New times require new ways of living in them. The urgent involvement in caring for the environment is motivating the construction sector to look more and more towards sustainable and efficient models and solutions. And hence the firm commitment that is being made to the industrialized construction Modular Home, and through it, innovative technologies that are key to these new processes, such as BIM (Building Information Modeling). If we want a cleaner and greener future, with open spaces and in harmony with nature and the environment, we have to change the way we build. We will thus contribute to reducing pollution, one of the firm goals of the European Union (EU) for 2030 in all areas of our society.
A booming building model
Several studies predict that 2030% of construction will be carried out by industrialised construction by 10. This is one of the data extracted from the latest edition of the REBUILD 2024 fair, held last March in Madrid.
Modular and prefabricated homes are a growing trend for several reasons: the current socioeconomic situation, with an unmet demand for housing, a lack of labor, and the need to reduce emissions. For all these reasons, it is the optimal time to invest in industrialized construction, both in new construction and in rehabilitation projects. A model that can greatly improve our way of living in the world.
What do we mean when we talk about industrialization in construction?
Industrialisation in construction is based on the use of innovative techniques that reduce waste, save costs and use environmentally friendly materials. For this reason, more and more professionals in the sector are turning to this model, which is seen as an opportunity to modernise the sector. This alternative to traditional construction is characterised by the production of components in a workshop that are transported to their final location for assembly.
Ecological materials and that guarantee a high energy efficiency, such as wood, concrete and steel, are those that come into play in the construction of prefabricated houses.
Industrialized construction and the Green Deal
Based on the process automation and optimization, industrialized construction is an essential key to moving towards a decarbonized and clean industry. As Rebuild highlights, industrialization is essential to comply with the European Green Deal. It is estimated that 80% of Spanish homes will not meet energy efficiency standards by 2030. Isn't this worrying? Given this situation, there is a call for commitment to the rehabilitation of buildings and to promoting the industrialisation of new housing, regulating off-site construction, focusing on aspects such as its financing or regulations such as the Technical Building Code.
Industrialized construction and digitalization
Technology plays an increasingly important role in industrialized construction. This building model requires that projects be conceived as such from the beginning by all the agents of the AECO sector involved (developers, architectural studios, construction companies, engineering companies, manufacturers). And that is where the methodology BIM has much to offer, allowing the management of asset data throughout its life cycle, through three-dimensional modeling and in real time. In the process of manufacturing, assembling and mounting a prefabricated house, The advantages of this innovative technology are remarkable.
As Borja Sánchez Ortega, Project Manager and Director of the BIM Manager International Master (+VR) of the specialist company Espacio BIM -www.espaciobim.com-, says, “BIM allows all the information of a project (geometric, documentary, etc.) to be centralised in a digital model developed by all the agents involved”. This improves coordination between teams and disciplines, saves time and resources, avoids incidents and delays. In short, it facilitates a more efficient execution of the project.
Therefore, BIM is gaining ground in construction, and especially in the public sector, where its use by the Administrations could lead to savings of 30.000 million euros, taking into account that 25% of the tenders could be with BIM. In fact, it is expected that in the next 40 months the collaborative method will be included in all the legislations of the Autonomous Communities. Good news, right?
