Drivers constraints and the future of off-site manufacture in Australia.

Blismas, Nick and Wakefield, Ron (2007) Drivers constraints and the future of off-site manufacture in Australia. Construction Innovation Special Edition 2008.

Abstract

Much has been written on Off-site Manufacture (OSM) in construction, particularly regarding the perceived benefits and barriers to implementation. However, very little understanding of the state of OSM in the Australian construction industry exists. A ‘scoping study' has recently been undertaken to determine the ‘state-of-the-art’ of OSM in Australia. This involved several industry workshops, interviews and case studies across four major states of Australia. The study surveyed a range of suppliers across the construction supply-chain, incorporating the civil, commercial and housing segments of the market. This revealed that skills shortages and lack of adequate OSM knowledge are generally the greatest issues facing OSM in Australia. The drivers and constraints that emerged from the research were, in large measure, consistent with those found in the US and UK, although some Australian anomalies are evident, such as the geographical disparity of markets. A comparative analysis with similar studies in the UK and US is reported, illustrating both the drivers and constraints confronting the industry in Australia. OSM uptake into the future is however dependent on many factors, not least of which is a better understanding of the construction process and its associated costs.

Additional Information

Item Type: Article
Collection: CRC for Construction Innovation
Date: 2 December 2007
Keywords: CRC for Construction Innovation; Program C : Delivery Management of Built Assets; Project 2005-004-C : Off-Site Manufacture in Australia
Date Deposited: 11 Mar 2014 03:14
Last Modified: 11 Mar 2014 03:20
Copyright Owner: Copyright 2007 Icon.Net Pty Ltd
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URI: https://digitalcollections.qut.edu.au/id/eprint/1712
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