Further, standardisation allows us to do a better job of integrating our mechanical and electrical engineering systems, which then has the knock-on effect of reducing the overall volume of a building by 30-40%.
At Bryden Wood we have, over time, developed a cross-disciplinary approach in response to this reality and the need to design towards the process – to rationalise, coordinate and develop a fully integrated design solution.Our team includes technologists, designers, architects, engineers and analysts, because it’s vital that we apply these new principles throughout.
To begin with a traditional design process and then, at a later stage, attempt to retrofit some form of DfMA means compromising the design to make it fit the system, or creating a non-optimised, inefficient system – resulting in a disadvantaged built asset.. Kit-of-parts architecture.In addition, where the design and construction industry tends to focus on the differences between sectors - segmenting itself into deep specialisms and viewing particular elements in isolation, we must instead switch our focus to commonality, anchoring the design and build process in similarities, not differences.P-DfMA achieves this goal.
For example, floor-to-floor heights are relatively standard across a variety of different buildings: schools, hospital wards, apartment buildings and certain office types.This is because the heights result from the size of people, rather than being necessitated by the requirements of a particular sector.
We allow for the height of a person, plus headroom, plus a zone for structures, M&E systems and architectural finishes.
Recognising this reality, platform construction (P-DfMA) was Bryden Wood’s attempt to identify these types of cross-sector commonalities and develop a kit of parts which could then be used to build a variety of different sector types, but using the same components.We’ve got all the various digital tools which are being developed and coming to market now.
We have things like the Value Toolkit coming out of The Construction Innovation Hub.The question is, how do we help governments make choices that support their ambitions?
Value drivers aren’t exactly the same from one country to the next, and so we’ll need to help them make choices based on what’s best for their own local needs, projects and communities..Although our technical services and products are becoming increasingly exportable and marketable, we need a more cohesive and collaborative approach regarding how we bring that UK construction value proposition to market.