From Factory to Home: How Pre-Fabrication is Changing the Way We Build
From high-concept architectural design to streamlined school construction, prefabrication is having a bit of a renaissance in Australia and fast becoming the go-to solution for homebuilders and developers.
What is pre-fabrication?
Pre-fabrication building is a construction method where up to 95 per cent of building components or modules are manufactured off-site in a factory and then transported to the site for final assembly.
The use of pre-fabrication is not a recent innovation. For example, sections of the iconic Eiffel Tower were fabricated away from the construction site before being assembled at its famous location in Paris.
Australia also has a long history of pre-fabrication. Since the 1840s, portable buildings, as they were then known, were imported from various parts of the world. From basic houses, shops, churches, and schools to intricate cast iron plate cottages, pre-fabrication has been a tried-and-true method of construction in Australia.
What materials are used?
Prefabrication builders employ a range of techniques that are tailored to their specific architectural styles. The use of building materials in pre-fabrication varies, but some of the most popular include concrete, wood, and steel. These materials are adapted for factory-based manufacturing processes, allowing for more precise and efficient construction.
Additionally, pre-fabrication often makes use of innovative materials and building systems, such as modular panels and insulated concrete forms, which can result in greater energy efficiency and quicker build times.
The benefits
Faster builds: compared to traditional construction methods, pre-fabrication enables much faster construction. On average, a modular home can be completed in 16-22 weeks from start to finish, while a conventional home can take a year or more to build.
Weather protection: prefab homes are built using components that are fabricated in a secure and temperature-regulated factory environment, shielding the materials from the harsh elements of the Australian climate. In contrast, conventional building sites are often exposed to the whims of weather patterns, leaving building materials susceptible to year-round exposure to sun, rain, and hail.
Quality checks: in a modular construction, the components are passed through an assembly line and undergo numerous rounds of quality checks, significantly reducing the risk of faulty components or damage during the building process.
Prefabrication is enjoying a resurgence in Australia, offering homeowners and developers faster construction times and improved quality control. With advancements in automation technology in the construction industry, it's clear that prefab is here to stay.
