Prefabricated Building Research Articles

Evolutionary Game Analysis of Collaborative Prefabricated Buildings Development Behavior in China under Carbon Emissions Trading Schemes

Prefabricated buildings (PBs) are considered a green way to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the construction industry due to their environmental and social benefits. However, PBs have obstacles such as high construction costs, immature technology, and insufficient policy incentives, and developers’ willingness to develop them needs to be higher. Therefore, it is necessary to explore how to motivate more developers to develop PBs. In this paper, we first discuss the impact of the carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) on the construction industry and then consider the heterogeneity of construction developers, introduce a collaborative mechanism to establish a three-party evolutionary game model between the government and the heterogeneous developers, and explore the evolution of the three-party dynamic strategies through numerical simulation. The results show that developers’ initial development probability affects the system’s evolutionary trend, and the developer who obtains more low-carbon benefits plays a dominant role. Further analyses show that critical factors such as market profitability, synergistic benefits, and carbon tax price positively influence the development of PBs, and the influence of synergistic cooperation mechanisms should be especially emphasized. This study provides practical insights into the sustainable development of the construction industry and the government’s development of a suitable carbon portfolio policy for it. Including the construction industry in the ETS is recommended when carbon prices reach 110 RMB/t. At this point, the government can remove the subsidy for PBs, but the behaviors of the developers who participate in the ETS still need to be supervised.

Choosing the Best Sustainable Prefabricated Building Systems Using the Analytical Network Process (ANP) Technique

Attention should be paid to prefabricated construction, as the consumption of raw materials in traditional construction is large and affects the country's resources and economy. Sustainable prefabricated building systems in Iraq suffer from a clear weakness in management due to the use of old methods and a lack of focus on important management criteria. This research addresses this issue by modeling the analytical network process (ANP) technique to select the best types of systems. By reviewing the general literature, 80 indicators were identified within the 12 relevant categories. These indicators formed the basis of a closed questionnaire distributed to 90 experienced respondents. Three prefabricated building systems were identified based on the structural composition (load-bearing wall system, frame system, and box system). The expert questionnaire was analyzed using the ANP technique and the Sustainability Index (SI) for each system was found using the Excel program and it was found that the best sustainable prefabricated building system is the box system. This research helps to improve the management of prefabricated building projects and increase speed, quality, pollution, and reduce the cost of housing in Iraq, which suffers from high costs

Geopolymer-based insulated wall incorporating construction and demolition waste: Experimental assessment of thermo-physical behavior

The benefit of the application of geopolymers in the building sector is nowadays undisputed. In addition to good structural characteristics, these are characterized by interesting thermophysical properties, obtained through a production process, that reduces CO2 emissions and could incorporate recycled material, thus responding to environmental sustainability. However, it is noted the lack of studies regarding the in-field thermal performance. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate the thermal performance, under real conditions, of an innovative geopolymer-based insulated wall. It incorporates over 70% of net weight of Construction and Demolition Waste materials. The wall is conceived within the European project called “Green INSTRUCT” aimed to realize modular prefabricated building elements, for retrofitting and new construction of buildings. Two wall prototypes are analysed, which differ for the type of lightweight aggregate of geopolymer matrix, 3% by weight: expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene. The study refers to almost one year of continuous monitoring within a full-scale test room located in southern Italy. The method developed consists of 5 different phases and it involves also a normative-insulated reference wall. The results show higher insulation level of the proposed wall package, with a reduction of the heat flux of about 66% and more stable indoor thermal conditions, compared to the reference wall. Also the inertial properties are satisfactory, showing an experimental decrement factor equal to 0.05 and a time-shift of decrement factor higher than 6 h. All told, the experimental results can provide valuable insights into the real impact of innovative technology on energy efficiency and indoor thermal comfort.

Designing Digital Twin with IoT and AI in Warehouse to Support Optimization and Safety in Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing Process for Prefabricated Building Products

Engineer-to-order manufacturing, characterized by highly customized products and complex workflows, presents unique challenges for warehouse management and operational efficiency. This paper explores the potential of a digital twin as a transformative solution for engineer-to-order environments in manufacturing companies realizing prefabricated building components. This paper outlines a methodology encompassing users’ requirements and the design to support the development of a digital twin that integrates Internet of Things devices, Building Information Modeling, and artificial intelligence capabilities. It delves into the specific challenges of outdoor warehouse optimization and worker safety within the context of engineer-to-order manufacturing, and how the digital twin aims to address these issues through data collection, analysis, and visualization. The research is conducted through an in-depth analysis of the warehouse of Focchi S.p.A., a leading manufacturer of high-tech prefabricated building envelopes. Focchi’s production processes and stakeholder interactions are investigated, and the paper identifies key user groups and their multiple requirements for warehouse improvement. It also examines the potential of the digital twin to streamline communication, improve decision-making, and enhance safety protocols. While preliminary testing results are not yet available, the paper concludes by underlining the significant opportunities offered by a BIM-, IoT-, and AI-powered digital twin for engineer-to-order manufacturers. This research, developed within the IRIS project, serves as a promising model for integrating digital technologies into complex warehouse environments, paving the way for increased efficiency, safety, and ultimately, a competitive edge in the market of manufacturing companies working in the construction industry.

Analyzing resilience influencing factors in the prefabricated building supply chain based on SEM-SD methodology

The supply chain for prefabricated buildings (PB) currently grapples with pressing challenges. In order to ensure the safe and stable development of the prefabricated building supply chains (PBSC), this study aims to identify the key factors and internal mechanisms affecting the PBSC, and propose a supply chain resilience enhancement mechanism, so as to promote the sustainable development of the PB industry. The study combined a literature review and survey data to identify key resilience factors in PBSC. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to explore the relationships between these factors. System dynamics were applied to create a simulation model, assessing the resilience impact level and conducting sensitivity analysis. The results show that the transportation and procurement processes are the most significant factors influencing supply chain resilience. The external environmental factors wielded a more pronounced impact on the overall evaluation of supply chain resilience than the delivery and use processes, but delivery and use processes are more sensitive. The study uses the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model to suggest strategies for enhancing supply chain resilience. This study contributes to more sustainable and efficient construction practices by offering an innovative theoretical framework to analyze the factors influencing PBSC resilience and proposing enhancement strategies.

Research on technical suitability analysis and scheme selection of prefabricated buildings in China

PurposeChina is a large country with different regions due to regional differences and project characteristics, and the selection of prefabricated building technology according to local conditions is the key to its sustainable development in China. The purpose of this paper is to develop the suitability evaluation system of prefabricated building technology from the perspective of the suitability concept and to analyze the selection path of prefabricated building technology and to provide a reference for selecting and developing prefabricated building technology schemes that meet regional endowments.Design/methodology/approachBased on relevant literature, technical specifications, and standards, this paper constructs an index system for analyzing the technical suitability of prefabricated buildings. It includes 23 indicators, 7 dimensions, and 3 aspects through the semantic clustering method. Following this, the comprehensive weight of each index is determined using the order relation method (G1) and the continuous ordered weighted averaging (COWA). The selection of technical schemes is comprehensively evaluated using Visekriterjumska Optimizacija Ikompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method.Findings (1) The technical suitability of prefabricated buildings is influenced by 7 core factors, such as adaptability of resources and environment, project planning and design level, and economic benefit; (2) When selecting the appropriate technology for prefabricated buildings, economic suitability should be considered first, followed by regional suitability, and then technical characteristic; (3) The prefabricated building technology suitability evaluation model constructed in this paper has high feasibility in the technical suitability selection of the example project.Research limitations/implicationsThe comprehensive evaluation model of prefabricated building technology suitability constructed in this paper provides technical selection support for the promotion and development of prefabricated buildings in different regions. In addition, the model can also be widely used in areas related to prefabricated building consulting and decision-making, and provides theoretical support for subsequent research.Practical implicationsThis study provides a new decision support tool for prefabricated building technology suitability selection, which helps decision makers to make more rational technology choices.Social implicationsThis study has a positive impact on the advancement of prefabricated building technology, the improvement of construction industry standards, and the promotion of sustainable development.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study is twofold: (1) Theoretically, this paper provides technical evaluation indicators and guidelines for provincial and regional governments to cultivate model cities, plan industrial bases, etc. (2) In practice, it offers project-level appropriate technology system solutions for the technology application of assemblers in various regions.

Lean construction management: A catalyst for evaluating and enhancing prefabricated building project performance in China

The development of prefabricated construction in China has encountered challenges that prevent it from fully realizing its potential advantages. To overcome the challenges, this research examines the implementation of lean construction management in prefabricated building projects as a strategic approach to enhance their performance. Initially, this study examines the casual links between the driving factors of lean construction management and the performance indicators in prefabricated buildings by employing a structural equation model. Moreover, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to assess the performance of a selected prefabricated building across the four dimensions: project schedule, quality, cost and safety. Furthermore, through the analysis and research above, this paper proposes a performance enhancement path for prefabricated building projects based on the key driving factors of lean construction management. The research identifies 23 driving factors and 16 performance indicators. 13 key driving factors are identified, including (1) accurate positioning and lean evaluation of the project, (2) identification of project product market demand, (3) modular collaborative design of the project implementation plan, (4) component production plant standardization, (5) production procurement costs reduction, (6) distance and cost of component transportation reduction, (7) lean transportation program plan, (8) construction and assembly costs reduction and waste elimination, (9) modular parallel construction, (10) lean construction assembly technology and management technology, (11) internal performance incentive mechanism of the project organization, (12) lean culture cultivation and lean management training, and (13) support from senior management. In addition, this research proposes a performance enhancement path for prefabricated buildings. The findings contribute to the theoretical knowledge of lean construction management in prefabricated building projects and offer valuable guidance for its practical implementation.

AiroTouch: enhancing telerobotic assembly through naturalistic haptic feedback of tool vibrations.

Teleoperation allows workers to safely control powerful construction machines; however, its primary reliance on visual feedback limits the operator's efficiency in situations with stiff contact or poor visibility, hindering its use for assembly of pre-fabricated building components. Reliable, economical, and easy-to-implement haptic feedback could fill this perception gap and facilitate the broader use of robots in construction and other application areas. Thus, we adapted widely available commercial audio equipment to create AiroTouch, a naturalistic haptic feedback system that measures the vibration experienced by each robot tool and enables the operator to feel a scaled version of this vibration in real time. Accurate haptic transmission was achieved by optimizing the positions of the system's off-the-shelf accelerometers and voice-coil actuators. A study was conducted to evaluate how adding this naturalistic type of vibrotactile feedback affects the operator during telerobotic assembly. Thirty participants used a bimanual dexterous teleoperation system (Intuitive da Vinci Si) to build a small rigid structure under three randomly ordered haptic feedback conditions: no vibrations, one-axis vibrations, and summed three-axis vibrations. The results show that users took advantage of both tested versions of the naturalistic haptic feedback after gaining some experience with the task, causing significantly lower vibrations and forces in the second trial. Subjective responses indicate that haptic feedback increased the realism of the interaction and reduced the perceived task duration, task difficulty, and fatigue. As hypothesized, higher haptic feedback gains were chosen by users with larger hands and for the smaller sensed vibrations in the one-axis condition. These results elucidate important details for effective implementation of naturalistic vibrotactile feedback and demonstrate that our accessible audio-based approach could enhance user performance and experience during telerobotic assembly in construction and other application domains.

Evaluating the Effect of Prefabricated Building Incentive Policies Using Structural Equation Modeling: A Chinese Empirical Study

Building production increases energy demand, which raises carbon dioxide emissions and leads to environmental degradation. The use of prefabricated buildings has the potential to play an important role in promoting sustainable development in the construction industry, and prefabricated building incentive policies (PBIP) are an effective means of improving the development level of prefabricated buildings (PBDL). This study investigated the significance of PBIP using a structural equation model (SEM) analysis of the results of 519 questionnaire surveys obtained in 10 prefabricated building demonstration cities in China. The results indicate that policy satisfaction has the most substantial impact on PBDL, with direct funding subsidy policy being the most influential factor. Policy application enthusiasm ranks second according to influence on PBDL, while policy awareness has the most negligible impact on PBDL among the examined factors. This research provides a reference for the government to formulate reasonable and effective prefabricated building incentive policies, and it may be useful for promoting the development of prefabricated buildings.

Reducing carbon emissions in prefabricated buildings supply chains: a focus on component manufacturing processes.

The construction sector accounts for 23% of emissions from global economic activity, with China responsible for nearly 41%. Although China has vigorously promoted the development of prefabricated buildings (PBS) in pursuit of cleaner production, the carbon emissions from prefabricated component factories (PCF) should not be underestimated. So, the focus of this research was on how to promote the decarbonization of PCF. Based on the carbon trading market mechanism, the carbon emissions trading tax and revenue tax collection, the authors established a differential game model consisting of the local government and the PCF, studied the equilibrium solutions under different decision models, and analyzed the roles of the two tax systems, carbon trading revenue, and market preferences. The results are as follows: (1) The PCF's low-carbon technology (LCT) innovation efforts can be directly affected by the carbon price, component price, and tax rate and indirectly affected by influencing the local government's efforts. Besides, the local government and the PCF strategies can be changed through the central government's regulation of carbon prices and tax rates. (2) PCF should set reasonable prices for components, improving economic efficiency and the LCT stocks. (3) Cost-sharing contracts can encourage PCF to increase their LCT innovation, which is conducive to increasing the optimal benefits of the PCF. (4) The local government cannot be motivated by cost-sharing contracts. They can increase their optimal benefits only if the cost-sharing coefficient is below a threshold or if the environmental benefits from low-carbon production are above a specific value.

Critical factors influencing the cost in engineering–procurement–construction (EPC) projects: A case study of prefabricated buildings (PBs) in China

Prefabricated buildings (PBs) are a new type of building construction, which are less time-consuming and cause low environmental pollution and resource consumption. They play an important role in industrialized construction and clean production and have gained worldwide attention. However, the high construction costs have become a major obstacle to their popularity and application. This study investigates the factors influencing construction costs of PBs in China using a systematic literature review (SLR), fuzzy interpretive structure modeling (fuzzy ISM), and the Matrice d’Impacts croises-multiplication appliqué an classment (MICMAC) technique. First, 32 influencing factors were identified from the SLR. Second, out of which 16 critical factors were selected and mapped in a hierarchical model through semi-structured interview screening, and the MICMAC technique was used to classify the cost-influencing factors of PBs into different categories. The results revealed that all identified factors played pivotal roles in various capacities and influenced the cost of PB construction. This study may assist administrators and policymakers in better understanding the factors that influence the costs of PBs construction to manage and reduce them.

Driving Factors in Carbon Emission Reduction in Prefabricated Building Supply Chains Based on Structural Equation Modelling

As one of the development paths of construction industrialization, prefabricated buildings (PBs) are an important means for China’s construction industry to achieve the “double carbon” goal. To better leverage the energy-saving and emission-reduction benefits of prefabricated buildings, we have analyzed the driving factors and driving paths of carbon emission reduction in prefabricated buildings from the perspective of the supply chain. The carbon emission-reduction driving index system of prefabricated building supply chains (PBSCs) was constructed through the literature review method and the questionnaire investigation method. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to analyze the relationship of each driving factor. The importance of each driving factor was quantitatively analyzed on account of the model’s operation results. The results showed: the order of importance of driver levels is technology-driven > economic-driven > market-driven > government-driven > supply chain coordination-driven. The key driving factors are summarized based on the ranking of driving factor indicators in each dimension, providing a reference for participants in PBSCs to adopt low-carbon measures and providing a basis for government departments to formulate carbon emission-reduction strategies.

Assessing the impact of prefabricated buildings on urban green total factor energy efficiency

Prefabricated buildings (PB) are assembled using prefabricated components, known for their cost-effectiveness and high efficiency. They are seen as an effective means to achieving sustainable development goals and mitigating climate change. This paper examines the impact of prefabricated buildings on urban green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) using panel data from 278 cities in China. The analysis is conducted through the application of a super-efficiency slack-based measure (SBM) model and a difference-in-differences model. The results of the study indicate that the promotion of PB can significantly improve urban GTFEE; there is heterogeneity in the improvement of urban GTFEE by PB; the innovation effect, industrial effect and marketization effect of PB are the main ways to improve urban GTFEE. Specifically, PB exerts an innovation effect by promoting technological innovation. It influences consumer and investor demand, leading to increased activity in the secondary industry, thereby creating an industrial effect. Moreover, PB facilitates the marketization effect by phasing out outdated industries, encouraging autonomous enterprise innovation, and fostering the growth of new advanced enterprises. This study reveals the critical role of PB in urban GTFEE improvement. It clarifies its mechanism of action, which provides a reference for urban sustainable development strategies and energy efficiency.

Progressive collapse analysis on modular steel construction based on a simplified joint model

Modular steel construction (MSC), as a kind of highly prefabricated assembly building, has the advantages of high industrialization, perfect energy saving and great being environmentally friendly. Due to the special characteristics of its detail construction, there is an urgent need to study its progressive collapse resistance performance. Based on the experimental and refined simulating results, a simplified model of inter-module connection was proposed and shown to be accurate enough for capturing the collapse properties of the MSC by comparing with a sub-structure push-down test. Then the collapse responses of a typical four-story, nine-span MSC under different local failure conditions were intensively studied using the proposed model. The MSC survived in the local failure scenarios of the side-columns, the corner-columns or even the mid-modular unit. However, in the scenario of side-modular unit failure, the inter-module connections of all four stories were damaged due to excessive overturning moments, leading to the collapse of the span where the unit fails. Nevertheless, the rest part of MSC still did not collapse. Therefore, it can be concluded that the modular steel construction with inter-module connections by bolts and shear keys has good performance on progressive collapse resistance. Moreover, further research into this type of inter-module connection would be worthwhile.

EFFECT AND MECHANISM OF CHINA’S PREFABRICATED BUILDING POLICIES TO PROMOTE PATENT OUTPUT WITH CARBON-NEUTRALITY AS A TARGET

ABSTRACT Unlike cast-in-place buildings, prefabricated buildings can conserve energy and reduce pollution, diminish damage to the environment caused by construction projects, drive greening of the construction industry, and promote carbon neutrality. The prefabricated construction industry is highly developed in China. This study analyzes prefabricated building policies and patents in Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020 and systematically discusses the impact mechanism of supply-oriented, environment-oriented, and demand-oriented prefabricated building policies on patent output from static and dynamic perspectives. Correlations between policies and patent output were analyzed in the spatiotemporal dimension from a static perspective. A system dynamics model was used to investigate the causal relationship between the enterprise, university research, and government subsystems. Simulations were conducted to determine the sensitivity of policies in different dimensions to evaluate the impact of different policy categories and dynamics on patent output. The results: (1) policies are significantly and positively spatiotemporally correlated with patent output; (2) patent output increases over time, the positive effect is enhanced when policy implementation is strengthened; and (3) the effects of different dimensional policies on patent output differ across different periods. Overall, the effect of demand-oriented policies was the most significant, followed by environment- and supply-oriented policies. Before 2020, the effects of environment- and supply-oriented policies were equivalent, but the promotional effects of supply-oriented policies became more prominent after that, and (4) sub-policies contributing to dimensional policies vary. Fiscal and financial, science and technology, and public procurement sub-policies are critical in supply-, environment-, and demand-oriented policies, respectively. The findings can contribute to a virtuous cycle of prefabricated building policies and patent output systems, and provide information to accelerate sustainable, green industrialized development of the prefabricated construction industry in China.

Rehabilitating instead of rebuilding aged or damaged pre-fabricated concrete buildings for reducing CO2 emissions: the case of Ukraine

Recycling the concrete of old and destroyed buildings and using it to build new buildings is a promising technology for post-war Ukraine, but in many cases, it may be economically and environmentally more justified to rehabilitate such buildings. This article provides an analysis of the state of the housing stock of Ukraine from prefabricated reinforced concrete from the point of view of the possibility of its rehabilitation, mainly based on the forecast of the degree of carbonation of different types of concrete structures in various conditions. Based on the results of this analysis, it can be stated that the service life of internal concrete structures can generally be extended up to 100 years, while external concrete elements after 50 years of operation may already require replacement or repair. A comparative analysis of various reconstruction strategies in Ukraine from the point of view of CO2 emissions is also given. It shows that the rehabilitation of such buildings is the most meaningful strategy.

Slack categories for managing risks in the delivery and assembly of engineer-to-order prefabricated building systems

Slack categories for managing risks in the delivery and assembly of engineer-to-order prefabricated building systems

Evolutionary game analysis of prefabricated buildings adoption under carbon emission trading scheme

Prefabricated buildings (PBs) have attracted significant attention in the global construction field due to their remarkable environmental and social benefits. How to internalize the carbon emission reduction benefits brought by PBs into economic benefits, and then transform the PB promotion from government departments or state-owned enterprises to the whole market is an urgent problem to be solved. To find a market-oriented tool for internalizing the carbon emission reduction benefits, and to explore the impact of the current prevailing carbon emission trading scheme (ETS) on the construction industry, this study establishes a tripartite evolutionary game model for PB adoption and simulates the dynamic strategy evolution of the government and heterogeneous developers through numerical simulation. Findings indicate that low-carbon market demand, low-carbon synergy and carbon price have a positive impact on PB adoption. Meanwhile, it is recommended to include the construction industry in the ETS when carbon prices reach 110 RMB/t. Under the ETS, while the government could eliminate subsidies for PBs to alleviate financial pressure, the behavior of developers participating in the ETS needs to be monitored. Research findings provide insights for developers to participate in carbon trading markets and for governments to develop carbon trading mechanisms applicable to PBs.

Exploring the restorative benefits of work in smart working structures on vacations in small villages.

Processes of redefinition of work, already in place in the pre-pandemic era, with the advent of COVID-19, have become widely required. A "model of work" that uses new technologies and the development of existing ones to improve workers' performance and satisfaction has emerged. Smart working has changed how people work and, as a result, spaces must also change to support them. The use of prefabricated movable buildings (PMB) could represent an opportunity to create smart (and co-) working spaces in a regenerative contest. Small villages with historical, architectural, and naturalistic elements and slow-life features are potential platforms where vacation and work could merge easily. This paper aims to establish if working in movable offices, like the PMBs, which provide a high level of visual and acoustics interaction with the surroundings, and which is positioned in small villages' squares, can affect workers' sense of restoration and working performance. In a laboratory setting, in the SENS i-Lab, a videowall and a 3D spatial audio system were used to compare, in terms of restorativeness and self-reported cognitive performance, the effects of a high-rise building context of a City Business District (CBD), i.e. the control scenario, and of two typical squares of small Italian villages with historic buildings, without (HIS) and with water elements (HIS-W). The findings of the experimental sessions showed that when working in close contact (visual and auditory) with historical or water elements, where life flows slowly, workers perceived a higher sense of restoration while job performance was unchanged. Implementing smart working policies in small villages that encourage the use of energy-efficient prefabricated movable buildings and that offer a high level of visual and acoustic interaction with the surrounding environment may represent a promising strategy to foster the development of the local economy and contrast the depopulation of small villages, improving the worker well-being and the reducing the impact of their activities of the environment.

Thermal storage characteristics of microencapsulated phase change material coatings in low-energy rural prefabricated building walls

ABSTRACT Prefabricated buildings in rural areas of China waste a large amount of energy due to poor thermal insulation. Phase change materials (PCMs) are able to stabilize room temperature by latent heat absorption and release during the phase change process. This study incorporated PCMs in the form of microcapsules into the interior wall coatings of prefabricated buildings, and by taking advantage of PCMs’ energy storage capacity, the thermal storage characteristics of PCM-coated bricks were investigated. The results show that microencapsulated phase change material(MPCM) coatings for prefabricated walls exhibit excellent thermal stability properties and effectively reduce the heat flux of prefabricated walls, with coatings having a MPCM mass fraction of 15% and a thickness of 5 mm providing the highest overall benefits. By fitting the numerical simulation results with experimental data, a novel multifunctional passive solar phase change heat collection and storage wall system was developed. This study innovatively combines energy storage materials with interior wall coatings in prefabricated walls of modular buildings investigating how it enhances the thermal stability of the external insulation walls and effectively reduces the reliance on heating equipment for auxiliary heating in rural residences. This essay aims to provide feasible recommendations for optimizing the dual-stage energy-saving and carbon reduction goals in both the construction and operation of rural areas.