Prefab construction concept gaining prominence in India

The concept of Prefab construction, even though at a nascent stage, is fast catching up in several major cities across India. It offers multiple advantages in terms of saving on time, cost and labour, besides the benefit of improved quality. It provides a tremendous shift from the conventional model of construction which was time-consuming and costlier due to the number of steps involved in the process right from sourcing the raw materials to assembling them in the right proportion to constructing the structure. Besides, the labour force that was required in the construction process was also much more compared to prefab construction.

Prefab concept

Prefab construction which is also called precast construction involves the construction of concrete blocks which are done off-site and ahead of time. Such structures are generally constructed in standard measurements and transported to the construction site as and when they may be required. The speciality of these structures is that they are composed and assembled in blocks, in such a way that they can be removed later, if required. Production of such concrete blocks follows a mechanical and robotised system in which components employed in the production process move starting from one point to the next, with additions in between, until the final product is obtained. Quality checks are performed at every single stage of production with strict adherence to assembling codes of production.

Houses constructed using prefab blocks differ from conventionally constructed houses in that a large portion of their structures are constructed using pre-assembled concrete blocks made in a processing plant. They are then mounted one on top of the other at the site of construction to give shape to the structure as per the requirement. This type of lodging construction is also called modular home development. Such modular homes can be developed completely or partially using fabricated components. Even though such type of construction was previously employed in the construction of schools, colleges, administrative offices and organisations of military or non-military personnel, it is currently being increasingly employed in the construction of commercial and residential projects.

Benefits

There are numerous benefits that accrue by employing the Prefab construction concept, both tangible and intangible. Saving on construction time and costs is the most tangible benefit by employing this concept. Moving construction materials within the city from time to time can be cumbersome and can add to the construction costs with delays ensuing. By bringing prefab blocks which have been fabricated at factories to the construction site to be assembled directly, developers can reduce manual labour that is otherwise required by upto 40 per cent. As a result, construction of a 15-storey building which normally takes upto 18 months to complete, can be completed in 12 months. Moreover, there is the assurance regarding timely delivery as well as quality control.

Acceptance in India

Many countries like Singapore have generally accepted this technology concept, globally even though it is yet to gain in prominence in India. However, it has been used extensively in many major infrastructure projects like in the construction of elevated expressways and metro rail projects. Besides, many construction conglomerates like Tata Housing and L&T have employed this technology in their residential projects in major cities like Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. However, to gain general acceptance across the country, public awareness should be created with regards its quality, durability, cost and safety.

Assurance of quality

There are various checks and approvals undertaken at each stage of production to ensure the quality of the finished product. As specified in the National Building Code, four engineers should certify the product. They are the ground engineer, the structural engineer, the review consultant and the construction engineer. This ensures that the quality of the construction blocks is not compromised in any manner.