Evolution Not Revolution
The role offsite manufacture can play in securing a healthier housing sector has never been more important. A pivotal provider of offsite timber housing systems is Stewart Milne Timber Systems (SMTS) who recently hosted a Roundtable Event to discuss future housing challenges and how to develop a maturing market.
The need to provide more homes of all tenures and types across the UK is well understood but perhaps even more important is to raise the standard of delivery and building quality. It is here that offsite manufacture is marking itself as a clear step-change to the traditional – and for many commentators – the tired way of building. Undoubtedly a boost has come over the last 18 months with the endorsement of central Government through its Housing White Paper – Fixing our Broken Housing Market – and the London Assembly in particular on the requirement to embed a greater percentage of offsite manufacture in project assessments.
“The Government has made it very clear since the White Paper that offsite is the way forward,” says Michelle Hannah, Director at Cast Consultancy. “From a policy perspective and in particular planning, I think there needs to be more work done on educating what offsite construction actually means. Sometimes the time taken to process a planning application actually hinders one of the key benefits of using offsite.”
Technology Talks
It would seem that for those unfamiliar with offsite technology, a wider rollout of training is required – through a wider factory tour programme – so offsite technology is not seen as an isolated process, irrespective of it being based around timber, steel or concrete. This skills deficit and lack of knowledge can be viewed at many different levels. Whilst many visual aspects of the design process and architectural approach are easier to digest, there is not enough concentrated effort on understanding the structural and ‘precision engineered’ ways that buildings are created within the factory environment.
Gaps persist on what offsite can do. But most developers and housebuilders are savvy enough to know a greater percentage of factory-driven building design should be part of what they offer – without the government having to tell them. Major volume housebuilders are already seeking to increase the amount of offsite as a business necessity. “The drivers are well understood and are there already. We are adopting more offsite because we need to,” says Oliver Novakovic, Technical and Innovation Director for Barratt Developments. “Many construction site managers are still only attuned to brick and block and don’t understand enough about offsite, so where Government can possibly help more is with pushing some construction cultural changes.”
Understanding Offsite Standardisation
Standardisation brings many cost benefits but may not always deliver choice and what the vast majority of clients and customers want when choosing a home is choice. So will the focus on greater standardisation create a potential ‘turn-off’ for clients?
There is sometimes a perception with the architectural and construction circles that standardisation is a bad thing. Certainly some architects are wary of standardisation and fear that it can stifle creativity. For a manufacturer, standardisation is the perfect scenario. But what is standardisation? Is it optimisation, rationalisation or even harmonisation?
To continue reading this article, visit: ST Mag Summer Issue
RoundTable Hosting Opportunities
The round-table debate events host thought leaders and influencers from; the offsite sector, government departments, private sector clients, leading architects, engineers and contractors.
Each debate is chaired and facilitated by Darren Richards, Manager Director of Cogent Consulting – leading offsite construction consultants, and shaped by a panel of experts and opinion formers.
The round-table events are attended by Gary Ramsay, Editor of Structural Timber Magazine (ST MAG) who will capture and present the debate in a special feature that will appear in the following issue of the magazine and online via the unique ST MAG Newsroom.
For more information about how to become a RoundTable host, contact Mark Austin at mark.austin@structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk
