Pre-fab (prefabrication) is the process of assembling structural components of a build offsite and transporting either part assembled or fully assembled structures to the construction site where the build is being carried out.
For example, for a house build, traditional construction methods include transporting materials, from bricks, timber, cement, sand, steel and more to the construction site and building a house on site using these materials. Using pre-fab construction methods, only the foundations of a house are constructed this way, whilst the floors, wall and roof are built offsite and delivered to the construction site ready for assembly.
Why Pre-fab?
The reasons for the prefabrication method in the construction industry are numerous and grew from the need to use skilled labour where it was available rather than moving a skilled labour force to a potentially hard to access site, wasting travel time and money. Not having as many people on a construction site also improves construction site safety, reduces water and power needs and prevents exposure to harsh weather for both builders and building materials.
Prefabrication construction methods have been used for thousands of years. The world’s oldest know engineered roadway (the Sweet Track), constructed in England around 3800 BC, utilised prefabricated timber sections brought to the site for assembly.
The rise of sustainable construction
Since these early beginnings, pre-fab construction has consistently played a role in building structures. Recently though there has been a substantial rise in demand for prefabricated structures in the building industry because of increased demand for sustainable construction.
Pre-fab builds satisfy sustainable build practices by reducing the impact on the environment through reducing energy consumption and waste on site, using efficient building materials and for pre-fab companies specialising in Passive House design like Laros, incorporating green technology into house builds.
Prefabricated structures and modular builds are more eco-friendly in both the short-term building period and long-term. Where traditional building methods require more construction materials leading to more waste, prefabrication utilises less materials and has a lower environmental impact. Factory prefabrications also allows for better air filtration and wall insulation, reducing the needs for additional heating and cooling methods, which saves energy.
Saving you time and energy
The demand for prefabrication is hence increasing in Australia and it’s easy to see why. Not only does it work for the sustainability construction movement, but it is safe, fast and affordable. Prefabrication is suitable for a wide range of build types – from granny flats through to architecturally innovative public service builds.
The methods implemented by Laros of factory prefabrication ensure time efficiencies and on-site delivery when wall and roof panels are needed. Gone are weather delays, and being offsite means that the foundations, walls and roof can be built at the same time in different locations, cutting down build timeframes. Prefabrication takes significantly less time than traditional on-site construction, helping families to move into their new homes sooner, and our Passivhaus design principles mean that you’ll save money on your heating and cooling needs in the future as well.
If you’re looking to build soon, have a chat to the team at Laros about our sustainable pre-fabrication solutions, saving you both time and money.