Industrialised Housing Delivery: A Systematic Literature Review and Thematic Synthesis of Uptake, Digital Integration, and P-DfMA Drivers

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Authors: Danesh Hedayati, Movahedeh Amirmijani, Shervin Zabeti Targhi, Leva Latifiilkhechi Leva Latifiilkhechi, Pejman Sharafi
Cited by: 3
References: 86

Abstract

Industrialised construction (IC) represents a foundational strategy for overcoming entrenched productivity constraints and supply shortfalls in the housing sector. By enabling the mass production and mass customisation of advanced kit-of-parts systems, IC supports more efficient, predictable, scalable, and sustainable building delivery through integrated, standardised, and digitally enabled processes. However, adoption remains uneven due to fragmentation across regulatory, organisational, and technological systems. This paper presents a systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of the literature published between 2000 and 2025 to examine performance outcomes, adoption trends, digital integration maturity, and emerging platform-based design for manufacture and assembly (P-DfMA) approaches, and the main drivers. The review shows that significant performance gains are achievable, including notable reductions in construction time and cost variability, along with substantial reductions in material waste, together with measurable improvements in quality, safety, and delivery predictability. However, widespread uptake of IC remains constrained. This is largely driven by regulatory misalignment, rigid and bespoke procurement and delivery models, inconsistent and unstable supply chain capacity, and the lack of standardised components and integrated digital workflows. Building on these insights, this paper examines the key enablers required for sector-wide transformation toward an ecosystem that supports standardised kit-of-parts solutions, digitally driven design-to-production workflows, and aligned policy and procurement frameworks that are capable of delivering scalable and repeatable industrialised housing. The findings provide a consolidated evidence base and identify the key enablers for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers working to move from project-centred delivery models to platform-based, digitally integrated, and industrialised construction systems. We searched Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, complemented by targeted industry and policy repositories; the searches were last updated on 1 December 2025. After screening, 117 sources were included. The review was not registered, and no review protocol was prepared.

Fields of Study & Subjects

BIM and Construction Integration Product Development and Customization Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials

Publication details

Journal / source
Buildings
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
16
Issue
3
Pages
552–552
Publication date
29 January 2026
Language
EN