ROOFING , CLADDING & FACADES
FACADE PLATFORM DESIGN TO REDUCE CARBON
BY WOJCIECH BROŻYNA - MD ALUPROF UK
Platform Design , better known in the construction industry as ‘ A Platform approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly ’ or ‘ P-DfMA ’. It is a specific subset of DfMA , which is the general term for using prefabrication and automation applied project by project basis . P-DfMA is a solution that is designed to be used more programmatically across a range of projects or assets . So , what is ‘ P-DfMA ’ and how does it help to reduce construction costs and reduce carbon ? In this short article , we aim to explain the basis of this innovative approach to construction and suggest how it could revolutionise our future construction requirements .
Initiated by the UK Government in 2017 in their drive to cut costs for new buildings , such as schools , hospitals , offices and social housing , the construction approach takes its lead from the automotive and aerospace sectors . Defining the construction product requirements , such as internal spaces , storey height , access requirements , to name but a very few of these parameters , the aim is to standardise these requirements and begin to create a ‘ list of standard parts ’ that creates those spaces . Doors are a very good example of this approach , available in a range of materials , sizes and hardware options , once adopted as a standard product across many projects , costs can be significantly reduced . Including offsite construction to this , whether delivering the product to the site as a kit or in a pre-constructed form , not only lowers costs but also minimises on-site labour , expedites construction on site , and reduces site defects . The same approach can be used in facades and fenestration products .
this save on costs but has a significant impact on carbon reduction . But this can go even further . Using a standard product size , profiles can be designed that work nearer to their safety limits over a given size or length which can further optimise aluminium content . Adopting a specification of a low-carbon content , usually high in recycled aluminium with low-carbon prime aluminium , further reduces carbon content of these assemblies .
It is not just about cost and carbon saving , it is about getting better buildings . From the government ’ s own analysis under their current construction framework , for every £ 1 spent just 51 % is retained in residual asset value . Reducing time to install on site , reducing wastage , reducing deliveries to site by adopting off-site construction , reducing ‘ on site design ’, all of which reduce overall site time and programme and all have a big impact on carbon reduction as well . Using a standard kit of parts reduces the need for bespoke designs which can go hand in hard to improve overall quality .
It is also an iterative process , what is learnt on one project leads to a fine tuning of the ‘ kit of parts ’ which in turn leads to even better future construction and a continuation in the reduction of carbon . As a result , the P-DfMA approach increases productivity , while reducing carbon , construction time and cost .
In a world first , a major project completed under the P-DfMA is The Forge , located just south of the Thames in the city of London . The building is also the first to adopt the UK ’ s Green Building Council ’ s definition of a net-zero carbon building in both construction and operation .
To be fair , aluminium fenestration has seen much of its construction being undertaken off-site for many years , but much more can be done . Window construction can easily follow what has been done with door sets by adopting standard sizes and hardware options . Windows can be supplied to the site already glazed and installed within panel construction . Curtain wall requirements adopt an off-site unitised construction approach which we know already reduces time on site by approximately 50 % whilst further improving quality .
A review of five recent projects supplied by Aluprof UK shows the supply of special lengths alone has reduced material supply by an average of 27.5 %. Not only does
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