Toward a Lifecycle-Oriented Design for X (DfX): A Framework for Industrialized Building Products

Abstract

In the building sector, the trend towards industrialization is accelerating. Although industrialized building products offer significant advantages, they face challenges throughout their lifecycle, many of which are related to the design phase. Current research has focused primarily on Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), which, while valuable, tend to limit the broader integration of these products across the entire project lifecycle. To deal with this limitation, this study expands the design lens by examining a broader set of considerations collectively known as Design for X (DfX) to address the needs of various project phases right from the design phase. The goal is to enable the development of industrialized products that are not only optimized for manufacturing and assembly but also adaptable across the entire lifecycle of industrialized building projects. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was carried out using the WoS and Scopus databases, covering publications from 2015 to 2025. After a thorough screening and selection process, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to identify key design aspects relevant to industrialized building products. Then, a comprehensive framework was developed to categorize DfX considerations across the entire lifecycle of industrialized building projects, from design, manufacturing, and assembly to transportation, on-site installation, and end-of-life. This framework supports a more comprehensive approach to the industrialized design of building products. It can serve not only as a foundation for future research but also as a practical tool for evaluating the industrialization potential of building products during the early design phase.