Advantages Of Modular Construction For Future Cities

Background Information

What advantages arise from using modular construction practices?

Due to the immense changes in the technology experienced in almost all the sectors in the world today, it is least expected that the cities of the future will be comparable to the cities of today. Extreme changes in the climate and weather are expected due to the increasing variability in the climate and this is expected even with greater frequency and even the areas that have always remained virtually silent are expected to respond. There will be introduced new materials and process that will serve as gates to opportunities to design and configure structures of buildings to tolerate these changes (Koones, 2013, p.135). This calls for the need to consider multiple and carried aspects during planning, construction and building stages of operation. This is only achievable and feasible in the future through a thorough interplay of architecture, urban planning, structural engineering and building services. Modular building systems in one such technique that tends to build these various aspects together to create a building that is not only sustainable but also meets the functionality and aesthetic needs of the users of the spaces within the structure.

Introduction

In the words of Roland Busch who is a member of the managing board of Siemens AG and the CEO of the infrastructure and Cities Sector, the cities are the pivot of global development. It is from the cities that the future of the human race takes shape, the point of springing of economic growth from the numerous activities of the more than half of the population of the world. It is in these very cities that most challenging environmental concerns are most evident.

The look, as well as the feel of the cities of the future, will be quite different from the one of today due to the very rising need to improve the quality of life, the viability of the environment as well as the economic competitively that will serve to drive a new way of living (Kruger, 2012, p.233). It is anticipated that the high-rise buildings that are currently in the cities and towns be like small towns that have shops, workshops and home and even inclusive of farm and gardens which will all be placed under one roof. The spaces around human beings will have high degrees of flexibility and thus adjustable in a way that matches the needs of the occupants of the region. The changes will happen in such a way that people will not own things and instead, they will have to pay in order to use an item or space after which they give it back, hand it off or even recycle it after using it.  

Aims and Objectives

The advancements in technology will enable people to live efficient lives with numerous people working from homes, able to change between business and leisure, the real and the imaginary or virtual. These new life systems will bring together the neighbors forming a vibrant and highly dynamic community. Another important expected change will be experienced in buildings in which the buildings will be expected to get smart. The buildings in the current cities of the work are responsible for the major consumption of energy by a city as well as the greenhouse emissions. Such buildings are thus a representative of a large potential for saving energy and thus the key to sustainable developments in the cities (Lawson, 2014, p.238).

A building is anticipated to be self-sufficient, able to yield surplus energy, recycling their own wastes collecting rainwater, minimizing the use of water and recycling or reusing gray water. The buildings are as well expected to be fully intelligent and automated having numerous sensors that will facilitate switching off and on of the lights. Rooms will only be optimally heated when they are occupied and remain unheated in unoccupied states.

The scarcity of resource as well as the changes in the human demographics are among the main challenges that are experienced in the 21^st century moving forward. There is thus the need to address the fundamental questions on the character of future buildings, settlements, and infrastructure so as to ensure readiness in facing the changes that will accompany the future cities. Advance and far-sighted planning are integral when it comes to creating future cities (Emmitt, 2014, p.314).

As a result of the ever-increasing concern towards an environmentally sustainable future especially in the cities, the development in the 21^st century will mainly be influenced by growth and transformation that is experienced in the cities. It is estimated that to the tune of 3 billion people will be living on the surface of the earth by the year 2050, all of whom will require a place to refer to as home. 67% of the population of the world is expected to be living in the cities by 2025. Similarly, there are extrapolations that there will be a 50% increase in the energy demand by the same time within will translate to an increase in the levels of emissions of carbon dioxide (Koones, 2013, p.330).

Research Rationale

Sustainability is a growing concern and is ever gaining national and internal attention and interest. Emission of carbon dioxide among other greenhouse gases remains a serious challenge in most of the cities around the globe and this is projected to continue even to the future cities. As the human population increases, every day and more people migrating to the cities in search of improved quality of life, the levels of emissions of carbon dioxide are found to increase raising sustainability concerns.

Limitations of the Research

Various sustainability approaches have been proposed to help contain the situation. Maybe the use of modular building systems may be one of the best methods. Modular building systems involve constructions of building using modules, techniques that have been found to be environmentally friendly and hence a significant player in meeting sustainability needs. Modular building systems have numerous advantages that may see the future cities more sustainable and tolerable to the rapidly changing technology (McGuerty, 2017, p.160).

Aims and Objectives

Aim

The aim of this study is to find out the advantages and benefits that accrue when modular construction practices are adapted for cities

Objectives

The objectives of the study include:

Doing an extensive study on modular building practices and systems that are used in contemporary construction

Investigating the impacts of modular building systems in the cities of the future

Carrying out research on the technological changes that are expected of the future cities

Investigating the contribution to the sustainability by modular building systems especially in the future cities

Limitations of the Research

The scope of the research is one of the limitations of this study. While this research has a time span for which it is to be submitted, the time provided is not long enough to allow very elaborate, extensive and expansive study and production of academic paper of very large sizes as have been produced by the previous experienced scholars. The scope and the depth of this discussion is thus comprised in numerous levels so as to meet the various constraints among them time. Lack of enough and elaborate information is yet another challenge with this study. Modular building systems is a technology or technique that has not been in the field for a long time and as such there is not so much literature about the study. This limits the depth of identification of the scope of the study.

Introduction

This chapter presents a review of the modular construction, its advantages, disadvantages, the solution to the disadvantages as well as the market trends and the future expectations. The advantages may be classified into advantages and disadvantages that are common to any modular project and those that are specific to a unique modular project. The common advantages include quality control, improved safety, cost-effectiveness and environmental impact among other advantages. The disadvantages that are applicable to all include among them the reduced value of the building, financial constraints, increased risk as well as limited customization. Advantages that are specific to a unique project are inclusive or reduced cost, increased quality, and reduced schedule while an increase in the cost is a disadvantage to a unique specific project.

Literature Review

Overview of Modular Construction

Modular construction has formed one of the hottest topics in North America as at the moment with the buzz being witnessed in sophisticated and interesting videos showing the various concepts of tie technology all over social media (Trubiano, 2013, p.165). Modular construction is an off-site type of production in which the buildings are built on the factories and then transported to the sites. Modular construction defines the process through which the construction of the building is done off the site of construction under conditions of regulated plants and adopting the very materials and designing to the same standards and codes that are used for the conventionally constructed facilities and structures though in approximately half the time. In modular construction, the building is generated in modules which when assembled together on the site illustrates the identical design intentions and specifications of the most complex facilities that are have built on the site without comprising the quality.

The units or the modules are built to the satisfaction of the customers. Should a client decide to use modular construction, the initial step would involve looking for a factory that is able and willing to construct a modular unit that is in line with his intentions and specifications (Molinari-Tosatti, 2012, p.258). This is because the factories involving in the modular construction build units that are in correspondence with the specifications of the project as opposed to just generating copies of a unit. The factories are able to manufacture both the interior and the exterior besides other aspects of that are specific to a project. The task to be done by the site crew in finishing a project done through modular construction is greatly reduced as up to 90% of the construct modular is done as the factories. This is an aspect that is incorporated by all the various types of modular construction. It is at this point that structural modular construction begins to take a turn as there are both permanent and re-locatable modular units.

Permanent modular units are those units intended to remain at the point of their location for a relatively long period of time. Such units are permanently installed when they are delivered to the construction site. On the other hand, re-locatable modular units can be moved by the [projects managers or the building managers before the end of the three-year mark. Permanent modular units have been found to meet the International Building Codes requirements and are in most cases not separable from the traditional built structures and facilities. The permanent structures account for about 50% of the modular industry (Thompson, 2013, p.310).

The same materials as those of the traditional construction are used in both permanent and re-locatable modular structures. This is despite the fact that not each company can offer every option that in needed and instead the factories specialize in a single type so as to cut back on costs and maintain efficiency. There are numerous ways in which traditional construction can incorporate modular units, for example, the incorporation of specific units into traditional structures by a modular construction project. This is observable in places such as addition or repairs. This illustrates that it is possible to build modular units to defined specifications and are aimed at easing construction (Princiotta, 2011, p.354).

Modular construction demands an elaborate and intensive process in the design to make sure the prefabrication pieces or units fit the project for which they are being manufactured. This is to ensure that they are neither larger than space nor will some of them remain during fitting. From this, the units are taken through a series of engineering requirements that are meant to ensure they attain the state, local, federal as well as other building codes.

An assemblage of structural units is done in order to meet the needs of the project. The frame is constructed and the subfloor insulated. Other activates that can be done to the structural units in the assemblage include passing down the line the unit and installing the various parts from the drywall to the finishing touches. Other services such as mechanical and electrical installations can as well be made. The structure is then finally transported to the site. A delay in the transportation of certain parts of the units may be done by the company depending on the size of the project to ensure that the units are not idling on the site for days at the same time (Ng, 2009, p.158). Completion of any finishes and connection of the utilities is the only activity that is carried out at installation.

Modular construction has widely been applied in Europe where it has been in place for more than a decade and applied in both temporary and permanent structures. North America is as well gaining momentum in the adoption of this technology which has various applications among them in hotels, hospitals, apartments among other similar buildings.

The greenery nature of modular construction is part of the reason for which Europe embraced it. Construction of the units at the factory leads to the production of less waste as well as reducing the demand for raw materials. The amount of energy required for the creation of new building is also minimized through modular constructions that enable easy relocate, refurbishment and disassembly of units as unit parts (Pinkert, 2014, p.241).

Advantages of Modular Construction

Environmentally friendly

Modular construction comes into a picture of green, eco-friendly building in various ways:

• The types of construction materials used: Modular construction uses the same materials and the ones used in regular construction in most cases. However, a significant number of factories are on the increase of adopting sustainable materials in a bid to reduce the footprint of carbon. An example is mobile modular which makes use of carpet tiles that are self-adhering in the construction of the portable buildings. Such materials do not emit volatile compounds(Rondal, 2010, p.311). Still, these companies have been found to either reuse their products or in other cases recycle a significant portion of the materials that are utilized in the generation of the modular constructions.
• Constructions that is energy-efficient: Due to the mass production procedure that is in line with standard specifications in the generation of modular buildings, construction of modular buildings is thus quickly. A reduction in the time of construction translates to effectiveness and efficiency in the use of energy and other resources as well as reducing the amount of construction waste. In as much as it is arguable that a significant amount of energy may be required in building and manufacturing the modules or units especially on a large scale, such an argument can be countered with the reasoning that the effort, energy and time spent in construction is greatly reduced when using modular construction technology(Rondal, 2010, p.369).
• Reusability of modular constructions: The possibility of erecting a building in a matter of a while is one of the main advantages of modular buildings as well as bringing it down and moving it to another location as soon as one is done with it. Using the same modular buildings time and time again helps in saving time, energy, resources and money thus lowering the consequent construction waste.
• High Quality

There has been witnessed significant improvement in the manufacturing of modular homes in the recent past which can usually compete closely with the standard stick built conventional homes. At other times, the quality of modular homes may even be better in comparison with the works of some stick builders (Smith, 2017, p.271). The construction of modular homes is a process that is undertaken in the factory setting along with an assembly line meaning the process for all the pieces or units is takes through intense and elaborate quality control.

On the other hand, a stick built home is constructed from scratch on the site on to which it will sit. At times the builders of the stick built homes may not have enough tasks in terms of keeping the lumber that is applied in the process of construction from the various elements. Such kinds of neglect may result in problems which may only be noticed numerous years later (Commission, 2009, p.233).

Speed of Construction

It is relatively quick to set up modular buildings compared to a regular stick built building. This is in relation to the possible areas in which delays normally arise in the construction process of a regular building. It is possible to source the materials used in stick built construction from across the country and each of the suppliers is expected to ensure that the materials get to the site to be used by the contractor on time (Szewczyk, 2015, p.187). This is a possible source of delay that may result in a lot of time being spent on the construction process. Numerous opportunities are available for things to go the wrong ways just in the process of transportation alone. A modular building of one of the numerous buildings being constructed by the manufacturers, meaning that the supplies of the modules or units are usually in enough capacity to ensure the job is delivered within the provided time schedules.

Another integral issue with stick built structures or facilities may be the weather. During rainy seasons or otherwise snowing and any dangerous weather conditions such as thunderstorms, the contractors may be forced to stop the work until there are significant improvements in the weather. For the case of a modular building, the process of construction is undertaken indoors where there are no issues with the weather (Trubiano, 2013, p.236). A modular building system is a perfect deal when o comes to transitioning from an existing home to a new place in cases where a client has time constraints as it time-saving.

On the other hand, modular construction reduces to significant levels the risk of theft of the construction materials caused by third parties such as thieves. Theft of the materials usually takes place when the building has not adequately been secured and can be executed by the laborers who car working on the construction site.

Cost-effective

Since a modular building is one of the many buildings that is being undertaken by a manufacturer with possible less downtime, its constructions come with fewer costs. Research has established that the costs of a modular building may be up to 15% cheaper than a stick built a building of the same specifications and it can be even more affordable in the case once s building the home in a place that is hard to move to or distant from the major manufacturing centers.

Modular buildings have the capability of saving money due to reduced labor and cost of materials savings (?l?zak, 2010, p.110). Construction of the site helps in the maximization of labor efforts and quality while ensuring minimization of the purchases of materials and waste generation. There are numerous financing options that are associated with modular buildings: one may opt to lease the portable building, guaranteed buy-back plan option, choose on a lease-to-own plan or even outrightly purchase the building. This makes modular designs an excellent solution that achieves all the various types of industries to offer state-of-the-art services which are cost effective and are delivered within the required timelines.

Acoustics

Research and experiment have established that modular buildings have better acoustics than traditionally built structures. Propagation of sound in traditionally built structures is through the walls Dn the callings and this forms the basis if the use of floating floors in the suppression of noise in such structures. For the cade of modular buildings, each of the modules is a differentiated construction (Trubiano, 2013, p.562). These modules linked together in the building are protected from the transfer of noise to each other. In so doing, the acoustics of the modular buildings is significantly improved and this reduced noise levels.

Financial Constraints

Most people are familiar with mortgages for the stick built buildings. The process of paying for a modular building is quite rigorous as it involves a few more steps that need to be completed before the payment may be completed. The contractor would always want full payment for the construction work before the completion of the building and will always emend periodic payments in order to facilitate the financing of the building process. This may call upon the client to go for a construction loan to make payments to the contractor which will finally be changed to a regular mortgage upon the completion of the construction process. This call upon the client to have an understanding on how to get the best rate of interest on the loan take as there a number of times that buyers may not spend the recommended amount of time doing research on the best programs on loans as per their specific need (Yessios, 2010, p.238).

Most of the banks are not familiar with the modular construction process and the fact that in modular construction most of the payments are supposed to be made in advance. This has seen some banks go to the extent of denying some of the clients the mortgage that is needed to fund the process prompting the client to look at other possible options before they can finally continue with the construction process of their modular buildings.

Reduced value of the structure

Modular homes are having numerous perceptions surrounding them: that they may be of low quality hence making it a big challenge to resell the buildings. For a long time, modular homes have been associated with low-quality homes that only boast of dated designs like the nightmare of every home buyer. Despite the efforts being put in place so as to change the perception of the market on these homes, not so much has been achieved and it may take a few more years for the modular buildings to be perceived to be equal in standard to stick built buildings if not superior (Webster, 2016, p.258).

Lack of customization

There are a variety of configurations through which modular buildings can be constructed but due to the cat that they are manufactured from the factories, customization is not as easy as the case with stick built buildings. It is practically possible to build anything somebody wants through stick built constructions- a tower located off the master bedroom, a circular floor plan or even a living room that has lofts. The flexibility of modular buildings is quite reduced.

Going by the choice of the company a client make, he can be tied up with a limited variety of options for materials and the possibilities of home layout. This will result in a building that has less than desired or anticipated flexibility (Webster, 2016, p.253).

Still, on the same note, modular construction may suffer reduced adaptability t changes in the design. There is increased interdependency of construction activities in modular construction such that any changes in the design of the building will lead to a complete disruption of the inter-related activities. This means that the design is not subject to changes as soon as it has been approved making modular construction not adaptable to changes in the design.

Increased risk

Changes are introduced by modular construction to the standard organization of a project which serves to develop a new set of risk among them improper project management, utilization of non-qualified engineering and construction firms, challenges with the fabrication shops, problems with procurements and engineering as well as losses in the modules or damage of modules during transportation (Emmitt, 2014, p.268).

Increased cost

The additional man-hours that are needed in the design and engineering of a project done through modular construction lead to an increase in the cost of engineering and design of the project by about 10%. This is illustrated in the case of a project that was done by the Rack Structure Group which due to the need to comply with both the US and Canadian standards, the experienced an approximately doubled engineering cost but they ensured the building would serve the intended design purposes. Such additional costs in the design and engineering aspects may lower the savings that may be achieved in the installation of the project on site.

Due to the efforts required in the evaluation and selection of the fabricators, vendors and fabrication shops that would be needed in the administration of the contracts, there is witnessed an increase in the procurement cost by about 20% for modular construction projects. There is an increase in the cost of transportation and fabrication activities by about 13% and 17% respectively and the increase in the cost of transportation is normally approximately 1-2% of the value of the modules being transported. Such an increase in the cost of transportation is attributed to the specialized methods of transportation and the module insurance. Still, the need for additional materials may lead to an increase in the costs (Carswell, 2012, p.189).

There are numerous challenges and limitations that are accompanied with modular building systems. Such challenges can be addressed through a number of techniques among them monocoque and the use of hybrid modular construction system.

Monocoque technology modular construction

Monocoque technology or the shell structure is mostly applicable in areas that have unstable soils on which conventional foundations may not be successful. This technology has a piece of shell that resembles the shell of an egg or the unibody of a car. The shell is made of plywood sheathing that is unified using sheet metal plates. There is an internal frame system that is used in transferring the loads to the foundation bearing points. This result is a very rigid structure which is able to carry its own load under circumstances that a conventional foundation would fail. This technology is also applicable in remote areas in which construction of adequate foundation is a challenge or in zones that are prone to earthquakes (Lutchman, 2016, p.277).

In the construction using the monocoque technology, the building is designed in the form of a stick built through the use of conventional spruce lumber and 19mnm sheathing of plywood. The connections are reinforced using galvanized sheet metal and the shear stress transferred using a large number of nails.

Construction of the monocoque shell is done using 19 mm sheets of plywood that are used in covering the roofs, the main floor as well as the side walls. The main floor is designed in such a way that it hangs from the side walls which in turn transfer the loads to the frames. It is expected that the frame would provide the lateral and torsional stability that would enable the opening of both ethic rear and front walls as well as transfer all the loads that come from the monocoque. In order to reduce torsional stresses, the footings of the front wall are located in such a way that they are close together. The openings are kept small in size and number due to the significant impact of the stresses on the wall (Dreiseitl, 2009, p.302). The design is done in such a way that any extra reinforcement in the future may easily permit larger openings. Design of connection in engineered wood structures is a bit of a challenge since nailing of the plywood call for much more than the conventional edge distance of 9.5 mm and thus the need of a double forming material so as to back up the joints.

Hybrid modular construction

Hybrid modular construction refers to the combination of two construction types: site and modular construction. This gives the contractors an opportunity to concentrate on what each of them is best able to deliver with minimal coordination as opposed to one contractor working on the entire project. The contractors are able to divide and conquer, breaking the project into smaller and easier portions that are controllable and manageable. The two construction types can continue at the same time thereby saving time and money spent on the project. The factory environments as well play an integral role in the provision of a safer, more efficient, sustainable solution to building and creating a healthier environment (Kim, 2016, p.287).

Hybrid modular construction focuses on the use of accelerated methods of building in the construction of buildings. The technology has received praise from engineers, architects, construction managers as well as developers following the benefits they have been able to reap from the teaming up to design and construct a modular house.

Hybrid modular construction has been applied in the design and installation of buildings across the globe that has been applied in various institutions as needed by the clients especially when the time is of utmost essence. Through the utilization of the accelerated methods of building, the clients have been able to attain their desired program as well as design as they achieve the benefits of modular construction. There are reductions in the construction schedules enabling the client to have early occupations to space. Hybrid modular construction also ensures further benefits such as consistency in the quality of construction, reduction in the disruptions of the normal activities on the site as with the case of the traditional methods of constructions and a safer and inherently eco-friendly construction method (Kruger, 2012, p.358).

Market Trends and Future Developments of Modular Building Systems

The permanent modular construction segment of modular construction systems generated the highest share of revenue in 2017 during which the US was the highest generator of revenue. The development of pre-manufacturing and modularization of structural elements have acted as catalysts in the development of infrastructure used in different commercial ventures. Still, the demand for modular construction has been stimulated by the increase in urbanization besides the rise in the trend of movable homes. The market growth is expected to expand even further as a result of the emergence of automation and development of different modeling and designing software among the BIM (Pinkert, 2014, p.241).

The demand for modularized structures has been boosted but the ever rapidly increasing cost of materials used in conventional construction such as re bricks and cement all over the world. Still, owners of premises in developed economies such as the United States of America have realized that it is more cost-effective and efficient to use the current forms of modular construction for the anticipated projects. Some of the examples of units that have adopted this technology include modular pump houses, medical buildings, cabins, offices as well as gymnasiums. An increase in the high rise office buildings in most of the metropolitan sites around the world which makes construction on the site a menace have had an impact in pushing the market growth of modular construction systems. The modular construction system is projected to grow to as high as 6% during the period of forecast and thus representing about 4/5the of the size of the global market.

The changes in the lifestyle and the inflated cost of residential flats in the United States have led to the rise in a modularized building in the country. Being one of the most developed economies of the world, the US experiences a changing lifestyle, an increase in population as well as increased high costs of residential flats every time. The concept of green buildings and inclination towards sustainability and cost-effective construction has immensely impacted on the growth of modular construction in the markets of the region (Mahmoud, 2011, p.112).

On the other hand, countries like India, China, and Japan are among those that are having the fastest growing economies in the world. In such countries, a strong increase in the population for the urban areas besides the rapid growth rate of industrialization alongside cost-effectiveness has produced a high demand for modularized residential and commercial buildings. India is projected to witness the highest growth rate with regard to modular construction market growing at a CAGR of 9.5% throughout the entire forecast period. The greater share of the global market is owned by permanent modular construction and this is attributed to its high sustainability as well as high durability (Emmitt, 2014, p.178).

The permanent modularized structures encompass those structures whose design and construction has been done off the site and are then transported and installed at the final location of the site. Such structures are not relocatable. Various parts of the world are currently experiencing very harsh environmental conditions and economic atmospheres. Permanent modular construction systems have turned out to be the best alternative to conventional construction owing to a number of advantages. Numerous clients from all over the world mostly in Europe and North America have been attracted to the technology due to the materials that are used in the construction which are eco-friendly and as well cost effective.at least 60% of the market is held by this segment which is expected to be on the rise in the coming future.

The concept of offsite construction and onsite installation has gained popularity due to its ability to offer not only temporary but also permanent solutions of the same magnitude. Due to its dynamics and versatile applications, the concept has undergone rapid evolution and so dynamic is it that it takes care of the needs of the Power and Energy, Oil and Gas sectors on a hand and Real Estate and Health Care Sectors on the other just to illustrate with a few examples. The advantages that come with factory manufacturing as well as require inspection of the quality are among the many reasons that have seen the technology in the rapid evolution.  In as much as architects and the society have had a perception of insignificance to the structures of prefabricated buildings, for the last about 2 years, architects have been on the run trying modern designs and technical specifications that are in accordance with the changing scenario of business across the globe (Smith, 2017, p.217). As a result of the related discussion on climate change and sustainability all over across the globe, modular construction industries have established green materials that have been used in environmentally friendly finishes. Modularized buildings are highly flexible and user-friendly as they can be customized in accordance with the expectations of the client.

Through the analysis of the discussed broad advantages and disadvantages, a conclusion can thus be made that modular construction is worth being considered as a technology that has value for many if the necessary conditions that are needed in driving the use of modular construction are available, the potential disadvantages can be overcome the existence of the possibility of achieving the potential advantages of adopting modular construction as opposed to conventional construction. Important to note is that modular construction is an alternative to conventional construction and not applicable to every project. For example, the use of modular construction can be because it is possible to achieve the advantages or because the project sounds not achievable with the methods of conventional construction. Should any of the two be the case, then a detailed examination of the modular construction techniques and methods should be conducted to ascertain that the project will be one of the successful modular construction projects.

Introduction

This chapter provides a review of the methods that will be used the collection of data that is needed in achieving the aims and objectives of this research. There are various research methods and methodologies that are available in literature and a choice on a method of research should be based on the intended achievements of the study as well as the limiting factors in the study. Two types of research methods are broadly used: qualitative research and qualitative research.

Whereas qualitative research is mainly exploratory in nature, quantitative research is applied in the quantification of the problem through the generation of numerical data or any data that can be changed into usable statistics. Qualitative research is used in providing insights into the underlying motivations, reasons as well as opinions on a research problem (Lawson, 2014, p.198). Through qualitative research, an understanding into the research problems are provides as well as aiding in the development of the hypotheses or ideas that are potential for use in quantitative research. Qualitative research is also applicable in unfolding the trends in the opinions and thoughts and provides a deeper sense into a problem. The common methods of qualitative data collection include focus groups, observations or participation and individual interviews.

Research Methodology

Following the nature of this study and the research question which is the advantages that are accrued as a result of using modular construction methods, quantitative research analysis will be used in making the findings (Lutchman, 2016, p.206).  Quantitative research is used in the quantification of behaviors, opinions, attitudes and any other defined variables and the generalized result is provided form a large population sample. This method makes use of measurable data in the formula of the facts and unfolding of the patterns in the research. Quantitative methods of data collection are structured more than qualitative methods of data collection and come in various forms such as surveys, longitudinal studies, systematic observations, website interceptor as well as interviews.

Research Methods and Data Sources

The quantitative data collection methods that will be used in this research are as discussed below:

Interviews

30 construction companies and 10 clients of construction projects will be selected at random and be informed of the intention of the researcher to hold an interview with them to extract information on the advantages of using modular construction methods in the construction industry (Emmitt, 2014, p.241). Three considerations will be taken into account while choosing on the companies for the interview. The initial consideration is the availability and the willingness of the companies to take part in the interview. Those companies that were located within an adequate that was reasonably drivable were asked if they could allow site interview. Companies that were located far away, not within a driving distance were to be interviewed through telephone.

The second consideration aspect was choosing companies that utilize various standards of modular construction within different types of construction (Dreiseitl, 2009, p.296). The intention of this consideration was to get access to information on the different types of modular construction so as to facilitate the development of broad knowledge on modular methodology and technology which could then be applicable in such systems as building frame systems. Different types of construction were covered by the survey including industrial, prison, residential, ship, the bridge as well as commercial or light industrial construction.

An interview of the individuals that played different roles within the process of a construction formed the basis of the third consideration to criterion (Commission, 2009, p.190). The interviews conducted of the various individuals with various roles offered information from various perspectives and points of view. The roles of individuals that were interviewed included project manager, manufacturer, engineer, erector and the clients. This section was further refined by distinguishing individuals who gave information on specific projects from those who take about the advantages of modular construction practices in a general and broader aspect.

Face-to-face interviews were preferred to mobile surveys in the research for obvious reasons of the advantages of face-to-face interview method of data collection. Face-to-face interviews played a role in ensuring more accurate screening. Through the interviews, it was practically impossible to provide false information especially on questions whose answers were a bit bare and could be observed from the interview environment (Carswell, 2012, p.177). This eliminates the possibility of falsification among the interviews in attempts to complete a survey and gain an incentive in the case where incentives are offered. In as much as the data provided by the individual may be truthful, it could be misleading and inaccurate for the purpose of data analysis.

Face-to-face interviews are able to capture non-verbal quiz that is used in illustrating the levels of discomfort of the interviewees with the questions being posed to them. Still, it can demonstrate the level of enthusiasm on the research topic that is being discussed in the interview session (Kim, 2016, p.162). Through face-to-face interviews, the interviewer is able to keep the focus on the topic of discussion and thus ensuring the discussion remains on track.

The intervieews will be given an opportunity to express their views on what they feel are the advantages that accrue to the construction industry as a result of the modular construction systems.

This will be done in the forms of both closed and open-ended questions and the responses will be recorded on tapes especially for the case of audio information and then stored in various forms such as computers for use in the results analysis at later stages of the research. The questions asked to the intervieews will remain focused on the advantages of modular construction system to ensure that the discussion is kept on track. The collected responses which will form the collected information will be analyzed through the various quantitative methods of data analysis after representation using such techniques as tables, graphs, and histograms. Data on statistical measurements will be represented directly using the various statistical data representation techniques while non-statistical data will be transformed into statistical forms which can be presented using such techniques as tables (Mahmoud, 2011, p.188). The data will then be analyzed using the tools and techniques of statistical data analysis among them mean, mode and standard variation. Computers and other programmable software will be used to help with the simplification of the computation and analysis process.

Summary

Due to the benefits and advantages that come with modular construction systems, they are fast gaining popularity and their practice now spread all over the world. Among the advantages such as cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, reduction of schedule and quality control are among the top benefits that have seen modular construction techniques rapidly grow. These systems also have drawbacks that need to be addressed such as financial constraints, lack of customization which impact negatively on its adoption.

Insights into the advantages of modular construction systems in the construction industry are best explained by the stakeholders in the construction industry. Through face-to-face interviews and mobile interviews, this information can be obtained. Face-to-face interviews are preferred to mobile interviews as they tend to have higher reliability and accuracy as they are rarely subject to distortion and falsification attempts.

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