Prefabrication in Hong Kong’s High-Rise Residential Construction: Evolution and Effect on Waste Minimization

Abstract

Managing construction waste efficiently to minimize its irreversible harm to the surrounding environment has been a long-standing issue plaguing various economies around the globe. Against such backdrop, prefabrication as a green building technology capable of reducing construction waste at source has been increasingly advocated by governments worldwide during the past two decades. By using statistical analyses (e.g. comparison of percentages, independent samples t-test) supplemented by an interview to analyse a valuable secondary dataset on 90 residential projects, this study aims at understanding the trend of prefabrication in Hong Kong, comparing the waste management performance between conventional and prefabrication projects, and uncovering the type(s) of precast component(s) most conducive to waste minimization in residential developments. This study uncovers the reasons behind the decline in popularity of certain precast components in private residential projects, and that incorporating greater levels of precast window and wall components would contribute to reducing waste generation in residential projects. The findings presented in this paper contributes to the understanding of the status quo of prefabrication adoption in residential projects of Hong Kong, which serves as a reference for the government’s formulation of policies promoting precast construction.