Thinking beyond standards, Design to Value can look at absolutes and even further can look for redemption.
Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) has long been part of our philosophy and it is exciting to see an increasing focus on DfMA in the construction industry around the world.My recent article.
“Construction Platforms for Asia: Thoughts on the DfMA Journey in Asia-Pacific”.discussed some recent developments in my region but the interest in using DfMA on construction projects to drive benefits related to cost and programme, quality, productivity, health and safety and sustainability is growing worldwide.. As DfMA grows from a niche topic into a mainstream conversation in the construction industry, more and more government and private sector stakeholders are getting involved developing strategies and finding opportunities.However, there is a fundamental challenge hindering newcomers to DfMA and MMC – understanding what these terms actually mean.. Confusion is a barrier to change: talking about Modern Methods of Construction.
The DfMA landscape is littered with acronyms, abbreviations and terminology that is often poorly defined and even more poorly understood.Terms such as DfMA, MMC, Offsite construction, Prefab, PPVC, MiC and many more are often used interchangeably resulting in great confusion not only for newcomers but also established players in the industry..
I believe the lack of clarity around nomenclature in the DfMA landscape has become a major barrier to change.
A clear and universally understood definition framework would help increase stakeholder awareness and confidence in adopting innovative construction methods and could help encourage a more structured and focused conversation across the industry at large..With Discrete Event Simulation previously a niche activity requiring a specific skill set and often costly software, the industry has not been able to see and leverage the benefits, which include predicting the full effects of a project – whether related to efficiency, cost or the environment – until site work is completed.. A recent shift in the construction landscape has been an increasing focus on Design for Manufacture and Assembly, or DfMA, which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction centre, improving productivity, reducing waste and aiming for net-zero carbon emissions.
Bryden Wood have been pioneers of DfMA and successfully delivered benefits around the world with Platform Construction (P-DfMA) and other types of solutions [.constructionplatformsforasia/s90575/. ]
using a Design to Value approach [.designtovaluest/s93816/.