The manufactured home industry has garnered increased interest during the pandemic after years of growth. However, it is a field that has evolved a lot and offers very different alternatives. Thus, the Passivhaus Building Platform (PEP), which promotes highly efficient buildings, focuses on industrialized construction houses as a safe and environmentally friendly way to acquire a home.
Interest and knowledge about industrialized housing is beginning to gain significant momentum in Spain, and more and more real estate developers are betting on this construction model, which is called to be the future of a residential sector that has barely evolved in The last decades. Thus, in Spain its weight is still residual, less than 1%, compared to other countries such as Germany, where it represents 9% of construction; Sweden, where this type of construction already reaches almost the totality of the production; Holland, with 50%; or the United Kingdom, with close to 7%.
In the opinion of the Passivhaus Building Platform, industrialized construction represents a great advance since it considerably reduces delivery times and leads to higher quality in the execution of the homes, thanks to a much more precise construction and significantly reduces post-sale incidents. In addition, this constructive modality is more sustainable than traditional construction as it generates less waste, is safer, since it is carried out in factories and there are fewer accidents at work, and with great potential for job creation, since a more technical team is needed. and trained to work in factories for the design and production process.
Taking these advantages into account, the profile of the client who is looking for these systems generally fulfills some patterns: getting a fully customized house, with exterior land, in a short period of time and with a closed budget from the beginning.
The difference between manufactured homes and industrialized construction homes
The arrival of the confinement has increased the interest of citizens in acquiring one and, in relatively fast delivery times. However, Plataforma de Edificación Passivhaus wants to focus on differentiating prefabricated houses with those of industrialized construction. Specifically, the platform explains that prefabricated homes are generally associated with modular homes, that they can offer a very considerable price reduction and that they are sustainable, but the latter, unfortunately, is not true in some cases.
Although an affordable prefabricated home can considerably reduce the initial budget, from the Passivhaus Building Platform they warn that they are observing how many users are actually accessing homes that in many cases also have many deficiencies in terms of comfort and insulation, which in the future will mean a significant increase in energy bills. In addition, in many cases, the heating system that is installed is electric, which implies high costs (when needed) to cover high demands.
Prefabricated and industrialized construction houses: advantages and disadvantages
1. Manufacturing process
The construction of homes and industrialized buildings represents an important step for the sector. Not only does it allow for greater production of homes in less time, but it also does so while taking care of the environment, improving the quality of homes and their energy efficiency, all without sacrificing design and customization.
A common type of prefabricated house is one that is designed and built entirely in advance, without knowing issues such as the composition and location of the land where it is going to be located, the existing orientations and shadows, etc. These types of houses are generally designed based on a single model (or with slight variations) that will be replicated many times: In addition, they are manufactured entirely in a warehouse or workshop and, once finished, they are usually transported in several pieces, to the work
Industrialized housing, for its part, can integrate the advantages of traditional construction and prefabrication. The different structural elements (walls, floors, roofs, etc.) are manufactured externally, in a warehouse, using modules designed to the millimeter (3D process) so that, once they are transported to the site, the existence of unforeseen events is almost completely minimized. , which requires improvised decision-making that may affect the final result, since, previously, 3D design, machining and numerical quality control have solved any critical process through qualified personnel
There are occasions in which even before the work on the ground begins, the production process of the different modules has begun; It is even possible to simultaneously manufacture different parts that will make up the house. The modules are ordered and catalogued, so that, once on site, they can be assembled quickly, knowing which piece corresponds to each area of the house.
Industrialized construction allows an infinite number of designs, which may vary depending on the climatic zone, the applicable regulations or the requests of the future owner, among others.
2. Sustainability
The concept of prefabricated housing is often associated with that of sustainability, and this link is not necessarily realistic. Prefabricated homes can of course be designed with more sustainable elements (for example, wood) and greater energy efficiency, but it is true that when we talk specifically about cheap or very low-cost prefabricated housing, in which the Reduction in project and construction costs, other vital components such as insulation or exterior carpentry are generally diminished, increasing the energy bill in the future.
Industrialized construction, for its part, considerably reduces the volume of waste generated, since the modular construction process means less waste because the components of industrialized buildings can be more easily reused at the end of a building’s useful life. This translates into a reduction in energy demand, which facilitates greater preservation of the environment. In addition, the development of new construction systems in the factory entails a clear reduction in pollution, and not only at an environmental level, but also in terms of noise pollution.
3. Price and employment
The main benefit of industrialization is a decrease in construction costs of approximately 10 to 15%, a difference that will be accentuated the larger the project, due to the economy of scale. In this sense, it is vital to mention that the price of an industrialized home is not far from a conventional home, and that, if we find strikingly cheap offers in any of the types (industrialized or prefabricated) we should consider the reason for this difference and if the The quality obtained is really comparable to other offers.
In addition, the demand for on-site workers in construction may decrease, which can help minimize the effects of current labor shortages in traditional construction. Also allowing the hiring of young profiles with technical and digital training, who can carry out their work in the factories for the design of the project.
The prior design process will facilitate a lower presence of personnel on site, which will cause a reduction in accident rates, substantially improving construction processes.
4. Quality
In recent years, industrialized housing has evolved and has been significantly improved in terms of design and quality. This meticulous construction process allows the use of top quality materials, even surpassing those used in traditional works. However, from PEP they regret the existence of numerous cases of home manufacturers that justify compliance with the Technical Building Code at the project level, but that, surely, do not comply in reality.
However, from PEP they want to insist that, obviously, there are companies prepared and with accredited professionals that produce both prefabricated and industrialized quality homes, but they consider it very important that the consumer and the market know the differences between the two construction models, and their independence with whether or not they are highly energy efficient, sustainable or have Passivhaus certification.
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