Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Using Prefabricated Building to Address Housing Needs in Libya: A Study based on Local Expert Perspectives

  • Research Article - Civil Engineering
  • Published:
Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of prefabricated building systems offers considerable advantages in cases wherein extensive solutions to housing problems are immediately required. However, this system’s share in the overall building housing market in Libya is nearly negligible. This study attempts to explore the current situation of prefabricated building systems and their potential to address Libyan housing conditions. The perspectives of local experts in the construction industry are mainly considered. Qualitative analysis is conducted by using information obtained from interviews. Results show that prefabricated building can improve the Libyan housing industry; however, government and prospective practitioners who lack information, knowledge, and know-how of prefabricated building applications are often prejudiced against their use. Most of the interviewees also cannot fully provide conceptual or policy guidelines, which may serve as the starting point for the development of prefabricated building in Libya.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Bank (2015). http://www.albankaldawli.org/ar/country/libya. Accessed 10 Sept 2015

  2. General Authority for Information. STATISTICS BOOK. General Authority for Information and Information and Yearly Bulletin (2009): P.315. Tripoli/Libya (in Arabic)

  3. Abuhadra, D.S.; Ajaali, T.T.: Labour market and employment policy in Libya. European Training Foundation (2014). http://www.etf.europa.eu/web.nsf/pages/Employment_policies_Libya. Accessed 1 Mar 2015

  4. Grifa, M.A.: The construction industry in Libya, with particular reference to operations in Tripoli. Ph.D thesis submitted to School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. University of Newcastle (2006)

  5. Omar, B.: Dean of Municipal Council-Benghazi. Mentioned that on waiting for companies’ responses to start a project to build prefabricated housing units in Benghazi, 27/07/2015 (Libya News 24). http://akhbarlibya24.net/2015/البرعصي-بانتظار-ردود-الشركات-للبدء-في. Accessed 12 Mar 2016

  6. O’Neill, D.; Organ, S.: A literature review of the evolution of British prefabricated low-rise housing. Struct. Surv. 34(2), 191–214 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Barghouti, A.M.: Libya’s Ancient History: From Ancient Times Until the Islamic Conquest. University of Libya, Faculty of Education (1972). (in Arabic)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Roy, R.; Low, M.; Waller, J.: Documentation, standardisation and improvement of the construction process in house building. J. Constr. Manag. Econ. 23, 57–67 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jaillon, L.; Poon, C.S.: The evolution of prefabricated residential building systems in Hong Kong: a review of the public and the private sector. Autom. Constr. 18(3), 239–248 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Richard, R.B.: Industrialised building systems: reproduction before automation and robotics. Autom. Constr. 14, 442–451 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. O’Neill, Daniel; Organ, Samantha: A literature review of the evolution of British prefabricated low-rise housing. Struct. Surv. 34(2), 191–214 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Piroozfar, P.A.E.; Farr, E.R.P.: Evolution of nontraditional methods of construction: 21st century pragmatic viewpoint. J. Archit. Eng. 19(2), 119–133 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dietz, A.G.H.; Cutler, L.S.: Industrialized Building System for Housing. MIT Press, Cambridge (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Busching, H.W.: Semi-industrialized housing production. In: Ural, O. (ed.) Construction on Lower Cost Housing, p. 123. Wiley, New York (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Blismas, N.G.; Wakefield, R.: Drivers, constraints and the future of offsite manufacture in Australia. Construction innovation information. Process Manag 9(1), 72–84 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Nadim, W.; Goulding, J.S.: Offsite production in the UK: the way forward? A UK construction industry perspective. Constr. Innov. Inf. Process Manag. 10(2), 181–202 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chiang, Y.-H.; Hon-Wan Chan, E.; Ka-Leung Lok, L.: Prefabrication and barriers to entry—a case study of public housing and institutional buildings in Hong Kong. Habitat Int. 30(3), 482–499 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gibb, A.; Isack, F.: Re-engineering through pre-assembly: client expectations and drivers. Build. Res. Inf. 31(2), 146–160 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Manley, K.; Mckell, S.; Rose, T.: Innovative Practices in the Australian Built Enviromment Sector. Information Resource for Industry. CRC, Brisbane (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Navaratnarajah, R.: BCA’s New Roadmap To Raise Construction Productivity. PropertyGuru (2016). https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-management-news/2016/10/138553/bcas-new-roadmap-to-raise-construction-productivity

  21. Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia. Construction Industry Master Plan 2 (CIMP 2 2016–2020), January (2015)

  22. Amankwah, O.; Danso, K.; Arthur, Y.D.: Stakeholders perception of the advantages and hindrances to the adoption of off-site production in the Ghanaian construction industry. Civ. Environ. Res. 7(6), 60–67 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Arif, M.; Bendi, D.; Sawhney, A.; Iyer, K.C.: State of offsite construction in India-drivers and barriers. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 364(1), 012109 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kolo, S.J.; Rahimian, F.P.; Goulding, J.S.: Offsite manufacturing construction: a big opportunity for housing delivery in Nigeria. Procedia Eng. 85, 319–327 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Zhai, X.L.; Reed, R.; Mills, A.: Factors impeding the offsite production of housing construction in China: an investigation of current practice. Constr. Manag. Econ. 32(1–2), 40–52 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Li, Z.; Shen, G.Q.; Xue, X.: Critical review of the research on the management of prefabricated construction. Habitat Int. 43(3), 240–249 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Rahimian, P.; Goulding, J.; Akintoye, A.; Kolo, S.: Review of motivations, success factors, and barriers to the adoption of offsite manufacturing in Nigeria. Procedia Eng. 196, 512–519 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Aburas, H.: Off-site construction in Saudi Arabia: the way forward. J. Archit. Eng. 17(4), 122–124 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Polat, G.: Precast concrete systems in developing vs. industrialized countries. J. Civ. Eng. Manag. 16(1), 85–94 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Roberts, M.; Hugh, P.: An urban profile of the middle East. St. Martin’s Press, NewYork (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Sheibani, G.N.; Havard, T.: The reasons for shortages in housing in Libya. CIB book article; online resource, pp. 116–124. Rotterdam (Netherlands) (2006). http://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB9002.pdf. Accessed 10 Jan 2016

  32. El-Abidi, K.M.A.; Ghazali, F.E.M.; Azman, M.N.A.: Managing transformation: a focus on prefabricated building in the Libyan construction industry. In: CIB International Conference on Construction in a Changing World. 4th–7th may 2014, Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka

  33. Stallen, M.; Chabannes, Y.; Steinberg, F.: Potentials of prefabrication for self-help and mutual-aid housing in developing countries. Habitat Int. 18(2), 13–39 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Majzub, I.E.: Modular housing systems used around the world. Int. J. Hous. Sci. 1, 73–84 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  35. El-Abidi, K.M.A.; Ghazali, F.E.M.: Motivations and limitations of prefabricated building: an overview. Appl. Mech. Mater. 802, 668–675 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Easterby-Smith, M.; Thorpe, R.; Lowe, A.: Management Research: An Introduction, 2nd edn. SAGE publications, London (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Saunders, M.; Lewis, P.; Thornhill, A.: Research methods for business students. Pearson education, London (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Robertson, D.S.; McLaughlin, P.: Looking into Housing: A Practical Guide to Housing Research. Chartered Institute of Housing Policy and Practice Series, Coventry (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Biernacki, P.; Waldorf, D.: Snowball sampling: problems and techniques of chain referral sampling. Sociol. Methods Res. 10(2), 141–163 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Hakim, C.: Research Design; Strategies and Choices in the Design of Social Researches. Allen & Unwin, London (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Flyvbjerg, B.: Making Social Science Matter: Why Social Inquiry Fails and How It Can Succeed Again. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2001)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  42. Yin, R.K.: Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications, London (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  43. Wilson, P.; Blackshaw, N.; Norris, P.: An evaluation of telephone interviewing on the British Labour Force Survey. J. Off. Stat. 4, 385–400 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Trochim, W.M.K.; Donnelly, J.P.: The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 3rd edn. Atomic Dog/Cengage Learning, Mason (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, 3rd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Douglas, S.P.; Craig, C.S.: Collaborative and iterative translation: an alternative approach to back translation. J. Int. Market. 15(1), 30–43 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. McNamara, C.: Ph.D General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews, Minnesota (1999). http://www.managementhelp.org/evaluatn/intrview.htm. Accessed 20 Jan 2013

  48. Ozkan, B.: Using NVivo to analyze qualitative classroom data on constructivist learning environments. Qual. Rep. 9(4), 589–603 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  49. Morse, J.M.; Richards, L.: Readme First for a User’s Guide to Qualitative Methods. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  50. Hsieh, H.F.; Shannon, S.E.: Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qual. Health Res. 15, 1277–1288 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  51. Schmidt, C.: The analysis of semi-structured interviews. In: Flick, U., Kardorff, E., Steinke, I. (eds.) A Companion to Qualitative Research, pp. 253–258. Sage Piblicaions Ltd, London (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  52. Anderson, C.: Presenting and evaluating qualitative research. Am. J. Pharm. Educ. 74(8), 141 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Fleming, A.; Vanclay, F.: Using discourse analysis to better inform the practice of extension. Ext. Farming Syst. J. 5(1), 1–10 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  54. Rosenthal, M.: Qualitative research methods: why, when, and how to conduct interviews and focus groups in pharmacy research. Curr. Pharm. Teach. Learn. 8(4), 509–516 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Pan, W.: A Decision Support Tool for Optimising the Use of Offsite Technologies in Housebuilding. Ph.D thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University (2006)

  56. Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB): Financial Modeling Options for Contractor Support and Development. Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Pretoria (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  57. Ofori, G.: Practice of construction industry development at the crossroads. Habitat Int. 18(2), 41–56 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Moonseo, P.; Yashada, I.-V.; Wooyoung, K.; Youngjib, H.: Construction policymaking: with an example of Singaporean government’s policy to diffuse prefabrication to private sector. KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 15(5), 771–779 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Abbott, P.G.: Technology Transfer in the Construction Industry: Infrastructure and Industrial Development (No. 223). Economist Intelligence Unit, London (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  60. Moavenzadeh, F.; Hagopian, F.: ‘The construction industry and economic growth. Asian Natl. Dev. 5, 56–60 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  61. Strassman, P.A.; Wells, J.: Introduction. In: Strassman, P.A., Wells, J. (eds.) The Global Construction Industry. Unwin Hyman, New York (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  62. Chatterji, M.: Technology transfer in the developing countries. Macmillan, London (1990)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  63. Nam, C.H.; Tatum, C.B.: Leaders and champions for construction innovation. Constr. Manag. Econ. 15(3), 259–270 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Winch, G.M.: Innovativeness in British and French construction: the evidence from Transmanche-Link. Constr. Manag. Econ. 18(7), 807–817 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Hashim, M.S.; Mohamad, Y.; Zaman, R.A.; Jahaya, F.: PKNS Engineering and Construction Berhad (PECB) experiences in IBS. In: Proceedings in Malaysia international IBS exhibition (MIE 2009) construction industry development board (CIDB) Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 23–25 January 2009

  66. Polat, G.: Factors affecting the use of precast concrete systems in the United States. J. Constr. Eng. Manag. 134, 169–178 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Origination of Urban Planning. The national policy of spatial planning 2006–2030: balanced and sustainable development, Tripoli-Libya (2006) (in Arabic)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia

    Khaled M. Amtered El-Abidi & Abdul Rashid Abdul Aziz

  2. School of the Built Environment and Architecture/Construction, Property and Surveying, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Rd, London, SE1 0AA, UK

    George Ofori

  3. School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia

    Sharifah Akmam Syed Zakaria

Authors
  1. Khaled M. Amtered El-Abidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. George Ofori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sharifah Akmam Syed Zakaria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Abdul Rashid Abdul Aziz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Ofori.

Appendix A: Semi-structured Interview

Appendix A: Semi-structured Interview

figure a
figure b

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

El-Abidi, K.M.A., Ofori, G., Zakaria, S.A.S. et al. Using Prefabricated Building to Address Housing Needs in Libya: A Study based on Local Expert Perspectives. Arab J Sci Eng 44, 8289–8304 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-019-03997-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-019-03997-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation