Although prefabricated construction in Poland has a long history, the technology has experienced a ‘second youth’ in recent years. Modern solutions and materials, shorter investment times and low operating costs make investors more and more willing to choose prefabricated buildings. What are the advantages and disadvantages of prefabricated buildings?
What is prefabricated construction?
Prefabricated construction involves the use of prefabricated elements, i.e. building components produced in a controlled environment (factory). These elements are then delivered to the construction site. With prefabrication, part of the construction process of a building takes place off-site - a key difference from traditional technology. Depending on the degree of prefabrication, for example, a distinction is made between:
- FRAME BUILDINGS. As the name suggests, the prefabricated elements in this case make up the skeleton of the building. It is this that is delivered to the final construction site.
- PANEL BUILDINGS. In the factory, wall and roof panels, among other things, are manufactured. These are then transported to the construction site, where assembly takes place.
- MODULAR BUILDINGS. These are the most advanced in terms of prefabrication.What is modular construction? In this case, modules are created in the factory (finished to the client's specifications, including turnkey), which are put together on site.
Prefabricated construction - advantages
One of the reasons why modern prefabricated buildings are so popular is the many advantages of this technology. The advantages of prefabricated construction (especially in the form of timber-frame modules) include: reduced investment time, energy efficiency, good thermal and acoustic insulation, high quality and durability.
Reduced investment time
The construction time depends on the degree of prefabrication. Modular exemplars, like other modular buildings, can be built half as fast as if they were erected using traditional technology. This is possible, among other things, thanks to several construction stages being carried out simultaneously - the production of modules in the factory can take place in parallel with the foundation.
Energy efficiency - lower building maintenance costs
In an era of rising energy resource costs and increasingly stringent standards, building maintenance costs are an important consideration for investors Prefabricated construction, and particularly timber-frame technology, stands out favourably in this respect - the running costs of buildings constructed using this technology are lower than those of buildings constructed using traditional solutions.
Good thermal and acoustic insulation
Prefabricated buildings are distinguished by their favourable thermal transmittance of the envelope and high acoustic comfort, with the final result depending on the degree of prefabrication and the materials used. In the case of the modular buildings erected by Unihouse, thermal insulation exceeds the requirements of WT2021, while acoustic comfort has been confirmed by tests.
High quality
What prefabricated buildings have in common is that their components (or even entire modules) are manufactured in a factory, which allows a high degree of control over the product - it is subjected to quality control at various stages. This eliminates costly errors, the removal of which would increase the cost of the investment. In addition, production can be carried out in autumn and winter - weather factors do not play a role.
Durability - a solution for years
The advantages of prefabricated construction also include durability. Buildings built using this technology will last for more than one generation. At the same time, modular construction is completely safe and ecological - wood, which is a renewable raw material, is used in production. The fire resistance of such buildings is confirmed by the Building Research Institute.
What are the disadvantages of prefabricated construction?
The great interest in prefabricated construction has to do with its advantages. However, this technology also has some disadvantages to bear in mind. What are the disadvantages? Prefabricated construction does not work best for developments with a highly individual design - specific, with rare solutions.
Unfavourable access to the construction site can also be an obstacle. As prefabricated buildings are constructed in factories, it is necessary to transport the individual elements or modules to the construction site. This means that access must be provided for vehicles transporting the prefabs or for cranes, for example.
Prefab construction - application possibilities
Today's prefab buildings are used for a variety of purposes - residential buildings, schools, hotels and dormitories, care homes or public buildings. This wide use of prefabricated construction - combined with the advantages mentioned above - is another reason why this technology is so popular among investors.
