DfMA overlay to RIBA plan of work
On 28 September 2016, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Offsite Management School launched a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work.
The Offsite Management School is an initiative of leading contractors and clients that believes ‘…the industry must go through a process we have called Construction Industrialisation’ which focuses on; digital design, offsite manufacturing, logistics, onsite assembly and best in class maintenance.
The RIBA Plan of Work provides a shared framework for design and construction that offers both a process map and a management tool. The overlay to the Plan of Work focuses on DfMA and is intended to help users identify the significant benefits that can be realised through its use.
Jane Duncan, President of the RIBA said, "I counsel every RIBA member to read this document and consider how they can use the methods set out to help transform the way we design to make it faster, cheaper, safer and more environmentally friendly to build."
Ian Heptonstall, director of the Offsite Management School, said, “Clients and contractors are saying to us, unless we can engage the design community in designing for assembly at the beginning of projects, we can't deliver the benefits of DfMA techniques.”
Dale Sinclair, editor of the RIBA Plan of Work said, “What you realise is that DfMA is not just a subset of construction, but a matter of looking at things in a profoundly different way at the beginning of the next construction revolution.”
A revised edition of the DfMA overlay was published in 2021. This aligns with the 2020 Plan of Work. Ref https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/resources-landing-page/dfma-overlay-to-the-riba-plan-of-work
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.