Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

Rapid Ramp, the UK’s leading modular ramp and step manufacturer continue to offer a nationwide supply and installation service.

Their modular products are off the shelf systems, available from stock with fast service and construction.

With a fully reusable and adjustable design, the products can fit various sized spaces and buildings. Plus, they can fully comply with Building Regulations.

Installations remain flexible and organised around the specific needs of each project, and existing wooden ramps can be dismantled and replaced.

An in-house designer creates 3D drawings with each quotation, and site surveys can be arranged.

 

 School Access Ramps & Steps

 

Unlike wooden ramps and steps that will burn if exposed to fire, the Rapid Ramp system is non-combustible and can fully comply with building regulations.

Installations remain flexible with fitters often working during the holidays to accommodate around the teaching timetable. Plus, fitters can dismantle and remove existing wooden ramps.

 

 

Contact details:  E: sales@rapidramp.co.uk  –  T: 01424 714646  –  W: www.rapidramp.co.uk

 

 

 

As our wants, needs and behaviours are forced to change with the integration of new considerations into our daily lives, will offsite construction play a greater role in delivering the built environment we need whilst simultaneously keeping a workforce as safe as it can possibly be?  Joe Bradbury discusses:

How many politicians does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one, it seems. All they need do is hold it in place while the world revolves around them. Whilst politicians play with people’s lives and livelihoods, the construction sector attempts to soldier on, accounting for 6% of Britain’s economic output and providing employment for 2.3 million people, according to official figures from the ONS.

However, as CIOB rightly pointed out in a recent research paper entitled ‘The Real Face of Construction 2020’, this figure does not take into account the work of architects, engineers and quantity surveyors as well as manufacturers dedicated to the sector and many other firms that support construction, such as builders’ merchants and plant hire providers.

Needless to say, construction matters… and in a rapidly changing modern world, our construction methods matter more than ever. What role will offsite construction play in Covid world? Let’s take a look:

Social distancing and less time on site

As most offsite construction work is carried out offsite, there is a reduced assembly time on site with fewer tradesmen required. Offsite construction is considerably quicker than traditional on-site methods. As such, sites are measurably quieter than traditional construction sites with fewer people needing to be there to carry out works.

A recent study carried out by the Steel Construction Institute on a 4-storey residential building estimated that the total amount of site labour could be reduced by as much as 75% through the use of offsite construction – an obvious benefit to the local residents in terms of the general level of site activity and the number of vehicles travelling to and from the site, but also a clear advantage to anybody trying to navigate the ever-changing Covid restrictions and guidelines that serve to prevent us from delivering the homes this country so sorely needs.

Controlled build environment

Even before we awoke from the Brexit dream into a Coronavirus nightmare, transferring much of the construction programme from an open site to a controlled factory environment was proven to reduce on-site time for workers and reduces the potential for site-based accidents and ill health. Now, at a time when it is widely considered necessary to keep people apart, this seems more advantageous to any builder attempting to run a business at this complicated time.

Factory controlled conditions mean a better quality of build; better finish; fewer defects; all snagging complete and all services tested. These advantages are matched by those for the skilled workforce who are carrying out the work – a warm, controlled and enclosed workplace where their health and safety can be observed properly, significantly reducing the risk of accidents, ill-health or exposure to a flu virus.

Housing shortage

The UK finds itself in the midst of an acute housing crisis. Current annual construction levels are typically less than half of the estimated 250,000 new homes this country needs built every year through to at least the 2030s. With only 63% of projects delivered on time and only 49% delivered to budget, it’s clear to see that traditional building practices, whilst still integral, are falling short of meeting major challenges on their own.

There is an urgent need for a mass volume of houses to be constructed in a limited time scale and whether the state takes on housebuilding, or if it is left to private house builders, the benefits of offsite construction could be crucial to meeting targets that have repeatedly been missed. Offsite construction provides housebuilders with programme certainty and quality though simplification of site operations and reduced weather dependencies due to the controlled factory-based assembly process. Houses delivered through offsite construction offer enhanced specification standards and build quality which reduces occupancy costs related to energy use, defects and repairs. There is significant evidence that suggests that the use of offsite construction has been successful when applied to meet the needs of significant housing developments at scale with consequential opportunities for standardisation of design details – particularly to meet the need of government led programmes.

Offsite housing construction looks set to grow in a post-pandemic world. Demand is expected to be driven by several contributing factors; mainly by the ongoing shortage of homes across Britain and the declining numbers of key skilled tradesmen and professionals, which in turn increases demand in offsite housing manufacturing and output capacity.

Key areas of demand are likely to be where there is an urgency to increase the rate of completions, such as affordable housing and Build-to-Rent.

The environment still matters… more than ever!

Covid-aside, we need to reduce our impact on the planet as a species fast… otherwise, there will not be a platform for all of our opinions, actions and debates to take place upon. I would argue that this is the one truth that we can all agree on.

The built environment contributes around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Despite erratic annual variations, the carbon footprint of the built environment has reduced since 1990, but we still have a considerable way to go. Newly constructed buildings are more energy efficient, but 80% of buildings that will be in use in the year 2050 have already been built today, so a major priority will be decarbonising our existing stock through modern construction technology.

Builders are now rightly expected to create sustainable and energy efficient buildings as part of the greater effort to reduce CO2 emissions, energy consumption and waste as an industry. As such, environmental considerations will transform how our buildings are constructed, what materials are used and which methods are employed.

Offsite construction is far less energy intensive than traditional housebuilding methods. The carbon footprint left by the many construction vehicles and machinery on the site of a traditional construction project alone is considerably larger than that of modular construction. Put simply, fewer vehicles involved and less time spent on site results in less greenhouse gases being released into our environment.

In summary

Although Covid-19 and the subsequent clumsy government responses around the globe has caused untold devastation to our mental health, our lives and our economies, it also hit pause for a brief few moments on an unsustainable model, affording us an offset perspective on our habits as a species.

It would be a shame if all that was taken from it was pain and destruction. Times of difficulty are also times of great learning.

We all heard beautiful stories in the beginning of city smog clearing to reveal clear blue skies over capital cities around the world. The pandemic shone a light on our need for change.

With this in mind, a transition to a low-carbon economy presents our industry with great opportunities for growth, something we will need to focus on to recuperate some of the economic damages inflicted upon us by rash decisions and a coronavirus bill.

Environmental considerations, will transform how our buildings are constructed, what materials are used and the methods employed. The world is changing and the time is right for the construction industry to embrace innovative technology and offsite techniques to develop better buildings at a rapid rate to enhance lives, minimise the environmental impact and reduce energy costs for occupants for many years to come.

 

 

MEDITE SMARTPLY has now launched SMARTPLY MAX FR B, the brand new Euroclass B OSB3, a market innovation bringing increased safety and reliability to an industry contingent on safety and predictability.

 

SMARTPLY MAX FR B is the first Euroclass B board—the maximum Euroclass rating for a timber panel—manufactured in the UK and Ireland to feature wood flakes treated with flame retardant solution before pressing. This ensures its flame retardance is integral and maintains its structural integrity, unlike many post-treated alternatives, making it the safer choice for use within timber frame construction, or projects that will require a large amount of timber product.

“We are extremely excited to introduce SMARTPLY MAX FR B to the marketplace, expanding our already extensive SMARTPLY OSB range,” comments Richard Allen, Sales Director at MEDITE SMARTPLY.

 

 

“In SMARTPLY MAX FR B, customers can expect all the fantastic benefits of a SMARTPLY OSB board, with the addition of ZeroIgnition® solution, a water based and environmentally friendly flame retardant which is added during panel production.

“This is a solution that has potential in a huge range of applications and industries, encompassing many modern methods of construction such as offsite and timber frame construction, light gauge steel and modular construction systems, as well as temporary structures.

“Whatever the sector, all customers can rest assured that this board’s flame retardance will hold to Euroclass B standard, even when cut to size, which makes it different to other FR boards out there.”

Manufactured using advanced resin technology that results in a high performance, no added formaldehyde panel, SMARTPLY MAX FR B can help specifying architects, contractors and fabricators contribute to the creation of safer, healthier environments.

This includes not only the built environments actively created but the natural environments left behind: SMARTPLY MAX FR B is sustainably produced using timber from sustainably managed Irish forests.

 

 

“At MEDITE SMARTPLY, we want to support a safer, wider future for timber buildings, that will enable the wider construction industry to work more sustainably and more efficiently, truly building for the future. This has been one of our main motivations in developing SMARTPLY MAX FR B.”

SMARTPLY MAX FR B also complies with the performance requirements in the Structural Timber Association’s (or the STA’s) FR BUILD “Design guide to separating distances during construction” for timber frame buildings above 600m² total floor area. We refer to this product as SMARTPLY MAX FR/FR BUILD within our range.

SMARTPLY MAX FR/FR BUILD can be used in a timber frame building when mitigation measures are required due to the distance from neighbouring buildings. There are wall and floor systems outlined within the guide which give points towards the overall building, this satisfies any mitigation that may be required. Please refer to the STA guide for more information.

Finally, SMARTPLY MAX FR B meets with the requirements of European Standards EN 300 and EN 13986, while also complying with the European reaction to fire class B-s2,d0 and Bfl-s1. Boards can be manufactured in largescale formats of up to 2.8m wide by 7.5m long, making it ideal for offsite manufacturing, alongside traditional building.

 

For more information of the new SMARTPLY MAX FR B, click here:

Developers in flux as COVID-19 confuses the way forward

#globalproperty #developers #pandemic #construction

Software provider Altus has released its annual Altus Group Global Property Development Trends Report, which provides a picture of the property development industry navigating through the disruption from the current global pandemic and the actions developers are taking to build resilience.

Intensifying cost escalation, trade and labour shortages, and occupiers in flux are causing investment risks that have put the shakes into the global property development industry.

According to the report, which is based on a global survey of over 400 property development executives along with in-depth interviews with industry leaders, the pandemic has been a catalyst for change in the development industry by accelerating trends, intensifying challenges and renewing the urgency for digital transformation and technology adoption.

Wait and see

  • 67% of development executives said tenant/occupier expectations and preferences have a major influence on development planning. This is compounded by the role the pandemic is currently playing in the built environment as occupancy use and building design now have the potential to significantly evolve and impact the market
  • 74% said public sector infrastructure investment (such as transit hubs) has a major influence on development planning. While shorter-term pandemic support is a current priority in many regions around the world, this suggests future economic recovery plans stemming from new government investment in public infrastructure will continue to be a major factor in development planning
  • 68% said that the risk of a cycle downturn has a significant impact on their decisions regarding new construction investments, with distressed asset acquisitions (57%) and change in asset/portfolio mix (66%) viewed as more of a risk than an opportunity during a cycle downturn. These factors are all contributing to many development leaders taking a wait-and-see approach.

“It’s evident from the report that the global development sector is facing a complex set of challenges due to market pressures, many of which are exacerbated by the pandemic and its evolving impacts,” said Scott Morey, executive director at Altus Group. “However, the industry is recognising both risks and opportunities and is balancing a cautious approach while embracing digital transformation strategies to build sustainable resiliency that will carry it through this period of uncertainty and well into the recovery stage.”

 

 

In addition, many executive respondents expressed surprise that significant distressed asset opportunities have not yet emerged, despite the heightened level of economic disruption caused by the pandemic. While this could be a signal that the worst is yet to come as signs of a COVID-19 second wave emerge, development executives appear to be continuously evaluating conditions and waiting for more opportunities to arise.

Pandemic intensifies challenges 

  • 73% of development executives said project cost escalation is a significant challenge facing development firms, followed by environmental regulations (70%), government policies and processes (65%), and trade and labour shortages (65%)
  • COVID-19 has amplified existing challenges with increased trade and labour shortages, physical distancing requirements on construction sites impacting productivity, construction site halts in certain regions, and the complexity of government policies and processes.

Digital transformation must be fast-tracked

With so much unknown due to the pandemic, there has been a shift in recognition among development industry leaders that the adoption of technology can help development firms stay agile and navigate what lies ahead. The findings suggest that development executives are broadly acknowledging that digital transformation strategies and tools are the key to building resiliency for the industry in a prolonged and sustained development crisis.

  • 52% of development executives are considering or planning on using digital transformation strategies to mitigate business challenges, and 37% are already doing so
  • 56% are considering or planning to use data analytics to mitigate business challenges, and 28% are already doing so.

The Altus Group Global Property Development Trends Report is based on a global quantitative survey of 404 property development C-level and senior executives in both front and back office positions at property development firms and owner operators and owner investors with property development divisions in North America, Europe, Middle-East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The survey research was supplemented by a series of in-depth interviews with senior development executives. All participating firms had a development pipeline equivalent to at least $200m under development at the time of the survey.

 

Source: PlaceTech

 

One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild

#constructionindustry #architects #localauthorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #offsite #housing #drainage @polypipe

 

One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild with help from Polypipe Building Services.

The Grade II Listed Blackpool Winter Gardens is set to open a new conference centre this year in what is the first major development at the site since the construction of the Opera House in 1939.

This was a challenging project – with both a refurbishment of the existing building and a new-build as part of the complex – so Polypipe Building Services, the commercial building specialists, was called in to offer expertise on a drainage solution.

Contractors McLaughlin and Harvey, and CMB Fylde Engineering needed an adaptable solution that would not reduce the available space in the two-storey, 3,890 square metre conference centre.

Polypipe Building Services provided on-site support and their high performance Terrain Fuze drainage system. The HDPE system was used in the large commercial spaces such as the halls and theatre space due to the homogenous weld giving it maximum joint integrity.

Johnathan Greenwood, Strategic Project Manager at Polypipe Building Services, said: “As well as being a very prestigious project this was also a complex one. Refurbishing a Grade II Listed building has a lot of complications to overcome.

“One of the key benefits to using Fuze at the Winter Gardens was the malleable nature of the product and the fact that it can be cut and welded into delicate positions and angles to create a bespoke system.
“The malleability allows for extra security against loss of useable space.
“Fuze gives specifiers and installers maximum flexibility in the design process with this system and, as it is light in weight, it can be installed quickly and efficiently.”
Funded by the Blackpool Regeneration project, the conference centre will have an exhibition space on first floor and a conference space with a seating capacity of 2,000 on the second floor.

It will also be possible to use the space in conjunction with the other venues throughout the Winter Gardens giving a capacity of 7,000. The venue will feature state of the art amenities necessary for hosting modern conferences and exhibitions, including the latest audio and visual technology.
Pictures courtesy of Blackpool Council.

www.polypipe.com

A blended design of social housing apartments designed around Passivhaus principles

#constructionindustry #sustainable #architects #localauthorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #mmc #passivhaus #socialhousing #airtightness

 

Protect BarriAir and reflective VC Foil Ultra, the air and vapour control layers from Protect Membranes, have been specified and installed by specialist design and build contractors Stewart & Shields in Scotland’s first multi-storey Passivhaus building. 

Used as part of a residential conversion project at Old Carntyne Church, a semi-derelict building in Glasgow, the construction involved mixing traditional construction with new, with the church structure being restored alongside a new build extension which was built offsite.  The result was a blended design of social housing apartments designed around Passivhaus principles with the overall aim of contributing to the elimination of fuel poverty, on behalf of client Shettleston Housing Association.

The development, funded through Glasgow’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme and renamed Cunningham House has transformed the building into one of Scotland’s most
energy-efficient affordable housing developments and is the city’s largest Passivhaus development to date, designed to extremely high standards of energy efficiency and airtightness. The development won the Best Affordable Housing Development (Urban) category at the 2019 Inside Housing Development Awards with Stewart & Shields also being nominated as a finalist in the Scottish Home Awards for the project.

Working with Page Park Architects for the main project design and John Gilbert Architects to ensure the Passivhaus Standard was designed into the scheme, Stewart & Shields delivered a total of nineteen apartments. Fourteen of these were modified and conventionally built flats within the existing church structure, incorporating thirteen amenity flats and a semi-detached three bedroom home with five units being constructed within the new build timber frame five-storey tower extension which was built to full Passivhaus Standard and is independently certified by the Passive House Institute. With strict levels of airtightness levels and vapour control required in order to deliver energy efficiency on the project, Stewart & Shields turned to Protect Membranes for a solution.

 

Derek McIlreavy, Business Development and Design Manager at Stewart & Shields Ltd commented, “The specification of materials for this development was based on the need for a high quality end result to meet Passivhaus criteria.  We knew that Protect BarriAir and VC Foil Ultra would be up to the job in terms of airtightness to help us achieve the critical results needed to be independently certified.

We had to beat 0.6 ach-1 @50Pa for airtightness and our tests showed a result of 0.33 which overall gave an added value solution to our
client that helps to future proof these homes going forward.”

Protect’s BarriAir and VC Foil Ultra membranes form part of a comprehensive range of wall, ceiling and floor construction membranes alongside roofing underlays and accessories which are ideal for both traditional and offsite construction, with a portfolio to help ensure the whole building envelope and internal structure can be controlled in terms of moisture management, condensation control and thermal resistance.

For details of how Protect products can be incorporated into both residential and commercial builds, please visit the website, email

 

www.protectmembranes.com

Simpsons leading in engineered structural connectors fasteners & building solutions

 #constructionindustry #sustainable #architects #localauthorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #mmc #structuralconnectors #newcatalogue #fasteners #crosslaminatedtimber @strongtie

Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors, fasteners and building solutions, has launched a comprehensive offering of regulated and quality tested connectors and fasteners to serve the growing demand for CLT construction in our all NEW ‘’Connector & Fasteners for CLT Construction Catalogue’’.

Backed by a robust product range and distribution system, along with first-rate service, support, and training, the collection of versatile, high-performance products will allow for design flexibility while enabling CLT projects to be built stronger, faster, and more easily than ever.

 

 

First introduced in the 1990s, cross-laminated timber (CLT) and other mass timber -framed buildings. Recognized as a green building product for its ability to sequester carbon, CLT is proliferating as specifiers seek sustainable structural building materials and builders embrace the efficiency and reduced waste of factory-based construction solutions.

Rigorously tested and designed to provide strength across a wide range of designs, Simpson Strong-Tie’s fasteners and connectors for CLT are now available, offering Europe’s largest range of solutions for CLT connections. Linked to our established national network of construction suppliers, for what-you-need and when-you-need-it, we are leveraging our dual passions of service and innovation to meet the industries unique demands.

“With over 25 years of designing and manufacturing here in the UK, Simpson Strong-Tie is now proud to offer smart solutions for CLT,” says Jon Head, Sales Director. “In addition to a nationwide supply network, ready to deliver high-performance connectors and fasteners at a moment’s notice, Simpson Strong-Tie is looking forward to bringing our tradition of product quality, training, service, sales and technical support to this unique and fast-growing construction method”.

Additional innovations making up the Simpson Strong-Tie Cross-Laminated Timber launch include the Premium Fasteners – SSH Screw for use with a wide variety of connectors where a high load capacity is required and designed as an ideal solution for CLT applications.

The new catalogue is now available to download on the website.

www.strongtie.co.uk

Keeping pace with the demands for faster installation

#constructionindustry #sustainable #architects #localauthorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #mmc #onsiteinstallation #newconstructionproducts

Building construction requirements are changing and traditional methods are finding it hard to keep pace with the demands for faster installation without compromising quality and technical skills in order to deliver the necessary speed, conformity and cost.
To meet these needs without compromise Sure-Rend have developed a range of products.
Supplied in a range of finishes, Brick Slip, Render, Timber, Aluminum and Architectural Profiles can be manufactured and delivered ready for fast on-site installation.  Window bands, preformed corners and special features can all be built into the panel design at the manufacturing stage.
Timber or steel can be used in the design of the supporting framework and support rails or special adjustable fixing brackets used to mount the panels on to the frames.
Suitable for both new-build and re-fit projects the lightweight panels are designed to be hung on the structure or existing building rather than relying on extra foundations.
Sure-Rend’s quality product solutions have been successfully serving construction for some time.  The extraneous impact that the first half of 2020 has brought to bear on the sector has made the product quality and speed of turnaround that Sure-Rend can offer an even more vital component in helping designers and contractors as we enter the second half of 2020 and forge ahead with recovery.

for more information email Alan Stewart at: surerendltd@gmail.com

www.sure-rend.com

 

Post lockdown efficiency vital for all including construction

#constructionindustry #sustainable #architects #local authorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #mmc #offsite #housing #qualitycontrol @greenlifebuild1

 

With the Covid-19 pandemic creating a backlog of new homes to be built in the UK, accelerating the building process will be key to recovery. Here Chris Williams, MD of offsite experts Green Life Buildings, discusses how offsite construction can help bridge the housing gap, why one size does not fit all – and how the Green Life Buildings system and M2 technology is being used to build modern, energy efficient, affordable and sustainable homes around the world.

As the country comes out of lockdown, becoming more efficient is vital for most industries moving forward after the effects of the last few months. The construction industry is no different.

With the UK working towards a housing target of 300,000 homes a year, and a shortfall already of 150,000, another 84,000 have stopped being built in the last four months alone due to Covid-19.

With housing targets yet to be met, offsite construction is the smart solution to bridge that gap and speed up delivery.

In terms of the construction process, offsite construction provides specifiers with programme certainty and quality through simplification of site operations, while also reducing weather dependencies. Buildings offer greater quality control, projects can be completed in half the time, and there are fewer safety concerns and risks as less time is spent on site. Offsite construction also produces less waste, a reduction in energy and buildings can be delivered with fewer vehicle visits to site, reducing the global impact.

Despite being quick to manufacture, easy to deliver, fast to construct in situ and affordable, there are challenges. Suitability depends on location while there is a negative perception of inferior quality, a lack of design flexibility and limited customisation.

But with a shortage of housing in the UK, coupled with how offsite construction has been met with improved, new design qualities and innovative thinking, it is now its time to shine.

 

 

Ready to go
The government has declared its preference for offsite construction as a model to speed up the delivery of housing and its sustainable building methods which will be pivotal if the country is to meet the zero carbon emissions 2050 target.
It also features prominently in the Construction Leadership Council’s recent Roadmap to Recovery as we ‘restart, reset and reinvent’ following the Covid-19 lockdown.
With lost time due to Covid-19, there is a need to catch up, and to do so, moving more tasks away from the building site is crucial.
How can we break down the barriers that have held up the adoption of offsite construction and accelerate the building of homes?
Firstly, we need to call on government and agencies to improve clarity on funding and make it easier to access and secure for SME’s in the offsite construction supply chain.
Secondly, we each need to reach out and work collaboratively within the supply chain to secure projects to work on now.
Thirdly, for those feeling hesitant to join offsite construction, please ask the awkward questions, challenge pre-conceptions, and consider the options in the here and now.

One size DOES NOT fit all
Many will have a rigid view when they think of offsite construction. The perception is only of modules being made in an out-of-town factory, transported by road on an artic lorry and then craned into position and joined at a building site.
But the spectrum is much broader than that. For offsite construction to be the alternative to traditional building methods, there must be a range of safe, robust, and commercially viable options to choose from as one size doesn’t fit all circumstances.
Modules made in a factory come with a large upfront spend due to size of the factory, lifting capabilities of machinery and working capital, while they are the least flexible on design due in part to the modules only able to be the size of the transport they will be moved in.
There are alternative offsite construction options to provide other solutions.
Pop-up factories on larger sites avoid the need to transport whole modules by road, meaning there is less upfront spend and adding more value to the local economy.
While frames/panels/forms can be joined on site with services installed on the building site, meaning little upfront spend, an easy way to instantly add value to each local economy, and much more design flexibility.

Providing a solution
Founded on the principles of safety, and sustainability – there are spin off benefits of cost-saving, time reduction, and adaptable to innovation within a traditional marketplace, panels produced using the EMMEDUE (M2) technology have been used to construct over 1 million buildings all over the world using offsite construction in various ways, from modules through to panels provided for the self-build market. Our building system can be applied to whole modules or hand carried in panels onto building sites with challenging access.
Our lightweight building system (using M2 technology) constructs buildings that achieve high levels of energy efficiency, and strength due to the insulating envelope incorporating a three dimensional lightweight steel lattice that combine to give a rigid core providing intermate contact between the insulation and the structural face. Finished panels of rigid or mineral wool insulation both provide more than 120 minutes of fire protection (REI120).
The versatility and adaptability of the M2 panels mean there is no design restrictions and, while simple to use in basic form, it can be dressed in a range of finishes, including bricks, timber, tiles or render as standard.

www.greenlifebuildings.co.uk

60% of construction projects are not completed on time

#constructionindustry #sustainable #architects #localauthorities #contractors #developers #innovation #buildingtechnology #mmc #modular #housing #doors&windows @EuromaxOfficial

According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), 60 per cent of construction projects are not completed on time. Modular builds can provide faster project completion, but what are the risks and benefits of this growing construction method? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director of window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax, explains.

Reports suggest that modular construction can deliver projects 50 per cent faster than traditional construction while maintaining the same high quality. No surprises then, that the technique is considered the next mega trend in construction.

This enhanced completion time of modular construction has become vital for building classrooms, hospital wards and other facilities that requires immediate construction. In 2019, Europe’s tallest modular building, a block of housing apartments in Croydon, South London, was completed in just 35 weeks.

 

 

Controlled environment
Modular construction refers to building projects in which 60 to 90 per cent of a build is constructed offsite. Typically, inside a factory environment.

Constructing the build elsewhere means work can start simultaneously alongside preparation of the site. Assembling modules in a factory also means there is greater quality control — unlike a site environment, faults can be resolved before the modules are fixed to the larger construction. This saves remanufacturing time and produces a more accurate build.
Manufacturing in a controlled environment also means external factors, such as weather conditions, cannot interrupt the development. As site managers in Britain will attest to, nothing presses pause on a construction project like an unexpected downpour. For time-sensitive projects, minimising this risk is essential.

Securing trustworthy relationships
While modular construction is praised for its speed, these builds require extreme technical intricacy. Measurements must be exact to ensure modules can fix together seamlessly. A measurement slightly under or over the figures specified could mean the build is flawed, slowing down project completion. Suddenly, this speedy construction option isn’t so quick.
Establishing relationships with trusted suppliers and contractors is vital to ensure project predictability. There are many unreliable and dishonest professionals that will exploit construction’s need for quick project delivery, often leaving projects in the lurch — meaning work must be extended, or even abandoned.

Working with reliable companies for assistance on modular build projects can help to ensure that deadlines are met — and the same applies to features that are installed in the modules, such as windows and doors.

Euramax has 70 years of manufacturing experience of windows and doors for modular construction projects. In fact, Euramax is supplying its windows and doors to modular home manufacturer, Ilke Homes, for the production of 2,000 of its modular homes, demonstrating Euramax’s reliability for the modular build sector.

No matter how big or small a project — from hospitals to housing — extended completion times can cause problems. However, modular construction can ensure deadlines are met. With the BIS reporting 60 per cent of construction projects are not completed on time, modular construction methods could be increasingly looked upon to change this.
While it’s not possible to predict that a project will run smoothly, choosing reputable suppliers for modular construction projects can reduce delays, ensuring efficient completion and minimise the risk of any construction hiccups.

Euramax manufactures high quality windows and doors for modular buildings, here in the UK. More information on the company’s specialist expertise in this area can be found online.

www.euramaxuk.com