Doing the hard yards: Tackling the hard to abate sectors for net zero | Martin Wood and Adrian La Porta

Superstructure: The platform system reduces embodied carbon.

My recent article.“Construction Platforms for Asia: Thoughts on the DfMA Journey in Asia-Pacific”.

discussed some recent developments in my region but the interest in using DfMA on construction projects to drive benefits related to cost and programme, quality, productivity, health and safety and sustainability is growing worldwide.. As DfMA grows from a niche topic into a mainstream conversation in the construction industry, more and more government and private sector stakeholders are getting involved developing strategies and finding opportunities.However, there is a fundamental challenge hindering newcomers to DfMA and MMC – understanding what these terms actually mean.. Confusion is a barrier to change: talking about Modern Methods of Construction.The DfMA landscape is littered with acronyms, abbreviations and terminology that is often poorly defined and even more poorly understood.

Terms such as DfMA, MMC, Offsite construction, Prefab, PPVC, MiC and many more are often used interchangeably resulting in great confusion not only for newcomers but also established players in the industry..I believe the lack of clarity around nomenclature in the DfMA landscape has become a major barrier to change.

A clear and universally understood definition framework would help increase stakeholder awareness and confidence in adopting innovative construction methods and could help encourage a more structured and focused conversation across the industry at large..

The minefield of different terms means there is a tendency to assume that the landscape is complicated but there really is a simple relationship between all these different elements and it starts with DfMA.. DfMA is a design approach.With concept and design project stages – where this work is often done – being where the largest potential gains can be made, the power to positively influence a project with thorough optioneering to reduce risk and increase predictability is crucial..

Creating flexible, digital models that reflect the world around us.This is where the real strengths of Discrete Event Simulation (DES), or time-based process simulation, can be brought in.

Using tools such as Lanner Witness or AnyLogic, a digital model can be created from the macro to the micro scale, including global supply chain and logistics, down to individual site operations.Digital models built within these tools are made with the logic and rules necessary to represent the real-world process and constrain the system.