Embracing modern construction methods & ideas: From construction site to assembly site

As the built environment faces increasing pressure to deliver faster, greener, and more cost-effective outcomes, modern construction methods are reshaping how we build. This panel investigates the shift from traditional construction sites to streamlined assembly models, driven by innovations like modular building, prefabrication, and digital design integration. Experts will explore how these approaches improve quality, reduce waste, and enable greater control over timelines and budgets. We will also tackle barriers to adoption—from regulatory hurdles to cultural perceptions—and identify opportunities for scaling these methods across housing, infrastructure, and commercial projects. Is the future of construction more like advanced manufacturing? Let’s find out.

Learning Outcomes

Following this presentation, you should be able to:

• Outline the ways construction is shifting from traditional methods to streamlined assembly models, modular building, prefabrication, and digital design integration
• Outline the financial and environmental benefits of this shift
• Identify the challenges and barriers of this shift from traditional construction practices and the ways in which they can be overcome

This presentation will deliver outcomes related to the following Competency/s from the National Standard of Competency for Architects 2021:

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

PC 10 – Demonstrate understanding of the whole life carbon implications of procurement methods, materials, components and construction systems.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

PC 24 – Be able to prepare and analyse project development options in response to a project brief – its objectives, budget, user intent and built purpose, risk and timeframes, including environmental sustainability considerations.

PC 28 – Be able to draw on knowledge from building sciences and technology, environmental sciences and behavioural and social sciences as part of preliminary design research and when developing the conceptual design to optimise the performance of the project.

This session is presented by: