Use of Prefabrication to Minimize Construction Waste - A Case Study Approach

TLDR

Growing environmental concerns over construction waste have led to waste‑management initiatives, with prefabrication promoted as a waste‑minimization technique, though its use remains largely limited to Hong Kong public housing. The study examines four private Hong Kong building projects to assess prefabrication’s effectiveness in reducing construction waste and to identify barriers and future trends. The authors compare waste levels from the four prefabricated projects with conventional cast‑in‑situ methods under similar conditions.

Abstract

The increasing awareness of environmental impacts from construction waste has aroused much public concern. Some construction organizations have included waste management as one of the major functions of construction project management. As a result, some approaches and methods for managing construction waste have been developed. Replacing wet-trade activities with prefabrication is advocated as one of the waste minimization techniques on site. However, the adoption of prefabrication is mainly confined to public housing developments in Hong Kong. This paper uses four private building projects as case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness in the use of prefabrication to minimize construction waste in Hong Kong. The wastage levels of the four projects are compared with conventional cast in-situ methods under similar project natures and conditions. The hindrances and the future trend of adopting prefabrication in Hong Kong are also examined.