(Left to right) CIDB Chief Executive Datuk Ahmad Asri, JKR Director-General Datuk Roslan Md Taha, and JKR Deputy Director-General Kamaluddin Abdul Rashid during the Question and Answer session.
CIDB to adopts IBS in stages
By Ng Pau Ling
pauline@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and Public Works Department (JKR) planned to adopt Industrialised Building System (IBS) on construction sector in stages and to make it a mandatory by 2020.
“It’s already compulsory for government projects to adopt IBS and can only be exempted under few circumstances, such as renovation or upgrading works using existing structures,” said JKR Deputy Director- General Kamuludin Abdul Rashid in a recent media briefing.
"The number of government projects complied with IBS requirements grows 21.74% from 2016 to 2017, with 23 projects in 2016 increased to 44 this year.
"According to CIDB 2016 statistics, private companies made up a majority of local construction projects, in which 89% of the building projects in Malaysia, including residential, commercial and non-commercial, are carried out by private companies.
"Since it’s already compulsory for government projects, the next challenge is how to promote the usage of IBS in private enterprises – the majority of the industry.
“Under Ministry of Finance’s directive, public projects worth more than RM10mil must achieve a minimum IBS score of 70 by 2018 whereas for the private sector, we are planning to attain a minimum IBS score of 50 for projects value more than RM50mil,” said CIDB chief executive Datuk Ahmad Asri Abdul Hamid.
Ahmad Asri said that IBS is a volume game and the cost factors are inevitable in the initial stage. However, if more industry players are practising the method, the cost will ultimately go down as the volume went up.
"IBS is not limited to mega project. It is applicable for the small-scale project as well. Projects such as school building block with six classrooms can be built while completely following IBS standard,” said JKR Director-General Datuk Sri Roslan Md Taha.
Ahmad Asri said another highlight is the Pre-Approved Plan (PAP), an initiative by JKR to help accelerate construction period while reducing costs. PAP offers model design complied with IBS and modular coordination, in which all components of the building are designed in standardised dimensions.
He added that JKR currently has 120 PAPs classified in 19 categories, including models for school, hospital and police station.
“Hopefully, more projects will be carried out following the PAP with standardised components. It benefits the industry by bringing down cost under a ‘one size fits most’ concept,” said Ahmad Asri.
According to CIDB, the top priorities in current stage is to shape up an eco-system in the construction industry, from manufacturers, installers to contractors, making sure everyone is ready when the time to make IBS mandatory has come.
The implementation of IBS is in line with Construction Industry Transformation Programme’s (CITP) goals to shape a modern, sustainable and productive local construction industry.
IBS is a construction method which building components or modules are pre-fabricated in a factory or plant then transported to the building site for installation. By using this method, it helps to reduce material waste, shorten building period, ease dependence on unskilled foreign workers and promote cost-effectiveness.
