They need to work out how to address the vast, global market that’s on the way.
However, there is a fundamental challenge hindering newcomers to DfMA and MMC – understanding what these terms actually mean.. Confusion is a barrier to change: talking about Modern Methods of Construction.The DfMA landscape is littered with acronyms, abbreviations and terminology that is often poorly defined and even more poorly understood.
Terms such as DfMA, MMC, Offsite construction, Prefab, PPVC, MiC and many more are often used interchangeably resulting in great confusion not only for newcomers but also established players in the industry..I believe the lack of clarity around nomenclature in the DfMA landscape has become a major barrier to change.A clear and universally understood definition framework would help increase stakeholder awareness and confidence in adopting innovative construction methods and could help encourage a more structured and focused conversation across the industry at large..
The minefield of different terms means there is a tendency to assume that the landscape is complicated but there really is a simple relationship between all these different elements and it starts with DfMA.. DfMA is a design approach.The clue is in the name.
“Design for Manufacture and Assembly” is a design approach.
Conventional design either has a presumption towards conventional construction or is agnostic regarding the construction method.It is partly with that debate in mind that I think we should discuss what e-commerce may look like when applied to construction.
But it’s mainly because a digital marketplace for construction would be another massive leap forward..In this article I will look at the reasons for a digital marketplace for construction, the benefits of one and the infrastructure that would facilitate one.. What is a 'digital marketplace' and why would we want one for construction?.
In the simplest terms, I’m talking about e-commerce: buying and selling online.I’ll develop this much further below, but a digital marketplace for construction would allow clients to publish their requirements for standard components or repeatable designs, for example, and allow a wide range of suppliers to bid to supply them..
(Editor: Magnetic Thermostats)