Higher IBS uptake vital to boost construction industry
KUALA LUMPUR: The adoption of the Industrialised Building System ( IBS) in the Malaysian construction sector over the years has been slower than expected, much to the dismay of Master Builders Association Malaysia ( MBAM).
Since the benefits of IBS in construction has been well documented, its president Foo Chek Lee said it was important to convince industry players to adopt the system, starting with project owners, architects and consulting engineers rather than contractors who only build what they had tendered for.
“Companies that adopt IBS will not only become more productive and cost- effective, they can also speed up the delivery of their projects and improve their overall performance in terms of quality and safety, as well as reduce construction waste at the project site,” he told Bernama, recently.
IBS, also known as prefabrication, is a homegrown term that is used for a technique of construction whereby the building components are manufactured in a controlled environment offsite and then transported to the worksite for installation.
The IBS agenda in Malaysia had begun in the early 1960s but its acceptance was not widespread due to cost factors and certain technical issues.
Over the years, the technology has advanced, turning it into an efficient building method that has helped construction firms and contractors to increase productivity and efficiency and reduce manpower costs and delays.
Companies that adopt IBS will not only become more productive and cost-effective, they can also speed up the delivery of their projects and improve their overall performance in terms of quality and safety, as well as reduce construction waste at the project site.
Cost factor Many of the nation’s iconic buildings, such as the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Sentral, Bukit Jalil National Stadium, KL Tower and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, were successfully constructed using IBS.
Urging the private sector to take more proactive action in increasing the use of IBS, Foo said this technology would not only help to enhance the productivity levels but will also boost profits.
“It will benefit the industry players and also contribute to nation building and help Malaysia attain developed nation status.
“All the parties concerned, either public or privately- owned entities should proactively join in an action- oriented effort to actively adopt and increase the usage of IBS in their projects,” he added.
Acknowledging that the cost factor was among the issues that obstructed the wide implementation of IBS, he urged the relevant parties to look into enhancing incentives and extending capital investment funds to contractors for the use of IBS- related equipment, such as heavy lifting equipment that are not readily available locally and beyond the financial means of normal contractors.
The difficulty in transporting the huge IBS components to the worksites, especially those located in remote areas, was also an issue that needed to be looked into, added Foo.
He also urged the authorities to review existing related legislation like the Uniform Building ByLaws 1984 ( a subsidiary of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974) to make them IBS-friendly.
Collaboration universities
Institution of Engineers Malaysia ( IEM) Kedah/ Perlis chairman Prof Dr Rezuwan Kamaruddin said collaboration between the Construction Industry Development Board ( CIDB) and higher learning institutions was vital to boost the use of IBS in the construction industry.
Rezuwan, who is also Universiti Malaysia Perlis deputy vicechancellor with (Academic & International), suggested that more IBS elements be added to related courses offered at the tertiary level in order to expose students to the benefits of using IBS solutions.
“WeknowthattheIBStechnology is cost- effective and helps improve building quality. If universities can work together with CIDB and industry players, they can help by doing more research on IBS, like for example its shortcomings, and how to improve it in the future,” he said.
Lack of exposure and understanding of IBS is one of the reasons many construction companies are still reluctant to adopt the technology.
“I believe that if we work together to address this matter, we can boost the usage of IBS which, in turn, will benefit many sectors,” he said, adding that both public and private higher learning institutions, including polytechnics, should collaborate with the authorities on this matter. Embracing industry 4.0 Rezuwan also pointed out that the construction industry’s adoption of IBS was crucial towards embracing Industrial Revolution 4.0 or Industry 4.0 as the manufacturing of IBS components required higher applications of mechanisation, automation and cyber technology.
In fact, it has been said that IBS is the construction industry’s answer to Industry 4.0, which relates to the Internet of things, big data and analytics, augmented reality, additive manufacturing, simulation, horizontal and vertical system integration, autonomous robots as well as cloud computing.
“With the adoption of IBS, full mechanisation and automation will replace manual (construction) methods that involve laborious or semi- automatic production systems,” said Rezuwan, adding that it will also reduce dependence on foreign workers, speed up construction work and improve quality, efficiency, safety, reliability and durability of buildings.
Stressing how important it was for the construction industry to adopt IBS, he said today’s transformations were not merely a prolongation of the Third Industrial Revolution but rather the arrival of a fourth and distinct one which involves velocity, scope and systems impact.
“The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent. When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace and moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country.
“And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management and governance because automation and digitalisation take centre stage in the global industry scene,” he explained. — Bernama
Foo Chek Lee, IBS president