When properly implemented, modular construction offers considerable opportunity to improve project performance. However, the construction industry continues to struggle to achieve higher levels of modularization. Since the characteristics and environments in dense urban areas differ to those in rural areas, strategy, pre-project planning, project execution planning, and actual execution of modular construction should also differ. However, research so far has not focused on the implementation of modular methods in urban environments. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify unique challenges and opportunities for implementing modular techniques in urban environments. To meet this goal, this paper examined the current practices, benefits, and barriers in highly dense urban areas by employing a three staged-sequential approach involving the preliminary investigation, main survey (106 responses from 39 companies), and ex-post in-depth interviews with 10 experts. The results show that (1) ‘better site operations’ was selected by practitioners as the greatest benefit, and ‘site access and on-site storage area’ was selected as the key barrier and (2) the practitioners experienced difficulties in transporting modules in urban areas. These findings offer valuable implications to modular technique implementation in urban areas around the world.

Modularization is a well-established method that can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction industry. However, the industry continues to struggle with its implementation, and not all executed modular projects have resulted in successful project performance. This study investigates the combinatorial effects of modularization critical success factors (CSF) on the cost and schedule performances of industrial modular projects and derives a conceptual model of cost and schedule successes using information from actual cases by applying crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis. The findings confirm that CSFs interactively and collectively affect modular industrial project performance. The most commonly involved CSFs for cost and schedule successes are timely design freeze, owner-furnished/long-lead equipment specification, vendor involvement, and management of execution risks. This work contributes to researchers and practitioners in the industrial sector to improve understanding ...

Many researchers, as well as industry practitioners, believe that offsite construction methods are associated with a lower level of worker safety risks than traditional onsite construction methods. This study aims to test such belief by comparing the list of worker safety risks identified by site supervisors for both onsite and offsite construction scenarios for the same building components. Specifically, Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)—prejob hazard assessments required by law in Australia—were collected from two projects where offsite manufacturing has been used, and they were used as a basis for the investigation. Additionally, interviews were conducted with the site supervisors who developed the Statements for a more in-depth investigation of the worker safety risks involved with onsite and offsite construction methods, respectively. The analysis reveals that the total risk score (the higher the score, the more numerous the safety risks) would decrease in the offsite construction scenarios in each case, mainly due to significantly fewer work-at-height tasks included in the offsite construction scenarios. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing an empirical, evidence-based explanation for why offsite construction can help reduce safety risks on construction sites.