Possible Developments of the Industrialization of Appropriate Building Subsystem for Iraq

Industrialization of building has developed very rapidly in industrialized countries as well as in many other parts of the world to fulfill the need for housing and public buildings after the Second World War. Prefabricated building is defined as a type of building that consists of several elements or modular units prepared in advance and assembled on-site. The term prefabricated indicates that these building elements are manufactured in the workshop or factory and then combined with other elements. Iraq has witnessed vital development in the construction industry sector. The study investigates the appropriate technology for Iraq, considering resources, economy, labor, and local needs towards a unique development. The urgency to produce prefabricated units has increased, with Iraq not being the first to resort to using or introducing this type of construction to address the housing crisis. Many cities have achieved great success in this regard. The initial challenges faced by countries that adopted prefabricated construction were similar to those currently faced by Iraq. It may have been relatively more difficult initially due to the new experience in prefabricated construction. Therefore, there is a need to learn from the experiences of other countries and apply advancements in prefabricated building technology in Iraq. Research and necessary exploration in this field must be conducted to utilize modern methods that align with local needs, available resources, and labor. It is essential for research and studies to cover not only ready-made production technology but also include designing residential units tailored to suit climatic, economic, and social conditions. Following the example of India, which initially engaged in partial manufacturing of prefabricated units and gradually progressed to building factories for full-scale production of prefabricated units.