PREFABRICATION AND MODULAR ONSTRUCTION

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Cover: Little Hero Apartments, Melbourne

Rider Levett Bucknall possesses significant experience in the provision of cost and delivery advice for high profile, groundbreaking modular prefabricated construction projects allowing us to gain critical practical insight to cut costs and build quality.

Prefabrication is the practice of assembling the components of a building in a factory and then transporting them to the construction site for installation.

Modular prefabricated construction represents a specific type of prefabrication in which the module building components are assembled off-site. Modules are complete box-shaped units, containing walls, floor and roof with the interior space, which are built in a factory, shipped to the site, installed, and connected into a complete building.

Our involvement in modular construction and prefabrication projects means we have an inherent understanding of the operational difficulties and structural challenges, including supply chain management, cost and quality control that threaten to offset the benefits of this mode of delivery.

Faster speed of construction and thus, faster return on the investment, is one of the major drivers of this type of construction which can take place at a variety of scales, from single-house to high-rise, and for various types of functions including residential, student housing, and commercial.

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4 Industry status, future trends

5 Advantages

5 Disadvantages

6 Concorde South Apartments, South Headland, Western Australia

6 Little Hero Apartments, Melbourne

7 Urbanest Student Apartments in North Terrace, Adelaide

7 University of Auckland - Elam Hall Student Accommodation, Auckland

8 Northern Arizona University (NAU) Center for Aquatics and Tennis, Flagstaff, Arizona

8 Gramercy, Hong Kong

9 Providence Bay, Providence Peak and the Graces, Tai Po, Hong Kong

10 Echelon, Singapore

10 The Venue Residences & Shoppes, Singapore

11 Jewel@Buangkok, Singapore

contents

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industry status, future trendsPrefabrication is on government and commercial sector agendas across Europe, Japan, the US, New Zealand and Australia, where it is seen as an important way of improving quality and value within the slow changing construction industry.

Australia has been slower to embrace prefabricated construction than Europe and the UK – regions that have used the technology effectively for more than a century.

Our small population, extreme weather conditions and constrained manufacturing conditions have meant that there have not been sufficient economies of scale to justify major ventures into prefabrication.

The degree to which quality control and greater efficiency can be achieved is limited by the conditions and methods used on-site.

We are seeing an increase in construction products manufactured in factories off-site and brought to the site for assembly. This enables better quality control, improved and more efficient site processes, more environmentally friendly manufacture and reductions in cost.

These facilities demonstrate a trend away from conventional site manufacture to assembly from components manufactured off-site.

The demand for prefabrication and modular construction is growing together with its complexity. Where you would typically see prefabrication and modular construction used in temporary housing and accommodation, it is now being used to create advanced projects with a much longer lifespan.

We have recently been involved in a number of projects incorporating modular design such as Vision on Morphett Apartments in Adelaide where China Australia Property Development and 88 Constructions intend to source preassembled components from China, including bathrooms and balconies.

Our experience extends to retail where modular systems are built and cut into pieces for shipping with services, finishes and fitments complete upon delivery.

Prefabrication now facilitates the building of large-scale apartment complexes with cost savings and timeframes which were previously unattainable.

This is likely to assist housing shortages in both the private and public sectors, such as for public housing projects. It can also be constructed as a green option, which is likely to encourage governments to increase their use of this approach to construction.

We are not yet seeing in Australia the architectural feature houses being done by prefabrication, as in some areas in Northern Europe and America, but it is certainly beginning to gain popularity in housing and also in apartment design.

Any construction method that promises to deliver high quality housing, and which is as fast and simple to build as prefabricated modular construction aims to be, holds potential for the future.

There is enormous potential for growth in relation to apartments, public sector housing and student accomodation, with offices, hospitals and other industrial building options widening as technology advances.

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What are the advantages of construction Projects being Manufactured in factories off-site and brought to site for asseMbly?Modular construction moves the construction site to manufacturing facility for a major part of the building and, in this way, improves its predictability, increases productivity, and reduces the risks inherent in construction. Modular buildings also generate great cost saving opportunities as a result of compressed construction schedules.

Quality• Computercontrolledfabricationprocesses

• Uniquestructuralsystems

• Pristinefactoryenvironments

• Pre-qualifiedcomplianceofcomponentswithAustralianBuildingCodes

Guaranteed completion & fast construction timelines• Prefabricatedmodulesmanufacturedoff-siteinfactoryenvironments

• Structuredfabricationandinspectionprocessesensuresaccuracyindeliverables

• Easytransportation

• Modulesarecompleteuponarrivaltosite

• Minimisationofon-siteconstructionprocedures

• Uniquelockingsystemsensurestructuralintegrity

• Simpleprocesses

Quantifiable sustainability• Reducecarbonfootprint

• Timesavings

• Reduceoverallwaterandenergyuse

• Reductioninmaterialwastage

• Transportefficiency

• Minimaleffectonenvironment

• Reusablestructures-Relocatable

are there disadvantages to this Mode of delivery?Tighter and longer periods of co-ordination are required for design to be co-ordinated with modular formats and products.

Transportation is likely to be a primary constraining factor for the module size and manufacturing location.

In most cases, logistical considerations for modular construction mirror that of traditional construction. However, storage for large components and the handling and assembly of heavy precast members are important considerations.

Quality assurance becomes critical especially when large amounts of precast components are used structurally.

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concorde south apartments, south headland, Western australiaAmong Melbourne’s well-known builders to have dived into prefabrication is Hickory, which recently built a six-storey block of 77 modern, architecturally designed and energy efficient apartments in South Hedland, Western Australia.

In total, 108 precision fabricated modules were manufactured in Hickory’s UB Factory in Melbourne and shipped to South Hedland in Western Australia.

Site works, building foundations and external services were completed prior to delivery of the modular units, which were then craned into position on site.

Pristine fabrication conditions and a rigorous inspection process ensured building components were combined to efficiently deliver a world-class structure in a “mesmerising” timeframe.

Client: AcierServices: Initial reporting / post-contract servicesArchitect: Hodge Collard PrestonHead contractors: Hickory Group

little hero apartments, melbourneLittle Hero comprises 63 one- and two-bedroom city apartments, duplex penthouse residences and seven retail tenancies. The development was constructed using modular building techniques built over the top of an existing and operational substation. Built as pods similar to steel shipping containers, the modules were shipped to site.

The apartments were completed in an accelerated timeframe of approximately nine months using parallel on-site offsite construction – about twice as fast as could be typically achieved with traditional construction methods.

Excavation and the concrete foundations and podium were undertaken on site while the pods were being factory built. Within the 10-day on-site delivery there were strict controls over traffic management, with mandatory deliveries before peak traffic flows, control of pedestrians and on-lookers and closure of adjoining streets for pod lifting.

Client: Delphine HoldingsServices: Cost planning advice / established cost systemsArchitect: Fender Katsalidis ArchitectsHead contractors: Hickory Group

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urbanest student apartments in north terrace, adelaideThe development consists of two towers housing 503 students, over a two-level podium containing retail commercial spaces and communal functions.

Modular bathroom pods including all services and finishes were manufactured in Queensland and delivered to site. They were simply craned and moved into position with the services connected and ready to go.

With the project a resounding success for all parties involved, the apartments deliver cutting-edge student living like nothing before seen in the city.

Client: UrbanestServices: Cost planning and cost managementArchitect: Woods BagotHead Contractor: John Holland

uniVersity of aucKland – elam hall student accommodation, aucKlandThe Elam Hall Student Accommodation building is a first for New Zealand. The 14 Story accommodation block building consists of 468 individual pre-fabricated modular units. Each module was factory constructed and fully finished with carpet, joinery, electrical and fire protection componentry.

The Elam Hall project is a comprehensive student village environment designed as an integrated component of the Auckland University campus. The large campus-edge site provided a unique opportunity for the needs of contemporary student life to be reconsidered.

Key features include integration with the emerging University Campus Master Plan, provides a legible address, strong building and open space identity and seamless integration with the site’s challenging landscaping context.

Client: University of AucklandServices: Full cost management servicesArchitect: Assembly/MOTM (Modular) and Warren and Mahoney (Building)Head contractors: Stanley Construction (Modular Construction) & Hawkins Construction (Main Contractor)

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northern arizona uniVersity (nau) center for aQuatics and tennis, flaGstaff, arizonaRider Levett Bucknall provided milestone construction cost estimating services for the new Aquatics and Tennis Center. This Aquatic Center is a new 64,500 square foot center sited on the north campus adjacent to the existing Wall Aquatic Center. This site is considered a secondary gateway entrance onto campus and is heavily used by vehicles and pedestrians to access NAU athletic events, recreation facilities and a parking structure. The new facility supports athletic events for swimming and diving and recreational activities for students and the Flagstaff community.

The space includes a competition pool with an 18-foot deep diving well, a recreation pool with a four-foot depth, and space for spectators, storage, offices, locker rooms and restrooms. This project also includes a tennis building, new tennis courts, recreation fields and associated site work.

Client: Sink Combs DethlefsServices: Cost EstimatingArchitect: Sink Combs Dethlefs

Gramercy, honG KonGGramercy is a luxury 28-storey residential tower offering magnificent views of Victoria Harbour. The building is certified with a LEED Gold rating.

The tower’s pre-cast concrete façade is designed to avoid monotonous and repetitious building components. Bay windows and balconies are unified by architectural features, which make the building elevation a signature of the project.

A four-level podium comprises food and beverage outlets, a clubhouse, and landscape garden with a swimming pool at the podium floor. Outdoor terraces along with a vast amount of greenery transform the podium into a city oasis.

Client: Phoenix Property Investors Services: Full Quantity Surveying ServicesArchitect: Aedas Head contractors: Gammon Construction

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proVidence bay, proVidence peaK and the Graces, tai po, honG KonGLocated at the Tolo Harbour waterfront area of Pak Shek Kok, Providence Bay, Providence Peak and The Graces comprise an aggregate gross floor area of approximately 2.1 million square feet. Providence Bay consists of 18 mid-rise towers ranging eight-ten storeys with 475 residential units and seven villas. Providence Peak has 13 towers and 11 villas providing 740 residential units. The Graces provides 185 residential units.

The developments use high quality pre-finished prefabricated external walls and environmental-friendly design solutions.

The project utilises a pre-cast concrete façade.

Client: Sino Group, Nan Fung, K.Wah and Wing Tai Properties Services: Full Quantity Surveying ServicesArchitect: Foster + Partners and WCWP International Head Contractor: China Overseas Building Construction Limited

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echelon, sinGaporeLocated at Alexandra View, Echelon comprises two distinctive 43-storey towers with a total of 508 residential units, complete with a gymnasium, yoga deck and spa lounge.

Client: City Developments LimitedServices: Cost ManagementArchitect: SCDA Architects

the Venue residences & shoppes, sinGaporeThe Venue Residences & Shoppes is a mixed development at Tai Thong Crescent, just three minutes from Potong Pasir MRT Station. The Venue Residences comprises 266 residential units while The Venue Shoppes, located just below the residences, consists of 28 retail shops, F&B, restaurants on the first level.

Client: City Developments LimitedServices: Cost ManagementArchitect: Aedas Pte Ltd

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JeWel@buanGKoK, sinGaporeJewel@Buangkok is a 616-unit residential development comprising six 17-storey tall towers, which house one- to five-bedroom apartments, dual-key units and penthouses. It is located next to Buangkok MRT Station and has full condominium facilities.

Client: City Developments LimitedServices: Cost ManagementArchitect: DCA Architects Pte Ltd

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