Editorial: Performance of the supply chains for prefabricated and offsite construction

The construction industry continues to face pressure to improve productivity, quality, sustainability, and resilience while responding to growing demands for housing and infrastructure. In this context, prefabricated and offsite construction (POC) has emerged as a promising approach capable of transforming traditional project delivery through industrialized production methods, improved quality control, and enhanced resource efficiency. However, the success of POC depends not only on technological innovation but also on the performance of the supply chains that support design, manufacturing, logistics, assembly, and project delivery. The interconnected nature of these supply chains introduces opportunities for greater integration and collaboration, while simultaneously exposing organizations to challenges related to coordination, uncertainty, workforce capacity, and sustainability.

This Research Topic was established to advance understanding of the factors that influence supply chain performance in prefabricated and offsite construction. Contributions were invited to examine theoretical developments, empirical evidence, and practical approaches related to organizational performance, supply chain integration, resilience, digitalization, sustainability, capability development, and innovation. The articles published within this Research Topic reflect the broad nature of supply chain performance and demonstrate that successful POC delivery requires consideration of operational, organizational, human, and environmental factors.

The four articles included in this Research Topic examine these issues from different but complementary perspectives. One study investigates supply chain visibility in industrial construction and highlights the importance of timely and relevant information for coordination and decision making among project stakeholders. Greater visibility can help organizations understand activities across the supply chain, identify potential problems earlier, and improve coordination among manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, and other project participants. A second study examines continuous process improvement in industrialized housebuilding through the application of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The study demonstrates how a structured approach to identifying process failures can support efforts to reduce rework and delays while improving process reliability and organizational learning. The remaining two articles broaden the discussion beyond operational performance. An evidence gap mapping study examines psychosocial work exposures and their relationship with workforce outcomes in construction, while also highlighting the limited research specifically focused on offsite construction environments. This work emphasizes the importance of considering workforce wellbeing as part of organizational and supply chain performance. Another article explores the integration of circular economy principles in modular buildings, demonstrating how decisions related to design, materials, production, and end of life strategies can contribute to improved resource efficiency and value retention. Together, these four studies show that POC supply chain performance cannot be evaluated solely through traditional measures such as cost, schedule, and quality. Information sharing, process improvement, workforce conditions, and environmental performance are also important components of an effective supply chain. A recurring theme emerging from the Research Topic is the importance of visibility and coordination among supply chain actors. Prefabricated and offsite construction projects often involve complex networks of manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, contractors, and clients operating across different organizational and geographical boundaries. Effective coordination depends upon timely and accurate information exchange, enabling stakeholders to align decisions and respond proactively to project demands. The contribution examining visibility in industrial construction projects highlights the value of transparent information sharing and illustrates how improved visibility can strengthen stakeholder relationships, support decision-making, and enhance overall supply chain performance. As POC systems become increasingly interconnected, visibility is likely to remain a critical enabler of productivity and collaboration.

A second theme concerns operational excellence and continuous improvement. Industrialized construction shares many characteristics with manufacturing systems, where performance relies heavily on process reliability, standardization, and quality management. The application of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in industrialized housebuilding demonstrates how systematic approaches can identify potential failures and establish proactive improvement strategies. Rather than viewing problems as isolated events, this perspective emphasizes learning, prevention, and continuous optimization throughout the production process. Such approaches are particularly relevant as offsite construction organizations seek to improve competitiveness, reduce waste, and achieve consistent product quality in increasingly demanding market environments.

The Research Topic also broadens the discussion of supply chain performance by emphasizing the human dimension of industrialized construction. While discussions of offsite construction frequently focus on technological innovation and operational efficiency, workforce wellbeing remains fundamental to organizational success. The evidence-gap mapping study on psychosocial work exposures highlights the importance of understanding how working conditions influence employee experiences and performance outcomes across construction environments. This contribution serves as a reminder that organizational capability extends beyond technical resources and production systems. The long-term sustainability of industrialized construction depends on attracting, developing, and retaining a healthy and capable workforce, making social and human considerations an essential component of supply chain performance.

Sustainability and circular economy principles form the fourth major theme emerging from this Research Topic. Growing societal and regulatory expectations are encouraging construction organizations to move beyond traditional linear models of resource consumption and waste generation. The contribution exploring circular economy integration in modular buildings illustrates opportunities to enhance sustainability through improved resource utilization, lifecycle thinking, and value retention. Importantly, this work demonstrates that environmental objectives need not be viewed separately from supply chain performance. Instead, sustainability can act as a source of innovation, resilience, and long-term competitive advantage. As governments and industries continue pursuing decarbonization and resource-efficiency goals, circular economy principles are likely to become increasingly embedded within future supply chain strategies.

Taken together, these contributions reveal that supply chain performance in prefabricated and offsite construction is multidimensional. Information visibility, operational reliability, workforce wellbeing, and sustainability are not independent challenges but interconnected elements of a broader performance ecosystem. Improvements in one area often influence outcomes in others, reinforcing the need for holistic and systems-oriented approaches to supply chain management. The studies presented in this Research Topic demonstrate the value of integrating perspectives from construction management, manufacturing, organizational studies, and sustainability research to better understand the complexities of industrialized construction.

Several opportunities for future research emerge from this body of work. First, there is considerable scope to investigate how digital technologies, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, can strengthen supply chain transparency and decision support. Second, additional research is needed to improve supply chain resilience in the face of market volatility, climate-related disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainties. Third, greater attention should be directed toward workforce development, organizational culture, and psychosocial wellbeing within industrialized construction environments. Finally, further exploration of circular supply chains, reverse logistics, and lifecycle-based business models will be essential for supporting more sustainable construction systems.

In conclusion, this Research Topic provides several perspectives on the changing nature of supply chain performance in prefabricated and offsite construction. The four contributions demonstrate that effective POC supply chains depend on more than production efficiency. They require reliable information exchange, systematic process improvement, attention to workforce conditions, and consideration of environmental impacts throughout the building lifecycle. We hope that the findings presented in this Research Topic encourage further research and support industry efforts to develop more integrated, resilient, and sustainable supply chains for prefabricated and offsite construction.

Generative AI statement

The author(s) declared that generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript. AI tool (Co-pilot) was used to rephrase, paraphrase, grammar, coherence, and proofread.

Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Footnotes

Edited and reviewed by: Izuru Takewaki, Kyoto Arts and Crafts University, Japan