Innovation in design, manufacturing, and enhancement of performances

The role of design and the delivery process required for prefabricated building systems are different from those commonly adopted in traditional architectural, industrial and engineering design projects. The components of the prefabricated structure have to be designed considering manufacturing, transportation, assembly and disassembly, different structural behaviour and performance requirements, etc. Therefore, prefabricated buildings are comprehensively planned products requiring a greater emphasis on design, processes, modelling, and integration of components relative to traditional building construction. This research program aims to identify and synthesise the underpinning principles for selecting materials and designing integrated systems that holistically consider manufacturing, functionality, structural adequacy, energy consumption, and circular economy into tools that will help design professionals and end-users achieve high-quality designs satisfying end-user performance requirements. Also, the program will establish a training platform that engages the workforce in the design and manufacturing processes to site erection.

The program will enable designing and manufacturing of affordable mass customised prefabricated housing using automated robotic platforms. It will alleviate major market challenge in the prefabricated industry by moving prefabrication away from identical, repetitive building configurations towards high-quality, innovative, high-performance, custom-tailored design products. Development of interoperable Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems will enable easy engagement in design, supply chain, manufacturing, and assembly of the prefabricated buildings. Interoperable BIM platform intends to enable collaboration between design professionals, manufacturers, contractors, and asset managers and minimise the disputes between the stakeholders.