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TIME TO RESET
Welcome to the latest edition of Offsite Magazine. Since the last issue we have had a change of Government that probably every single person in the country saw coming. Hopefully the new Labour regime will bring some much-needed stability and focused policies to the UK.
As we went press, the King’s Speech outlined one of them. A Planning and Infrastructure Bill that expands on Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledge to “get Britain building again”. Something of a familiar ring to that phrase, but this includes mandatory housebuilding targets and a reset of the planning rules. There is much to be unpicked about what will constitute green, brown and grey belt developments, but the overall desire for communities to have a say on the ‘how’ not ‘if’ new homes and infrastructure are built is interesting. Potentially this offers prime opportunities for the offsite sector.
Many highlights this issue, not least more details on Offsite Construction Week and the BUILDOFFSITE Summit that will bring a wave of international experts together to discuss offsite on a global basis during the two days of OFFSITE EXPO. This is not to be missed and gives an unparalleled chance for all attendees to hear more about how
offsite methods are being adopted outside the UK. You can find more details on those involved and the areas under discussion plus a wider angle look at OFFSITE EXPO inside.
One area under discussion for sure will be DfMA. We took the opportunity to speak with Mott Macdonald’s Trudi Sully about how this approach to building design – or industrialisation – can reduce material usage, help select better materials, improve overall performance and hugely reduce waste. What do we do with our construction waste? Well, this was a central theme in our roundtable discussion hosted by Aggregate Industries. With a circular, decarbonising mindset, perhaps we should stop thinking about waste as useless and more as a valuable reusable resource.
Finally, the Offsite Awards finalists have been unveiled. The judges never find it easy to whittle down the entries and it’s always an instructive experience reading about the ways in which the built environment is being transformed year-on-year by offsite thinking.
Thanks to all our contributors, advertisers, and supporters for their help this issue. It is always hugely appreciated.
Gary Ramsay Consultant Editor
Email: gary.ramsay@offsitemagazine.co.uk
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COVER STORIES
P06 | MODULAR MILESTONES
For more than 80 years the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) has spearheaded the growth of the sector. We spoke to Chief Executive, Jackie Maginnis on how far the industry has come in recent years and how exciting the future looks.
P32 | OFFSITE AWARDS 2024 FINALISTS
In its 10th Anniversary Year, the Offsite Awards will again celebrate outstanding achievements in the offsite construction sector, with 24 categories covering every aspect of the industry rewarding outstanding projects, people and technical innovations. Who have the judges shortlisted as potential best in class this year?
NEWS
08 | Industry News
News and developments from across the UK offsite industry and wider construction arena including: Laing O'Rourke launches its 2020-2023 Review and champions offsite methods, DataForm Lab land £1.1million in seed funding to ‘unlock’ offsite potential, and a new NHF/Building Better report establishes the extent of MMC use in the social housing sector.
P22 | BOS OFFSITE SUMMIT
The BOS Offsite Summit will be an essential part of OFFSITE EXPO 2024 providing a unique platform to hear from international offsite experts, network and explore the future of offsite construction globally. Join in the top-level panel sessions, masterclasses and the Innovation Hub Challenge.
P79 | VOLUMETRIC MODULAR
A special section covering one of the offsite sector’s key delivery methods including a focus on the outstanding healthcare work at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust by McAvoy and Clatterbridge Hospital by MTX, plus news, project snapshots and updates from Wernick, SoloHaus and others.
FEATURES
28 | Developing Intelligent Construction
We caught up with Trudi Sully, UK and Europe Lead – Industrialised Design & Construction at Mott MacDonald, to talk about the role DfMA plays in driving improvements across the built environment.
46 | Overcoming Lifespan Challenges
Ensuring the longevity of offsite construction methods can be seen as a 60year challenge. Materials testing specialists Lucideon offer some expert advice.
52 | Farming the Urban Quarry
The efficient use of materials within the built environment is under constant scrutiny. A recent roundtable hosted by Aggregate Industries, sought to understand how a more intelligent circular approach can help.
56 | Offsite Optimism
Recent years have been challenging for the construction industry, with inflation, cost of materials and skill shortages. But Jonathan Stockton, NG Bailey’s CEO sees plenty of reasons to be positive.
62 | Optoppen – a no brainer?
Adding mass timber to existing buildings using lightweight roof extensions can deliver huge carbon and construction benefits. Kelly Harrison, Director at Whitby Wood explains how.
66 | The Countdown has Begun
Get ready for OFFSITE EXPO. As the offsite industry’s most important event, it serves as a unique platform for collaboration across the sector. What can you expect to see and hear?
70 | Fresh Approach for MSCP Cladding
FP McCann have provided precast concrete expertise to a hospital car park that saw offsite manufactured brick slip panels fitted to the stair and lift cores in a company first.
72 | The Art of Precast Mixology
Last year’s revision to British Standard BS 8500 was the biggest change to traditional concrete mixes since the 1980s, opening the door to a wide range of multi-component cements.
76 | Expanding MMC Adoption
Some key comments from the MMC Ireland National Conference, which saw specialists in the Irish and UK offsite construction industry gathered in Kilkenny, to discuss the shape of the sector.
MODULAR MILESTONES
For more than 80 years the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) has spearheaded the growth of the sector. We spoke to Chief Executive, Jackie Maginnis on how far the industry has come in recent years and how exciting the future looks.
Keeping ahead of current thinking as well as anticipating what is ahead has meant the MPBA and its members have remained relevant.
Although some may consider modular construction to be a recent innovation, the MPBA’s oldest members have been trading since the 1930’s. As the market for permanent and temporary modular buildings continues to expand and develop, hitting a milestone anniversary means it’s a good time to reflect.
What are the origins of the MPBA?
Originally known as ‘The Prefabricated Building Manufacturers Association of Great Britain’– modular construction was born out of adversity. As the UK emerged from the devastating consequences of World War II, it was a time of great innovation to get the country back on track. With extensive destruction in many areas of the UK caused by bombing, this resulted in
1a need for new buildings to be made available rapidly and be transported where needed without significant haulage demands.
Former munitions factories began producing the components required to create ‘prefabricated’ buildings. These cost-effective factory-manufactured buildings were erected throughout the UK for housing and other purposes. The need for a trade association back then was the same as today – to provide one consistent voice for all manufacturers to government, create an element of standardisation and develop a specific supply chain to meet the industries growing needs.
How has the MPBA changed since its conception?
Trade associations are unique. We are an association for the members, run by the members. By that I mean our members collectively call the shots.
From major players to smaller niche companies, all opinions count. With some founder members still within our ranks, it is hard to believe that industry pioneers in the sector such as Wernick® Group have been around since 1934. Not long after other major players in today’s industry joined the ranks, with the foundation of Portakabin in 1961, followed by Elliott Group (now Algeco) in 1963, Pickerings in 1969 and Thurston Group in 1970.
The MPBA has also been a quiet trailblazer across manufacturing and construction, there are very few organisations that had a female Chief Executive 15 years ago – a position I still proudly hold today. A recent industry survey found that almost 50% of all staff across our members were female, particularly in the temporary building market as hire controllers and project managers.
The Association is run by its members – how is this managed?
Governance is a high priority, as the CEO I am accountable to an elected council of members that meet on a quarterly basis and guide our strategy and direction. Feeding into this we have technical, health and safety member committees that have collectively influenced building regulations and industry guidance.
Our most recent members group is the sustainability committee, with a collective focus on carbon cutting and net zero, what this means to the modular industry and what an important role the circular economy plays in reaching this objective. We will be launching our ‘Roadmap to Net Zero’ later this year. Our very active marketing group ensures that we continually provide education and awareness of the sector to the entire construction industry.
COVER STORY MPBA
The MPBA is very active at industry events – how do you maintain this presence and stay relevant?
The industry is constantly developing. As early adopters of offsite construction, councils and local authorities were using modular technology across all sectors in the 1970’s and 1980’s, to cope with the baby boom and the need for more education buildings. This was the development ground for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).
The MMC Definition Framework as we understand it today was developed in 2017 following the publication of the ‘Fixing our Broken Housing Market’ White Paper for the UK Government. We have fully embraced the terminology, specifically Category One in the non-domestic sectors which relate to the approach our members have been developing for over 80 years – sometimes the construction method is not new, only the terminology.
We are part of the wider offsite sector and are proud advocates of Offsite Construction Week, Offsite Expo and have supported the Offsite Awards since their inception. Whilst backing the wider offsite industry we are careful to retain our own identity and objectives and not become ‘lost’ as the sector continues to grow. We recently hosted our second annual conference and MMC Awards, focusing on nondomestic modular construction, which is an area that has reached a level of maturity that the modular homes industry is looking to achieve.
Can modular construction solve the housing crisis and improve efficiency?
There is still a lot of work to be done. The underlying challenges of the housing shortage are more complex and political than simply finding a quicker way to build. Manufacturing facilities require a substantial investment of time and money to set up and need a constant pipeline of work to provide a return on that investment. The ‘stop-start’ nature of residential construction is not conducive to keeping a factory constantly running at capacity. This is why so many of our members operate in sectors such as healthcare and education where modular approaches have been successfully applied for decades.
So modular construction can play an important part as it did back in the 1940’s but it is also essential to recognise that the non-domestic sector has differences – different building regulations, different fire regulations – to say that all modular construction is the same, is to say that all sports are played with the same shape and size of ball. Pre-manufactured Value (PMV) is now a prerequisite – albeit needing a clearer definition – but it is having a positive impact on our industry and is influencing many specification decisions across the built environment.
Where next for the MPBA?
Modular technology is far removed from the ‘prefab’ buildings of yesteryear and so is our association. We now have a seat at the ‘top table’ influencing government decisions. The support for government projects,
3
particularly in healthcare and education, has come from lobbying over the years from the MPBA and our members, to get specification and procurement changes in place.
A lack of appropriate training was a major issue for our sector, so we developed a training centre in 2018. Based in Coventry, the MPBA Learning Hub now offers National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ), electrical and specialist training as well as online courses. We also have approved an Apprenticeship Trailblazer that we are looking to roll out with a key partner soon.
After all these years in the industry I am still committed and fiercely passionate about representing the MPBA and our members – this dedication and drive is shared by the entire MPBA team. Our association and the modular industry have come a long way in the last 80 years. From simple single storey prefabricated buildings to complex manufactured school and hospital buildings, which are digitally designed, rigorously tested – and according to data from RICS members – completed 50% faster than traditional on-site methods. We cannot yet claim to be ‘mainstream’ but we are constantly working on making that a reality.
For more information visit: www.mpba.biz
Images:
01. Jackie Maginnis, Chief Executive, MPBA
02. Wernick® Group – pioneers in education builds 03. Portakabin – Archbishop Holgate’s School
UK INDUSTRY NEWS
Laing O'Rourke Centre Review 2020-2023 Published
The Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology has launched its 20202023 Review, which aims to generate the evidence and tools required to challenge the status quo and pave the way for a new era in the construction industry.
Promoting a constructive engagement between academia, industry and policymakers, the Centre is catalysing change and has a measurable impact on the industry through educating and upskilling current and future construction leaders, undertaking applied research in close partnership with stakeholders, and generating the evidence base and thought leadership to underpin and support the implementation of new policies, processes and methods in the construction sector.
The Centre’s research strategy is centred around three desired outcomes: sustainable infrastructure, including net zero carbon and biodiversity, improving productivity and increasing the social value delivered by construction projects in the built environment.
Roger Bullivant’s Precast System Demonstrates MMC Efficiency
Roger Bullivant Limited (RBL) proudly announced the successful completion of the first phase of works at a residential site in Killearn for CALA Homes. The entire project consists of the installation of 1,685 Driven Precast Concrete Piles and 5,900lm of RBeam. This achievement not only highlights RBL’s commitment to excellence but also underscores the efficiency gains realised through the adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC).
The synergy between RBL’s Driven Precast Concrete Piles and the RBeam system highlights a holistic approach to foundation engineering, where each component complements the other to deliver results. By harnessing the power of MMC, RBL has improved onsite processes, optimising efficiency without compromising on quality.
The project, situated in Killearn, demanded a robust foundation solution to accommodate the development of 89 homes. RBL implemented its in-house designed and manufactured foundation system comprising 200mm square precast piles, strategically chosen for their commercial viability.
These outcomes will be enabled by the greater adoption of digital engineering, modern methods of construction (MMC), a focus on whole-life performance, new procurement models, and workforce upskilling.
Over the last three years, the Centre’s work has focused on some new strands of exciting research that have attracted much attention and support, which are detailed in the review.
One example is a new focus on productivity, which demonstrates the importance of having an evidence base to determine what is actually happening on-site and how productivity improvements can be made. The Centre has worked with several companies that are now part of the data gathering and analysis activities required to generate performance metrics for the industry. The findings so far offer valuable insights to planners and project managers, empowering them to make informed interventions and drive improvements in on-site productivity. “We are committed to shaping the future of construction through research, education and thought leadership," said Professor Campbell Middleton, Director of the Laing O'Rourke Centre. "We start by sharing a vision of what a construction project might look like in 2030.”
The construction industry plays a critical role in society by providing the necessary infrastructure to
support its needs, and the Laing O'Rourke Centre is leading the way in envisioning the future and responding to today's industry challenges to ensure it remains at the forefront of innovation and progress.
The report is available to download at: www.construction.cam.ac.uk
“The seamless integration of Driven Precast Concrete Piles and RBeam in Killearn emphasises our dedication to innovation and efficiency,” remarked Gavin Hay, Scotland Area Manager at Roger Bullivant Limited. “Through the application of MMC on this site, we have not only accelerated project timelines but also elevated safety standards and minimised environmental impact.”
Ruairidh Mackinnon, Senior Site Manager at CALA Homes, expressed his satisfaction with the project’s execution adding: “Roger Bullivant Limited’s Driven Precast Concrete Pile and RBeam system has been a fantastic foundation solution for our site at Killearn. The system offers a robust and time-efficient method of construction which RBL installed in a safe and
controlled manner. Quality of workmanship and programme management was continuously monitored by RBL which resulted in the product being completed on time and to the highest standard.”
Driven Precast Concrete Piles offer numerous advantages over traditional methods. Their precisionengineered design ensures consistent performance in diverse ground conditions, such as the sand and silt mixtures prevalent in the Killearn site. When used in conjunction with the RBeam system, these piles provide a robust foundation that promises longevity and structural integrity for the development of CALA Homes.
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UK INDUSTRY NEWS
NTS Unveils GreenBox® Floor Cassette System
National Timber Systems (NTS) is to launch the GreenBox® floor-cassette system – which uses lightweight, low-embodied-carbon engineeredtimber – in the UK in collaboration with international engineering, design and technology firm Thornton Tomasetti. The system can be used in newbuilds, extensions or renovations for commercial and multioccupancy residential developments. It performs like a concrete floor, but with less mass and a fraction of the embodied carbon.
GreenBox is specified for each project and manufactured to order. The stiff timber structure of the cassette has a proprietary filling of recycled non-toxic materials, which provides strong fire resistance and tuneable acoustic performance. Long-span cassettes offer architects and specifiers more design flexibility for column-free spaces and big bays, alongside the significant environmental benefits of using timber. The ceiling created by the system has an attractive wood soffit with few, if any, down-stand beams, and specialty plywood can be used instead of the standard panel if preferred.
Major Milestone for Historic Southampton Building
A regeneration scheme underway by modular construction specialists Stelling Properties to restore and revive a historic site in the centre of Southampton, has reached a major construction milestone. The installation phase for all 121 studio apartments, which were manufactured and fully fitted out offsite, has now been completed on-site with the cranage of the final modules.
31 High Street is a landmark project which is bringing a fire damaged building back to life after it remained derelict for more than a decade. The Portland stone façade of the former Bank of England building has been restored and other parts of the original building have been retained including the historic bank vaults in the basement.
The development represents a £12million investment by Stelling to regenerate this prominent site on Southampton High Street whilst helping to meet the critical undersupply of student accommodation in the city. The five-storey scheme will provide 121 high specification, self-contained studio apartments which will be operated by Unilife and are due for completion later this year. Steel-framed, 8m long modules, each weighing up to 12 tonnes, contained a single apartment and arrived on-site completely finished, with kitchenettes, shower rooms, fitted and loose furniture, flooring, doors, and glazing already in place. These were lifted into position over a six-week installation phase and using a 230-tonne crane.
Philip Carney, NTS Technical and Innovation Director, said: “We are excited to be manufacturing GreenBox for the UK market. We always aim to help our customers build more sustainable structures through innovative design and high-quality manufacturing, based on our ‘less on site’ philosophy. In line with that, GreenBox has been designed to be simple to install. The cassettes drop into the building frame and are screwed together from the top of the cassette, no special skills or equipment are needed on site. When it’s time to renovate or reconfigure the building the cassettes can be easily replaced, reused or recycled.”
Harry Crofton, Associate at Thornton Tomasetti, said: “GreenBox is a simple way to drastically cut a building’s embodied carbon, speed construction and provide sought-after finishes. We’ve been talking with UK-based architects and specifiers and there is a lot of interest in GreenBox already. A typical building’s frame and floors can make up about half of its embodied carbon, so reductions in the floor system have a big impact.” NTS is the specialist engineered wood products division of National Timber Group.
Image courtesy: Thornton Tomasetti
Source: www.nationaltimbersystems.co.uk
According to Dan Smith, COO of Stelling Properties: “This high-profile project follows another modular student scheme that we have already delivered on Southampton High Street, and we are about to start a third. These developments are an important part of the regeneration of the city centre. 31 High Street has been a hugely challenging and constrained site to develop. It demonstrates the enormous potential of offsite construction and our technical capabilities very well. The site is completely enclosed on three sides, which would have been extremely difficult for in-situ construction as there is no storage space for plant, materials or equipment.”
“This is a locally listed building in a Conservation Area but with a fantastic modular design developed by our inhouse team and the retained Portland stone façade, it will blend sympathetically into the locality. Speed of construction was absolutely critical to reduce disruption in the city centre. By manufacturing and fully fitting out the apartments offsite, we reduced time on site by around 50%. The tremendous progress so far is a real credit to our design, production and site teams.”
Richard Powell, COO, of Unilife, added: “Stelling has done an incredible job to deliver a project of this scale in just a few months and to such high quality, sustainability, energy efficiency and architectural standards. As well as helping to meet the growing demand for student accommodation in the city, this project will breathe new life into the centre of Southampton, and into a previously derelict but historic building.”
To complement the local architecture and reflect the heritage aesthetic of the retained façade, the studio apartments will be finished in light stone-coloured external cladding. The final phase of construction will include mechanical and electrical connections on site, fitting out the extensive social and amenity spaces for residents in the original retained part of the building, roofing works, solar panel installations and landscaping of a large roof terrace.
Source: www.stellingproperties.com
Collaborate
UK INDUSTRY NEWS
National Planning Barometer Highlight ‘A Perfect Storm’
A major national survey of planning authorities in England and Wales has concluded that an already severe housing crisis has become significantly worse in the last 12 months, as the broken planning system and a range of multi-faceted issues prevent the delivery of the homes the country needs,
The wide-ranging survey of 416 planning committee members, undertaken by strategic communications and advocacy consultant SEC Newgate, lays bare the dire state of the housing market and reveals the complexities and challenges faced by the planning system, as well as identifying opportunities for driving change and easing pressure.
Providing unprecedented insight into how the planning system operates in practice, SEC Newgate’s National Planning Barometer, which this year is supplemented by in-depth interviews with 21 planning and development specialists across England and Wales, finds that two thirds of councillors rate the degree of the housing crisis in their local area as severe, marking a significant increase from 2023, when just over half of respondents perceived there to be a severe housing crisis. Moreover, three quarters of councillors say this severe crisis has worsened over the past 12 months, both nationally and in their local area, while just 1% of councillors think the housing crisis is easing.
However, despite these concerns, the findings indicate a growing disconnect between councillors’ perceptions of how to best deliver new housing, against the reality of their own decision making. For while a large majority of councillors say they believe that their local planning department has high expertise (85%), a similar amount (80%) admits to voting against their planning officer recommendations in the last 12 months, with 46% voting against three or more times.
Councillors sitting on planning committees rate increasing the provision of affordable housing as their top priority —with 30% putting it as their top priority and 70% rating it among their top five priorities, well ahead of any other issue. Yet delivering on housing targets is a much lower priority—with less than one in ten councillors (7%) say they are primarily focused on delivering housing targets, while 55% support the government’s shift away from mandatory housing targets.
Perry Miller, Head of Advocacy Local, SEC Newgate, said: “We know the housing crisis is only getting worse but the findings in SEC Newgate’s latest National Planning Barometer send out a stark warning that we’re in the eye of a perfect storm and at risk of total housing failure without significant interventions. It’s all too easy to blame the planning system. That it’s broken is not in dispute, but it alone is not to
blame for the failure to deliver homes. Public policy, government funding, market provision, community interest and discretionary decision-making at planning committees are all at play in the response to the social and economic need for homes. The actions and agendas of multiple actors make the issue of housing delivery a highly complex one to grapple with, and there is no silver bullet. We’re at a tipping point and need change from all those working to deliver the homes the country needs.
“The golden thread running through our participants’ call for change is the need for better communication between parties. We would echo that and add to it: trust and responsibility. The planning system is far too adversarial in its approach. Community consultation works so much better when residents are properly informed, while developers could bring the community on the journey earlier in the process, seeking genuine input into their evolving designs and listening to what residents actually want. Councillors do have a difficult job: one eye on the housing numbers and another on sentiment. Understandably, that can lead to caution around engaging applicants. But it would be beneficial for councillors and developers to have better communication through the process, alongside planning officers.”
Source: www.secnewgate.co.uk
NG Bailey Reports Return to Profitability
For the year ending 1 March 2024, the UK’s largest independent engineering and services business reported annual turnover of £600million, up from £532million in 2023, with an underlying operating profit of £11.2million (2023: a loss of £17.3million).
NG Bailey has maintained its strong balance sheet with net assets of £129million (2023: £121 million), including cash and investments of £70million (2023: £83million) and, since the end of March 2023, has no external debt. The Group’s order book also remains healthy, increasing to £1.4billion (2023: £1.3billion). This growth has been driven by the strong performance of the Services division, which delivered record levels of profitability for the second year in a row.
NG Bailey’s Engineering division also returned to profitability, supported by a renewed focus on governance, quality margins and risk management, led by a refreshed leadership team. The small number of legacy long term fixed price contracts, which were adversely hit by Covid-19 and inflation, are now complete and the cash outflows behind the company.
Jonathan Stockton stepped into the role of Chief Executive on 1 June 2024 following David Hurcomb’s retirement after 14 years of leadership. David will remain within the business until a small number of commercial matters on legacy contracts to
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recover value are resolved. Jonathan joined NG Bailey in 2016 and has held several senior roles within the business, most recently as Chief Operating Officer.
Jonathan Stockton said: “NG Bailey is in a strong position as we continue to execute our diversified business strategy, the success of which is evidenced by our return to profitability even in the face of tough trading conditions. This is testament to our high-quality order book and our market leading capability to provide services across building construction, infrastructure, and services, alongside the quality, expertise and commitment of our teams and experienced management. With a growing pipeline of work in recession-proof markets and strong credentials in the energy and decarbonisation sectors, we have confidence that we will be able to successfully deliver our growth plans, with a clear route to pre-pandemic levels of trading and beyond.”
NG Bailey’s Services division has continued to perform strongly, with all three business streams; Facilities Services, IT Services and Freedom, increasing in turnover and either meeting or exceeding their budgeted profitability as the Group continues to execute its diversified business plan.
NG Bailey’s Engineering division is well placed for the future, with a renewed focus in markets where it has leading expertise and experience, including nuclear, airports, higher education, defence, healthcare, custodial and rail, as well as continuing to be at the forefront of offsite construction methods.
Significant investment is planned in the next 12 to 18 months to accelerate digitalisation and systemisation
of systems, supporting modern methods of construction (MMC) and design for manufacture (DfMA) solutions that provide safer, more efficient, and sustainable alternatives to traditional construction.
Jonathan Stockton added: “Whilst market conditions remain challenging, we remain highly selective around the work we secure. NG Bailey is in a strong position to grow, supported by our excellent reputation, extensive operational skills and experience and a talented team at all levels. Alongside this we remain committed to being a responsible business by focusing on paying our supply chain on time and are proud that we are consistently a top performer amongst our peers in this regard. This is in contrast to the wider industry where a culture of late payments and underpayments remains prevalent. We are confident for the future and are well placed to play a key role in critical long-term infrastructure projects and drive the transition to a decarbonised economy.”
You can hear more from Jonathan Stockton inside this issue on p56.
Source: www.ngbailey.com
UK INDUSTRY NEWS
Housing Festival Launches MMC Playbook
The Housing Festival recently published its ‘Social Rent Housing at Pace: The MMC Playbook,’ a strategic tool for local authorities facing the human and economic cost of the current housing crisis. The Playbook is a response to the Temporary Accommodation (TA) crisis. In England, we now have 112,660 households living in TA costing the taxpayer £1.7billion a year (£4.6million a day), a 100% increase since 2016. These crises are the consequence of a broken housing system and a severe shortfall of safe and secure social rent homes.
The Playbook urges local authorities, who suffer the economic cost of the TA crisis, to now take the lead in unlocking a wave of new social rent homes. It recognises that the current housing delivery model cannot meet the challenge of delivering social rent homes at pace and scale and presents an ecosystem solution with three essential components:
• Build homes in a new way (the opportunity for the public sector to incubate a new supply chain of factory-manufactured housing).
• Unlock Unlikely Land (the opportunity for the public sector to unlock a ‘new’ supply of land and address the associated viability and planning challenges).
• Recalibrate the economics (the opportunity for the public sector and capital investors to rethink value and unlock alternative sources of capital for social rent housing).
Jez Sweetland, Director, Housing Festival, said: “We have between us the motivation and tools to address the structural deficit of social rent housing. We must start building the right kind of homes for the right people, it is too costly, both economically and socially, not to act."
The Playbook is collaborative and draws on insights, ideas and case studies from 25 authors and more than sixty public, private, academic and third-sector organisations and stakeholders and outlines how MMC can contribute to a mix of ways to housing improvements. A call to courage, compassion and urgency, the plan also highlights the critical opportunity for a human-centric, outcome-led approach that embeds values into the design and delivery of new homes to benefit residents, communities and wider society.
Zoe Metcalfe, Client Director, Local and Central Government, Buildings & Places, Infrastructure, AtkinsRealis, said: “The Playbook shares the wisdom, and the real-life case studies, to empower those in Local and Central Government, One Public Estate and the broader sector to think, act, do and deliver differently. The current housing crisis demands urgent action at pace and scale, and the Housing Festival’s relentless pursuit of homes for people proves that we must (and can) do things differently now! AtkinsRéalis has been delighted to support and be part of the diverse collective who share this passion for public good.”
Jamie Hillier, Partner, Akerlof, added: “The publication of the Playbook marks a really critical step forward. It provides clear, actionable strategies that empower stakeholders in beginning to alleviate the economic strain of temporary accommodation. This timely initiative is crucial, and I am optimistic that it will catalyse further actions in paving the way for a sustainable housing future in our communities.”
Source: www.housingfestival.org.uk
Precast Concrete Supplier Acquired
UK-based Invisible Connections Ltd officially became part of Siss Holding BV on 10th June 2024. This effectively means that Invisible Connections Ltd is now part of the international Terwa Construction Group. Terwa is a leader in developing, producing and distributing a comprehensive range of products for the construction and precast concrete industry.
Invisible Connections supplies the concrete construction industry with ‘unseen’ telescopic connection systems for precast stairs and landings, beams and columns. They are also specialist manufacturers of reinforcement continuity systems, to application requirements. Terwa is proud to expand its product range by adding the Starter Boxes of Invisible Connections Ltd into their current product range. The addition of Invisible Connections Ltd enhances Terwa's presence in the UK and Ireland concrete construction industry.
This integration strengthens its global commitment to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional service, ensuring our partners and customers benefit from expanded product offerings and reliable support. Edwin Scheeve, CEO of Terwa, said: “The addition of Invisible Connections to the Terwa family aligns perfectly with our commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. We are excited to combine our strengths and expand our presence in the global construction market.”
Derek Brown, Managing Director of Invisible Connections, added: “Joining Terwa presents a significant opportunity for growth and development. Our shared values and customer-centric approach will drive us forward as we continue to serve the concrete construction community with excellence.”
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UK INDUSTRY NEWS
New Essential Guide to MMC Renders and Decorative Finishes
Developers can now access a free guide on how to incorporate traditional decorative finishes into modern methods of construction (MMC). With the Government increasingly expressing its commitment to MMC, it is becoming incumbent on housebuilders and developers to explore new ways of delivering projects using modern methods while catering for Britons’ love for the traditional brickwork look.
The new ‘Essential Guide to Renders and Decorative Finishes for MMC’ guide from Saint-Gobain Weber explains how pre-manufactured value (PMV) is attained and gives an overview of the most common types of MMC and materials, as well as the different finishes that can be used with these methods of construction. One area where it’s easy to specify a PMV-improving element is using modern alternatives to traditional brickwork.
Fast fix alternative to brick slips can be used for both refurbishment and newbuild projects, as well as internally. It falls into Category 6 of the Government’s MMC definition framework which deals with building products and systems that reduce labour on site and improve productivity. Each element that is delivered through an MMC process or product will add to a building’s PMV.
NHF & Building Better Report on MMC Social Housing
The National Housing Federation (NHF) and Building Better have surveyed 57 housing associations developing new homes to establish the extent of
James Mead, Project Director at Weber, said: “Bricks and mortar have dominated UK construction for years, with around 70% of the UK’s new homes built with a brick façade. But we’ve also found that there is a growing appetite for offsite timber frame with factory pre-fitted external finishes. An offsite panelised timber frame is a viable alternative to full modular or volumetric systems due to its lean and flexible production processes and can be paired with brick effect finishes to achieve that balance between contemporary construction methods and the appearance of traditional buildings.”
Weber is the first manufacturer in the UK and Ireland to release an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its monocouche render, helping developers make informed, sustainable choices when selecting finishes. It has also published an EPD for weberwall brick. The third-party certified document details the environmental performance lifecycle of the product and describes how they impact the environment at different stages of the manufacturing process. It also highlights how production waste is reduced and reused, the use of renewable energy sources and tracks if waste is sent to landfill.
Source: www.uk.weber
MMC use in the social housing sector. The intention for the survey is to build a national picture of the scale and ambition of MMC use across the social housing sector on an annual basis.
The results show a positive view of MMC by the majority of respondents, with just 4% saying their organisations are against using offsite construction. The survey ran from June to December 2023. 57 housing associations responded. Together, they are responsible for 45% of all homes delivered by housing associations. The organisational size, geography, and number of homes owned varied widely between respondents. In 2022/23, respondents completed a total of 5,276 homes using MMC and started 6,667.
The survey distinguished between MMC systems, revealing that nearly all completed homes used panelised assemblies (Category 2) or panelised and non-structural assemblies (Category 2 and 5). Volumetric construction (Category 1) was used in just 7% of completions. Another aim of the survey was to identify both the main barriers to MMC and the key benefits of it for housing associations. The results revealed that supplier vulnerability was seen as the biggest barrier to increasing the use of MMC. By contrast, procurement issues were not seen as the most significant barrier by any respondents.
This year, the survey asked about the main benefits of MMC for the first time. Environmental sustainability was the top or second top benefit for two thirds of respondents. The respondents identified the fact that MMC makes it easier to meet the Future Homes Standard as the second most significant advantage. The survey results give important insight into ongoing housing association appetite for offsite construction. They paint a positive picture of the number of MMC homes which could be built over the next five years. Together, the respondents are planning 30,591 MMC homes by 2028.
The survey revealed that for those respondents using MMC 32% of their total developments used offsite construction if this trend continues the sector wide appetite for MMC homes could be 107,000 by 2028 overall the results show that there is already significant MMC use in the sector and that there is greater potential for increases over the next five years. The state of ‘MMC delivery in social housing survey’ will run every year. The next survey will open in summer 2024.
NHBC has brought together some of the leaders of local authority development and regeneration to share their thoughts on this important sector. Available in print and to download, ‘Built. On insights’ – a collection of industry insights from leaders in local authority development, has been produced to highlight the important work undertaken by local authorities. It raises questions about the viability of local authority housing in its current form and celebrates the dedicated professionals delivering quality housing in challenging circumstances.
Contributors share their career journey, views on the market and local authority priorities. They give a personal perspective on their work, with their unique insight. Examining the current state of local authority residential development and the difficulties faced by many councils, this book covers everything from regeneration and retrofitting to partnership working and methods of modern construction (MMC). It also gives insight into the motivations of its contributors; from personal backgrounds and early careers, right through to their hopes for the future, this publication portrays the people, as well as the developments they lead.
Janice Morphet of the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London authors the collection’s introduction, followed by contributors helping deliver much needed affordable housing, including Shahi Islam, Director of Affordable Housing at Homes England. Contributors from around England are featured in this first edition, with viewpoints from a variety of different regions and areas showcased.
Andrew Milsom, Sector Lead for Local Authorities at NHBC commented: “Local authority housing has provided millions of homes across the UK, providing a much-needed boost to affordable housing. The sector is experiencing higher-than-ever demand for
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its services at a time of extreme economic pressure and other market forces, but our contributors are working tirelessly with the aim of providing quality, modern homes. Local authority housing is part of the fabric of modern society and this collection of insights celebrates many of those who have contributed to its successes.”
NHBC works with local authorities to deliver quality new homes, providing unrivalled expertise from earlystage planning through to completion, with a focus on building it right first time.
Source: www.nhbc.co.uk
Professor
UK INDUSTRY NEWS
Travis Perkins Unveils ‘WholeHouse’
Travis Perkins, the UK’s largest builders’ merchant and part of Travis Perkins plc, has announced the completion of the first home designed and built using its ground-breaking WholeHouse® platform in Leicestershire. The platform was used by Bowbridge Homes Ltd to develop a pair of semi-detached properties on its site near Melton Mowbray.
This significant milestone follows the launch of WholeHouse® last year, a platform designed to revolutionise the way SME house builders plan, design and construct new homes. The platform is specifically designed for housebuilders building up to 250 units a year. It means SME housebuilders can plan and design a bespoke digital model of a house before physically constructing it. It ensures detailed and accurate design, plans and material pricing of developments from the first day. From start to finish, the process can be completed in under an hour, saving weeks off the planning process and construction phase to the benefit of both builders and homeowners.
Using the WholeHouse® platform, Bowbridge Homes were able to develop two of the existing properties on the site, enabling them to increase their thermal performance and try new renewable heating packages without having to spend months changing designs and checking compliance with the latest regulations.
Lee Jackson, Director of WholeHouse® said: “Seeing the first home completed using the WholeHouse® platform is a fantastic achievement. This platform was designed to simplify the complex process of building new homes, and now we can see its real-world impact. It’s designed to help SME housebuilders plan, design and construct new homes and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this innovation. This platform has been years in the making and is the culmination of over 500 years of collective collaboration and industry experience. It puts the housebuilder in the driving seat and enables them to simplify the traditionally complex process of planning, costing and building new homes at the click of a button.”
Ray Jordan, Construction Director, Bowbridge Homes Ltd added: “The design co-ordination and information available ahead of construction has been a real advantage, from the Pre-Manufactured Utility Cupboard, allowing the air source heat pump to be installed more efficiently and effectively on-site, all the way down to every door being the same size to simplify both site practices and the wider supply chain.”
Based on a digital design process, WholeHouse® has been developed by Travis Perkins in partnership with industry leading experts, including architects, engineers and consultants as well as customers and suppliers. It means they can bring plots and developments to life through 3D visualisation in designs that can be easily adapted, personalised and tailored depending on customer requirements. WholeHouse® reduces development risk by allowing housebuilders to create a house type from over half a billion fully co-ordinated, tried and tested designs. This enables builders to create costed construction drawings with accurate elevations, floor plans, specifications, cross sections, required build materials and more at the click of a button. Traditionally many of these items would need to be manually costed from drawings and separate subcontractor quotes.
Because it ensures detailed and accurate material pricing from the beginning, the platform promotes improved sustainability by reducing material waste and providing informed choices around low carbon solutions. This also leads to a reduction in development costs because of the accurate and real-time pricing the portal provides. The platform can save weeks on design development. It means that in under an hour, WholeHouse® can supply house builders with an entire set of drawing sheets, up to 200 pages of construction details and a full bill of materials needed to build a property.
In a move set to redefine excellence within the building services engineering industry, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has proudly introduced the CIBSE Chartered Organisation Programme. This innovative initiative marks a significant step towards shaping the future of the profession and fostering a culture of unparalleled standards.
At its core, the CIBSE Chartered Organisation Programme represents a commitment to professionalism and excellence. It offers organisations a unique pathway to not only demonstrate their dedication to best practices but also to achieve the prestigious status of being chartered with CIBSE. Far beyond a mere certification, this program symbolises exceptional standards, embodying professionalism in its truest sense.
Designed to facilitate the demonstration of competence within organisations, the programme provides a robust framework for showcasing levels of competency, professionalism and adherence to the highest standards. By participating in this initiative, organisations can differentiate themselves in terms of quality, ensuring they remain at the forefront of an ever-evolving legislative landscape.
Speaking at the launch, Adrian Catchpole, CIBSE’s President, emphasised the significance of this groundbreaking initiative, saying: “Under the overarching theme of my presidential address 'Taking a Lead,' the CIBSE Chartered Organisation Programme aligns perfectly with our focus on competency, a crucial aspect of the Building Safety Act. Drawing inspiration from successful programmes in other professional bodies, we have tailored this initiative to meet the unique needs of our industry.”
Inclusivity lies at the heart of this initiative, with CIBSE ensuring that organisations of all sizes can benefit from the programme. Extensive market research, involving consultations with organisations ranging from one-person consultancies to tier-one multidisciplinary firms, has been instrumental in crafting a programme that caters to every organisation's journey towards excellence. The launch of the CIBSE Chartered Organisation Programme marks a significant milestone in CIBSE's ongoing commitment to advancing excellence within the industry.
Source: www.cibse.org
UK INDUSTRY NEWS
DataForm Lab Funding to Unlock Offsite Potential
DataForm Lab, an innovator in construction automation, recently announced the completion of a £1.1million seed funding round, led by Marathon Venture Capital. This investment will accelerate DataForm Lab's mission to unlock capacity and investment in offsite construction, through its groundbreaking software platform.
Adopting automation in offsite construction is essential for overcoming the challenge of limited capacity, and moving construction to factories presents an ideal opportunity to leverage automation. However, despite its potential to boost capacity and efficiency, automation is still underutilised. In many advanced offsite manufacturing facilities, work remains predominantly manual, and translating designs into production information is a lengthy process. The underlying reasons why happen to be quite consistent across the industry. To begin with, every building is different, and interpreting its design to shop floor terms remains an arduous process. Moreover, production planning remains an afterthought, with legacy processes accumulating complexity and switching costs. Most importantly, design and manufacturing are usually disconnected, leading to significant efficiency losses.
DataForm Lab's software platform is unique in its ability to seamlessly link design and manufacturing for offsite construction. The platform enables manufacturers to automatically configure projects, instantly translate designs into production drawings and machine code, and simulate and optimise factory operations through dynamic scheduling. The platform also helps businesses understand when, how and in what form automation can be integrated into offsite manufacturing, to maximise efficiency and capacity. Offsite manufacturers can create, simulate, and compare automated production line designs instantly, ensuring that integration aligns with both technical and commercial organisational goals.
DataForm Lab is already at work in some of the most prominent offsite manufacturers worldwide. Its platform, which is both material and sector agnostic, is utilised by manufacturers of 3D and 2D timber and steel systems to successfully complete housing, commercial, educational, and hospitality projects. The £1.1million seed round will enable the team to expand, accelerating an ambitious product roadmap and meeting the rapidly growing demand for their innovative solution.
Eva Magnisali (pictured) Founder & CEO of DataForm Lab, with her background in architecture, engineering, and robotic programming, founded DataForm Lab to bridge the gap between design and manufacturing. Her first-hand experience in the field highlighted the industry's inefficiencies, inspiring her to develop a practical, forward-looking solution.
“We are here to challenge the current industry perceptions about digitalization and automation,” said Eva. “Our mission is to increase capacity in construction by optimising the manufacturing performance of offsite factories. Once the day-to-day design-to-manufacturing workflows are automated, the integration of manufacturing automation technologies becomes the obvious, de-risked next step.
George Tziralis, partner at Marathon Venture Capital, added: “Our buildings are still being constructed manually, not produced by machines; automation is still nowhere to be seen in one of the largest sectors of the economy. Eva brings a rare blend of practical experience across design, manufacturing and robotics, along with a relentless drive to put automation at work. We are excited to work together and help bring her vision forward.”
Source: www.dataformlab.com
BIOHAUS® Awarded BOPAS Certification
The BIOHAUS® System has been awarded BOPAS (Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme) certification. Its whole house system is now certified for residential and public buildings up to three storeys, with further scope to develop designs for buildings up to 18 metres (five storeys). The system also surpassed firetesting requirements with an impressive 2-hour rating and exceeded thermal, acoustic and hygrothermal testing standards.
BOPAS certification assures lenders, developers, contractors, housing associations and homeowners that construction systems, designed, manufactured and installed by accredited MMC providers, will conform to industry best practices regarding durability and system integrity.
The BIOHAUS® System's recognition by BOPAS underscores its potential to meet the UK's housing demand for 300,000 new homes annually while delivering on HEMSPAN®'s vision to build climatepositive communities at scale.
The proprietary BIOHAUS® panellised housing system has exceptional performance and a fabric-first approach, surpassing typical Passivhaus design parameters while achieving an overall U-value of 0.100W/m2K. The BIOHAUS® system reduces construction time by half, but its bio-based material composition and intelligent membrane technologies allow homes to breathe and simultaneously provide a low-VOC environment. Its roof cassette design sets a new fire performance benchmark for timber roof systems. The use of the whole hemp plant is a testament to an innovative and sustainable approach, delivering a minimum whole-life carbon emission target of -250 kgCO2e/m2
The BIOHAUS® System not only reduces carbon emissions during construction and in operation, but it also incorporates solar technology and advanced ventilation systems to improve energy use and reduce energy costs by up to 75% per annum, on average.
Source: www.hemspan.com
British Offsite Lands Dagenham Deal
British Offsite is set to deliver an offsite constructed facade for a 91-unit residential project on Church Elm Lane Dagenham. London-based Major Housing Association has pledged £1million for panels with which to build a block of flats in Dagenham.
The Church Elm Lane project involves the installation of 347 panels across eight floors within a reinforced concrete frame. The panels will use British Offsite’s UNipanelSFS system, which features 100mm studs installed with head shutters, windows and doors tailored to Major Housing Association’s specifications. The panels also include internal and external insulation and brick tie channels.
Each panel is created from weather sheafing board by Knauf, with Superfill 34 insulation created from recycled glass and dolomite mix, complete with windows and doors. The use of prefabricated panels is expected to accelerate the construction programme by approximately 30%.
British Offsite Managing Director Shaun Weston said: “Working with Major Housing Association on the Church Elm Lane project is another step forward in our mission to deliver high-quality, sustainable, and affordable housing. By utilising our innovative
UNisystem, we are not only accelerating the construction timeline but also ensuring that these new homes meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
“Our product is fast, flexible, reliable, and competitive, making it an ideal solution for modern construction needs. All components used within the UNisystem are subject to rigorous testing and quality control, ensuring excellent thermal, acoustic, and fire protection. This collaboration exemplifies how British Offsite is leading the way in modern construction, combining cutting-edge technology with a steadfast commitment to social responsibility and community development.”
Major Housing Association Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Aman Singh added: “This partnership marks a significant milestone in the development of affordable housing in Dagenham. By collaborating with British Offsite, we are setting a new standard for residential construction that combines innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility. The Church Elm Lane project is a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality homes that meet the needs of today’s communities, ensuring that more families have access to durable, energy-efficient, and affordable housing.”
Source: www.britishoffsite.com
INTERNATIONAL OFFSITE & INNOVATION
In 2024 Offsite Expo will provide a unique platform to hear from international offsite experts to enable knowledge exchange, network and explore the future of offsite construction. Fareita Udoh outlines what the BOS Offsite Summit has in store.
17 SEPTEMBER 2024
DIGITAL DELIVERY FOR TOMORROW
The BOS Offsite Summit promises to be an essential event for industry professionals to engage with world leading experts and explore the latest advancements in offsite construction. Over two days, we will host panel sessions, masterclasses, and the Innovation Hub Challenge, displaying international best practices and discussing their relevance in the UK context.
Join us, FREE OF CHARGE, for two days of insightful discussions, innovative presentations, and networking opportunities as we
explore the integration of digital technologies in construction, the role of major infrastructure projects in advancing sustainability, and international models for delivering homes.
We will also delve into enhancing construction quality through offsite methods, new guidance on managing intellectual property for modern construction methods, and how offsite construction can contribute to achieving global net-zero emissions across our packed two-day programme.
• Exploring integrating Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) with digital technologies in construction
• Discussing innovative digital strategies shaping the future of offsite construction
• Addressing challenges and opportunities in adopting digital solutions for enhanced efficiency and quality.
GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE: MAJOR PROJECTS DRIVING INNOVATION
• Focusing on sustainability, climate change, circular economy, asset management, and retrofitting within major global infrastructure projects
• Highlighting innovative approaches and best practices driving sustainability and innovation in global infrastructure.
• Discussing strategies for promoting international collaboration and knowledge transfer in infrastructure development.
INTERNATIONAL CHANGEMAKERS DELIVERING HOMES
• Examining successful international models for housing delivery and their applicability to the UK context
• Identifying key strategies and initiatives from global changemakers in the housing sector
• Discussing opportunities for cross-border collaboration and learning in housing delivery.
BOS OFFSITE SUMMIT
18 SEPTEMBER 2024
RAISING THE BAR: CREATING A ZERO SNAG CULTURE
• Exploring approaches to improving construction quality and eliminating defects through offsite methods
• Discussing strategies for fostering a culture of excellence and zero defects in offsite construction projects
• Highlighting best practices and case studies demonstrating successful quality management in offsite projects.
LAUNCH
OF THE IP GUIDANCE
• Announcing the release of new guidance on managing intellectual property (IP) for offsite and modern methods of construction (MMC)
• Equipping all stakeholders with knowledge to maximise value, enhance productivity, reduce costs, and achieve carbon benefits through effective IP management.
HOW OFFSITE GLOBALLY CAN DELIVER AGAINST NET ZERO TARGETS
• This session will provide a comprehensive overview of how offsite construction contributes to global efforts towards achieving net-zero emissions
• Introducing to the Agricycle Nexus Consortia, of which CIRIA and BOS are founding members, supporting sustainable construction materials made from agricultural waste
• Addressing challenges and opportunities in aligning offsite construction with global net-zero goals
• Discussing innovative strategies and technologies for reducing the carbon footprint in offsite construction, including renewable energy sources and sustainable materials.
EXPERT SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
The BOS Offsite seminars feature a prestigious lineup of industry speakers with diverse backgrounds in the offsite construction industry, representing a truly international cross-section of talent from Australia, Bahrain, China (including Hong Kong), Malaysia, Egypt, Finland, Poland, France, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain.
Hong Kong - Dr. Sherman S. L. Yip, Assistant Director (Development & Procurement), Department of Housing, Hong Kong. A Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Sherman has 25+ years of experience in architectural design, project management and contract administration.
Hong Kong - Professor Wei Pan, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at The University of Hong Kong, and Executive Director of the Centre for Innovation in Construction and Infrastructure Development. He leads MiCLab and NetZeroLab, focusing on sustainable construction engineering, modular integrated construction (MiC), smart construction and zero carbon initiatives.
Australia - Damien Crough Executive Chair of prefabAUS and Managing Director of Advanced Offsite Group, has considerable experience in modular housing projects and advancing offsite construction, experience in designing timber structures in Europe, Australia and North America.
China - Dr. Xiaobin Zhao Founder & Director of Cambond earned his PhD from the University of Strathclyde. A leader in the UK’s biomaterial industry since 1998, he holds over 30 patents and has developed 100+ products.
Finland - Bengt Magnussen, Commercial Director, TALO, has over 30 years of experience in sectors such as superyacht manufacture and oil platform construction, now leading TALO’s net zero housebuilding solutions in the UK.
Poland - Ewelina WozniakSzpakiewicz, CEO, DMDmodular, delivers volumetric modular solutions internationally and leads R&D in energy-efficient modular buildings within the EU.
France - Pascal Chazal, CEO Groupe HORS-SITE, founded Ossabois, a leader in timber construction. He also created AQUA LOGIS, a bathroom cell manufacturer, and launched Hors-site Group in 2016.
Italy - Franco Piva, founder Ergodomus Timber Engineering has over 15 years of experience designing timber structures in Europe, Australia and North America.
Netherlands - Jos Kronemeijer, Kronemeijer Concrete Consult Consultant materials engineer specialising in advanced concrete technology and cementitious composites. With over 35 years of experience, he has worked extensively on concrete maintenance, condition assessment and innovative solutions.
UK - Alex Lubbock, Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC, has a decade of experience in supporting the sector through roles in strategy and policy for the UK Government, managing a UK technology platform and overseeing testing and certification processes.
UK - Paul Wilkinson, NIMA, is an expert on construction collaboration technology platforms and deputy chair of the digital transformation community at the Institution of Civil Engineers.
UK - Azim Jasat, Senior Industry Manager, Autodesk, has dedicated his career to advancing Industrialised Construction. With expertise in prefabrication, he has led technology development to connect building design and manufacturing.
UK - Monika Wandzik, Director of Architecture and Planning at Stelling Properties, is an award-winning architect specialising in residential and modular construction design. A graduate of Aachen University, she has worked with Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt and PegasusLife.
UK - David Emery, Consultant, The Supply Chain School, specialises in developing training materials and events centred on digital construction and offsite construction and has over 45 years of experience in architecture, housebuilding, and BIM consultancy.
Spain - Ignacio Navarro, Ferrovial, has over 25 years of experience in the transportation sector and expertise in using precast solutions for efficient and sustainable design.
UK - Graeme Jones, C-PROBE, a post-graduate corrosion scientist and engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion, and founding Director of A3CM.
UK - Andrew Pryke, BAM with over 25 years of post-qualification design experience, having led design studios and collaborated on top-tier projects worldwide. Since October 2012, Andrew serves as Managing Director at BAM Design in St Albans, overseeing UK and international projects across many sectors.
UK - Nigel Fraser, BOS. A longstanding contributor to BOS, currently as an industry advisor. He has broad experience as both a construction client and an offsite and low carbon product developer.
UK - Dr. Anthony Greer, Director of Corporate Strategy at TALO, brings over two decades of leadership experience and a strong history in creating cultures that encourage excellence.
UK - Ian Pritchett, CEO of Greencore Construction is a scientist and entrepreneur. In 2002, he established Lime Technology Ltd. to promote eco-friendly lime mortars. In 2013, he launched Greencore, known for low-carbon Biond panel houses at Springfield Meadows and Marks & Spencer’s Cheshire Oaks store.
UK - Deborah Smyth, CEO & Founder of Modular Express Group with two decades of commercial real estate, and now modular innovation pioneer and winner of Innovate UK funding for modular construction.
UK - Eva Magnisali, Founder and CEO of DataForm Lab, a company accelerating the adoption of automation in offsite construction through their software platform.
Malaysia - Keith Ridgeway, CEO of Incredible Husk an international R&D Company which has developed innovative proprietary trade secret non-synthetic binders, to make sustainable negative carbon footprint materials from organic and inorganic waste minerals.
BOS OFFSITE SUMMIT
UK - Anthony Pearce, Managing Director, APPLY Structures. Designing offsite manufactured building systems to make better homes for more people. With 30 years’ experience understanding the innovation process, building physics and expert delivery of complex projects to achieve best value.
UK - Andrew Croft, Partner at Beale & Co. Andrew is a Partner in the Contracts and Projects Advisory Team, specialising in construction law. He advises on contractual issues and has experience with collaborative contracts such as alliancing.
UK - Andrew Dewdney, Head of MMC at Kier since 2018, has driven MMC strategy, fosters strategic supply chain relationships, and develops repeatable design solutions. With a focus on enhancing productivity and delivery consistency.
UK & Ireland - Andrew Cowan, Business Development Lead, One Click LCA, Global technology company decarbonising construction & manufacturing with authomated life cycle assessment software with over 200K LCA datasets supporting over 80 international standards and certifications globally.
BOS INNOVATION HUB CHALLENGE
The BOS Innovation Hub Challenge will be a highlight of both days, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts to explore breakthroughs in sustainable construction. Participants will have 10 minutes to pitch their ideas and five minutes for rapid-fire questions from judges, culminating in live audience voting to determine the winner.
Judges for the BOS Innovation Hub Challenge include industry experts such as Dave Roberts from the University of Aston, Samantha Fearnley of Vista Insurance, Alex Lubbock from Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC, Joanne Bridges of Bridges Communications, and Gary Taylor, Development & Finance Director at GBP Estates. Participants will pitch their sustainable construction ideas for a chance to win a £5,000 marketing package sponsored by Offsite Expo and a year’s membership with BOS for micro-SMEs. Emphasis will be on sustainability, affordability, and long-term impact. We look forward to seeing innovative solutions shaping the future of sustainable construction.
HOW TO ENTER
It’s free and easy to enter - visit www.buildoffsite.com to complete the entry form by 31.07.24 and send to fareita.udoh@buildoffsite.com for your chance to be shortlisted.
Join us at the BOS Offsite Summit for two days of insightful discussions, innovative presentations, and invaluable networking opportunities. Learn from international best practices and explore how to implement these strategies in the UK to drive the future of offsite construction.
To secure your FREE ticket to the Summit visit: www.offsite-expo.co.uk
RAPID HOUSEBUILDING
UNihouse from British Offsite is a fast, flexible, reliable and competitive alternative to traditional housebuilding and offers many project benefits.
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Are you getting frustrated by longstanding skills shortages and frequent project delays that often plague traditional on-site building methods? Then now’s the time to try an alternative. British Offsite’s UNihouse, a light gauge steel 2D panelised framing system offers fast, flexible, reliable and cost-competitive housebuilding, with multiple environmental benefits built in, due to precision manufacturing of panels at the state-of-the-art production facility in Braintree.
Adaptable to nearly any design, UNihouse has been developed specifically for the low-rise housebuilding market to enable rapid deployment of homes.It utilises standard building materials in combination with a light gauge steel frame, to overcome the most common issues of timber frame, alternative materials and traditional brick/block building.
Faster delivery
If design work has already been carried out, we can have the first panel on-site in as little as ten weeks. A twobedroom semi-detached house can be installed inside three days and a four-bedroom detached home within a week. These turnaround times enable you to wait until you’ve exchanged on plots before placing your order, ensuring lower risk project finance and end-of-year financial certainty.
Flexible for all forms of housebuilding
UNihouse is suitable for all house types and schemes including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses and more, and provides total freedom for the location of architectural features.
Reliable precision and timescales
UNihouse is engineered to exacting tolerances – meeting all necessary building standards and regulations –
and is unaffected by differential movement issues or potential moisture/rot issues. It also enables the creation of ‘dry boxes’ as soon as UNiroof is dropped in, making it ready to finish inside and out within predefined timescales.
Cost competitive with the added benefits of steel frame
When matched against comparable timber frame specifications for example, UNihouse is competitive. As a steel frame system, there are reduced costs due to lower fire suppression requirements. Costly technical workarounds to deal with differential movement is also avoided.
Quality checked at every stage
UNihouse is manufactured to exacting standards, using standard building components such as 1.2-gauge steel studs, OSB board and highquality weather sealing membranes and tapes. The work of up to five trades is subsumed into the offsite manufacturing of one panel ensuring a quality install on time, every time.
Fabric First energy efficiency
Our ‘Fabric First’ approach means reducing energy use and waste in our process of manufacturing, sourcing materials that are recycled and recyclable, and manufacturing panels that create highly insulated and airtight buildings that need less energy to run. Enabling housebuilders of all sizes to meet environmental standards and expectations.
For more information visit: www.britishoffsite.com
Images: 01. Horizon Facility, Braintree 02-03. The precision designed, light gauge steel 2D panelised framing system can help speed up housing delivery
As anticipation mounts for Offsite Expo 2024, Tremco CPG Offsite Solutions is poised to revolutionise the industry with its innovative one-stop approach to modular manufacturing. announced
Offsite Expo is a leading platform for offsite construction professionals, and promises an unparalleled gathering of industry leaders, innovators and enthusiasts. As the construction industry undergoes a transformative shift towards factory-based build methods, Tremco CPG Offsite Solutions will unveil its visionary and unique single manufacturing approach to modular construction, showcasing a comprehensive suite of services designed to streamline and elevate the production and construction process for modular manufacturers.
MAX HN120
The MAX HN120 is a pneumatic concrete/steel nailer being used for nailing timber to steel. Fixings are pneumatically driven without the need of powder cartridges or fuel gas cells. No Powder, No Gas, Just Air
Highlights include:
• Demonstrations of illbruck NEW fire-rated membranes for internal and external insulation
• Showcase of the award winning FZ100 Fire Safe Zone from Nullifire, ensuring cutting-edge fire protection solutions
• Comprehensive overview of joint sealing, bonding, insulation, passive fire protection, flooring, waterproofing, and roofing solutions available through Tremco CPG's seven brands.
“Our presence at Offsite Expo 2024 underscores our commitment to driving innovation and streamlining the construction process,” said Paul Wright, National Sales Manager for Offsite Solutions at Tremco CPG UK. “We invite industry professionals to visit our stand to experience first-hand how our modular manufacturing approach can revolutionise their projects.
HIGH PRESSURE
MAX PowerLite tools are extremely powerful yet their size is 40% smaller and tool weight is 30% lighter than conventional regular pneumatic tools with a wide variety of fasteners.
Our comprehensive range of construction products across seven distinct brands based on a simplified and efficient approach, provides customers with unparalleled convenience and performance.”
Come and see us on stand B15 and be a part of the next wave of construction innovation. For more information visit: www.tremcocpg.eu
YB Fixings Ltd Thistle House, Radway Road, Britannia Business Park, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 4ND 01793 838 400 www.ybfixings.com enquiries@ybfixings.com
DEVELOPING INTELLIGENT CONSTRUCTION
We recently caught up with a familiar face from across the offsite sector and spoke with Trudi Sully, UK and Europe Lead – Industrialised Design & Construction at Mott MacDonald, about the role Design for Manufacture & Assembly (DfMA) plays in driving improvements across the built environment.
Q: Can you say a little about your role at Mott MacDonald and how the business fits into the offsite landscape?
Trudi Sully (TS): I joined Mott MacDonald two years ago, having been a director with the Construction Innovation Hub for the previous four years, working with government departments and industry partners to steer the development of the tools and approaches to support the transformation ambitions for the industry. I wanted to see those concepts being put into action on real projects, which drove me to join Mott MacDonald where we have a dedicated multi-disciplinary practice in all areas of Industrialised Design and Construction (IDC). We cover MMC, offsite, lean, DfMA, product platforms and industrialisation – the application of approaches that improve the
1productivity and performance of what we build and how we build it.
Q: As a design approach, how can DfMA help improve the UK’s poor productivity levels and what barriers to understanding do you encounter when discussing DfMA?
TS: DfMA is about simplifying the production process. It involves designing products with ease of manufacture and efficiency of assembly in mind, thereby enabling reduced production time and costs. This approach offers ways to enhance the quality and sustainability of the product and enable a smooth transition from design to production, to on-site assembly. The off and on-site efficiencies this enables offers routes to improved productivity. DfMA can, and probably should, be used on any construction project.
One of the barriers to understanding it is not so much in the principles of DfMA – but like so many other elements considered under the umbrella of offsite (or industrialisation – as we use) - it has limited capability to maximise impact if used in isolation or deployed poorly. This is by no means a reason not to apply it. I encourage those adopting it to consider the needs up and down the supply chain in implementing it as part of a wider holistic change.
Q: How is the use of digital tools central to offsite manufacture with the growing plethora of toolkits, platform approaches, repeatable components and harmonised demand – how are these things developing an Industry 4.0 approach?
TS: I struggle with the way ‘digital’ is used as a ubiquitous term nowadays. I also think the inherent anxiety that many have with technology is sometimes exploited by companies that feed on the confusion they can create with jargon. It feels similar to how BIM was used/misused as a term to be wedged into every sentence several years ago.
Data and the intelligent creation, analysis and iterative use of it, is key to advancing and transforming construction. The more we apply industrialised approaches, the smarter we need to be in managing the data generated to maximise the benefits we can achieve. But let’s keep it simple. Better data, to support integrated processes, that is represented in clear, accessible ways at the right level of detail for the audience, will reduce error, enhance quality and improve efficiency – in delivery, in use and at end-of life.
Harmonising demand creates clarity of the demand profile for the supply chain. Which in turn gives confidence and enables development of repeatable systems or components, delivered to a higher quality, to meet the needs of a product platform, that results in better delivery of our built assets. We know the impact of adopting these approaches could be huge. In the ‘Value of Platforms in Construction’ report we wrote for the Construction Innovation Hub last year, we identified the potential for government to save £1.8billion/year through the adoption of a platform approach. Industry 4.0 is about bringing all these things together and embedding continuous improvement, to deliver ever-improving whole life outcomes.
Q: Decarbonisation is critical across the construction industry generally –how can offsite technology address the many issues surrounding the circular economy, waste reduction, embodied carbon and overall sustainability?
TS: This is such a great area for almost incidental wins, though I would prefer more proactive work to make them intentional! Every aspect of offsite should be about optimisation of process and materials to realise better outcomes. Through DfMA and lean we can reduce material usage or select better materials, and improve overall performance, while hugely reducing waste. Through the adoption of manufacturing approaches, you can also reap benefits
in terms of resources, utilities, energy, transportation and logistics.
Central to any good industrialisation approach is considering whole life value. So that incorporates not just optimising design and delivery, but how the built asset is used, maintained and what happens when it needs to be repurposed or demolished. The majority of a building’s impact on the environment comes from the operational phase rather than the construction, so this upfront consideration hugely impacts those long-term effects. In short, there is no aspect of an industrialised approach that doesn’t also offer opportunity for reducing our impact on the environment.
Q: A criticism often levelled at offsite is the lack of interoperability amongst systems and providers in the event of business failures – is that a genuine worry and how can it be overcome?
TS: Some projects have faced this challenge, but I don’t believe the risk of these incidents could be considered to outweigh the impact of over-cost and over-time projects that continue to plague the industry as a whole. The certainty that can be provided from offsite delivery models, through the data that is generated, should provide far greater knowledge of the structure and the way it was delivered to enable remedial or recovery work to be undertaken when necessary.
We are also starting to see development of product platforms
where a level of design details (or indeed full systems) is shared, such that multiple providers can deliver common assets to expand the supply chain. This reduces the risk to clients and offers greater opportunities to the market, and particularly SMEs. Indeed, the major infrastructure programmes required to fulfil our societal needs could not currently be met by the existing supply chain capacities in many areas, so developing these systems and programmatic approaches will enable more balanced demand for greater delivery efficiency.
Q: The Golden Thread attempts to connect the fields of design, manufacturing and delivery with the huge volumes of data generated during a project – how can this data be used to its maximum potential to prove the benefits behind offsite and DfMA choices?
TS: This really comes back to that bigger holistic view. All the areas we’ve discussed so far will help, and actually are integral to the strength of the Golden Thread. Of course, when we talk about the fact that we ‘just’ need to change everything – planning, contracts, procurement, design, delivery – it can be overwhelming. The scale of change is enough to make anyone pause, but what I always try to explain is that we are on a journey. Yes, we are impatient and want to go faster, but we must recognise that this level of change takes time, and we are moving fast if you look at the increasing use and demand. As to the proof – we are seeing that all the time in the amazing projects being delivered.
Q: How do you see the offsite landscape changing in the next 18 months?
TS: We are still very much evolving – and this is a good thing. Yes, there have been some high-profile failures, but that will always be a feature of an industry in transformation. What frustrates me is that failures are often highlighted and reactions to them are so strong, while success stories are always more muted. I’ve just recently finished judging the Offsite Awards for the fifth year and that is where I get a concentrated hit of the good news stories and the changes coming through.
We now have a new government that has already committed to make big changes in relation to housing and prisons. Two areas that massively impact wider society. The opportunities for industrialisation here are immense and I have confidence that it will play a major role in addressing the challenges we face.
However, what I really want to see is a faster shift from the ‘them and us’ positioning between traditional and offsite. Offsite or industrialisation is not a different sector, they are just increasingly proven mechanisms to meet the demands in a modern world and should complement traditional delivery approaches, for everyone’s benefit.
Q: Finally, as the official spokesperson for Offsite Construction Week, how exciting a development do you see this in bringing the many differing aspects of offsite manufacture together to showcase what it does for the UK and International built environment?
TS: Offsite Construction Week has been my litmus paper for what is happening in the industry since I’ve been working in it. To be acting as its spokesperson is a real honour, and perhaps also reflective of our progress overall. The advisory group is a diverse collective of industry thought-leaders,
representing those with years of construction experience, as well as those of us who come from other backgrounds, but all with a passion to use that experience to support transformation. We are determined to make Offsite Construction Week, with the Expo, Summit, Awards, tours and round tables, a melting pot of positivity! It’s going to be more inclusive with wider diversity of thought than ever before. The built environment is central to all of our lives and I’m looking forward to celebrating our achievements and shaping our ambitions in making it better for everyone.
For more information visit: www.mottmac.com
Images:
01. Trudi Sully, UK and Europe Lead –Industrialised Design & Construction, Mott MacDonald
02. The12 principles of DfMA
03. Simplifying the industrialisation family
04. Substation digital model, Wimbledon
05. Royal Victoria Building, Edinburgh
OFFSITE AWARDS 2024
GOLD STANDARDS
The judging is complete and the finalists for the Offsite Awards 2024 have been announced. With an incredible mix of projects and cuttingedge technology on offer – here is a glimpse of what is in the running for a prestigious Award.
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With this year seeing over 200 entries across the 23 categories, all roads now lead to the presentation ceremony on the 17 September where the Awards are co-located with OFFSITE EXPO as part of the expanded Offsite Construction Week.
This year will also be the Offsite Awards 10th anniversary and is a perfect way to celebrate the best the industry offers and an excellent way to relax and unwind after the show. With his cheeky sense of humour, Mark Durden-Smith will once again be chairing proceedings, pulling people’s legs and making sure the evening is enjoyable for everyone. The informal drinks reception will also offer plenty of networking opportunities.
Covering every aspect of the offsite industry from timber, steel, precast concrete, hybrid and modular technology and MEP to engineering and installation, the Awards ensure that all aspects of the offsite building process is celebrated and recognise the huge efforts that makes these inspiring projects possible to invigorate the built environment. Every year the judges have a difficult 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 stunning example of offsite manufacture. The entire project team can be proud that they have delivered an iconic, sustainable and carbon sensitive building. If only all our buildings could be delivered like this.”
The Offsite Construction Awards will take place on 17 September at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The ceremony event is always a fun, relaxed and enjoyable evening of celebrations and a high-profile networking opportunity. Overleaf you can find the projects and people that have been picked out as outstanding and in the running for top recognition by our judges.
All the finalists are of the highest quality but who do you think will win?
Join our finalists, judges and sponsors as they come together over drinks and light bites to celebrate the winners and highly commended at the 10th Anniversary Offsite Awards. Please register your £FOC attendance to the Offsite Awards Ceremony online at: www.offsiteawards.co.uk
Images:
01. Best Use of Timber Technology 2023
Port of Tyne O&M Base – Dogger BankEngenuiti, Stora Enso, Ryder Architecture and B&K Structures
02. Contractor of the Year 2023
ABBA Arena - Es Global
03. Private Housing Project of the Year 2023Portlands Place, Stratford - Hawkins\Brown
MEET THE JUDGES...
We would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to all of our judges for their time and dedication in assessing over 200 entries!
David Emery Supply Chain Sustainability School
Dan Macpherson Henry Riley
Jackie Maginnis Modular Portable and Building Association
Oliver Novakovic Barratt Developments
Andrew Orriss Structural Timber
Rory Bergin HTA Design
Trudi Sully Mott Macdonald
Tim Snelson Arup
Tim Carey Mace
Rosi Fieldson Lincoln School of Architecture and the Built Environment
British Offsite: Abbey Quay, Barking, Weston Homes
Evolution Home and Leisure: Swimming Pool Building using Light Gauge Steel and Modern Methods of Construction
Frameclad: The Chocolate Factory
Intrastack: Ennerdale Avenue
Metek: Heaps Mill, Park Lane, Liverpool
Best
Use of Timber Technology
B&K Structures, Hopkins, Engenuiti, Integral Engineering Design, Stora Enso & Kier: Haileybury SciTech
B&K Structures, dRMM, ARUP & Stora Enso: WorkStack, Charlton
Lowfield Timber Frames and SJ
Roberts Construction: Luxury Lodges Bluestone
Ramboll: Beechwood Village
Transforming Timber - Two Storey House Extension: Howden Hall Road
Best Use of Volumetric Technology
Elkins Construction: Gilbourne Road
Integra Buildings: The Wellbeing Hub, Southampton General Hospital
McAvoy: Oasis Academy Spring Street
MTX Contracts: Clatterbridge Hospital – The Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Hub and Community Diagnostic Centre
Stelling Properties: 31 High Street, Southampton
Architect of the Year
Bond Bryan Architects: Kitchener Barracks
Justin Bere: Brambles
MEB Design: Adventure Plus, WC and Shower Hub
OB Architecture: UniLife, Southampton High Street
Rivington Street Studio: Lister Community School Expansion
Client of the Year
Bere Architects: Brambles
Department for Education: St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy
Ministry of Justice: HMP Fosse Way
Ministry of Justice (MOJ): HMP Millsike Project
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust: The Wellbeing Hub, Southampton General Hospital
Best Use of Hybrid Technology 2023 Winner
Best Use of Concrete Technology 2023 Winner
Best Use of Steel Technology 2023 Winner
Best Use of Volumetric Technology 2023 Winner
OFFSITE AWARDS 2024
Project or Construction Manager of the Year
Michael Melnyczuk - Hertfordshire County Council: The Valley SEN School, Stevenage
Katie Rudin - Akerlof: Housing and Innovation
Peter Skinner - Wilberforce Consulting: Bridge Court, Desborough Road, High Wycombe
Iain Steele - Rollalong: Mitchell Place
Rebecca Stepek - Oasis Community Learning: Oasis Academy Spring Street
Installer of the Year
Elkins Construction: Gilbourne Road
JRL Midgard & Farrells: Chelsea Waterfront Pedestrian Bridge
Moduloft: Seahouses x Moduloft
SES Engineering Services: AESC UK
VKE Contractors: Town Quays
Offsite Pioneer of the Year
Akerlof, HLM Architects, Buro Happold, Limberger Associates: Digital Kit of Parts for Low Rise Housing
Robert Hairstans, Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (NMITE) and Edinburgh Napier University: Edinburgh Napier University and NMITE - Timber Offsite Research and Education
Chris Massey, CEO of Brilliant Ideas: Inventor and manufacturer of offsite construction modular safety products
Reds10: Breaking Down Barriers
Dr. Ali M. Saad - Loughborough University: Research and Innovation
Building Performance
Pioneer
Adam Knibb Architects: Waldens Farm
Bere Architects: Brambles
Engenuiti, Holmes Miller Architects, KLH UK & Rolton Group: Buntingford First School
Transforming Timber - Two Storey House Extension: Howden Hall Road
Volumetric Modular: Energy Smart Utility Cupboard
Contractor of the Year
Bow Tie Construction and Eden Insulation: Brambles
Coulson: Codicote Primary School Expansion
Kier: HMP Millsike Project
PCE: The HybriDfMA Frame System
Zed Pods: Fortis House Street
Engineer
of the Year
Arup: Ffos Caerffili Market
Engenuiti & Integral Engineering Design: Haileybury SciTech
MJH Structural Engineers: College Road, Croydon
Ramboll: Beechwood Village
Scott White & Hookings: The Valley SEN School, Stevenage
hsbcad: hsbView: Your Gateway to a Paperless Factory
SUMMARY: 4 Modular Kindergartens in Lisbon
SUMMARY: G-5 Houses
Healthcare Project of the Year
Integra Buildings: The Wellbeing Hub, Southampton General Hospital
McAvoy: Antrim Area Hospital
MTX Contracts: Clatterbridge Hospital – The Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Hub and Community Diagnostic Centre
MTX Contracts: Northwick Park
Hospital – Multi-Platform Rooftop
A&E Expansion
Wernick Buildings: Southmead North Bristol Office Expansion
Retail/Leisure Project of the Year
Armadilla: Knock Shrine Accommodation Pods
B&K Structures, SPACE&PLACE, Engenuiti, Furness, Stora Enso & Willmott Dixon: Cozenton Park Sports Centre
Evolution Home and Leisure: Swimming Pool Building
Explore Manufacturing: Future Olympia
Stride Treglown: Ffos Caerffili Market
Social Housing Project of the Year
Boutique Modern: Fort Lane
Rollalong: Grovelands Park, Wokingham
Royal Borough of Greenwich: Gilbourne Road
SIP Build UK: Bamber Bridge Affordable Housing
ZED PODS: St Andrews House
Healthcare Project of the Year 2023 Winner
Social Housing Project of the Year 2023 Winner
Retail/Leisure Project of the Year 2023 Winner
OFFSITE AWARDS 2024
LIMITED PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES REMAINING
The OFFSITE AWARDS reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based construction methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment.
Across key sectors of UK construction, the OFFSITE AWARDS showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and recognise overall expertise in offsite construction through landmark projects, influential people and material and manufacturing excellence in this dynamic arena.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
The 2024 marketing campaign is ramping up and many of the sponsorship packages have already been snapped up by savvy companies wanting to gain the full exposure in the coming months leading up to the event.
For more information please contact Emily Dyer on 01743 290025 or emily.dyer@radar-communications.co.uk
Winner or Winners 2023
HLM Architects, B&K Structures, Engenuiti and Stora EnsoNational Manufacturing Institute Scotland
BATHROOM & ENSUITE PODS
PRODUCT INNOVATION
SAFER. FASTER. CHEAPER. GREENER.
Dan Westgate, Managing Director of Brilliant Ideas, outlines some of the obstacles associated with the adoption of new product development and how modular innovations are challenging traditional approaches to construction.
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Imagine being offered modular offsite systems that are robustly tested, tried in real-world conditions to see if they work, voted for by panels of industry judges and proven to be safer, faster, cheaper and greener than traditional methods. What would it take for you to embrace these new technologies in construction?
Based in the Derbyshire Dales, we have made a name for ourselves as inventors and manufacturers of unique construction innovations after seeing first-hand how operatives and engineers complete everyday tasks on-site, and through near misses and accidents. We have invested tens of thousands of pounds in research and development to bring these product and systems to market.
While multiple innovations have been rapidly adopted and deployed by end users and main contractors as more effective alternative systems, including a good chunk of the top 50 construction companies, embracing new technology can be a slow process due to resistance rooted in unfamiliarity, a lack of understanding, and concerns about long-term durability.
Part of our challenge with developing new modular innovations is educating the market that our niche products
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fix common problems. Take Stacker Packers which is the brand name for our levelling shims. Not everyone understands their structural benefits because they are made of plastic. When shims have to be load bearing, the industry ‘go to’ solution is steel because they have a very high compressive strength. But our plastic system is load bearing too, in different sizes and configurations.
Stacker Packers have been used on Everton’s Bramley Moore stadium, Fulham, Anfield and Emirates football Club, Manchester’s Co-op Live, and La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. A lot of thought has gone into the material selection, which is a virgin high impact polystyrene, with UV stabilisers to overcome the yellowing and brittleness linked with prolonged exposure to UV rays, and absolutely critical to performance. Not all plastic shims are load bearing, so it’s important to ask questions about their structural integrity with your supplier. Another unique feature with Stackers is the interlocking protrusion to help keep the load stack stable, and a side profile interlock to create larger load areas.
ALIMATS® is another modular system that comes under the Brilliant Ideas brand. Used under mobile cranes and powered access to spread load, the
interlocking system is manufactured using only green energy from highgrade recycled aluminium in the form of an extruded metallic truss design, making them strong and stiff. Light enough to be set-up by hand, they lower the burden on-site of bringing in heavy machinery at an additional cost.
Perhaps what baffles us most, is why large corners of the construction industry are still ignoring the material properties when specifying mats. Most competing mat manufacturers only focus on promoting the strength of crane mats, and not stiffness. You might question why this is important, but we believe the industry is being completely misled by some crane mat manufacturers quoting unrealistic safe working loads. The impact on the offsite sector is potentially aborted crane lifts when the temporary works engineer realises the plastic mats sat under the crane aren’t fit for purpose because they are not stiff enough, and bend.
Company CEO, Chris Massey is the visionary behind each fully-fledged patented invention. In recognition of his commitment to innovation, Brilliant Ideas was named IPA Innovation Champion 2023, at the British Construction Industry Awards, beating Balfour Beatty Vinci, Sellafield and a joint venture between Alice Technologies, Skanska, Costain and Strabag. In the same year, we also won Most Innovative Supplier at the Building Innovation Awards.
For more information visit: www.brilliantideasltd.co.uk
Images:
01. ALIMATS® lower the burden on-site of bringing in heavy machinery at an additional cost
02. Stacker Packers levelling shims are a load bearing plastic system
Transforming Construction with Knauf’s Offsite Solutions
Accelerating the delivery of building excellence
Experience Knauf’s cutting-edge solutions at Offsite Expo 2024. Knauf’s MMC solutions cut construction time, reduce costs, and contribute to a better built environment, whilst offering a certified performance using exceptional finishes.
Visit the Knauf stand and find out how we’re transforming the face of modern construction.
PRODUCT INNOVATION
VAPOUR CONTROL BOOST
The Reflectashield® and VapourTX® Thermo reflective membranes from Don & Low, maximise thermal performance, enhance overall U-values and can be integrated as a strategic building component.
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From the updated Part L of the UK Building Regulations to the Future Homes Standard, it is clear that energy efficiency and environmental responsibility will continue to rise in importance in construction practices. Given that homes and non-domestic buildings contribute 30% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, thermal performance now matters more than ever before.
On a practical level, there are multiple ways to enhance a structure’s thermal performance. However, when it comes to timber frame, steel frame and modular construction, the use of reflective membranes is among the most convenient and effective solutions.
Don & Low, the vertically integrated UK construction membrane manufacturer, guarantees outstanding results with Reflectashield® and Vapour TX® Thermo, the ultimate reflective duo. These innovative membranes represent the cornerstone of modern construction, where performance, durability and efficiency come together to shape a sustainable future. Both can be used to enhance the overall U-value or be integrated as a strategic component in project cost management to minimise the thickness or type of insulation.
Reflectashield® – a walling membrane for the cold side of the insulation –features a highly reflective aluminium foil lamination. Thanks to its low emissivity, Reflectashield® is ideal
for unventilated airspace scenarios. Beyond its reflective properties, Reflectashield® offers numerous benefits that redefine conventional standards. Acting as a temporary weather-resistant covering until the final façade installation, it provides essential protection during construction phases. At the same time, its low vapour resistance aligns with BS5250 regulations, mitigating the risk of harmful condensation build-up within the frame.
Key Benefits of Reflectashield®
• Excellent Thermal Resistance of 0.81m2K/W
• Provides a weather-resistant covering until the final façade has been installed
• Can be left exposed for 6-12 weeks as STA Advice Note 18
• Aids in complying with BS5250 and Part L
• Low vapour resistance aids in mitigating the risk of interstitial condensation
• Coated to ensure aluminium foil is resistant to corrosion and damage
• Durable product with high nail tear and tensile properties
• Independently third party-certified by BM TRADA to ensure product performance.
VapourTX® Thermo is an advanced vapour control layer (VCL) designed to optimise thermal efficiency across floors, walls and ceilings. Boasting a highly reflective aluminium foil lamination, VapourTX® Thermo excels in creating a low emissivity
environment when faced with unventilated airspace. Positioned on the warm side of the insulation, this reflective membrane acts as an airtight barrier, reducing the risk of condensation build-up and ensuring compliance with BS5250 standards.
Key Benefits of VapourTX® Thermo
• Excellent Thermal Resistance 0.79m2K/W
• Provides a complete air and vapourtight barrier due to high air and vapour resistance
• It can be used to comply with BS5250 and Part L
• Suitable for use in Passivhaus and net zero carbon projects
• Coated to ensure aluminium foil is resistant to corrosion and damage
• Durable product with high nail tear and tensile properties
• Independently third party-certified by BM TRADA to ensure product performance.
For easy and error-free installation, Reflectashield® comes with distinctive blue banding (resembling the cold side of the insulation) while VapourTX® Thermo is supplied with red banding (resembling the warm side of the insulation). When paired, Reflectashield® and VapourTX® Thermo provide optimal thermal efficiency. Additionally, Don & Low’s Reflective Tape serves as a reliable repair solution in case of membrane damage during installation and on-site exposure. Thanks to Don & Low’s firm commitment to quality and excellence, the quest for superior thermal performance ends with Reflectashield® and VapourTX® Thermo.
For more information visit: www.donlow.co.uk
Images:
01. Reflectashield® is a walling membrane for the cold side of the insulation
02. VapourTX® Thermo is an advanced vapour control layer designed to optimise thermal efficiency across floors, walls and ceilings
It’s a Wrap.
When it comes to maximising thermal performance, look no further. Don & Low’s reflective membranes are the ultimate solution. Reflectashield®, a reflective breather membrane for the cold side, and VapourTX® Thermo, a reflective vapour control layer for the warm side of the insulation, work together to enhance energy efficiency and ensure lasting durability in timber frame, steel frame and modular build-ups.
LOOKING FOR A LIGHT STEEL MANUFACTURER THAT TICKS ALL YOUR BOXES?
As industry trailblazers we don’t mess around.
With a ‘can do’ attitude and in-depth technical know-how, the Frameclad team are keen, fiercely competitive and are considered disrupters within the light steel sector.
LOADBEARING STRUCTURES I STUD & TRACK SYSTEMS I INFILL OR OVERSAIL I PANELISED SOLUTIONS
EXPERIENCE – working nationally for 15 years, bringing a wealth of skills to the table
APPROACH – ‘can do’ attitude with the ability to tackle any job large or small
ADAPTABLE – keen to go that extra mile, with tailored consultancy services and flexible pricing structure
AGILE – fiercely competitive with quick turn-around times and the ability to make swift decisions
TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW – in-house expertise with a 12-strong team of designers and engineers
DIGITAL ENGINEERING – bespoke Tekla software offers complete traceability in line with ‘golden thread’ requirements. Enhanced visualisation through augmented and virtual reality
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY – advanced offsite manufacturing delivers precision engineered light steel systems, delivered to site ready for fast-track installation
MANUFACTURING – one of the largest ranges of steel sections available in the UK today
EXTENSIVE SUPPORT – regional teams assist with specification and compliance of SFS systems
ADDED VALUE – through expert design, precision manufacturing and on-time in full delivery
EVIDENCE – fire tested with major board manufacturers with a growing suite of fire test and performance data
INDEPENDENT VALIDATION – BS EN 1090-1: 2009 + A1:2011, BOPAS Accreditation, CE Certified, and SCI / NHBC Stage 1 System Certification Infill Walling
BUILDING SAFETY – fully compliant steel framing systems subject to rigorous safety standards
OVERCOMING LIFESPAN CHALLENGES
Ensuring the longevity of offsite construction methods can be seen as a 60-year challenge. Materials testing specialists Lucideon offer some expert advice on looking at offsite in the long-term.
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Modern methods of construction (MMC) are transforming the building industry, promising efficiency and innovation. Yet, unlike traditional construction with its proven durability, MMC systems need extra steps to ensure they stand the test of time. What are the hurdles and strategies for achieving a 60-year lifespan for MMC components, essential for securing mortgages and ensuring the durability of buildings.
Traditionally, materials like stainless steel and aluminium have provided confidence in durability. However, MMC systems often combine various materials and designs, making longterm performance less predictable. Therefore, regulations now require MMC components to meet a minimum 60-year design life.
One significant challenge is the limitation of current standards. European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAGs) simulate 25 years of weathering through hygrothermal testing, which falls short of the 60-year goal. These tests expose building elements to extreme cycles of heatrain, heat-cold, and wet-freeze to evaluate their resilience.
Durability involves more than weathering. Factors like long-term live loads, wind action, UV exposure,
contaminants, and rain also play crucial roles. To address this, certification bodies such as the Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) use a combination of testing and desk studies.
Lucideon, a leading testing organisation, has developed a method that integrates hygrothermal testing with a thorough desk study. This study gathers detailed information from manufacturers, including production processes, installation manuals, maintenance plans, and component data sheets. Combining these elements with lab results helps form a 60-year durability recommendation. However, there's still debate about whether the current testing regime is adequate. The standard hygrothermal cycles, which include 80 heat-rain, 5 heat-cold, and 30 wet-freeze cycles over seven weeks, might not be enough. Increasing the number of cycles could provide a more robust assessment for longer design lives. Achieving a 60-year durability classification requires a comprehensive approach:
• Desk study: extrapolate test results beyond 25 years by evaluating the longevity of components and fixings
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• Warranty: offers financial assurance for the system's long-term performance
• Full system testing: ensures all components interact without compromising durability. Testing individual components alone isn't enough
• CE marking: confirms that individual components meet safety and performance standards
• Maintenance schedule: essential for upholding the system's warranty and longevity through proper upkeep.
In conclusion, ensuring the 60-year durability of MMC components demands rigorous testing, comprehensive desk studies, and careful material selection. Current standards provide a solid foundation to show how systems perform and Lucideon can provide this service now. In the future testing regimes may change to guarantee the longterm performance and value of MMC buildings, and Lucideon will be able to test to the new standards for you.
For more information visit: www.lucideon.com
Images: 01-02. MMC components demand rigorous testing and careful material selection
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PREFABRICATION DOES IT ALL
Martyn Rowlands, Managing Director of PIPEKIT, outlines why prefabricated modular kits and drainage solutions are in such high demand across the offsite sector.
PIPEKIT’s prefabricated drainage stacks and modular kits utilise leading brand, lightweight materials which can also ensure ease of lifting and working in confined spaces. The prefabricated nature of the stack designs is also easier and faster to install, with only two joins required, which is as simple as two electrofusion couplings (compared with traditional methods), and in turn is particularly prevalent for the complexities of managing the build and fit out of tall buildings, large refurbishment projects or modular construction requirements.
Over the past two years, PIPEKIT, an independent distributor of specialist pipework systems and drainage solutions, has been heavily investing in and expanding its dedicated, inhouse prefabrication service, following significant market demand, specifically in the offsite sector. Working alongside customers including VOLUMETRIC™, market leaders in volumetric modular solutions, PIPEKIT’s prefabricated facility is playing a significant role in helping clients, contractors and developers alike, design and fit high performance, offsite modular solutions.
Offsite prefabricated drainage and modular kit solutions for Pods and PUCs can significantly help contractors change their way of working for the better and navigate some of the complex issues surrounding the design and installation of effective plumbing and drainage systems in various offsite building projects, from tall builds, interim housing, refurbishment projects or modular homes.
Traditional on-site methods using loose piping products, has an over reliance on skilled site-based labour, specialist tooling and storage requirements, which can escalate costs quickly. Conversely, prefabricated drainage systems and modular kits can offer an effective solution to
address the skilled worker shortages, at the same time as drive overall costs down and improve the speed, quality, and reliability of installations. Speed of installation being particularly beneficial, especially in a confined space like a bathroom where other trades require access.
The biggest added value for offsite prefabricated drainage and modular kits is the enhanced level of quality and control it can offer a project. When using PIPEKIT’s prefabrication service, clients can benefit from utilising a highquality, offsite service that minimises the risks and costs before the product even arrives on site. PIPEKIT will work with a customer to develop a set of standard stack designs and modular kits and then manufacture, test, and deliver to site. Typically, the service will deliver a quantity at a time, according to the project’s timings, helping to minimise on-site waste and reduce storage requirements. It also undertakes a 14-point quality control check, including air and pressure testing, with the test record embedded into the QA report for each stack and kit. The whole process takes place in a controlled factory environment from cutting, welding, testing, and packing, without the inclement conditions found on construction sites to help maximise quality assurances.
Commenting on the ongoing partnership with PIPEKIT, Andrew Fawcett, Procurement Manager from VOLUMETRIC™ said: “We have worked in partnership with PIPEKIT for nearly three years and together we have developed innovations that are cost and time saving. We lean heavily on the PIPEKIT supply chain expertise, and they support us in developing our concepts into efficient sub-assemblies, adding value through prefabrication wherever we can.”
It is arguable that using a prefabricated drainage and modular kit service can cost more up front, but the overall project cost savings brought by this offsite method are significant. Plus, when you factor in the ability to increase the reliability of installations, offsite, prefabricated solutions offer an economic, sustainable, quicker and safer option for all.
For more information visit: www.pipekit.co.uk 1 2 Images: 01-02. Prefabricated drainage and modular kits can provide significant project cost savings
GET AHEAD: PREFABRICATED WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
As construction projects adapt to demands for greater efficiency and sustainability, Polypipe Building Services has identified that the design and installation of water management systems is one area where offsite fabrication can offer significant benefits.
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As a complex specialism, the fitting of both water supply and drainage systems requires a considerable investment in terms of time and resources – critical factors for project managers. Polypipe recognises that skills shortages across the UK construction industry are causing significant scheduling challenges, with plumbing being one of the most affected trades. The reduction in available skilled workers can lead to delays in the installation of water management systems and cause bottlenecks, with serious knock-on effects to the wider project.
This is a challenge for both traditional builds and modern methods of construction (MMC) projects but having water management assemblages reach the building site or the MMC factory as ‘readymade’ systems can be a game changer in terms of project control.
Prefabricated systems can be produced in a controlled environment by trained specialists using production line manufacturing techniques, unhampered by the challenges often presented by on-site conditions. By
minimising the overall number of parts and joints, prefabricated systems drastically simplify onsite installation. Fewer skilled workers are required and installation time is reduced. This enables the timely completion of water management systems, which in turn allows project managers to confidently plan dependent work, thereby keeping the whole project on schedule.
Offsite manufacturing delivers advantages beyond pure productivity, such as improved safety on-site. Prefabricated systems can for instance reduce the need for hot works, the manual handling of materials, or working at height.
Prefabrication can also provide sustainability benefits, especially if carried out in the UK by a manufacturer that can demonstrate good waste management and recycling practices. Prefabricated solutions can create zero waste on-site and reduce emissions and congestion created by multiple deliveries.
However, there are some in the construction industry who still hold reservations about the role
prefabrication can play. Central to these are concerns around product quality and maintaining a high standard of support across an entire project. However, the Polypipe Advantage prefabrication service provides complete end-to-end solutions, from design all the way through to delivery. Systems supplied are designed to not only meet performance requirements, but also take into consideration the techniques a customer might use to install them. Ongoing technical support is provided as part of the package, to pre-empt and if necessary, deal with any unforeseen issues.
All units are pressure tested prior to despatch and Polypipe’s in-factory quality assurance systems mean that the highest manufacturing standards are consistently met. In-house logistics management and an established nationwide merchant network create the just-in-time delivery capability that keeps projects on track and eliminates the need for onsite storage. Ultimately, working with a water management specialist, such as Polypipe, to prefabricate drainage and supply systems, leads to faster, safer, more cost-efficient and more sustainable projects – whether carried out on-site or in an MMC facility.
For more information visit: www.polypipe.com/polypipeadvantage
Images: 01-02. ‘Readymade’ systems can be a game changer in terms of project control
PRODUCT INNOVATION
BOARDS OF CHOICE
Building boards play an important part of all construction projects and choosing the correct one can impact hugely on building performance. With a range of products, Kemwell Facades are well placed to support the modular office building sector.
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Kemwell Facades is one of the UK’s most respected names in the supply of building boards that provide weather protection, acoustic qualities, and fire resistance properties for the construction industry. The adaptable nature of the range helps architects, contractors, and installers to produce bespoke solutions to achieve innovative building design and construction for façades and flooring applications, ensuring a fit-for-purpose and accredited solution is specified and delivered.
Kemwell’s product and design solutions save time in construction, are easy to install, and provide robust solutions which are easy and safe to transport and can be adapted on-site.
Weather Resistant Sheathing Boards
WeatherKem is a BBA-approved (section 7), high-performance calcium silicate fibre cement weatherproof building board, combining weather, moisture, and fire resistance properties with high impact strength and sound insulation. WeatherKem is suitable for all locations and building types with an A1 reaction to fire classification for the boards in accordance with BS EN 13501/1 2007.
It is primarily used as an external sheathing board on LGSF and timber structures of all types of façade solutions, including offsite residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, as well as modular educational and healthcare projects. WeatherKem is suited for external wall-lining applications and is tested and fire-rated for load bearing SFS for up to 90 minutes and non-load-bearing requirements for 60, 90 and 120 minutes. It is also approved for use by the manufacturers of a wide range of directly applied renders, and as part of EWI insulation and render systems.
Flooring Board System
KemFloor is an A1 fire-rated, non-combustible fibre cement flooring board with high sound, thermal and moisture-resisting properties. Its high density provides superb acoustic properties. It is used as a durable flooring board and is supplied with a UK factory-engineered tongue and grooved edge profile to form a strong and seamless joint (also available with a straight edge). It has excellent load-bearing capabilities. It can be used on traditional joists, engineered joists and batten floor systems. It is suitable for raised access flooring systems, to enhance underfloor heating systems, and for mezzanine
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flooring, balconies, and lofts, and in bathrooms and wetrooms.
Tracker Panel for Brick Slips
The KemTrack Brick Slip Tracker Panel board is a highly adaptable and time-saving product which is the perfect housing for brick slips, commonly used in offsite construction. Its modular nature means it can be adapted for use for any size and configuration of brickwork design. The ability to provide bespoke panels through in-house UK ISO 9001 manufacturing and precision CNC routing is a huge benefit. The panels are manufactured from A1 fire-rated, non-combustible fibre cement board and have high sound, thermal and moisture-resisting properties.
All Kemwell products are independently tested and certified and supported by an expert design and support team to guide construction managers through every stage of their offsite construction project.
For more information visit: www.kemwell-facades.com
Images:
01-02. Factory-fitted building boards are highly adaptable and time-saving products perfect for offsite construction
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FARMING THE URBAN QUARRY
The efficient use of materials within the built environment is under constant scrutiny. Added to this are concentrated efforts to work within an improved circular approach to reduce, reuse and recycle. All of this was under discussion at a recent roundtable hosted by Aggregate Industries.
There are many innovations and opportunities to improve and secure long term use and processing of our precious natural resources and essential building materials. The construction – and demolition industry – needs to rethink the way we design, build and ultimately use end-of-life products.
Under the overarching theme of ‘Farming the Urban Quarry’ three key topics under discussion were – material harvesting, circularity and design for deconstruction/reuse – and the key drivers to these concepts, with one eye on the opportunities the offsite manufacturing sector might present in facilitating new ways of thinking about how we design and procure the buildings of the future.
Old buildings = new materials ‘Harvesting’ what already exists and extending the use of materials within our buildings is a society imperative – essentially how can we maximise the built environment we create with
a carbon-sensitive eye on the future? “We need to reduce our waste in the first place by extending the life of our buildings and the various elements within them,” said Elaine Toogood, Director, Architecture and Sustainable Design, Concrete Centre. “I certainly think there are huge amounts of collaboration and stakeholder engagement, looking at the challenge of how we can do better. Changes in planning policy can be instrumental in promoting reuse.”
With planners central to decision making and carbon drivers underpinning many changes, there is strong correlation between the circular economy and reducing waste generally, that can boost developments at a project level and at national level to help decarbonise. But new ways of working and implementation are not easy to embed. A change in class specification allowing building conversion from office to residential is a ‘tangible’ thing to happen to extend building life
said Urbana’s Chloe Parmentar: “But it doesn't explicitly reference the fact that it’s the best low carbon option. It doesn't really talk about the circular economy.”
Is there an appetite from funders to back a building that isn't new and just convert or upgrade what already exists: are there incentives to push that agenda forward? Conversations are changing but there is a disconnect it seems between the related concepts of decarbonisation, net zero and overall circularity.
What does circularity mean? “Some of this is just about cleaning up the mess of the linear economy, the stuff we've already created,” said Eoin Bailey, UK Innovation & Circular Economy Lead at Celsa UK. “True circularity is designing from scratch and utilising what we already have.”
Building regulations, management systems and the various construction protocols need to better incentivise circularity and encourage specifiers to think about buildings from a different perspective.
Ultimately any approach must be costeffective as well as environmentally effective. But to quantify the value of what already exists, with a view to the future, with more evidence-based reasoning – or even a new commercial or technical model – is required. Pre-demolition audits can only do so much. As with many aspects of the construction world, better data and science-based evidence is needed on what is available in the building today that can be re-purposed tomorrow. The diversity of materials to ‘farm’ from our built environment is wide – from structural elements to interior fit-out –down to simple everyday items such as
chairs or carpet tiles. Decarbonisation is a driver to doing more with this ‘waste’ but is this a correct description when we think of repurposing used material? “They’re valuable resources,” says Eoin. “We need to stop thinking of resources as waste, we just haven't figured out what to do with them yet.”
It was pointed out that it’s assumed that if anyone is ‘doing recycling’, they're ‘doing the circular economy’. That's not the case – recycling should be a last resort. We need to think more about reusability and more ‘adaptability’ and using materials as many times as possible until there's nothing left to do with it, while keeping a high level of performance and quality.
The feeling is that we need to understand how to utilise materials more effectively and introduce newer definitions of value – e.g. carbon, financial, resource or social values –rather than simple disposal. Incentives for developers to reuse demolition resource seem to still be at bare minimum. If the circular economy –as with offsite construction – can be defined as a system and process, rather than the evolution of a product, what needs to improve?
“What we do need to change is our segregation,” continued Eoin. “How we separate materials when we demolish the building: you need to understand what materials there are and then start talking about quality.” This may need the creation of ‘meanwhile sites’ as temporary storage, or the repositioning of programmes such as the sidelined National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP). This was set up to: “identify mutually profitable transactions between companies, so that underused or undervalued resources (including energy, waste, water and logistics) are brought into productive use.” The basic aim is to seek to connect markets together to divert waste from landfill.
Smart developments
We live in a data age that is constantly gaining momentum and size. Can we simply just communicate better, as Leon Black, Professor of Infrastructure Materials at Leeds University pointed out: “I've heard on a number of occasions where there could be steel to reuse, but the storage of it is a problem and if only a potential user
could have had a few weeks’ notice, it could have been picked up.” Being able to highlight what is becoming available earlier in a demolition process (weeks/months’ time) could be done digitally relatively easily.
Having a smart policy for change is “easier to say than implement.” Regulations for building waste reuse and deconstruction do need updating plus a change in mindset – this once again includes an education process for the planning fraternity and a clearer understanding of the way materials can be given value and fed back into the supply chain effectively. Complicated metrics are involved in reusing recycled content. But it's about “planning for the future. If you don't think about the long-term picture, you're just setting yourself up to fail.”
This long-term thinking about what a building comprises of and how it be repurposed in the future can be difficult for people to assess. In the commercial sector it can be “quite complicated”, as you're asking for a client to invest quite a lot at the beginning in the preparation of a building with a view to future reclamation value – but how do you incentivise something that is going to be valuable (potentially) to someone else in 75+ years?
Product innovation and efficiency
As cement and concrete currently account for 7% of global CO2 emissions, innovative materials and processes such as recycled cement paste (RCP) and emerging developments such as the Cambridge Electric Cement – being developed by Cambridge University’s Department of Engineering – where concrete is recycled by reactivating it through a steel recycling process, could have profound implications for precast concrete. The process could potentially produce one billion tonnes per year by 2050, to effectively ‘upcycle cement’ to a zero-carbon product.
But as Mark Hickingbottom Commercial Director, Aggregate Industries points out, these developments aren’t cheap. “To pursue these kinds of innovations, academics and other industry disruptors are being supported by Aggregate Industries, who are investing in 50-plus startups in the UK. These kinds of innovations
are starting to accelerate and are encouraging the on-going ‘farming of the urban environment’.
“We really need to continue to make these exploratory innovations more affordable, not just via business backing but also through more focused Government support and incentives for companies embracing circularity. Incentives such as grants and subsidies that look to lower the financial barriers for innovators would no doubt be welcomed and encourage collaboration of sustainable practices throughout the construction industry.”
Design for deconstruction and repurposing
It's a challenge to design and construct any building but planning in detail how to have it efficiently taken apart decades in the future is something else. “We talk about it a lot,” said Holly-Mo Vyse, Senior Sustainability Consultant for Buro Happold. “It's something that I would love to see clients do more of and it’s something we're really trying to push. The problem with design for deconstruction is it’s a slightly newer concept, so you are asking structural engineers to design differently with a bit more thought. You're trying to change ‘business as usual’, which is a good thing, but it can be a slightly challenging thing to do.”
A reasonable question to ask is how often does design for deconstruction get discussed and delivered with serious intent? Retail, sports facilities and multi-storey car parks are prime examples of design for deconstruction – e.g. the entire upper tiers of London’s Olympic Stadium were all built in precast concrete and designed to be disassembled.
CIRCULARITY ROUNDTABLE
“I think one thing is to recognise that it doesn’t necessarily need to be the entire structure and building that you design for disassembly,” said Elaine Toogood. “It's elements of it, more of a case for design for adaptation and the most appropriate answer for the anticipated end-of-life scenario.”
It is also knowing what is possible. Structural engineers, architects and sustainability advisors need to understand the limits and what is genuinely achievable, what functions and applications can be designed in more easily. External structure may stay the same, but everything inside could – and probably will – change. It’s a case of ‘structure versus stuff’ and incentivising the whole design process. Offsite manufacture has excelled with standardised elements, platform design and kit of parts approaches, that encourage reuse, reformatting or ‘optioneering’ of the best elements.
Material passports
We know a lot about what we build today, but in 60-100 years’ time when a building could be approaching its endof-life, how will we truly understand the building fabric and countless interior components value? The emergence of digital material passports can unlock a building’s reuse potential in forensic detail. These electronic datasets both document and maintain details about building performance and the properties of materials plus structural information and characteristics. They also record the materials’ location within the building, any physical markings or hazardous components, and are being hailed alongside environmental product declaration (EPD) and RFID tags as tools to help define a buildings circular and carbon impact. Waterman Group are presently using ‘Edenica’ a 94,000sq ft commercial office development, in London’s Holborn, as a pioneering materials passport scheme, attempting to understand the building as a ‘material bank’, to enabling future re-use of materials.
Much is made of the lessons that construction industry can learn from the automotive industry. Part of that is utilising data and understanding the value of that data to link back to the ‘material bank’ of a building. “But there's an intellectual property aspect to this,” added Elaine Toogood. “Who owns that data? How is that going
to be translated and communicated in the future and in what format? Buildings could last a lot longer than the technology that we use to share data about them.”
It may be as simple as putting a QR code on the building, or for product manufacturers to stamp products with a new mark as reusable or recyclable in a deconstruction context – what can be reused or recycled to what grade and future quality – is there a degradation?
Offsite manufacturing has many controllable processes. It is generally understood what is in each building or system that is delivered, unlike the diverse supply chain of traditional construction which could contain a huge mix of products. But there needs to be a recognition of material context, its use and longevity. As data collection becomes more sophisticated, the use of BIM and digital twins make it easier to interpret and analyse material constraints. The hope is that all building elements and materials can somehow be quantified and marked for adaptive purposes –and if this information is set to exist in an open-source cloud environment –the data has to be in an accessible and open format.
Digital material passports provide an immediacy and accessibility of information for all users. If a developer is looking at a particular site pre- or post-demolition, they can gauge what materials are becoming available and opportunities to repurpose a significant amount. “That would be advantageous,” says Holly-Mo Vyse. “Materials are expensive. We need to change how we value our materials to the point where we have to reuse them.”
ATTENDEES
Clearly a paradigm shift is required towards demolition and material reuse and its role within the wider circular and sustainability agendas. Harvesting and farming our urban areas –reclaiming our natural resources – is within our capabilities and implementing systems that enable all parts of the supply chain, from clients and developers to structural engineers and design teams needs reformatting. How this is incentivised is through better collaboration, education and valuable case studies – or just thinking it’s the right thing to do ethically and best practice. Or more probably by legislation such as the Building Safety Act and mandated design.
Design for deconstruction in the right circumstances can provide a new lease of life for old materials and critically continue to lock in carbon and remove needless waste to landfill. This is already taking place internationally. One example is The Circle House in Aarhus, Denmark, a social housing project where primarily precast concrete components have been designed to be disassembled and reused in new structures. These kinds of case studies and the learning taken from them go a long way to prove the ethos driving design for deconstruction, material longevity and circularity.
Many thanks to Aggregate Industries for hosting the roundtable event and thanks to all participants for their time and contributions to the lively discussion.
For more information visit: www.aggregate.com
Facilitator: Darren Richards – Managing Director, Cogent Consulting
Eoin Bailey – UK Innovation & Circular Economy Lead, Celsa UK
Leon Black – Professor of Infrastructure Materials, University of Leeds
Mark Hickingbottom – Commercial Director, Aggregate Industries
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OFFSITE OPTIMISM
Recent years have been challenging for the construction industry, with inflation, cost of materials and skill shortages all impacting heavily. But looking ahead, Jonathan Stockton, NG Bailey’s CEO sees plenty of reasons to be positive.
With net zero high on the UK’s agenda, there’s lots of opportunities for the right businesses to play their part in the decarbonisation of the economy. At NG Bailey, we are well-positioned to support this, with a growing pipeline of work that plays to our strengths as one of the UK’s leading engineering and services businesses.
Key to this has been our continued investment in offsite and modern methods of construction (MMC) to deliver the buildings and services that will help the UK reach its net zero goals. 2024 is already on track to be a record year in offsite, and we are looking forward to using our flexible model to ensure we can continue to meet the increasing demand from customers. Looking ahead, we have three main priorities, which offsite manufacturing and MMC are central to.
Decarbonising the economy
The UK is one of the leading signatories on the Net Zero Government Initiative which aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Because of this, we’re expecting to see considerable investment from the UK government in sustainable infrastructure, with offsite manufacturing playing a vital role.
At NG Bailey, we’re uniquely positioned to support the UK’s transition to net zero as we’ve championed offsite manufacturing to create greener infrastructure for years. One of my favourite examples of this is our work on The Forge for Landsec, the UK’s first net zero office building. We developed, manufactured and installed a mechanical and electrical (M&E) kit of parts for The Forge – the world’s first large scale office building
designed and constructed this way. Our P-DfMA approach reduced operative hours by circa 20,000 and removed over 500 tonnes of carbon from the project thanks to our offsite manufacturing capabilities.
Moving forward we are excited to continue to use our expertise in offsite manufacturing, renewable connections and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support the UK’s decarbonisation. We’re already contributing to this as part of the MEH Alliance for Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first nuclear power station in two decades.
Investing in offsite
Offsite manufacturing will continue playing a significant role in the UK’s transition toward net zero, helping to reduce emissions. It also brings
significant cost and project time saving benefits, as well as minimising waste and improving safety. Over the years, we’ve built a strong reputation as experts in offsite manufacturing, with this being in no small part because of our specialist offsite facility in Bradford, which has been in operation since the early 1990’s.
Our offsite capabilities are increasingly used as the industry is seeing the data on its benefits, It’s easy to see why, with these methods allowing us to accelerate programmes compared to traditional construction, as well as offering more certainty on costs.
This increase in offsite has driven us to maximise standardisation by using a suite of pre-designed, engineered and modelled offsite products, that is helping to streamline the process between design and assembly in our offsite facility. We’re also increasingly using offsite to build a huge range
BOOTH STREET EAST
of products – from substations and distribution boards to airline pods and EV charging – rather than just supporting engineering. We’re looking forward to continuing to invest in offsite in the year ahead, including accelerating the digitalisation of our systems to support our continuous journey of being a safer, more informed and sustainable business.
Nurturing our people
One of the biggest challenges in our industry right now is the skills shortage. Competition for recruiting and retaining people remains tough, which is why one of our key priorities is investing in our talent. I’ve always respected NG Bailey’s emphasis on creating a culture that prioritises its people and I’m looking forward to continuing this legacy. One of the ways we do this is through our awardwinning apprenticeship scheme which has been running since 1934. We also have a fantastic graduate scheme
NG Bailey was appointed by the University of Manchester as the principal contractor and MEP designer for its Booth Street East building. The key aims of the project were to address long-term maintenance issues and deliver technologies aligned with the university’s zero-carbon masterplan.
Having had our own near-term net zero targets approved by the SBTi we were able to use our expertise to support the university on its own net zero journey. We delivered a range of MEP installations including new air source heat pumps and CO2- efficient lighting, alongside a decorative refurbishment of the building.
Our work brought Booth Street East back into use after being unoccupied since 2018. The building now houses the university’s flexible learning project team and provides specialist areas for hyflex teaching spaces, podcasting studios, and VR experience pods. Refurbished with sustainability at the core of its ethos it has recently been awarded the ‘Large project of the Year’ Award at the Estates and Facilities Outstanding Contribution Awards.
For more information visit: www.ngbailey.com
and provide tailored training to all employees, supporting them at every stage of their career development.
As the construction industry continues to shift toward MMC and offsite manufacturing, we need a skilled workforce to deliver projects and drive future innovation. So, to nurture the future leaders of NG Bailey, we’re heavily investing in learning and development programmes. In 2023/24 we delivered more than 24,500 training days and we’re about to launch two new leadership development programmes. These programmes take a blended approach to strengthen our team’s capabilities and confidence, giving them the skills needed to support our future growth.
Looking to the future
Whilst market conditions remain challenging, we’re in a strong position and can remain selective about the work we’re securing. This allows us to focus on projects which centre on MMC and offsite manufacturing. Of course, we couldn’t do any of this without our extensive operational skills, experience and our talented people at every level.
We’re committed to being a responsible business, from our own net zero strategy to ensuring we’re paying our supply chain on time. Ultimately, we’re feeling confident about the future and using our platform as the UK’s largest independent engineering and services business to set the standard for sustainable, socially responsible construction.
Images: 01. Jonathan Stockton, CEO, NG Bailey 02-04. Offsite manufacturing facility, Bradford
STRUCTURAL TIMBER
TECHNIQUE: REVITALISING THE URBAN LANDSCAPE
‘Technique’ utilises the benefits of a hybrid structural timber and steelwork solution to revitalise the urban landscape and also achieve superb carbon efficiency ratings.
Technique stands out as a truly unique commercial redevelopment of two adjoining mid-20th century properties, located in Clerkenwell, London. It has succeeded in harmonising and extending the useable space in a way that offers exceptional flexibility in its new commercial role, while simultaneously achieving outstanding levels of sustainability.
The imaginative unification of the two outdated industrial buildings has created three attractive new floors, which helped achieve the ambitious overall financial, practical and environmental goals for this building. Working with developer General Projects, the client set out to deliver a development encapsulating high standards of architecture and specification, which would minimise waste of energy and resources. The result is a BREEAM Excellent rated building and Technique has earned wide acclaim for its attractive remodelling, utilising extensive elements of exposed engineered timber.
The use of timber helped navigate a complex planning process and maximised the area uplift on a retained RC structure with serious existing limitations. Amr Asaad at architects Buckley Gray Yeoman (BGY) said:
“There were initial benefits (to using timber) such as the lower weight, requiring far less reinforcement of the foundations, and then the enhanced future flexibility it provides in terms of adapting the building to different needs.”
This integrated package was delivered by specialist timber subcontractor B&K Structures in collaboration with suppliers Binderholz (for the cross laminated timber (CLT) and Derix (glulam). The quality and accuracy of the offsite manufacturing methods, in combination with advanced scheduling and site erection tools, helped attain program deadlines: while the use of timber meant lorry deliveries were cut by up to 70% - key for a site where space and complexity presented significant challenges.
Fred Schwass, Development Director, General Projects said: “Our team has worked together as pioneers in mass timber, delivering unique spaces which prioritise quality and aesthetics over lettable space. For Technique we were also able to ensure cost certainty on the structural elements, meaning we had a pain/gain share agreement, so the client had reasonable cost certainty during construction.”
Sustainability and low carbon targets were crucial to the measured success of the project, and this was a key consideration throughout. In total, the 648.38 cubic metres of engineered timber supplied for the redevelopment carry 100% PEFC chain of custody and offer maximum points at MAT03 of BREEAM, while the Greenhouse gases
stored during its growth amount to 484.3 tonnes of CO2e.
Andy Heyne, Partner at HTS: “The dedication to aesthetic yet low environmental impact materials is carried throughout the entire building. Significantly, the exposed structure celebrates the building by transposing a new CLT frame with the same grid; the timber slabs provide flexibility to connect floors with staircases, if required by a future multi-floor tenant.”
Thanks to the responsible management of European forests where the trees were sourced, from cradle to grave, the 374 Kg CO2e /m2 figure exceeds RIBA 2030 targets and equates to LETI Band A. Furthermore, as the timber was sourced from sustainably managed European forests, it can be shown to have regrown in just 142 seconds. The CLT used is formaldehyde-free and the adhesives in the timber Glulam conform to EN 301, formaldehyde class E1 - giving maximum points at BREEAM EA02 – contributing to Technique earning a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Lee Roberts, Pre-Construction Director at B&K Structures said: “Technique is another fantastic addition to our commercial portfolio and showcases the benefits that a hybrid timber and steel solution can bring to complex refurbishment projects. The faultless design and build process by the BKS team is testament to our longstanding experience and expertise with this type of scheme.”
Technique emerges as a groundbreaking example of innovative commercial redevelopment. In essence, Technique not only revitalises the urban landscape through sustainable redevelopment, but also exemplifies a harmonious blend of architectural innovation and sustainability. As a pioneer in mass timber construction, it sets a precedent for future developments to follow.
For more information visit: www.bkstructures.co.uk
Images: 01-02. Technique is a unique commercial redevelopment of two adjoining mid-20th century buildings using a hybrid timber and steel approach
The Structural Timber Awards serve as a prominent platform to showcase and establish benchmarks for excellence within this dynamic sector. With a range of categories available for sponsorship at our 2024 awards, this highly recognised event provides an opportunity to align your brand with influencers and pioneers. The 2024 shortlist has been announced, so now is the perfect time to sign up as a sponsor and align your business with the Structural Timber Awards, to demonstrate your commitment to fostering progression, innovation, and talent in timber design, engineering, and construction.
OPTOPPEN –A NO BRAINER?
Adding timber to existing buildings using lightweight roof extensions in mass timber can deliver massive carbon and construction benefits. Kelly Harrison, Director at Whitby Wood explain how.
In 2020 Whitby Wood plotted our ‘route to zero’ across our business operations, including the materials we specify in our projects. It quickly became apparent that, in the status quo, reaching our carbon goals is currently heavily dependent on technological advancements in hardto-abate materials.
The UK Government’s COP26 policies also rely on the deployment of new technology options that won’t be operating at scale within thirty years. We need to move faster and work within the parameters we have to reduce carbon emitted now. So how can we use our technical expertise and our increasing understanding of bio-based materials to affect industry change before then?
Lightweight & low carbon
We are part of the UKFIRES consortium of industry and academic partners linking resource research with the engineering knowledge and skills needed to address the scientific and technological challenges facing the construction industry. Their premise is to find the business opportunity in using less and using the low-carbon technologies that already exist today. Based on our route to zero data, our lowest embodied carbon figures were achieved by projects that added to existing buildings using lightweight roof extensions in mass timber – or ‘Optoppen’, meaning ‘topping up’ in Dutch.
The high strength to weight ratio of industrialised timber enables the maximum possible floor area
to be added to existing structures, without the need for strengthening or the addition of foundations, which regularly account for around half of the embodied carbon of a building. Some of our projects using Optoppen are reaching the IStructE’s SCORS targets for 2045+, today, already – proof that it can be done.
At a city scale, adding to existing buildings utilises existing infrastructure to its maximum, rather than requiring new transport, services and drainage at the edge of urban areas and adding to urban sprawl. The carbon sequestered in the wood remains in the bones of the new structure, where it will be locked away for the remaining life of the building – as well as being designed for disassembly and use in a future circular market. 1 2
STRUCTURAL TIMBER
This way, our existing urban landscape is upgraded to act as a carbon store. And let’s not forget value. Most existing buildings require retrofitting to meet energy targets and attract tenants in commercial buildings and reduce bills and prevent energy poverty in residential buildings. The scale of retrofit requirements is enormous. Adding lightweight, prefabricated extensions, creating value through additional units and
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floor area, could help fund the energy upgrade of the entire building.
Densification and energy efficiency, all whilst creating carbon sinks – a nobrainer? But there remain barriers to Optoppen – planning requirements, fire safety design, cost, perceived risk and insurance implications and an industry struggling with a lack of incentive, or margins, to consider ‘redevelopment’ in a new way.
2 SOHO SQUARE, WESTMINSTER, LONDON, UK
2 Soho Square is the refurbishment and extension of a listed Georgian townhouse for a private client and designed by architect Child Graddon Lewis. Located in the Soho Conservation Area, the scheme provides contemporary Grade A workspaces whilst restoring many of the building’s original features. The Grade II listed office building was in a state of disrepair. The existing structure needed to be strengthened and restored, keeping to its original state where possible. As structural engineer for the refurbishment and extension, we took the building and created more space as well as easier access. The addition of a lightweight timber extension at roof level creates additional office space and aims to enhance the building’s presence within the square. For more information visit: www.whitbywood.com www.builtbn.org/solutions/optoppen/867
Rethink redevelopment Innovation projects, led by technical experts, can demonstrate new approaches – to both building owners and asset managers, and city planners and policymakers. Through our collaboration with the Built by Nature’s UK and European networks, Whitby Wood is leading a consortium of partners in the UK, Netherlands and Spain working to champion the vertical extension potential of our buildings and cities including Creative City Solutions, Holland Houtland, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Mule Studio, New Urban Networks EU and Rising Tide.
Courtesy Whitby Wood/ Jim Stephenson 3
Funded by Built by Nature, the consortium is developing the Optoppen web platform and interactive tool for owners to assess their building stock and opportunity for extension, to determine how much floor area can be added and the amount of carbon can they store. The platform will also share examples of enabling policies to inspire regulatory change, and the potential city-scale impact looking at London, Rotterdam and Barcelona.
Optoppen, the lightweight roof extensions using timber and other biomaterials, increases the floor area in existing buildings, contributes to urban decarbonisation targets, carbon sinks, densification strategies and an efficient use of existing infrastructure. It’s a key step in the circular economy: using, and upgrading, the structures we have – and giving them longer lives.
Six months into the project, we are already being joined by developers, city officials and investors who realise the potential for sensitively ‘topping up’. As the movement grows, we hope to incentivise change in the planning system to encourage specific, considered fire design approaches for this type of construction, alter the economics looking at whole life carbon and carbon taxation, and lead to new relationships with timber MMC producers and refurbishment specialists. Due for release in November 2024, the Optoppen Built by Nature funded web platform aims to make an Impact on a City Scale.
Images: 01-04. Soho Square shows what can be done using an Optoppen approach.
EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION
JJ Smith is incredibly proud to be awarded with the prestigious King’s Award for International Trade 2024.
A fourth-generation family business founded in 1923, the Knowsley based company has been at the forefront of engineering for over one hundred years. Establishing itself as a leader in providing woodworking machining solutions to the timber frame sector after building up a wealth of experience surrounding international trade, JJ Smith maintains close working relationship with suppliers
from across the globe to innovate and develop cutting-edge technology tailored to the unique needs of the offsite construction industry.
The company supplies the offsite construction sector with innovative timber frame machinery such as framing stations, panel lifting equipment and heavy-duty automatic crosscut saws.
As a small business, JJ Smith offers a personal touch with a dedicated sales team and highly trained engineers, providing the most technically suitable and cost-effective machining solutions
Offsite construction machinery and equipment
At Modular Building Automation, we design, build and support innovative automated solutions for the timber frame and off-site construction sector, ranging from stand-alone machines to complete production lines and ancillary equipment.
to meet production requirements within the timber frame industry, as well as providing technical support, servicing and aftercare.
Fourth-generation family member and Managing Director, Rachael Baker, commented: “What an incredible honour for JJ Smith and our community. As one of only four organisations in Merseyside to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise, we believe it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of every member of our team. It’s a recognition of our commitment to excellence and innovation in the woodworking machinery industry, especially within the timber frame sector, as well as the work we have done over the past few years with the local community to provide more opportunities to young people. As a proud Knowsley business, we believe passionately in the role we play within the community and are keen to help other businesses within the Liverpool City Region to engage with their communities.”
For more information visit: www.jjsmith.co.uk
Images: 01. The JJ Smith team
THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN
Get ready for OFFSITE EXPO. As the offsite industry’s most important event, it serves as a unique platform for collaboration across the sector. What can you expect to see and hear?
experts from around the world to share insights and practical tips for success from a variety of globally renowned projects.
Held once again at the Coventry Building Society Arena, 17–18 September, OFFSITE EXPO will bring together the construction industry’s ‘big hitters’ and showcase the accomplishments of all the product designers, architects and manufacturers specialising in offsite technologies.
This year everything has been ramped up another level and the show is integrated into Offsite Construction Week. This features a multitude of interactive panel discussions, factory tours and the annual Offsite Awards. This year Offsite Expo is co-hosting the INTERNATIONAL OFFSITE SUMMIT in tandem with BUILDOFFSITE, who have invited an impressive lineup of industry
Created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of BUILDOFFSITE, this prestigious co-located event serves as a platform for international collaboration and knowledge exchange within the offsite construction arena. We invite OFFSITE EXPO delegates to join BUILDOFFSITE and their members in this free to access OFFSITE SUMMIT to explore ways to realise a sustainable, efficient and resilient future for the built environment. Full details of the OFFSITE SUMMIT can be found on Page 22.
Additionally, Offsite Expo will offer a wide range of free to access CPDcertified MASTERCLASS SEMINARS These sessions will focus on content curated by the Offsite Construction Week Advisory Group – some of the
most prominent experts on offsite technology. Speakers – including policymakers, clients, and specifiers will present the unique challenges, successes and visions for each vertical sector, from infrastructure to education, and healthcare to housing.
As always, OFFSITE EXPO provides immersive access to the technologies and trends that are transforming the construction industry. This year, there will be an emphasis on construction industrialisation, kit of parts and platform design, skills gaps, and productivity challenges. Featuring the most comprehensive display of 2D panelised, 3D volumetric modular and pod technologies, across the structural timber, light steel frame and precast concrete material portfolios – awardwinning industry pioneers will shed light on the ideas and innovations that are fundamental in meeting net zero carbon targets.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT OFFSITE EXPO
EXHIBITION
At the heart of OFFSITE EXPO is its extensive exhibition, featuring a diverse range of exhibitors showcasing the latest products, technologies, and services for offsite construction. Providing an interactive experience, OFFSITE EXPO showcases nearly 150 offsite specialists from across Europe and beyond who will unveil their latest products and services, plus be on hand to give expert advice. A variety of feature builds will also be positioned throughout the show.
Featuring the smart technologies that are changing the face of construction – from immersive reality that is revolutionising the design process and sign off protocols – to smart helmets and digital software efficiencies, OFFSITE EXPO gathers the most comprehensive display of lean and green manufacturing technologies, live demonstrations, product launches and digital discoveries through artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins.
Visitors can expect to see:
• Modular Construction: discover new systems based on timber, steel and concrete, that promise faster, more efficient construction processes
• 2D Panelised Systems: cutting-edge panelised systems for walls, floors, and roofs that improve construction quality and reduce build times
• 3D Volumetric Systems: advanced volumetric construction methods that enable complete rooms or structures to be manufactured offsite and assembled on-site
• Hybrid Systems: innovative systems that combine various offsite construction methods for optimal results.
MASTERCLASS THEATRE
The CPD-accredited Masterclasses at OFFSITE EXPO are informative seminars and interactive panel debates featuring a robust programme of seminars and workshops designed to educate and inspire attendees. These sessions will be chaired by key names in architecture, housing, education and infrastructure development in the UK and will cover a wide range of topics, including:
• Opportunities for MMC Implementation: navigating the regulatory landscape, access to financing, compliance with new policies where experts will provide practical tips on overcoming roadblocks
• Education: from showcasing good practice on student accommodation to discussing the next generation of standardised designs and methods of delivery, including panelised and component systems, this session will assess where we are on the path to implementing the Department of Education’s MMC1 framework
• Circularity and Construction Methods for the Future: exploring how offsite methods can contribute to more sustainable building practices
• Housing Policy and Offsite Construction Methods: we will discuss the opportunities that the Government’s ambitious housing agenda presents for offsite manufacturers and the role that local authorities and MMC experts play in adopting offsite technologies for residential projects
• Platform Design and DfMA: the role of digital tools and technologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), in enhancing offsite construction processes
• Digital Construction Enabling Industrialisation: transforming the built environment by integrating advanced digital design and manufacturing technology, offsite solutions deliver more efficient, scalable, sustainable and industrialised construction practices
• Infrastructure (MoJ and MoD perspectives): a discussion of some successful implementations of MMC in infrastructure and how the industry can enable larger adoption of offsite technologies in these sectors
• Healthcare: the New Hospital Programme (NHP) targets require new technology solutions to lessen project complexity, presenting ample opportunity for MMC to help improve on-site performance and accelerate project delivery. We will discuss the practical implications of the NHP for suppliers and the future of UK hospitals
• Building Safety in Construction: Construction Playbook applications and challenges for offsite manufacturers. How does the new safety legislation influence materials selection, routes to market and are material passports the solution we need to ensure safety from suppliers?
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Networking is a key component of OFFSITE EXPO. Throughout the two days, the show will welcome approx. 5,000 visitors, host over 130 exhibition stands, hear from 100+ speakers and facilitate one-to-one meetings in the OFFSITE CONNECT Forum.
It is also the quality of delegates that sets OFFSITE EXPO apart. The event brings together those who are focused firmly on the future. These construction professionals value the opportunity to meet in a collaborative and informative environment, maximising the use of their time by engaging in OFFSITE CONNECT – a facilitated ‘meet and greet’ forum that matches buyer and specifier needs with technology suppliers and advisors.
OFFSITE CONNECT Forum is an exclusive opportunity for exhibitors to meet faceto-face with industry professionals with a buying or specifying remit operating across every sector – from infrastructure to education and healthcare to housing. This focused approach has proven to be highly successful in creating new business relationships and facilitating meetings that allow architects, engineers, specifiers, developers and contractors to get the most out of their time at the event.
All participants in the forum have a strong desire to engage at the highest level with decision makers and individuals with direct influence over procurement decisions. Appointments can be requested and scheduled in advance via an online diary and one-to-one business meetings take place in the comfort of the OFFSITE CONNECT lounge built by LGSF.
In an era dominated by remote and digital experiences, this live event offers unparalleled opportunities to escape the virtual world, chat face to face and look to new horizons that can address the sustainability challenges and productivity issues that have plagued the construction industry for decades. The event provides numerous opportunities for attendees to connect with industry leaders, potential partners, and peers.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
OFFSITE EXPO also hosts the gold standard Offsite Awards This celebrates outstanding achievements in the offsite construction sector, with 23 categories covering every aspect of the industry and rewards outstanding people and technical innovations that make these inspiring projects possible.
Taking place alongside OFFSITE EXPO on the evening of 17 September at the Coventry Building Society Arena, the Offsite Awards 10th anniversary celebrations are an excellent way to relax and unwind after the show. With his cheeky sense of humour, Mark Durden-Smith will be chairing proceedings, and the informal drinks reception will offer plenty of networking opportunities.
TOP 5 REASONS FOR ATTENDING OFFSITE EXPO 2024
Access to Leading Innovations
Attendees can see the latest innovations in offsite construction. The event showcases cuttingedge technologies and methods that can help improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality in construction projects.
Educational Opportunities
The seminars and workshops provide valuable insights into the latest trends and developments in the industry. Attendees can learn from UK and international experts, gain new knowledge, and stay up to date with the latest regulatory changes and best practices.
Networking and Business Opportunities
The show offers numerous opportunities for networking and business development. Attendees can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, and peers, creating valuable professional relationships that can lead to new business opportunities.
Industry Recognition
The Offsite Awards celebrate excellence in the industry, providing recognition to companies and projects that have made significant contributions to the field of offsite construction.
Collaborative Partnerships
This year’s opportunities to learn from various stakeholders across vertical construction markets is also an invitation for all of us to come together and start building the collaborative culture that we need to accelerate change for good in construction.
OFFSITE EXPO fosters an environment of open dialogue and collaboration, where industry leaders, innovators, and practitioners can showcase their achievements, highlighting effective strategies and best practices that have led to successful projects. Simultaneously, it provides a platform for candid discussions about the obstacles encountered, facilitating the exchange of solutions and insights to overcome these hurdles.
OFFSITE EXPO is a must-attend event for anyone involved in the construction industry. All activity within the Offsite Expo is FREE TO ATTEND. Scan the QR code to register. Full details of all activities at the show can be found here – www.offsite-expo.co.uk
REVOLUTIONISING CONSTRUCTION WITH SLIPFAST MECHANICAL BRICK SLIPS
Slipfast mechanical brick slips from Benx seamlessly marry the timeless beauty of fired clay brick with cutting-edge design and installation technology.
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In the ever-evolving landscape of construction, innovation is paramount and Slipfast is setting new standards in both new build and recladding applications, making it an exciting solution for high-rise and low-rise construction alike.
The pinnacle of performance and aesthetics
Slipfast is engineered to perform at the highest level. This A-fire-rated mechanically-fixed clay brick slip system is specifically designed for modern construction methods, offering a high-performance façade that not only enhances a building’s overall energy efficiency but also ensures long-term durability. Its stainless-steel core mechanical components boast a certified system life exceeding 60 years, making it ideal for even the most challenging environments, such as coastal areas. Despite its exceptional impact resistance, Slipfast is notably lighter than many rival systems, further enhancing its appeal.
Versatility in construction
One of Slipfast’s standout features is its flexibility in system build-up, whether on timber or steel-framed structures. This versatility extends to the various methods by which Slipfast systems can be fixed back to the primary structure, providing clients with numerous options to suit their specific needs.
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This adaptability is one of the reasons Slipfast is rapidly gaining popularity among architects and homeowners who seek a brick aesthetic without compromising on performance or design integrity.
Sustainability at its core
Manufactured to BS EN 771-1 standards using traditional British firing methods and locally sourced clays, Slipfast brick slips are a testament to sustainable construction. Purpose-made on dedicated extrusion machines, these slips have approximately 70% less embodied carbon than single-faced cut slips. The manufacturing process is highly efficient, with nearly all process waste being reused, and water consumption is minimised due to the thin profile of the slips. This commitment to sustainability is further emphasised by our ability to control every aspect of production, from recipes and texturing rollers to firing temperatures and kiln conditions.
Ease of installation
One of the most significant advantages of Slipfast mechanical brick slips is the ease and speed of installation. Prefabricated Slipfast systems are less dependent on weather conditions compared to traditional brickwork or adhesive-based systems, substantially reducing installation times and
overall costs. This efficiency is crucial in today's fast-paced construction environment, where time savings translate to cost savings.
Proven Success: St Andrews West Phase 1
A shining example of Slipfast’s potential is the award-winning St Andrews West Phase 1 development in Scotland. Launched in 2022, this ambitious project aimed to create a sustainable community rooted in the rich history of St Andrews. The development, consisting of 34 houses, 27 fisher flats, and 25 apartments, has been celebrated for its exceptional design and construction. Designed by award winning architects LBA, the project was a collaborative effort between Headon and S1 Developments. The project’s success is a testament to the superior quality and performance of Slipfast mechanical brick slips.
Slipfast mechanical brick slips are more than just a building material—they are a revolution in construction, offering unmatched benefits in aesthetics, performance, sustainability, and ease of installation. As the construction industry continues to evolve, Slipfast stands at the forefront, setting new standards and redefining what’s possible. At Benx, our collaborative approach ensures we are with you every step of the way. Whether you are an architect, contractor or installer, Slipfast mechanical brick slips offer an unparalleled combination of beauty, performance, and sustainability.
For more information visit: www.benx.co.uk
Images:
01. The mechanically-fixed clay brick slip system is specifically designed for offsite methods offering a high-performance façade 02. St Andrews West
FRESH APPROACH FOR MSCP CORES AND CLADDING
In a company first, FP McCann have provided precast concrete expertise to a hospital car park that saw offsite manufactured brick slip core walls, forming the lift shaft and stairwells.
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In the heart of Ely, Cambridgeshire, a parking facility that will provide vital infrastructure to the local community is being built. Once complete later this year, the new multi-storey car park (MSCP) dedicated to the Princess of Wales Hospital, will have spaces for 271 cars, eight motorcycle bays and external bicycle parking.
The car park not only offers a practical and versatile solution for the needs of visitors and hospital staff, but also represents an important addition to the city’s healthcare service. In addition to its practical functionality, the multistorey modular steel frame car park has been carefully designed to blend harmoniously into the urban context.
The external cladding to the MSCP consists of vertical aluminium fins in
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tones of brown and green to tie in with the landscaping and tree planting scheme around the building. To complement this finish, the two lift and stair cores servicing the car park, have been built with FP McCann precast concrete panels that have an attractive buff-coloured brick slip cast in.
The offsite brick slip panels forming the stair and lift cores are a first for FP McCann. The company was approached in the early stages of design by main contractor on the project, Octavius Infrastructure. Working collaboratively with Octavius, consideration was given not only to the aesthetic requirement of the brick slip panels themselves, but also the additional benefits that offsite precast concrete panel systems offer – those being a simple, fast process that in
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the case of the stair and lift cores, eliminates the need for scaffolding, block work and brick laying.
FP McCann’s skilled team of fixers completed the two lift and stair cores over a period of just 28 days. In total, 71 precast concrete brick slip external wall panels have been installed including some floor and landing slabs edged with a matching brick slip feature. The precast panels have been manufactured at the company’s Byley factory in Cheshire. The brick slips are a TBS Teversham Blend.
The offsite precast concrete panel system with the aesthetically pleasing brick slip finish, is of major importance to the external finish of the car park. The construction of traditional brick and block walls would have been both very costly and time consuming, highlighting the benefits that offsite precast concrete in such projects can bring.
For more information visit: www.fpmccann.co.uk
Images: 01-03. The offsite precast concrete panel system with brick slip finish is a major element of the external finish of the car park
THE ART OF PRECAST MIXOLOGY
We are entering a bold new age of mix design. Last year’s revision to British Standard BS 8500 was the biggest change to traditional concrete mixes since the 1980s, opening the door to a wide range of multi-component cements.
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Concrete mixes can now contain a range of proportions of CEM I and limestone fines, in addition to GGBS or fly ash, potentially reducing the sector’s carbon emissions by 1 million tonnes a year. For precasters, this opens up a world of possibilities for optimising mixes. “What the standard facilitates is flexibility,” says the Mineral Products Association’s Gareth Wake. “As long as you can show that the combination conforms to a BS 8500 classification, you can mix those proportions as much as you like.”
Any innovation also has a tendency to foster more innovation – as mixes become more complex and less Portland cement-based, companies will explore new technologies for maintaining finish, consistency and early strength gain – the critical factor in precasters’ 24-hour production cycles. Derek Russell, Technical Director at Techrete, sees it as a watershed moment: “The standards have been the same for so long, so this is a great opportunity for the industry to question everything we’re doing.”
In many ways, architectural precast manufacturers are at the sharp end of mix innovation. While all precasters are having to find new ways of matching the early strength gain of Portland
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cement, cladding specialists also have to manage changes to colour, or texture caused by the addition of secondary cementitious materials (SCMs). “We’re all doing trials with different mixes,” says Dale Brown at Evans Concrete Products. “From an architectural point of view, it all depends on the colour of the mix –that's the driver.”
At Techrete, Derek Russell estimates that about 200 mixes have been trialled over the past six months to ensure that the company can exactly match its existing range of products using multi-component cements, often accelerated with admixtures, and despite the time and investment involved, he believes there have been widespread advantages, beyond decarbonisation: “We’ve had to rebuild every mix from the ground up. In the factory, they’ve often realised that these low-carbon mixes are better in terms of workability. Then they ask us, can you fix this other mix as well?” Architects can see the benefits too: as companies upgrade their facilities to accommodate new mixes and admixture tanks, they are able to more finely control pigment and consistency, leading to more precise and controlled finishes.
In the world of visual concrete, it’s becoming clear that there is no onesize-fits-all solution to decarbonisation, but rather a constant process of balancing Portland cement and SCMs and trying to reduce the overall volume of concrete required, all depending on the specific architectural vision. “That’s the level of detail we go into on every project now,” adds Derek Russell. “It’s like an artisanal recipe.”
In terms of SCMs, trials of calcined clay – a significant waste stream from brick manufacture and mineral quarries – have revealed performance that compares favourably with fly ash, albeit with relatively slow strength gain that may be more suited to ready-mix applications. An interesting variation on this approach is being pioneered by the HS2 rail project, which is working on a circular process that involves taking the material excavated by its tunnel-boring machines, calcining it on-site and then using it as a binder on new infrastructure elements, potentially including precast tunnel segments.
Away from the high-stakes environment of a live construction site, under controlled factory conditions, the precast industry is perhaps the natural place to innovate with concrete mixes. Techrete’s Derek Russell certainly doesn’t see the revised BS 8500 as the end of the road: “This is going to be a journey now for the next four or five years. People will develop their designs, make the mixes work harder, and just keep pushing.”
For more information visit: www.mineralproducts.org
Images: 01-02. Techrete façade on Marshgate UCL East. Courtesy Tim Fisher
Your No. 1 Supplier of Fixings, Fastenings, Sealants and Ancillary Products to the Offsite Industry.
With over 3000 products readily available and backed by 15 years of industry experience, ToolFast is your go-to partner for keeping your operations on track. We merge this extensive product range with our fast delivery service, ensuring your project never skips a beat. But our commitment doesn’t end there.
Our dedicated after-sales support team is always on standby, ready to assist and propel your operations forward.
Providing options for both panelised and volumetric design, CPAC bring specialist services to the construction sector by offering light gauge steel components for frames, walls, floors and trusses.
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Light gauge steel (LGS) brings significant advantages to all construction projects. From dramatically reduced build times to unparalleled accuracy and build efficiency, minimised wastage and improved strength, durability and performance – CPAC Framing has a quality certified solution that delivers for construction industry clients. Its products are certified to I.S. EN 10901:2009 + A1:2011 quality standard.
Mark Whitehead, Construction Director, says: “Our dedicated production facility, based in Dunshaughlin Co. Meath, utilises the latest HOWICK® precision light steel roll-forming technology to produce LGS profiles in 300, 150 and 89 section sizes”
KISHOGE PRIMARY SCHOOL, KISHOGE, LUCAN
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The 300mm profile is available in fully assembled or flat pack 3D volumetric frames and floor cassettes. Both the 150 and 89 profiles are available in fully assembled 2D wall panels and infill panels with the 150 also engineered for use as floor joists/ cassettes and the 89 engineered for internal partition framing. LGS delivers the best strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional material choices. Put simply – you get a lot of structure for relatively little weight which improves efficiencies and reduces embodied carbon.
Builds completed with LGS facilitate foundation loads and sizes to be reduced significantly (relative to concrete and block-work construction). This is an accepted and ISO certified technology fully compatible with BIM modelling. Proven and versatile
A greenfield site located adjacent to Kishoge Community College is the location for this 3,600m² two storey Enhanced Modular Building (EMB). Beginning October 2023, with a 72-week programme for all works to be complete, this project is the first Enhanced 3D Volumetric educational modular building in Ireland. Utilising our Common Data Environment (CDE), this project has seen rapid design development with collaboration between all stakeholders, client design teams, local council officials and our own in-house design and engineering teams.
in design and build; LGS meets all building regulations standards across multiple regions, ensuring fire safety. Ease of installation, due to its strength-to-weight ratio allows for greater adaptability when it comes to the design and build of multi-storey structures covering a wide variety of uses.
LGS is fast. Up to 40% faster than traditional methods, with significant saving achieved on-site costs, build programme and handover duration. Time saved during LGS installation positively effects access for follow-on trades. Gavin Fox, Head of Business Development, adds: “CPAC Framing brings an uncompromising focus on quality and exemplary customer service to the construction sector with a commitment to deliver ‘right first time on time’.”
Additional time and cost savings are achieved with service access openings designed into the finished product prior to production. This offsite approach significantly reduces the time and cost of mechanical, electrical and plumbing activities on-site.
LGS starts as coiled rolls of steel, a high percentage of which is manufactured from recycled stock, (potential for endof-life re-use), individual components are rolled to length and assembled into exact frame section. This results in zero production waste and the virtual elimination of site generated waste. Gavin Fox finishes: “CPAC Framing takes pride in our tested and certified LGS product range and in our ability to service our client’s needs.”
For more information visit: www.cpacframing.ie www.cpacmodular.com
Images: 01-02. LGS can be used to create both 2D panelised and 3D volumetric units. 03. Kishoge Community College is the first Enhanced 3D Volumetric educational modular building in Ireland
Precision light steel roll-forming and assembly
CPAC Framing brings a specialist service to the construction sector by offering cold formed steel components for frames, walls, floors and trusses. All components are produced to meet our certified I.S. EN 1090-1:2009 + A1:2011 quality standard.
Fully assembled or flat pack 3D volumetric frames and floor cassettes.
• 300 x 65 x 15 x 2.8mm
• Speed tabs eliminate the need for cleats
• 165 and 65mm services holes
• Countersunk 18mm Bolt Holes
Fully assembled 2D Wall panels, infill panels and floor joists/cassettes.
• 15 x 50 x 12 x 1.2-1.6mm
• 34mm service hole
• 13mm bolt hole
• Lip cut and swage
Fully assembled 2D Wall panels, infill panels and Internal partitions
• 89 x 41 x 10 x 1.2mm
• 34mm service hole
• 13mm bolt hole
• Lip cut and swage
EXPANDING MMC ADOPTION
Specialists in the Irish and UK offsite construction industry gathered at the Lyrath Estate Kilkenny, 22-23 May for the MMC Ireland National Conference, to discuss the shape of the sector and what can be done to increase its wider adoption. Here are some key comments.
Over two days, the 400 attendees heard from speakers on a wide range of topics, putting the offsite market into context within the overall construction sector. There are many opportunities for business growth with both the Irish and UK Governments making solid commitments to increase the use of offsite construction across the built environment.
Housing for all
As ever, much focus was on the housing sector and how the adaptation and implementation of modern methods of construction (MMC) can release the pressures on communities and housing providers. Celine McHugh, from the Innovation and Investment Division of the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and her department have established the MMC Leadership and Integration Group, with the aim of bringing together relevant government departments along with key agencies and industry specialists. “One of the key roles for that leadership and integration group is to ensure that the initiatives taken by
1government to support MMC are done in an integrated way,” said Celine. “It's really important that they talk to each other and that they mutually reinforce so that we have a coherent approach across the various initiatives, not just a couple of specific areas.”
The Irish Government’s Housing for All plan states: “Everyone in the state should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place, offering a high quality of life’. To reach this goal, they are employing greater offsite construction.
Sean Armstrong, Head of Unit for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, outlined the Irish Government’s support. “It's been a key priority to deliver housing through MMC since Housing for All was first published. There's real support for MMC and there's a real commitment from government to support the delivery of MMC and create the right environment for its delivery.”
One issue facing the deployment of offsite construction is undoubtedly awareness of what it can do, and this can only change with more education of its benefits and emphasising its appeal to new industry entrants, something highlighted by Daniel McCrum, Assistant Professor in the School of Civil Engineering at UCD. He believes that offsite construction presents a ‘huge opportunity’ to make construction an attractive career prospect for more people than ever. “It certainly opens it up far more attractively for more female participation in the sector, and young people who are probably the most dedicated of our population to climate change and climate action. They see in MMC something that they don’t see in traditional building models.”
Designing differently
Architects Bryden Wood have forged a key role in the platform approach to design for manufacture and assembly (P-DfMA) to create standardised designs, as explained by Senior Architect Tom Gregory. “We're trying to create a standardisation that we can, as designers, give most value early on to the clients and become configurators. Having these very rigorous and thought-out design solutions can be adapted and can be generated for different types of projects.”
Kevin Masters, Director of Construction Innovation at KPMG, saw the offsite construction sector needing to be more accountable and transparent to succeed in the face of recent upheavals and business failures. “The operating models fundamentally need to change and that's not targeted at a specific part of the sector,” said Kevin. “The operating models, from the financial sector, all the way down deep in the supply chain need to
MMC IRELAND
change. If the market isn't going to change, the outputs are not going to change. We're going to fundamentally hit the same ceiling that we've hit for the last 10-15 years. We won't move forward unless we start to relook at the operating models that are necessary to create the environment to allow us to achieve our outcomes.”
Certification and standards
Day two began with an investigation and breakdown of some of the more technical aspects of the offsite industry and how these are helping raise levels of performance and implementation.
James Young, Director of Engineering Services at Evolusion Innovation, highlighted the work of making offsite construction compliant with Ireland’s Building Control Regulations 2015 (BCAR). BCAR was introduced in 2014 as a response to legacy issues and non-compliance issues resulting from poor workmanship and poor quality control, following the housing boom in Ireland in the 2000s. James explained: “We have the BCAR and its statutory role of the ‘assigned certifier’ which is the person that takes the main responsibility on a particular project. The important thing at that time that BCAR was brought in, was that you have factory-based inspections as well as site-based inspections.”
As well as offsite construction being adapted to BCAR, it has also been adapted for the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s (NSAI) Agrément Certification, as explained by Martin Searson, Head of MMC Certification at the NSAI. He said: “Because MMC is innovative and new and novel, in some cases there is no national standards. The MMC team was set up in response to the growth of the market and the sector. Since I started with 17
companies with Agrément certification, in the last 11 months we've had 58 inquiries. Companies are innovating and moving in this space.”
Discussions around sustainability and carbon management were also in the spotlight. Stephen Barrett, Whole Life Carbon Project Lead at the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), spoke about the work his organisation had been doing to reduce carbon emissions within the Irish construction industry generally. The IGBC has established whole life carbon assessments for buildings. “Whole life carbon assessments are a form of transparency,” he said. “They show the buildings past as well as its future hopefully.
“In essence, what the whole life carbon assessment does, is it quantifies all the emissions of your building from the moment it was thought of, to the moment it gets knocked down 50, 60 or 100 years later. Some of that is known because it's happened in the past. Some of it is unknown because it's going to happen in the future. What we do is we try to figure that all out.”
Supply chain capacity
Supply chain stability and the capacity of the offsite industry is a common theme both in the Irish construction sector and in the UK. MMC Ireland CEO, Paul Tierney, spoke about this in detail: “What is the capacity of the MMC industry? I don't think anybody knows the answer to that question. We either all sit around and never know the answer, or we do something about that. And the only way we're going to do something about it is if we do it ourselves.
“Can we build 25,000 more homes? There's capacity to build more
homes, there’s capacity to build more schools, there’s capacity to build more hospitals, there’s capacity to build lots more things. But what is it? How do we quantify capacity? We are partnering with one of the top four consulting companies in the country and we are going to put together, as MMC Ireland, a pre-budget submission on this topic.
“It will be the first of many. The first one will be focused on residential, the second likely be focused on education, then healthcare and we'll be reaching out to our members over the next couple of months to try to gauge what the actual capacity of the industry is. We will come up with realistic figures on what we can deliver and what we can manufacture. Not every manufacturer in the country is a member of MMC Ireland, so we'll have to make assumptions around that. But we will try for the first time to put an answer on what the capacity of the MMC sector is in this country.”
Summing up the event, Paul picked out some key words and common threads that are shaping the MMC sector in Ireland – and indeed in the UK and globally – data, partnerships, platforms, standardisation, capacity, affordability, pipeline – all relating to collaboration and probably the most used word over the two days. “People always talk about collaboration,” said Paul. “But MMC Ireland as an organisation and our individual members are living and doing that, and we will see the fruit of that now and in the future.”
For more information visit: www.mmcireland.ie
Images: 01. Paul Tierney, CEO, MMC Ireland 02-03. The second MMC Ireland Conference and Exhibition was a huge success
VOLUMETRIC
MODULAR
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS
BIRMINGHAM
McAvoy works wonders with its SmartCare® modular solution
SOUTHMEAD HOSPITAL ESTATE
Wernick and consistent factorycontrolled building design
CLATTERBRIDGE HOSPITAL
Minimising disruption and reducing the impact on clinical care
MORE THAN BOXES
Welcome to our special magazine section championing some recent projects and businesses operating across the volumetric modular space. As all observers and commentators of the offsite world will know the 3D volumetric sector has been under intense pressure and wider construction industry scrutiny over the last 18 months. But as all astute observers and commentators will know – irrespective of individual internal and various external forces – the problems have been primarily in residential construction.
Whilst volumetric modular has become synonymous with housebuilding, the healthcare and education sectors have been flying high, with countless successful projects being delivered at scale, on-time and on-budget to the highest standards.
This issue we have leaned towards the NHS and healthcare sector. We include a case study feature on the superb work being done by McAvoy for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. As Richard Truman, Estates Development Manager at Trust points out, a modular solution was the right choice with the project delivered on-time with minimal disruption, something that was vital to the wards that were being installed in a live hospital environment. This is echoed by both Wernick Buildings and MTX – both businesses now vastly experienced in working within the pressures of clinical settings to deliver much needed new facilities.
Amongst some news and project snapshots, it was great to see that ZED PODS were awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development, for its work over many years now. Especially with their modular homes ‘unlocking constrained brownfield sites’ including derelict garage sites, carparks and flood zones. Alongside, the delivery of more SoloHaus homes for some of the most vulnerable in society, these are some of the unsung heroes of the volumetric sector that don’t grab all the bigger construction industry headlines.
OVERLEAF…
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MCAVOY
A case study of the outstanding work at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust where the SmartCare® modular solution was tailored to meet the requirements for two 48-bed wards at two hospital sites.
WERNICK BUILDINGS
Situated within the Southmead Hospital estate in North Bristol, additional office accommodation was required to alleviate space constraints for much-needed clinical space. The seamless integration of volumetric methods did the trick.
ZED PODS
ZED PODS was honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development 2024 for pushing the boundaries of sustainability in design, location, land use and social inclusion for the UK public sector.
MTX
An innovative development at Clatterbridge Hospital has provided four new Ultraclean theatres and 18 first stage recovery beds in the Cheshire & Merseyside Surgical Centre, and with volumetric help was completed in two phases simultaneously.
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SOLOHAUS
The latest development of purposebuilt modular homes to provide secure, comfortable living as followon accommodation to local people progressing out of emergency housing, has seen 18 homes craned in on part of Tregunnel Hill car park in Newquay.
FRONT COVER:
McAvoy - Good Hope Hospital
TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE WITH MODULAR SOLUTIONS
McAvoy is at the forefront of delivering innovative modular solutions to alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities. Its work at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has proved just how vital this construction strategy can be.
UHB is one of the leading NHS trusts in the UK, employing over 20,000 staff across multiple locations. Faced with an urgent need for additional ward space at Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital, UHB turned to McAvoy for a fast and efficient solution.
McAvoy's offsite solution was chosen due to being able to meet the pressing need for new wards quickly and with minimal disruption. Traditional construction methods would have taken considerably longer and caused significant site disruption, particularly challenging in a live hospital environment. The offsite solution ensured that the new accommodation at Good Hope Hospital was operational in just 14 weeks from the delivery of the first module, and 18 weeks at Heartlands Hospital.
The flexible choice
For UHB, a long-term rental solution was the preferred choice. This approach alleviated the need for
1substantial capital expenditure, providing a tailored financial solution that was both flexible and economical. McAvoy’s SmartCare® rental option offered the Trust a long-term managed service agreement, and the ability to extend the rental period if needed, providing increased flexibility in business planning. This model also allows for potential relocation or repurposing of the accommodation within the current site or at another Trust location in the future.
Tailored modular solutions
McAvoy's SmartCare® modular solution was tailored to meet UHB’s requirements for two 48-bed wards at both hospital sites. The modular buildings were designed to optimise space and included essential link corridors to existing hospital buildings. Each two-storey building comprised a 24-bed ward on each floor, along with ancillary areas such as utilities, staff rooms, nurses’ stations, reception areas, and toilets.
Due to the site’s proximity to Good Hope Hospital’s emergency department, McAvoy developed a detailed transport and logistics plan and scheduled module deliveries at night to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum. The building’s design also allows for future adaptability, ensuring the spaces can be repurposed or relocated as needed, providing longterm value and flexibility.
Sustainability at the forefront
McAvoy's SmartCare® modular buildings are designed with sustainability in mind. The new accommodation at Good Hope Hospital achieved near-passive levels of airtightness, an impressive feat for a two-storey building. Enhanced energy and fire protection standards were also achieved and independently verified, providing UHB with a sustainable and adaptable space solution. The focus on sustainability aligns with the NHS’s broader goals of reducing its carbon footprint and improving energy efficiency.
Versatility and quality
McAvoy’s SmartCare® solution offer versatility, being suitable for various applications including clinical and surgical spaces, medical wards, treatment rooms, consultation rooms, laboratories, and GP facilities. The range incorporates the latest in technology-led and compliant design, ensuring enhanced thermal performance, superior airtightness, and U-values that exceed current performance requirements. The modules come in three compatible and interchangeable sizes, up to three storeys high, offering significant design versatility.
This versatility is a critical advantage in the healthcare sector, where the needs can change rapidly.
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The ability to adapt and reconfigure spaces as needed ensures that the Trust can respond to evolving demands without the need for extensive new construction.
This adaptability also extends the lifespan of the modular units, making them a sound investment for the future.
Real life success stories
The successful delivery of the modular wards has been well-received by UHB. Richard Truman, Estates Development Manager at UHB, says: “The delivery of two 48-bed wards to the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust by McAvoy has enabled us to provide much-needed additional care to our communities. A modular solution was the right choice for us due to the need for additional ward space at both Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects were delivered on time with minimal disruption, which was vital to us as the wards were
being installed in a live hospital environment.”
John Cunningham, Principal Category Manager at NHS Shared Business Services, added: “The NHS Shared Business Services Modular Buildings Framework was created to provide NHS Trusts with the options they need to offer effective patient care. The delivery of two 48-bed wards to the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust by McAvoy is an example of that being put into practice. The SmartCare rental service that McAvoy has provided to the Trust allows for both stability over a 10-year period, as well as the flexibility to relocate or repurpose the accommodation over that timeframe.”
A future solution for the healthcare sector
The collaboration between McAvoy and UHB has delivered critical infrastructure improvements with speed, efficiency, and cost certainty. The modular solution not only met the immediate needs of the Trust but also provided a flexible and adaptable space for future requirements.
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This project stands as a testament to the innovative and practical solutions that modular construction can offer to the healthcare sector. The successful and rapid delivery of these modular wards highlights the potential for similar approaches to be adopted across the NHS, providing a blueprint for efficient, sustainable, and flexible healthcare infrastructure development.
Tomas McNicholl, Senior Contracts Manager at McAvoy concludes: “Our work with UHB demonstrates the transformative potential of modular construction in healthcare. By delivering high-quality, sustainable, and adaptable solutions quickly, we can help meet the urgent needs of healthcare providers while setting new standards for the industry.”
For more information visit: www.mcavoygroup.com
Images: 01-04. The work at UHB goes to show how important volumetric modular construction is to the healthcare estate
IMPROVING HEALTHCARE SPACES WITH MMC
As a leading provider of modular building solutions in the UK, Wernick Buildings offers many innovative and sustainable construction options across various sectors, with healthcare now a vital area of development.
Over the past twelve months, Wernick Buildings has delivered a variety of different projects, from fully functional hospital wards and theatres to staff accommodation. However, they are proud to showcase the successful completion of the executive offices at Southmead Hospital. This project demonstrates excellence in efficiency and innovation with a sustainable approach to construction over traditional building techniques.
Situated within the Southmead Hospital estate in North Bristol, the executive offices stand as a testament to the seamless integration of modular construction methods with the stringent requirements of a healthcare environment. The project, a collaboration between Wernick Buildings and the hospital, aimed to provide modern executive office facilities that meet the highest standards of functionality and comfort to create an environment that fosters productivity for all occupants.
The objective of this project was to create additional office accommodation to alleviate space constraints on the main site, thereby facilitating the conversion of the vacated area into a much-needed clinical space. The newly constructed building serves as the base for executives and support staff, with the first floor dedicated to the executive team.
Rakesh Sandhu, Sales Director of Wernick Buildings, says: “Leveraging Wernick's expertise in modular
2 3
construction, the project achieved remarkable success in meeting the objectives required by the healthcare estate. This is now the second building provided by Wernick at the Southmead facility and we are thrilled to be able to provide yet another office building.” Additionally, Wernick Buildings are proud to announce that the Southmead offices won this year's MMC award, for the Healthcare Project of the Year Award.
A more sustainable approach to construction
One of the key highlights of the project is its emphasis on sustainability. By employing offsite construction methods, Wernick minimised waste, reduced carbon emissions, and optimised resource utilisation, aligning with Southmead Hospital's commitment to their environmental roadmap.
The nature of modular construction allowed for rapid assembly and installation, ensuring minimal disruption to hospital operations. By building modules in their manufacturing facility in South Wales, it ensured very little disturbance on-site. The collaborative working methods employed throughout the project underscored the commitment of both Wernick Buildings and Southmead Hospital to deliver excellence.
With the completion of the Southmead Executive Offices project, Wernick Buildings reaffirms its position as a trusted partner in delivering bespoke modular building solutions that exceed
client expectations. Martin Crandon, Head of Capital Projects said: “We are delighted with the welcoming, light and open interior environment, which has exceeded our expectations. Comments from staff have all been very positive.”
More than just a box
Modular buildings are constructed in a controlled factory environment, adhering to strict quality control measures. This results in consistently high construction standards and superior craftsmanship. Additionally, the factory settings allow for meticulous attention to detail and greater accuracy during the building process. By employing these prefabricated structures, guarantees long-lasting and durable buildings to future-proof any project.
When considering a modular office building, it’s a common misperception to draw certain assumptions. You might conclude the idea that a modular building is ‘just a box’. However, modular construction offers the versatility to embrace contemporary, customised designs that enhance your workspace, aligning it with your specific requirements.
This year marks a significant milestone for Wernick as they celebrate their 90th anniversary in business, a testament to their enduring commitment to deliver successful projects. For
ARK HOUSING APPOINTS CONNECT MODULAR FOR PENICUIK SCHEME
Connect Modular and Ark Housing Association have announced proposals for the development of 12 new, affordable, cottage flats on the site of a former care home at Windsor Square, Penicuik.
Following demolition of the former care home and a competitive tender process, Ark Housing Association has appointed Connect Modular as the main contractor for the redevelopment of this brownfield, infill site.
Connect Modular delivers volumetric modular construction and will build the homes at their manufacturing facility in Cumnock, Ayrshire. The houses will be transported to the site with approximately 90% of the construction work already completed, significantly reducing disruption to the local community. This innovative construction method also offers numerous environmental benefits and ensures the new homes are delivered to exacting quality standards. The development will provide two, one bedroom and ten, two-bedroom cottage flats for social rent, designed to fit with the local context and
retain an area of open space. Each new home will also benefit from air source heat pumps and PV panels.
Jennifer Higgins, CEO at Connect Modular, said: “We are thrilled to have been appointed by Ark Housing Association on this exciting development and demonstrate the advantages of our volumetric modular construction process to overcome challenges of redeveloping brownfield, infill sites. We are proud to progress our first development in Midlothian and deliver much-needed housing opportunities for the local community in Penicuik.”
Caryn Innes, Director of Development and Customer Experience, added: “We have been working closely with Connect Modular over the last few months to finalise development proposals for this site, and we’re excited to be moving forward to a site start in late summer. Connect Modular’s volumetric modular construction process provides a fantastic delivery model for this restricted site. The offsite construction and associated reduced on-site construction programme will minimise disruption in the local area. We’d like to thank the Scottish Government for providing over £1.5million in support of the
project through a combination of direct grant and a donation from its Charitable Bonds programme. When complete, the new energy efficient homes, will provide much needed affordable housing in the Penicuik area.”
With planning permission granted, works for this development will commence this summer with the new homes scheduled for handover to residents during the winter months.
Source: www.connect-modular.co.uk
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. With a wealth of experience in the design and manufacture of lifting frames and lifting systems to the Offsite Construction sector, Britlift are the Offsite sector partner of choice.
VOLUMETRIC MODULAR
TIDE GET READY FOR HASTINGS ROAD
Leading volumetric developer Tide has secured a resolution to grant planning permission for their Hastings Road scheme. The development will transform the underutilised retail site into a vibrant mixed-use development, delivering 412 new student homes with communal and commercial spaces together with public realm enhancements.
Located at a major junction adjacent to West Ealing underground station, the new student homes will alleviate pressure on the local housing market while driving new activity to the site by providing commercial space and an improved public realm.
The project will be delivered using Tide’s innovative volumetric technology, which involves precision-manufacturing volumetric units before assembling them onsite. This approach is proven to reduce construction programmes by up to 50% while also cutting embodied carbon. It also minimises onsite disruption, logistics and defects. The volumetric units are built in controlled factory settings by Tide’s sister company, Vision Volumetric.
The development has been designed around an external courtyard space at the heart of the site to complement students’ lifestyles. Additionally, residents will benefit from the scheme’s extensive and thoughtful amenity spaces, designed to ensure a welcoming and nurturing living environment for students. The plans also feature a biodiverse roof and photovoltaic panels, which add to the project’s environmental benefits.
Helen McManus, Head of Planning at Tide, said: “We look forward to breaking ground on Hastings Road and contributing to West Ealing’s vibrant urban fabric. This exciting project marks a significant new addition to Tide’s portfolio of student accommodation projects, and we would like to thank everyone involved in this process. Our proposal seeks to be an exemplar of student development, with high-quality living conditions and generous internal and external amenity space.”
Tide is a leading volumetric developer and contractor reshaping the way buildings are delivered. Its volumetric approach brings bespoke, iconic designs to life quickly, safely and efficiently, cutting construction time by up to 50% as well as reducing waste and carbon emissions. Working alongside its manufacturing company
Vision Volumetric under a vertically integrated procurement model, Tide has delivered highquality real estate in the UK with more than 3,000 new homes on-site in 2024.
Source: www.visionvolumetric.co.uk
ZED PODS ACHIEVES KING’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE
ZED PODS has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development 2024. ZED PODS is one of 252 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise.
ZED PODS was recognised for its excellence in the Sustainable Development award category for pushing the boundaries of sustainability in design, location, land use and social inclusion for the UK public sector. A total of 257 Awards are made with five companies being recognised with two Awards. ZED PODS was founded by its Chairman Tom Northway in 2016. Their team of architects, engineers and operational team are leading the way in designing and building zero-operationalcarbon social housing.
Their modular homes are unlocking constrained brownfield sites including derelict garage sites, carparks and Flood Zones. ZED PODS have a
significant pipeline and are bringing sustainable development projects into fruition for local authorities and housing associations by using volumetric construction methodology.
Chairman Tom Northway said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award as sustainability is at the core of everything we do. By working in close partnership with public sector clients we are helping them to tackle both climate and affordable housing crises, whilst helping the most vulnerable people in our society.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.
A new community diagnostic centre (CDC) and surgical hub completed by MTX at Clatterbridge Hospital, Merseyside shows how volumetric design can deliver healthcare projects faster, greener, safer and more cost effectively.
The innovative development to the southeast corner of Clatterbridge Hospital has provided four new Ultraclean theatres and 18 first stage recovery beds in the Cheshire & Merseyside Surgical Centre, which was completed in two phases, whilst the CDC is equipped with a CT scanner and an MRI scanner, alongside staff accommodation and ancillary spaces. The development was completed in just over two years from conception stage to handover.
The first phase of the surgical centre opened in November 2022, with two operating theatres, 12 patient recovery bays and a rooftop plant room. In September 2022, new funding was allocated which allowed a second phase to build two additional
theatres. MTX commenced work on the extension before the first phase was handed over – working on the two projects simultaneously, which demonstrated the flexibility of their multi-platform approach.
Phase 2 of the surgical hub was carefully designed as a two-storey extension to ‘wrap round’ and integrate with the first phase, creating a coherent single building. With all four theatres operational, the new surgical centre can treat 6,000 extra elective patients a year. The centre is one of the national networks of elective surgical hubs created utilising NHS Targeted Investment Fund (TIF), with the aim of clearing the backlog of patients waiting for elective surgery post-pandemic.
The 450sq m single storey CDC is linked to an existing building on the hospital site. The CDC was constructed with 12 modular sections manufactured offsite and delivered for assembly with walls already in place. Once in situ, MEP and FF&E fit out commenced, along with the installation of specialist scanning equipment. A significant quantity of the services equipment was delivered in factory-built, skid-mounted sections for assembly on-site, aligned with the Government’s Construction Playbook and drive for DfMA delivery.
David Hartley, MTX Managing Director commented: “We are delighted that the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust chose MTX to create the new CDC and provide
In the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of the NHS, development space is at a premium. At MTX, we offer innovative solutions that push the boundaries of healthcare construction onwards, upwards and outwards.
Our track record speaks volumes: from hospital extensions to repurposing clinical space, we navigate complexities with ease. Take our recent project in North London, where we added a 32-bed ward above the city's busiest A&E in just six months.
With minimal disruption to the existing operational space, our flexible, forward-thinking construction methodologies allowed operational and patient activities to continue seamlessly.
At MTX, we don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Our tailored approach adapts to your unique needs, ensuring your vision becomes reality - whatever direction your project is heading in.
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
the additional diagnostic facilities. It continues our long-standing partnership with the Trust, which recognises that modern methods of construction (MMC) can deliver new facilities faster than conventional building techniques, whilst maintaining the highest quality.”
Adopting an MMC approach throughout the two-year construction schedule minimised disruption to
NORTHWICK PARK HOSPITAL
existing patient pathways, reduced the impact on clinical care, and ensured the entire programme was delivered on time and to budget. The new surgical hub and CDC will provide quicker access to surgery and outpatient procedures for thousands of people across Cheshire and Merseyside, improving the overall patient experience and ensuring better outcomes.
For more information visit: www.mtx.co.uk
Images:
A £20million 32-bed short-stay ward for Northwick Park Hospital has been created above London’s busiest A&E Department by MTX, in one of the most complex build programmes ever undertaken by the company.
A total of 32 modules were used to construct the new ward on a steel deck installed on existing concrete stub columns that were part of the original A&E department build. The challenging location in the middle of the busy hospital site required the use of one of Europe’s heaviest lifting tower cranes, around 40m high and with a ‘reach’ of 80m. Every component of the new ward had to be lifted onto the construction deck, including 200 tonnes of steel and almost 2,000 construction boards.
Project lead Ian Brook explains: “There were a number of critical factors that had to be considered throughout the build –working on top of London’s busiest A&E department, interacting with the public and staff, and ensuring the large number of deliveries and vehicle movements did not impact on the ambulance routes and access to the clinical areas.”
The new unit incorporates 32 short-stay beds and ancillary areas and is finished to the high-quality build standard that has established MTX as a leading supplier of new healthcare facilities. The programme included designing and installing mechanical modules pre-manufactured offsite to control the ventilation and the environment of the wards, with a dedicated integrated plant facility provided within the new building as part of the M&E specification.
The new first floor construction links to the existing hospital buildings via a 20m-long suspended connecting corridor. Two more 10m bridges link to existing stairwells to provide access for staff and visitors.
Northwick Park Hospital, situated on the outskirts of Harrow in North West London, is managed by the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust. The new £20 million state-of-the-art short-stay ward is designed to enhance the quality of care provided to patients at Northwick Park and is part of an NHS England initiative to meet the growing demands for general and acute beds across the country.
Trust Chief Executive Pippa Nightingale said: “We have one of the biggest and busiest A&Es in the country, so this is a welcome and much needed addition to our capacity. It’s crucial to maintain flow through the hospital so we have enough beds. An enormous amount of work goes on behind-the-scenes every day to ensure this happens. The new unit will help us better manage this.”
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RESIDENTS MOVE INTO NEWQUAY SOLOHAUS
A new development of 18 purpose-built SoloHaus modular homes on part of Tregunnel Hill car park in Newquay has been opened to its first new residents.
Each development provides modular homes with outside space, utilising low carbon heating technologies. The homes are specifically intended to help those with a history of homelessness who are ready to move on from emergency accommodation or other provision and will help reduce the need to place people in expensive, nightly-paid hotels and bed and breakfasts.
Olly Monk, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning said: “This latest scheme is part of a plan for this part of Newquay to not only provide excellent quality accommodation for single people who would otherwise be homeless, but to also revamp the car park here at Tregunnel Hill and put in measures to deter unauthorised encampments which has been an issue here in the past.
“These modular SoloHaus homes provide excellent quality accommodation for single people who would otherwise be homeless. It means that we have a stock of good quality homes that people can live in for a short period on dedicated sites, whilst they get the help and support, they need to secure a permanent home. We are helping residents live nearer to where they want and need to be, with the security of knowing this home is theirs until a permanent one can be found.”
Following a landmark deal with award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group, Cornwall Council has bought SoloHaus homes to provide secure, comfortable homes as follow-on accommodation to local people as they progress out of emergency housing, helping them regain their independence. The specially designed modular homes, manufactured by VOLUMETRIC®, provide a safe, comfortable, and independent space for residents and arrive fully furnished, ready for installation onto a pre-prepared site. Designed to house single people, the homes have a 60-year lifespan and are built to Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.
Following on from the first SoloHaus development in Truro, this second scheme at Tregunnel will be complemented by two more under construction – one in Penzance and one in Penryn - and is developed as a ‘move on’ site to provide safe and secure homes for people in urgent housing need. Rory Lowings, Project Manager for SoloHaus at The Hill Group added: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Cornwall Council to provide purpose-built homes for people at risk of homelessness. SoloHaus is an ideal housing solution for Cornwall, as it delivers high-quality accommodation that can be deployed quickly. I am delighted to see these next 18 specially designed modular homes in use as the first residents move in and I’m confident they will have a positive impact on people’s lives for many years to come.”
A portable solution, SoloHaus is designed to be deployed permanently or on a temporary basis and can be disconnected from services easily and moved to other sites. The Tregunnel Hill development will be managed by Cornwall Housing Ltd who will provide all of the housing management functions, ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of the homes and the site.
Karen Centini, Specialist Services Team Leader at Cornwall Housing, said: “We are proud to manage these homes and support residents as they transition to a more stable future. The new micro-homes not only provide immediate relief for those facing homelessness but also offer a solid foundation for residents to rebuild their lives. This development represents hope and opportunity for those in urgent housing need, and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact it will have.
Harbour Housing will be providing tenancy sustainment support, helping residents to integrate into their new homes and maintain their tenancies successfully. There are currently over 800 households living in temporary or emergency accommodation across Cornwall with nearly 100 people in Newquay alone, so this scheme help will help around 20% of those.
(L-R) Olly Monk, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and Rory Lowings, Project Manager for SoloHaus at The Hill Group.
Source: www.solohaus.co.uk www.volumetric.co.uk
VOLUMETRIC MODULAR
CASTLEMERE DEVELOPMENTS DELIVERS ITS FIRST AIRSPACE DEVELOPMENT
Castlemere Developments has completed its first major airspace project – delivering an 11-unit scheme in Tunbridge Wells. The Windsor-based company, which has primarily focused on ground-up developments and property refurbishments, has expanded into the airspace development sector and has a range of projects in the pipeline having completed this first project in Kent.
All Castlemere Developments focus on using the latest smart home technology and modern methods of construction (MMC) to deliver costefficient and environmentally friendly residential properties. The company was founded in 2017 by Kris Collett and Duncan Cooke, who have more than 35 years combined experience in the property development and construction sector.
The scheme at Hamilton Court, located on Chilston Road, features five two-bedroom and six one-bedroom apartments. Each apartment will deliver aspirational and affordable modular penthouse living. Prices for a one bed will be from £210,000 and £280,000 for a two bedroom.
Each apartment offers premium designer kitchens complete with Bosch appliances, quartz worktops, fully tiled bathrooms and oak flooring. Heating is provided via heat pumps to ensure no carbon burning appliances are used. In addition, each apartment has fibre broadband and assigned parking with dedicated electrical vehicle charging.
Hamilton Court has been built offsite, with Castlemere Developments embracing the modern methods of construction (MMC) approach with all of its properties before lifting them into place for the finishing touches. It has purposely chosen offsite modular so that it can deliver projects much quicker than on-site developments, reduce the disruption to current residents, and to ensure its developments are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Kris Collett, Managing Director of Castlemere Developments, said: “Hamilton Court is a stunning addition to the residential property market in Tunbridge Wells. We are incredibly pleased with it. Our plan was to deliver stylish, environmentally friendly accommodation which we have achieved. We have chosen to adopt MMC best practices for this scheme – and future ones. This is more cost effective, quicker and also, we believe that building airspace apartments offsite is less
complex. There is a huge demand for residential properties, and we will continue to source suitable locations that we can develop to help meet this need.” The company has said it will adopt MMC for all of its projects from new developments to refurbishments.
Source: www.castlemere-developments.co.uk
MODULAR PODS DROPPED INTO NORWICH HOSPITAL
Cramlington-based Merit has transported its first Air Handling Unit (AHU POD) to the site delivering a new therapy-led rehabilitation unit at Norwich Community Hospital. Weighing 20.5 tonnes, Merit’s AHU POD is the first offsite component of the building to be delivered, after travelling 300 miles from the North East to Norfolk.
Earlier this year, Merit announced the multimillion-pound project with Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. By utilising its 4D BIM modelling technology and using the new V6 UltraPOD® SFS Variant, Merit’s expert team can deliver the new unit by August 2024, guaranteeing a faster, more cost-effective project schedule with sustainability in mind.
The project will be the first of its kind using Merit’s new V6 UltraPOD® SFS Variant, an extension to the already effective UltraPOD®, which has been successfully deployed to other healthcare, biotech and pharmaceutical facilities across the UK, including Berwick’s long-awaited new, 10,500sq m, £35million community hospital and Solihull Hospital’s new Elective Hub (Operating Theatre Block).
To meet ever changing and increasing demands, the V6 UltraPOD® SFS Variant utilises Merit’s latest roll former, panel line production system to enhance affordability and accessibility through a significantly reduced programme. The V6 platform comes as standard, rated BREEAM Excellent as
a minimum, EPC-A, and energy consumption is 69% lower than the current CIBSE hospital benchmarks. When complete, the facility will house 48 beds across a mix of single and fourbedded bays, as well as treatment areas, an assessment kitchen, a self-service café, and a reception area.
Tony Wells, CEO at Merit said: “We’re delighted to be working collaboratively with Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust to deliver this new facility, which will bring improved healthcare services to the local community. The successful delivery of our AHU POD from our Cramlington factory to Norwich Community Hospital represents our commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare facilities efficiently and sustainably, while working within the healthcare sector to deliver bespoke solutions that meet local need and make a tangible difference to the community. At Merit, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and we are very proud as we continue to optimise our product offering, so that we can provide the go-to choice for swift and efficient project delivery.”
Source: www.merit.co.uk
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2024
If you are interested in learning more about offsite construction and the associated manufacturing processes then the following industry events may be of interest:
the iconic projects from across the offsite sector, the Offsite Awards showcase the people and businesses pioneering the new technology, building methods, systems and designs raising the standards of safety,
The Laing O’Rourke Centre of Excellence for Modern Construction, is Europe's largest and most advanced pre-assembly manufacturing facility. This is your opportunity to discover more about their modern processes of assembly, using lean automation and quality assurance systems.
Constructed
Witness first-hand the production of prefabricated high-performance panels engineered for loadbearing capacity, structural integrity, thermal efficiency, fire resistance, and acoustic performance. The tour will be followed by technology presentations and a Q&A.
19 September Hadley Steel Site Study Tour
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