Stakeholder-Based Analysis of Drivers and Constraints in the Use of Off-Site Construction

Prefabrication, standardization, pre-assembly, and modularization - collectively termed "off-site production" - have become popular with recent developments in design and information technology. These construction methods provide numerous opportunities to improve productivity and enhance sustainability performance in the construction industry. The potential benefits and barriers in the use of off-site production are broadly discussed to justify the use of prefabrication. However, what remains lacking is a systematic identification of factors with consideration of associated stakeholders to gain an in-depth understanding of potential merits and shortcomings of prefabrication in a particular construction environment. This study presents a toolkit with the help of stakeholder analysis to determine the key drivers and constraints in off-site production. This study presents in detail the benefits and constraints in the use of prefabrication in the Hong Kong construction industry. Based on an extensive research review of the Hong Kong construction industry and a background of the increasing interest in prefabrication as a construction solution, this study reinforces the need for informed decisions, which have auditable processes, in deriving the key driving and constraint factors for off-site construction methods to ensure complete understanding of these drivers and constraints. The study is valuable because it explores a new and effective way to identify key drivers and constraints in the use of off-site construction by considering potential related stakeholders and interrelationships that underlie various driving and constraint factors.