Affordable housing project gets digital IBS treatment

Gamuda IBS general manager Tan Ek Khai briefing Amirudin (second from left) about the digital IBS which offers better quality and faster building completion with higher cost savings.

THE Idaman Residensi apartments, a digital Industrialised Building System (IBS) project under the Rumah Selangorku initiative in Selangor Cyber Valley, was recently launched by Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari.

The high-rise development in Section 6 is a project by the state government-owned PKNS and constructed by Gamuda IBS with Malaysia’s first digital IBS factory, which was won in a competitive tender.

The project marks Gamuda IBS’ first external Rumah Selangorku development that has undertaken a complete IBS initiative, following the success of Gamuda’s Gapura Bayu Apartment which was completed in August 2018.

Gapura Bayu at Jade Hills Kajang was fully built using digital IBS – the first Rumah Selangorku of its kind in the country.

With effective digital IBS integration, these apartments were constructed more than 12 months ahead of schedule and sold at an affordable price ranging between RM42,000 and RM250,000.

Unlike conventional construction, IBS offers a technology-intensive construction technique whereby components are manufactured in a controlled environment off-site, transported to site and assembled in Lego fashion.

This is one of the reasons why Gamuda IBS will also complete Idaman Residensi 12 months ahead of schedule.

The cost savings from the construction period allows Gamuda IBS to be the most competitive tender, which was also technically superior.

“As Gamuda IBS was awarded to construct the Idaman Residensi project through a competitive open tender, the scope of work was not like other tenders.

“The winning company needed to include bullet financing payment, stringent quality and on-time delivery into the scope of work,” said Gamuda IBS executive director Datuk Abdul Sahak Safi.

“I am very proud to say that we are executing all given tasks, thanks to the digital IBS system whereby we leverage on today’s digital design tools and robotic construction as well as superior quality finish to complete the project earlier.”

Abdul Sahak also said that the digital IBS system offered better consistent quality and faster building completion with more cost savings.

Administered by the Construc-tion Industry Development Board, the project also scored high in the Quality Assessment System for Building Construction Works or better known as Qlassic.

For the Idaman Residensi project, Gamuda IBS will achieve Qlassic of 75 points, surpassing the industry achievement for affordable homes of 65 points.

“Gamuda IBS adopts a fully automated precast production system, which can help save 70% of the labour needs.

“As such, we are less reliant on foreign labour.

“The system is also safer and much more efficient, addressing the concerns once highlighted by the government and in sync with its aspiration of building 100,000 units of affordable houses per year,” Abdul Sahak added.

Idaman Residensi features two blocks – one 14 storeys and the other 15 storeys – comprising 864 units of 1,000sq ft apartments tucked away amidst 5.8ha of prime land in Cyber Valley Selangor.

Among the facilities are a four-storey parking complex, four units for disabled, motorcycle parking, three convenience shops, kindergarten, prayer room, multi-purpose hall and management office.