Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on April 11, 2022 - April 17, 2022

To say that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted businesses is an understatement. The property development industry has seen a major shift in consumer preference in terms of house design, which has prompted developers to act accordingly. 

Meanwhile, the construction industry has faced several issues, including the supply of workers’ accommodation that adheres to certain standards and the stop-work order for construction activities. There has also been talk on whether the use of modular construction systems should be further encouraged.

Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) president Tan Sri Sufri Mhd Zin notes that the industry’s response to modular construction systems has been pretty much neutral before and during the pandemic. However, he sees more developers and contractors beginning to adopt such systems in view of a possible shortage of foreign labour in the country.

“We observe that there has been no significant change in the demand for modular construction systems. However, in the new normal, with the reduced availability of workforce and higher cost in terms of SOP (standard operating procedure) compliance, modular construction systems can help reduce the number of workers needed. Therefore, some developers and contractors are now moving towards adopting modular construction systems,” he tells City & Country.

Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Malaysia president Datuk Soam Heng Choon observes the same trend, but believes property developers’ interest in modular construction systems has increased.

“Modular construction systems will reduce the dependence on foreign labour as some modules will be manufactured off-site. The response had been lukewarm before the pandemic but due to the current shortage of workers, more industry players are seriously looking into adopting modular construction systems. Most of these systems are non-proprietary, thus it is possible for smaller developers to tap into the supply chain,” he says.

Sufri: In the new normal ... modular construction systems can help reduce the number of workers needed (Photo by Low Yen Yeing/The Edge)

Sufri explains that the commonly available modular construction system in Malaysia is the two-dimensional precast component, which is cast off-site, then transported and installed at the final location.

There is also the three-dimensional volumetric precast component, he notes, which is completely assembled at the factory with almost 80% of finishing trades, which will be transported to and assembled at the final location. He opines that its adoption in the country is limited to concrete prefabricated bathroom units and steel container conversions to cabins.

Both Sufri and Soam reckon that the government needs to provide incentives to the supply chain of modular construction systems, ranging from developers to consultants, contractors, suppliers and buyers. Many smaller developers are still opting for the conventional cast-in systems, according to Sufri. 

“Smaller developers will not and cannot afford to adopt modular construction systems when it is not mandatory while conventional construction and cheap labour are still freely available. Despite that, the pandemic should serve as a wake-up call to the industry that we should lower our dependence on foreign labour and find ways to adopt modular construction systems,” he says.

Soam: Due to the current shortage of workers, more industry players are seriously looking into adopting modular construction systems (Photo by Low Yen Yeing/The Edge)

“The main challenge would be the cost, followed by the availability of logistical machinery, infrastructure and design approach of architecture, civil and structural (C&S) and mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering. For property buyers, the common perception would be whether the cost of adopting modular construction systems leads to an increase in the property’s cost. Put simply, will they be paying more? Having said that, they should know that even with 2D modular construction systems, they will have a more durable and robust dwelling.”

Soam notes that the challenges that impede the adoption of modular construction systems include the lack of expertise from the design stage to construction and installation; economies of scale as a way of keeping costs down is particularly challenging while the current input cost is still high; and the restrictive Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 1984 (a building code that provides the minimum requirements for the control and construction of street, drainage and building in local authorities’ areas).

“[Also,] in general, Malaysian buyers still need to be educated on accepting houses built using modular construction systems with respect to the type of material and the inability to renovate as they wish,” he says.

3D printing

What about 3D printing properties? Sufri feels it is overhyped and that the Malaysian construction industry at large is still considered primitive as it has not even matured to embrace low-level technology modular systems like the Industrialised Building System in projects.

“3D printing is indeed interesting, but it is inconceivable at the moment to adopt this very high-end technology and hence acceptance by the industry remains the biggest challenge. However, in line with the Construction 4.0 Strategic Plan of the government, the industry hopes that the adoption of advanced technologies will be fast-tracked,” he says.

Soam notes that Rehda is hopeful that with technological advancements and digitalisation, 3D printing on a massive scale can be successful. 

“For now, globally, it is still in its infancy stage of design and adoption. This is especially so with regards to the construction of high-rise buildings. If barriers can be overcome, we believe most developers will be willing to adopt 3D printing as their normal construction methodology,” he adds.

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