Modular Coordination in Construction Industry

What is Standard MS 1064?

MS 1064 is a guide line towards the usage of Modular Coordination (MC) in building constructions which consists of Part 1 to Part 10 under the general title, "Guide to Modular Construction in Buildings". It provides the general principles, room and storey heights, coordinating sizes and preferred sizes for various building components, dimensions of elements, components and spaces in the planning and design of building.

Modular Coordination (MC) is a concept for coordinating dimension and space for which buildings and components are dimensionalised and positioned in basic units or modules. MS1064 introduces a certain geometric discipline using practical approaches which relate to set-up coordination and measurement of components and spaces in the building design. The standard specifies that the module basic M = 100mm as the basic unit to be used in a square of M. The introduction of MC in the industry is to improve productivity and quality in building construction construction as well as to act as a tool towards rationalisation and industrialisation of the building industry.

MC has been introduced in Malaysia since 1986, but has not been widely implemented in the building industry. The main factors limiting the uses of MC in building industries is lack of knowledge on MC concept and it requires precision dimensioning and proper planning.

The characteristis of MC are:
- The basic module is small in terms of odd size in order to provide design flexibility, yet large enough to promote simplification in the components' variation in sizes.
- Industry friendly features that not only cater for manufacturing but also the transportation and assembly requirements.
- Ergonomically designed to promote efficiency
- Internationally accepted to support international market

MC Concept

MC may be applied to the design, manufacture and assembly of buildings, its components and installations. It also affects the work positioning and dimensioning during construction. At the work level, MC allows for relative independence in decision making with the common dimensional language. The concept of MC is based on:
- The used of modules (basic modules and multi-modules)
- A reference system to define coordinating spaces and zones for building elements and for the components which form them
- Rules for locating building elements within the reference system
- Rules for sizing building components in order to determine their work size
- Rules for defining preferred sizes for building components and coordinating dimensions for building

The principal objective of implementing MC is to improve productivity through the reduction of wastages in the production, installation process, to improve quality in the construction industry and to encourage an open system. With Open System approach, building components could combine in a variety of individual building projects while ensuring the architect freedom in their designs.

MC is an important factor in application of Industrialised Building System by way of standardization of components ad dimensions such as reduce time of production and installation of components, achieving repeatability and able to construct building at lower cost.

Excerpted from CIDB, IBS Digest Oct-Dec 2005