Modular Construction: Evolution of the Construction Industry

The major advantage of full industrialisation of the building industry is that quality architecture can be delivered to the vast majority of people. Industrialisation also means the aggregation of a pool of project or large market into fractions of works that can be divided among smaller productions and therefore simplifying the production and reducing the costs. The status quo of the industry is still on the first four degrees of the industrialisation that consists of prefabrication, mechanisation, automation and robotics. Whereas, industrialisation of the building industry covers the fifth degree, reproduction. Reproduction simply means to find innovative process that eventually will short-cut the repetitive linear operations of the traditional production line. Industrialised Building System are much more evolved from the traditional prefabrication or precast method and it requires a major overhaul of the current industry practise.

Below are a video showing modular construction in other parts of the world

Construction Sector Grows Under 9MP

THE construction industry should aim for an efficient, productive, innovative and environmentally responsible industry, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said at the official launch of the International Construction Week (ICW 2007) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) recently.

Organised by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIBD). ICW2007 was themed “Strengthening Construction Capabilities for Global Competitiveness”. “The Malaysian construction industry has contributed to the nation’s growth and it’s ready to venture overseas. The industry grew to 4.0 per cent during the first quarter under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and the formulation of a comprehensive Master Plan is timely to trigger a paradigm shift.

“However, there is a need to address issues and weaknesses before embarking on the vision of a progressive sector that thrives on knowledge, creativity for its survival.” CIBD chairman Tan Sri Jamilus Hussein said the event was a momentum and hallmark of the efforts to penetrate the challenging global market. “Malaysia has been transformed from a nation dependent on foreign experts and service providers to a major construction service exporter in the international market.

“Malaysian builders abroad have accumulated RM61 billion worth of projects covering about 38 countries. These projects are over a period of 10 years and currently our biggest overseas projects are in India and the Middle East. “We are also venturing into the Industrialised Building System (IBS) to reduce our dependency on foreign labour. IBS is not a new thing but merely a different trend. “IBS, which presents a cheaper cost in volume and time, takes work from the site to the factories but it will take some time for the industry to get used to the idea,” said Jamilus. He added that the future outlook for the industry was that it would be very busy over the next years.

At the event, Mohd Zin also opened the 24th Malaysian International Building Exposition (Malbex 2007) held in conjunction with ICW 2007. Organised by Reeds Exhibitions Sdn Bhd and co organised by CIBD, Malbex 2007 ran for four days. Reeds Exhibitions general manager Michelle Lim said last years, exhibitors made some RM86.5mil worth of sales and a further RM325 mil of sales was expected to be concluded this year.

“About 200 companies, comprising leading international manufacturers from 19 countries, including at least 51 first-time participants, took part in the expo. “It is recognised regionally as an outstanding industry-wide event for the building and construction sector, organised for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and technology.” She added that more than 14,000 trade visitors were expected at Malbex 2007, including architects, developers, interiors, designers, contractors, and top buyers. For details on Malbex 2007, visit http://www.malbex.com.my/

(Source: The Star, 29th September 2007)

Cheap homes price to stay

BAHAU: The price of low-cost houses will not be increased, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The Prime Minister said developers should not cite the increase in prices of building materials as a reason to raise the prices of the houses.

“We can’t do this ... If we allow an increase, the common man will not be able to own a house.
“Also, we do not want to do something which will create a lot of unhappiness (among people from the lower-income group),” he said after performing the ground-breaking ceremony for a Universiti Teknologi Mara campus in Kg Beting, near here.

Abdullah said developers should instead find ways to reduce their costs such as adopting new construction methods. “You can adopt the IBS (Industrialised Building System) method which can reduce your cost of doing business,” he said.

He was responding to a statement by Real Estate and Housing Developers Association deputy president Datuk Michael Yam that developers were unable to absorb the increase in prices of construction materials. The association had proposed that prices of low-cost houses and flats be increased from RM42,000 to RM60,000.

Abdullah said the IBS method was effective as developers would not have to rely heavily on skilled workers. He said if developers built houses quickly, they would also be able to service their bank loans faster.

“Pemudah has come up with recommendations that can help speed up business,” he said.
Pemudah is a public-private sector initiative which aims to simplify business operations in Malaysia by improving government services. Abdullah said it was unfair to allow an increase simply because government servants recently got a salary hike.

“They were unable to buy houses previously. If you increase the price, then the civil servants who recently got a pay increase will never be able to own a house,” he said.

(Source: The Star 24th August 2007)

MIGHT Annual Report 2006 - Industrialised Building System

Global Scenario

With the impact of globalization have run deep into many industries, more efficient methods have been introduced and implemented in order to survive the challenging market ahead. Every product have improved dramatically and been produced in a higher quality and at a lower cost but with the exception of houses and buildings. Whilst, other industries have been thriving in terms of technology application, only small improvement has been made in making building processes more efficient.

Houses of the future should be similar to products like cars or computers today. It is built mostly in a factory with parts that is easy to replace or maintain. The construction industry can be transform by following what other sectors are already doing; standardize and accessorize. This effort can be achieve by overhauling the industry through technology implementation such as Industrialised Building System or IBS. IBS based on Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB) is defined as “Construction technique in which components are manufactured in a factory, on or off site, positioned and assembled into a structure with minimal additional site works.”

In many parts of the world, IBS takes its forms in an initiative called open building concept. Open building is an approach to the design of buildings and said to be representing a new wave in architecture. Open building is defined as an innovative approach to design and construction that enhances the efficiency of the building process, while increasing the variety, flexibility and quality of the product [1].

Developed countries such as Japan, Netherlands and USA to name a few, have already started to develop concept that is called ‘Open Source Building’. The concept of the open source building is similar to what has happened in the ICT industry whereby through standardization of jointing parts such as USB ports, consumers can buy computer equipment such as mouse or scanner anywhere in the world. The equipment can then be easily installed by the users as the connection from the equipment to the computer has been internationally standardized.

Local Scenario

The Malaysian construction industry as envisaged in the Third Outline Perspective Plan (OPP3) 2001-2010, is expected to grow at 6.6% per annum during the period of OPP3 and contributes 3.1% to the GDP in the year 2010 [2]. The only way for the country to achieve this target is by increasing the industry’s efficiency and productivity to a higher level than it is now. In recognizing these critical factors, the Government has introduced a master plan to overhaul the construction industry into a more technology based industry. The master plan is called the “Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) Roadmap 2003-2010”. Endorsed by the Cabinet in October 2003, the plan’s ultimate objective is for the industry to achieve Open Building by the year 2010.

The IBS agenda was further boosted as the Government have announced in Budget 2005, whereby all new Government projects are required to have at least 50 per cent IBS content. This was subsequently followed by another announcement in Budget 2006 whereby IBS manufacturers would be given tax incentives through Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for expenses occurred in the purchase of moulds used for production of precast concrete components. In the year 2006 also, an IBS Centre was established under CIDB that will act as a one stop agency for IBS implementation. These initiatives done by the Government have given the IBS agenda the momentum that was badly needed before. It has also put the construction industry into the right path of achieving higher efficiency and productivity by the year 2020.


Company’s activities

For the year 2006, the company has been actively promoting the use of IBS through partnership with various parties and Government agencies. Among the key activities are:

Project Implementation

IBS Modular is now actively implementing IBS product development through an IBS Technopreneur programme. The programme is in line with the Government aspiration of creating more IBS suppliers by 2010.

Human Capital Development

IBS Industrial Skills Enhancement Programme (INSEP)
The programme consists of 60 students that started on September 2006. The objective of the programme is to enhance the skill of the participants with the knowledge of IBS and therefore creating more job opportunities for them in the market place. The programme partner for this program is Housing Research Centre (HRC), UPM.

International and Business Programme

International Outreach Programme.
The objective of the programme is to create IBS awareness among developing countries through the platform of international seminars and workshops such as Langkawi International Dialogue and OIC meetings.


Reference:
1. Whitepaper 2003. About Open Building. Bensonwood Homes
2. Third Outline Perspective Plan (OPP3) 2001-2010
3. 2005 Budget Speech, www.pmo.gov.my
4. 2006 Budget Speech, www.pmo.gov.my
5. Economic Stimulus Package Speech, 2003, www.mten.gov.my

IBS Technology Series Certificate Giving Ceremony - 2nd Batch

Serdang, 26 May 2007 - The IBS Technology Series Certificate Giving Ceremony for the 2nd INSEP-IBS trainees was held at the Dewan Taklimat, Engineering Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) on May 25, 2007 at 11.00 am.

It was a much anticipated event for all the trainees who had attended the programme since January 2007. Two special guests graced this event - Prof. Ir. Abang Abdullah Abang Ali, Director, Housing Research Centre (HRC), and Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Mohd. Razali Abdul Kadir, Deputy Director, HRC.

The event started with a speech by the Student’s Representative, Mohammad Khairul Anuar M. Noor Kamil. He thanked the lecturers and trainees, saying, “My personal experience with each of you has enriched my understanding of the challenges and issues faced by graduates. Every one of you here inspires me to continue to work with positive mind and attitude.”

Prof. Ir. Abang Abdullah, in his speech, highlighted the current issues of building quality and maintenance in Malaysia and its relation to human capital development programme like INSEP-IBS. He also thanked IBS Modular for working hand in hand with HRC to fulfill the objectives of INSEP in enhancing the employability, adoptability and marketability of the graduates and widen their work scope through re-training in high technology sectors that provides high employment potential.

Prof. Ir. Abang Abdullah and Dr. Mohd. Razali then presented the trainees with a certificate confirming that they had completed the “IBS Technology Series” course. The ceremony ended with a delicious nasi minyak lunch, followed by a group photo session.

During 3-months of “Technology Series”, the trainees have been exposed to wide range of IBS knowledge & design skills. The trainees also gained valuable soft skills and motivational training. For that, IBS Modular would like to thank:

- Professor Madya Ir. Dr. Mohd Saleh b. Jaafar, Professor Madya Datin Dr. Napsiah Ismail, and - Professor Madya Dr. Rosnah Mohd. Yusuff (UPM) for the inputs and guidance
- Illiana Azizan and Siti Hajar (HRC) for the event supports and
- CIDB, Pusat IBS, Setia Precast, Eastern Pretech and He-Con for the informative visits.

Thank you very much – you have made a tremendous impact on the trainees!

INSEP IBS 2007 - 2nd Batch

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

Kontraktor kelas F disaran serta IBS

Berita Harian, Khamis, 29 Mac 2007

SUBANG JAYA: Kerajaan mensasarkan lebih 20 kontraktor Bumiputera terutama kelas F mampu menjadi vendor industri pembinaan negara, khususnya dalam Sistem Binaan Berindustri (IBS) dan pengedar bahan binaan.

Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Khamsiyah Yeop, berkata pembabitan hanya 40 kontraktor Bumiputera seluruh negara dalam sistem berkenaan termasuk sebahagian kecil kontraktor kelas F, pada tempoh tiga tahun, menunjukkan perkembangan agak perlahan.

Jumlah itu, katanya, adalah terlalu kecil berbanding bilangan kontraktor berdaftar dengan Pusat Khidmat Kontraktor (PKK) sehingga bulan lalu, seramai 46,473 kontraktor dan 32,022 daripadanya adalah kontraktor kelas F.

Beliau berkata, jumlah itu juga membabitkan kontraktor yang mengeluarkan produk binaan secara kecil-kecilan.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, kesedaran supaya kontraktor terutama kelas F memperluaskan cabang kerja masing-masing perlu dipertingkatkan, bagi memastikan mereka tidak berharap terhadap kerja pembinaan semata-mata.

“Kontraktor perlu didedahkan dengan meluas faedah menyertai IBS yang menggunakan teknologi berbeza, berbanding cara konvensional digunakan sebelum ini,” katanya pada sidang media, di sini, semalam.