Conventional vs Prefabricated Buildings: Pursuing the Goal of Sustainability

Abstract

In Greece, and many other European countries, the majority of buildings are made of a reinforced concrete bearing structure, erected in situ, and brick masonry. On the other hand, prefabricated buildings consist of factory-made components that are transported and assembled on-site to form the complete structure. Both building construction types have advantages and disadvantages, and both can be optimised in order to reach advanced performance levels. This paper attempts to highlight the main differences that are found between conventional and prefabricated buildings mainly in the field of sustainability. More specifically, a model of a small single family house is used in order to study the energy and environmental performance, when the two construction types are employed: the conventional one, composing of reinforced concrete and brickwork, and the prefabricated one, using the building module that was developed within the research project SU.PR.I.M. For both construction types, the heating and cooling energy needs are calculated for different thermal insulation thicknesses and climate contexts, in order to show which construction is more energy efficient. Furthermore, the environmental impact of both constructions is estimated, with the aim to highlight the overall performance of each building not only during its use, but throughout their lifetime. Through this analysis the potential of both construction types to form a sustainable building is explored, showing interesting results and new insights for the building industry and the prospective users.