Prefabrication in a South African Metropole

Abstract

The adoption of prefabrication in many developing countries, including South Africa, remains slow. The aim of the study was to determine why the adoption of prefabrication in South African construction has been slow, and to evolve a framework of interventions to promote the adoption thereof. An online quantitative study was conducted among a range of built environment practitioners in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole. Key findings include: quality, schedule, and cost predominate in terms of the benefits of prefabrication; limitation of design changes, the need for early constructability information, and increased upfront capital costs predominate in terms of the constraints to prefabrication, and there is potential for and a need for increased prefabrication. Conclusions include: prefabrication is not pervasive; there is an ‘appetite’ for prefabrication; increased usage is dependent upon the availability of prefabricated systems and elements, designers’ willingness to adopt them, and designers’ willingness to engender prefabrication through design; there is a valid case for prefabrication, especially with respect to quality, but also schedule, on site work, and cost; there are challenges in terms of the adoption of prefabricated systems and elements, however, they are not insurmountable, and there is potential to increase prefabrication due to the resulting benefits. In terms of recommendations, five categories of interventions were evolved to promote the adoption of prefabrication, namely information, awareness, design, competency, and manufacturers.