Modular

Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions is celebrating securing a place on the Offsite Homes Alliance’s £2 billion off-site national modular construction framework.
Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions has been appointed to deliver panelised modern methods of construction (CAT2) over the next four years on the OSHA Framework, administrated by Great Places Housing Group, to supply homes to its 23 members and to future new members of the alliance.

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.

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:

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.

Modular off-site construction methods hold potential to solve the UK’s crippling housing shortage, according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME).

A report, entitled “The UK House Building: Manufacturing Affordable Quality Homes” is urging the Government to provide greater incentives for the offsite construction of homes. The report also calls for a reverse of policies which they feel discourage the construction of quality, sustainable housing. The report suggests that greater efforts should be made to diversify the UK house building sector, such as opening up opportunities to self-builders, local authorities and housing associations.