Spatial statistical modelling on the selection of industrialsed building system manufacturing plant

The Malaysian Government has endorsed the usage of Industrialised Building System (JBS) in domestic  projects but no study have yet contribute to the location decision for precast manufacturing plant  that requires proper location to improve the local economic development activity. The objectives of the research are to study the feasibility of precast manufacturing plant, to determine the sites selection criteria of the precast manufacturing plant  and to incorporate spatial criteria with decision makers' preferences by using MCE-GIS model in  deriving potential site. The methodology for MCE-GIS model is divided into three phases where each  phase reflects their objective. Phase I uses the qualitative approach to study the criteria in  setting up precast manufacturing plant and defining the types of precast plant. Phase 2 employs the  quantitative approach to validate the criteria obtained from preliminary su1rvey based on focus  group discussion. Phase 3 determines the potential site in Pulau Pinang using the decision makers'  preference weight of criteria and attribute maps via Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) method.   Phase I results are analysed using content analysis. There are two types of precast manufacturing  plant i.e. permanent and mobile. The main parameters affecting the setting up these plants are  appropriate technology, capability of transportation and erection of IBS components, best practice  in design and build  and skilled  workers. The  results of  Phase 2 were based  on  the final set  of 49 questionnaires. 20 out of 25 respondents are decision makers from the precast manufacturer5  and the 15 criteria have reveal good consistency results, which enable to be its conversion to  decision maker's weight. Finally, the MCE-GIS model has predicted that the potential site is to be  located at Mak Mandin Industrial Zone with an area of 12.87 acres. Based on the findings in Phase  I, the area is suitable for building up mobile precast manufacturing plant. The model 1s found to be stable from the results of two types of sensitivity analysis performed i.e changing the weight and trade-off criteria.The findings of this study can be recommended as a guideline or decision support module to the precast manufacturers. Consequently,  the model is applicable to be suitable to other states as well using the same decision makers'  weight and criteria but essentially replacing the attribute maps according to the selected state. Although, the model is developed specifically for precast manufacturing plant but nevertheless it can be employed to other types of industries by following the methodology and gu1idelines proposed in the present research.