Duncheva, T and Bradley, F F (2019) Multifaceted productivity comparison of off-site timber manufacturing strategies in mainland Europe and the United Kingdom. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(8): 04019043, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Off-site construction methods have been suggested as a necessity for improving the efficiency and productivity of the construction industry through implementation of automation and lean principles in a controlled factory environment, known as modern methods of construction (MMC). The products and the project delivery and management strategies of off-site construction were studied through a multifaceted qualitative exploration of the off-site timber management strategies of 10 manufacturers, including three UK panel, three UK volumetric, and four European (EU) volumetric timber manufacturers. A comparative productivity analysis was carried out and its sensitivities were analyzed, which led to the conclusion that the labor productivity of the surveyed UK panelized and EU volumetric manufacturers was comparable, but the UK volumetric manufacturers' productivity was lower. As a result, the level of automation and the lean and Design for risassembly (DfD) applications of the manufacturers were all explored to understand these productivity differences within the context of current market trends.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | exploration, manufacturer, strategy, United Kingdom, labour productivity, automation, off-site construction, implementation, construction industry, project delivery, management strategy, efficiency, Europe, modern methods of construction, timber manufacturing, productivity |
| Subjects: | practitioner, environmental resource management, project delivery, contractual arrangements, performance management, manufacturing engineering, management, physical geography and landforms, automation and robotics, Geography, building construction, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Construction Technology, Procurement, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Site Management, Quality Management, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here