Offsite Magazine - Issue 33 by Radar Communications

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK OFFSITE DEDICATED TO OFFSITE DESIGN, MANUFACTURE & DELIVERY | ISSUE 33 OFFSITEP24 EXPO 2022 Not long now. Find out what is happening at the UK’s premier offsite exhibition and conference LOWP32CARBON LIVING HTA Design’s Rory Bergin on the sustainable shape of offsite and why modular works wonders COMPLIANCEP62 & CONFIDENCE Delivering light gauge steel systems that empower and inspire clients and specifiers AUG/SEP 2022 | £4.95 SIMPLE AND AIRTIGHTNESSEFFECTIVE FOR ZERO CARBON HOMES

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Finally,housing.positive

Gary Ramsay Consultant Editor

Proctor Group

DISCLAIMER: The content of Offsite Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. The publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non-publication of any advertisement. Content including images and illustrations supplied by third parties are accepted in good faith and the publishers expect third parties to have obtained appropriate permissions, consents, licences or otherwise. The publisher does not accept any liability or any loss arising in the absence of these permissions for material used in both physical and digital editions. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. All rights reserved.

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Welcome to the latest issue of Offsite Magazine. Inside there are plenty of reminders that OFFSITE EXPO is not far away and will be the place to be seen, do business and learn in more detail about what makes the offsite sector tick.

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FRONTPUBLISHINGCOVER

news came out from TopHat, with the volumetric modular housebuilder recently announcing it’s planning to open a new megafacility in 2023. Europe’s largest and equivalent to (using that good old measuring stick) 11 football pitches –it will be packed with the latest robotics and technology and is hoping to manufacture and distribute up to 4,000 homes per year!

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Many thanks again to all our contributors, advertisers and supporters. See you at Expo!

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Email: gary.ramsay@offsitemagazine.co.uk

This is set against the backdrop of the UK’s economic and political stasis. A new Prime Minister will be in place in September and many people are steeling themselves about what the (Truss or Sunak) cabinet and policies will be regarding the built environment. It seems that green tech and zero carbon commitments will be under the spotlight and hopefully not side-lined. With energy bills rising, climate change concerns and cost of living biting into people’s pockets across the UK, a potential path forward can be seen in a partnership between Octopus Energy and ilke Homes. You can read more this issue on their specific route to deliver zero-carbon

The effects on the offsite sector are difficult to gauge. Sadly, as we went to press, MidGroup had ceased trading leaving several projects in need of new contractors. This follows the demise of House by Urban Splash and Caledonian earlier in the year. Personally, I think that after a huge period of expansion and interest in offsite methods over the last 2-3 years, consolidation is in the air – only a few weeks ago housebuilder Hill Group absorbed Fusion Steel Framing.

Although the Summer months are traditionally slow, recent industry statistics showed the construction industry hitting the doldrums. Glenigan reported that work commencing on-site declined 38% against the preceding quarter to stand 45% lower than the same period in 2021. Without a deep dive into the complexities of global supply chains, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, energy worries and inflation are creating an ‘industry stumbling block which will take time to surmount.’

WWW.OFFSITEHUB.CO.UKOFSTATEFLUX • Digital Offsite Magazines • Online Newsroom • Monthly Newsletters & Eshots • Podcasts & Webinars • Suppliers Directory • Awards & Events • Project Profiles • Offsite Blog OFF SITE CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION PORTAL offsitehub.co.uk/blogoffsitehublinkedin.com/groups/7456674@ExploreOffsite

Introducing the new PBWS single piece post base for post-to-concrete connections. With the same load-rated capacity as a standard post base, the unique folded build uses 45% less steel, making it better for the environment and easier to handle. And our innovative ZPRO coating provides the same protection against the elements as a hot dip galvanised coating, but with a neater, shinier finish.

Extending the life of outdoor structures, economically.

Structural Post Connection, Evolved.

For more information visit www.strongtie.co.uk

48 | The Wait is Nearly Over…

5AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UKCONTENTSP32 | MOVING THE MARKET FORWARD P06 | SIMPLE AND CARBONAIRTIGHTNESSEFFECTIVEFORZEROHOMES 32

54 | Blueprint for Future Living

68 | Launchpads for Construction Change

Housing is responsible for more than 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions and with energy bills rising, climate change concerns and cost of living biting into people’s pockets across the UK, an innovative partnership between Octopus Energy and ilke Homes may help.

Naomi Pratt, Consultant at the Supply Chain Sustainability School, discusses its upcoming report helping businesses maximise social value outcomes through offsite construction.

OFFSITE EXPO is not far away. For two days in September, it will once again be the main meeting place and business hub for all those operating in the world of offsite design, manufacture and installation. What can visitors expect?

OFFSITE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

HTA Design has long been an expert in the offsite approach with many award-winning schemes under its belt. Rory Bergin, Partner at the multidisciplinary architect’s practice, spoke to us about the shape of the sector. OF

| MODULHAUS™ DUO the Next Generation

44 | Can We Achieve Carbon Neutral?

The MPBA’s Richard Hipkiss outlines how anticipating what is coming down the track, listening, learning and developing technical solutions is essential for all those operating in the modular sector.

36FEATURES|Healthier&CheaperLiving

| Next Stage in the New Timber Age

COVER STORIES

Developers turning to offsite construction are installing the Wraptite air barrier system as an essential component in achieving the most effective means of controlling and reducing air leaks and delivering energy efficient homes.

40 | The Evolution of Volumetric Modular Technology

Based on current trends, the total shortfall of healthcare staff by 2030 could reach 250,000. Much of this can be attributed to a lack of accommodation in areas of greatest need – it is here where one offsite manufacturer is offering a range of answers.

With innovative approaches to construction the only way to improve quality and productivity, Anne Daw, Associate and Head of MMC Delivery at HLM Architects, discusses the transformational potential of the platform approach.

| Building in a Meaningful Way

News and developments from across the UK offsite industry and wider construction arena including: Bathroom pod manufacturer Offsite Solutions announces £40million of new contracts, TopHat plans Europe’s largest modular homes facility, capable of building 4,000 homes a year and Fusion Steel Framing is bought by housebuilder The Hill Group.

Laminated veneer lumber is becoming a more familiar feature of timber-based construction. Peter Wilson, architect and founding director of the Mass Timber Academy explains more.

P62 | ALWAYS KEEPING QUALITY HIGH P24 | THE HOME

The judging is done and dusted and the finalists for the Offsite Awards 2022 have been announced. Here is a reminder of all those in the running for a prestigious Award.

As one of the UK’s leading steel framing innovators, EOS Framing, Managing Director, Steve Thompson, stresses the importance of providing systems that deliver confidence and certainty in the construction process and that help empower specifiers.

08NEWS|IndustryNews

Trevor Richards, Director of Cogent Consulting, sat down with leaders in sustainability and environmental practices to talk about net zero targets and the climate challenges facing construction.

06 Suppliers Directory Monthly Newsletters Video ProjectWeeklyFeaturesBlogGallery Insert Web TrainingBanner&CPD Listing Podcasts & Webinars DIGITAL MARKETING PACKAGES AVAILABLE The Offsite Hub receives over 5,000 unique visitors per month, complemented by 42,300 newsletter subscribers, making these digital opportunities an attractive proposition for marketers planning future activity. Prices start from just £150 WWW.OFFSITEHUB.CO.UKCall 01743 290001 for more information

Bethel Teferra, Senior Consultant at Ramboll, illustrates how a modular, sustainable high-rise tower that evolves with a city's needs could be a vision of regenerative future living.

Withenvelopes.theincreasing requirements and emphasis on thermal insulation, the proportion of energy lost through air leakage has become more evident. However, thermal insulation will be rendered ineffective unless the airtightness of the structure is addressed. Air leakage dramatically reduces the effect of thermal insulation and must therefore be a critical focus to improve energy efficiency within houses. In addition, energy-efficient heating systems will be ineffective if warm air can escape the building and cold air can seep in.

Bycompromised.movingthe air barrier to the external side of the structural frame, external air barrier systems such as Wraptite from A. Proctor Group allow for an almost penetration-free airtight layer that can be installed

Without the correct air barrier protection, the problem of air leakage through cracks, gaps, holes, and improperly sealed elements such as doors and windows cause a significant reduction in the performance of even well-thermally insulated building

External vs Internal Air Barrier

The two main ways to achieve airtightness in the building envelope are internally or externally (‘inside or outside the services zone’.) In offsite manufacture, the use of traditional internal air barriers can be more complex and costly to install due to the need to accommodate building services such as electrical, lighting, heating, and drainage systems. The internal air barrier is only as good as its installation. If all the service penetrations are not adequately sealed, performance will be

SIMPLE AND FORAIRTIGHTNESSEFFECTIVEZEROCARBONHOMES

6 WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 COVER STORY PROCTOR GROUP

Simplifying airtightness

Zero carbon homes

The superior airtightness performance of the Wraptite membrane from the A. Proctor Group is the perfect solution, delivering significant benefits to the combination of in-factory manufacture and on-site housing construction.

“Applying it in a factory environment, we can be confident of the quality of the installation, and the specially provided Wraptite tape means making the joints onsite is simple. Wraptite performs really well. We used to use a membrane, which would get damaged during transport, flapping around, and would then be difficult to make the joints neatly. Now, using the Wraptite detail means no edges are exposed during transportation.”

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COVER STORY PROCTOR GROUP

faster and more robustly. Far simpler than internal options, an external air barrier system like Wraptite will maintain the envelope’s integrity, with fewer building services and structural penetrations to be sealed, and less room for error.

The traditional forms of VCLs and airtightness membranes will often require mechanical fixing. The selfadhered nature of Wraptite allows for a fast and straightforward installation process, minimising the use of additional sealants and tapes and requiring no specialist contractors to achieve a robust result. This one-step solution provides both a damageresistant air barrier layer and effective secondary weather protection in one installation process, allowing a wind and watertight envelope to be achieved more quickly than traditional methods.

The Wraptite air barrier system provides a fully self-adhered vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA. Wraptite is easily applied in the factory, bonded externally to the substrate, to ensure that the membrane is held firmly in place, even during transportation, maintaining the quality of the system from manufacture, to install, to completion.

Images: 01-04. Wraptite air barrier systems can boost thermal performance and reduce energy bills

7AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Gwen Beeken, Managing Director at Osco Homes, described how Wraptite was key to achieving a quality airtightness solution suited to offsite construction, saying: “Although an essential requirement is that the homes had to meet Building Regulations, both the client and OSCO Homes were keen to exceed this. The use of high-quality panels, with a high-performance membrane, built in a factory and assembled on-site, enables OSCO Homes to achieve a better airtightness and higher level of insulation, helping to reduce heating bills. The ease with which Wraptite achieves a high level of airtightness and its ability to be joined across panels was key to its selection.

The Wraptite external air barrier system has been installed on an exciting low energy homes offsite project for developer Osco Homes. Commissioned by Kirklees Council, the site will demonstrate how high quality, energy-efficient housing can be achieved using offsite construction. The bungalows are designed to be light, spacious, and desirable but must also mitigate fuel poverty and provide a safe and healthy environment where residents can live.

For more information visit: www.proctorgroup.com

HLM’s thoughtful and holistic design approach took into consideration the SEN needs of pupils, ensuring that they feel a sense of progression as they move through the year groups, and introducing appropriate and carefully selected colours to help users to process their environment. The colour palette and materials are also inspired by Dagenham and the surrounding area. The building’s external materials – brick cladding, cedral panels and thermowood (Finnish heated treated wood from environmentally managed forests) were chosen for their sustainability and durability credentials. Areas of green glazed bricks are used to highlight the main entrance points and stairwells to aid orientation around the school.

The 2700sq m Pathways School will cater for students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) special needs, with capacity for 90 pupils between the ages of seven to 18 years (year 3 to year 13). Spread over two storeys, the school features modern, stimulating and multi-purpose spaces to meet students’ different learning needs and enhance wellbeing. It comprises a range of primary, secondary and sixth form classrooms, therapy and sensory rooms, dining and vocational food areas, library, outdoor learning facilities, sports hall, flexible spaces that can adapt over time, and parking and cycle Sustainabilityspaces. is embedded throughout, with air source heat pumps within the building and PV panels and windcatchers on the roof, in line with the energy strategy for the school. Focused on biodiversity and ecology, attractive landscaping includes native trees,

Pathways School in Dagenham Gets Go-ahead

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Joe Shepherd, Framework Lead at Reds10, said: “It’s exciting to see another school under the DfE’s ambitious ‘Off-site Schools Framework’ reach a key milestone. Thanks to a fruitful partnership with the Trust and HLM Architects, the school will be a futureproofed, sustainable, SMART space for pupils to learn and thrive, in the heart of the local community.” Work on-site will commence imminently, with full completion expected in October 2023.

Proposals for a new school in Dagenham have been approved by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Offsite construction specialist Reds10 is the lead contractor, with HLM Architects leading on architecture and interior design, and MAC Consulting on landscape design.

vegetated habitat areas and green screens that provide plentiful recreation space for pupils while also maximising air quality throughout the site. Pupils will be able to enjoy an urban wildflower meadow and sensory planting areas.

The design proposals for Pathways School have been developed in close association with The Eko Trust and the Department for Education (DfE) technical advisors. It forms part of the DfE’s £3billion ‘Off-site Schools Framework’ and will be constructed predominantly offsite in Reds10’s factory.

Source: www.hlmarchitects.com

Claire Wakelin, Head of Education at HLM Architects, said: “It’s fantastic to achieve planning approval for the Pathways School, which will provide best-in-class new facilities for children with special educational needs in the local area and beyond. We wanted to create a welcoming, robust and sustainable learning environment to give pupils the best opportunity to thrive in a thoughtfully designed, safe, peaceful and high-quality school that encourages individual development. We enjoyed working closely with the DfE and the Trust and are excited to begin the next stage of development with Reds10 and the excellent project team.”

Ideal for high-rise recladding and refurbishment schemes, Ash & Lacy rainscreen cladding systems allow you to create complex and interesting non-combustible façades with the reassurance of comprehensive testing and accreditation to the latest industry standards, as well as an A1 or A2,s1-d0 fire rating. Scan the QR Code to fi nd out how we can really make a difference. T. 0121 525 1444 E. facade@ashandlacy.com W. ashandlacy.com Recladding with Confidence COME AND SEE US ON STAND G14

Source: www.fusionsteelframing.co.uk

Fusion Steel Framing Limited has announced it has been acquired by leading housebuilder, The Hill Group. Fusion will remain at its 80,000sq ft advanced manufacturing facility in Northampton, retaining a large proportion of the company’s experienced design and manufacturing team who will now support Hill in enhancing the award-winning housebuilder’s capabilities in modern methods of construction (MMC).

Hill has long been an innovator in MMC through its investment in Volumetric Modular Ltd which constructs specially designed modular homes known as SoloHaus, alongside bathroom pods and prefabricated utility cupboards. Fusion will now support Hill in expanding its impressive work in the MMC space, ensuring a high degree of futureproofing in modern methods of construction through developing and prototyping the very latest offsite manufacturing technology to

In the USA, Etopia International is partnering with the United Way of Long Island to deliver a high-quality, all-electric, low-carbon model home. The Etopia Build System is a central feature of this project and a first-ever application of the Etopia building enclosure in North America.

In Saudi Arabia, Etopia has partnered with SNASCO Holding, answering to the challenge to building sustainable housing in the region. This partnership is supporting the Saudi Arabian government’s strategy, encompassing a range of related issues: from advanced building materials and electro-mechanical systems to high performance thermal insulation allied to efficient air conditioning systems.

Alex Rius Head of Etopia International added: “It has been a rewarding experience collaborating with our partners in New York, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. We are currently the first SIP build system having a presence on four continents. No other panelised build system has made such a global footprint to date. We are still looking to expand internationally and are looking for partners in further territories with the aim of being on all six continents by 2025. Etopia is one of the leading global panelised modern methods of construction build system.”

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202210 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

Mike Fairey, Managing Director at Fusion Steel Framing comments: “As a newly acquired part of Hill, we look forward to continuing our market-leading innovations in advanced structural light steel framing and delivery of high-quality manufacturing. This new chapter will see us delivering on a range of exciting projects in Hill’s pipeline while also enjoying the scope to service existing contracts and pursue new ones within the Undersector.”Hill’s ownership, Fusion will focus on designing, manufacturing, and installing structural light steel framing technology in mid-rise developments for apartments, student accommodation and hotels. The manufacturing operation will focus on capital intensive roll-forming and assembly of light steel frames using lean manufacturing processes and procedures.

Andy Hill, Chief Executive at The Hill Group comments: “This strategic investment gives The Hill Group a competitive advantage in harnessing the potential of modern methods of construction, not only in developing creative new housebuilding options but also in terms of cost control, surety of supply and quality of finished product. The move also supports our goal to reach net carbon zero by 2030, as we consider MMC and offsite manufacturing a major part of the solution in making housebuilding more efficient and sustainable.”

The advanced manufacturing facility will also have the capability to provide structural kits for volumetric modules, bathroom/shower pods and prefabricated utility cupboards (PUCs), offering the opportunity for fully integrated structures.

Etopia Group Executive Director Alex Fink, said: “We are thrilled to be expanding into the international market after such a successful period in the UK and other territories. We are exciting to be working with our partners in achieving growth in their regions

Source: www.projectetopia.com

Global Expansion for Etopia Group Fusion Steel Framing Acquired by Hill Group

the partnership has completed the construction of a test building at the Home of Innovation in Riyadh.

Ricardo Costa, Chief Innovation officer at SNASCO said: “SNASCO is thrilled to be working with Etopia, supporting Saudi Arabia towards a sustainable future, and addressing housing shortage. Saudi Arabia’s difficult weather conditions and housing market circumstances have lead to a demand for high performance construction fabrics and advance build methodologies: lowering energy consumption, improving livability and reducing the carbon footprint.”

SNASCO is setting a manufacturing facility which will produce Etopia’s building materials, with an output of around 500 villas per year (project is targeting an output of 2000 villas per year by 2026). The factory will be operational by Q4 of 2022. Also, with SABIC,

maximise pre-manufactured value (PMV) and optimise Design for Manufacture Assembly (DfMA) potential.

Etopia Group is starting work in the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Backed by the Reuben Brothers, Etopia is expanding its operations overseas as well as delivering hundreds of homes in the UK for developers and housing associations.

and continuing our search for partners and pilot opportunities to deliver net zero ready sustainable homes globally.”

Source: www.corehaus.co.uk

Scott Bibby continued: “We have already generated sustainable, high-quality jobs at CoreHaus that brings best practice from other sectors into construction. It has allowed us to employ two apprentices who recently won rising star of the year award, again bringing new ways of thinking into the sector via younger generations who we are extremely proud of.

CoreHaus Completes First Modular Homes Scheme

Simon Walker, Managing Director of Homes by Carlton, said: “We are delighted with the final CoreHaus product. They represent the affordable homes on our site and have been pre-sold to Believe Housing as rent-to-buy properties. We are experiencing a skills shortage across the construction and housebuilding sector. We look forward to

Rising material prices are an obvious challenge, but of equal importance is the challenge of meeting the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements of investors. Cold Rolled Steel (CRS) building systems, such as offered by MetStructures, are well placed to provide solutions. However, this depends on working in collaboration from the earliest possible stage with the BTR operators, and the key elements of the supply chain required to deliver a CRS structure.

working with CoreHaus on further projects, delivering affordable housing on our sites.”

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202212 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

has allowed us to demonstrate the flexibility of our product by matching traditional aesthetics and finishes on these four homes while still offering a high level of pre-manufactured value. It has been a genuine learning exercise where have been able to refine the product, improve skills and knowledge while also bringing efficiencies to the manufacturing process. We will be able to speed up the entire process on future projects from design, manufacture, delivery, assembly, and final build.”

Source: www.metstructures.uk.com

MetStructures and Build to Rent

“The housing market remains buoyant with demand continuing to outstrip supply. There’s some extremely positive collaboration going on in the industry which will increase market share and strengthen the reputation of MMC. We know the housing sector wants something that’s both affordable and incorporates high-quality design within a modular frame. We are already in discussions with several regional and national housing associations interested in working with our product. Our production and designs draw on modern, technical skills and innovation. We have a real opportunity to break the current mould in housebuilding and construction and achieve our vision which is to transform new build housing CoreHausdelivery.”isajoint-venture company between Carlton & Co Group, the parent company behind North East based Homes by Carlton, and national social enterprise Fusion21, specialists in public procurement for the built environment.

Build to Rent (BTR) now accounts for one in four newbuild residential units in the UK. By all accounts the sector looks set for continued growth and the long-term investment models driving BTR provide shelter from current economic headwinds. However, there are real challenges for the construction industry in delivering the ‘B’ of BTR.

“ThisThewles.project

The first steel-framed modular homes manufactured at the CoreHaus factory were recently delivered, assembled and completed on-site. The County Durham-based company has handed over four three-bedroom semi-detached homes to regional housebuilder Homes by Carlton at its almost complete Thorpe Paddocks site at Thorpe Thewles, Tees Valley.

This is the latest milestone for CoreHaus, a social enterprise company, which operates from a 20,000sq ft manufacturing unit on Jade Business Park, Murton, near Seaham. CoreHaus managing director Scott Bibby explained: “Early last year our team walked through the factory doors in Seaham for the first time. What has been achieved since then has been nothing short of amazing. From factory fit-out and completion of the first factory built home through to the completion of homes on-site at Thorpe

CRS systems provide structures of up to 15-storeys with concrete floors, satisfying the demands for long-term robustness of BTR operators. Working collaboratively, it is possible to reduce time to practical completion by as much as 24 weeks, providing savings in prelim costs, as well as reduced finance costs, plus earlier rental income. Taken together these speed benefits provide some mitigation against rising material prices. Perhaps the biggest benefit of CRS will be in meeting the ESG demands of investors. Finding ways to reduce the weight of structures is one of the most important tools in reducing embodied CO2. CRS structures are half the weight of concrete frame equivalents, with the added benefit that steel is fully recyclable and re-usable.

A five-year plan will see CoreHaus producing around 1,000 modular homes a year, which will result in more than 300 people working across the business.

NZB to Deliver Zerocarbon Hart School

Net Zero Buildings is part of the Premier Modular Group and working alongside AESG consultants, its carbon experts guide customers through their journey in achieving net zero energy buildings. Taking a partnership approach to all its projects, NZB provides ongoing support once a project is complete, with long-term advice and insight ensuring that its buildings continue to be operated and managed as efficiently as possible. The project is expected to complete in August 2022.

Thefacilities.new

COME AND SEE US ON STAND B1

Dan Allison, Divisional Director at Net Zero Buildings, said: “This is a next-generation school building designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation - it will incorporate a host of smart features and clever technology including efficient lighting and heating control to limit energy wastage. The new Hart School building is designed for a net zero carbon future, using renewable resources to generate more electricity than it consumes and distributing the excess power it generates to the existing school buildings. Similar buildings we have developed have achieved an EPC rating of A +. We’re very proud of the role we play in helping to ensure that new buildings are sustainable, leaving a positive legacy for future generations, and Hart School is no exception.”

Net Zero Buildings (NZB) is set to start on-site with a next-generation net zero carbon energy school in Rugeley, designed to stand the test of time and with sustainability at its heart. The Hart School is part of the growing Creative Education Trust and teaches pupils aged 11-18. Its new 4,111sq ft building will provide five new classrooms, boosting capacity and allowing it to welcome more pupils. The project will also see the refurbishment of the school’s swimming

building is designed to generate more electricity than it uses throughout its life, slashing operational costs. Key features will include solar panels, mechanical ventilation heat recovery units, airtightness detailing and fully electric fuel sources, plus sensor-controlled low energy lighting and plenty of windows to maximise natural light.

Source: www.netzerobuildings.co.uk

UK INDUSTRY NEWS

The school will be built offsite, allowing the project to be completed around six months faster than the equivalent built using traditional methods of construction. It also helps to keep disruption on-site to a minimum. The super insulated timber-faced panels not only allow for rapid assembly but are extremely airtight which ensures that there will only ever be minimal heat loss.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202214 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

Source: www.urbansplash.co.uk

manufacturer Offsite Solutions has announced its highest-ever order intake with nearly £40million of new contracts. This is for the manufacture of around 10,000 units and is a significant increase on the same period last year.

Gregor Bamert, Head of Real Estate Debt at Aviva Investors added: “We are very pleased to have started a lending relationship with Urban Splash and look forward to developing it further over time. The diverse property assets are well-designed, well-located and of high quality. Urban Splash manages an impressive range of commercial communities, and we are proud to support them as they continue to reduce the carbon footprint of the portfolio.”

Bathroomfamily.pod

Urban Splash Secures Refinancing Deal

Nathan Cornish added: “We are proud of our commercial portfolio and have carefully nurtured our workspaces in recent years, investing in new ideas that will accommodate changing occupier appetites and a new approach to work. It is an area of Urban

Source: www.offsitesolutions.com

Galliford Try, Vinci, Mace, Wates, Willmott Dixon, and Winvic. We are also delighted to see new clients and contractors using our pods – Telford Homes, Equans, IQ Student Accommodation, Midgard, and RG Group. We are definitely benefiting from the surge in interest in offsite manufacturing and MMC which are transforming UK construction. Bathroom pods are fast becoming a preferred method of procurement for many developers and “Ourcontractors.approachto bathroom construction, pod technology and design enables our clients to have a better engineered, consistently high-quality product than is achievable with in-situ building methods. We can also reduce the impact of skills and labour shortages

currently 97% let in a diverse portfolio with customers in accommodation from 100 to 50,000sq ft. The facility includes a commitment by Urban Splash to work towards ESG improvements of the assets as part of Aviva Investors’ Sustainable Transition Loans framework, which has provided over £1billion of climate-linked loans since its launch in December 2020.

Urban Splash Director Nathan Cornish said: “We are absolutely delighted to complete this long-term deal with a funder of the stature of Aviva Investors. It is a great endorsement of the value of the Urban Splash brand, our commercial assets, our people – and the customers operating out of our buildings.” The transaction completed in just six weeks. It refinances and consolidates separate portfolios which were previously funded by IGC Longbow, Rothschild and the Pears

James Stephens, Managing Director of Offsite Solutions said: “Despite these uncertain times, the outlook remains buoyant for our business. We have a solid forward order book but with additional capacity to offer more developers and contractors the greater certainty of offsite manufacturing. A substantial proportion of this order intake is for long-term repeat customers –developers such as Fusion Students, Downing, Moda, urbanest, and leading main contractors including

Contracts have been awarded for steel-framed, GRP composite, and enhanced GRP pods across a range of residential sectors – build-to-rent, student living, and apartments for shared ownership, affordable housing, and market sale. The new contract wins include nearly 1,000 shower pods for student projects for Equans in Birmingham and London, 850 pods for Midgard for another Moda Living scheme and over 900 pods across three new projects for Wates for mixed tenure residential schemes.

Urban Splash has secured a new refinancing deal with Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, completing a £43.5million eight-year debt facility on its commercial portfolio. Aviva Investors has committed to funding an 800,000sq ft workspace portfolio primarily focused on Liverpool and

Splash that has perhaps not occupied the spotlight as much as our residential or regeneration projects, but it is a consistent part of our business which has always underpinned what we do. I am proud to have reached another milestone today and the support of a major financial institution.”

TheManchester.spaceis

that are hitting the construction sector, by employing a stable and multi-skilled workforce at our offsite manufacturing centres in Somerset.”

Major assets within the 25-asset Urban Splash portfolio include Beehive Mill, Waulk Mill and Stubbs Mill in Manchester, and several buildings in Liverpool including Vanilla Factory and Tea Factory in the centre of the city and the Matchworks in South Liverpool.

Offsite Solutions offers the UK’s largest range of pods to suit many different building types and applications. Options include steel-framed bathroom pods with porcelain-tiled finishes for high-end apartments, co-living, student residences and hotels; and robust and low maintenance GRP composite shower pods for student accommodation, build-to-rent, care homes, social housing, and healthcare.

Offsite EverAnnouncesSolutionsHighestOrderIntake

We are also working closely with House Builders and afﬁliated bodies in an advisory role to help inﬂuence and guide the integration of uplifted Part L, Part F & integration of new Part O for interim requirements and beyond into 2025.

sash Slim rebate sash Fully ﬂush sash

Contact us to ﬁnd out more 0333 015 eurocell.co.uk3550AchievesPartLU-values- 1.2 U-value on double glazed units & 0.7 on triple glazed. Future Homes Standard READY with triple glazed solutions

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Clean and contemporary looks with slimmer sight lines – unlike traditional PVC-U windows.

Saves money – costs up to 50% less than equivalents.

At Eurocell, we are working closely with glass manufactures to fully understand inﬂuences and implications of carefully selected speciﬁcations to meet and comply with the new Part O requirements to minimise overheating of homes.

At a glance:

“This project has shown that semi-automated checking of building designs is feasible now and that its feasibility will grow as Information Management adoption increases. Furthermore, it has shown that there is a large number of high-quality tools that assist in the compliance checking process already available - what is needed is the ability to integrate these tools. This is a task that the prototype developed in the project is able to do well.”

Source: www.constructioninnovationhub.org.uk

Roofspace Solutions Pledge Tree-mendous

The Hub’s digital construction lead, Dr Ahmed Alnagger commented: “Creating that confident relationship between our buildings, linear infrastructure and trust of those who use them is essential. This connection

Continuing its drive for digital transformation in the construction sector, the Construction Innovation Hub has unveiled D-COM in partnership with Cardiff University’s Digital Compliance Network, a demonstrator project which uses technology to untangle complex compliance checking processes.

Developed in the wake of the Hackitt Report and Building Safety Act, D-COM opens the door for innovative approaches to digitalise compliance checking, enable automation, reduce errors, make cost and time savings, and ultimately improve building safety. The project is part of the Hub’s drive for digital transformation in the construction industry, strengthening the case for change and developing guidance and tools to encourage organisations to benefit from data-driven decision-making and secure, resilient data sharing.

Paul Terry, Managing Director of Roofspace Solutions, said: “We’re pleased to have exceeded the 2,000tree target we set last year, but think it’s important that we don’t just offset any carbons we produce, it’s about reducing them too. Construction is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to carbon emissions, which is why we, alongside our parent company Saint-Gobain, have set an ambitious plan to be carbon neutral by 2045. This pledge to replace any timber we use during manufacturing is a key part of that, alongside steps such as reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill and minimising the energy used per Roofspaceunit.”Solutions

needs a clear line-of-sight between our built assets and compliance with regulatory frameworks.

Dr Thomas Beach, reader at Cardiff University and D-COM Network Leader explained: “The successful development and demonstration of our prototype demonstrates the power of machine-readable construction guidance. This includes the ability to visualise and interrogate changes between document versions, as well as searching and drawing together all clauses focused on key concepts across the different documents that make up the UK construction regulatory landscape.

is also offering its untreated timber off-cuts to any local person, business, charity or community group who can make use of them, whether that be with a DIY project or crafting. The off-cuts are available in a range of sizes and species including spruce and pine, as well as glulam sections.

The project will provide tools and APIs for the automated determination of changes to Approved Documents, identify applicable rules related to any building or product based on the analysis of the approved documents and help relate applicable compliance to data within BIM. Tools will also be included that create audit trails of compliance checks which will help in fulfilling requirements for Golden Threads for buildings.

“To support these drivers for change, the Hub has partnered up with Cardiff University and its D-COM Network, including partners AEC3 UK, Solibri UK and PIF, to develop a ‘digital compliance ecosystem’ to support construction firms in piloting the complex regulatory landscape with better ease and certainty supported by the digitisation of the regulatory compliance process.”

Roofspace Solutions has continued its tree planting pledge by committing to replace all the timber it uses during production. In 2021, Roofspace Solutions exceed its pledge to plant 2,000 new trees, following a promise to plant one mangrove tree for each pair of its i-Roof™️ components installed – equating to an estimated 600 tonnes of CO2 removed from the

Source: www.moretrees.ecowww.roofspacesolutions.co.uk

The D-COM project sits alongside other projects the Hub is completing around quality assurance processes and building product information. This includes LEXiCON, which will drive the creation of standardised construction product templates. This supports the goals of D-COM by making product information easier to compare against approved documents.

again working with MoreTrees, an online platform that allows businesses to plant trees wherever they are most needed in the world, in an ambition to not just offset its carbon emissions but work to reduce them altogether.

Nowatmosphere.itisonce

Roofspace Solutions currently uses timber during the manufacturing of its i-Roof™️ and GRDNspace products, which are typically used by national housebuilders to speed up the construction of newbuild homes. This new pledge will see the multiple planting of trees for every install, with 2,428 trees planted so far this year removing 728 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202216 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

The basis of D-COM is the digitisation of Approved Documents, so they are machine-readable and easier to compare against building and product information. Supported by a digital ecosystem that will integrate the tools and data sources that firms must use as part of the compliance process, this will make information more accessible and drive greater and more consistent levels of compliance.

Construction Innovation Hub’s D-COM Aid to Compliance

Rosenhaus, CEO and Founder of TopHat said: “TopHat’s new facility will increase our capacity to over 4,500 homes a year. Our homes are designed to be

The new Corby facility will be the anchor tenant in the new Magna Park site being developed by GLP, the leading global logistics development manager, as part of a multi-million-pound investment in the site. Construction will begin later in the year, with the facility expected to be delivering its first homes by the end of

Jordan2023.

end-buyers the opportunity to customise their homes through its Homes Configurator, much as they would configure a new car. This variation creates attractive communities where people want to live.

Source: www.tophat.io

TopHat Plan Europe’s Largest Modular Homes Facility

TopHat, the leading volumetric modular housebuilder recently announced that it will open a new, 650,000sq cutting-edge facility in Corby, Northampton in (equivalent to 11 football pitches). This major investment builds on the success of TopHat’s existing site in Derby which already produces up to 800 homes per year.

TopHat is applying robotics and lean manufacturing techniques to increase housing supply, improve quality, reduce costs and protect the environment. TopHat’s homes are low carbon to build and ultra-low energy to run, significantly reducing living costs at a time of very high energy prices and into the future.

TopHat’s unique technology platform, advanced robotics and innovative brick facade combines to create endless design possibilities without the high costs and loss of efficiency that are often associated with high levels of variation. TopHat can even offer

ft 2023

beautiful and green, being low carbon to build and much cheaper to run. TopHat is playing a leading role in transforming home building in the UK, improving quality, reducing costs and protecting the environment. We are also delighted to be creating 1,000 new jobs in Corby supported by a major investment in training through the TopHat Academy.”

The new facility will bring together the latest robotics and TopHat’s proprietary technology to manufacture and distribute up to 4,000 beautiful homes per year. One thousand new, green economy jobs across a wide range of roles will be created and a training academy will be established in partnership with local colleges.

James Atkinson, Development Director of GLP said: “We are delighted that TopHat will be the anchor tenant for our new Magna Park in Corby bringing not only investment and jobs to the local community but also delivering innovative new homes which will be an important part of our future.”

UK INDUSTRY NEWS

“We approach all our projects using Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), which means Laurence Calvert Academy will gain all the benefits of product standardisation, safety, quality, delivery and building performance. DfMA also helps us deliver clear efficiencies to unlock many of the barriers in traditional construction centred around minimising the macro impacts of inflation, labour availability and waste Algecoreduction.”operatesits own modular manufacturing facility in East Yorkshire, providing complete control of

Algeco Secures Leeds Academy Project

Leading voice on climate action in the built environment, Sara Edmonds, has joined Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) helping to accelerate decarbonisation and expand the innovation centre’s reach across the UK.

the whole process from start to finish. The company continues to invest in Building Information Modelling (BIM), DfMA and lean manufacturing techniques.

As lead impact manager for retrofit programmes, Sara will support BE-ST alongside her roles as director of Studio seARCH Architects and co-ordinator at the Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN), as well as ongoing consultancy work and hosting the Zero Ambitions podcast, which focuses on sustainability in the built environment.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202218 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

James Withey, Managing Director at Algeco Offsite Solutions, said: “Securing Laurence Calvert Academy is the latest significant new business win for us. We have ambitious growth plans in place as we look

Sara originally trained as an architect at the Edinburgh College of Art and, after a decade working with larger firms, left the corporate world behind to focus on delivering projects with greater purpose. She founded Studio seARCH in 2014 and has since been an advocate for decarbonising the UK’s building stock, promoting the range of holistic, social, economic and environmental benefits that transformation will bring. In her new role, Sara’s priorities will include relationship building and encouraging collaboration with strategic partners to share best practice around retrofit and help companies across the sector to achieve zero carbon ambitions.

ArchitectCampaignerSustainabilityRecruitsand

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on-site in June 2022, with a planned completion date in August 2023. Algeco is acting as Principal Contractor to provide a full turnkey solution involving construction of a three-storey whole school block and associated external works.

Laurence Calvert Academy Middleton Complex is a 1,050 place (7FE) new build Secondary school for pupils aged 11-16. Laurence Calvert Academy is a member of the Cockburn Multi-academy Trust. The academy is named after Sergeant Laurence Calvert who was a former student and was awarded a Victoria Cross in 1918.

Algeco also recently appointed Trace Norton as interim UK Managing Director. Trace takes over from John Campbell, who led significant improvements across all areas of the company and oversaw a renewed period of growth. Trace was previously UK Deputy Managing Director, having joined Algeco as UK Strategic Sales and Marketing Director in 2020. He will be building on recent growth with a strategy based on safe working environments, continuous product and service development, relentless execution and ESG focus.

It will be delivered by Algeco using its steel frame modular solution. A total of 192 modules will be supplied along with a hybrid build for the sports hall areas. The works involve construction of the whole school block and associated external works.

Sara Edmonds said: “On my first visit to BE-ST’s innovation factory during COP26 I saw the clear direction of travel the innovation centre was headed in when it comes to transformation, as well as driving momentum across the sector. The underpinning values spoke so powerfully to me and at that point I knew there would be a great opportunity to work together. There are so many people who could benefit

from the work being done by BE-ST and its partners, and I’m excited to help to communicate and amplify that as far as possible.

Algeco – formerly known as Elliott – has won a new contract to build the £19.2million Laurence Calvert Academy Middleton Complex in Leeds. The Department for Education (DfE) project was procured by Algeco through the Mod-C Secondary School

Stephen Good, CEO of BE-ST, added: “Sara is a fantastic asset to our team and we’re thrilled to officially have her on board as part of BE-ST to help spread the word and represent the innovation centre across new networks all over the UK. Sara is well-known to the industry and is an important voice on the climate change conversation that will become invaluable insight as we continue our mission to accelerate transformation.”

Source: www.be-st.build

“There is a wealth of free-to-use, open-source information already out there when it comes to zero carbon construction and an open invitation for collaboration with BE-ST to use that knowledge to deliver change. The industry is calling out for more support, and the innovation centre is in an exciting position to act as a central hub for guidance and signposting organisations to examples and initiatives that can be rolled out more widely to create a more sustainable built environment.”

BE-ST

to leverage the benefits of being part of the larger European Algeco business. We have extensive experience in delivering offsite building solutions for the education sector and this, along with our business processes, helped us secure this project.

Source: www.algeco.co.uk

This results in development projects that benefit from: of overall site reduction in

• Acceleration

waste • A

on-site inventory (i.e. less breakage/wastage) No more labour/skills shortages Better cash-flow management Improved health & safety issues • Reduced noise pollution & disruption CREATIVE CONTROL BRITISH OFFSITE OFFERS A RANGE OF SOLUTIONS TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF MODERN HOUSEBUILDING BY UTILISING BEST IN CLASS MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION ALONGSIDE TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES. Champions of precision, born to build 137,000 sq ft second factory ready for May 2023 www.britishoffsite.com info@britishoffsite.com Think British Offsite from the offset COME AND SEE US ON STAND C13

delivery/completion • Reduced

By bringing critical processes off-site, project teams can eliminate risk and take total control over their final design solutions. This, alongside traditional on-site volume housebuilding methods, results in a hybrid solution that eases the pressure of delivering world-class architecture and design.

Donaldson Timber Systems Receives BOPAS Plus

Building on the original BOPAS scheme, BOPAS plus has been developed to introduce a greater focus on the preparedness of the offsite sector to drive digitisation and collaboration in the construction industry. DTS is one of only three businesses in the UK to hold the new accreditation. The DTS Sigma® II system, was one of the first offsite build systems originally to be accredited by BOPAS in 2013.

Pictured L-R Marc Johnson, Matthew Petch, Gary Ware, Gary Robinson

Manager Marc Johnson has also been promoted to Head of Technical. The Board appointments follow four years of impressive business growth at Thurston’s. Since 2018 it has more than doubled its turnover – it’s on track to achieve £55million turnover in 2022 (up from £23million in 2018). And Matt has set an ambitious target of achieving £100million turnover by the end of 2025. Thurston Group was acquired by the private investment firm, the HLD Group of Companies in 2021 as part of its planned growth strategy.

Managing Director Matt Goff said: “We have an incredibly talented and driven team here at Thurston Group, and this is recognised in these board appointments – all three of which are internal promotions. Gary Ware has led our production services for several years and is an invaluable addition to the Board. Gary Robinson will further strengthen our strategic direction on construction and Matthew will focus on driving our financial growth.

BOPAS is the industry benchmark to demonstrate quality and durability to funders, lenders, valuers and purchasers, giving them the confidence that homes built using offsite construction will have a life of at least 60 years. The accreditation process involves a rigorous assessment, including a two-stage review; a detailed interview with Lloyds Register and a full day audit, where the business is required to provide tangible evidence on the plans in place to deliver on its five-year plan.

BOPAS is recognised by the principal mortgage lenders as providing the necessary assurance underpinned by a warranty provision, that the property will be readily mortgageable for at least 60 years. DTS was formerly known as Stewart Milne Timber Systems prior to its acquisition by the Donaldson Group in 2021.

a clear differentiator when promoting our Sigma® II build system to the market. An increased use of our Sigma® II system will reduce the energy required by customers to run their homes, as well as very low embodied carbon from the construction of the home. BOPAS plus will help to provide our clients and the industry with the confidence that our system has been thoroughly assessed and is highly durable.”

“Since joining the business in 2018, I’ve really promoted a culture of entrepreneurship from the factory floor through to the senior management team and our new directors have really embraced this culture, removing barriers to collaboration, increasing teamwork and efficiency, and driving change for the better throughout the business. So, I’m delighted to have them on the Board – we have big plans for the Designfuture.”

Thurston StrengthenGroupTeam

Leading UK timber frame manufacturer, Donaldson Timber Systems (DTS) has become one of the first manufacturers to achieve Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme Plus (BOPAS Plus), a durability assessment for advanced, offsite build systems.

Modular building manufacturer Thurston Group has welcomed three new directors to its executive leadership team, strengthening its production, construction and financial expertise. The new directors will help guide the business as it works to grow its position at the forefront of the modular construction industry. Gary Ware is promoted to Group Production Director, Gary Robinson to Construction Director and Matthew Petch to Financial Director.

Source: www.thurstongroup.co.uk

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Rod Allan, Managing Director, Donaldson Timber Systems said: “BOPAS plus is a fantastic achievement for the business, and will help to ensure that we have

Andrew Donaldson, CEO of the Donaldson Group added: “We expect to see a much greater uptake in modern methods of construction in the coming years and anticipate the demand for offsite construction will continue to increase to help address the housing crisis and the drive for net zero. This accreditation further demonstrates the integrity of the offsite method and its longevity. It’s not just a positive for Donaldson Timber Systems and the wider Donaldson Group, but for the offsite sector as a whole.”

Source: www.donaldsontimbersystems.com

Regional Director Eastern Partnerships, Robert Jack at The Hill Group, and Captain Tracey Bale of The Salvation Army joined Southend-on-Sea City Council for the official handover of these purpose-built homes, providing much-needed safe and secure housing for people to rebuild their lives after a period of rough sleeping. The turnkey homes have been gifted by Hill, including all associated external works and installation. The Salvation Army – the church and charity that own and manage the project – will provide ongoing support to residents on their journey to independence.

Source: www.volumetric.co.uk

New SoloHaus Gifted to Southend City Council Techno Metal Post helical piles are engineered and guaranteed. • Fast and effective • Specialized installation equipment 18/5477 WORLD LEADER IN HELICAL PILE FOUNDATIONS • No excavation • In-house engineering services info.uk@technometalpost.co.uktechnometalpost.co.uk Property of The Green Room, the-green-room-. co.uk

The Hill Group has officially handed over the keys for six SoloHaus to Southend-on-Sea City Council, the first council in Essex to make use of these purposebuilt modular homes as follow-on accommodation for people experiencing homelessness in the local area.

specially designed, fully furnished and equipped for a single person to move straight into. Each modular home provides a sleek independent space and a safe, comfortable environment for residents to transition to independent living in more permanent accommodation. The homes, which are built to last for at least 60 years, have energy costs of £5 a week and are designed to Future Homes Standards, which exceeds building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.

which will help people move on in a safe and secure environment. We are extremely thankful to The Hill Group for making this happen and gifting these six brilliant modular homes. They are sure to make a huge difference to people in Southend-on-Sea getting back on their feet after facing a period of Thehomelessness.”homesare

Cllr Ian Gilbert, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration at Southend-on-Sea City Council said: “We are very pleased to support this joint initiative

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SoloHaus was developed by VOLUMETRICTM as the housing solution to Hill’s philanthropic initiative, Foundation 200, a £15million pledge to manufacture and donate 200 modular homes over a five-year period to charities working in homelessness.

Andy Hill, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group, said: “We are pleased to be working with Southendon-Sea City Council and The Salvation Army to gift the first purpose-built modular homes in Essex. We designed SoloHaus to aid vulnerable individuals with nowhere to call home and I am confident that this scheme will be life changing for many Essex Captainresidents.”Tracey

Bale, Salvation Army leader in Southend, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming our first residents into their new homes in Leigh on Sea. People that are transitioning away from homelessness are often the most vulnerable in society, and here at Malachi Southend, they will be able to adjust to life off the streets, which for many, will be the first time in a long time that they will experience a period of calm and hope in their lives.”

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202222 UK INDUSTRY NEWS

Offsite healthcare specialist, MTX, has celebrated its two latest project wins in the North-West, at the Royal Bolton Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital. Both theatre projects will enable the hospitals to expand their facilities and will assist in increasing hospital capacity. The new theatres will help to reduce the backlog of appointments gained during the pandemic – ultimately helping to achieve the NHS’s Elective Recovery Plan – to address COVID-19 backlogs and eliminate two-year waiting times by July 2022.

McAvoy to Create New Modular Fleet

CEO, Ron Clarke said the decision had been made in response to strong market demand, particularly within the health, education and commercial sectors in the UK. He added McAvoy had already secured orders for the new modular SmartSpace range with upcoming projects across the UK and Ireland, saying: “The investment will be made over a period of two years and will include ongoing research and development, manufacturing, and the implementation of additional infrastructure in terms of people, factory equipment and technology. We envisage the creation of this additional capacity will help drive the planned growth of our business in the UK over the next 2-3 years where we see significant opportunities to increase market share.

The need for additional capacity at hospitals is crucial to address the impact of the pandemic which has

Director of Modular Rental and Sales at McAvoy, said the first of the new modular units would be deployed as part of a major health project in England, saying: “This investment has the potential to be a real gamechanger for McAvoy within the modular rental and sales sector. Our ambition is to significantly increase our market share and to be known as a UK

Designed and built to enhanced energy and fire protection standards, this new product provides our customers sustainable and adaptable space solutions. Thanks to the support of our investor, Blantyre Capital, SmartSpace will be one of the newest modular fleets in the UK and Ireland, so this investment will be a significant component of our overall sustainable growth Glenplans."Busby,

David Hartley, Managing Director at MTX, said: “We’re thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work with the Trusts at Royal Bolton and Clatterbridge Hospitals on these two projects. This continues a four-year relationship with the Royal Bolton Hospital and the start of a new one with Clatterbridge Hospital, and I’m incredibly proud of the MTX team, as this is testament to their ongoing hard work and expertise. The new facilities will help increase capacity to help ease the backlogs and shorten delays for operations, treatments and screenings.”

Source: www.mtx.co.uk

McAvoy recently reported positive financial results for the six months to 30th April 2021, with a 30% yearon-year increase in revenue. The business will deliver revenues ahead of budget for 2022, with significant progress made in securing forecast revenues for 2023.

This is MTX’s second project with Royal Bolton Hospital – having previously delivered a urology department and A&E extension back in 2018. This new project is a single-storey theatre development, encompassing two theatres with all necessary ancillary, ward accommodation and plant room. Clatterbridge Hospital, located on The Wirral includes the delivery of a two-storey scheme comprising of two theatres, a twelve-bay recovery suite, first-floor plant room, plus all the necessary ancillary required at the hospital. Royal Bolton Hospital is expanding to allow other facilities to be refurbished, similarly Clatterbridge Hospital requires additional capacity for both normal and planned operations.

Source: www.mcavoygroup.com

“Our market research, coupled with enquiry levels, has indicated for some time the demand for high quality semi-permanent accommodation across health, education and commercial but also within the pharma, manufacturing, and technology sectors so this decision is all about helping our customers meet those needs.

MTX Awarded Hospital Expansion Projects

McAvoy has announced a substantial investment to expand its modular fleet with a new ‘SmartSpace' product range. The investment will more than double the capacity of McAvoy's semi-permanent modular fleet and create approximately 50 new jobs.

delayed operations, treatments and most recently, cancer checks. There has been an increase in referrals now that restrictions have lifted, although charities have warned of the devastating impact the pandemic has had on cancer care.

and Irish market leader in the supply of high-quality permanent and semi-permanent accommodation for rental or sale. We believe our SmartSpace proposition to be amongst the very best available and with almost 50 years' experience we have a track record and understanding of the modular offsite industry that is second to none."

The NHS has laid out that it will increase capacity to deliver more procedures and scans in each of the hospitals over the next three years, with the aim of delivering approximately nine million more tests and checks by 2025. This will mean that over a threeyear period, patients will be offered around 17 million more diagnostic tests – an increase in capacity of a quarter compared with the three years prior to the pandemic.

M-AR’s 100,000sq ft factory, visitors were able to see a live project in progress from start to finish – from the arrival of the raw materials, through each stage on the production line as the modules took shape before being finished, wrapped and loaded ready to deliver to site. At full capacity, the large factory is set up to be able to build 400 modules a year which equates to around five average sized homes per factory operative per year.

The team also demonstrated its new Combilift mobile gantry crane, which is the largest crane of its type in Europe with a working capacity of 20t and a lifting height of six metres. The new machinery gives M-AR the ability to load, unload, move and stack if required directly from its manufacturing site in any weather, at any time helping the team to consistently deliver projects on schedule.

M-AR opens its doors to collaborationindustry-wide

Anthony Corish, Executive Headteacher at Douay Martyrs Catholic School added: “We were very keen to minimise any interruption to the children’s learning from the redevelopment and following the pandemic, so providing a comprehensive facility for in-person teaching and social interaction were key priorities for the school. Premier’s classrooms give us all the facilities we need for the next year, and pupils and staff were able to move in without any disruption to their education.”

David Williams, Project Manager for main contractor Morgan Sindall Construction said: “This was a challenging project but Premier engaged in the design development and at every stage of the scheme. This meant that despite its complexities, the project went very smoothly. A lot of openness and collaboration was

required between the two building suppliers, which they managed very well.”

Premier Modular has delivered a highly unusual project to provide decant teaching facilities at Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School in Ickenham. The temporary classrooms, science laboratories and SEN spaces have been sited on top of a permanent modular building and while that building was under construction.

In total, 36 bespoke modules were installed on this highly constrained school site. These provided general classrooms, an IT suite, science classrooms with a shared preparation room and SEN spaces. To provide access, Premier installed both a platform lift and internal staircases which interfaced seamlessly with the permanent structure. By providing the decant facilities under a bespoke rental arrangement, the Department for Education could provide the best learning environment for Douay Martyrs’ pupils during the school redevelopment.

Source: www.premiermodular.co.uk

several years across multiple large-scale projects. Providing solutions for M-AR that improves project efficiency, removes communication barriers and enhances delivery outcomes.

The school, which has over 1,500 students, is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment, part of which included a new single storey modular annex. Premier won the contract to supply temporary accommodation, under a rental arrangement, to keep the school operational while the main school building is refurbished. Limited space on site meant that the best location for the decant accommodation was on top of the new modular extension.

Ryan Geldard, Operations Director at M-AR said: “This was something that we’ve wanted to do for a while now so it was great to be able to throw open our doors and welcome visitors from all different areas of the offsite industry. As well as showing off our manufacturing facility, the event provided an opportunity for the sharing of ideas – something which I am genuinely passionate about. Collaboration is key to maximising the benefits of offsite and the whole industry will ultimately benefit if we work together more closely by sharing best practice and new ways of working. It was a fantastic day and we’ve had so much positive feedback that we’ll definitely be making it a regular feature in the future.”

Offsite specialist M-AR has hosted its first factory open day, welcoming more than 50 visitors to its large manufacturing facility and head office in Hull for an in-depth insight into what goes on behind the Touringscenes.

The factory open day, which is set to become a regular feature on the M-AR calendar with several events planned each year, forms a key part of its open-door, transparent culture. It went down a storm with visitors who attended on the day, with more already showing an interest in future events.

Daniel Leech, CEO, TDSG commented: “The construction industry is a tough place to operate. After thirty years of business at TDSG, Ryan and his team at M-AR have shown us the value in having a client that values what we bring to the table, treats us as an equal and really pushes his team to adopt the type of culture that allows us to thrive rather than survive. We share a dedication to investing into the digital asset and the front end, early engagement, and having as many stakeholders as possible contribute to ensuring that with the right information and data, the building of the physical asset can be lean, accurate and efficient. We are really looking forward to growing our business alongside M-AR for the foreseeable future.”

Premier Modular Stacks Schools

Source: www.m-ar.co.uk

23AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UKUKINDUSTRYNEWS

Working in partnership rather than as two separate entities has opened up a dialogue of effective and proactive communication between M-AR and TDSG which aids the smooth-running of M-AR’s projects. Sharing information freely benefits both parties as M-AR can give TDSG advance notice of its requirements for pipeline projects and TDSG in turn can flag up any potential issues before they arise, to allow time to resolve them or for an alternative solution to be found before the build programme gets underway. This level of communication ensures M-AR has a constant and reliable information before a project goes to manufacture.

M-AR has also forged stronger links with one of its key specialist suppliers, TDSG, who collectively provide structural engineering and steel detailing services. TDSG, who provide structural engineering hand in hand with 3D Tekla design and detailing for structural steelwork, has worked with M-AR for

The last OFFSITE EXPO exceeded expectations attracting over 3,000 unique visitors, over 100 professionals with purchasing power participated in the Offsite Connect Buyers and Specifiers Forum, in excess of 100 exhibiting companies promoted offsite solutions and smart technologies and more than 40 hours of CPD Accredited presentations took place. The feedback was universal - OFFSITE EXPO was acknowledged as featuring the most informative and inspiring content.

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022

Taking place at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 20 & 21 September 2022 – OFFSITE EXPO is the focalpoint of innovative building and digital construction technologies. Presenting a compelling proposition, OFFSITE EXPO will feature a combination of advanced manufacturing approaches and smart digital construction technologies. With innovative displays, live demonstrations, and pioneering speakers – the event will play host to leading experts, offsite manufacturers and component suppliers showcasing

THE HOME OF OFFSITE INNOVATIONTECHNOLOGY

a broad spectrum of panelised, volumetric modular systems, pod and prefabricated MEP solutions.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202224

By attending this one highly focused event, construction professionals can gain a broad spectrum of offsite industry intelligence and practical insight – all under one roof.

The construction sector is at a critical crossroads - offsite technology is now recognised as providing the most important solution to overcome many of the challenges facing the industry Bringingtoday. together the sector’s most influential innovators who are driving change in the construction industry, OFFSITE EXPO provides fast and efficient access to a wealth of knowledge and offsite innovation.

The case is unequivocal – offsite technology challenges outmoded construction practices and is a progressive and productive step that is set to revolutionise the way buildings are designed and assembled. Every major review of the construction industry has in some way recommended a move towards advanced factory-based construction

For more on the Offsite Awards 2022 and to see who has been chosen by the judges as this year’s finalists see p48 of this issue.

success of the 2021 event for many, were the business development opportunities secured in the Offsite Connect Buyers and

Specifiers Forum, which was a hive of activity and open exclusively to exhibitors. With over 100 buyers and specifiers participating from high profile construction companies such as Mace, Willmott Dixon, Kier, Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try and the NHS – over 330 business meetings took place and feedback from both the buyers and exhibitors has been outstanding.

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022

25AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK BUYERS AND SPECIFIERS FORUM REGISTER YOUR £FOC PLACE TO OFFSITE EXPO 2022:

EXPERTISE – CPD ACCREDITED MASTERCLASSES

EXPECT – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITES

Presenting the optimum personal development opportunity – rapid and efficient access to the latest information is crucial to success. Advanced offsite approaches and innovative technologies are changing the face of construction, the Offsite Masterclass Theatres provide over 40 hours of CPD Accredited presentations in a dynamic and interactive format for those looking to learn direct from eminent offsite industry experts.

The Offsite Connect Forum is the most dynamic ‘meet the buyer’ business development opportunity of the year.

It is not only the exhibition that has exciting development plans, OFFSITE EXPO will host the dynamic and innovative Offsite Construction Awards, returning to this high-profile location. Taking centre stage, the Offsite Construction Awards will take place at OFFSITE EXPO on 20 September 2022. Since inception seven years ago, the Awards have been on an upward trajectory presenting professionals operating in the sector with outstanding opportunities to showcase excellence and network with those who are gaining industry recognition.

OFFSITE EXPO exhibitors can gain access to key industry professionals with a buying or specifying remit. This Forum offers a structured, highly effective way for new and existing offsite industry suppliers to connect with potential customers easily and cost effectively in highly focused Themeetings.greatest

Thismethods.specialist offsite technology event is destined to become Europe’s largest dedicated event, providing direct access to explore this innovative and fast-moving sector. Get to grips with the latest offsite methods and smart digital technology – OFFSITE EXPO showcases the widest and most comprehensive display within the built environment.

EXPLORE – OFFSITE TECHNOLOGIES

EXPOSURE – OFFSITE AWARDS

To join the offsite conversation, become a member of the Explore Offsite Linkedin Group: www.linkedin.com/groups/7456674 or to stay up to date with the latest announcements – follow #OffsiteExpo on Twitter at @ExploreOffsite

To book your FOC ticket to attend Offsite Expo 2022 visit: www.offsite-expo.co.uk/book

EXPERIENCE – THE OFFSITE EVENT OF THE YEAR

Visitors can see and experience a range of offsite technologies including volumetric modules, hybrid and steel frame structures.

visitors to discuss scheme concept details and drawings with industry experts without the need to pre-book meetings and without any consultation fees. The team will be on hand to make recommendations relating to design, value engineering, comparable case studies and supplychain opportunities, or just provide endorsement of current strategies. As leading experts in the field of offsite manufacturing and construction –Cogent Consulting offers independent advice on exploiting innovative construction techniques.

Cogent’s multi-disciplinary approach delivers more efficient construction systems and processes, with new ways of tackling construction challenges. As sector specialists, Cogent work with offsite manufacturers, clients, architects, contractors and project managers to ensure that any project embracing offsite technology, is optimised and involves minimal risk.

Showcasing the greatest display of offsite building and digital construction technologies under one roof, OFFSITE EXPO aims to attract circa 4,000 delegates and is geared towards creating the ultimate visitor experience. OFFSITE EXPO is the place for people to engage with key industry contacts, acquire new knowledge and network in vibrant surroundings.

Hosted by Cogent Consulting ‘Ask the Expert’ will allow OFFSITE EXPO visitors to meet one-to-one with leading industry experts from the Cogent team and other consultants, to discuss live projects and explore design efficiencies, engineering challenges and supply-chain Thisdevelopment.willallow

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202226

EXCITE – SEE THE ‘BIG BUILDS’ OFFSITE EXPO promotes innovative ideas and ongoing development in the offsite industry by displaying a range of eye-catching features, full scale modules and creative installations. A variety of Offsite Features will be positioned throughout the show.

SPONSOR GOLD

ENGAGE – ASK THE EXPERT

GET CONNECTED

SILVER PLUS SILVER Building oﬀsite solutions in timbe BRONZE PLUS BRONZE

EXHIBITORS INCLUDE…

T: 01743 290 020 E: info@volumetric.co.uk VOLUMETRIC.CO.UK From interim housing for the homeless to on-the-spot overnight accommodation for keyworkers... MODULHAUS™ provides award-winning, energy efficient and secure accommodation ...rigorously tested to ensure outstanding performance and quality WINNERWINNER COME AND SEE US ON STAND H12

Andy King - Group Technical Director, Wernick Speaker TBC - Darwin Group

Ian Pyatt - Technical Sales Manager, Firefly

VOLUMETRIC MODULAR LIGHTHEALTHCAREGAUGE

EXPLORE

If you have a relevant case study to present in this session, email: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk

Shaun Weston - Managing Director, British Offsite

Alex Pullin - Architect, HLM Architects

Dale Joy - Regional SFS Manager, EOS

Alan Robb - Group Chairman, Benx

John Porter - Area Sales Manager, Rock Panel

Barry Miller - Head of Commercial, Internorm Windows UK

20.09.22 THEATRE 2

OFFSITE MASTERCLASSES

Jennifer Higgins - Managing Director, The Wee House Company

20.09.22 1

HOUSING FACADES & AFFORDABLEFIRECOMMERCIALFENESTRATIONPROTECTIONHOUSING12.30-13.5012.10-13.3010.50-12.1010.30-11.50 15.50-17.1015.30-16.5014.10-15.3013.50-15.10 WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202228

CHAIR - Richard Lankshear - Innovation Manager, NHBC

SEMINAR THEATRE

James Glocking - Technical Director, The Fire Protection AdrianAssociationAynsley - Sales Manager, FSI

CHAIR - Tony Woods - Technical Manager, LHC

If you have a relevant case study to present in this session, email: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022

CHAIR - Peter Rankin - Head of Energy, Building Services and Indoor Environments, Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Joanne Booth - Business Manager, Lucideon

SEMINAR

Katie Gilmartin - Head of Business Development and Innovation, Platform Housing

Michael Gibbs - Associate, Bond Bryan Architects

Sam Whitworth - Engineering Director, Stelling Properties

Wayne Oakes - Director, Dice

CHAIR - Gurprit Bassi - Director, Wintech

Jacob Willson & Amandeep Singh Kalra - Head of Design & Associate Architect, BeFirst

STEEL

Victoria Moore - BD Manager, Volumetric Modular

CHAIR - James Glocking - Technical Director, The Fire Protection Association

CHAIR - Light Steel Frame Association

Seya

Steven

Mark

Jane

O'Leary - Strategic Advisor Education, ISG Construction

Florez-Perez - Lecturer in Construction Management, University College London Session hosted by Supply Chain Sustainability School SUPPLYPRODUCTIVITYCHAIN SUSTAINABILITY SCHOOL: SOCIAL VALUE REPORT 16:0015.00-15.45-16:45 21.09.22 SEMINAR THEATRE 1 CHAIR - Julia Evans - CEO, BSRIA Graeme Brady - Engineering Manager – Offsite Manufacture , NG Bailey If you have a relevant case study to present in this session, email: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk CHAIR - Andrew Carpenter - Chief Executive, Structural Timber Association John Smith - Technical Director, Donaldson Timber Systems Mike Jacobs - Kiss House CHAIR - Elaine Toogood - Head of Architecture, MPA The Concrete Centre Simon Harold - Business Development Director, PCE If you have a relevant case study to present in this session, email: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk MEP & STRUCTURALPOD TIMBER PRECAST CONCRETE12.10-13.3010.30-11.50 13.50-15.10TOBOOK YOUR FOC TICKET TO ATTEND OFFSITE EXPO 2022 WWW.OFFSITE-EXPO.CO.UK/BOOKVISIT:

Charlotte

Ostime - Partner, Hawkins Brown

Operational Improvement and Innovation Director, Bouygues

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022 29 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK 20.09.22 SPOTLIGHT ON OFFSITE THEATRE

Banks - R&D Director, Ilke Homes, Net Zero Homes

Tansill - Senior Technologist - Modern Construction, BRE

Rehan

Nigel

Southgate - Chief Executive Officer, MOBIE

Hough - Senior Applications Engineer, KOREC Group

Sam

Ian

Clare

Heptonstall - Director, Supply Chain Sustainability

Laura

Rene

- Managing Director, ModPods

Van Zwijndrecht - Head of Digital Design, Berkeley Modular

Garrett - DfMA Lead, Matterlab

Khodabuccus - Operations Director, ZedPods

Nigel

Jackson - Technical Manager, Trimble

Price - Sector Lead, BSI Group TRAINING, SKILLS & INNOVATION DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION: AR & VR NET ZERO/ SUSTAINABILITY DESIGNING FOR OFFSITE12.00-12.4511.00-11.4510.00-10.45 Joanne13.45-14.45Flaherty

AndySchoolCornaby

20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202230 21.09.22 SEMINAR THEATRE 2 Paul Ruddick - CEO, Reds 10 Speaker TBC - ESS Modular If you have a relevant case study to present in this session, email: ellie.guest@radar-communications.co.uk CHAIR - David Hancock - Construction Director, IPA Cabinet Office David Hancock - Construction Director, IPA Cabinet Office David Bray - Smart Motorways Programme Director, National Highways CHAIR - Andrew Carpenter - CE Midlands Thomas Lench - Metsec Voestalpine Chris Hall - Innovation Services Manager, NHBCINFRASTRUCTUREEDUCATION HOUSING12.30-13.5010.30-12.10 14.10-15.30 21.09.22 SPOTLIGHT ON OFFSITE THEATRE Mark Farmer - Founding Director & CEO, Cast Gwyn Roberts - Homes and Communities Lead, BRE Edward Jezeph - Senior Investment Manager, Homes StuartEnglandDevoil - Group Head of Marketing, James Latham Richard Whittaker - Director of Development, Citizen IanHousingStaples - Director, Leonard Design Architects GOVERNMENT/ POLICIES NET ZERO / SUSTAINABILITY 11.00-11.4510.00-10.45 Darren Jones - Associate Director, shedkm Rene Van Zwijndrecht - Head of Digital Design, Berkeley ShaunModularWeston - Managing Director, British Offsite PRODUCTION, PROCESS & ENGINEERINGSteve12.00-12.45Clark - Director, Develop Consulting Rob McNinch - Group Sales Director, BOS Logistica Gary Sullivan - Chairman, Wilson James Paul Surin - Associate Partner, IBM If you would like to express an interest in joining this panel, contact:15.00-15.4514.00-14.45DIGITALSUPPLYellie.guest@radar-communications.co.ukCHAIN/LOGISTICSCONSTRUCTION

modular & portable building associationmpba

Rory Bergin (RB): The main development for me has been the increased investment coming into the industry from outside the sector, and sometimes outside the country. This investment has mainly come into the Category 1 manufacturers and signals that there is widespread agreement that the Category 1 approaches solve a lot of problems and has a bright future. People within the construction sector are sometimes ambivalent about change because we see the difficulties of changing what we are already doing, and it will be interesting to see how the pressure on the industry to change from outside will play out in the coming years. If we can’t change, or can’t change quickly enough, there is a likelihood that investment will fall away.

MOVING THE MARKET FORWARD

RB: Volumetric construction offers a group of benefits, some of them obvious and some less so. Speed is the primary one, we had one of our designs completed in nine months, a 200-unit student building on a busy artery in London. This would have been impossible with traditional construction. Workers are more productive in factories because they can move to live near the factory and cycle to work, they can have a much better work/life balance, when they get to work, they are safe and

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202232 RORY BERGIN

Q: You have been working in the offsite sector for some time and must have seen many changes – what have been the main developments in recent years and how does the industry ‘feel’ presently?

Q: Interest in offsite construction – in all its guises – has never been higher with volumetric modular a preferred system of choice for many developers. For the uninitiated what does volumetric modular offer above a traditional approach?

dry and their tools are all there, and the work in the factories moves to them instead of them having to move around a complex construction site. We have found in our research that the embodied energy that goes into offsite construction is much reduced, and the final quality of the finishes is higher. Investors in projects like the certainty of delivery and the controlled process and the ESG focus on funding means that factories and projects that bring environmental and safety benefits are more likely to be funded.

RB: We have been working together for over a decade and we understand each other very well, we understand their approach and they understand how we design buildings and get approvals and awards for the architecture. We are also multidisciplinary so we can offer design, landscape, planning, interiors, and sustainability all in one place, so that makes life easy for many of our clients, and they take a ‘don’t fix what isn’t broken’ approach to their design and construction teams. Over time we have seen many changes in factory production and regulatory hurdles, so the construction approach is still slightly different on every project even if it’s coming from the same factory. Making things in factories doesn’t mean that everything is fixed and can’t be changed, construction isn’t like that, we always need an element of flexibility, and the team understand this and work collaboratively to make things happen.

aspect of our lives has been improved by better manufacturing, whether it’s in computing, flying, driving or the clothes we wear. Many of our projects have won awards both in the UK and internationally, and we see factory production as an ally to better buildings. Designers also need to tell manufacturers that design matters, and there is no point producing a very efficient module in a factory that doesn’t help to make great homes for people, that’s missing the point. There is a helpful tension between efficiency and great design and that’s how it should be, architects shouldn’t accept low quality, and neither should our clients, and collectively we need to push manufacturers to enable all of us to achieve well-designed buildings. Please don’t mention shipping containers!

Some volumetric buildings, usually temporary buildings, are uninspiring, and architects need to look beyond that to see the potential of offsite construction. Making things in factories has nothing to do with design quality and definitely doesn’t mean that great architecture isn’t possible. Every other

RB: I am quite tired of clients saying things like ‘let’s set up a factory, how hard can it be’ and ‘we need to bring manufacturing to the site, that’s where we need the jobs.’ What both of these statements miss is that it’s quite hard to set up a factory and no one would dream of setting up a factory to make clothes or computers, so why would anyone think that setting up a factory to build homes is easy? It isn’t. To scale up we need to provide a pipeline of work for manufacturers

Q: The UK is forever battling a housing shortage and now has additional net zero carbon aims and climate pressures to contend with. With offsite construction’s sustainable merits often under-reported, how can modular construction deliver more low carbon homes quickly and at scale?

Q: HTA is one of the leading architects working across the offsite sector and has an award-winning relationship with Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems – what has made this such a successful team?

Q: From an aesthetic perspective, modular construction comes in for criticism from other architects as uniform and uninspiring – is this part of a systemic lack of understanding, even within the profession and design circles and how can that argument be

RB:dispelled?

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who are already in the market that is designed with production in mind, not based on traditional construction. There is a different mindset needed to design for manufacturing, and schools of architecture aren’t teaching it. Planners also need to be educated on this subject, they seem to think that repetition is somehow a bad thing, when it clearly isn’t. Many of our best loved places built by Georgians or Victorians are quite repetitive but with some lovely details. Designers and planners should learn that a certain amount of repetition is helpful to bring costs down and to lower the environmental footprint and can still be perfectly lovely if designed and detailed well. If we bring the projects to the factories regularly and work with them from an early stage in the design, we can work together successfully.

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projects – can you say a little about the study and how those savings are RB:achieved?

For more information visit: www.hta.co.uk

The project is calculated to be 40% below LETI and RIBA guidelines in terms of embodied CO2, which is a significant saving and one which is expected to improve as materials manufacturing is decarbonised and more choices of low-carbon products enter the market. It’s as much about careful design and using as little material as possible as it is about the choice of materials. We are buildings using steel and concrete, traditional materials, but optimised using factory production rather than the relatively rough and ready methods of on-site construction.

Images: 01/03. HTA has formed an industry-defining partnership with Vision Modular Systems and Tide Construction 02. Rory Bergin, Partner, Sustainable Futures, HTA 04-05. HanhamDesignHall is a large scale zero carbon housing scheme

Q: The future of offsite manufacture seems assured with more government support than ever before – where do you see the offsite sector and the architect’s role within it, heading over the next 18 months?

The accuracy of factory production is much greater than traditional, for example, over 19 storeys we expect a tolerance of +- 3mm. That is near impossible in traditional construction. The other issue is waste, in traditional construction waste is something that happens, and it’s hard to find and allocate responsibility for it, with offsite construction it’s obvious where waste

Q: According to recent data from the University of Cambridge and Edinburgh Napier University, volumetric modular systems can produce less CO2 than traditional methods of building homes – these results were based on two HTA

RORY BERGIN

is happening because up to 90% of construction is happening in the same place supervised by the same people.

RB: We expect to continue to work on an ever-growing portfolio of projects designed for offsite manufacturing with an ever-increasing group of clients and manufacturers. It has been interesting to see in recent months that several large contracting organisations have invested in offsite companies, with Hill, ISG and JRL all becoming owners of factories. This is a good sign that the mainstream construction sector recognises the long-term potential of factories to add value. We also see the growth in the use of two-dimensional panel systems and volumetric pods for bathrooms for lower rise projects or smaller schemes. There isn’t a one-size fits all answer to every design problem, but I have yet to see a project where offsite doesn’t have something to offer the project, either in terms of speed of delivery, reduced disruption for residents or environmental benefits.

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T232 07/22 NHBC Accepts is our comprehensive review service for innovative systems and products. If you see the NHBC Accepts logo you can be sure that we have rigorously assessed that system or product and that it meets our robust standards. Please contact us at accepts@nhbc.co.uk or visit nhbc.co.uk/accepts to see the latest list of accepted products and systems. Building confidence in innovative construction National House-Building Council (NHBC) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in respect of carrying on its insurance business and its insurance distribution activities. NHBC is registered in England and Wales under company number 00320784. NHBC’s registered address is NHBC House, Davy Avenue, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK5 8FP. Note that only certain parts of NHBC’s products and services are within the scope of UK financial services regulation. For more information on our products and services, please see our website nhbc.co.uk or your NHBC product documentation. Photo credit: ilke Homes COME AND SEE US ON STAND F14

With energy bills rising, climate change concerns and cost of living biting into people’s pockets across the UK, a potential path forward can be seen in a partnership between Octopus Energy and ilke Homes.

Energy bills have risen for the UK population because of an increase in the energy price cap, which is the maximum price that suppliers in England, Wales and Scotland can

36 WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 ZERO CARBON

CHEAPERHEALTHIERHOMES&LIVING

Housing is responsible for more than a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions. In 2021 only 1.6% of newbuilds in the UK were built to the top standard of energy-efficiency, equivalent to just 3,457 homes. Under new rules, newbuild homes constructed from 2022 are required to reduce emissions by 31% in preparation for the 2025 Future Homes Standard that will see a reduction in gas boilers and fossil fuel heating systems and more low-carbon heating solutions such as air source heat pumps and solar panels.

Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. These will come equipped with an air source heat pump, solar panels and battery storage technology. The low-carbon technologies will combine to provide free, clean energy round the clock, with Octopus Energy providing a bespoke tariff. The homes have been launched as part of ilke ZERO, the UK’s first mainstream zero-carbon housing offering, and comes as ilke Homes grows its pipeline to 3,500 homes, in a sign that modular housing is quickly becoming a mainstream solution to housing Octopusdelivery.EnergyGroup is a global energy tech pioneer, launched in 2016 to use technology to unlock a ‘customer focused and affordable green energy revolution’. Octopus’s tech arm, Kraken Technologies, offers a proprietary, in-house platform based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities. “This breakthrough partnership debunks a long-standing myth – that cleaner energy will mean higher bills for

semi-detached family homes – being delivered in partnership with Gresham House and SO Resi – form part of a wider 153-home scheme, branded Hope Green. 101 of these homes will be zero-carbon in operation, the most delivered on a single site in the UK, meaning they will generate their own source of energy, helping to drastically reduce emissions produced by utilities such as electricity and heating.

1 2

consumers,” says Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy Group. “Instead, people living in these homes won’t be paying for energy at all. This is yet another demonstration that clean energy is cheap energy, and the best answer to the fossil fuel crisis is accelerating the transition to Therenewables.”two-bedroom

To drive this forward, Octopus Energy and ilke Homes have entered a strategic partnership to roll out the UK’s first homes to guarantee residents zero energy bills. The two British technology firms are launching the partnership on a site in Essex where ilke Homes is delivering the UK’s largest zero-carbon housing Asdevelopment.partofthelaunch, two factorybuilt homes are being installed in

“Theprogrammes.”housingsector clearly has a big part to play in driving down carbon emissions and moving towards more sustainable methods of construction and environmentally friendly homes,” adds Kush Rawal, Director of Residential Investment at SO Resi. “However, we have always stressed that it is important to strike a balance and work with partners such as ilke Homes and Gresham House to ensure a move to green living remains affordable for the consumer, otherwise we risk creating a two-tier society where being sustainable is only for those who can afford it.

charge households. This meant an average increase of £693 for around 18 million households on standard tariffs and £708 for 4.5 million prepayment customers.

Launched in July 2021, ilke ZERO aims to deliver thousands of operational zero-carbon homes per year for major investors, housing associations, and councils across the UK. The homes have already been trialled in London, Newcastle, Gateshead, Newark, and Sunderland, and are now ready to be rolled out everywhere. “Our strategic partnership with Octopus Energy Group is the next milestone on our ilke ZERO journey,” says Giles Carter, CEO at ilke Homes. “The premise of this partnership is to both empower consumers, who are faced with one of the worst cost-of-living crises in decades and demonstrate that netzero and construction can work hand in “Thankshand. to years of intensive research and development, we have successfully created a ready-to-go, highly energy-efficient solution to housing delivery – one which will help investors future-proof investments against government policy, help

Images: 01-04. Zero carbon living boosted by offsite manufacture and digital technology is the shape of future placemaking

Alistair Wardell, Investment Director at Gresham House, said: “Our deal with ilke Homes provides an innovative and much-needed solution to the historic undersupply of shared ownership housing in the South East of England. Gresham House is committed to helping alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in the UK and to delivering sustainable and innovative solutions to this problem. This project will deliver real-world benefits to residents in Hope Green and is another step on the journey towards widespread development of net zero residential homes across the UK.”

The first two ZERO bills homes, which will be made available for shared ownership. By harnessing artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital design, the ilke Homes is capable of creating homes that are incredibly well insulated, meaning less heat escapes and consequently reducing bills. Highperforming building fabric is deemed essential for the performance of lowcarbon technologies.

meet strict ESG criteria, and allow for revenue streams to be accessed as quick as possible due to a significant reduction in construction

To reach the ZERO bills specification, ilke Homes on behalf of Gresham House will install low-carbon technologies to provide cheap, clean energy. Solar panels on the roof will generate electricity for the home and its heat pump, which provides all heating and hot water. The homes will be equipped with battery technology to store any excess green electricity the solar panels generate. By using a battery, the home will be able to store this energy for later use.

“Innovations such as those within Hope Green put sustainability at their very core and go above and beyond what is expected – particularly within the affordable homes sector. Our priority is always to ensure housing remains accessible to those who need it most, and it is an exciting milestone that the pioneering bill free house will be available through shared ownership rather than to the highest bidder.”

37AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | ZEROWWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UKCARBONHOMES

But the cost-of-living crisis is set to deepen even further come October after Ofgem’s Chief Executive, Jonathan Brearley, told MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that he expected the energy price cap to be “in the region of £2,800” when it is reviewed later this year. In response the Treasury has announced a package of shortterm measures to support households with increased bills this winter.

For more information visit: www.ilkehomes.co.uk www.octopusenergy.group

around movements of materials and labour, initiated by Brexit, were exacerbated by the pandemic, but we have been working to mitigate them, by building supply chain frameworks, and providing our trusted partners with visibility of order book, to help facilitate continuity of supply. Despite the above we remain optimistic: increased public sector spending in MMC is really shining a light on the benefits of our industry and we’re being approached by an increasing number of private sector clients who are looking at alternative method of delivery.

Q: Do you think MMC has been fully embraced by the industry?

BYPOWEREDMMC

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202238 ADVERTORIAL

education and healthcare projects, with the DfE alone investing £3billion in their UK framework.

Images: 01-02. ESS Modular projects are focused around driving high levels of pre-manufactured value

Q: Do you think that the recent investment from ISG will help facilitate that?

MMC has grown hugely in the last 10 years as clients begin to recognise its major advantages. We have seen a big shift across the sector to adopt, embrace and actively pursue MMC. In the UK, the Government have indicated a preference for MMC through the establishment of a number of dedicated MMC frameworks for

Thepartners.restrictions

For more information visit: www.essmodular.com

Southern region of the UK too. Alongside this, we’re investing heavily in automation technologies in our two existing production facilities in Ireland. We’ve also recruited a record number of 150 people in the last 18 months, enhancing manufacturing, IT, marketing, design, people, and procurement teams, recruiting talented individuals, all driven by the same purpose, to find the better way of doing things.

Q: It all sounds very positive, but what challenges are you facing in the short/ medium/long term?

The business has seen significant growth in the last 18 months in response to market demand from both public and private sector for MMC, group turnover has grown from €60 to €95million and staff numbers have increased from 150 to 280 in Ireland and the UK. In March 2022, the company announced a significant development, when global construction specialist ISG acquired a majority stake in the business, providing ESS with a solid platform from which to deliver an ambitious growth plan.

There are challenges which we experience in the same way as traditional contractors. Hyper-inflation of costs is a very real issue, as are soaring costs in labour, building materials and transport, with the highest inflation seen on imported materials – the industry cannot simply just swallow the cost, nor can we move the costs onto our supply chain

Yes. In 2020, the annual turnover in construction from the EU-27 countries amounted to almost €1.7trillion, and will continue to rise, mostly driven by government spending on planned infrastructure projects. As a whole, the industry genuinely can’t build fast enough. Our projects are focused around driving high levels of premanufactured value, but we still use a network of traditional subcontractors in our controlled factory environment, as opposed to transient labour moving between sites. We strongly believe that we need to stop looking at MMC as a separate industry, we should see it as a natural evolution of the construction industry.

Without a doubt it will. ISG is a leading global construction specialist and their investment in ESS makes a statement to the industry around the serious need for Tier One contractors to develop their service lines to include mmc. Our third manufacturing facility in Warrington is now up and running and once that’s at capacity, we’ll be looking for a further facility in the

Founded in Dublin in 1989, ESS Modular is an industry leader in modern methods of construction (MMC) in the UK and Ireland. In this Q&A, Paul Tierney - CEO and Ronan Smyth - Managing Director of ESS Modular share their thoughts on MMC and the future of the construction industry.

Q: Can MMC and traditional construction co-exist?

LHC strives for excellence in the services provided to their clients and aims to deliver the best solution to suit every project’s individual needs.

ADOPT MMC AND START YOUR JOURNEY TO OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOMES (NH2) WWW.LHC.GOV.UK/FRAMEWORKS/ HELPING YOU TO BE MMC READY WWW.MMC.LHC.GOV.UK

Our dedicated Client Support and Project Support teams are on-hand to assist throughout the life of the project.

Our OJEU-compliant framework agreements provide public sector organisations with easy access to procure works, products and services for the construction, refurbishment and maintenance of social housing, schools and public buildings.

For more information on how our frameworks can work for you, get in touch.

Predictability in a world dogged by uncertainty is a big thing. Assurances around safety, performance and building schedules alleviate a lot of headaches for specifiers and project managers. Although not presently making headlines, we cannot overlook the sustainability gains achieved through volumetric approaches.

We are now far removed from the stigma associated with the ‘prefabs’ of yesteryear. More recently we have welcomed newcomers to our industry – some have been remarkably successful, and some have not. But it is worth noting that behind the headlines sit industry stalwarts who in the case of Wernick® Group, have been around since 1934. It was not long before other leading brands that are still major players in the volumetric modular and portable building space today joined the ranks, with the foundation of Portakabin in 1961 which was quickly followed by Elliott Group (Algeco) in 1963, Pickerings in 1969 and Thurston Group in 1970.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202240

industrial factory capacity outside the building industry – sound familiar?

Richard Hipkiss, Development Director for the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) outlines how anticipating what is coming down the track, listening, learning and developing technical solutions is essential for all those operating in the modular sector.

So how have these companies stood the test of time? There is not one simple answer. But in the main it is down to staying relevant and current.

It is hard to believe but the MPBA was founded in 1938, way ahead of the thinking at the time. The end of World War One saw the UK construction industry shaken by major shortages of skilled labour and building materials the result was an acute lack of housing. So, the times and the technology may have changed but the issues certainly have not.

MPBATHE EVOLUTION OF VOLUMETRIC MODULAR

The lack of housing stimulated a search for new methods of construction to alleviate the problem. The emphasis was to supplement traditional building operations with new methods of construction using

Withouttrack.

doubt volumetric modular technology provides a rapid and agile solution but this is simply not enough in the current climate. Construction projects now have many key drivers, some mandatory such as building regulations and others, although not embedded in legislation, are considered equally essential.

Listening, learning and developing technical solutions to overcome inherent industry issues whilst also having a keen eye on the future and anticipating what is coming down the

Construction is a complex business. Recently volumetric modular technology has rightly been hailed as the solution to the productivity and quality issues that have plagued the industry for decades. But despite common misconceptions, modular construction is not a new concept.

Since the government amended the Climate Change Act in 2019 to commit the UK to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the construction industry has been confronted with the need to decarbonise. Whilst there has been a drive to reduce in-use operational emissions through the implementation of government legislation such as the changes to Part L of building regulations to improve the building fabric – little has been done to address the carbon inefficiencies in the construction

41AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UKMPBA

are often specified, tailoring every inch of a volumetric modular build.

To discover how volumetric modular technology can benefit construction projects go to: www.mpba.biz or visit us at Offsite Expo.

Itprocess.isnow

The MPBA plays a key role in the connecting of sectors in the modular and portable building industry. The association collaborates with specialist technical advisors to enhance innovation in the design and manufacture of volumetric modular buildings. These can be designed and manufactured from timber or steel in any size and shape to meet individual client needs while ensuring full compliance with building regulations.

Images: 01-02. Volumetric modular technology provides a rapid and agile solution to many construction challenges.

established that volumetric modular approaches are a game changer for the construction industry –reducing build times by an impressive 50-60% whilst increasing quality, productivity and safety. But what is not so widely understood is that when compared to traditionally built projects, it is easier to control energy use in factory settings rather than open construction sites. On average 67% less energy is required to produce a volumetric manufactured building and up to 50% less time is spent onsite, resulting in up to 90% fewer vehicle movements which is less disruptive for the local community and reduces carbon emissions. The modular way also limits the amount of concrete in the ground and eco-friendly materials

Volumetric modular buildings are less susceptible to poorly specified manufacturers’ products as time can be taken upfront to validate the correct specification of materials. Designs are digitally constructed and virtually tested before they move onto the manufacturing phase. This process eliminates waste and achieves highly accurate and airtight building envelopes designed and built to higher sustainability requirements such as BREEAM standards.

So, since our inception in 1938, our association and the industry we serve has made gargantuan steps to transform the way volumetric manufactured buildings are designed

Unlike factory manufactured buildings, there is significant evidence that traditional construction methods do not produce buildings that perform as well as design expectations and there is a void between anticipated and actual in-use performance. Findings from studies such as PROBE (Post Occupancy Review of Buildings and their Engineering) reveal that actual energy consumption in buildings is often as much as twice of that predicted at the design stage.

Courtesy Portakabin

MPBA

and delivered. It is testament to our founding members that they have not only stood the test of time but are still at the forefront of industry innovations. The benefits of volumetric manufactured buildings begin in the factory, continue on the construction site and last throughout the lifetime of the building.

Naomi Pratt, Consultant at the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS), discusses its upcoming report which will help organisations across the value chain maximise social value outcomes through offsite construction.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202242

The report, due to be published in September, will highlight the opportunities offsite construction can bring across the suite of social value themes, as well as identifying perceived tensions, primarily the focus on social value near to site rather than elsewhere in the value chain. It is important to remember that most construction projects have an inherent level of social value whatever the building process used. For example, building a hospital brings inherent social value to the local community regardless of its build type. Therefore, our report focuses on the additionality of social value that the offsite process brings. We hope the guidance will give clients more confidence offsite can meet their ambitions and inspire supply chain organisations to achieve better outcomes for people and Providingplanet.

from designers to manufacturers and contractors. This work has brought to light some fantastic projects demonstrating evidence of social value benefits and highlighted common challenges for the sector.

Social value has become a mainstream concept across the built environment sector. Having entered the policy landscape in 2012, it’s now mandated with a minimum 10% weighting as a consideration in central government contracts under procurement notice PPN 06/20 and is commonly included as a requirement in tenders in the private sphere. Despite this, there remains a lack of practical guidance around how to understand and communicate the additional social value benefits of the offsite construction process.

new jobs local to site, especially apprenticeships, was cited as a common client request and a challenge for offsite providers to achieve in comparison to traditional models. But this is a narrow view which can miss genuine social benefits of a contract – including the site of manufacture is necessary to understand the full social value impact and helpfully is not precluded by legislation. This isn’t just a workaround – our research reveals that offsite manufacturers can provide a safer and less transient working life for people in the sector, as well as creating a lower barrier to entry in the assembly phase of the project, which can give greater agency and involvement to local

So over the past few months, we’ve been carrying out desk-based research, gathering experiences through workshops and conducting interviews with organisations ranging

SOCIALBUILDINGVALUE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY

Within the Offsite Leadership Group of the School, which includes 30 industry partners working in the sector, there was a strong desire for social value to be a key topic of focus this year. With the support of consultants Akerlof and researchers at the University of Salford, we felt well placed to pull together perspectives and best practice.

movements, lower-carbon materials, and improved in-use performance.

Ian Heptonstall, Director of Supply Chain Sustainability School (and owner of the Sustainability Tool), said: “Last year’s survey was the largest and most comprehensive to date with over 250,000 people included. It provided us with important insights into ‘what good looks like’ and where we can take action to make improvements. I’m delighted therefore that this year we’ll be expanding to other sectors and organisations, as the more information we have, the better our decision-making can be.”

Suppliers with over 250 employees will be automatically directed to complete a more detailed submission, while those with less than 250 employees can complete a ‘Lite’ version – encouraging smaller SME and Tier 2 business engagement. Respondents will gain free access to in-depth and interactive dashboards that they can use to benchmark their diversity data against their sector, industry and the ONS data set.

Organisations wishing to participate in the 2022 employee diversity benchmarking exercise can do so for free by registering at: www.diversity.sustainabilitytool.com

communities and occupants of the building and smooth the journey into the sector for new starters.

DIVERSITY & THE SUSTAINABILITY TOOL

The Sustainability Tool – a software application designed to help organisations and their supply chains measure and monitor their sustainability performance – has launched the 2022 employee diversity benchmarking survey. The annual employee diversity benchmarking exercise, carried out within the Sustainability Tool, is a collaborative effort to better understand and improve the diversity of the built environment industry.

More highlights and findings from the report will be presented at OFFSITE EXPO from 16.00-16.45 on 20 September in the Spotlight on Offsite Theatre, so make sure you register for your free place. The Supply Chain Sustainability School will also be exhibiting at Stand G15 throughout the Expo.

Images: 01. Naomi Pratt, Consultant, Supply Chain Sustainability School 02-03. Social value is a key aspect of offsite construction and a better placemaking approach

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Between July and September 2022, organisations are invited to anonymously report their diversity data within the Tool, with categories including Gender, Age, Religion & Belief, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Disability, Voluntary Leavers, Part-Time Status, and Attraction & Recruitment. Each category informs subsequent indicators that align with the ONS’ standard of diversity data collection.

The environmental case for offsite is also growing, with a number of studies demonstrating reduced greenhouse gas emissions and greater resource efficiency compared to traditional construction. This is the case across the construction lifecycle, resulting from shorter times onsite, fewer vehicle

For more information visit: www.supplychainschool.co.uk

Client and contractor organisations can also use the exercise to collect and benchmark diversity data from their supply chains. While the exercise is live, the Supply Chain Sustainability School will be running free online webinars to support organisations with completing the survey. Last year’s survey collected data from over 250,000 employees across 88 supply chains, making it the largestever UK data survey on employee diversity.

because people want to be informed – so they can do the right thing. Some areas are moving ahead faster than others, so it is cultural change as well as strong leadership that is missing.”

“Iprogress?thinkthe biggest barrier is political. It is not the only obstacle, but it is slowing us down the most.” Carla Denyer, Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, explains: “There was an interesting piece of research last year which was the largest study of its kind – a representative

sample of thousands of Brits sharing opinions on different climate policies. It was remarkable how radical some of the policies at the top of the list were with a carbon tax on polluting products and services receiving 94% support. We have to be realistic, brand-new technologies will not make an immediate impact. So, it is about rolling out existing proven technologies as fast as we can. The innovation is around doing this quickly and affordably rather than inventing something new.”

Understanding Net Zero

CAN WE CARBONACHIEVENEUTRAL?

Trevor Richards, Director of Cogent Consulting, sat down with leaders in sustainability and environmental practices to talk about net zero targets and the climate challenges facing construction professionals.

The UK is a world leader in driving carbon reduction across the built environment and is working hard to achieve its net zero emissions target by 2050 but everyone is agreed it won’t be easy. Recognising and finding ways to meet the requirements of changing regulations and policy demands is crucial in reshaping our approach to sustainability. But these changes may not come easily or quickly. The ecological clock is ticking, and we must take urgent action to mitigate the impact of global warming. So, what exactly are the obstacles holding back

“It is all well in good setting targets and having regulations in place, but unless we have a solution that can address it, we are not going to achieve the objective with the amount of educating we do, even within the industry on the difference between embodied and operational carbon,” added Chloe Donovan, Chief Executive for Material Research. “New graduates in architecture and subjects where you would think they would have a really good grasp of this do not necessarily understand the impact material choices have on the ultimate carbon footprint of the building.”

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202244 CLIMATE EMERGENCY ROUNDTABLE

It is clear from consumer research that there is a significant upturn in demand for sustainable materials and building practises. David Leversha, Director and Net Zero Lead for Property and Buildings at WSP focused on the opportunity. “What I find really interesting is that there is a real opportunity here to be seen as leaders. I think the polling was really fascinating

COME AND SEE US ON STAND F20

front of us in terms of sustainability also create business opportunities. So, the regulation and policies that are important should define some standardisation in terms of reporting and disclosure.”

Driving Innovation and New Skills Circling back to the barriers to achieving sustainable goals, Carla Denyer, Green Party of England and Wales, believes part of the answer lies in the skill sets available in the workforce. Something that both government and businesses have a significant role to play. “I think the skills gap is another challenge. Finding enough people in the construction industry who know how to deliver low carbon building or retrofitting is tough, and this is an area where government has a responsibility. But the industry also has a role to play. Those businesses in a position to invest can help make training happen. We can have the technology, but if we do not have the skills to build it at scale, then we are not going to get there in time.”

Kate Dougherty Head of Sustainability and Building

So, does the answer lie in new innovation or improving existing systems? Certainly long-term, the solution must be found in both. Investment in the strategic planning and development of greener initiatives is paramount, but for rapid and immediate change, knowledge sharing remains vital.

TrevorFacilitatorRichards

Services, WSP

Rodrigo Fernandes ES(D)GDirector,– Bentley Systems

Carla Denyer GreenCo-Leader,Party of England and Wales

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Net Zero for

Chloe Donovan Chief MaterialExecutive,Research

Oliver Novakovic Technical BarrattInnovationandDirector,Homes

Misunderstanding surrounding terms like the carbon agenda and net zero may also contribute to difficulties in creating uniformity in education and training across the sector. Clarification and a better understanding of these goals and how to achieve them are becoming increasingly vital, explains Rodrigo Fernandes, Director, ES(D)G at Bentley Systems. “One of the points is the confusion surrounding net zero.

CogentDirector,Consulting

CONTRIBUTORS

We keep talking about it, but I wonder if senior managers at construction related companies can actually define what net zero is and what they are trying to achieve? I see some businesses putting a lot of effort into communicating what they do around sustainability but without bringing that into the product, corporate, or business strategy they will be at risk. The challenges that we have in

David Leversha Director and Net Zero Lead for Property and Buildings, WSP

CLIMATE EMERGENCY ROUNDTABLE

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Oliver Novakovic, Technical and Innovation Director for Barratt Developments, supports this point.

“We all have to make clear our criteria, objectives and drivers, so we can find the right products to meet our collective needs. I do think a lot of it is about open sourcing. We have to pool and share valuable information – government, industry consultants, advisors, universities – to really make this work, because without doubt this is an unprecedented challenge.”

The roadmap to net zero construction or even the terminology involved is yet to be clearly defined and without strong direction and leadership supported by product innovation and education to overcome the barriers, there may be deviations along the way.

Z HOUSE

It is being developed as an industry showcase home to demonstrate what is achievable, particularly from a mainstream, volume housebuilder. The new home is being built with over 40 leading industry partners from across the housebuilding, sustainability and technology sectors, all helping to broaden knowledge in zero carbon living with the lessons learnt from the construction being shared across the industry.

For more information visit: www.barratthomes.co.uk https://energyhouse2.salford.ac.uk/energy-house-labs/barratt-z-house/

Professor William Swan, Director of Energy House Laboratories at The University of Salford said: “We are pleased to be working with Barratt Developments and their partners on the Z House and continue to expand the University’s ground-breaking research and innovation into low carbon technologies within the built environment sector. Our leading Energy House Laboratories are in close proximity to the house and will play a pivotal role in exploring the energy performance of this industry-first home making a vital contribution to the future of housebuilding in the UK.”

“We want to showcase what can be done to deliver zero carbon living using the latest technologies and working with the best industry partners, says David Thomas, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments. “Ultimately, the aim is to find solutions to enable the industry to build high quality, zero carbon homes that customers love, at scale. We can then share this knowledge to help the industry deliver the future of sustainable housing.”

Kate Dougherty, Head of Sustainability and Net Zero for Building Services, WSP said: “I think the UK Green Building Council, RIBA and especially the London Energy Transformation Initiative are fundamental in terms of information share, the resources they are putting out there for free are excellent. When we are talking about design and design related opportunities, it is how we filter this knowledge down into the industry. But then it is up to us as construction professionals to disseminate and make sure there is a level of understanding right throughout our organisations.”

CLIMATE EMERGENCY ROUNDTABLE

Z House will be constructed using offsite methods including closed panel timber frames with highly insulated cladding, factory fitted windows and panelised masonry ground floor wall panels, reducing the need for bricklayers and the time it takes to build by half. And it will include the most modern sustainable housing technology such as an air source heat pump, EV charging points, PV solar panels and battery storage. The house includes electronic taps that can reduce water usage by 80%, kitchen cabinets made using 100% recycled chipboard plus reused coconut husk material for the handles, and a smart electricity tariff which automatically shifts energy usage to access the cheapest rates.

There will also be a dedicated knowledge and energy hub built into the garage space to display and showcase products and technologies used within the Z House. Here, visitors to the house will be able to monitor digital displays showing visuals of live energy use via a monitoring network which is built into the fabric of the home.

For more information visit: www.theccc.org.uk

The Z House is based on the popular Barratt ‘Alderney’ house type and is fitted with hundreds of sensors that will record data for Energy House Labs research. It will be occupied by an academic from the University and monitored to assess its performance using the research and expertise of the University’s Energy House Laboratories. It will be the first new home in the country built by a major housebuilder to go beyond the new Future Homes Standard by delivering a carbon reduction of 125%.

Working with Energy House Labs, Barratt Developments has built an experimental home dubbed the Z House – the first home in the UK that takes sustainability beyond the current Future Homes Standards and is based at the University of Salford.

THE WAIT IS NEARLY OVER…

02. Retail/Leisure Project of the Year 2021: Hewitt Studios - Morgan Experience Centre

The judging is done and dusted and the finalists for the Offsite Awards 2022 have been announced. With an incredible mix of projects and cutting-edge technology on offer – here is a reminder of what is in the running for a prestigious Award.

03. Best Use of Concrete Technology 2021: PCE - Warwick Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building

This year saw over 200 entries. This year’s judges had the tough job of shortlisting entries into each category and were overwhelmed with the high standard and variety within every category. Typical judge’s comments included: “A beautifully executed project. The entire project team were collaborative and embraced the benefits of digital workflow and offsite technology and manufacture, delivering project excellence.”

Covering every aspect of the offsite industry from timber, steel, precast

concrete, hybrid and modular technology, MEP to engineering and installation, and ensuring that all aspects of the offsite building process is celebrated – the Awards recognise the design and technology that makes these inspiring projects possible.

All roads now lead to the presentation ceremony at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 20 September where the Awards will be co-located with Offsite Expo 2022. Offsite technology is changing the contemporary built environment – driving forward projects using prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines. Examples of these and what can be achieved will rewarded across 25 categories.

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The Offsite Construction Awards are set to take place on 20 September at the Coventry Building Society Arena. The ceremony event is always a fun, relaxed and enjoyable evening of celebrations and of course a highprofile networking opportunity. Here you can find the projects and people that have been picked out as outstanding and potentially ‘best in class’ for 2022 by our judges. All the finalists are of the highest quality but who do you think will win?

2022

01. Commercial Project of the Year 2021: Reds10Parkside: Imperial War Museums' Staff Offices

Images:

OFFSITE AWARDS

Tickets are just £95 + VAT and include: access to the awards ceremony, complimentary drinks reception, a selection of bowl-food. If you would like to book tickets to attend the 2022 Offsite Awards www.offsiteawards.co.uk/attendvisit:

Join our finalists, judges and sponsors as they come together over drinks and light bites to celebrate the winners and highly commended at the eighth annual Offsite Awards.

WB Timber Innovations, Jessop & Cook Architects, PYC: Bullingdon Community Centre

Best Use of Concrete Technology

AlternativeTechnologyHeat:

THE 2022 OFFSITE AWARDS FINALISTS ARE...

Bailey Partnership: Timebridge Community Centre

Best Use of Steel Technology 2021 Winner

Commercial Project of the Year 2021 Winner

Best Use of Volumetric Technology

JTP & Tide Construction & Vision Modular: Lewisham Exchange

PCE: Lodge Road - St John's Wood

British Offsite: Edinburgh Way

EOS Framing: Portsmouth International Port - Thrubuild® Loadbearing System

The First Phase of a Highly Innovative New Modular Campus for R&D at Canada Water

Beattie Passive: Net Zero Volumetric Modular Homes for Waverley Borough Council

Best Use of Hybrid Technology 2021 Winner Best Use of MEP & POD Technology 2021 Winner

B&K Structures, Engenuiti & Whitby Wood: Greenwich Design District (C2, C3 & D2)

Tilbury Douglas Engineering: Walsall Manor Hospital Urgent and Emergency Care Centre

Paramount Structures: Fuggles Pocket Shedkm: Mansion House

ID Systems: Wallyford Stormwater Pumping Station

PCE: Assembly Building C

Collida: Collida Living Prototype Homes, BRE Innovation Park

Fusion Steel Framing: Holburne Park Vision Modular Systems & MJH Structural Engineers: Lewisham Exchange

PCE: Ynomia

BIM/Digital Construction Award

Wiehag GmbH: Eton College ESAC

Algeco: Mcdonald’s Market Drayton Bailey Partnership: Timebridge Community Centre

Legal & General Modular Homes: Portholme

SIP Build UK: Sustainable Self Build Dwelling

Nuspan Flooring: Various Projects

Broadland Housing Association, Sigmat & R G Carter: Canary Quay

Commercial Project of the Year

222NR. DfMA Fully Integrated MEP Prefabricated Utility Cupboards - Elephant Park

EOS Framing: Sky House – Thrubuild® Loadbearing System

Zed Pods: Zero-Carbon Housing Development

SES Engineering Services: 33 Charterhouse Street

Zed Pods: Zero-Carbon Housing Development in Partnership with Bromley Council

Masonry Frame Systems: The MFS I-Form SolutionTM

Chapman Taylor: Manchester Goods Yard

Best Use of MEP & Pod

Best Use of Steel Technology

PCE: Assembly Building C

Explore Manufacturing: The Factory

B&K Structures, Heyne Tillett Steel & Studio RHE: The Gramophone Works

Mid Group: The Black & White Building

Stelling Properties: Sparkford House - Unilife

Mid Group: New Model Compliance Review (MCR) Initiative

Beattie Passive: Beattie Passive

Adam Knibb Architects: Tarn Moor

Frameclad: Gledhow Lane

Best Use of Hybrid Technology

SIP Build UK: Police Treatment Centre

Hawkins\Brown Architects & Premier Modular: TEDI-London –

Best Use of Timber Technology

British Offsite: Abbey Quay

VOLUMETRICTM: Haringey

EOS Framing: Edgar Wood Academy – Pre-Assembled Frames

B&K Structures, Heyne Tillett Steel & Studio RHE: The Gramophone Works

Greencore Construction: Springfield Meadows

Patented Timber Frame Build System

NG Bailey: The Forge

Reds10: Dinton Activity Centre

Bowmer + Kirkland & Innovaré: Thames Park School In Grays

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COLAB: The DfMA Toolkit

EOS Framing: Portsmouth International Port - Thrubuild® Loadbearing System

Casas Inhaus: Modular Villa in Mallorca

Project of the Year

Kier: HMP Five Wells

InfrastructureBailey

EWR Alliance: East West Rail 2Bletchley Flyover

Product Innovation Award 2021 Winner

Hawkins\Brown Architects & Premier Modular: TEDI-London –An Innovative and Highly Sustainable Modular Campus at Canada Water Innovaré Systems & Bowmer & Kirkland: Thames Park Secondary School

VOLUMETRICTM: MODULHAUS Duo the Next Generation

Rockpanel/Darwin Group: Cardiff Hospital (Lakeside Wing of The University Hospital of Wales)

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Infrastructure Project of the Year 2021 Winner

Retail\ Leisure Project of the Year

NEVO: 75 Collective Bathrooms for Logistic Center In Oviedo

NG Bailey: P-DfMA Kit Of Parts

Greencore Construction: Springfield Meadows

Commercial Project of the Year cont'd

Chapman Taylor: Manchester Goods Yard

Adam Knibb Architects: Tarn Moor

EOS Framing: Sky House – Thrubuild® Loadbearing System

Seismic Consortium: Seismic – A New Platform for Construction

Tenmat: Tenmat Masonry Support Bracket Cover Plate MSC and VFB Plus Fire Barrier System for Wall Cavities

Eekowall: Eekowall Offsite Partition System

International Project of the Year

MTX Contracts: John Radcliffe Hospital - 5 Storey Critical Care Building

Explore Manufacturing: St James Quarter

Healthcare Project of the Year 2021 Winner

AEDAS Homes: Gaetana Residential Development in Madrid

OFFSITE AWARDS

Offsite Supplies: The Patented Window Bracket

Reds10: Dinton Activity Centre

EOS Framing: Pre-Assembled Frames

Private Housing Project of the Year

Wernick Group & Faithful + Gould: Queen Alexandra Hospital Specialist Ward Extension

M-AR Offsite: Centrepoint, Lugard Road NG

Healthcare Project of the Year

Mid Group: The Black & White Building

B&K Structures, Engenuiti & Stora Enso: UCL Pearl Engenuiti, KLH & David Miller Architects: Crosfields Senior School Building

British Offsite: Victoria Central Citu: Climate Innovation District

Gripple: Fast Trak By Gripple

Nuspan Flooring, Roofspace Solutions, Lovell, Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk: Nar Ouse Regeneration Area MMC Trial

Alternative Heat: Critical Cooling DfMA Distribution System - Frankfurt Data Centre

Health & Safety Award

Explore Manufacturing: The Energy Project

Akustak®: Akustak® (Acoustic Modular Wall System)

Kier Construction: 10 Lewis Cubitt Square

Darwin Group: Airedale All Electric ICU and Inpatient Building

Frame Build UK: Waterford Wick Residential Development | Net Zero Carbon Homes

Legal & General Modular Homes: Bonnington

Algeco: Mcdonald’s Carbon Net Zero Restauarant

PCE: Assembly Building C

HLM Architects & Laing O'Rourke: Product-Based Building Solution (PBBS) Demonstrator

McAvoy: Timebridge Community Centre

EOS Framing: Portsmouth International Port - Thrubuild® Loadbearing System

Education Project of the Year

PSP: MMC Zero Carbon Affordable Family Homes in Kent Shedkm: Inholm

Product Innovation Award

McAvoy: The Cavendish School

Stride Treglown: NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter

EVO-MEP: Centre For National Resilience, Melbourne and Brisbane Australia

SHOWCASING THE LATEST OFFSITE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, FEATURE BUILDS & MASTERCLASSES IF YOU WANT OFFSITE MARKET INTEL, REGISTER FOR OFFSITE EXPO FREE WWW.OFFSITE-EXPO.CO.UK/BOOKTODAY!

Studio RHE: The Gramophone Works

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Collida: Collida Living Prototype Homes, BRE Innovation Park

2022 Sponsors include:

Social Housing Project of the Year 2021 ArchitectWinnerofthe Year 2021 Winner

Andrew Caley - Hawker Construction: Garvestone Primary School

Building Performance Pioneer 2021 Winner

Lanre Gbolade: The COLAB DfMA Toolkit & Client MMC Roadmap

Bouygues UK: The Riverside Masonry Frame Systems: Masonry Frame Systems

CoreHaus: Thorpe Thewles

GraemePassiveBrady: NG Bailey

Stride Treglown: Thames Park School

Barratt Developments: Barratt Developments’ Zed House at The University of Salford

Joanne Flaherty – Bouygues UK: The Riverside

Mid-Group: Greatfields School

Zed Pods: Zero-Carbon Housing Development in Partnership with Bromley Council

Paramount Structures: Falcon House

Curtins: Manchester Goods Yard

Dice Consulting Engineers: Various Projects

Engineer of the Year

Contractor of the Year

Lift And Locate: Anerley Town Hall Wiehag GmbH: Eton College ESAC

Greencore Construction: Springfield Meadows Client of the Year Broadland Housing Association: Canary Quay

Paramount Structures: Tre Ifans Shedkm: Greenwich Builds Batch 1A

Beattie Passive: Passivhaus Plus Net Zero Relocatable Homes for Cardiff Council

Engenuiti, KLH UK & ECD Architects: Thornhill Primary School

Building Performance

Offsite Pioneer BeattieAkerlof

OFFSITE AWARDS

VOLUMETRICTM: Haringey

ManagerProject/ConstructionoftheYear

McDonald's: McDonald’s Market Drayton

Zed Pods: Zero-Carbon Housing Development in Partnership with Bromley Council

Beattie Passive: Cwrt Canna for Newydd Housing Association Broadland Housing Association, Sigmat & R G Carter: Canary Quay Boutique Modern & Aspiration Homes: The Foundry

Social Housing Project of the Year

Pioneer

The University of Salford: Barratt Developments’ Zed House at The University of Salford

Neil Smithers – MTX: John Radcliffe Hospital - 5 Storey Critical Care Building

MODULAR SYSTEMS UK LTD Building oﬀsite solutions in timbe modular & portable building asmpba

Croydon Council: Timebridge Community Centre

Beattie Passive: Passivhaus Plus Net Zero Relocatable Homes for Cardiff Council

Installer of the Year

Seismic Consortium: Seismic – A New Platform for Construction

MJH Structural Engineers: Lewisham Exchange

Architect of the Year

M-AR Offsite: Bushell Way Mid Group: The Boatyard

Engenuiti: Crosfields Senior School Building

Adam Knibb Architects: Tarn Moor Alec French Architects: The Innovation Hub, BBSP HTA Design & Hawkins\Brown: The COLAB DfMA Toolkit & Client MMC Roadmap

When you’re creating better buildings and healthy homes, innovation really is everything. With new Building Regulations Part L & F now in place, it’s time to future proof and get ahead of the game.

Innovation is everythingContinueyourjourneytonetzeroby

thinking fabric With one of the most innovative combinations of reﬂective and airtightness membranes on the market, our technical experts can help you value engineer your project and meet energy eﬃciency targets. shown: technical guidance or to book a presentation, contact us on +44 (0)161 905 5700, email info@glidevaleprotect.com or visit www.glidevaleprotect.com/innovation

ﬁrst.

Airtightness Condensation Control Thermal Eﬃciency Ventilation

Project

Zed House - ﬂagship zero carbon home by Barratt Developments Plc For

The floor divide has a ‘hard floor/ soft floor’ concept. The hard floors at every third level work as a diaphragm mechanism to transfer lateral load to LFRS in the overall structural system. These transfer-floors are proposed to have the flexibility to support the construction of up to three-storey

Created by Haptic Architects and engineering firm Ramboll, the 'Regenerative High-Rise' blends exactly this flexibility and functionality and aims to redefine conventional uses and lifespans of high-rise buildings in cities worldwide. Constructed from a hybrid timber mix, the high-rise shows how tall buildings can be both versatile and green at a time when climate change is a pressing concern and requires a drastic rethink of the built environment.

vertical elements including LFRS consist of a 20-40-40 timbersteel-precast ratio.

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So how does this modular structure work? What are the various uses for this type of building – and perhaps most importantly, how can it be made more accessible?

The core-wall (framing the lift shaft) gives the high-rise structural lateral stability, using the Lateral Force Resisting System (LFRS) via a precast and steel-brace solution that provides sufficient lateral-stiffness against building sway, enabling the building to resist environmental loads arising from wind and seismic activity. Being an offsite manufactured solution, the precast central-core provide sufficient stiffness and sustainable solution, given its durability and low-carbon Overall,footprint.the

The high-rise structure aims to find the optimum between two key constraints: flexibility in function and sustainability credentials via the use of timber and other similar offsite production structural elements. To equally satisfy the two constraints is a true balancing act as the requirement for large spacious layouts imposes the need for higher capacity structural elements, whereas sustainability is driven by minimalism. Consequently, the highly loaded tower columns supporting large spans with critical load-path are proposed in recycled steel, sand timber-composite and modular options for frames defined within three-storey ‘villages’.

Modular houses may have been around for a while, but modular high-rise with flexibility in function is a relatively new concept. Imagine a highrise building made up of modular units that can be slotted in-and-out, with spaces for living, working and playing – a building whose functions evolve according to a city's needs, built with sturdy and sustainable materials and a building that's adaptable, practical and eco-friendly.

FUTUREBLUEPRINTCONSTRUCTIONFORLIVING

Bethel Teferra, Senior Consultant at Ramboll, illustrates how a modular, sustainable high-rise tower that evolves with a city's needs could be a vision of regenerative future living.

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markets vary from region to region, depending on factors such as economy, resources and natural environment. Contractors, engineers and architects’ familiarity in the design and delivery of offsite

construction solutions, as well as familiarity of skilled labour can be key aspects to widespread adoption of offsite methods. While professional institutions endeavour in continual education of engineers and architects and stimulate wider discussion on latest innovations, another idea to drive offsite to wider market can be that companies specialising in these technologies could actively seek opportunities to enter emerging market economies. Likewise, innovative and adoptable holisticbuilding design solutions that are aspiring such as advanced modular construction solutions contribute to the advancement of the field – like the regenerative high-rise.

For more information visit: www.uk.ramboll.com www.hapticarchitects.com

The innovative structural and MEP design aims to serve multi-purpose occupancy including hotel, residential, office, retail and entertainment, but the high-rise’s flexibility in design means it could also extend beyond these functionalities too, if needed.

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for flexible space as we’ve seen during the recent COVID-19 crisis, which at its peak brought about a sudden large need for extra hospital rooms, medical treatment centres, testing facilities and quarantine spaces. In such cases, buildings with flexible functionality would be best suited to meet great societal needs, whilst also having a positive impact on the need for sustainable and economical building Thesolutions.project

Images: 01-03. Modular, sustainable high-rise with a hybrid construction approach could regenerate city life. Courtesy Forbes Massie Studio

‘villages’ which consist of ‘soft-floors’ and other modular plug-and-play frames. Hence, for the diaphragm horizontal elements, cross laminated timber (CLT) floor construction with recycled steel beams is proposed. The steel beams are used to reinforce the CLT overall, to compose a robust floor-system that resists the above modular three-storey floor occupancy loading as well as assist to meet its serviceability limits. The horizontal elements have a timbersteel proportion of 80-20. This timbercomposite mix benefits the high-rise with not only its low carbon footprint, but also imbues it with a warm aesthetic.

The flexibility of the ‘hard floor/ soft floor’ concept is a highlight of the 'Regenerative High-Rise'.

For example, such buildings could be used to cater to unexpected demands

utilises offsite construction and is inspired by Scandinavian prefabricated housing. While prefab homes have existed for some time, modular towers are a new and innovative concept, and the global construction market may be slow to adopt new technologies compared to fast-moving industries like information technology, automation, financial Constructionmarkets.

the Carbon Calculator’s rating is intended to highlight the quality and range of available product information, certification and documentation, highlighting if this data is based on third-party verified data or simply publicly available

Always looking to go that extra mile and provide a coherent proof point for our diverse portfolio’s green credentials, we embarked on an intensive period of research and development, which would eventually result in our proprietary Carbon Calculator. An online tool, developed with the Biocomposites Centre at Bangor University, the Carbon 1

We’ve already ensured we only work with partners that operate to a strict set of sustainability standards, whose products originate from sustainable and correctly managed forests, but we wanted to go further. Comprehensive information around supply chain sustainability is incredibly important and something our various audiences consistently highlight as a growing request when carbon reporting.

Stuart Devoil, Group Head of Marketing at James Latham outlines why its online Carbon Calculator tool will drive forward sustainability improvements for the offsite sector.

FindLoungeoutmore

Calculator is a back-end system, designed to achieve transparency and give confidence a truly sustainable material selection is being made.

James Latham has a proud track record of only stocking responsiblysourced, ethically-produced materials, and we’re keen to be at the heart of the move to a carbon neutral future. We also want to support our offsite and volumetric clients to do so too.

A trailblazing tool, we hope it sets a precedent for best practice. By providing a methodology through which the value of sustainability information and certification can be holistically appreciated, we feel we’ve achieved this. Ultimately, our goal is to increase confidence amongst offsite manufacturers, specifiers and developers, that they are making the greenest material choices possible.

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER

However, whilst it’s easy to talk the talk around product sustainability, walking the walk is a harder task. I believe that anyone reading this would find it hard to argue that that timber is, without doubt, a lower carbon option than materials like concrete and steel, but we also realise that not all materials in the category are created equal.

manufacturer’s documentation. It’s the latest milestone in an exciting journey towards low-carbon material selection across the entire building, construction and design community, and we hope our peers take note.

For more information visit: www.lathamtimber.co.uk

Built using official, publicly available data and manufacturer product information, the Carbon Calculator collates and aggregates the environmental impact of a chosen material, according to three criteria: carbon footprint, biogenic (stored) carbon and our confidence in the quality and availability of the data.

Images: 01-02. At Offsite Expo, James Latham will be partnering with Passivhaus developer Kiss House, which helped trial and test the Calculator, for a takeover of the event’s VIP

about the Carbon Calculator and how it works at OFFSITE EXPO 2022 on 20-21 September at the Coventry Building Society Arena. Here representatives from Lathams will be on-hand to discuss the Carbon Calculator, our massive selection of sustainable architectural materials and highlight how timber remains the best option for achieving low carbon buildings.

Once evaluated, the product receives a confidence rating from 1-4 (one being the best). The lower the score, the higher the availability and quality of data points reviewed (e.g. published EPDs). The final score, including carbon data can then be requested and published on quotations, invoices, delivery notes, and other key documentation. The ratings can also be accessed online through a dedicated portal on our website, delivering a tangible, codified proof point. This ensures a robust audit trail for the product, providing valuable information for future carbon

CALCULATING CARBON WITH CONFIDENCE

Essentially,reporting.

The award-winning Gang-Nail Truss Frame system offers true design flexibility. Gang-Nail Truss Frame gains its structural strength and superior resistance to wind loading from the design and use of Gang-Nail nail plates for the joints of the timbers. This means less requirement for steel goal posts and the elimination of sheathing, which allows for more freedom in house design, such as open plan living and larger apertures. Using Gang-Nail Truss Frame in conjunction with new panel design tool iPanel, and STITCHER®, the Gang-Nail Software Suite helps panel designers save up to 75% of their input time. *Patent Pending Gang-Nail Truss Frame* The innovative alternative to traditional timber frame walls Brands for the offsite industry +44(0)1592itwcp-offsite.co.uk771132orders@itwcp.com ITW Construction Products @ITWCPOffsiteOffsite ITW Construction Products Offsite

THE NEXT STAGE IN THE NEW TIMBER AGE

conceive and construct building forms never previously possible with wood.

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Some readers may not be aware of LVL projects in the UK, but there are some remarkable examples, not least the five-storey Black & White Building currently being completed in London’s Shoreditch area that is attracting considerable attention from commercial developers. Its prefabricated beech hardwood LVL post and beam structure supports a CLT core and slabs, but the apparent simplicity of this fully-engineered, precision-built timber construction belies its groundbreaking innovation. Sitting on a very tight site and erected at remarkable speed with no major plant and with practically no noise and no waste, its optimisation of material delivers a powerful sustainable agenda with only 410 kgCO2e/m2 embodied carbon (A1-A5).

Images: 01. The Black & White Building has a prefabricated beech hardwood LVL post and beam structure supporting a CLT core. Courtesy Waugh Thistleton

Like glulam, LVL is formed from layers of wood in which the grain in every layer runs in the same di-rection. Unlike glulam, however, LVL’s layers are only 3mm thick and are produced by putting a long blade against a rotating log to peel a continuous veneer that is subsequently glued and pressed into boards or beams. There are two advantages to this over CLT or glulam – the resulting LVL products have significantly greater strength than their two mass timber siblings, plus they make far more effi-cient use of the raw

Amongst these benefits are the continuing advances being made in peeling and lamination technology that allow manufacturers to produce lighter and smaller LVL sections with a greater strength and longer span than sawn timber. As wood defects have been removed and randomised within thin lay-ers, LVL is stronger, straighter, and more uniform than traditional sawn timber. The phenomenon of shrinkage and swelling is hugely reduced, making for more dimensionally stable and accurate con-struction. Due to its composite nature and pre-graded veneers for stiffness, LVL is also much less likely to warp, twist or bow than tradition

Buttimber.why

Overtimber.the

Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is becoming a more familiar feature of timber-based construction. Peter Wilson, architect and founding director of the Mass Timber Academy explains more.

next few years, LVL demand in Europe is forecast to have a projected average annual growth rate of 6+%. This substantial LVL consumption increase will likely be driven in the main by several key factors, including growing LVL usage rates and volumes in domestic house construction both as beams and headers as well as I-Joist flanges –builders’ needs to shorten building erection times, to avoid expensive on-site equipment and to reduce the cost of on-site labour. This base level demand will undoubtedly benefit from greater awareness amongst architects and engineers of LVL’s properties and benefits and its consequent use in larger commercial and public projects.

the emphasis on the use of hardwood as opposed to softwood LVL? Essentially this product has massive structural strength benefits compared to softwood glulam and delivers a more highly effi-cient yield from the log its veneers are sourced from than is possible in the manufacture of CLT and glulam. Because it can be produced in long sheets as well as beam and column form, its potential to be curved and twisted in two directions at once offers considerable design potential to

For more information visit: www.masstimberacademy.com

The opportunities available with LVL lie not only in the creation of new building forms, but in LVL’s potential to for designers to rethink and reshape the way in which we build out towns and cities. Two of the world’s leading LVL manufacturers are busily exploring these possibilities: Metsä Wood and Stora Enso are not only talking the talk, but they are also walking the walk, the latter constructing its 'Wood City’ in Helsinki, the largest sustainable urban wooded district in Finland and a demonstration to the wider world of the efficiency and high quality that can be achieved with LVL.

Kerto® IncrediblyLVLstrong

Metsä Wood’s Kerto® LVL is a laminated veneer lumber product used in all types of construction projects, from new buildings to renovation and repair and is incredibly strong and dimensionally stable Kerto LVL offers a wide range of products that fit the offsite element and module production perfectly. metsawood.com

STEELLUXURY LIVING WITH STEEL FRAME

Steel offers up to a 70% reduction in weight load comparatively to concrete and block work, resulting in reducing the environmental impact on the ground, and embodied carbon in building fabric can be reduced by as much as 20%. In-house design and engineering teams were able to work collaboratively with project partners and the client to ensure the project was delivered on time and to budget by adopting a just-in-time delivery protocol and using a BIM-based common data environment.

Construction offsite allowed faster production and reduced turnaround times while BOPAS-accredited steel framing systems developed based on the principles of adding value by embracing a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) approach.

Fusion Steel Framing BIM processes, alongside activity models, were able to accurately predict, assess, and negate potential risks, ensuring buildings remained in keeping with the classical

Utilisinglow.

architecture of the area and providing high standards of structural integrity and performance. By utilising offsite factory facilities, Fusion manufactured all individual components to the exact quantities required; meaning the amount of waste generated in the production and onsite was extremely

Holburne Park offers a notable showcase of collaborative construction practises, with the Fusion team working alongside lead developers and lead construction contractor Bect, to ensure each stage of planning and delivery worked to promote site safety, best practice, and material optimisation. The project was approached with high respect for the integrity of the surrounding natural area.

the Fusion steel frame system in the superstructure for the Holburne Park buildings allows the site to benefit from reduced embodied carbon in building fabric. Not only this, but this system offers enhanced occupant safety. Fusion systems, when combined with ancillary light gauge steel products, result in exceptional fire safety performance which, depending on the components used with the steel frame, can provide fire resistance at 60, 90, and 120 minutes.

For more information www.fusionsteelframing.co.ukvisit:

Manufacturing components offsite reduced overall project costs and offered faster production times, reducing time spent on-site.

The project was rolled out over a three-phase construction period, with Fusion Steel Framing delivering the cold-rolled light steel framing system for the site. The Fusion team worked collaboratively with project leads and site teams to ensure they met specific requirements for each phase for each unit. The Fusion light steel systems offered the benefit of complete control over design, allowing the provision of accurate cost, time and delivery calculations from start to finish.

in Bath, Holburne Park is an ambitious £26million high-end development where Fusion Steel Framing was proud to contribute to the successful delivery of with 198 residences.

The project, which includes a mix of three and four-bedroom houses and five-bedroom luxury villas, utilised precision engineering, delivered through a five-step digitally enabled process, with all elements tried, tested, and approved before use. The delivery system was planned to minimise the number of vehicles required, with storage for optimising human resources, and transport organised to mirror the build process for more efficient just-in-time installation. All of which contributed significantly to improving health and safety onsite.

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LocatedSTUDYCASE

Holburne Park is the result of exceptional communication and planning across all stages of development, with the Fusion team offering full support and adaptability during planning, design, delivery, and installation to ensure bespoke requirements were successfully met.

Images: 01-02. The Fusion light steel systems offered the benefit of complete control over design, allowing the provision of accurate cost, time and delivery calculations from start to finish

From engineering excellence and precision manufacturing, to fire test certification and acoustics performance, we tailor our light gauge steel frame systems precisely to your brief, offering speed of build, high quality and great value. STEEL FRAMING tofromCollaborationconceptcompletion 25+ schools 2,000+ care beds 3,000+ houses 4,000+ apartments 12,000+ student beds www.fusionsteelframing.co.ukinfo@fusionsteelframing.co.ukDelivering InnovationOffsiteSince2000 COME AND SEE US ON STAND K12

lenders, valuers and purchasers that homes built from non-traditional methods will be durable, delivered to high quality standards and stand the test of Specialisingtime.

We take our responsibilities as a manufacturer extremely seriously.

Developers are under increased pressure to construct safer buildings on fast-track schedules whilst still achieving outstanding building performance. Here Steve Thompson, Managing Director of EOS Framing, stresses the importance of delivering complete and compliant systems.

Our light steel frame systems are rigorously tested, manufactured under ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards and are now backed by Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) Accreditation. Our aim is to deliver confidence and certainty in the construction process and empower specifiers to be technical forerunners in the offsite Againstsector. a backdrop of government targets to build 300,000 homes a year combined with increasing construction costs and poor quality conventionally constructed houses as well as a huge shortfall in traditional skills –the demand for innovative offsite

construction methods has never been

BOPASgreater.Accreditation is recognised by principal lenders as providing the necessary assurance underpinned by a warranty provision that residential properties will be readily mortgageable for at least 60 years.

in advanced light steel framing technologies, the team at EOS are taking the construction industry forward by pioneering a new certified systems approach, helping specifiers to comply and compete in challenging markets. We are committed to technical competence and as part of Etex, have some of the best building performance experts in the UK on our team. They work closely with certification bodies to jointly design and develop advanced technical solutions.

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STEELALWAYSQUALITYKEEPINGHIGH

For funders and lenders BOPAS provides assurances that our light steel systems are fit for purpose and eliminates the uncertainty surrounding the construction for valuation purposes. It also removes the risk for developers of mortgages being declined on construction grounds. BOPAS demonstrates to funders,

Pioneering a Certified Systems Approach

We are continually looking at ways to make the building process not only inherently safer but also to offer performance assurances to residential developers to ensure they can provide sufficient levels of protection to residents. Improving levels of occupants’ safety, and increasing the quality of the build, is our primary objective. Our research and perspective interviews with sector experts have equipped us with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by housing specifiers. Lack of performance testing is a major Fireconcern.protection for light steel framing is typically provided by the use of non-combustible boards for internal linings and fire protection systems such as those manufactured by our Etex group partners – passive fire protection specialists, Promat and FSi who develop and manufacture a full range of built-in fire protection systems to protect infrastructure and assets.

Our Thrubuild® loadbearing and Thruwall® non-loadbearing range is supplied as a tried and tested customdesigned kit of parts integrating steel framing, external Siniat Weather Defence sheathing, Siniat internal drylining, ancillary parts, fixtures and fittings. Providing crucial safety, time and cost benefits, Thrubuild® has multiple loadbearing applications and can be used for external or internal walls together with internal and separating floors. Thruwall® is a fully engineered custom-designed nonloadbearing infill system manufactured offsite and supplied as a complete certified kit of parts that can be used with concrete and steel main frames.

For more information visit: www.eosframing.co.uk

non-combustible systems are helping construction clients comply and compete in challenging markets. Our full-scale testing regimes study the performance of products working together to establish how they interact in ‘real’ circumstances, such as fire conditions or when exposed to wind and rain.

Images:

02. Sky House integrates Thrubuild® walling and flooring solutions providing performance guarantees and fire resistance of 60 – 120 minutes

Backed by Robust Testing and BOPAS Accreditation

By working closely with specifiers EOS is now able to deliver precisionengineered solutions with assured performance which can be produced at scale better than, faster than and more cost-efficiently than other market offerings. When Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and PAF systems are built with Etex Group components and materials, following a validation process — Etex award a 30-year warranty.

01. The final phase of Riverside Quarter is the first development in the UK to specify Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF)

Following the success of Thruwall® –EOS has taken factory manufacturing to another level. Our Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) are prefabricated and preassembled offsite, these nonloadbearing infill systems are delivered to site as an assembled panelised unit. Backed by rigorous testing and now BOPAS Accreditation, our Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and PAF systems get the safety and building performance balance right through the combination of light steel framing, external sheathing, internal wall linings and glass mineral wool insulation – only tested configurations are available.

Throughperformance.thecollaborative expertise of Etex brands EOS Framing, Siniat, Promat and FSi, our light steel

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We have invested in research and testing to bring a new safety-first systems approach to the offsite sector. EOS can now help specifiers reduce risk and operate with more certainty by verifying and certifying our systems

Our range of Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) have been developed to eliminate uncertainty surrounding the design and specification of the external envelope. All components and products in the systems have been rigorously tested together for fire, acoustic, weathering, airtightness, durability and mechanical performance. Fire resistance periods of 60, 90 and 120 minutes are achievable.

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Arriving 100% complete, modules are provided on a turnkey basis ready for site connection and commissioning. Design features include extended ergonomic internal living space with open plan accommodation and fully fitted kitchens, furnishings, bedrooms, shower-rooms and underfloor heating. The specification has been improved with internal fittings and kitchen units upgraded to create an efficient and stylish living space.

Presenting a practical solution to this ongoing issue, MODULHAUS™ DUO offers an alternative to costly ongoing hotel and travel expenses for NHS managers. Adaptable and secure, modules can be installed on NHS sites to create high quality on-the-spot overnight accommodation. Stackable accommodation modules make the most of unused space and can even be located on elevated podiums above car Designedparks. and developed by VOLUMETRIC™ a specialist manufacturer of rapid build solutions, MODULHAUS™ DUO utilises offsite construction to achieve outstanding functional performance and energy efficiency. Exceeding Future Homes Standards and delivering net zero accommodation, these modules create adaptable, affordable and sustainable two-person homes that can be configured to meet various requirements.

Assured with a 60-year BOPAS Accredited design-life, these modular homes are also fully relocatable and can be moved to meet future demand with all aspects of the dwelling fully recoverable – including screw-pile foundations and service umbilical pipe work, along with the Energy Centre, meaning that over 95% of a project can be re-used in another part of the country at any point in the future.

MODULHAUS™MODULAR DUO THE NEXT GENERATION

Following the success of the single person MODULHAUS™ homeless solution, VOLUMETRIC™ – the offsite specialists behind this achievement have explored new markets and applications. With house prices and rents on the rise coupled with exponential growth in energy costs –for many keyworkers owning or renting a home is extremely challenging.

Facilitating off-grid living, the revolutionary Energy Centre, designed and developed by VOLUMETRIC™ – meets the energy requirements of up to six modules. Containing an air source heat pump and a battery storage unit, this intelligent technology is digitally connected to each module and the 10sq m photovoltaic (PV) ‘roof rack’ above – instantly responding to demands for hot water, heating and energy Althoughrequirements.moduleshave mains connection, the Energy Centre can meet demands at most times of the year as energy generated during the day is stored in battery cells until required. Surplus energy goes back into the grid, carbon offsetting –creating ‘free’ energy and net zero

MODULHAUS™ is fully tested and commissioned pre-delivery with highquality fixtures and fittings throughout.

LABCliving.

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Rendaclad Rainscreen Cladding System

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Peace of Mind

As one of very few certified ‘full facade’ systems of its type, RendaClad makes specification so much easier, giving you peace of mind that you have made the right decision.

T: 0845 519 8641 benx.co.uk

Engineered to perform Rendaclad is made up of carefully selected components which have been rigorously tested to ensure they meet the highest performance standards throughout the system’s design life of more than 30 years.

A seamless rendered or brick slip rainscreen system on to LSF or timber framed structures. Increasing the speed of construction, it reduces the building footprint, and delivers many of the benefits of modern methods of construction, while offering numerous options for a stunning visual impact.

Reduce EliminateRisk.Complexity.

VOLUMETRIC MODULAR

Looking to the future needs of NHS Estates, MODULHAUS™ provides a long-term solution to meet many unique requirements. Fitted with low energy electrical, underfloor heating, white goods, sanitary appliances, and lighting designed to minimise waste and reduce carbon emissions, water consumption, and heat loss – modules are extremely energy efficient with running costs as little as £5 per week. Exceptional U-values as low as 0.09W/m²K and airtightness to work with the integral mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) system, MODULHAUS™ homes are future-proofed for Building Regulation changes and achieve 17% lower whole-life carbon impact than equivalent timber frame dwellings of the same size.

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Images: 01-05. MODULHAUS™ DUO utilises offsite construction to achieve outstanding functional performance and energy efficiency

be a requirement to stack the modules the structure is formed from hot rolled steel frames, infilled with insulated profiled steel panels. Walls are double lined with a fire rated A1 non-combustible board to provide fire and acoustic performance, whilst encapsulating building services. NHS estate managers are now turning to MODULHAUS™ as a rapid, reliable, and highly cost-efficient housing solution. The two-person interim homes offer an alternative to ongoing hotel and long-distance travel expenses. Solving the issues of accommodation scarcity in understaffed areas and supplying safe, secure housing for keyworker requirements.

An embodied carbon assessment has been undertaken based on RICS and British Standard guidance and includes information from Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and publicly available carbon data. At all stages of the MODULHAUS™ system development, these criteria have been assessed for the forecast 60 year whole-life embodied carbon, along with system energy use calculations and current actual in-use regulated energy and water.

For more information visit: www.volumetric.co.uk

The team at VOLUMETRIC have been busy, not only developing DuoHaus, but have recently announced that they will be launching their new family unit on 20 September at OFFSITE EXPO in Coventry. If you are interested in having a sneak peek, register for free at www.offsite-expo.co.uk 3 54

The development and installation process has been optimised, from factory environment assembly to ground works, with quality checks at each step. With a pre-manufactured value (PMV) exceeding 90%, achieved by adopting the maximum levels of up-stream sub-assembly/pre-kitting and assuring consistent quality through robust manufacturing and assembly methods. MODULHAUS™ sits on six low-impact foundation pads to minimise groundworks. Delivered in one load, providing predictability of costs and timescales – depending on site layouts and stacking requirements, modules can be installed in a matter of hours, enhancing operational improvements.

The Future Homes Standard outlines changes to Building Regulations Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) that will ultimately come into effect in 2025 to ensure that all new homes in England are futureproofed with low-carbon heating systems and high levels of energy efficiency. The futureproof energy strategy for MODULHAUS™ DUO is designed to exceed the Future Homes Standard with Environmental B and A rating and emissions as low as 229.5Kg CO2/year. The airtightness achieved enhances in-use energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions for the lifetime of the building. Results of 3m³/hr/m² air loss at 50 Pa are being routinely achieved during pressure testing as part of QA Asprocedures.theremay

Fastener Systems have developed the most comprehensive range of certified fastening solutions for the modular housing market.

Aptus

Pitzl

Connectors – certified wood connection systems manufactured according to the highest quality “Made in Germany” T: 01773 740410 E: sales@aptusfasteners.co.uk @aptusfasteners www.aptusfasteners.co.uk SUPPORTEDSTOCKED&INTHEUK CALL NOW FOR OUR BROCHURELATEST

Power Clamp

– lifting device for transportation of solid panels and beams. HECO-Topix Countersunk & Flange Head – German innovated CE compliant structural screws through ETA.

By harmonising repeatable features into a ‘kit of parts’ accessible to all, organisations can share knowledge, components and processes across a wide range of solutions and sectors, bringing economies of scale. This approach replicates what we’ve seen in other industries, such as aerospace and manufacturing, and can work to overcome challenges in the fragmented construction industry including lack of standardisation, productivity, quality and predictability. The platform approach will not only optimise the fabrication and installation elements of construction but will also free up architects to be creative and focus on designing highquality projects tailored to specific needs while automatically meeting all technical, sector-specific requirements.

LAUNCHPADSTOOLKIT CONSTRUCTIONFORCHANGE

Recent innovations include the Seismic II Product Platform Construction System, a volumetric platform suitable to multiple asset types, from offices and residential to hospitals and schools. It facilitates reliable and predictable assembly of configurable components, resulting in less disruption and work on-site and more flexibility to reconfigure modular buildings. Another stand-out example is Laing O’Rourke’s p-DfMA platform – the Product Based Building Solutions (PBBS) Demonstrator, which offers cutting-edge reconfigurability, modularity and offsite manufacturing capabilities, and is already being leveraged for a new net zero school.

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What the Product Platform Rulebook delivers is a set of common guidelines to bring clarity on how platforms can be successfully adopted at scale. Platforms can bring significant advantages, such as improved cost efficiencies through standardisation of solutions, faster delivery of projects,

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Platforms can accelerate industry transformation by boosting quality, speed, outcomes and performance. The recently published Product Platform Rulebook is a very positive step forward. It outlines a set of open-access rules and principles to create a common set of standards and processes for the industry to collectively develop product platforms and drive efficiencies, as well as societal and environmental benefits. It mandates that platforms must be deployable, configurable, and open –comprising repeatable, standardised assets with interoperable components.

and safer conditions for workers on-site. They can also reduce the huge waste seen in the construction industry, which contributes 11% of all carbon emissions globally. We have no choice but to look at new options and accelerate innovation – it’s the only way for the built environment to reach net zero. Without embracing new models such as the platform approach, we will miss crucial environmental targets.

The government has long championed the use of innovative methodologies to drive much-needed improvements in the construction industry, including MMC and the adoption of a new model – the Platform approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (P-DfMA). This feeds into the Construction Playbook, which promotes the use of platform approaches in how hospitals, schools, and infrastructure are procured and delivered to meet ambitious targets.

The Rulebook marks a key evolution for MMC, which lends itself well to the platform approach given its focus on agility, visibility of data, quality control and standardisation underpinned by using platforms to enable continuous improvement. Implementing MMC methodology successfully requires collaboration throughout the entire supply chain, which is one of the Rulebook’s key tenets.

For more information visit: www.hlmarchitects.com

Rory Kennedy, Value Toolkit Strategy Board Chair and Director of Capital, Department for Education added: “This is a proud day for the many individuals, businesses and organisations who have worked tirelessly through huge collaborative effort to develop, evolve and shape the Value Toolkit. The Value Toolkit is a powerful initiative that enables value-based decision-making – that best reflect the full range of commonly desired benefits, including better social, environmental and economic outcomes. Government, clients, and the industry all agree that a different approach to value is needed.

Andy Mitchell, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) commented: “For far too long now we have talked cost with little or no reference to value; we have talked outputs not outcomes. The Value Toolkit seeks to see an end to this by providing a comprehensive suite of tools that will help clients and suppliers alike develop a real understanding of what is actually important as we specify, design and deliver infrastructure for people and society.”

More information about the Value Toolkit and how to get involved is available at: https://constructioninnovationhub.org.uk/value-toolkit

MMC has already been harnessing the power of standardisation and offsite construction – however, its impact has been limited by a lack of common interfaces and detailing based on specific products and closed source IP, making it difficult to change components without

The completion of the Value Toolkit was recently celebrated at an event held at the Institution of Civil Engineers on Monday 20 June 2022. The Construction Innovation Hub celebrated the completion of the Value Toolkit, following a successful development programme with over 200 industry partners. The announcements include the launch of a new BSI flex standard (BS Flex 390 Built environmentValue-based decision making – Specification) to underpin value-based decisions making in the sector. Bringing together those who have contributed to its journey, including government, clients and industry partners, the Hub is now sharing the transition phase to

Theadoption.Value

Images: 01. Anne Daw, Associate and Head of MMC Delivery, HLM Architects

undertaking a wider re-design. An industry-wide platform approach significantly streamlines and simplifies the process, with key connections and details decided upfront. The platform approach allows the advantages of MMC, which have been spoken about for years – such as using 67% less energy than traditional construction and being significantly faster – to fully materialise within the wider construction industry. The Rulebook sets the right framework for a more consistent, collaborative approach that embraces innovation, to support the sector in its transformation and enable it to meet future demand.

VALUE TOOLKIT COMPLETED

Keith Waller, Programme Director at the Construction Innovation Hub, said: “This is a landmark moment for the Hub and our industry partners, and a gamechanger for construction and the built environment. Decision making in construction has been historically driven by how much something cost, or how long it took to build. The Toolkit delivers a laser-like focus on project outcomes that delivers value beyond the bottom line, and positively affect communities and those who live in them for decades to come. It will ensure a more collaborative relationship between clients and suppliers throughout the whole life of a project.”

Working with partners and collaborating has been critical to the success and there are few corners of the sector that the Value Toolkit has not touched – from local authorities to central government departments, consultancies, contractors and specialist SMEs. The ambition is now for widespread adoption, driven by government and underpinned by industry.

Toolkit is a pioneering suite of tools that will be used by industry to embed value-based decision making in the built environment sector. It is a government funded industry-led initiative – with roots in the Construction Leadership Council’s Procuring for Value report and set to deliver on the ambitions of the Construction Playbook and the IPA’s Transforming Infrastructure Performance Roadmap.

The Toolkit has been developed to reframe the definition of value, and how it can be evaluated and measured, capturing wider, wholelife considerations around net-zero, user experience, productivity and social impact.

An approach that reflects a shared ambition for a built environment that delivers more – one that provides a springboard for economic growth, enhances communities, and sustains the environment. The Value Toolkit is this new approach. I look forward to seeing the Value Toolkit go from strength to strength as Government and industry drive wider adoption.”

02-03. Education is one sector where offsite manufacture and innovative approaches are reaping rewards. Courtesy NetZero Buildings/Integra Buildings

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The survey also showed that manufacturing leaders are exploring a range of technologies to revolutionise the way they make and distribute their products. Almost half (44%) expressed an interest in data and systems integration technologies, while two-thirds were considering industrial machinery, robotics and automation.

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SME manufacturers across all sectors are being urged to accelerate technology adoption to adjust to the economic challenges around the supply chain, energy costs, post-Brexit and COVID-19. Made Smarter, the movement connecting UK manufacturing industries to digital tools, conducted a survey of some 200 SME manufacturers in the North West.

SME manufacturers have endured a few unsettling years and continue to face a multitude of recovery challenges,” said Donna. “They are aware that technology brings significant benefits and they risk

However, while the majority (80%) of manufacturing leaders expressed a clear understanding of what they need to do and the benefits of investing in new technologies, once they are aware of the benefits, barriers to adoption remain. Two in five (42%) manufacturers said that the lack of capital and funding to invest was holding them back from investing, as well as the lack of time (10%). The survey also revealed a fragmented awareness of the business advice and support available, meaning SMEs are potentially missing out on valuable funding and support available to them.

ADOPTINGDESIGN A TECH ATTITUDE

The results highlighted how the last two years affected them, and their approach to digitalisation and their priorities going forward. The survey revealed while many (35%) makers, particularly smaller businesses, are focused on survival after a turbulent few years, achieving growth by improving productivity and adopting digital technologies are key drivers for SMEs.

In fact, two-in-five manufacturers (38%) revealed they had plans to invest in or adopt new technology in the next two or three years. Meanwhile, one in three respondents said their latest business strategy included integrating digital technology or a roadmap towards automation.

The case for digitalisation has never been stronger, says Donna Edwards, Director of the Made Smarter adoption programme in the North West, as a new survey reveals the need for manufacturers to digitalise to survive, recover and grow.

Those responsible for delivering government major projects have been urged to make use of digital and robotics technologies to help cope with a massive spike in other costs. The cost of materials for big construction projects has risen by 23% in the last six months, according to Nick Smallwood, Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA).

For more information visit: www.madesmarter.uk

Digitalisation is the key to UK manufacturing’s post-covid survival, recovery, and growth. And with new challenges at our door, such as rising energy prices, supply chain disruption and labour shortages, now is the time for business leaders to reach out and take advantage of the support on offer.

04. Digital tools are central to project efficiency. Courtesy Trimble (UK)

Images: 01-03. Adoption of digital technology is essential to increased quality and productivity levels

To help counteract the huge spike in costs, Smallwood said that project leaders: “have to really be focused on having robust delivery plans, long-lead procurement of the critical materials if that is possible and looking to offset any inflationary pressures by being more productive.

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Giving evidence to parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, he said that programmes to build schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure are now experiencing the impact of inflation as: “a very real issue, [that] is beyond a risk: it is reality.”

Speaking to MPs he said: “I have certainly been very vocal in the infrastructure space that there are huge opportunities to do far better projects with far less cost by using digital technologies, whether robotics, automated design software or advanced work packaging, but really leveraging what I would call modern methods of construction and offsite fabrication and taking work hours out of the field.

being left behind by not capitalising on the opportunities on offer. But it is also clear that they need support and advice to create a roadmap to digital transformation to enable them to adopt the right digital tools, progressively and sustainably, to avoid risking wasted time, money and effort.

“We are seeing some really good examples across government projects of them starting to take that seriously. The hospital building programme is looking at a kit-ofparts programme. We are already busy with offsite fabrication in the school building programme. Most recently, we have seen some really good results in the prison building programme, using offsite fabrication. There is more to do, but there is a real opportunity to be a significant offset to all the inflationary pressures in the next couple of years.”

Source: www.publictechnology.net

Made Smarter was designed to overcome these and other hurdles by helping SME manufacturers navigate through complex technology advice and decisions. Initial registration only takes five minutes and is followed up with a digital transformation workshop to identify core challenges, provide a bespoke digital manufacturing roadmap, and pinpoint other ways that Made Smarter can support a maker’s digitalisation.

We have developed a simple and straightforward process which quickly gets to the heart of a business’s challenges and supports them to take that first step in their digital transformation,” adds Donna. “Hundreds of manufacturers have reaped the benefits of our impartial help, identifying the most effective technologies to boost productivity, efficiency, growth and create high value jobs. Meanwhile, hundreds more have taken advantage of funding opportunities to invest in those ideas, as well as investing in the right skill sets and leadership development to help them achieve their goals.

IPA URGES WIDER USE OF DIGITAL TECH AND ROBOTICS

Prior to the launch of the tool, Tekla and Lindapter customers would have had to manually model a generic steel bolt

Images: 01. The new Tekla plug-in tool takes time saving benefits even further, providing a more efficient and accurate detailing process

NEW EXPANSION BOLTS PLUG-IN TOOL FOR TEKLA STRUCTURES

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connection with no specific attributes. The generic connection is not linked to any manufacturer, making it impossible to generate precise take-offs. Now, using the tool, users can automatically detail the Hollo-Bolt connection, with the associated product-specific information and data (including product codes and attributes) leading to more accurate quantity take-offs and Ratherestimates.than

for Lindapter to work with to further enhance our digital journey. For us, it’s all about providing our customers with a product that’s easy to use, right from the initial design & detailing stage through to on-site installation. This plug-in tool does exactly that, providing a simplified and improved user experience for fabricators and steel detailers, enabling them to utilise our Steelwork Connection Solutions within Tekla’s digital and automated 3D Craigenvironment.”Johnson, Business Development Manager – Detailing & Manufacturing at Trimble, added: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with Lindapter on this new plug-in tool, combining the Hollo-Bolt system’s time-saving capabilities with our constructible 3D modelling software: providing our customers with an enhanced design and detailing process.”

Available to download within Tekla Warehouse, the time-saving tool enables Lindapter’s innovative HolloBolt system to be incorporated directly into a Tekla user’s 3D BIM model in Tekla Structures. Known in the industry for manufacturing and supplying innovative steelwork connections, the Hollo-Bolt system is Lindapter’s range of CE UKCA-marked expansion bolts that only require installation access to one side of the steel.

WorkingSTUDYCASE

Suitable for both end-plate and profile-to-profile connections and with three bolt heads available (hexagonal, countersunk and flush fit), the products provide a faster alternative to welding or through-bolting, enabling steelwork contractors to reduce construction time and labour costs. The new Tekla plug-in tool takes these time-saving benefits even further, providing a more efficient and accurate detailing process.

detailing a bolt connection in isolation, the tool creates a parametric component. A more intelligent detailing experience, this automatically prevents users from going outside of the set parameters – for example, the positioning of the Hollo-Bolt products allows for a pre-stated distance between both the bolts and the inside edge of the steel section. The tool’s intelligent parametric capabilities help to ensure a correct first-time steelwork connection design, in turn contributing to a more seamless installation and assembly stage on site with minimal rework Sunnyrequired.Bansal, Engineering Director at Lindapter said: “As a business, we’ve been wanting to integrate our products into BIM software for a while. As the global industry leader in Structural Steelwork Detailing Software, Tekla was the ideal partner

For more information visit: www.tekla.com/uk www.lindapter.com

in partnership with Lindapter, Trimble (UK) has launched of a new Tekla plug intool, which will help to facilitate the efficient and accurate detailing of the Hollo-Bolt system into structural steel models.

Images: 01-02. BIM is a process central to offsite delivery

Offsite construction is a method that is far faster than the equivalent traditional on-site building process. This is due to the enclosed and controlled factory environment, the ability to co-ordinate and repeat activities, and an increasing level of automation.

While the building elements are being factory manufactured, foundation and site works can take place simultaneously, allowing progress to be made much more quickly than traditional building methods. Efficiencies in the manufacturing process need to be matched by efficiencies in the design process, this is where Vertex BD comes in. Vertex BD uses high levels of automation to rapidly reduce the time spent in the design phase, whilst giving its

DIGITAL DESIGN

Vertex BD can offer huge design and quality efficiencies for those working in steel-based offsite systems.

For more information visit: www.vertexcad.com

Vertexproject.BD

users the flexibility to build the way they need. Vertex BD is a Building Information Modelling (BIM) software which is your complete source of information for any steel framing

specialise in cold-formed steel framing, and we aim to offer our clients all the benefits from Vertex BD whilst fitting in with how they are currently operating. Design time can be vastly reduced, accuracy increased and costly errors avoided. Vertex BD uses digital automation to seamlessly translate information about a project across all disciplines, so the plans, schedules, material reports, shop drawings, and manufacturing data can be automatically generated and saved within the BIM model.

DESIGNDRIVINGLIMITS

BIM is a standard, a way of working, not a task, says Matt Samways, Managing Director at BIM and digital consultancy AIMIS.

“Oh, BIM? Yeah, we do BIM.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this. As soon as I hear the term ‘do BIM’ I know the respondent doesn’t have a clue what BIM is. They’re thinking models. When they say ‘we do BIM’ what they mean is, we have someone in our office who creates models, or that they have an outsourced expert who creates models for them.

Imagine if the Grenfell Tower had been constructed as a BIM enabled project. There’d have been no lengthy inquiry process needed. The answers would have been held in the construction data. Moreover, the errors and oversights made in construction would not have been able to happen if the project had followed the ISO19650 standard and maintained the Golden Thread (albeit this standard was not out at the time), and no-one would have been able to turn a blind eye.

• Ensure all information is current and up-to-date

The best reason for working to the ISO 19650 standard are the users’ safety, but also, to save time, minimise risk and increase your profitability. In today’s world, digital management of data allows repetitive tasks to be automated, increasing efficiency and ensuring accuracy. Introducing structure and search functionality allows for reliable data at handover, but it also ensures ease of access to data which can be used and re-used for multiple purposes throughout the project

• Ensure a full information audit trail exists

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MODELMOREDESIGNTHANBEHAVIOUR

Aresidents.BIMcompliant

Changinglifecycle.theway

project will:

For more information visit: www.aimis.co.uk

• Allow for collaborative behaviour between all parties.

produced a paper setting out the principles of the ‘Golden Thread’ to encourage centralised digital record-keeping to reduce the risk of fire, improve compliance data to ensure the right people have access to information when needed, and consequently make buildings safer for

Images:

in which you work through digitising your business has so many benefits and will ensure your business is future proofed. Soon you will need evidence of working to BIM standards, to be involved in almost every project.

BIM enables a collaborative way of working, where anyone involved in the project has access to data from any stage in the project to assist them in their stage. This approach

The most important element of a BIM enabled project is the quality of the data which is held for that project. That data should cover the project’s whole lifecycle, from brief to planning application through to a digital O&M manual and into building use.

BIM is about communication, information management and collaboration. It’s about working with a culture of sharing digital information across your businesses and every other business you’re working with on a BIMproject.isabout data. The collection of data and the ability to store and share that data easily. Some construction project data comes in the form of models but also in many other forms. A planning application document is data. A building product spec sheet is data. A labourer’s timesheet is data.

to information sharing ensures the delivery, operation and renewal of the built environment becomes more efficient, more sustainable and safer.

This is why the new Building Safety Bill came about and this is why the Grenfell tragedy will hopefully never be repeated. Last year the Building Regulations Advisory Committee

• Allow all project information to be easily searchable

01. Matt Samways, Managing Director at BIM and digital consultancy AIMIS.

• Ensure all information is reliable

• Ensure all information is suitable for its specific purpose

To find out how we can help you build better, greener and faster please do get in touch.

Call: 0800 138 3541 Visit: mtx.co.uk

GREENERBETTERBUILDINGFASTERFOROXFORD

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202276 RECRUITMENT

Our team of recruiters need to understand people’s motivations to properly help candidates in their next career move. These are widely accepted to be: money, status, responsibility, lifestyle and security. I add to that personal development and growth. Many candidates come to us seeking more money in their next role. However important, it is rarely their sole driver to move.

or less for flexible working or a better environment. Actually, candidates want both. We see some employers paying major increases, and others still in denial on skills shortages and salary improvements.

01. Jim Roach, Managing Director, ARV Solutions

Pre-pandemic, the jobs market was broadly influenced by very different factors than today. But as Jim Roach, Managing Director of ARV Solutions, explains – what has changed, and why does it matter?

Counter offers on the rise

Goingthrough.forward,

Whilst never the only good reason to move, it is important. On this one we see a whole range of issues. Candidates with multiple job offers and ever higher salary expectations, but also others happy to take the same

Images:

The skills shortage is now seen by many as the most important factor to holding back business growth and development. This is particularly the case in the growing and developing offsite construction sector, with need for more, and new skills all the time.

Since the pandemic we have seen a significant shift in the key drivers. In 2019 the market was stalled, from so many staying put for security: ‘better the devil you know, in those post-Brexit times of economic uncertainty. Since then, we have all had time to reflect on what is important to us. There is more focus on family, and quality of life, as well as wanting to do more rewarding and meaningful work. Additionally, many of us learned we could work effectively from home. We live with low unemployment, and more vacancies advertised than people available, making job security less of a concern.

MOTIVATIONS TO MOVE: WHAT IS INFLUENCING CAREER CHANGES TODAY?

This increased willingness to move jobs, rather than being held back in less-than-ideal roles has been dubbed ‘The Great Resignation’, however my own view is it was an end to a stagnated employment market. What we have seen is a far more balanced jobs market, with people moving for positive reasons of improved work life balance, and better, more flexible company cultures.

For more information visit: www.arvsolutions.co.uk

Money

Employers, faced with losing skills to competitors are increasingly making big counter offers to retain people. Sounds great – more money and you don’t need to leave. But why wasn’t the offer made before the need to move on? Our long term and widespread experience are that those who accept counter offers are calling us within six months looking to move after all. Inevitably, the money issue is resolved (temporarily at least) but the other issues remain, and any promised changes rarely come through. Counter offers make the most sense to the employer – as a short-term fix. Retain the employee’s knowledge and information and save the cost of an emergency replacement. What often happens is that once the employee’s valuable information is secured with others, a planned replacement comes

The Great Resignation

Skills shortage

it is clear to me that salaries, benefits packages, employee wellbeing, and flexible working all need to keep moving forward, in a growing and developing sector. Those that successfully embrace this will succeed better in retaining valuable skills and grow and develop successfully.

Reliable products, competitive prices and the kind of service and delivery you can depend on from BeA.

01482 889 sales@uk.bea-group.com911www.bea-group.uk

THE POWER OF FASTENING

BeA your partner for timber frame and offsite construction manufacturing

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Britlift are a designer and manufacturer of lifting equipment, specialising in the lifting of modular homes, bathroom pods, commercial modules, containerised structures and pre-cast components.

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and the best way to do that is through offsite methods.

It also means more modern working conditions, with hours on-site drastically reduced as structures are built in controlled, safe, settings rather than outdoors. And with the Government committed to hitting sustainability targets such as net zero by 2050, offsite will also help futureproof our environment and assist in decarbonising the sector.

Sustainability has taken the headlines in driving the agenda for the construction industry, but a worsening labour shortage is just as critical to its future. Julian Venus, Business Development Director of Aquarian Cladding Systems discusses how offsite will be a key driver to reducing the skills shortage.

Offsite construction and volumetric modular systems present an exciting future with the use of state-of-theart technology, and the introduction of sophisticated technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, imaging drones, and 3D printing.

For our industry to recover and grow post-pandemic, we have got to re-skill individuals looking for a change in career and engage with the younger generation living in England right now – and offsite is a key opportunity to do exactly that.

Theindustries.construction

Images: 01. Thurrock Civic Centre with MechSlip cladding

For any industry to be sustainable it needs to evolve both organically and by bringing in new, fresh ideas. It is therefore essential that we encourage not only young, dynamic talent but also re-skill those who’ve reached a cul-de-sac in their careers in other

get the message out that our industry is the second highest paid sector in the UK, and it is a multibillion-pound industry that offers amazing opportunities for personal development and a career for life in lots of diverse roles. Instead of seeing a construction site and the muck and mud, we need them to look past that –

industry’s perennial struggle is engaging with young people and thinking ‘outside of the box’ in terms of our message of encouragement to them to join us. That continuous failure to encourage more labour now means that whereas a reduction in time on-site used to be the greatest driver in the industry, it’s now people. If we can’t find the people to do the work then the materials must do the work instead, which is why offsite manufacturing is a huge part of the solution. In it we have the perfect vehicle to engage the next generation in joining our industry.

&RE-SKILLINGRE-ENERGISING

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Generation Z – born between 1997 and 2012 – represent the biggest generation yet, with around 1.3 billion of them expected to join the global workforce over the next 10 years. Attracting and recruiting them into the industry to take advantage of their skills, however, won’t be easy. When many think of construction they see it through a very narrow window –namely that working conditions are unpleasant and roles are low skilled, low paid, and for people who don’t go to Wecollege.needto

SKILLS

Our industry is changing because of offsite manufacture, which will be responsible for building homes for the future, schools and universities to produce future world leaders, research labs to find cures for the modern world’s illnesses and to prevent environmental disasters, green energy plants for cleaner fuel, and transport hubs to enable us to explore the world.

For more information visit: www.aquariancladding.co.uk

& TRAINING

Geberit’s service combines the quality you would expect from a true market leader, with a real focus on customer service from start to ﬁnish. We’re proud to deliver a collaborative approach which helps our clients to overcome their challenges through shared designs and on-time deliveries.

RIGHT FIRST TIME

geberit.co.uk/prefab

COME AND SEE US ON STAND J7

Prefabricated drainage is the sensible choice for tall buildings, providing a fuss-free solution which improves eﬃciency without compromising on project cost or quality.

GEBERIT PREFABRICATED DRAINAGE SERVICE

As hybrid solutions offer the key to unlocking brownfield development, British Offsite offers a range of offsite solutions to streamline and accelerate the development process.

Created by developers, for developers, British Offsite offers a range of MMC solutions that dramatically streamline and accelerate the development process. By taking critical processes offsite, project teams can eliminate risk and take control over their final design solutions.

Senco supplies tools, fasteners and smart solutions with a wide range of fasteners includes collated staples, nails, screws, loose screws, corrugated fasteners, clinch clips that are suitable for modular accommodation, park homes, concrete solutions, timber and steel framing.

As the pressure on the UK’s housing supply continues to grow, the task of identifying and unlocking development sites has become more challenging. High-density, urban developments are typically confined to brownfield sites, which offer their own set of challenges, and which have made the task of delivering new homes an increasingly complicated Timeprocess.and budgetary pressures, alongside commitments to environmental/sustainability and health and safety targets, make running a site a complex task. The range of skills now required to

For over 70 years, Senco has been supplying the industry with quality products and solutions to help businesses produce efficiently with a highquality finish.

OFFSITEOPTIMUMSOLUTIONS

FIXINGSFANTASTIC

delivery well-designed, high-quality housing solutions is often difficult to accommodate in one place. A hybrid approach which utilises the best in traditional construction practices, alongside modern methods of construction (MMC) is now universally acknowledged to offer the most efficient solution.

a problem. The efficiency, the standard, the quality of the fixingsfantastic. Also, the aftersales with the fixings of the tools – it’s done within 24 hours.”

Visit us at OFFSITE EXPO 2022 at stand F17. We have tools and fasteners on the stand to show and demonstrate, so you can see first-hand why our customers trust us.

Senco understands the need for industries to work with the best tool and fastener solutions in the market. That is why we invest heavily in ensuring that our products are of the highest quality possible so the highest standards can be achieved consistently.

For more information visit: www.britishoffsite.com

British Offsite’s bespoke manufacturing facility ensures that key components are subject to more rigorous quality control that their on-site equivalents. The result is better specified, higher quality and more efficient new homes for the end-user. This hybrid solution benefits the developer via a reduction in uncontrollable factors (weather, personnel, deliveries) results in a more robust development timetable and a project that is better designed, better built and more sustainable.

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202280 PRODUCT INNOVATION

For more information visit: www.kyocera-senco.co.uk

We have been trusted with supplying some of the biggest modular home, bedding, upholstery and pallet manufactures across the UK for decades. One modular home manufacturer said: “We’ve been with Senco for over 15 years and never had

@SCIsteel steel-construction-institute The SCI is committed to helping the steel construction industry meet design, manufacture, installation and commercial objectives. +44 (0)1344 636501 Scan for more info or contact Visit our website teddsmodules@steel-sci.com Making calculations easier and quicker to perform SCI’s Tedds Module: SCI P424 – Method for Extending Fire Test Results. This latest module implements the procedures described by the SCI publication “Fire Resistance of Light Steel Framing”, (P424) The module allows loaded wall or floor fire resistance test results to be extrapolated to walls or floors with certain variations in their specification. SCI have designed the module to make the calculations easier and quicker to perform, but still providing the trusted results you would expect with SCI’s experience. This module compliments and extends the capability of the widely recognised Tekla Tedds Software and has credibility with checking Authorities and Warranty providers due to its SCI Provenance. NEW SCI Tedds Modules Purchase your module via the SCI Shop www.steel-sci.com Safety Storage Efficiency Meet the needs of your customers more safely, using less space and with greater efficiency when you invest in Combilift materials handling solutions • Safer product handling • Optimised production space • Improved storage capacity • Increased productivity & output • Enhanced profits combilift.com MMC magazine A5 Liz Apr 2022.indd 1 21/04/2022 13:45:02

CBS Arena, Coventry

WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 202282

Selby, North Yorkshire www.offsitehub.co.uk/events

Offsite Connect is an interactive Forum which offers a structured, highly effective way for buyers and specifiers to meet with new and existing offsite industry suppliers exhibiting at Offsite Expo. The Forum is aimed at senior personnel with an influence over procurement decisions or specifications with live projects or a significant pipeline. & Masterclasses

Developed and curated by leading offsite conference organisers Explore Offsite – a range of free CPD accredited Masterclasses will be presented by the industry pioneers who are making the headlines. You do not have to register separately to attend any of the masterclass sessions, simply register your FOC place to OFFSITE EXPO and arrive

nice and early to get your seat! 20 September Offsite Construction Awards CBS Arena, Coventry www.offsiteawards.co.uk The Offsite Construction Awards will reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment. 12 October Structural Timber Awards NCC, Birmingham www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk Returning for its eighth year in Birmingham, there has already been a large amount of attention focused on the 2022 Structural Timber Awards. The Awards once again will reward excellence, celebrate expertise in timber technology and the ways it contributes to an attractive, energy efficient and sustainable built environment. FFSITE EXP RICOH ARENA COVENTRY BUYERS AND SPECIFIERS FORUM FAST & EFFICIENT ACCESS TO A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE & OFFSITE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION REGISTER YOUR FOC TICKET TO THE OFFSITE EVENT OF THE WWW.OFFSITE-EXPO.CO.UK/BOOKYEAR...

Kingspan TEK® are opening their factory doors to a select group of construction professionals interested in discovering more about their advanced Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the many benefits Kingspan TEK® offers, from the ‘out-of-the-box’ fabric performance which ensures a highly energy efficient building, to the panelised nature of the system which enables a fast-track building process.

12 Sept Kingspan TEK® Factory Tour

If you are interested in learning more about offsite construction and the associated manufacturing processes then the following industry events may be of interest:

20-21 Sept Offsite Expo

www.offsite-expo.co.uk

Spotlight on Offsite

www.offsite-expo.co.uk/masterclasses

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY IN 2022

20-21 Sept Offsite Connect

CBS Arena, Coventry

www.offsiteconnect.co.uk

20-21 Sept Explore Offsite

Offsite Expo brings together those who are driving change in the construction sector – the event will play host to the leading UK and international offsite manufacturers and component suppliers showcasing a broad spectrum of panelised, volumetric modular solutions, pod and prefabricated MEP solutions, as well as the latest in Digital and BIM technology.

Images are for visual purposes only and aren’t representative of the final prizes. Terms and conditions apply. Visit WestFraserRewards.co.uk for full terms and conditions. The Promotion is made available by West Fraser group (the promoter being Norbord Europe Ltd. with Company Number 07886600 and registered address Station Road, Cowie FK7 7BQ, United Kingdom). Entries to the registered address will NOT be accepted. AMAZING PRIZES JUST BY BUYING THE MORE YOU BUY, THE MORE CHANCES TO WIN 2 Visit WestFraserRewards.co.uk to enter 3 Upload a picture of your merchant receipt 1 Purchase any West Fraser sheet products REGISTER TODAY WestFraserRewards.co.ukAT

BOPAS ACCREDITED Fire Resistant Performance Assured Reduce Risk Operate with Certainty & Conﬁdence Fully tested & warranted systems Steel framing systems Safety-First approach with: THRUBUILDTHRUWALL ENGINEEREDPRECISIONFRAMESPRE-ASSEMBLEDwww.eosframing.co.uk Find out more: COME AND SEE US ON STAND G17

Offsite Magazine - Issue 33

Articles inside

Can We Achieve Carbon Neutral?

Building in a Meaningful Way

MODULHAUS™ DUO the Next Generation

Healthier & Cheaper Living

Next Stage in the New Timber Age

The Wait is Nearly Over

The Evolution of Volumetric Modular Technology