Accelerating Industrialized Construction Through Configurators for pDfMA

In 2017, the U.K. government funded an analysis of the various costs associated with a typical construction project, and identified that for every pound spent, just more than 51% results in residual asset value for the client. The Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) was subsequently established with the vision to cause change and demonstrate better solutions to deliver the U.K. government £35 billion pipeline. The chosen strategy was to develop, prototype, and test platform solutions (pDFMA), with a common “kit of parts.” This would demonstrate the delivery of better outcomes for social infrastructure. Integral to the strategy was the use of a new digital toolchain to unlock the approach. Grimshaw Architects, Buro Happold engineers, and Mace Construction were commissioned to develop a new suite of configurators to enable the "kit of parts” approach during procurement and delivery.