Offsite in the Spotlight at UK Construction Week

According to recent reports, the UK now lags behind Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands when it comes to offsite construction and the efficiencies this can offer the housing market in particular.

So all eyes will be on the Offsite area at this year’s UK Construction Week (UKCW). Discussing and dissecting the developments in modular and volumetric building technologies, products and techniques, scrutiny will be on the proof of performance of this fast-growing sector and how well, in reality, it can address critical issues such as skills shortages in the construction industry.

This year’s UKCW event includes the return of the Offsite Theatre, supported by the Modular and Portable Building Association and showcasing the latest news, products and discussions in premanufacturing, volumetric and all other types of offsite construction, at Birmingham’s NEC between 9-11 October 2018.

Industry experts and commentators will take centre stage to provoke discussion and outline plans for how offsite construction can tackle the housing crisis, and how the supply chain can keep up with the unprecedented demands to come.

Offsite Innovations

Ahead of the official release of the Offsite Theatre seminar programme, UKCW has announced a selection of Offsite exhibitors including CTX Containex, Extenda Line, Smart Panel, KC Cabins Solutions Ltd, Kerkstoel, Fermacell, REM, MPBA and Portakabin; alongside more than 100 exclusive product launches.

Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, said “If you work in the construction industry, it’s a must-attend event. It’s an opportunity to see new products, discuss deals with suppliers, meet with your peers and hear what’s going from leading industry experts.

“For any forward-thinking business, the knowledge that will be taken away is invaluable.”

The Offsite Theatre links three of UKCW’s nine shows including:

Build Show
Centred around the Regeneration Hub, sponsored by Easy-Trim, the Build Show will uncover the latest developments, trends and projects in building refurbishment, repair and maintenance, alongside three new sections to the show: Doors, Windows and Glass; Roofing, Cladding and Insulation; and Tools, Health and Safety.

Timber Expo
The Timber Expo, supported by TRADA, returns with a new feature – the Confederation of Timber Industries’ workshops on issues such as fire safety and the successful use of wood in construction. These will take place alongside an array of timber-related talks, installations and exhibits.

Surfaces and Materials Show
The Surface and Materials Show will deliver workshops on hybrid concrete construction and modern materials, alongside a digital display hub which promises a tangible and visual experience that will inform your future projects.

Innovation Trail
A trail of innovation will flow through each of these shows, as well as Energy 2018, Building Tech Live, Surface & Materials Show, HVAC 2018, Civils Expo, Plant and Machinery Live, and Grand Designs Live; cementing UKCW’s 2018 innovation theme.

Talks, workshops and free CPD sessions will bring you up-to-speed with the innovative ideas shaping the future of the offsite construction industry. Bookings for CPD sessions are now live so register quickly as spaces are limited.

Other highlights of the week include the Beer & Ale Festival with hot food and live entertainment, and a chance to celebrate the Role Model of the Year, following the official shortlisting of 37 inspiring men and women.

Take Part

The Build Show takes place between 9-11 October at the NEC in Birmingham. Free tickets for visitors are now available at www.buildshow.co.uk. Tickets allow access to the other UKCW shows.
There’s also still time to take part in the UKCW as an exhibitor. If you want to share your latest product launch or service with those who matter, register your interest via the Build Show Exhibitor page.

Keep up to date with the latest information about exhibitors, product launches and speakers at the Build Show via the website www.buildshow.co.uk and on Twitter at @BuildShow or using the hashtag #BuildShow2018.
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Stainless steel … the natural choice for contemporary interiors

Stainless steel from GEC Anderson provides the ultimate in functionality and style for contemporary interiors. Its versatility as a material enables outstanding kitchen design, ensuring finished results as enduring as they are intrinsically beautiful.

From the specialists in design and production of superb stainless steel fittings, the GEC Anderson range includes made-to-measure worktops and sinks, cabinets, shelving, and sanitary appliances. All items are manufactured to the same exacting standard to ensure products of the highest quality and reliability in use.

Stainless steel delivers real advantages over any other material. It combines a stunning, clean appearance with robust, ultra-hygienic performance. Over the last 40 years GEC Anderson has worked with many of the world’s leading architects and designers, planning and creating installations that meet the most demanding specifications.

Bespoke solutions

GEC Anderson stainless steel worktops and sinks offer unmatched design freedom. Worktops of virtually any shape or size can be produced as a single unit. This includes long sections (up to 7 metres) as well as L-shaped and even U-shaped configurations.

In addition, sinks, splashbacks and upstands can be seamlessly integrated within the worktop. This provides a sleek, ultra-efficient work surface with no vulnerable joints or junctions between the various elements.

Sink bowls can be specified in almost any shape or size – circular, square or rectangular – and in any combination, with or without drainer recess. Sinks, outlets, and cut-outs for appliances (e.g. hobs) can be positioned exactly where required.

Supremely functional

This unequalled combination of versatility and practicality makes stainless steel the ideal material for worktops. It will tolerate hot pans without damage, so the entire worktop provides a usable and useful work surface – there is no need for special ‘hot zones’.

The work surface will retain its unique, eye-catching appearance over time, and will withstand constant heavy use – and even abuse. The surface is easy to maintain and keep clean, and is totally hygienic.

A wide choice of edge profiles, in depths to suit each specific project, ensures a solution that not only meets the design requirements of the kitchen, but is also supremely functional. A water-safe, lipped perimeter edge minimises spillage from the worktop onto the cabinets, appliances and floor below.

A choice of finish

GEC Anderson worktops and sinks are available in brushed satin or textured finish. The raised pattern of textured stainless steel facilitates drainage, resists damage, hides smudges and scratches, and is as easy to clean as the standard satin finish.

A material with integrity

GEC Anderson high quality stainless steel worktops can also be combined with traditional materials in the kitchen, such as wood and stone, to stunning effect. In addition to functional excellence, the bright stainless steel finish will add light and spaciousness to the overall design.

Equally, GEC Anderson sinks and drainers can be provided separately for installation within worktops of other materials.

Practical, flexible and affordable solutions

For the ultimate in modern kitchen design, GEC Anderson also offers cabinets
and shelving in high quality stainless steel. These units provide sleek, durable and hygienic solutions for all storage requirements. They are available in a range of standard sizes or made-to-measure to satisfy the needs of the specific location and context. Base cabinets may be wall-mounted or floor-standing on a plinth, with adjustable feet or stylish braked castors.

The GEC Anderson stainless steel shelving system employs uprights which enable simple, unique ‘stepless’ (unslotted) linear adjustment. Shelves and doors are available in steel or glass and allow a range of handle options.

Beyond the kitchen

GEC Anderson also offers solutions for other domestic interiors beyond the kitchen. Polished stainless steel sanitary appliances provide a dramatic and striking alternative to porcelain and are the perfect complement to futuristic interior styling for cloakroom or ‘en-suite’ bathroom. The stainless steel units also work well with timber to provide a warmer, yet no less distinctive design statement.

The full range of GEC Anderson products is detailed in our new brochure. To receive a copy, or for further details regarding GEC Anderson products, call 01442 826 999, email info@gecanderson.co.uk or visit www.gecanderson.co.uk.
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Now available from Rinnai – the HD55i

 

Now available from Rinnai is the HD55i, a heavy duty high efficiency gas fired continuous flow water heating unit with optimal fuel consumption, and in like-for-like comparisons with moretraditional methods, is more cost effective over a lifetime. Rinnai is an acknowledged global leader in the manufacture of tankless hot water heating units with group sales approaching £2 Billion.

The Rinnai HD55i Internal water heater is a wall hung, gas fired, continuous flow water heater capable of producing hot water at 820 litres per hour at a 50°C rise. The HD55i has a 125mm concentric flue which can be extended up to 15m, less 1m per 45° bend. As with the whole of the Rinnai range the HD55i is ErP A-rated and is super low- NoX ready for the next phase of eco-design.

The unit is compact, reliable and combines industry standards with innovation and quality. The HD55i operates between 1-10 bar pressure, which is suitable for mains cold water supply and systems with booster pumps and reaches water temperatures of up to 85°C, making the HD55i suitable for secondary return systems.

Rinnai Heavy Duty continuous flow gas fired water heaters feature outputs up to 58kW and water can be delivered at very precise, high volume temperature control. The smart digital controller regulates to within +/- 1ºC without any variation of temperature even with additional outlets. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

The Rinnai HD55i is a fully modulating 52.6kW unit that can also be installed in a manifold arrangement. This ensures that the system can and will meet any hot water demand at all peak times, no matter what the demand.

Typical applications include major restaurant chains, industry offices, hotels, sports centres, schools, sports clubs, shower blocks in holiday parks – anywhere with a need for extremely reliable supplies of hot water delivered economically and at energy efficiency levels surpassing all building regulations and European standards.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com
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M P Plastering working with Saint-Gobain Weber For Cotswold Homes Ltd

(image accreditation: Cotswold Homes Ltd)

Experienced rendering contractor M P Plastering of Somerset excels with the use of high performance, technically advanced products manufactured by Saint-Gobain Weber. As a specialist applicator, M P Plastering has a wealth of experience in the application of sprayed renders and external wall insulation. Projects range from one-off domestic applications to large new-build developments for NHBC registered property developers.

Training plays an important role at M P Plastering and managing director Mark Pickthall personally invests in regular training for himself and his expanding team. “All our jobs come with written specifications and guarantees so it is essential that we ensure exemplary standards of craftsmanship if we are to be considered for more work in the future.” In maintaining these standards Mark and members of his 35-strong team have undertaken on-site training provided by Saint-Gobain Weber to install floors using their existing render pumps to apply screed to floors.

They have also undertaken training in floor screed application at the Saint-Gobain Technical Academy in Flitwick. “Expanding the services we can offer has given us the opportunity to tender for both rendering and flooring contracts on some of the bigger projects,” says Mark. A perfect example is the contract M P Plastering has won from Cotswold Homes Limited, a prestigious property developer dedicated to delivering quality new homes in the South West, at their Corsham Rise development in Bath.

Guy Edge, head of construction, Cotswold Homes, comments: “We’ve got a great relationship with Mark Pickthall of M P Plastering. He and his team have been involved in some outstanding render applications over the years; while he champions the Weber brand, Cotswold Homes share this opinion.”

The concrete floors in the kitchens and bathrooms required perfect levelling in preparation for a laminate floor covering. Here weberfloor 4716, an acrylic primer for use with Weber’s flooring systems and products, has been brush applied to the concrete substrate. M P Plastering then followed with a pump-applied application of weberfloor 4150 fine flow at an average thickness of 10mm. This levelling compound, designed for application at thicknesses between 2 to 30mm, is formulated to combine consistent and reliable drying characteristics with strength and durability. It is supplied as a pre-blended dry powder and designed specifically for renovation of existing solid floors in domestic and commercial applications.

“The reason we got involved with Weber for the floor preparation is that we are constantly looking to achieve as perfect a finish as is possible before we cover them with beautiful tiles. Mark enthusiastically recommended Weber’s pump applied floor screeds and, without a doubt, both the application and the quality of the product has been a great success. We’ll be using Weber’s screeds again,” says Guy Edge.

weberfloor 4150 fine flow is suitable for covering with a wide variety of finishes including tiles, carpets, flexible floor coverings and parquet flooring. weberfloor 4150 fine flow has excellent spreading and smoothing characteristics, has low alkalinity and low emissions during drying, is casein-free and manufactured to BSI Quality Assurance Scheme ISO 9001 in the UK.

Weber’s floor screeds have been developed for optimum speed, durability, strength and smoothness, essential for allowing early access by following trades that contribute to project efficiencies and the fastest possible completion times. Here the use of proven, pumpable screeds, that harden rapidly and are self-smoothing, will achieve durable surfaces that are ready for foot traffic in just 2 to 4 hours after application. “In this project the floors were ready for light foot traffic in 4 hours and ready for covering a week later,” comments Mark. “weberfloor 4150 fine flow is probably the most straight forward product we have worked with and is proving successful every time.”

“My real love is using render as you can see it and admire it for years to come. With floor screed it is hidden by a variety of coverings and completely hidden from sight, that’s the nature of the product.”

For more information about this project, or for technical support including award winning training courses and the new RIBA-Assessed Flowing Floor Screeds CPD, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk.
A free download of the Weber App for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
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Freefoam highlights the benefits of using PVC Roofline in offsite construction

With the well documented housing shortage said to be a ticking time-bomb and the government’s ambitious undertaking to build 200,000 homes by 2020 to address the shortfall, it’s clear that the traditional construction sector, in its current state, is unlikely to be able to meet the demand for new housing on its own.

The advance of off-site construction technologies in recent times would suggest that off-site manufacturing has the potential to play a major role in resolving this issue and increasing house construction capacity enough to meet demand.

Off-site construction aims to replicate the controlled environment that would usually be associated with manufacturing and apply it to the construction process by moving construction into a factory environment.

Constructing buildings in a controlled factory environment has shown numerous benefits:

  • Studies have shown that less labour is required for off-site construction and the assembly processes involved means workers require less training
  • Improved planning and standardisation can significantly reduce waste while improving the standard of workmanship. The increased predictability in the process also increases safety
  • The increased standardisation reduces construction time and protection from poor weather conditions also reduces delays

Freefoam Building Products manufacture pvc product ranges that are the perfect fit for off-site construction, whether fitted in the factory or prepared for final fitting later.

The External wall and roof are the two main elements of a buildings superstructure and the junction is critical for the long-term function of the building fabric. Freefoam roof trim system makes protecting the junction and the roof structure easy.

Freefoam roofline product range is lightweight and easy to handle as well as having the required durability, both for transportation and when fitted, which is why Freefoam can confidently offer market leading guarantees of up to 50 years on roofline products.

The Freefoam roofline system is designed to slot together with ease and includes a range of matching finishing trims for virtually any design scenario. This systemised nature means they can be fitted by a relatively low skilled workforce with minimal tooling and minimal waste, which aligns them perfectly with the benefits of off-site manufacturing.

Freefoam’s Fortex and X-Wood cladding ranges are specially designed for rainscreen systems, which are a modern approach to external wall construction, perfect for achieving the breathability and high insulation levels required in modern, sustainable timber wall constructions. When fitted with insulation materials the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Green Guide to Specification has given PVC cladding an A+ rating.

When fitted correctly, Freefoam cladding systems can be expected to protect the external fabric of the building for at least 20 years.

The cladding systems are extremely lightweight compared to similar alternatives which makes them ideal for transportation and, like the roof trim systems, are designed to be installed quickly, by general tradespeople.

Colin St John, Commercial Director explained “The controlled environment of off-site construction successfully replicates the benefits that we as construction product manufacturers have been accustomed to in our own factories for decades. High tolerance standards, product consistency, low waste and ease of assembly are already a minimum standard for all Freefoam products.

The evolution of construction into a manufacturing process dovetails perfectly with the systemised roofline, rainwater and cladding systems that we produce.

All Freefoam products are manufactured in a controlled manufacturing environment and have been designed to provide the precise standard of finish that is required in an off-site construction environment.”

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The next generation of commercial windows

Advances in window systems and exciting new composite materials are turning perceptions on their heads and extending the limits of commercial windows and doors.

First generation PVC-U windows and doors were bulky and unattractive and came in a very limited range of colours. And if you wanted very big windows and tall, or very tall doors standard PVC-U isn’t the answer. So, specifiers have traditionally favoured aluminium for commercial projects for aluminium’s strong, slim profiles and wide colour selection. But the rate and scale of development in commercial windows has been phenomenal, and it’s now possible to have the best of aluminium with the best of PVC-U in one window. Specifiers can now have the warmth and energy efficiency of PVC-U and the sustainability, strength, looks, and the colour choice of aluminium in high performance composite commercial windows.

Linktrusion™ – the latest exciting commercial innovation by Deceuninck

This new solution is based on Deceuninck’s Linktrusion™ technology, and it comes with many exciting new benefits.

Linktrusion™ composite technology is a true innovation that breaks new ground in the commercial sector. This patented technology is used in our composite 5000 window system which incorporates immensely-strong pultruded glass-fibre in the profiles, plus optional patented thermal reinforcement with embedded steel wires in a low density insulating foam core encased in recycled PVC-U for excellent U values.

Windows manufactured with Linktrusion™ are as strong as steel reinforced windows, but 30% more thermally efficient, with up to 40% savings on materials and weight. Linktrusion™ technology is the first to remove the need for traditional steel reinforcement, and its inherent great strength allows specifiers to consider using very tall windows and very large doors (1100 x 2500 or 1150 x 2400 for a single door). The windows have slim sightlines, are available in countless Decoroc and foiled colours and are 100% recyclable. Feedback from specifiers has been extremely positive. London and Quadrant (L & Q) for example specified this ground-breaking technology for their recent flagship complex in Abbey Road, Barking. L&Q is one of the UK’s leading housing associations and one of the largest residential developers in London. The organisation wanted windows with top performance and aesthetics. Using Deceuninck’s unique LinktrusionTM technology the project was completed in Decoroc Anthracite grey RAL 7016 – a very popular choice of colour in the commercial sector.

Forging strong ties with commercial fabricators and contractors

Deceuninck has an exciting portfolio of commercial projects including Imperial College London (1,100 apartments), Hinkley Point staff accommodation (1,400 apartments), Ocean Village in Southampton (700 frames), and Trafford House in Basildon (4,500 apartments). We develop strong, close relationships with commercial partners to help them meet project specifications, and our technical support team is available to help with complex issues such as weather performance, energy efficiency and increasingly, acoustics.

Acoustics is fast becoming a critical factor in commercial specification, with developers keen to reduce the impact of noise pollution. That’s why Deceuninck is currently investing in systematic acoustic testing of its full range. As far as we’re aware, we’re the first PVC-U window systems company to make this commitment. Working in partnership with one of the country’s leading acoustic testing centres at the University of Salford, we’ve completed testing of our 2500 and 5000, and Fully Reversible Window, with further testing in progress.

Deceuninck’s acoustic expertise was crucial in the Hinkley Point C staff accommodation development. Developers and planners needed to reduce the impact of noise on workers so tasked Dempsey Dyer and Deceuninck to cut the decibel rating down by RW35db to produce windows of RW40db and RW43db.

Call 01249 816 969 or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk for more about our commercial range and commercial work. You can also download Deceuninck’s full product portfolio from the NBS National BIM Library at www.nationalbimlibrary.com/deceuninck-ltd.
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Structural steel fixing goes nut-free

The new TDBL nonut® self-threading screw from SFS, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high performance fasteners, enables a secure connection of pre-drilled supporting steel structures without any nuts or washers.

Compared with the standard method of using nuts, bolts and washers, the precision-engineered TDBL nonut® fastener is a quicker, more efficient and more secure way of fixing together supporting steel structures of various thickness and hardness subject to static load. The installer only needs one component instead of three, and one hand tool. Installation is one-handed and requires access from just one side.

The innovative design of the TDBL nonut®, with its thread-free zone and additional serration under the head, prevents the risk of over-driving in thin steel and ensures a lasting robust connection. European-manufactured to a high quality, the plated carbon steel, case hardened TDBL nonut® is available in eight variants according to length, diameter and clamping length with a hexagon head.

The quality and effectiveness of the TDBL nonut® has been well-established in Germany, as it is the only solution of its kind with the German national technical approval (“Allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassung”). However, it has been widely used across mainland Europe and the rest of the world – and now gaining popularity in the UK – in diverse applications such as steel beams, stairways, railings, pylons, water tanks, grain silos, fall protection systems, rack constructions and solar parks.

TDBL nonut® fasteners were used recently in the construction of a three-storey structural mezzanine system of a 516,750 sq. ft. distribution centre near Ferrybridge for TK Maxx. The fasteners were mainly used in the columns and beam-to-column connections, with the product’s unique design enabling other design changes to be made to the structure of the mezzanine – these have complemented both structural performance and installation benefits.

Andy Stolworthy, Director of Product and Market Development, at SFS UK says “The traditional method of fixing steel structures together by using bolts with nuts and washers represents an unnecessarily awkward and time-consuming way of doing things. We’ve worked to overcome this by developing the TDBL nonut®, a technically superior fastener in one piece rather than three. It’s a risk-free alternative that is guaranteed to make steel structure assembly faster, and the customers get the peace of mind of knowing that it’s a product from a global-market leader renowned for quality.”

The TDBL nonut®, like all products from SFS, is backed with expert technical support that has been at the core of the company’s success in serving the construction and manufacturing industries. Operating from its UK HQ in Leeds, the company is part of the Swiss-based SFS Group which has annual sales in excess of £1.1bn and a history dating back to the 1920s serving customers in the construction, automotive, electronics, industrial and medical products markets.

Find out more about the TDBL nonut® and SFS at www.sfsintec.co.uk.
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Titon appoints new Area Sales Manager for timber and PVCu division

Leading ventilation and window hardware manufacturer Titon has appointed Mark Barzotelli as Area Sales Manager for its Timber and PVCu division.

Mark will be covering the South and South West area of England, along with South Wales. Reporting to Titon’s National Sales Manager Matthew Yates, he will be responsible for sales and specification of Titon’s expanding window and door hardware ranges – including trickle vents – to fabricators of PVCu or timber windows and doors.

Formerly a Sales Manager for Essex-based hinge, fitting and window hardware producer Nico Manufacturing, where he worked for 11 years, Mark brings with him a wealth of experience in window and door hardware. He also has an HNC diploma in building construction.

Commenting on his new role, Mark said “Having been in the industry for some time, I know the Titon team well and I’m delighted to have joined them at such an exciting time for the company. I’m looking forward to working on increasing sales and developing awareness of the brand’s excellent products.”

Mark lives in Brixham in Devon. His pastimes include motorcycling and raising money for charity – he has previously completed a charity motorbike ride from Lowestoft to Land’s End to raise money for the Devon Freewheelers, a team of volunteers who deliver essential medical supplies, including blood for transfusions, around the UK. He was also part of the Teignmouth Lifeboat Crew for 8 years.

For more information about Titon’s Ventilation Systems Division, please visit: www.titon.co.uk
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New skills needed to harness true potential of offsite construction

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Offsite construction could revolutionise the construction industry and provide a solution to the UK housing shortage, but only if the sector develops the right skills.

Faster, Smarter, More Efficient: Building Skills for Offsite Construction shows that 42% of construction industry employers with over 100 staff expect to use offsite methods in five years’ time.

When asked about the use of offsite-specific construction materials and products, 100% said they expected the use of precast concrete panels to increase; 91% anticipated the use of precast concrete frame to rise.

At present however, offsite construction accounts for just 10% of industry output.

The report – which follows the recommendations set out in industry expert Mark Farmer’s government-backed review of UK construction – also reveals that nearly 50% of construction industry clients expect the use of offsite construction to increase over the next five years.

Offsite processes save time and money and can improve quality through pre-fabrication of components – from panels to fully fitted rooms.

Mark Farmer said “The urgency for modernisation has never been greater, set against an insidious backdrop of an ageing workforce and increasing concerns about the impact of Brexit.

“Any strategic shift towards pre-manufacturing and offsite construction creates an immediate requirement to define our future skills needs through collaboration between industry, educators, training providers and government.

“This is crucial to ensuring we can transition to a higher productivity, digitally enabled industry which inherently attracts more of the young talent we so desperately need. It should also set out clear opportunities for the existing construction workforce and indeed workers from other industries to reskill through a new family of career pathways.”

Steve Radley, Director of Policy at CITB, said “There is massive potential for offsite construction. The Government recently announced an additional £1.4bn of funding for affordable homes, with an increase in offsite construction set as an objective, representing a clear opportunity for growth in this area.

“The greatest potential currently lies within the housing and commercial sectors, where mass customisation can create the buildings we need more quickly and to higher standards. There are also opportunities to bring the benefits of offsite to large-scale infrastructure projects – some high profile examples include HS2 and Hinkley Point, which are already using offsite techniques.”

The report outlines six key skills areas related to offsite construction:

  1. digital design
  2. estimating/commercial
  3. offsite manufacturing
  4. logistics
  5. site management and integration
  6. onsite placement and assembly

Increasingly, workers will need the skills to move between offsite and onsite environments and so the training for these six areas must evolve to meet the changing demand.

Currently, significant barriers exist which prevent the delivery of training and skills to meet the needs of these crucial areas. These include:

  • Existing training does not include the required offsite content
  • Lack of awareness and suitability of available training and qualifications – companies are delivering their own ‘in-house’ training, which leads to non-standard approaches
  • A shortage of qualified training providers and assessors

Steve Radley concluded “Successful offsite management hinges on the effective integration of both onsite and offsite functions – and this requires a comprehensive understanding of both aspects.”

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Can modular housing solve the UK’s housing crisis?

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The UK is in the grips of a chronic housing crisis. Rising rent prices, falling wages and a severe labour skills shortage have left housing construction stagnant and properties financially out of reach. Productivity in the construction sector has stalled post-Brexit, and developer focus in recent years has shifted from creating accommodation that is affordable and simple to construct, to complex, luxury projects which often remain unoccupied. With the housing sector contributing to economic inequality in this country, an innovative solution to this crisis is desperately needed.

Modular housing is one solution that has the potential to ease the UK’s housing crisis. Such homes are cost-effective, scalable, sustainable, and efficient to build. However, legislative red tape, local authority dependence on short-term housing solutions, and reluctance by landowners to free up their land have hidebound modular housing’s potential, meaning that the contribution it could make to the easing the housing crisis has not yet been tested.

Currently, housing construction of any type in the UK is being strangled by a severe labour skills shortage. An ageing workforce and a Brexit-induced worker exodus is limiting construction activity, whilst increasing labour costs are making affordable housing financially unattractive for construction companies. Consequently, housing demand is not being met. This is particularly problematic given that the number of new households has exceeded the number of homes built every year since 2008, and estimates suggest there is a need for between 230,000-300,000 additional units per year – a level not reached since the 1970s.

Here, modular could have a significant impact by reinvigorating supply in an affordable and efficient model. Factory, rather than field-based, modular housing can take as little as three days to construct and requires only a semi-skilled workforce who take months, not years, to train. Modular houses also require fewer builders due to being semi mass-produced and standardised, making them appealing to construction companies with diminished workforces and restricted budgets.

The critical shortage of affordable housing in the UK is being exacerbated by legislative red-tape and landowner opposition. Across the country, luxury apartments are plentiful compared to low-cost developments, in part due to landowners who want to achieve the best possible land value, and traditional housebuilders who are perceived as offering the best price. At present off site construction development proposals are less competitive than traditional methods: construction costs are higher than traditional construction meaning a lower land offer for the land, [meaning housebuilders are] less likely to win a competitive bid for land unless the awarding body specifically states the desire to use off-site manufacturing as part of development. Clearly this position may change over time, particularly when site labour becomes more scarce or the demand for offsite manufacturing increases.

However, attitudes could be changing – Wolverhampton City Council is delivering 23,000 modular homes as part of a pilot scheme and a recent decision by the Greater London Authority’s assistant director of housing, to commission a common framework for ‘delivering precision manufactured homes at scale’, suggests that modular, standardised builds are now seen as an acceptable, even attractive, way to work around constrained local authority budgets.

There is, however, a long way to go, and even rising homelessness is currently failing to fuel demand for affordable accommodation. With demand far outstripping supply, local and national government now spend £2 million a day on temporary accommodation, often using the most expensive and least desirable forms of emergency housing, such as B&Bs and hotels, for the over-77,000 homeless households under local authority care. Contrastingly, modular houses can cost as little as £25,000 to build, and offer a permanent or semi-permanent alternative to emergency accommodation which is economically sustainable in the long-run. Some councils are already picking up on modular’s potential to provide stability for those in crisis – in Lewisham, plans for a 25-home modular social rent development are underway; and a collaboration between 16 London boroughs to provide modular housing for use by the homeless has been promised £11m by Sadiq Khan, after a £20,000 seed funding contribution from London Councils’ City Ambition programme kick-started the project.

Creativity, modernisation and efficiency are critical if the UK is ever to solve its housing crisis. The country’s population is unlikely to stop increasing, there is no real answer yet to the severe skills shortage in the country’s construction industry, and the threat of homelessness continues to grow. These are chronic problems for which a solution is needed, and fast. Modular housing could provide just that. Accessible, efficient and sustainable, today’s modular homes are not the prefabs of the past. Instead, they are slick and distinctive; environmentally friendly and architecturally evolved. With the government announcing plans, in March this year to build 100,000 modular homes by 2020, we may finally be waking up to the fact that, in a time of crisis, modular could prove to be just what the country needs.

Written by Ben O’Connor, Development Manager, Kajima

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