Sustainable advanced construction technologies

Abstract

Advanced Construction Technologies (ACTs) are set to become the sustainable mainstay of the construction industry due to the demand for innovative housing solutions. Like most emerging economies, South Africa from a historical perspective and global trends in rural-to-urban migration, suffers an enormous service backlog and challenges in achieving millennium development goals of housing settlements. Current growth in ACTs is a result of advances in material science, building components production and assembly technologies. Ongoing commercialization of these technologies will improve building performance, reduce environmental impact and lead the growth of sustainable human habitats. The next-generation materials are mainly led by the polymeric-fiber based products, light-metals alloys, with high performance with qualities such high tensile and compressive strengths. Computerization of designs of building structures now allows the conceptualization on platforms that offer virtual modeling, simulation and optimization. Inadvertently this makes it easy to construct building structures faster than the traditional building methods relying on brick and mortar. New leaner, stronger, energy efficient buildings are constructed using ACTs that adopt line production techniques that are the backbone of industries such as the car manufacturing industry. Modular houses are designed and prefabricated away from site and assembled like Lego prinzips. Eco-Materials are also redefined and transformed with set standards and automated industrial production of building components using raw materials such as earth; prefabricated earth beams, columns and wall and floor panels fiber reinforced. Effective project management and logistics shall play an imperative role on speed and cost of modular construction housing in the future.