof elements for a high thermal insulation house construction. Another progressive construction system is EcoB, which represents an insulated precast concrete panel based on combination of two layers, insulation and concrete, produced in a factory as a whole. Both modern methods of construction are not yet known and wide-spread in the Slovak construction market. The aim of this paper is focused on demonstration of MMC using potential in Slovakia. MMC potential is proved based on comparison of the selected parameters of construction process – construction costs and construction time. The subject of this study is family house modelled in three material variants – masonry construction (as a representative of traditional methods of construction), Varianthaus and EcoB (as the representatives of modern methods of construction). The results of this study provide the useful information in decision-making process for potential investors of construction.

This study presents a comprehensive review of building materials, construction methods, and building regulations on the U.K. mainland. This provides valuable insights into the historical progression and transformation of the construction industry through a comprehensive analysis of both traditional and modern building construction materials and methods and categorising their evolutionary trajectory. Current building regulations in England, Wales, and Scotland are compared, highlighting differences in fire safety, noise safety, energy conservation, and sustainability. For example, fire safety regulations are analysed in detail, including fire resistance duration, wall cladding combustibility, and limitations on unprotected areas. Advances in knowledge and technology have led to increasingly sophisticated and energy-dependent methods, materials, and regulations. This study showcases the vast array of building construction materials spanning centuries, each possessing unique properties and performances. The selected methods and materials represent those currently employed or widely utilised in the U.K. construction industry, affirming their relevance and applicability in modern construction practices. Limitations in construction practices primarily stem from a lack of knowledge and tools rather than material scarcity. Enhancing knowledge and access to advanced tools is crucial to overcoming these limitations and driving advancements in the field. This study provides insights into the evolution of building materials, construction methods, and building regulations that can inform future developments in sustainable building practices. The findings have significant implications for policymakers, building designers, and constructors, particularly in terms of adopting sustainable materials and construction methods that comply with building regulations while reducing the environmental impact of the built environment.

Despite the calls to transform construction and the potential of modern methods of construction (MMC) to address traditional construction concerns, the global construction industry is yet to embrace the benefits. The purpose of this review is to theoretically explain the low uptake of MMC in the public sector by exploring the relative pressure points that are contributing to clients’ indecision. The study argues the five functional constructs of the diffusion of innovation theory against MMC attributes. A systematic review of 67 articles through a preferred reporting item for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) led to key arguments that explain the lesser drive for MMC adoption. Results reveal that previous literature plurally discards the dynamics between supply and demand, decision-making, and supply's business models. An improved understanding of these dynamics would, therefore, support research efforts in disclosing the necessary considerations to promote clients’ favorable innovation decisions. This study echoes previous calls and acts as a departure point for future research to assess MMC beyond its technical attributes from a theoretical lens to better understand how construction innovations flow in the public construction sector.

The United Kingdom (UK) construction industry is world renowned for its volatile boom and bust cycle, its inefficiencies, heavy environmental impact and recurring budget and programme overruns. The Construction 2025 Strategy was published by the UK Government and industry leaders with a vision of changing the industry for the better using four key targets i.e., reduction in construction projects duration, operational cost, level of greenhouse gas emissions, and import/export trade gap. This paper investigates whether a greater uptake in modern methods of construction (MMC) could help us achieve these targets. Key insights and findings from the existing literature on MMCs cost, time, greenhouse gas emissions and trade factors were analysed with strong indications of MMCs benefit to the targets. By using snowball sampling a quantitative survey was conducted on 134 professional working in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction sectors of UK with 23 questions on the four key targets. Cronbach’s Alpha and Pearson correlation analysis techniques were employed in conjunction with factor ranking to determine the internal validity, factor links and most important factors. The results showed that the majority of respondents believed that MMC could help us achieve the construction 2025 targets, with a similarity index ranking revealing that MMC would be of the most benefit to the greenhouse gas emissions and trade targets, however, all factors ranked tightly together. This body of research will benefit the UK Government, construction associations and industrial key stakeholders in their pursuit of reaching the reduction targets, and with only three years until the deadline, there is a strong chance they will promote MMC in the industry.