Meeting challenges with MMC

Modern methods of construction (MMC) can contribute to achieving government targets for building 2 million homes by 2016 and 3 million by 2020.

Since 2005, MMC has experienced increasing popularity. There are many reasons for this but the greatest is simply that the demand for housing is greater than the supply. More recently the UK has entered into the biggest recession in post-war history. Housing developers have been forced to re-evaluate their schemes in terms of alternative use or higher density, or at worse sell their sites altogether. While the slowdown in the economy and housing market has reduced the amount of construction, it may have given those in the design world some breathing space in which to develop their ideas.

MMC offers an alternative to traditional brick and block construction in terms of speed on site - you can build houses more quickly and still meet the regulations, obtain third party warranties, be sustainable, reduce accidents and waste, and still comply with planning guidelines. An exhibitor at BRE Offsite 2005 took 6.5 hours to build a house off-site, including delivery and assembly on precast concrete foundations - even foundations are being made off-site.

Problems exist that some would argue are difficult to resolve using traditional brick and block cavity construction.

• There is still a skills shortage.
• Building Regulations and planning conditions are getting harder to meet, particularly with regard to contamination, environmental and sustainability issues, and sound and thermal performance.

MMC can provide solutions to these issues.

The government also wants to tackle rural problems, infrastructure, social housing, growth areas, brownfield sites, improvements to the planning system and more greener homes (see the carbon challenge).

Figures 1-3: Modular construction on site

© The photographs above are reproduced with permission from Kingspan Off-site