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Modular construction is the process where building components are produced in a factory, before being transported to the site for assembly. The pieces arrive already finished, minimising the amount of technical work required onsite.

It is not a new concept, but in recent years the method has seen a surge of popularity, with both housebuilders and policymakers starting to realise its potential to solve a number of the industry’s current challenges.

From reducing a project’s environmental impact to saving developers money, the benefits of modular construction are tangible. It’s why the UK government has set a target of building 100,000 such homes a year by 2020 – a substantial increase from the 15,000 currently constructed annually.

Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg recently carried with her over a 15-day, 3,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic a powerful message; "our war on nature must end.” The 16-year-old sailed from Plymouth to New York on a zero-emissions yacht in order to minimise the carbon footprint of her travel and will be participating in UN climate summits in New York City and Chile.

If anything is to be learned from this, it is that the time for action is now.

Earth Overshoot Day, the day that humanity uses up its allowance of natural resources such as water, soil and clean air for the entire year, fell on the 29th July this year. This means that humanity is currently using nature 1.75 times faster than the Earth’s ecosystems can regenerate.

Taking an holistic approach to the changing seasons

Joe Bradbury of Housing Association Magazine discusses the importance of protecting tenants from the extremities of our climate.

Last week saw the hottest day on record. As Britain (and most of Europe) was steeped in sun, temperatures rose to as high as 38.1C (100.6F) in parts of the country.
Whilst most of us saw that as a chance to don a pair of shorts and sit outside, it cannot be dismissed that extreme weather in either direction can spell disaster for vulnerable people.

Tata Steel is pleased to announce the launch of its new Platinum® Plus guarantee, designed to offer assurance to architects, specifiers and building owners with the provision of tailored specification advice, technical support and a guaranteed system performance of up to thirty years.

The Platinum® Plus guarantee provides customers with the assurance of a high-quality, robust and enduring building system, supported by Tata Steel’s comprehensive service. This includes tailored specification advice to suit the building’s function, technical assistance and on-site installation checks, all to ensure long-term performance and confirm that it is constructed correctly, subsequently lowering the cost of ownership through the building’s life.

Specifiers offered the Platinum® Plus guarantee can be confident that their Tata Steel system has been designed with the specific needs of the project and the building’s end-function in mind, featuring high-quality components carefully selected from a range of compatible roofing and cladding products. All components will have been independently tested and certified, as well as being responsibly sourced and fully traceable through the manufacturer’s reputable supply chain partners. What’s more, as a result of Tata Steel’s status as an EPD Programme Operator, the manufacturer can provide third-party verified, product-specific EPD’s, helping to contribute towards a more sustainable means of construction and increased BREEAM and LEED scores.

Preston-based family business Readyfix has experienced steady year on year growth and as a result have further invested in a second warehouse at their premises on Croft Street. The business, which employs 35 staff, added an extra 350 pallet spaces, equivalent to the size of a football pitch, allowing the 27-year-old firm to hold onto their ‘huge stocks’ promise as they continue to grow.

Started in 1992 by Richard Burwood, Readyfix supplies construction site materials, fixings and consumables to some of the country’s largest housebuilders and contractors as well as sub-contractors and independent tradespeople throughout the North of England. The company sets itself apart by offering impeccable customer service and next day/same day deliveries by their own drivers.

Polypipe Building Services, the UK’s leading manufacturer of commercial drainage systems, has saved dozens of people in West Yorkshire from being moved into temporary accommodation.

 The Kent-based business enabled residents at Carr House, in Wakefield, to remain in their homes during a major social housing refurbishment project by recommending the use of its best-in-class component fabrication and live stack replacement service.

Polypipe was approached by housing association Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) to manufacture a solution to replace the 11-storey building’s “aged and blocked” cast iron internal soil stacks.

WDH agreed to Polypipe Building Service’s live stack replacement solution to use 22 stacks of Terrain FUZE, manufactured offsite, as it would be easy-to-install and allowed the residents of Carr House to remain in their homes during the refurbishment work.