ADOPTION OF PREFABRICATED PREFINISHED VOLUMETRIC CONSTRUCTION (PPVC) IN SINGAPORE: CONSTRAINTS, DECISION-MAKING FACTORS AND ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

Abstract

With the increasing awareness of sustainable development and construction productivity, the Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) technology, generally known as the modular construction, has gained attention recently in the local construction industry. Many studies have shown that it is one of the favorable off-site construction methods that not only shortens construction duration but also offers high-quality products. Nonetheless, the PPVC method is still in its infancy, especially in the context of Singapore, of which the implementation has encountered many constraints, which in turn impedes its widespread adoption. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the differences between modular and conventional construction methods and to determine the significant constraints associated with the PPVC adoption, along with proposed mitigation strategies. Decision-making factors (DMFs) of the PPVC method identified through literature review serve as the primary knowledge platform for the development of the organization’s readiness assessment framework. Relevant information was obtained through extensive literature review and interviews with professionals to gain deeper insights. The survey questionnaires were distributed to target respondents, from whom 41 completed ones were received. All the respondents agreed that PPVC differs from conventional construction methods. Three key constraints were found to be: (1) requirement of extensive coordination prior to and during construction; (2) extra project planning and engineering effort; and (3) increased transportation considerations. For these constraints, three relevant mitigation strategies were proposed: (1) encouragement of active collaboration among project stakeholders during early project planning phase; (2) adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM); and (3) provision of training courses for project team members and workers. The findings provide a comprehensive study on the adoption of PPVC technology in the context of Singapore, and may improve its implementation in the construction industry. An assessment framework was also developed to allow organizations to better understand their current niche and make informed decisions.