Outcomes of the State-of-the-art Symposium: Status, Challenges and Future Directions of Offsite Construction

Abstract

Offsite construction is facing slow adoption despite the fact it can be a suitable solution for addressing historical problems faced by the construction industry, such as labor shortages, construction safety, time and costs overrun, and waste. The controlled factory environment creates room for innovation similar to the techniques used in the manufacturing industry. Yet, as always, the progress and adaptation of innovative ideas are challenging in the construction sector. A growing role for off-site construction requires further research and development. More collaborative efforts, industry meetings, and academic symposia are needed to bring together different disciplines and bridge the current information gap. This paper aims to present the outcomes of the Symposium on the State-of-the-Art of Modular Construction held in Gainesville, Florida from May 4th to 5th, 2017 that aimed to bring together major stakeholders in modular construction. It includes an analysis of the lectures and the survey that was distributed to industry and academic experts during the symposium. Also, it investigates the state-of-the-art of modular construction and focuses on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that come with this building technique.