Maturity-based mapping of technology and method innovation in off-site construction: conceptual frameworks

Abstract

The construction industry has been associated with inefficiencies. In contrast, Off-Site Construction (OSC) is a modern method of construction that has demonstrated significant improvements over conventional on-site methods. Despite that, OSC represents a tiny portion of the construction industry with a limited rate of diffusion and acceptance. One reason for that is associated with the lack or immaturity of OSC-related research and innovation benchmarking. This benchmarking helps in expanding OSC implementation as a component in driving and directing OSC research as well as roadmapping and measuring the innovation advancements. Hence, this study was intended to contribute to the OSC benchmarking by mapping innovation that paves the road towards building a strategic research and innovation roadmap in OSC. Among different innovation types, this study is limited to two types: technology-oriented and OSC method-oriented innovation. Unlike the traditional roadmaps in the literature, the envisioned roadmap design for OSC innovation in this study is based on maturity modelling. This design includes four components: framework, maturity scales, benchmarks, and targets. However, the focus of the current stage is on the developing the mapping components (framework and maturity scales). Consequently, two sets of frameworks and maturity models were developed to realize the two identified innovation types in OSC. The applicability of these frameworks and scales was demonstrated through hypothetical examples and a case study that is limited to technology-oriented research in the Canadian context. Accordingly, the subsequent case study scope embraces the last three research community meetings (2015-2019) relevant to our study in the indicated context. Based on this case study, the framework was found easy to understand, simple to implement, scalable, applicable across different contexts, and facilitates capturing benchmarks and targets. This confirms promising benefits of the developed frameworks and their effectiveness in roadmapping OSC innovation.

Exploring the Use of Lean, Offsite and Simulation in Housing Delivery: Evidence from the UK

“…Offsite construction (OSC) is a revolutionary approach to the construction industry that has been proven to be more successful in addressing the drawbacks of conventional construction [54]. The offsite concept has been implemented in the construction of houses in numerous countries, including the United States, Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan [55][56][57][58][59][60].…”

“…Adopting OSC has several advantages, such as enhancing quality, productivity, and safety, lowering labour costs and construction duration, and guaranteeing improved sustainable performance [54]. Numerous factors, including the complexity of the buildings, the manufacturing process, the use of technologies, the logistics system, planning, coordination, and control, set the OSC approach apart from traditional construction methods [59].…”

Exploring the Effect of Stakeholder Relationship Quality on Technological Innovation in Off-Site Construction: The Mediating Role of the Knowledge Sharing

“…Process innovation improves construction methods, while product innovation is the implementation and adoption of new products or technologies (Manley, 2008). With the accelerated change in construction technology and the increasing complexity of technological innovation, OSC technological innovation is defined as the new application of existing technologies or engineering methods to improve OSC-related activities (Suliman & Rankin, 2021). Establishing high-quality structures, high performance, and collaboration mechanisms among stakeholders can increase innovation in construction technology (Xue et al, 2018b), and it can realize the integration of innovation resources and the synergy of innovation behaviors, thus realizing the technological innovation of "1 + 1 > 2".…”

Maturity Models in Off-Site Construction and Analysis of Lean Incorporation: Review

“…Off-site construction (OSC) is an innovative type of construction that has been demonstrated to be more effective in overcoming the inefficiencies associated with traditional construction (Suliman & Rankin, 2021). OSC is also known as off-site production, industrialized construction, concrete prefabricated housing, and modern method of construction (Blismas et al, 2010;Dang et al, 2020;Liu et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2020).…”

“…OSC is also known as off-site production, industrialized construction, concrete prefabricated housing, and modern method of construction (Blismas et al, 2010;Dang et al, 2020;Liu et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2020). All these terms refer to innovative engineering systems in which significant portions of operations and construction elements are produced off-site in a factory environment before the final assembly on-site (Suliman & Rankin, 2021). The benefits of OSC adoption are related to improving quality, productivity, and safety, reducing labor intensiveness and construction time, and ensuring better sustainable performance (Dang et al, 2020;Suliman & Rankin, 2021;Wang et al, 2020).…”