CDL and contractor Teambuild used the Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction method for the Brownstone EC.
Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is set to honour a record number of companies for pioneering the adoption of advanced and efficient construction methods, reported the Straits Times.
It will confer the Construction Productivity Awards to a total of 11 project teams and 15 firms at an event in Resorts World Sentosa next Tuesday (13 June). This represents the highest number of companies that obtained accolades under the “Advocates” category since it was launched in 2013.
“It is encouraging to see more firms changing the way we build, by shifting most construction work off site for efficient assembly on site, and making use of info-communication technologies to improve work processes,” said BCA Group Director Ang Lian Aik.
The Platinum Award was secured by developer City Developments Limited (CDL) for taking the lead in using Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) methods here, marking the second time it has obtained the accolade.
Construction contractors Teambuild and Dragages Singapore also clinched the top prize.
PPVC enables companies to assemble a building just like a Lego set by utilising prefabricated modules complete with fittings, fixtures and finishes. For instance, CDL and Teambuild had put together 5,000 modules to construct the Brownstone executive condo in Sembawang.
This is believed to be the world’s biggest and first-of-its-kind usage of the full concrete PPVC for a major housing project, noted the BCA.
According to Anthony Chia, CDL’s Executive Vice President for projects, they also utilise Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) methods, which takes advantage of off-site prefabrication, using technologies like PPVC.
“Over the years, we have pioneered DfMA techniques, which enabled us to enhance productivity and worksite safety as fewer workers are required on-site.”
“In turn, this leads to fewer accidents and less down time. DfMA also helps to ensure quality and generates less construction waste for cleaner and safer worksites, as the building components are manufactured in a controlled factory environment before being assembled on-site,” he added.
Last week, the BCA’s outgoing CEO Dr John Keung said they hope that by 2020, 40 percent of building projects in Singapore will utilise the DfMA building technique.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
