What is Prefabrication?
Prefab (short for prefabrication) also called offsite construction simply is a method of construction where a building or some of its components are manufactured away from its final location. Once ready all the components are delivered and assembled on a building site. Prefab can range from a wall or module to a complete building.
Prefab is a growing trend worldwide due to the benefits it presents. Some of the advantages of prefab over traditional on-site construction are:
- • Short construction times
- • Energy efficiency
- • Raw material efficiency
- • Waste reduction and material reuse
- • Controlled construction environment (non-weather dependant)
- • Quality of material and installation assurance (guarantee)
- • Flexibility (Up & Downgrade – multi-generation solutions)
- • Modular design
- • Price competitiveness
The Future of Prefabrication in New Zealand
With an increasing population and growing housing demand, the New Zealand Government is planning to increase the proportion of new builds using prefabrication or modular construction, These innovative solutions support scale, pace and quality, as published in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development annual report 2018/2019 and Statement of Strategic Intentions 2019-2023.
Sustainable Solutions by Knauf Insulation for Prefabricated Buildings
Knauf Insulation welcomes enquiries from the prefabrication industry. We have proven experience in assisting large and small offsite manufacturers and we are available to assist you with selecting the best insulation solutions for your business.
Acoustic and Sound Performance
The importance of acoustic performance in prefabricated building solutions is significant. The implementation of high-quality details is crucial in ensuring high living standards in modern prefab buildings. In many cases the right choice of insulation material is the basis for further acoustic comfort.
Earthwool® glasswool has excellent airborne and impact sound reduction performance, helps builders meet not only the existing and upcoming legislation requirements, but – most importantly – achieve healthy, acoustic comfort of living.
Energy Efficiency and Fire Safety
Thermal, fire and sound performance are three vital building performance aspects for which legislative requirements are included in the Building Code. As insulation materials represent a large portion in modern prefabricated buildings, it makes perfect sense to choose the insulation material that will meet all these performance requirements at the highest possible level.
Glasswool is an all-around insulation material, it exhibits excellent thermal and sound insulation properties, is non-combustible, sustainable and has excellent water vapour permeability. Earthwool® glasswool insulation with ECOSE® Technology is a valuable choice for builders due to ease of use and handling, sustainability credentials and efficiency thanks to compression packaging.
Knauf Insulation offers technical advice and privides a wide variety of quality-proven and certified materials and system solutions, ready to be implemented in prefabricated construction.
Blowing Wool Solution for Prefabricated House Manufacturers
To optimize insulation installation in prefab manufacturing process, an automated solution Supafil® Max Frame System was introduced, a very flexible set of machinery, consisting of a blowing machine, feeder, buffer and an installation plate to fit the highly compressed blowing wool into prefab frame elements in all applications. This solution saves time, money and greatly reduces waste, successfully endured tests for transport and other shocks, has less than 1% settlement and needs no manual cutting.
The Supafil® blowing wool is non-combustible and highly sustainable material with Indoor Air Comfort Gold and Green Tag Level A Certificate, made of up to 80% recycled glass.