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The collaboration between ABB Robotics and Porsche Consulting aims to meet the need for more affordable and sustainable buildings and to reduce the environmental impact of construction, amidst what they called “widespread labour and skills shortages”.
“The construction industry is facing numerous challenges. Highly automated factories for buildings can deliver higher quality and more affordable housing. In combining ABB’s leading robotic solutions and Porsche Consulting’s knowledge in planning and running state-of-the-art factories, we want to help transform this important industry,” said Eberhard Weiblen, chairman of the Porsche Consulting executive board.
“We think there is a clear opportunity to transform this sector and the way homes are built by automating the process of manufacturing modular components,” said Marc Segura, president of the ABB Robotics division. “Greater, more intelligent automation is the answer to widespread labour shortages, and this collaboration will boost productivity, allow greater customisation and enable more sustainable and efficient construction practices.”
Labour shortages are a contributing factor to the shortage of housing in many countries, the partners said. In the United States, for example, labour shortages are contributing to a housing shortfall of nearly 4m homes, while Germany is forecast to have housing supply shortages in 35 of its cities by 2030.
“The traditional construction sector is struggling to meet the demand for new homes, while the environmental performance and efficiency of buildings needs to improve, along with the adoption of more sustainable construction methods,” the project announcement said. “These include reducing the transportation of raw materials to construction sites, and eliminating the corresponding costs and impact of removing unwanted materials and waste. This is estimated to account for up to 25% of the material transported to a building site.”
Modular construction can yield efficiencies through reduction in material wastage and the number of days lost to adverse weather conditions, the partners said. Factories can also provide a “safer and more hospitable working environment”, as construction workers account for about 30% of workplace injuries and are four-times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident compared to other sectors, according to the International Labour Organisation in 2015.
Construction lags behind other industries in adoption of automation and robotics, the partners said. In a global ABB survey of 1,900 large and small construction businesses in Europe, the US and China, only 55% of construction companies said they used robots, compared with 84% in automotive and 79% in manufacturing. The survey also showed that 81% of construction businesses plan to introduce or increase the use of robotics and automation in the next decade.
“We understand the importance of sustainable housing and believe the transfer of technology and expertise to the construction sector will deliver the positive impact we have seen in other industries,” said Weiblen from Porsche Consulting, a subsidiary of the sports car manufacturer.
“We will bring our blueprint to life and demonstrate how robotic modular construction can help support the changes our society is demanding. The joint approach will take modular construction to a new level in terms of quality, efficiency, design, and sustainability,” said ABB’s Segura.
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