The construction industry in the Philippines is shifting its focus towards prefabrication, driven by the potential of modular technologies to significantly reduce the industry's global greenhouse gas footprint and cut project timelines by half.
Speakers at the Philippine Hospitality on Sustainable Tourism Summit emphasized that modularization and prefabrication are no longer alternative methods, but essential strategies for future-proofing buildings. According to industry experts, the construction industry often gets overlooked in sustainability discussions despite its massive carbon footprint.
John Avrett, CEO of HIVE Modular, pointed out that conventional construction methods lead to significant material waste. In contrast, factory-based audits show that material waste can be reduced to just 5%, making the process six to seven times more efficient than traditional methods.
PHINMA Property Holdings Corp. has also backed the retooling of conventional reinforced concrete design. Ulysses Paredes, design & engineering head at PHINMA, highlighted the benefits of tunnel forms and reusable steel systems, which allow the company to cast walls and floors simultaneously.
The new method can cut an 18-month project timeline by half while ensuring higher quality and seismic resistivity, saving up to 44% in reinforced concrete and 55% in steel usage. Notably, these structures have shown no cracks even after major seismic events.
Cathy Saldana, managing director of pdp+ Architects, noted that the Philippines already hosts the world's largest prefabricated housing factory in Cavite. Modularization eliminates the "human factor of ignorance and negligence" that has led to structural failures in traditional builds.
However, panelists also pointed out some challenges, including the high upfront cost of specialized equipment and a dearth of workers trained in structural steel compared to traditional concrete. Experts emphasized that a deeper conversation around cost versus value is necessary for the industry to truly take off.
