Prefabricated risers, bathroom pods and volumetric modules move work off site. They also move decisions earlier: what's fixed, how parts are split, and how they get to their place.
Prefabrication moves work from the site into a factory. It ranges from components (a pipe spool, a precast stair) through assemblies (a riser section, a plant skid, a bathroom pod) to whole volumetric modules, rooms built and finished off site. The benefits are real: faster, safer and more consistent work. The catch for the BIM person is that decisions move earlier, and the model must describe the parts as they will be made and delivered.
A clinic riser runs six storeys (3.6 m each). The crane can lift 4.0 t at the riser's radius. Each storey of riser (frame and services) weighs about 1.5 t. The contractor proposes two sections of three storeys.
Read the full lesson on BIMpedia →