Is Modular Construction Shaping A More Sustainable Future?

With high energy prices and growing commitment from Gulf countries to go green, modular construction is emerging as a sustainability hero

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Over recent years, the greater focus on sustainability in the region has led architects, developers, and builders to put the environment at the forefront of their projects. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, construction accounts for 36% of global energy usage and 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions.

With high energy prices and growing commitment from Gulf countries to go green, modular construction is emerging as a sustainability hero. A significant benefit of modular construction is that it allows for higher efficiency standards and generates far less waste, in addition to vastly cutting construction times. So, what makes modular construction more sustainable than its traditional counterpart? Modular construction enables contractors to manufacture structures off-site and assemble them later, which offers significant environmental advantages. With many of the region's mega and giga-projects being built in previously undeveloped areas, a major concern is the impact of development on the surrounding environment.

Manufacturing entire structures in a workshop or factory minimises disruption on-site. Modular construction also reduces the number of vehicles and heavy equipment on-site, which equates to less pollution and site disruption.

Off-site manufacturing also significantly reduces waste by up to 50% in some cases. Transparency Market Research forecasts that annual construction waste is expected to reach 2.2 billion tonnes globally by 2025.

With waste becoming a quickly escalating issue, stakeholders are looking to explore less wasteful alternatives.