37 / 56
35
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JULY
2017
This, coupled with the requirement to
be cost effective in the current economic
downturn, is where prefabricated walls,
floors, frames and foundations can offer as
much as a 30% saving on material usage
amongst other benefits.
Elematic from Finland, a world leader
in the manufacture of precast concrete
plants and production lines, recently
showcased the benefits of prefabrication in
the affordable housing sector at the African
Construction and Totally Concrete Expo, at
Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.
Addressing Expo delegates, Elematic’s
area director, Curt Lindroth said “Prefabri-
cation in the concrete industry has been
around since the 1970s, it offers many
positives such as reduced costs, design
efficiencies, housing longevity, a reduction
in manpower, time and materials as well
as greater safety on site. Using local raw
materials it offers a faster construction
speed as shown by a recent project in India,
where using conventional construction
methods supplied 15 x 1 000 sq ft
apartments in a month. The prefabricated
structure supplied 45 apartments of the
same size in the same period of time”.
“At our technical training workshop at
the Expo, we highlighted the benefits of
prefabrication, particularly in affordable
housing projects and how Africa can benefit
from this technology were highlighted. Over
the years, advances in precast technology
and design have opened a myriad of
possibilities for housing and the planning
of urban environments, something that
South Africa, and other developing cities can
make good use of in the supply of a greater
number of houses, more quickly while still
making financial savings,” Lindroth said.
Benefits of prefabrication
Prefabrication removes the need for
shuttering and scaffolding and requires less
transportation to site and less materials
and equipment. Prefabricated elements
are easily installed with cranes, and offer
better quality control and create safer
working conditions. No brickwork is needed,
less steel is consumed and prefabrication
offers a longer building lifespan with less
maintenance.
The construction site becomes dry and
clean with no curing required at site, which
makes water and energy savings achievable.
Even in extreme weather conditions
no waterproofing is required for the pre-
fabricated structures. A major positive is the
simplicity of assembly, which requires the
minimum amount of joints.
Precast concrete’s components make it
a natural choice in achieving sustainability
in new buildings. The structures need no
chemical treatment which eliminaes fumes.
The solid and secure structure offers secu-
rity as the prefabricated concrete panel is
impact resistant and difficult to break or cut
through. Prefabricated concrete is also fire
proof, rot proof and rust proof.
Termites, rats, mice and other vermin will
not threaten the precast structure, as they
do with more traditional building materials,
as the components of the precast concrete
make it inedible.
“Precast is a modular building system
based on ready-made, factory manufactured
components and intelligent connections.
AFFORDABLE
housing solutions
using
PREFABRICATION
While in-roads into the supply of affordable housing in South Africa
have been made, there is still a long way to go in the delivery of the
quantity of housing required for the vast amount of people in need
across the country.
“It is a smart and industrialised way
to construct cost-efficient buildings,”
commented Prakash Shah, head of technical
support at Elematic. “Modern plants are
scaled to meet the precast need. The same
production line allows the manufacture of
precast products from affordable to high-
end housing, as well as for factories and
office complexes,” said Shah.
“Many large cities in Africa, South
America and India are experiencing rapid
population growth. In Kenya for example,
the Kenyan Government is committed
to ensuring every citizen has access to
affordable housing. The Indian Government
has announced a ‘Housing for All’ smart
cities programme. The South African
Government believes the supply of adequate
housing is a basic human right. These are
big challenges that face government. We
believe that prefabrication is a cost-effective
way forward towards quickly solving this
enormous demand,” said Lindroth.
Elematic’s area director, Curt Lindroth.
Recent projects supported with Elematic Technologies
• Naya Raipur, India – 4 000 housing units
• Bismayah New City Project, Iraq – 100 000 housing units
• Arabian Ranches, UAE – 1 041 villas