Development and future of prefab

Aside from answering a general demand for faster and smarter construction, the use of prefabricated construction elements allows for efficient construction by fewer construction workers and as such provides a solution for increasing labour shortages in the construction sector.

Importance of prefab

Given the importance of the trend, we have been monitoring usage of prefab for years now and have focused the Q3 2019 report of USP’s European Architectural Barometer on usage of prefab entirely. The results of 1600 interviews with architects from eight European countries show that the usage and growth of prefab very much differs per country.

European Architectural Barometer Q3 2019 - USP Marketing Consultancy

The Netherlands

In terms of usage of prefabricated elements in construction, the Netherlands is clearly taking the lead. Dutch architects report that in almost half of the projects some form of prefab is being used. Given the level of labour shortage in the Dutch construction market, this is hardly surprising, but labour shortage is not the only explanation. Prefab usage often goes hand in hand with digitalisation in construction, and the level of BIM usage in the Netherlands is also relatively high. Additionally, the Dutch culture of row- or terrace houses forms a good breeding ground for the usage of prefab in major residential construction projects.

Spain

In terms of level of usage of prefab, Spain comes in second, with some form of prefab being used in 37% of the construction projects. This shows that labour shortage is not the only oil on the prefab fire, but that construction culture, habit and routine also play a role, given that historically, Spain has always had a high usage of prefab, especially in multi-family housing.

Remaining countries

Germany, Poland and Belgium linger in the middle, with close to a third of the projects containing some form of prefab. The UK, Italy and France seem to form the runt of the litter, with 20%, 18% and 15% of construction projects containing some form of prefabrication respectively. For most of these countries, the use of prefab seems to be correlating with levels of labour shortage, but a closer focus on specific countries again reveals that there are more factors involved, and that it is worth to keep country-specific trends in mind. The UK is a good example of that. Prefabricated elements being used in only 20% of the UK projects seems a bit low, but of all countries, the way of using prefab is actually more advanced in the UK, where more elaborated 3D or volumetric prefabricated elements are used more often.

Future of prefab

As for the future of prefab, expectations are as varied as the current usage. According to the architects, the largest growth of prefab usage in the coming five years is expected in Spain and Poland, with the UK and the Netherlands being the runner up.

Conclusion

All this goes to show that, although labour shortages and a demand for faster and smarter construction can explain the development of prefab usage, a deeper focus on county-specific trends and contexts is needed to successfully anticipate future developments of prefab in Europe. For more detailed information and figures we refer you to the Q3-2019 report of USP’s European Architectural Barometer.

About USP Marketing Consultancy
USP Marketing Consultancy is a leading international market research agency that is specialized in the construction, installation and DIY sector for over 25 years. USP Marketing Consultancy works for internationally renowned companies, such as AkzoNobel, Philips, Grohe, Forbo, etc. Our clients often have pan-European questions about their brand awareness, customer journeys, market opportunities, e-commerce trends and other research needs. USP Marketing Consultancy delivers the insights to make decisions and acts as a marketing advisor for its clients.

 

Note for editors

For more information please contact Dirk Hoogenboom of USP Marketing Consultancy, call +31 6 52098924 or mail to Hoogenboom@usp-mc.nl).

 

When you publish (parts of) this press release, we would like to receive a copy. Please send it to:

 

USP Marketing Consultancy

Saskia Leeuwis

Max Euwelaan 51
3062 MA Rotterdam

leeuwis@upc-mc.nl