On 29th of January, with the support of Pinnacle Infotech, Dodge Data & Analytics has released finding of the landmark “Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 Smart Market Report”. The report is primarily focused on providing comprehensive study of the current status and future potential of prefabrication and modular construction. Apart from, divulging into barriers and benefits of prefab and modular construction, the report reveals the use of BIM across sheet metal/ ducting, mechanical piping, plumbing trades is crucial to enhance project outcome.
This study particularly examines the positive effect of BIM on reaping the benefits of prefabrication and modular construction.
- Less than a quarter of the respondents who cite using no BIM claim that they experience schedule performance improvement by using prefabrication. On the other hand respondents who use BIM on half or more of their projects have noticed a significant (61%) improvement in schedule performance.
This study reveals a strong correlation between companies’ BIM usages and improved schedule and budget performance from using prefabrication or modular construction.
The results are similar for both users of prefabrication and of modular construction. Percentages shown in this image reflect the combined report of positive impacts, separated by the level of BIM Implementation.
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
- Likewise, with modular construction, only 21% of non- BIM users cite cost performance improvement compared with 46% of those using BIM frequently.
Impact of BIM Use on Prefabrication Forecasts by Building Type
Findings reveal a strong correlation between the use of BIM by design firms, general contractors and trade contractors and the percentage which they all expect a high frequency of prefabrication, especially on institutional and commercial projects.
The figure shows the powerful role of BIM in enabling Model driven prefabrication.
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
Current and Future Implementation of BIM for Prefabrication
- The percentage of using BIM for prefabrication will grow dramatically from 44% to 75% in the next three years.
- The study reveals all BIM users will be engaged in the model-driven prefabrication.
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
High-Level Implementation by Company-Type
- 53% of trade contractors are expecting a higher level of implementation in the next three years
- Through design firms are least active now, but it is assumed that design firms will double the current numbers of high-level implementer over the phase of the next three years
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
Reasons to Use BIM for Prefabrication
- These findings reinforce the idea that successful prefabrication requires comprehensive spatial coordination between different trades and implementing BIM can improve coordination to a great extent.
- Next reason is improved schedule and cost performance, 44% GCs and CMs of the respondents said it is the second most important reason.
- Interestingly, twice as many design firms (34%) select improved quality compared with trades (17%)
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
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Current and Future Implementation of BIM for Modular Construction
This chart shows the fraction of BIM users who are currently engaged with BIM driven modular construction at different levels of implementation and the percentage of who expect to be at those levels with the next three years
- The percentage using BIM for modular construction on a quarter of the projects are expected to grow, from 57% to 77% in the next three years
- Findings suggest within the next three years almost 99% of the BIM users will be implementing BIM for modular construction
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
High-Level Implementation by Company-Type
The chart shows the current and expected percentages of BIM users, by company-type. The percentage of BIM users, using it for modular construction on 50% or more of their projects.
- Trade contractors are most engrossed with almost six out of ten (59%) predicting a high level of implementation in the next three years
- The number of design firms at a high level of implementation will almost double
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
Reasons to Use BIM for Modular Construction
Among all top reasons,
- Schedule performance is the most widely accepted key benefit of modular construction
- Improved coordination comes second overall and as the top most reason with design firms
- Reduced onsite rework (39%) and improved cost performance (35%) are of equal importance to trade contractors
- Design firms (34%) select improved quality compared with trade contractors (20%), who are more interested into process related progress
Image source: Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020_SmartMarket Report
The study also demonstrate that BIM driven fabrication is quite common among mechanical contractors and it having an impressive positive impact on reducing material waste, labour productivity and quality of installed work. The report also throw some lights upon a few key challenges like need for training and lack of manpower that are preventing mechanical and HVAC Contractors from better implementation of BIM. To read the report in details, click here!
