Evaluating the quality and durability of offsite-constructed housing in Uganda using a composite quality index

Uganda is experiencing a growing housing shortage due to rapid urban growth, limited construction capacity, and high costs of traditional building methods. Offsite construction has emerged as a promising approach to provide affordable, durable, and environmentally friendly housing. This study aimed to assess stakeholders' views on the quality of offsite-constructed housing in Uganda. The objectives included identifying key quality indicators, examining differences among professional roles, and developing a Composite Quality Index (CQI) to support decision-making. A structured and validated questionnaire was given to 384 stakeholders, including engineers, architects, contractors, and homeowners. Participants rated four main quality indicators: structural integrity, environmental resistance, estimated lifespan, and durability compared to traditional housing. Likert scale, where lower scores indicated better perceived quality was used. Descriptive statistics summarized the responses, and the CQI provided a combined, weighted measure of overall housing quality. One-way ANOVA tested differences in perceptions among stakeholder roles, Pearson correlation examined relationships between roles and indicator scores, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the most important factors influencing quality perceptions. Results showed that environmental resistance received the most positive perception (mean = 1.88, SD = 0.79; 68.8% positive ratings), followed by structural integrity and durability (mean = 2.02; over 61% favorable), and estimated lifespan (mean = 2.13; 63.3% favorable). While evaluations were mostly positive, 25% of respondents reported structural issues. The CQI of 2.01 indicates that offsite housing is seen as equal to or better than traditional construction. ANOVA showed significant differences in perceptions of environmental resistance among roles (F = 4.257, p = 0.0022), while PCA revealed that structural integrity (+ 0.652) and estimated lifespan (+ 0.646) were the most influential dimensions. This study is the first in Uganda to use a CQI for offsite housing, providing valuable insights for both theory and practice. The findings emphasize the need for focused stakeholder engagement, standardized inspections, and strong quality assurance systems to improve the adoption, trust, and long-term performance of offsite construction. Keywords: Offsite construction, housing quality, Composite Quality Index, stakeholder perception, Uganda, Principal Component Analysis, structural integrity, environmental resistance.