Towards a sustainable supply of affordable housing with prefabrication technology : an overview

Abstract

The involvement of private sector in offering affordable housing price for the public is very crucial in the long run. It is relevant as the developing country like Malaysia is experiencing the arising of population and urbanisation process. Therefore, a well-established method such as the approach of utilising the prefabrication technology must be strategised by the stakeholders albeit many issues regarding the practice have been debated in the construction and real estate industry. Thus, this literature study is conducted to explore the arising issues in prefabrication technology so that the strategies can be well adapted by all the parties involved to ensure the sustainable supply of the affordable houses. For the purpose of this study, a systematic literature review was reviewed based on 60 papers published between the years of 2003-2017. The analysis found that the prefabrication technology issues was focus on five main themes: assemble, workmanship, financial, logistic and project information system. Hence the issued could be further strategised by various stakeholder and drive by three main components which are people, process and technology. The findings provide sensible technologies utilisation related to the supply chain systems in the development of affordable houses. All in all, although there were some issues in the practice of prefabrication technology, the more holistic driver approach is needed from all parties towards the sustainable supply of affordable housing with prefabrication technology.