KUCHING, May 9: The construction ecosystem has witnessed significant advancements in technology and innovation.
As such, the Integrated Building Systems (IBS) adoption has gained widespread adoption in improving construction quality and cost.
Sarawak Consolidated Industries Berhad (SCIB) Chief Operating Officer, Chai Tze Khang said the system is a comprehensive approach to building design and construction that leverages digital tools and collaborative practices to improve project outcomes.
He further added that the IBS systems improve project efficiency, enhance quality control, increase cost-effectiveness and simplify on-site management and safety and reducing the construction industry’s environmental impact.
“IBS requires skilled labour as well as appropriate training hence, the many advantages of IBS is that it reduces construction time, with significant cost savings by minimising delay in completion, labour requirements and controlling product quality,” said Chai during an exclusive interview with TVS.
Chai pointed out that the adoption of IBS will continue to grow in the coming years, leading to a more efficient, sustainable, and innovative construction industry.
While, the benefits of IBS have been clearly put forward, however, Chai said that the reality is that it can’t overcome some limitations.
In this regard, IBS, he added apart from logistics the system may not be suitable for all types of construction projects as some projects may require more traditional construction methods due to their unique design or location constraints.
“The design of a building plays an important role for the implementation of the systems so IBS is not applicable to all shapes. It all depends on the standardisation and modular of a specific building applicable to IBS.
“The other limitation particularly in Sarawak, I think is logistic. Some of the areas, for example schools that are not accessible by road so when we talk about the IBS components, we are talking about huge sizeable products and the logistics will be an issue to bring in all these components into the construction site,” he pointed out.
Therefore, Chai reiterated the importance for firms to carefully assess their needs and resources before adopting these technologies to ensure they can maximize their benefits while minimizing any potential drawbacks. – TVS
