News - Offsite Expo

12.08.2020

Wernick has delivered a second modular building for Swansea University. The two-storey, 2,600m² building was constructed with an end-to-end build programme of just 28 weeks. Situated on Swansea University’s prestigious Bay Campus,...

New Wave Homes

11.08.2020

The Homes for Heroes national campaign calls on the government to commit to delivering 100,000 affordable, eco-friendly, factory-built homes for key workers on public land and is backed by an alliance of major housing associations and modular...

Post COVID-19: insolvency and survival

10.08.2020

In the wake of the pandemic and enforced shutdown of the entire construction industry, what can offsite suppliers do to avoid becoming insolvent or falling victim to an insolvency elsewhere in the supply chain? Michael Gerard of Michael...

Darwin Group reaches completion of modular build for specialist independent school in Cambridge

10.08.2020

Modular construction specialists, Darwin Group has delivered a new multi-use block for Gretton School in Cambridge scaling 234 sq m. The brand-new STEAM block will provide the school with two science labs, a design and...

Hadley Group & Hadley Steel Framing Update – Available to Read Online Now!

07.08.2020

Hadley Group & Hadley Steel Framing have released their latest update - providing insight into their latest product and project developments for Offsite and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) – available to read online HERE. ...

Light steel frame: Managing risk, quality and performance

07.08.2020

Improving levels of occupant safety, together with increasing the quality of the build, is under the microscope. Risk, quality, time, cost and performance – need to be managed and controlled. Here, Steve Thompson, managing director of EOS,...

BTR: Market Recovery Post-pandemic

06.08.2020

As UK society and the construction industry come to terms with the impact of COVID-19, one of the long term changes will be the layout and type of building in which we live and work. Building product specialists Etex hosted a roundtable to...

Four new prisons to be built using DfMA

06.08.2020

The government has announced plans to build four new prisons using modern methods of construction, including standardised components manufactured offsite. The four new jails, the first of which will be built next to HMP Full Sutton, in...

Construction: the Heart of the UK

05.08.2020

With ambitious targets and huge sums of money required to improve the nation’s key infrastructure – can offsite methods provide the answers? Gary Ramsay caught up with Will Varah, Programme Director, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)...

ilke Homes to develop 76 sustainable homes in Worcestershire

05.08.2020

ilke Homes has agreed a deal with Crea8ive Sustainable Homes that will see the modular housing company deliver 76 sustainable homes to Evesham, Worcestershire, marking ilke Homes’ tenth deal this calendar year. ilke Homes will acquire and...

Greener methods of housebuilding will be ‘vital’ in delivering a clean recovery post-crisis

05.08.2020

Energy-efficient homes and greener methods of housebuilding will be fundamental in delivering a clean recovery after the Covid-19 crisis, believes Christy Hayes, CEO at Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems. The...

PAM Technology & Design for Manufacture

04.08.2020

North East offsite specialist, Merit, is challenging traditional construction procurement models to deliver the cleanest, safest and most competitive projects. The company has transformed itself into a technology company using innovation and...

Actis welcomes Hackitt’s call to increase offsite manufacturing

04.08.2020

Modern Methods of Construction play a vital role in ensuring the ‘new normal’ is greener and more efficient, according to Dame Judith Hackitt and construction minister Nadhim Zahawi While the past three months have been...

Merit awarded £6 million contract to build decontamination centre for STERIS

03.08.2020

Offsite construction specialist, Merit, has been awarded a £6 million contract by STERIS to design and build a new Decontamination Super Centre in Chessington. This will be the fifth decontamination facility the Cramlington-based...

Offsite construction specialist builds capacity throughout coronavirus with 30 new employees

31.07.2020

Premier Modular recruits as order books show no sign of slowing across public and private sector work Thirty more staff have been recruited at East Yorkshire-based Premier Modular as it remains open and at capacity through...

The Technical Design Services Group joins Stellar, Maximising MMC Impacts for SMEs & Social Housing

30.07.2020

TDSG has joined Stellar, a consortium of academic, technical, industry and end user stakeholders, that will work together is supporting SMEs and Social Housing Providers to embrace MMC (Modern Methods of Construction). Created and lead by...

New offsite framework to boost MMC in social housing

30.07.2020

Building Better has chosen Procurement for Housing (PfH) to develop a procurement framework for offsite manufacturing to build at least 500 new homes The National Housing Federation-supported alliance of housing associations working to...

New offsite framework to boost MMC in social housing

30.07.2020

Meeting Aesthetic, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Expectations

29.07.2020

There have been huge technical developments in cladding solutions in recent years and with architects demanding a more aesthetic approach to the building envelope, Heath Hindmarch Chairman of PSP Architectural, considers the balance that has to...

CHIC launches £2bn modular housing framework

29.07.2020

The Central Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) is procuring three contracts for the manufacturing, supply and erection of new modular housing as part of a £2bn framework CHIC’s modular housing contract is divided into 3 lots....

Net zero is the only option

29.07.2020

~ Inspiring transformational change in the built environment supply chain ~ In summer 2019, the UK Government committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. While 30 years seems like a long time, we must make the...

Offsite construction can become the ‘new normal’

29.07.2020

The global pandemic will have a wide-reaching impact on us all. It is difficult to see how any industry sector will come through this unscathed and without re-examining how to do things differently. What will be important is that we...

Why site hoarding should be your first construction project consideration

28.07.2020

When you consider the most essential aspect of a construction project, what do you think of first? If it’s not site hoarding, think again. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 demonstrates the duty of care that all...

Outstanding Product Innovation Recognised by Offsite Judges

27.07.2020

The Offsite Awards have grown in stature year on year and despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the event organisers announced record levels of entries. The judges declared that the standard was higher than ever and competition to be...

Three is the magic number for modern housing development

27.07.2020

An innovative combination of three reflective, insulating and low emissivity construction membranes from Protect Membranes has been used to deliver the magic formula for a new build apartment scheme in Plymouth, Devon, helping achieve the key...

Decarbonising Construction

24.07.2020

As global leaders grapple with issues surrounding climate change, the world is gradually coming together to develop strategies to help alleviate the impact of global warming. Here, Andy Goodwin, Managing Director of B&K Structures, shares...

NHBC Accepts

22.07.2020

Richard Lankshear, NHBC’s Innovation Manager, talks through the organisation’s new comprehensive review service for innovative products and systems – NHBC Accepts. We’ve been helping to improve build quality through NHBC Standards...

NHBC Accepts

22.07.2020

The outlook for modular and offsite post-Covid

17.07.2020

Studies by AMA Research have pinpointed the sectors that will experience an upturn from the Covid-19 pandemic, with both modular and offsite construction set to grow The impact of Covid-19 on the economy is still highly uncertain....

BUILD TO RENT

15.07.2020

Demonstrating Critical Value to Clients and Investors As predicted, the UK’s build-to-rent (BTR) market is set to grow. Property agent Savills recently estimated that the sector will increase in value from £9.6 billion to a...

Halton Housing has joined the Board of ‘Building Better’ modern methods of constructions

14.07.2020

HALTON Housing has joined the Board of Building Better - a consortium of housing associations working together to realise the benefits of modern methods of construction (MMC). The consortium comprises housing associations who have the...

Councils demand ‘expensive but quicker’ offsite

13.07.2020

The West Midlands Combined Authority plans to insist that developers use offsite construction on some projects in the region. Combined authority housing lead Mike Bird said he believes the speed of offsite delivery outweighs what...

Design for MMC to help the circular economy, council developer tells architects

10.07.2020

A council-owned development company wants its architects to design schemes for offsite construction to drive forward its circular economy push BeFirst is owned by Barking & Dagenham Council and aims to deliver 3,000 homes, as well...

Prefabricated volumetric sector to grow by 14% in next four years

07.07.2020

The prefabricated volumetric building systems market is expected to grow by 14% from 2020-2024, according to the latest report by AMA Research The ‘Prefabricated Volumetric Building Systems Market Report’ reveals that the largest...

Modular builder unveils restructure to speed-up revenue generation

06.07.2020

Ilke Homes has announced a reorganisation of the business to help it generate revenue quicker. The modular builder has set up a new homes and development division to be led by managing director Ben Miller. According to the firm, the...

Offsite manufacturing can be the real beneficiary from this crisis

03.07.2020

Industry needs to move to more sophisticated ways of working, says former Balfour Beatty boss Dave Smith Once this pandemic is over, it will be very easy to return to the old ways – and some will. But, hopefully, most of the industry...

State-backed modular firm moves into spec housing

02.07.2020

Modular outfit ilke Homes has moved into speculative housing development and opened new offices in London, Birmingham and Bristol. The firm has also promoted managing director Ben Miller, formerly of Crest Nicholson, to become CEO of...

State-backed modular firm moves into spec housing

02.07.2020

Offsite Solutions lands another urbanest bathroom pod deal

01.07.2020

Bathroom pod manufacturer Offsite Solutions has been awarded its fourth package for student accommodation developer, urbanest. The £1.8m contract is to manufacture over 500 high specification ensuite shower pods for urbanest City in London. ...

Ikea-backed developer BoKlok lines up modular start-up TopHat

30.06.2020

BoKlok will use Goldman Sachs-backed TopHat to manufacture homes for planned UK expansion Ikea-backed housebuilder BoKlok has selected modular housing start up TopHat to build its timber frame homes in the UK. The...

Atkins to verify MMC productivity claims for housing

26.06.2020

Homes England has commissioned Atkins and its cost consultants Faithful+Gould to run the rule over how effectively different types of modern methods of construction drive productivity A series of Homes England’s own sites will participate in...

Atkins to verify MMC productivity claims for housing

26.06.2020

ilke Homes rapid expansion after near 200% annual growth

25.06.2020

Yorkshire-based modular housing company ilke Homes has opened new offices in London, Birmingham and Bristol, as well as creating a new ‘homes and development unit’, to manage the near-200% annual growth of the company’s demand pipeline....

Chinese modular giant winds up main UK business

24.06.2020

International modular buildings giant China International Marine Containers has wound up its main UK business. CIMC Modular Building Systems built around a dozen projects here including several Travelodge, Premier and Hilton hotel...

LSFA Member Announces Launch of Leading Fabrication Management System – STRUMIS V10.4

23.06.2020

New Light Steel Frame Association supply chain members, STRUMIS are delighted to announce the release of their most comprehensive and feature rich version of STRUMIS V10.4 - the world leading steel fabrication Management Information System for...

Efficiently Engineered for Safety and Performance

22.06.2020

As we wait for the outcome of the recent Government consultation on the ban of the use of combustible materials in and on external walls of buildings, members of the Light Steel Frame Association (LSFA) are experiencing unprecedented demand....

Eurobrick: Off-Site Construction Aids On-Site Safety

19.06.2020

The Covid 19 pandemic presents unique challenges to all business sectors including construction. One of the most pressing difficulties is keeping up productivity on site while practising the social distancing measures as per government...

Housing associations call for offsite ‘Homes for Heroes’ pipeline

18.06.2020

A group of housing associations have called for an offsite-housebuilding programme modelled on the UK’s post-First World War construction efforts, to help key workers access affordable housing. The G15 group of the largest housing...

Goldman Sachs-backed modular firm set for build-to-rent job

17.06.2020

Modular builder Top Hat is in line to construct build-to-rent homes for a developer as part of a pilot to use modular construction on a project near Cambridge. Developer Urban & Civic announced that it may incorporate modular...

ilke Homes and Stonewater partner to develop 120 home 100% affordable housing scheme

16.06.2020

Leading modular housing company ilke Homes in partnership with leading housing provider Stonewater will deliver 120 factory-built affordable homes in Herefordshire in a £23m deal. The 100% affordable housing development will use modern methods...

BoKlok UK appoints modular housing manufacturer to deliver first UK homes

15.06.2020

BoKlok UK, the sustainable, quality low-cost home provider, jointly owned by Skanska and IKEA, has announced that it has appointed leading technology-driven modular housing manufacturer TopHat, to help deliver part of its first product offering...

Simon Dudley new chair of leading MMC project AIMCH

09.06.2020

The Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) project is delighted to welcome Simon Dudley, Interim Chair of Homes England, as Chair of the AIMCH Stakeholder Group. The stakeholder group provides vital two way engagement...

Simon Dudley new chair of leading MMC project AIMCH

09.06.2020

EOS Launch New Case Study Videos

08.06.2020

The team at EOS are proud of their award-winning achievements and to showcase the outstanding projects they have been involved with – have launched a series of case study videos featuring: Advanced Manufacturing Building ...

Living with Insulated Precast Concrete

05.06.2020

With two key projects under the spotlight, we hear more about Spantherm – the innovative insulated precast concrete ground-floor system which is being adopted by a growing number of housebuilders and developers. Spantherm is an...

Delivering During Lockdown

04.06.2020

Fusion Building Systems has been able to complete the installation of its offsite light steel frame system for Jehu Group’s Orchard House social housing scheme in Swansea during the Coronavirus outbreak, thanks to it requiring only a...

Modular Foundations

02.06.2020

A precast modular foundation system offers many advantages in building development and performance, but also removes the need and risk of site-based technical assessments during construction. Sweden’s Isolergrund offers this new element to...

Precast Gets Top Marks in Education

01.06.2020

With strong government backing for offsite construction methods in the education sector, and numerous operational efficiencies, concrete solutions are perfectly positioned to deliver high performance schools. British Precast’s Matt Butcher...

The Complete Package

29.05.2020

PSP Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of rainscreen systems, metal fabrications and bespoke full envelope solutions. Chairman, Heath Hindmarch, explains why the company has made a vast investment in providing a single point of...

Brownfield & Offsite Delivery

28.05.2020

EDAROTH, a subsidiary of engineering, design and project management consultancy Atkins recently highlighted the scale and opportunity of ‘brownfield sites’ as a key part in tackling England’s social housing crisis with offsite...

Supporting the Healthcare Sector

27.05.2020

Alongside repurposing existing facilities to create NHS Nightingale Hospitals, offsite construction is also supporting NHS Trusts and healthcare providers to increase capacity. Jackie Maginnis, Chief Executive of the...

Supporting the Healthcare Sector

27.05.2020

Reducing Rising Costs

26.05.2020

Debi Lama, Key Account Manager for Affordable Housing at Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses why offsite construction coupled with a build fabric such as timber frame is key to reducing fuel poverty across the UK. The rising cost...

Structures for Success

26.05.2020

Based in County Durham with state-of-the-art-framing and fabrication machines, Intelligent Steel Solutions (ISS) operate nationwide to design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) principles offering high quality structural steel to the offsite...

Plotting the Route to Net Zero Carbon

25.05.2020

The Structural Timber Association (STA) recently hosted a roundtable discussion, gathering industry experts together to examine the many challenges ahead of reducing the UK’s carbon emissions and creating a safer built environment. ...

Changing Construction’s Focus

22.05.2020

Reds10 Chairman Matt Bennion picks out some of the unsung benefits of using offsite delivery, as the UK struggles to combat Covid-19 and changes in how construction sites are staffed and managed. Shorter programmes, earlier...

New private equity-backed developer buys Lesko Modular

22.05.2020

Impact Capital set up by property veterans Robert Whitton and Nick Shattock to deliver homes post covid-19 A private equity-backed group including former Quintain deputy chief executive Nick Shattock has bought modular housing firm...

Offsite Ready to Roll

21.05.2020

The Offsite Ready project is a series of collaborative events and online modules that will bring offsite skills into focus for a wide audience. Douglas Morrison, Director of Operations and Future Skills, at Construction Scotland Innovation...

Urban Splash reopens modular factory

21.05.2020

Regeneration developer will also restart housing sites including Park Hill in Sheffield Manchester-based regeneration developer Urban Splash is to re-open its modular factory and construction sites, the business has said. ...

Bristol: a Home for Offsite

20.05.2020

The Bristol Housing Festival is running over five years and acting as an incubator to road-test explore smart technology and offsite manufacturing in a real-world scenario with a view developing innovative solutions to accelerate the delivery...

L&G given green light for modular homes in North Yorkshire

20.05.2020

Planning permission has been awarded to Legal & General Modular Homes to build 154 homes using modular construction at a site in Selby, North Yorkshire. The firm’s recently reopened factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet near Leeds will...

A SWIFT RESPONSE TO HEALTHCARE NEEDS

19.05.2020

As the NHS faces unparalleled pressure, the team at EOS can look back with pride at the Sarah Swift Building project they completed for the University of Lincoln. The University is playing its part in the fight against Coronavirus by...

Modular industry is thriving

19.05.2020

Despite recent reports that suggest government departments are not adopting a presumption in favour of offsite (2017), the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) has commissioned research that shows volumetric modular construction...

Offsite Expo – The Home of Offsite Technology Innovation

18.05.2020

The Home of Offsite Technology Innovation The construction sector is at a critical crossroads - offsite technology is now recognised as providing the most important solution to overcome many of the challenges facing the...

MERIT INCREASES CAPACITY AFTER A SURGE IN NEW ORDERS

18.05.2020

Offsite construction specialist Merit has increased the capacity of its advanced manufacturing facility in Cramlington by 40 per cent to 140,000 sq ft after securing more than £18m in new orders during the first quarter of 2020. ...

Hanging in the balance: what is the future for cross-laminated timber?

15.05.2020

The proposed combustibles ban could be devastating for the cross-laminated timber sector, but are the safety fears are justified? The future of large-scale timber buildings in England hangs in the balance. Next month, the...

Caledonian lands £40m Falmouth student halls

15.05.2020

Caledonian has been awarded a £40m turnkey contract for a 528 student bedroom development near Falmouth in Cornwall. The development for Studytel will provide accommodation for students studying at the Penryn...

Canary Wharf shifts to offsite build for next tower

14.05.2020

Canary Wharf Group has signed up volumetric specialist Caledonian to build a 20-storey block of flats at its Wood Wharf site in London Docklands. The 279 apartment tower at One Charter Street will provide a gateway to the new...

Could covid-19 be the catalyst for a shift to modular construction?

13.05.2020

Is this the method’s moment, wonders the chairman of specialist modular contractors Reds10 Unprecedented, extraordinary, unparalleled – just a few ways to describe the way the world has changed in the wake of covid-19. ...

L&G re-opens modular housing factory

12.05.2020

However insurance giant warns city that revenue from its other housing businesses has “stopped” since March Insurance giant Legal & General has re-opened its cutting-edge modular housing factory little more than a week...

Taking future construction skills offsite

11.05.2020

The Construction Scotland Innovation Centre’s Offsite Ready programme aims to build the UK’s capacity in the skills that will be vital to the future of construction, explains Douglas Morrison. As the construction industry is facing...

Collaborative Industry Webinar Series Launched To Support Recovery In The Built Environment

07.05.2020

Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has launched a webinar events series as part of its i-Con Covid-19 support initiative for the built environment. The event, which will take place on Tuesday 19th May, 12 to 12:45pm,...

Offsite construction has a big part to play in ‘levelling up’ the UK

07.05.2020

As the construction industry continues to wrestle with its "productivity challenge" at a macro scale, the government has sought to improve national economic growth through improving wellbeing in poorer areas and narrowing...

Bathroom pod giant Walker Modular sees demand return

06.05.2020

The country’s biggest bathroom pod manufacturer is starting to gradually increase production as sites restart across the country. Hull based Walker Modular saw production rates slump to just 70 pods a week from normal...

How timber frame and offsite construction meet housing demand

05.05.2020

Simon Horn discusses why offsite construction utilising timber frame as the external wall fabric and overall structural solution is key to meeting sustainability targets UK-wide demand for new homes continues to rise amid major...

Architects campaign to stop CLT ban

04.05.2020

Group of housing designers call on government to rethink “combustibles ban” so it allows use of structural timber A group of architects are campaigning for the government to rethink plans to ban all combustible material in the...

Building Restrictions and the Unintended Consequences

01.05.2020

The engineered timber industry has been founded on the principles of advancing sustainable building technology. Led by innovators such as B&K Structures, the use of timber technology in UK construction has undergone a renaissance in...

Pandemic shuts L&G’s modular factory

01.05.2020

Insurance giant confirms Leeds plant not operating as firm wins virtual planning for Surrey housing Insurance giant L&G has temporarily shut its modular housing factory in response to the coronavirus crisis, the firm has said....

Housing Minister says, ‘MMC will transform our housebuilding industry’

01.05.2020

Housing Minister Chris Pincher says he believes Modern Methods of Construction is the future for the sector. Christopher Pincher has told the housing sector that he wants the UK to be a “global leader” in Modern Methods of Construction...

Impact Capital completes Lesko Modular investment

30.04.2020

Impact Capital Group has completed a multi-million-pound investment in offsite construction specialists, Lesko Modular Group Impact Capital Group Limited has completed the acquisition of Lesko Modular and its subsidiaries. As a result,...

UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF FAST-TRACK CONSTRUCTION

30.04.2020

The adoption of offsite construction involves upfront capital costs – this is often where comparisons are made between factory-based and traditional building methods. If evaluated in isolation the traditional approach could appear a cheaper...

Building a new offsite platform

30.04.2020

An Innovate UK-backed project involving the British Constructional Steelwork Association and the Steel Construction Institute aims to encourage more standardised steel components. Steel sees itself as the original offsite...

Tall Construction: Powered by Precast

29.04.2020

As the population grows there is a greater demand for homes, particularly in urban areas. One solution to this is building tall with precast concrete and hybrid design providing many of the answers. To realise its full potential, a...

Tall Construction: Powered by Precast

29.04.2020

Bespoke full envelope solutions – The Complete Package

28.04.2020

As one of the UK's leading providers of rainscreen systems, metal fabrications and bespoke full envelope solutions – quality is at the core of the PSP Group's operation. Here, Chairman Heath Hindmarch explains why they made a vast investment to...

Bespoke full envelope solutions – The Complete Package

28.04.2020

Precast King at Kingston

27.04.2020

With a mission statement of ‘purpose beyond profit’, Willmott Dixon has long adopted innovative techniques to improve the built environment. Using offsite construction, they are improving productivity and quality with Town House at Kingston...

Offsite Expo – 22-23 September 2020, Ricoh Arena

24.04.2020

SECURE YOUR PLACE AT THE OFFSITE EVENT OF THE YEAR In 2019 OFFSITE EXPO exceeded expectations attracting 2,874 unique visitors, over 100 professionals with purchasing power participated in the Offsite Connect Buyers and...

Time to Build and Think Differently

24.04.2020

The timber industry has long embraced offsite manufacture and is perfectly placed to capitalise on the need for low carbon design and build. David Hopkins, CEO of the UK Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and board member of the Confederation of Timber...

CLT argues its case against combustibles ban

23.04.2020

Advocates believe further fire tests can prove the product’s safety credentials. The government’s 2018 ban on combustible materials in buildings over 18m – which may yet be widened to buildings above 11m – is frustrating for...

Offsite and the Route to Zero Waste

22.04.2020

The Green Construction Board work with Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Defra to develop an interpretation of zero avoidable waste in construction and subsequently to develop a route map of how it might be...

FUTURE-PROOFING NEWBUILD HOMES

22.04.2020

The impending changes to Part L1A and Part F of the Building Regulations for new dwellings will increase energy efficiency requirements for new homes. Trevor Richards, Operations Director of offsite experts Cogent, discusses the potential...

Urgent NHS Projects Require Bespoke Shower Floors

21.04.2020

Leading UK based shower floor manufacturer On The Level, were contacted recently in response to an urgent 20 bed ward project being delivered to Royal Surrey County Hospital by specialist offsite manufacturer Elite Systems. The...

Modular approach finds backers as well as barriers

21.04.2020

Timber modular construction is the flavour du jour in housing. After decades of enthusiasts and reports extolling the virtues of offsite construction, the housing industry finally seems to agree that it might make sense. The last...

Big names line up to defend timber buildings against proposed fire-safety ‘ban’

21.04.2020

Glenn Howells Architects, AHMM, dRMM, Waugh Thistleton and developer Urban Splash are lobbying the government not to ban structural timber under proposed rule changes on fire safety In response to the Grenfell tragedy, the government...

Modelling the Future for Real

20.04.2020

Launched at Offsite Expo 2019, the Construction Futures Research Centre (CFRC) is part of the School of Architecture and Built Environment at the University of Wolverhampton and is part of a new wave of centres of excellence...

Taking future construction skills offsite

17.04.2020

The Offsite Ready programme aims to build the UK’s capacity in the skills that will be vital to the future of construction. Douglas Morrison, director of operations and future skills at the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, explains...

Bespoke Shower Floors requirements for Urgent Covid-19 response buildings

17.04.2020

Leading UK based shower floor manufacturer On The Level, were chosen by The Darwin Group to produce bespoke shower floors for a COVID-19 Emergency Contingency Ward for Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS Trust. The facility which...

Customised homes from Swan’s NU Living

17.04.2020

Thirty houses delivered from Swan’s factory to Beechwood Village in Basildon. Beechwood Village in Basildon is the first development to receive modular houses from Swan Housing Association’s factory in Warrington. Its first...

NG BAILEY JOINS PARTNERS TO DELIVER NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL

16.04.2020

NG Bailey is continuing to play its part supporting national efforts to combat the COVID-19 epidemic as part of the team that has transformed Harrogate Convention Centre into an NHS Nightingale hospital to serve Yorkshire and Humberside. ...

Improving productivity and quality through DfMA

16.04.2020

The construction industry is facing a number of potentially existential challenges that need to be addressed urgently and offsite has the potential to make a significant contribution. But there is concern in some quarters about the aesthetic and...

Lean and Green the Future of the Built Environment

15.04.2020

As the UK grapples with climate change and the urgent need for more sustainable construction approaches – many developers are in a state of confusion about how to meet the proposed Building Regulation changes to further reduce the combustible...

Skanska, Mace and BAM among firms on Platform Design programme

14.04.2020

New schools and hospitals are set to be built from a “kit of parts” within 10 years after the Construction Innovation Hub named the firms that would take forward its flagship Platform Design programme. Skanska, BAM, Kier, Vinci,...

High Score For Fire Tests

13.04.2020

As part of its ongoing review of modern methods of construction (MMC), the NHBC has accepted Fusion Building Systems light steel frame solutions for residential buildings up to and over 18m in height. Fusion Building Systems has recently...

Green light for £65m Scottish factory of the future

09.04.2020

Plans to build a £65m advanced manufacturing facility in Refrewshire have been given the green light. The National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland will be built at the Netherton Campus in Paisley and is designed by architect...

Modular housing business collapses

08.04.2020

Ashley House announces intention to appoint administrator to subsidiary F1 Modular Modular housing start-up F1 Modular is to go into administration, according to its parent company. AIM-listed Ashley House told the stock...

Demonstrating Effectiveness

08.04.2020

Joe Mazzon, Research Engineer at BSRIA outlines some of the ways that thermal imaging can improve energy efficiency in building design. It is well known that buildings account for approximately 40% of the total energy we use. Based on...

Clarion inks deal to build Bristol flats

07.04.2020

Housing association giant signs up offsite construction specialist Mid Group The UK’s largest housing association Clarion has signed up offsite construction specialist Mid Group to build 152 units of affordable housing on...

Bristol Council to sign up L&G for modular homes deal

06.04.2020

The council plans to sell a 6.19-hectare disused allotment gardens site in the city’s Lockleaze area to the pensions and insurance giant. The land, which has been initially valued at an estimated £7m, will be used by L&G to...

Creating Impact in Times of Transformation

06.04.2020

With the construction sector set for profound change, Trudi Sully at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), predicts exciting times ahead with the Construction Innovation Hub set to change the way the industry thinks and performs. I...

Bringing a Brighter Future to Healthcare Construction

03.04.2020

ESS Modular recently handed over a state-of-the art 3,300sqm, 40-bedroom ward extension at Clonmel Hospital. Using a precision manufacturing offsite process significantly reduced the time required on-site, with the new hospital facility delivered...

Bringing a Brighter Future to Healthcare Construction

03.04.2020

L&G’s Rosie Toogood – ‘Building a new industry’

03.04.2020

The CEO of Legal & General Modular Homes on the challenges of changing construction’s old habits. “This really is a new industry. You cannot find someone who knows how to do all of this,” says Rosie Toogood, chief executive...

10,000 NEW MMC HOMES IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

02.04.2020

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has signed an agreement within Urban Splash to build 10,000 new homes using Modern Methods of Construction The WMCA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Urban Splash to...

NHBC launches free virtual training for house-building industry during Coronavirus lockdown

01.04.2020

NHBC, the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, has this week launched a series of free virtual training webinars to help support the sector during the Covid-19 outbreak. NHBC's specialist training team will...

New DfMA platform to support construction of schools and hospitals

01.04.2020

The new Construction Innovation Hub Platform programme will support the government’s ambition to drive innovation and build industrial capability and capacity in businesses throughout the UK to deliver more sustainable buildings in the near...

Structural Insulated Panel Systems: Delivering energy efficient buildings

31.03.2020

The dynamic and fast-moving pace of the structural timber sector delivers a vast array of buildings through innovative construction methods. Here, Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of the Structural Timber Association, discusses the benefits of...

How modular healthcare facilities could alleviate NHS pressures

30.03.2020

Modular buildings can be viewed as a cost-effective solution to improving and increasing NHS facilities, Alan Wilson, managing director of ModuleCo Healthcare explores further It’s no secret that NHS Trusts across the UK are struggling to find...

O’Rourke launches offsite benefits guide

27.03.2020

The Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology at the University of Cambridge and CIRIA have launched a new report unveiling a new methodology for quantifying the benefits of offsite construction. Uptake of...

MMC Champion Visits Timber Frame Facility

25.03.2020

At the end of 2019 Mark Farmer accepted a new role as the independent champion for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). His mission, to modernise housing delivery, has seen him become a major figure in the offsite sector. As part...

Barratt to build one in four homes using MMC by 2025

22.03.2020

Britain's biggest house builder aims to build a quarter of its homes using modern methods of construction by 2025. Barratt has rolled out a series of new housing types to allow a switch to greater use...

Countryside to open second housing factory next year

21.03.2020

First modular plant is now operating two shifts to meet demand, housebuilder says. Countryside has confirmed plans to open a second factory in which to build modular homes as it continues to increase sales. In an update...

Helping to deliver long-lasting homes

19.03.2020

NHBC has a long track record of collaboration with house builders, developers and manufacturers on MMC systems; providing guidance, reviewing systems and sharing knowledge and research. In response to the increasing interest...

New mosaics on a roll from Marmox

19.03.2020

Marmox, synonymous with high-performance tiling preparation, waterproofing and insulating solutions for showers and wet rooms is launching a completely new innovative solution for tiling, Slicedstone mosaics on a roll. Architects and...

First Choice for Offsite Fixings

18.03.2020

World leading manufacturer BeA Fastening Systems Ltd have been in the fastening business for 50 plus years. Based out Woodmansey near Hull, BeA manufacture fixings and fastening for construction and industrial sectors right around the world....

First Choice for Offsite Fixings

18.03.2020

Morgan Sindall goes modular for Derby school

18.03.2020

Derbyshire County Council has chosen Morgan Sindall Construction to build a new £5.3m primary school in Littleover, Derby. The school is being built to serve a new-build housing development, Highfields Estate Once complete,...

Light Gauge Steel Profiles: Problem-solving at its best with The Depot

17.03.2020

Part of the international Hadley Group, Hadley Steel Framing’s light gauge steel profiles have been installed in a nine-storey student accommodation in Exeter, called The Depot. The £40m development will provide accommodation for circa 600...

Secure Your Place at the Offsite Event of the Year

17.03.2020

Rarely does an event get such overwhelmingly positive feedback in its launch year but Offsite Expo 2019 certainly exceeded expectations. The commendations for this event were universal – visitors, sponsors, speakers and exhibitors all...

Housing Minster visits Modular Housing Factory in Leeds

16.03.2020

Efforts to establish a 'Construction Corridor' in the North of England were encouraged even further by a recent visit by the Housing Minister, Esther McVey, to the Legal and General Modular Housing Factory in Leeds, where modern methods of...

Crest Nicholson blames profit wobble on offsite focus

14.03.2020

Crest Nicholson said focusing too heavily on enhancing off-site manufacturing (OSM) has seen it lose ground to competitors in other areas of house building. The admission came as the housing giant unveiled a disappointing set...

First-ever modular homes lifted into place in Bolton

13.03.2020

The initial modular homes have been craned into place at a new affordable housing development in Bolton by offsite specialists, ilke Homes. The new modular homes are a first for the Bolton area and offer 22 affordable family homes....

Timber Frame Fire Safety In Use Guidance

11.03.2020

With an objective to enhance quality and drive product innovation through technical guidance and research, the Structural Timber Association (STA), as part of their continual development programme, has been collaborating with the Construction...

Modular housebuilder Top Hat posts £21m losses

11.03.2020

Goldman Sachs-backed modular housebuilder says it has continued support of US investment giant A business that is part of Top Hat, the modular homes start-up backed by Goldman Sachs to the tune of £75m last year, recorded operating losses of more...

Homebuilder installs first modular homes in Stoke-on-Trent

10.03.2020

Housebuilder St. Modwen Homes has installed two modular properties at its Victoria Park development in Stoke-on-Trent. This is the first time the housebuilder has delivered modular homes, which were manufactured offsite by...

McAvoy Receives Multi-Million Pound Boost From Private Equity Investment

09.03.2020

The McAvoy Group, one of the leading offsite manufacturers in the UK and Ireland, has secured multi-million-pound investment from London-based Blantyre Capital. The investment will...

World’s tallest modular building lights up Croydon skyline just 12 months after first module was installed

09.03.2020

Tide Construction switches lights on at 101 George Street in Croydon only 12 months after they installed the first module at the 44 storey scheme Delivered in half the time of a traditional building, thanks to efficiencies of manufacturing...

Ilke Homes delivers nine zero-carbon modular homes

08.03.2020

Offsite manufacturer, ilke Homes has delivered nine zero-carbon modular homes for SME developer Positive Homes All nine modular homes have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of 'A'. In the UK, only 1% of new builds are 'A'...

Ilke Homes delivers nine zero-carbon modular homes

08.03.2020

NHBC names MMC specialist

08.03.2020

Richard Smith will lead the warranty group's analysis of modern methods of construction. The National House-Building Council (NHBC) has named Richard Smith as the head of its innovation, standards and research operation....

Senior figures resign from offsite trade body

06.03.2020

Two senior members of Buildoffsite's governing forum have stepped down in 'year of transition'. Senior figures on the governing forum for the leading trade body for modern construction methods, Buildoffsite, have stepped down amid...

CSIC board expands to drive cultural change across Scottish construction

06.03.2020

Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has appointed 11 new members to its governance board, reflecting the increasing appetite for collaboration across the construction industry Six women were among the 11 new CSIC board...

How modular housing can launch a self-build boom

05.03.2020

Built & Spaces director Steve Wilkie discusses how modular housebuilding could be the answer to the UK’s self-build boom Our nation lags a long way behind the world when it comes to self-build homes – but modular...

Tyrone offsite building firm attracts multimillion investment

04.03.2020

Tyrone-based McAvoy Group, a family-owned business, has attracted a “multimillion pound” investment from London investment group, Blantyre Capital. McAvoy, which has been in business for more than 50 years and also has...

How to compress a three-year project into one

04.03.2020

A...

CSIC to Drive Offsite Construction with Launch of Training and Learning Programme

04.03.2020

Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), together with an expert UK-wide network of project partners, is launching a major training programme to help grow best practice and skills in offsite construction. The Offsite Ready project, a...

Apex Airspace plans 10,000 affordable modular rooftop homes

04.03.2020

Developer working with six London councils to build homes on existing buildings. Rooftop housing developer Apex Airspace has revealed ambitious plans to build 10,000 affordable homes in the next decade, using modular construction...

Proctor & Matthews’ phase 2 of Urban Splash modular new town approved

03.03.2020

Proctor & Matthews Architects and Shedkm’s second phase of Urban Splash’s modular new town in Cambridgeshire has won planning approval Recently, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee granted permission...

Government tells NHS to use offsite construction for £2.7bn building programme

03.03.2020

Health minister says standardised components will help buildings’ adaptability The government wants modern methods of construction to be used in its ambitious hospital building programme over the next five years. Health...

180 modular homes proposed on disused site in Lockleaze

03.03.2020

Bristol City Council is being asked to consider a proposal to dispose of disused land in Lockleaze to enable Legal & General Modular Homes to deliver over 180 new homes As well as providing much-needed homes, the proposed...

The houses that precast built

02.03.2020

With gathering momentum behind offsite construction, precast concrete specialists are now delivering complete housing concepts. With a government drive for increased offsite manufacturing and standardised components, together...

Manufacture and design unite to deliver modular affordable housing

02.03.2020

Architect Waugh Thistleton was chosen by Swan Housing Association to deliver a 100% affordable housing scheme in East London. Regenerating a brownfield site, the development is designed in three blocks to provide 65 much-needed homes for...

Bristol Housing Festival launches MMC architecture competition

02.03.2020

The Bristol Housing Festival has launched an architecture competition, in partnership with Trinity College, to find a partner to design the college’s student accommodation The architecture competition will find the designer of the...

Collaboration crucial to increase offsite adoption

28.02.2020

“BY embracing new techniques in controlled factory environments offsite, or near-site, we can enhance pre-manufactured value, but by doing so, the conventional procurement and business models we currently use will need to change.” ...

Welsh government invests £45m in modular housing to create ‘next generation of social housing’

28.02.2020

The Welsh government has announced that it is making a £45m investment in modular housing, in an attempt to increase the delivery of social and affordable homes. Of the £45m investment, £25m will be made available...

Atkins unveils first MMC homes

27.02.2020

Consultant’s new housing arm built the houses for Lambeth council Atkins has unveiled the first homes developed by its modular housing arm Edaroth. The terrace of four two-bedroom social housing units was...

ESS Modular completes Ireland’s largest modular ward extension

27.02.2020

ESS Modular has just handed over a state of the art 3,300 sq m, 40-bed modular ward extension at South Tipperary General Hospital The new development is the largest modular ward extension in Ireland and consists of a two-storey...

Skanska and Ikea sign first UK offsite homes deals

26.02.2020

Skanska and Ikea’s offsite homes joint venture, BoKlok UK, has exchanged contracts on its first three developments. The first three sites, across the south and south west of England, are in Worthing, Bristol and Peacehaven. Together,...

Timber systems lead the way for offsite home solutions

26.02.2020

Stewart Dalgarno, director of product development at Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses how Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) can overcome many challenges currently faced by housebuilders and developers...

L&G ditches structural timber in modular flats

26.02.2020

Insurer tests prototype of concrete and steel apartments in offsite homes factory. Insurance giant and modular housing pioneer Legal & General (L&G) will not use timber as a structural material for its planned modular...

Health minister pushes offsite use for new hospitals

25.02.2020

The government is encouraging the NHS to use modern construction methods in the construction of 40 new hospitals. That’s according to minister for care Caroline Dinenage who was speaking last week in a Commons debate on innovation in...

Housebuilders ‘unwilling to invest in skills and MMC’

25.02.2020

The UK’s largest housebuilding firms have been criticised for a failure to invest in innovation and training. Lord Richard Best, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on housing and care for older people, criticised the...

Project Etopia poaches Berkeley Group executive

24.02.2020

James Pikett appointed director of development at start-up modular builder. Project Etopia has appointed Berkeley Group veteran James Pikett to be the firm's first development director. The modular housing start-up, which...

Crest Nicholson confirms it is dropping offsite manufacturing target

24.02.2020

Housebuilder will wait for more action from government, says chief executive Peter Truscott Crest Nicholson has affirmed reports that new chief executive Peter Truscott is casting aside its target to build 15% of homes using offsite...

Kier secures £10.7m modular contract at DMS Whittington

24.02.2020

Kier has been awarded the contract to design and construct a new £10.7m headquarters at DMS Whittington by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) The DMS Whittington headquarters project will start on site in summer 2020...

L&G’s modular factory to deliver North’s ‘much needed’ homes

22.02.2020

Housing minister Esther McVey visited the site as part of the government's drive to "get Britain building". A modular factory in Leeds has set itself targets of delivering 3,500 homes a year once fully operational, in a latest...

Velux Offering Full Value-Added Service For Offsite Manufacturers

21.02.2020

With the relaunch of VELUX into the housebuilder and off-site manufacturers market, the revitalised VELUX service and support package delivers value for money, quality guarantee, assured reliability, and peace of mind for Construction...

Offsite construction is the best route to zero-carbon building

21.02.2020

Offsite construction represents an opportunity to deliver on new targets for carbon reduction, writes Wayne Gales. Making homes in a factory sounds clinical and cold but it should be warmly welcomed. The reason being is that...

Swan latest modular firm to ditch CLT for high-rise apartments

20.02.2020

Housing association says combustibles ban prompted decision to move to steel system for offsite homes. One of the leading exponents of modular housebuilding based on cross-laminated timber technology is to move to using...

NHBC accepts Fusion Building Systems

20.02.2020

As part of its ongoing review of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), the NHBC has accepted Fusion Building Systems light steel frame solutions for residential buildings up to and over 18m in height. Fusion Building Systems has...

Construction productivity report demonstrates MMC potential

16.02.2020

AIMCH, the Innovation Consortium set up to overhaul the housebuilding sector, has published a new research report that assesses construction productivity metrics. The Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of...

Winners named for £3bn offsite schools framework

15.02.2020

The Department for Education has named the firms it will use for its next-generation of offsite schools. The education department's programme will deliver around 30 schools a year with an estimated pipeline of up to £3bn over the next...

Javid set to unveil construction strategy in spring budget

14.02.2020

Set piece announcement expected to include details on improving industry productivity. The chancellor is set to reveal details of the new government's construction strategy in its first Budget this spring. ...

Embracing modular homes in Scotland

12.02.2020

The significant opportunities that modular homes offer to the Scottish construction sector must now be fully embraced, says real estate finance specialist Addi Spiers, a partner at law firm Addleshaw Goddard. What should construction...

Birmingham Development Topped Off And Sold Out

11.02.2020

It’s a double celebration for SevenCapital this week as the developer, alongside construction partners Colmore Tang and Creagh Concrete, marks the topping out of its St Martin’s Place development - and announces it is now sold out one year...

Construction manufacturer Horizon Offsite awarded NSAI agreement certification

10.02.2020

The Tipperary-headquartered company achieved the certification for its Horizon Offsite Steel Frame Building System. The Tipperary-headquartered company achieved the certification for its Horizon Offsite Steel Frame Building System....

Ikea’s MMC spin-off BoKlok buys three UK sites

09.02.2020

The Scandinavian...

Mace unveils digital and offsite high-rise building system

09.02.2020

Mace has unveiled a new system for constructing high-rise buildings using digital technology and an offsite manufacturing approach, which it claims makes construction six times more productive than current industry performance. ...

Offsite agenda is key to the growth of regional economies

07.02.2020

After a tumultuous year, it's important that this attention to the industry strategy and its offsite agenda is sustained by the new government The recent announcement of £38.2m of funding for local authorities to invest in modern methods...

South Koreans buy stake in UK offsite specialist

05.02.2020

A South Korean construction group has bought a major stake in offsite volumetric specialist Elements Europe. Elements Europe has over 15 years' experience in the off-site manufacturing and construction sector delivering more than 20,000...

Chair appointed to Urban Splash’s modular business

04.02.2020

Joint venture between northern developer and Japan's Sekisui House brings in two senior directors. Developer Urban Splash has appointed the Pinnacle Group's director of housing as chair of its modular housing joint venture with Japanese...

Offsite – Its About The People

31.01.2020

With a 42% increase in the last nine months in people seeking to access learning about offsite through the Supply Chain School there is clearly a demand, but as Ian Heptonstall, Director at the School explains - is this enough? ...

Factory fitting made easier by new 3m wide airtightness membrane

31.01.2020

Protect Membranes, UK producer of construction and roofing membranes, has introduced a new 3m wide variant of its popular Protect BarriAir membrane, designed for ease of installation within a factory environment and to support the rapid rise in...

Focusing On The Future Of Construction Technologies

29.01.2020

To help the construction industry interrogate the practical potential of evolving technologies, tools, processes and materials, the Emerging Realities conference and exhibition will answer some of the challenging questions about the...

Catalyst For Change

29.01.2020

Futurebuild 2020, which takes place from 3-5 March at ExCeL London, will inspire professionals working across the offsite sector to come together to deliver a more sustainable built environment. A clear message to come from recent...

Mace unveils new offsite tower build system

29.01.2020

Latest system for Olympic Park homes builds on firm's "jump factory" approach. Construction giant Mace is launching a new form of offsite construction, which it claims can speed high-rise build by 25%, the firm announced...

2020 Vision

28.01.2020

Mark Farmer needs little introduction. His role in suggesting change and modernising the way the built environment is created has seen him become a major figure in the offsite sector. Gary Ramsay caught up with him to speak about the...

Farmer: low-cost obsession stalling offsite procurement

28.01.2020

The five government departments committed to a presumption in favour of offsite lack the intelligence to implement it in procurement, and need "re-educating", according to Mark Farmer, the government's modern methods of construction (MMC)...

Aquarian Cladding seals partnership with industry leaders to distribute MechSlip

28.01.2020

Specialist external cladding supplier Aquarian Cladding Systems has announced an agreement with Ash and Lacy and Ibstock Kevington to distribute MechSlip. The innovative brick cladding system will uniquely allow architects...

Spatial Initiative appointed to £3bn DfE schools framework championing modern methods of construction (MMC)

27.01.2020

Framework to deliver 30 modular schools per year for the next four years. 22nd January 2020: Spatial Initiative - the joint venture between Styles&Wood and ESS Modular - has been appointed to a new £3bn Department for Education...

Offsite Ready To Grow Globally

27.01.2020

Growth opportunities in the global modular and prefabricated buildings market look robust over the next six years with technology set to play a significant role, says Prathmesh Limaye, Senior Research Analyst at Frost &...

First modular homes craned into place at Victoria Park in Stoke-on-Trent

27.01.2020

Housebuilder St. Modwen Homes has installed two modular homes at the Victoria Park site in Stoke-on-Trent. The installation of the new modular homes, which were manufactured offsite by ilke Homes, marks the first time St. Modwen Homes...

Offsite construction safer, faster, greener and cheaper, survey claims

27.01.2020

Offsite construction is safer, faster, greener and cheaper than traditional methods, according to a survey by the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) of businesses in the electrotechnical and engineering services industry. ...

Finding The Future Today

26.01.2020

The growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the housing sector is changing the way tenants engage with housing associations. What can it bring to a flourishing rental market? Henry Jinman, Commercial Director of EBI.AI...

Creagh Concrete targets £200m turnover

26.01.2020

Creagh Concrete is expecting turnover to grow to £200m over the next few years following a string of contract wins. The concrete products producer said turnover will rise to £110m for the year to March 31 2020 as staffing levels...

A Changing Vertical Landscape

26.01.2020

Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems, take a look back on 2019 and show how modular construction is reaching new heights. 2019 was a monumental year for our industry, seeing several decisive steps taken...

Learning To Change

25.01.2020

It is time for more offsite methodology and thinking to be introduced into architectural study, says Nigel Ostime, Delivery Director, Hawkins\Brown Architects, who is part of a new wave of industry specialists introducing...

Framing The Offsite Conversation

25.01.2020

The construction industry must find solutions to the escalating housing crisis that is reaching unsustainable levels. Fortunately offsite construction presents an opportunity for change. Steve Chesters, Southern Framing Sales Manager at Hadley...

Embedding Technological Thinking

24.01.2020

Professor Robert Hairstans from the Centre for Offsite Construction + Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University, outlines a new strategic partnership to digitally enable a sustainable built environment. From tall timber...

Berkeley to open modular factory

24.01.2020

Announcing half-year results today showing profit and revenue sharply down, as expected, the housebuilder said the selling price of its homes remained "firm" and that its forward order book had risen for the first time since 2016....

Adapting And Embracing Change

24.01.2020

According to former US President Bill Clinton, 'the price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the cost of change.' Andrew Orriss, STA Assure Director for the Structural Timber Association (STA), discusses the...

Secure Your Place At The Offsite Event Of The Year

23.01.2020

Plans are now well underway for the next Offsite Expo taking place on 22-23 September at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. The event will once again feature informative speaker content but new for 2020 will be 'live' feature builds, machinery...

Urban Splash modular homes win planning

22.01.2020

Joint venture with Peel given permission for latest phase of Wirral Waters megaproject. Planning permission has been granted for 30 modular homes in the 13,000-home Wirral Waters scheme in Birkenhead, to be delivered as a joint venture...

Berkeley looks offsite as profits return to ‘normal’

20.01.2020

Berkeley Group is planning to start production at its new house-building factory in north Kent in 2020. Chairman Tony Pidgley said that Berkeley's volumetric modular construction facility in Ebbsfleet would be "an exemplar of...

Technical & Standard Developments

25.12.2019

The popularity of light steel framing continues to grow as does the uptake of offsite construction more generally. Andrew Way, Associate Director at SCI, provides an update on recent material developments. Key...

The psychological tic that’s holding offsite construction back

23.12.2019

Kier preconstruction director for strategic projects Jamie Hillier considers the psychological bias preventing the industry from seeing the creative possibilities of offsite manufacturing When evaluating a specific topic, concept,...

Heathrow to link offsite hubs with tracking system

22.12.2019

Logistic sites winners due to be named next summer Heathrow Airport has said the four offsite logistic hubs that will be used to help build the third runway at the west London airport will be able to use a centralised...

Government ‘must embrace’ MMC to tackle housing crisis

21.12.2019

An All-Party Parliamentary report calls on the "unlocking" of finance for manufacturers to better meet demand. The use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and the timber industries will be key in helping the government...

Great Places launches £750m housing framework

19.12.2019

Framework forms part of housing group's hopes of building 11,000 new homes by 2028 Great Places Housing Group has launched a £750m framework for firms looking to deliver a range of services to housing clients across...

Farmer to promote McVey’s ‘construction corridor’

18.12.2019

New MMC champion Mark Farmer will lead development of £40bn plan across the north of England The government's newly appointed "MMC champion" Mark Famer will be tasked with developing the recently announced hi-tech...

Ilke Homes reports multi-million pound loss

18.12.2019

Accounts for start-up modular builder reflect investment in manufacturing capability, firm says. Start-up modular builder Ilke Homes has posted a £22m loss for the year to March 2019. The firm, formed by a collaboration between housing...

Architects hit out at offsite drive

17.12.2019

Homes built with modern methods of construction are "blight" on communities, designer says Senior housing architects have hit out at the government's drive to transform the housing industry through the use of modern...

RICS survey backs MMC growth

17.12.2019

More than half of quantity surveyors have seen a rise in the use of modern methods of construction in the past three years, according to a survey by the RICS. In the RICS' quarterly survey of construction consultants, 53% of...

Ilke Homes looks to open second off-site factory

17.12.2019

Modular housebuilder considering new facility following £30m Homes England loan Modular housebuilder Ilke Homes is looking to open a second factory producing its steel-framed volumetric houses following the decision by quango...

Smart and modular: how modern construction can tackle the housing crisis

17.12.2019

John Corbett. John Corbett, sales director UK at EnOcean, outlines how modern methods of construction and smart technologies can revolutionise the building process and the way we live. Rising populations and changing...

Huge losses at modular firm handed £30m of public cash

17.12.2019

A modular homes specialist granted £30m of government funding this week racked-up a pre-tax loss of £7.7m in its latest published accounts. Figures posted at Companies House by ilke Homes Limited show the firm made a...

How Ilke plans to produce 5,000 modular homes a year

16.12.2019

Modular housebuilder Ilke Homes formed in 2017 from a joint venture between housing contractor Keepmoat and steel frame specialist Elliott and last week bolstered its ambitions to ramp up supply after securing a £30m loan from Homes England....

Offsite Solutions acquires Taylor and Kilduff

16.12.2019

Offsite Solutions, a bathroom pod manufacturer, has acquired Taylor and Kilduff, a steel fabrication business to bring the manufacture of base frames for its steel-framed pods in-house Taylor and Kilduff has over 15 years' experience...

Tories promise MMC boost

15.12.2019

Manifesto also promises to deliver 1 million new homes The Conservative Party has pledged to support the use of modern methods of construction in its general election manifesto. The manifesto, launched...

Countryside aims to build 1,400 modular homes next year

15.12.2019

Countryside Properties is to build 1,400 modular homes in the coming year, after its new modular panel factory became operational in March this year. So far, Countryside's modular panel factory in Warrington has delivered 376...

Caledonian Modular hopes to return to profit next year

14.12.2019

Latest accounts reveal the East Midlands offsite specialist, which delivered the Hinkley Point site worker village, suffered a £0.74m loss this year after falling £3.7m into the red in 2018. The firm said it had a very...

Welsh government announces £30m funding boost for housing development

13.12.2019

The Welsh government has promised to inject £30m into housing schemes, including £10m for factories to build modular homes, as part of wider funding for key projects. The money will come via a round of funding from the Wales...

Laing O’Rourke and Bam researching offsite nuclear builds

12.12.2019

A new type of compact nuclear power station is to be researched by a consortium including Laing O'Rourke, Bam Nuttall and Atkins. Nine companies are providing an initial investment of £18m to the project, which matches £18m of...

Modular housebuilder creates speedy-build app for customers

11.12.2019

Modular housebuilder Built & Spaces has created its own software that it claims can accelerate the housebuilding process to just 10 weeks from start to completion. The Build My Home software lets customers assemble their...

Grimshaw’s floating modular homes design revealed

10.12.2019

A new range of floating modular homes has been designed by the architect behind the Stirling Prize-nominated revamp of London Bridge railway station. Grimshaw teamed up with Dutch manufacturing group Concrete Valley to produce...

Mastering the precast market

10.12.2019

As part of the Inside Offsite factory tour programme, precast concrete specialists FP McCann once again opened up its Byley manufacturing facility to showcase its innovative offsite technology. With a focus on the structural and architectural...

Offsite Specialists to Present Latest Developments in Steel Framing

09.12.2019

Following its 2019 success, Focus on Framing is set to return next year as the event that is showcasing light steel framing solutions. The seminar will take place on 29th January at the Building Centre, London, taking an in-depth look at...

Government pumps £30m into modular house builder

08.12.2019

Each home that rolls off the production line is fully accredited by Britain's major insurers and lenders Homes England's cash injection will be used to turbo-charge production at the firm's Knaresborough production...

Driving Iconic Design

08.12.2019

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) wished to create one of the foremost automotive design and engineering centres in the world and used timber to reflect the design quality associated with one of the UK's most iconic businesses. Winner of two...

How to avoid stress over university resi-build deadlines

07.12.2019

Delays have beset student housing schemes of late, but one solution exists to help speed up delivery It wasn't the best start to students' academic life. In early October, it emerged that hundreds of them across the UK had been forced to...

Losses narrow at offsite firm Caledonian Modular

07.12.2019

Offsite construction specialist Caledonian Modular has narrowed its losses in 2019, and now expects to make a profit in 2020. In 2018, the company, based in Newark in Nottinghamshire, suffered a pre-tax loss of £3.7m on...

McAvoy wins £5.5m contract for new technology centre

06.12.2019

The McAvoy Group has been awarded a £5.5m contract for the offsite construction of a new three-storey Art, Design and Technology Centre at The Deepings School near Peterborough Built under phase two of the Priority School...

Stay safe

06.12.2019

With offsite construction taking many health and safety concerns out of the construction equation, Andy Green, Business Development Director at BM TRADA, discusses the importance of an effective health and safety management system. It comes as...

Creagh Concrete invests £1m in new offices to accommodate growth from GB market

05.12.2019

Company targets £200m turnover and 1,000 staff! Toomebridge headquartered concrete products manufacturer Creagh Concrete has invested £1m in new offices to accommodate the company's growing workforce. One of the UK's largest...

Worldwide modular market to hit £165bn

05.12.2019

Report predicts rapid growth in sector in next six years The global market for modular and prefabricated buildings is set to be worth over £165bn globally by the middle of the next decade, according to a report by analysts...

Providing the expert envelope

05.12.2019

The offsite sector is underpinned by precision designed and manufactured components and systems. Heath Hindmarch, Chairman of PSP Group describes how façade and rainscreen cladding solutions produced in a factory environment are increasingly being...

Modular design should be on architects’ syllabus, says government tsar

04.12.2019

Architects should be better trained in designing modular and prefabricated buildings, according to the government's new tsar for modern methods of construction (MMC) Mark Farmer was named MMC 'champion' by housing minister...

A new environment for learning

04.12.2019

The McAvoy Group has been awarded a £5.5million contract for the offsite construction of a new three-storey Art, Design and Technology Centre at The Deepings School near Peterborough. Built under phase two of the Priority School...

Caledonian lands £4m NHS modular deal

04.12.2019

Offsite specialist Caledonian has secured a £4m design and build deal with Whittington Health NHS Trust for a new clinical education facility. Caledonian has supported the client’s team through the design and planning process and will now...

Construction R&D rises to record high due to MMC interest

04.12.2019

The construction industry has increased its research and development (R&D) spending to a record high, partly to more interest in developing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) according to Catax. The industry raised its R&D spending to...

Will politics impact the offsite construction sector?

03.12.2019

Jim Roach, managing director of ARV Solutions, takes a look at whether party politics or internal politics will have the biggest impact on the offsite construction sector Is party politics where we should place the most...

Bright future for Blyth School

03.12.2019

Northumberland County Council has embraced offsite construction for first time with a pioneering 14-week programme for a primary school extension at Horton Grange Primary School. CPC – the new partnership between LHC and Northern Housing...

Modular – putting the money where it matters

02.12.2019

In the twelve months since the last Modular Matters conference, the political and investment landscape has changed beyond recognition. Whilst the national media focuses on the political wranglings surrounding BREXIT and more recently, the election...

Constructing Excellence and Mark Farmer in innovation push

02.12.2019

National industry body Constructing Excellence is to become the newest delivery partner of the £72m government-backed Construction Innovation Hub. With an extensive network of national and regional members, which cuts across...

Understanding the financial obligations

30.11.2019

There are many things to bear in mind when approaching offsite construction, Amy Crick, Head of UK RE Transaction Management, Barclays Corporate Banking, outlines a few key considerations when seeking finance for modular developments. ...

Timber Industries Join in Offsite Push

30.11.2019

The use of offsite construction and the timber industries will be key in helping the Government meet its housebuilding targets, according to a report launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Timber Industries (APPG). The report...

Metframe’s pre-panelised system helps deliver new student block

29.11.2019

Metframe's pre-panelised system helped deliver a new student block combining a flexible modern interior with an attractive traditional exterior in just 13 weeks Founded nearly 65 years ago, CATS College is an innovative...

Do it right – moving units correctly

28.11.2019

The lifting of pods and modules is a critical process in the manufacture and install of offsite units, usually resulting in a more complex lift than the traditional lifting operations carried out on constructions sites. Anthony Culshaw, Technical...

Living with insulated precast concrete

28.11.2019

Government backs Ilke Homes with £30m loan

28.11.2019

Agency Homes England's cash to "turbo charge" modular housebuilder Homes England is lending £30m to modular housebuilder Ilke Homes, in a bid to "turbo charge" production at the Knaresborough-based firm. ...

Ideal Modular Homes launches affordable housing range

27.11.2019

Liverpool-based manufacturer rolls out its Our Home portfolio Ideal Modular Homes has launched a new range of affordable factory-built homes which it claimed could slash residents' energy bills by more than 50%. ...

Government wants MMC ‘silicon valley’ in the north

27.11.2019

Housing minister Esther McVey is has announced government plans to create a new 'centre for excellence' for modern methods of construction (MMC) in the north of England to boost construction of new homes. McVey visited...

Self-adhesive vapour control layer delivers time saving benefits

27.11.2019

Protect Membranes, UK producer of roofing and construction membranes, has introduced Protect VB200, a reflective air and vapour control layer with an integral self-sealing adhesive backing, designed for use in either flat warm roof construction...

Heathrow to track offsite components with new tech

26.11.2019

Heathrow Airport has unveiled new tracking technology that will allow it to connect its network of offsite construction hubs around the UK, which will be used in the construction of a new runway. The technology, devised by...

McAvoy raids Farrans for construction board director

26.11.2019

Offsite specialist The McAvoy Group has strengthened its board with the appointment of Farrans Scotland and Northern Ireland director Martin O'Neill. O'Neil joins as contracts director, bringing over 25 years' experience in...

Smartply Ultima and Smartply FR: The offsite solutions

26.11.2019

With offsite construction on the rise as a more efficient, high quality and sustainable option for delivering affordable housing, MEDITE SMARTPLY highlights some of its ground-breaking products As a concept, offsite...

How modular construction is helping to solve the UK housing crisis

25.11.2019

Innovation funding specialist the MPA Group highlights the main advantages of modular construction and the key sector issues it is helping to address Modular construction is the process where building components are produced in a factory,...

The perils of payment on modular

24.11.2019

Be wary when amending standard form payment provisions for modular construction Modular construction is on the rise, particularly in the hotel sector. But a recent case highlights the dangers when amending standard form...

Final module placed on world’s tallest offsite resi tower

23.11.2019

Tide Construction has craned the final pod into place on the world's tallest modular building in Croydon. The last of 1,526 modules have been assembled on site in south London to create two towers measuring 44-storeys and 38-storeys....

Sustainable offsite manufacturing exhibition opens in Glasgow

22.11.2019

A new exhibition currently open in Glasgow is showcasing sustainable buildings factory-made from wood, demonstrating how innovative timber engineering methods can overcome traditional construction challenges. Supported by Scottish...

McVey announces £38m MMC cash injection

21.11.2019

Housing minister unveils plan for new MMC hub and funding for offsite homes Housing minister Esther McVey has announced plans for a new hub promoting modern methods of construction (MMC) in the north of England, alongside £38m in...

CIOB responds to Housing Minister’s announcement on funds to support the use of MMC

19.11.2019

The Chartered...

Ikea Skanska JV set to open UK modular factory

17.11.2019

BoKlok plans UK...

MMC ‘not as disruptive’ as industry believes

16.11.2019

Modern methods of...

Are modular homes the solution to the worldwide housing crisis?

14.11.2019

With stories of housing crises crossing borders and seas, politicians, policymakers, architects, developers and housebuilders from across the world have been trying to come up with solutions as to how new homes can be built quickly enough to meet...

Architecture school announces first offsite construction course

13.11.2019

The UK's first dedicated post-graduate architecture course covering modern methods of construction (MMC) is being developed by Oxford Brookes. The university is working with Hawkins Brown and other architects to create a...

Can modular construction improve affordability?

12.11.2019

Can modular construction improve affordability? The simple answer is yes, but, when it comes to modular construction, there are a lot more benefits involved than just cutting costs But first, what is modular construction? ...

Carbon Challenge Needs Whole-life Views, Not Half-truths

11.11.2019

Against the backdrop of climate change, the construction industry needs to chart the roadmap to a net-zero-carbon society by 2050. This requires an intelligent and informed industry discussion about embodied and operational...

Precast Wins at Hox Park

11.11.2019

Located on the outskirts of Egham in Surrey, Hox Park is a new high-quality, precast concrete student development for The Royalton Group and Moorfield, which forms part of the phased masterplan for the former Brunel University site. Designed...

Why new names are piling into offsite housing

11.11.2019

With government...

Homes England grants £38m for offsite projects

10.11.2019

Homes England has granted £38.2m of funding to six local authorities to encourage greater use of modern methods of construction (MMC). The money will be used by six councils to develop infrastructure and enabling works for the...

MMC and timber frame: The perfect duo for sustainable housebuilding

09.11.2019

Stewart Dalgarno, director of product development at Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses why Modern Methods of Construction coupled with a build fabric such as timber frame are key to meeting government housing targets sustainably ...

CLC boss ‘disappointed’ by government’s offsite take-up

08.11.2019

The chairman of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has said public spending on offsite construction is "crucial" if the sector is to thrive, as he expressed disappointment at slow government take-up. Recently,...

Hill sets up £10m homeless charity

06.11.2019

Privately-owned housebuilder to build 200 homes for the homeless Hill, the Waltham Abbey-based housebuilder, is setting up a £10m charitable foundation to build 200 homes for people who have found themselves homeless. ...