Around the world, developers are increasingly gravitating toward modular construction over traditional permanent construction to meet the demand for new buildings resulting from more people living in established cities and new mega and gigaprojects, seeking out shorter building times and accelerated commercialisation of projects.
While the Asia Pacific region dominates the modular construction market in terms of adoption and projects, we are seeing a greater appetite in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia leading the way.
What is driving the increased demand for modular construction solutions in Saudi Arabia?
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and in the case of Saudi Arabia, it is also a key factor in the greater adoption of modular construction.
Modular construction can be designed and adapted to fit any space and fulfil any purpose. Multi-storey options are available, the quality of the materials used rivals that of permanent construction, and, in many cases, it would take an expert eye to tell the difference between the two.
It is not just speed and quality that have increased the attractiveness of modular construction in Saudi Arabia. It is the very nature of this build method that makes it such a perfect fit for the kingdom’s mega and gigaprojects. What has previously been identified as a weakness is in fact a strength in the context of many projects in Saudi Arabia: design certainty.
With the majority of people associated with the build process working offsite, modular construction requires fewer people and less equipment onsite. Not only does this minimise disruption to the surrounding area, but it also reduces the carbon footprint of the project site, helping developers to reach their sustainability goals while having assurances relating to quality and building schedules, which are less likely to change when utilising modular construction methods.
To read more: click here!
This story first appeared in the August issue of Construction Week Middle East magazine, which you can read in full here.
Author
