A new framework of industrialized construction method in China: Towards on-site industrialization

Abstract Many countries and regions consider industrialized construction to be a cleaner production method that facilitates sustainability in the construction industry. In China, proponents of industrialized construction have paid more attention to environmental and social sustainability, but the obstacles to economic sustainability have not been well solved. This study proposes a new industrialized construction method, OSI (On-Site Industrialization). OSI combines the advantages of prefabrication and cast-in-situ, and, to develop and validate the OSI framework, this work conducts two-phase action research. Based on the holistic overview of industrialized construction, the OSI framework was developed in action research phase 1. This framework includes five basic industrialized principles—standardization, prefabrication, modularization, lean, and sustainability. To evaluate the sustainability performance of OSI from the perspective of triple-bottom-line (TBL), the research team carried out a multiple-case study in action research phase 2. To validate the OSI framework, the research team used the conventional precast concrete construction for benchmarking. The findings indicate that OSI is a feasible industrialized construction method to balance the three dimensions of TBL in the Chinese construction industry. This research extends the theoretical knowledge body of industrialized construction while at the same time solving some practical problems in the construction industry.