Carmody, S; Spillane, J P and Clarke, N (2022) Barriers to the implementation of modular construction in Ireland: A case study from an Irish small and medium-sized enterprise perspective. In: Tutesigensi, A and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 38th Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2022, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
Abstract
Traditional construction has begun to struggle with societal demands. Modular construction and pre-fabrication have been studied, providing clear insight into their capabilities. An absence of research based on modular construction in Ireland is evident. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that are inhibiting modular construction adoption in Ireland. A qualitative research method is applied, using 6 semi-structured interviews with the target case study. The firm is based in the southwest of Ireland, with an annual turnover of €10 million, with 55 staff employed. Findings from this pilot study show that the barriers are varied yet subjective to the firm. It is evident that education and knowledge is a core solution to overcoming these barriers. It is recommended that modular workshops should be implemented for academia and industry to fully comprehend what volumetric modular is and its capabilities.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | constraints; innovation; modern methods of construction; off-site production; prefabrication |
| Index terms: | qualitative research method, workshop, traditional construction, modern methods of construction, case study, turnover, interview, fabrication, Ireland, implementation, prefabrication, academia, off-site production, modular construction |
| Subjects: | Geography, manufacturing engineering, heritage and conservation, educational institutions, building construction, construction type, data collection methods, research design and methodology, contractual arrangements, business management |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Construction Technology, Procurement, Design Practice, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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