By Viktor Chong viktorchong@thestar.com.my
The new Gamuda Land IBS facility in Banting.
Industrial building system (IBS) is not a new fixture in the global construction landscape, and it has been around for over a decade in Malaysia. Touted as the cleaner, faster and more precise way of delivering houses to the masses, IBS has certainly made inroads with some of the nation’s prominent developers.
What is IBS?
Also known as prefabrication construction and usually referred to as prefab in other parts of the world, IBS is the practise of making building components offsite in a factory. Components are then transported to the construction site to be assembled into the planned structure.
IBS vs traditional construction method
Unlike IBS, conventional methods involve the transportation of basic materials to the site. All assemblies are carried out on the site itself, from the building components to the consolidation of parts to form the planned structure.
Since construction work is done in-situ, dust is generated, resulting in a dirtier site, not considering the noise pollution that will affect the quality of life for nearby stakeholders.
Traditional construction methods also introduce a higher margin of human error, as more manpower is used to construct the building, unlike IBS that relies on machines and robots.
With IBS, panels are delivered to the site and installed like “lego” blocks.
Traditional construction life cycle creates problems
With traditional construction, the architect produces the design, which is followed by the structural design made by the engineer. The drawings are then submitted to the quantity surveyor who estimates and creates the bill of quantity. Eventually, the tender document is given to the contractors who bid for the project.
This process only allows the manufacturers and contractors to be involved during the construction stage; thus, creating problems in the supply chain process and constructability related issues. It also promotes an “over the wall” syndrome which occurs due to a lack of communication among the many departments that influence construction results.
Benefits of IBS:
According to Gamuda Land, the implementation of IBS has reduced construction period by approximately 12 months, dropped labour usage to one-third and curtailing dependency for foreign labour by 63%. LBS Group Bhd managing director Tan Sri Lim Hock San claimed that IBS was responsible towards 33% reduction of construction time, and a further 49% savings in total on-site labour cost due to manpower reduction.
Lim’s observation was based on the application of IBS on the pilot project in LBS Alam Perdana, which consisted of 673 units of double-storey terrace houses. These statements may provide hints towards the future direction of the property development industry. Especially in a time where our nation has a mounting need for affordable houses, cost, efficiency and timely delivery are of paramount importance. Could IBS be the way forward?
Other benefits of IBS:
- Eliminate the need for plastering, which reduces wastage.
- Material from one product can be reused in another.
- Easier control over workmanship as IBS allows navigation through difficult nooks and crannies, which may present a challenge at in-situ construction sites.
- Improved safety at the construction site.
- Reduced noise pollution and heat traps
- Precast concrete structures are more durable to impact and corrosion from acid attack.
A worker tightens the wire used to tie the reinforcement steel cage before concrete is poured into it to form a wall. This is one of the rare, few manual tasks still being performed at an otherwise heavily automated facility.
