MMc & Offsite

Rising accommodation costs, the long-term effects of the global pandemic, and the impact of a harsh winter season continue to compound and exacerbate the difficulties facing those most vulnerable and at-risk in our society.

This presents councils and local authorities with a complex set of challenges finding ways to meet the growing demand for safe, high-quality housing solutions. One of the greatest issues currently facing sector leaders is ensuring temporary and interim homeless accommodation is both cost-effective, fit for purpose and sustainable.

The Offsite Show is the must attend event for housing associations - The brand new event will make its debut in London this year and will run alongside UK Construction Week (UKCW), Concrete Expo (3-4 May) and Grand Designs Live, (3-5 May).

In partnership with Buildoffsite, and supported by the MPBA, the Offsite Show will be the only UK event that unites the client and supply chain for all aspects of the rapidly expanding offsite construction sector.

The Offsite Show will welcome leading content provider, Buildoffsite who will host comprehensive free to attend seminars and workshops with support from key industry stakeholders and Government departments.

Prefabricated Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) products, such as bay window roofs, door canopies and dormers, are enabling the construction industry to work far more efficiently, with offsite and modular construction processes helping to increase productivity.
 
However, increased speed is not the only benefit these products are providing, as Andrew Almond, Marketing Manager at Stormking, a specialist manufacturer of offsite prefabricated GRP component products, explains:

The recent statement by Secretary of State for Housing Robert Jenrick, announcing the 2021-2026 £11.5bn Affordable Housing Programme, sets out a series of ambitious housebuilding targets to help improve the efficiency of the UK development sector.

Organisations seeking Grant and looking to sign “strategic partnership” deals with Homes England to build large numbers of affordable homes will have to commit to using modern methods of construction (MMC) to build at least 25% of their pipeline.

The resounding message to new Government is clear - we need affordable, well designed and energy efficient homes that address the significant issues of fuel poverty and climate change. Sustainable building methods and renewable energy are pivotal in delivering a sustainable solution.
We live in a time where people are beginning to wake up to the threat of climate change. Something must be done. Increased onus now rightly resides on housebuilders to deliver sustainable and energy efficient homes as part of the greater effort to reduce CO2 emissions, energy consumption and waste as an industry. These environmental considerations will transform how our buildings are constructed, what materials are used and which methods are employed.

A variety of wall construction membranes, roofing underlays and accessories from Protect Membranes has been used by modular construction specialists Totally Modular as part of an innovative pilot scheme, built offsite on behalf of social housing provider Citizen in partnership with Coventry City Council.

Simon McWhirter, Head of Engagement at Active Building Centre, discusses the need for a zero-carbon approach to housebuilding and how offsite construction can help reduce the emissions produced when providing new homes…

At UK Construction Week recently, offsite and modular featured heavily in the proceedings. There were myriad different structural solutions from lightweight steel frames to the latest in precast panelling. There is no doubt the construction industry is on the brink of significant change in that arena.

As has been the case for several years now, another topic woven through the seminar programme was sustainability. It was clear that policy-makers, contractors and developers are acutely aware of the impending legislative impacts, and the contingent need to introduce more eco-friendly systems and processes – essential to meeting the 2050 targets (or an even more ambitious set of regional, devolved and national aspirations) and the drive towards a net zero-carbon built environment.