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The drivers and challenges of adopting the Malaysia industrialised building system for sustainable infrastructure development

Sushilawati Ismail (Department of Civil Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Batu Pahat, Malaysia)
Carol K.H. Hon (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Philip Crowther (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Martin Skitmore (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia and Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia)
Fiona Lamari (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)

Construction Innovation

ISSN: 1471-4175

Article publication date: 12 July 2022

Issue publication date: 27 November 2023

681

Abstract

Purpose

Malaysia’s industrialised building system (IBS) has been increasingly adopted for sustainable development by the country’s construction industry. However, although it has been used for commercial building projects, its application to sustainable infrastructure development has been limited to date. This study aims to examine the drivers and challenges involved.

Design/methodology/approach

A preliminary conceptual framework was initially developed based on a systematic literature review. Semi-structured interviews involving 20 participants were undertaken to gain insightful thoughts from the construction practitioners to discover the perception towards IBS application in the construction industry, the applicability of IBS, particularly in infrastructure projects, the strategies of IBS delivery and the sustainable potential of its application. A two-round Delphi study was conducted with 15 experienced and knowledgeable panellists to further identify, verify and prioritise factors developed from the literature review and interview findings. Then, the results were synthesised and triangulated to demonstrate a holistic insight.

Findings

The results show the main drivers to be better productivity, quality, environmental, safety and health, constructability design and cost, policy and requirements, with the main challenges being project planning and cost-related issues, inexperience and industry capacity.

Originality/value

The study’s main contribution is in systematically determining the practical implications involved in applying the IBS to sustainable infrastructure developments in Malaysia and other similar developing countries.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support from Ministry of Education of Malaysia and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM).

Citation

Ismail, S., Hon, C.K.H., Crowther, P., Skitmore, M. and Lamari, F. (2023), "The drivers and challenges of adopting the Malaysia industrialised building system for sustainable infrastructure development", Construction Innovation, Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 1054-1074. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-05-2021-0088

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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