So, what does a plausible future look like in practice, if the government and private sector adopt this way of working?

They can be messy, congested, dirty and chaotic places.But they don’t have to be.

If the construction process can be transformed into the streamlined and predictable assembly of pre-manufactured parts, combined with on-site construction processes that are carefully managed to add the maximum value, much greater productivity can result.. To give a slightly left-field example, consider a circus tent.Typically, these large structures are put up overnight by a small team of trained operatives.In a budget-conscious industry, every hour counts, so assembly is planned to be as quick as possible, and disassembly is just as quick.

It would be even quicker if the tent was pre-erected, of course, but this doesn’t make sense from a transportation and logistics perspective.Instead, they use a component kit-of-parts that is easily handled and takes up very little space during transportation.

A permanent building may have different drivers, but lessons can still be learned from highly efficient on-site works such as the circus tent.. One aim of a fully considered DfMA strategy is to enable smooth running of the construction site.

To create a well-orchestrated assembly line with productive workers carrying out pre-determined, standardised and well-understood tasks in predictable timeframes..The students, who are in their final year as undergraduates or doing postgraduate studies in engineering, to a person, held a passion for positive change.

When asked to compare their personal values with that of a business, they expressed how they wished to use their knowledge and skills to make a difference in the world.I am sure this is magnified millions of times across the world.

They are not naive, most already have served time in industry, but they each hold a set of values which I found profound and uplifting..The second reason to be hopeful comes whenever I investigate, look into, or hold discussions in and across many spheres.