Advantages and Disadvantages of Modular Construction, including Environmental Impacts

Abstract Similar to other fields, the construction industry tends to constantly evolve. There is an increasing demand for the construction of new buildings regarding the speed of the construction process, economy, and minimization of the negative effects on the environment, i.e. sustainability. These requirements can be met by using prefabrication for this construction. Modular construction represents one of the prefabrication technologies that is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The topic of this article is the use of modular construction, even from the sustainability point of view. There is a basic overview of modular construction, its history in the construction field, an overview of the materials used, and the possibilities of its implementation. Furthermore, this article provides an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of modular construction. The advantages are listed in terms of quality, economy, time, and ecology as well as in terms of construction flexibility and work safety, both during production and assembly on the construction site. The disadvantages of modular construction discussed in this article are the complicated transportation of modules, demanding coordination of production and construction, the requirement for detailed construction planning, and the non-acceptance of this construction technology by the general, and sometimes professional public. This article also deals with the comparison of modular construction technology with conventional construction technologies. It points out the possibility of reusing materials from disassembled modular buildings. It also points out the ways to control and mitigate the impact of modular construction on the environment throughout the life cycle of modular building. Only after a thorough analysis of these aspects of modular construction, is it possible to explore other ways to further increase the efficiency of this technology in all directions and also to make even better use of its environmental impact minimization potential.