M O D UL A R B U I L DS
Offsite construction, where sections of buildings are constructed and then taken to site, is starting to become a reality in the UK. But what does this mean for electrical contractors?
BY DAVID ADAMS
the building is assembled on-site. In some cases, electrical contractors will complete the work in the factory and/or on the building site, but many modular manufacturers now employ their own staff to do all the necessary work at both locations. Modular building has become a more attractive option for many developers, particularly when a building features repetition – as in an apartment block. It can be quicker and more cost-effective than conventional construction, and mass production within a factory produces lower carbon emissions than traditional construction methods. Modular building company Elements Europe, part of the international construction and manufacturing Pickstock Group, claims that using offsite construction cuts vehicle movements on building sites by 70 per cent and increases overall productivity by 25 per cent compared to traditional construction. Use of modular methods may also help the construction industry mitigate the effects of ongoing skills shortages, which may be exacerbated further by Brexit. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is calling for the government to support the use of these
FOR AS LONG AS ELECTRICIANS
have been installing electrical infrastructure in new buildings, most construction projects have followed a familiar pattern, with contractors working through first and second fixes, commissioning and testing on-site. In recent years, however, an alternative method has become more widespread. During offsite and/or modular construction projects, whole small buildings – or components of larger buildings – are constructed in a factory, then moved to the building site for assembly. Each component’s mechanical and electrical work is commissioned and signed off in the factory. Services are then connected together when
24 SUMMER 2019
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