www.buildingsandcities.org/journal-content/special-issues/modern-methods-construction.html
This special issue investigates the broader implications and consequences of MMC over the life of the building - for both civil society and the construction industry.
Modern methods of construction (MMC) are being promoted as a solution to the perceived failings of the construction sector. The narrative is notably characterised by a strong pro-innovation bias. This special issue examines the assumptions underpinning the prevailing 'presumption in favour' of MMC. Evidence is offered about the externalities which lie beyond the narrowly-defined construct of productivity.
Guest editor: Stuart D. Green
Very little evidence exists on the implications of MMC for the material fabric of the built environment. There is also a recurring reluctance to investigate and learn the lessons from previous attempts at the industrialisation of construction. This is of particular concern within the context of housing, although it applies equally to other sectors. A lack of data exists on the implications of MMC for the performance and longevity of buildings, and their ability to respond over time to shifting societal and occupant needs. The durability and adaptability of buildings are of central importance for resource consumption and for the achievement of a net-zero carbon economy. Further concerns relate to environmental performance and occupant wellbeing. Even more importantly, significant concerns remain regarding the implications of MMC for fire safety.
This special issue initiates an important discussion about MMC in its various forms (pre-manufactured value, offsite, industrialised construction, etc). In particular, whether the existing evidence base and research focus have been too narrow and need to be broadened in order to better understand and evaluate the implications of MMC. Is the research community investigating the appropriate questions about MMC and pursuing the interests of wider society? Is the current regulatory regime adequate to identify and reduce new risks?
The safety of the building in use and the potential risks to occupants are vital issues. Meacham's paper focuses on the fire performance and regulatory considerations associated with MMC. He argues that the adoption of MMC presents challenges to traditional building regulatory approaches. Particular attention is focused on the void spaces between prefabricated components, and especially those that exist between prefabricated modules. This paper deserves to be read widely, and its recommendations need to be actioned.
Dowsett et al. take a broad interpretation of MMC as comprising one of many possible constituent technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. They argue that current debates are often dominated by notions of top-down 'technological prediction'. Instead, they offer a co-creation approach using scenario-planning rooted in the tradition of storytelling. This is used to explore how technologies are likely to play out in a highly heterogeneous construction sector. They especially privilege the views of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which are held to be more representative of the construction sector than tier 1 contractors. A useful methodology is provided for structuring a much broader and more realistic debate about the future role of technologies in construction.
Modern methods of construction: reflections on the current research agenda
S.D. Green
Fire performance and regulatory considerations
with modern methods of construction
B.J. Meacham
Speculation beyond technology: building scenarios through
storytelling
R.M. Dowsett, M.S. Green & C.F. Harty
The Need for a 'Critical Turn' in Construction Management Research
R Leiringer & A Dainty
Modernize and Die? Challenging Technological Optimism in Construction
F. Sherratt
Situating MMC within Technological Adoption
G. de Valence
Modern methods of construction: unintended consequences
S.D. Green
Critical reflections on the Construction Playbook
S.D. Green
A history of failed dreams: modern methods of construction and Katerra
A. Rabeneck
Beyond the building: governance challenges in social housing retrofit
H Charles
Heat stress in social housing districts: tree cover–built form interaction
C Lopez-Ordoñez, E Garcia-Nevado, H Coch & M Morganti
An observational analysis of shade-related pedestrian activity
M Levenson, D Pearlmutter & O Aleksandrowicz
Learning to sail a building: a people-first approach to retrofit
B Bordass, R Pender, K Steele & A Graham
Market transformations: gas conversion as a blueprint for net zero retrofit
A Gillich
Resistance against zero-emission neighbourhood infrastructuring: key lessons from Norway
T Berker & R Woods
Megatrends and weak signals shaping future real estate
S Toivonen
A strategic niche management framework to scale deep energy retrofits
T H King & M Jemtrud
Generative AI: reconfiguring supervision and doctoral research
P Boyd & D Harding
Exploring interactions between shading and view using visual difference prediction
S Wasilewski & M Andersen
How urban green infrastructure contributes to carbon neutrality [briefing note]
R Hautamäki, L Kulmala, M Ariluoma & L Järvi
Implementing and operating net zero buildings in South Africa
R Terblanche, C May & J Steward
Quantifying inter-dwelling air exchanges during fan pressurisation tests
D Glew, F Thomas, D Miles-Shenton & J Parker
Western Asian and Northern African residential building stocks: archetype analysis
S Akin, A Eghbali, C Nwagwu & E Hertwich
Lanes, clusters, sightlines: modelling patient flow in medical clinics
K Sailer, M Utley, R Pachilova, A T Z Fouad, X Li, H Jayaram & P J Foster
Analysing cold-climate urban heat islands using personal weather station data
J Taylor, C H Simpson, J Vanhatalo, H Sohail, O Brousse, & C Heaviside
Are simple models for natural ventilation suitable for shelter design?
A Conzatti, D Fosas de Pando, B Chater & D Coley
Impact of roofing materials on school temperatures in tropical Africa
E F Amankwaa, B M Roberts, P Mensah & K V Gough
Acceptability of sufficiency consumption policies by Finnish households
E Nuorivaara & S Ahvenharju
Key factors for revitalising heritage buildings through adaptive reuse
É Savoie, J P Sapinski & A-M Laroche
Cooler streets for a cycleable city: assessing policy alignment
C Tang & J Bush
Understanding the embodied carbon credentials of modern methods of construction
R O'Hegarty, A McCarthy, J O'Hagan, T Thanapornpakornsin, S Raffoul & O Kinnane
The changing typology of urban apartment buildings in Aurinkolahti
S Meriläinen & A Tervo
Embodied climate impacts in urban development: a neighbourhood case study
S Sjökvist, N Francart, M Balouktsi & H Birgisdottir
Environmental effects of urban wind energy harvesting: a review
I Tsionas, M laguno-Munitxa & A Stephan
Latest Commentaries
Lessons from Disaster Recovery: Build Better Before
Mary C. Comerio (University of California, Berkeley) explains why disaster recovery must begin well before a disaster occurs. The goal is to reduce the potential for damage beforehand by making housing delivery (e.g. capabilities and the physical, technical and institutional infrastructures) both more resilient and more capable of building back after disasters.
Will NDC 3.0 Drive a Buildings Breakthrough?
To achieve net zero GHG emissions by mid-century (the Breakthrough Agenda) it is vital to establish explicit sector-specific roadmaps and targets. With an eye to the forthcoming COP30 in Brazil and based on work in the IEA EBC Annex 89, Thomas Lützkendorf, Greg Foliente and Alexander Passer argue why specific goals and measures for building, construction and real estate are needed in the forthcoming round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0).