ARC Linkage

Efficient Construction: Analysis of Integrated Supply Chains for Innovative Off Site Housing Manufacturing

Summary

The Australian housing industry is failing to meet demand. Housing construction is too slow, as indicated by a 40 per cent increase in average construction time over the last fifteen years. The housing industry is inefficient. Industry fragmentation is an oft-cited cause of construction inefficiency. A solution is off site manufacturing. Australia lags other countries in adoption of off site manufacturing. To achieve adoption and diffusion we need to address fragmentation. This project analysed the factors affecting supply chain integration to support innovative off site manufacturing and developed a novel collaborative practice based implementation model.

Research Team

Western Sydney University

  • Prof. Kerry London (Chief Investigator)
  • Dr. Zelinna Pablo (Postdoctoral Research Fellow)
  • Olutope Ibidapo (Phd Student)
    • PhD Project: Integrated Project Delivery for Off Site Manufacturing in the Housing Sector

RMIT University

  • Associate Professor Peter SP Wong (2017)
  • Associate Professor Malik Khalfan (2015-2016)

Partners

  • Australian Research Council
  • Western Sydney University
  • Frasers Property
  • Master Builders Association
  • FMG Engineering
  • Metricon Homes
  • RMIT University

Impact

Increased off site manufacturing will improve housing supply by reducing construction time up to 80%. By integrating the supply chain through off-site manufacturing, this $43 billion industry can prepare for a future where more construction occurs away from the building site. Off site manufacturing can reduce materials waste by up to 90% and onsite accidents by up to 80%. The partners and researchers will collaborate to develop a new model (industry article)  to implement off site manufacturing for the housing sector.

Academic Publications

London, K, & Pablo, Z, 2017, ‘An actor–network theory approach to developing an expanded conceptualization of collaboration in industrialized building housing construction’, Construction Management and Economics. Special Issue on Social networks in Construction. DOI: 10.1080/01446193.2017.1339361.

Pablo, Z, London, K & Wong, PSP 2017, ‘Adapting novel research techniques to analyse collaboration in offsite manufacturing housing construction innovations’, in P Chan and CJ Neilsen (eds), Proceedings of the 33rd Association for Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM 2017): Brutally Innovative Construction, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK, 124-133.

Pablo, Z, & London, K 2017, ‘Developing collaborative capacities in industrialized building: roadmap for knowledge transfer,’ in E Fidelis and M Behm (eds), in Proceedings of the Joint CIB W099 and TG59 International Safety, Health, and People in Construction Conference: Towards better Safety, Health, Wellbeing, and Life in Construction, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), 553-563.

Pablo, Z, & London, K 2016, ‘Actor-network theory as a processual approach to understanding collaborative practice in innovative construction supply chains,’ in Under New Management Innovating for sustainable and just futures 30th ANZAM Conference, ANZAM 2016, Brisbane, presented at ANZAM 2016, Brisbane, 06 - 09 December 2016, https://anzam2016.com/wp-content/uploads/ANZAM_Proceedings/ANZAM_Proceedings.pdf

London, K, Pablo, Z & Khalfan, M 2016, 'Mechanisms for industry transformation: analysis of organisational citizenship behaviours in a design-production innovation', in M Prins et al. (eds), CIB World Building Congress: Environmental Opportunities and Challenges (WBC 2016), Tampere University of Technology, 573-590.

Pablo, Z & London, K 2016, 'A collaborative practices typology for Australian prefabricated housing networks: convergence, alignment and coordination', Sustainable Housing 2016: The 2016 International Conference on Sustainable Housing Planning, Management, and Usability, Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, pp. 725-734.

Pablo, Z, London, K & Khalfan, M 2016, 'Walking the line: navigating the space between calculus-based and relational trust in construction supply chains', in Matthijs Prins, Hans Wamelink, Bob Giddings, Kihong Ku and Manon Feenstra (eds), CIB World Building Congress: Environmental Opportunities and Challenges (WBC 2016), Tampere University of Technology, vol. 2, pp. 536-547.

London, K & Pablo, Z 2015, 'Innovation in off site manufacturing in the field of housing: a case study using Bourdivian and actor-network approaches', in C Egbu & MA Farshchi (eds), Going north for sustainability: Leveraging knowledge and innovation for sustainable construction and development, IBEA Publications Ltd, pp. 297-307.

London, KA, Pablo, Z & Khalfan, M 2015, 'A multilevel analysis of collaboration in off site manufacturing supply chains using actor network theory', in Wang, X & Chi, H (editors), International Conference on Innovative Production and Construction (IPC 2015), IPC2015 Organizing Committee, pp. 117-122.

Industry Publications

  • Industry Article: Built Environment & Urban Transformation:  Off Site Manufacturing Collaborative Practices to Deliver change. Article
  • Industry article: ASBEC Policy Paper, available soon.
  • Industry brochure: Efficient construction - Analysis of integrated supply chains for innovative offsite housing manufacturing. Brochure
  • Industry Brochure: Built Environment & Urban Transformation:  Off Site Manufacturing Collaborative Practices to Deliver change. Brochure

Media and Events

Three Industry Academic Events were hosted for this project and the following were supporting partners: Australian National Housing Supply Chain, Boral, CSR, HIA, Australian Sustainability Built Environment Council and Lean Construction Institute. The Breakfast Events were held in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

  • Kerry London's breakfast event PowerPoint Presentation
  • ARC linkage Video showing highlights about the project, including the development of training materials based on the team’s collaborative practice model.

Keynotes

  • Available soon
  • Kerry London is available to speak on the following topics: supply chain integration, collaboration, housing innovation, offsite manufacturing, technology adoption in construction supply chains

Executive Education

  • Available soon