A Critical Literature Review of Existing Off-Site Construction Evaluation Tools

Despite the benefits of off-site construction as a more sustainable alternative to traditional construction, its use in the Republic of Ireland remains limited, with its performance a critical talking point that requires further analysis. This reinforces the need for evaluation tools in the form of methodologies, frameworks, models, and rating systems, to improve off-site construction’s overall performance. This research aims to review such tools in the literature as a function of their country of origin, publication year, the specific off-site construction method they evaluate, their assessment mechanism, scope and applicability. The review shows that most of these tools were developed outside of Ireland, reinforcing the need for tools that are specific to the needs of off-site construction in the country. The most common evaluation tool developed was methodologies, with 44% of the reviewed tools using this assessment mechanism. Several tools targeted specific off-site construction methods such as modular construction, off-site construction waste disposal, and off-site manufacturing. This literature review is needed to highlight the strengths and limitations of existing tools in order to promote their use within the industry. It also provides a way forward for researchers looking to develop new tools that address the limitations of existing ones. A theoretical framework identifying factors behind the development of OSC evaluation tools as well as their potential implications is proposed.