Prefab Construction in a Factory Has Safety Advantages, Say Industry Insiders

There’s a slow but steady trend towards more prefabrication, off-site construction and modularization in Canadian construction. Although there are subtle differences between the three terms, they are often used interchangeably. Here, for sake of simplicity, they will be referred to collectively as prefabrication or prefab. Construction consultant Mark Taylor, who is a former vice-president of permanent modular construction with a large Canadian builder, says prefab construction combines elements of both construction and manufacturing. It’s manufacturing, because it’s done in a factory, but it’s also construction, because the prefabricated parts have to be assembled onsite, he said. Prefab construction is also known as Design for Manufacture and Assembly, especially in the United Kingdom and Europe.