20 Reasons Why Prefabricated Solutions Are The Future Of Construction

With tight time constraints to work to, health and safety issues to manage, and potentially minimal to no storage available, assembling fans and associated ancillaries on site at a major construction project can be a stressful time. Colin Moss, Car Park and Smoke Control Manager, discusses how these issues can be avoided through certified prefabricated ventilation solutions and the reasons why it is the future of building services in modern construction.

For many years, it has been more common than not to have a disjointed ordering process for fans, associated products, and ancillaries. This means that different parts of a ventilation system would be ordered and delivered from different suppliers, often causing site delays due to incompatible components arriving on site.

This method of working has caused a multitude of headaches for mechanical and electrical services contractors, project, and site managers due to a variety of factors. One of the biggest issues facing the construction industry in recent times is the skilled labour shortage, and this has resulted in potentially not having the right personnel available at the right time on site to assemble the fans and ancillaries.

By using prefabricated ventilation systems, you will significantly reduce the headaches caused by using multiple suppliers, in addition to strengthening on site health and safety, and reducing site costs. The benefits are substantial, and here are just 20 of the top reasons why you should make the switch.

1. Prefabrication is by no means new to the market, however by applying it to construction projects, we are able to better embrace new technology. This is due to the involvement of trained professionals in the installation and assembly of the components, which enables the integration of more complex elements within the unit.
2. Having compliance and performance critical components for your ventilation system assembled offsite means that onsite health and safety is immediately increased.
3. Site time is reduced due to eliminating an entire assembly process, in addition to substantially reduced deliveries needing to take place.
4. In-house manufacturing and assembly provides a safer and more controlled process from start to finish.
5. More cost effective by using controlled manufacturing. This is down to reducing mistakes by the assembly occurring in a professional and monitored environment.
6. Brings a collaborative and team-working culture to project stakeholders ensuring that customer requirements are fully considered in the provided solution.
7. Helps manufacturers become closer to their customer’s real requirements. It’s not uncommon for customers to simplify their requirements for an easier installation process, however by using offsite construction, this is not necessary.
8. Encourages a refinement to product development through front line interactions.
9. Allows earlier interaction within the project between collaborators. This includes the client, designers, fire safety compliance, local authority regulators, contractors and subcontractors, installers, and commissioning agents.
10. Minimises unnecessary site-based supplier queries and streamlines supplier interactions later down the line with significantly less issues arising onsite.
11. Reduces waste onsite due to all components being pre-assembled, allowing for less packaging, and no need for pallets.
12. Onsite delivery congestion is greatly reduced. Your prefabricated ventilation solution will be made from one order, and will arrive onsite in one frame, in one delivery.
13. Significant efficiency gained in every step of the process from quotation, to supply, through to project sign off.
14. Project coordination is immediately more efficient as a result of minimal suppliers and less deliveries.
15. Comprehensive cross engagement between sales, engineering, production and operations to reach the right customer solution.
16. Increased industry recognition for manufacturers and constructors by supplying a complete solution rather than completing small orders.
17. Allows for factory testing and pre-commissioning, ensuring that the unit or system is performing as it should be before being delivered to site. Acoustic equipment can also be tested prior to site installation, ensuring best results.
18. Facilitates simpler compliance with Golden Thread requirements for both manufacturer and project managers.
19. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements for the supply chain is clearly structured and easily met.
20. It is much easier to ensure compliance pre-delivery for smoke and other sensitive elements.

It is clear that as a whole, the industry is embracing changes such as the implementation of offsite construction and ultimately reaping the benefits of enhancing safety and site efficiency. At Elta, our overall goal is to be an extension of a contractor’s team, so helping deploy modern methods of construction like prefabricated ventilation solutions is the right step forward. Since launching our prefabricated range, we have seen an exponential growth rate, and it won’t be a surprise if offsite construction, especially for ventilation equipment, becomes the standard.