As building services projects become more complex and sustainability demands grow, the industry is shifting toward industrialised construction methods.
This presentation explores A.G. Coombs’ journey from prefabrication and DfMA to Informed Design—a data-driven approach that embeds manufacturing intelligence into design to improve quality, certainty and delivery speed.
It will be presented by the company’s virtual design & construction leader, John VanCuylenberg, on day two of ARBS at 1pm.
His presentation will focus on strengthening the connection between digital design and off-site manufacturing.
Building on A.G. Coombs’ long history of prefabrication, VanCuylenberg leads the development of workflows and processes that embed Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles into everyday project delivery.
Over A.G. Coombs’ 80+ year history, the business has pioneered approaches that integrate design, construction, and ongoing building services.
Today, VanCuylenberg contributes to projects where off-site manufacturing, digital engineering, and lifecycle thinking are applied to deliver safer, faster, and higher-quality outcomes for clients.
At the intersection of technology, culture, and collaboration, he champions Informed Design as a methodology that empowers teams across the lifecycle to make smarter decisions and drive better outcomes.
He brings a practitioner’s perspective, grounded in hands-on project experience and a clear vision for how industrialised construction can reshape the future of building services