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What's the difference between offsite modular construction and DFMA?

I am curious about the DFMA approach apparently being used in the construction industry. I have more than 30 years experience of DFMA in durable-goods industries and know expertly how it is practiced and applied (and its benefits) in those industries - indeed I run a consulting firm that helps companies get the most out of DFMA. 


I have detected increasing popularity of DFMA in the construction/building industry (or at least, the use of the acronym). Yet my research to date suggests that the 'DFMA' as practiced within the construction sector (such as by the likes of Laing O'Rourke) is no different than the well-established 'offsite modular' construction - or have I missed something?


Simplifying the history somewhat, I am aware that the origins (of the DFMA approach used in construction) essentially lie with prefabricated (aka prefab) construction prompted by the acute post-war shortage of housing, to build low-cost housing through using factory-made panelised wall and floor systems to meet the demand. But 'prefab got a bad reputation due to inherently poor jointing systems, inadequate ventilation in the finished product, and to put it mildly, due to the rather ugly monotonous resulting housing stock.

As 'prefab evolved to overcome its failings, a new moniker was coined to describe an improved approach, building in quality, through additional effort in design and in the factory and in increasing the scope of what was manufactured in the factory from floor and walls to whole sections, spaces, or rooms, - it was called 'modular' construction.

And today, DFMA is being heralded as the future of construction, but I have yet to determine what is different about this form of DFMA compared to modular, and moreover, why it is not more closely following the tried-and-tested DFMA methodology used in durable-good design and manufacture.


I am keen to hold a discussion on the above, but also to gauge interest of the topic (DFMA) with a view to asking the IET consider forming a community dedicated to DFMA. If you have an interest in such a community, do kindly let me know.
  • I have experience of a large construction project in which the contractor used DfMA. I notice in your post you mention Laing O'Rourke and similarly my involvement was on one of their projects also. DfMA was an expression coined by them to represent their off site manufacturing process. Just about every contractor currently promotes off site manufacturing for the benefits of quality control, speed to install, reduction of on-site labour etc. However, with LOR their DfMA took it to levels which we hadn’t used before. The vast majority of the building structure, as well as the building services was manufactured off site and delivered to the construction site. We design the Electrical, Mechanical and Public Health building services. It meant that our basic design had to be modified to allow the various components to be mounted on modules (skids). These were then delivered to site in up to 14m lengths, lifted onto the floor plate and fixed into the ceiling void. It required detailed drawings of the modules but prevented clashes on site as any issues had previously been resolved. The target was 70% of the services values delivered via DfMA, providing a 60% reduction in on-site labour and a 30% saving in programme.

    Whether there is much of a difference between terminology or just how different companies apply it I'm not so sure. Certainly, the level of “off site" that we were involved with in this project was unprecedented from our previous experience.  



    Having been through the learning curve it would be something that we can see the benefit of and would be willing to work with again.


  • Stephen, belated apologies for not seeing your comment - I wasn't alerted by the forum that you had done so.


    As I mentioned in my original post, I have extensive knowledge of the original form of DFMA - some might call it expert knowledge (and I am associated with the founders of the DFMA technique for the past 20+ years).

    And so my original post had two aims - to try to fathom why that original form of DFMA is/was not being more precisely applied in the construction industry (and which is particularly mystifying for me as the construction form of DfMA application seems to have a much lower yield of benefit being achieved) - and somewhat provocatively, I referred to it as nothing more than offsite modularity;

    Secondly, to see if there was any interest in the topic. With only a couple of posts or messages in response, I could not imagine the IET forming a community for it (sadly).

    I'll keep banging my DFMA-drum and hope that in the future, interest might develop - given its standing according to the Mark Farmer Review that the future of construction will be dependent upon it (DFMA) - and I hope it won't be long.