M2 MMC Nov' '16 cc

MMC 

MODERN METHODS 

OF CONSTRUCTION 

Nov 2016 

issue M2 

Complete range of high 

performance offsite solutions 

ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE 

MOISTURE PERFORMANCE 

FIRE PERFORMANCE 

ROBUST PERFORMANCE 

RACKING STRENGTH 

INDOOR AIR QUALITY 

Offsite manufacturing demands product that is proven, consistent, 

reliable and robust. British Gypsum has a range of products and services 

which offer tangible benefits to the manufacturing process. 

Metsec provides solution 

Metsec chosen for student 

accommodation – delivering its 

Metframe system to meet the building’s 

design and performance requirements. 

Modular construction in the 

21st century 

Matt Goff of Actavo Building Solutions 

discusses how the Offsite approach is 

the way forward. 

Can modular housing solve 

London’s housing crisis? 

The housing crisis in London today is 

severe and we need to look at modern 

construction methods. 

page 

24 

page 

28 

page 

32

ACOUSTIC, 

FIRE & 

THERMAL 

SOLUTIONS 

Responding to challenges faced in the construction industry 

with bespoke acoustic, fire and thermal solutions 

New build and refurbishment solutions from our highly experienced in-house 

technical team that: 

improve performance 

reduce costs 

increase efficiencies 

comply with changes in building regulation demands 

SIG Performance Technology has developed an extensive range of fabrication 

services which can be applied to a wide range of acoustic, fire and thermal 

protection products. Our in-house manufacturing capabilities cover a wide 

variety of fabrication options, utilising the latest technology including bespoke 

insulation cutting and pre-applied finishes. 

For advice, support and information 

about any of our products 

please contact us on 

0330 123 1756 

or email performancetechnology@sigplc.com 

www.sigpt.co.uk

ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE 

MOISTURE PERFORMANCE 

FIRE PERFORMANCE 

ROBUST PERFORMANCE 

RACKING STRENGTH 

INDOOR AIR QUALITY 


Nov2016 

issue M2 

October saw the publication of the 

Farmer Review, and it made for some 

very interesting reading! The report, 

Modernise or Die: Time to decide the 

industry’s future, was researched and 

written by Mark Farmer, Founding 

Director and CEO of Cast Consultancy. 

Recommendations included a 

comprehensive review of the CITB, 

and it encourages the use of MMC by 

suggesting “…changing 

commissioning trends from 

traditional to pre-manufactured 

approaches…” 

The review was always going to hold a 

mirror to the faults and failings of the 

industry; in his foreword, Andrew 

Wolstenholme OBE, the Co-Chair of 

the Construction Leadership Council, 

noted that “It does not, however, 

make for comfortable reading.” But 

many points were raised that offer a 

‘road map’ to a better future. 

In our special features, Steve Newell, 

General Manager at the Portakabin 

Group, tells us how the healthcare 

sector is an ideal showcase for offsite 

construction, and Shaun 

McCarthy OBE, Chair, Supply Chain 

School, tells us why Design for 

Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) is 

a ‘no-brainer’ for construction, and 

explains the aims of The Offsite 

Construction School. 

In My Opinion features Andrew 

Carpenter, Chief Executive of the 

Structural Timber Association, telling 

us why the pre-manufacture sector 

should now gear up to drive 

Government legislation. 

Optimistically, last month’s UK 

Construction Week was a great 

success - it was great to see so many 

old friends and new ideas in the NEC! 

Our next issue will be early 2017 - 

many uncertainties still face the 

industry and the country, but we have 

some amazing innovations and some 

real star players on our team, so 

onwards and upwards! 

Front cover advert 

10 

18 

20 

26 

38 

High performance solutions for the off-site industry 

Off-site manufacturing is an increasingly popular method of project delivery. 

As well as driving construction efficiency and cost certainty, it also offers 

increased quality along with faster project delivery and accelerated return on 

investment. 

The stars are aligning for pre-manufactureÁ 

The Farmer Review and the desperate need for more homes highlight that 

new ideas are needed. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural 

Timber Association, explains how pre-manufacture is the obvious answer. 

MTX deliver a fantastic project to Northwick Park Hospital 

In December 2014 MTX were awarded the contract to design, install and 

commission a new five storey modular extension for London North West 

Healthcare NHS Trust. 

The Biggest Ever Modular Build Construction Project in the UK 

EDF Energy’s Final Investment Decision on Hinkley Point C Confirms 

Premier Modular’s appointment to Build the Prestigious Accommodation 

Project for the new Nuclear Power Station. 

Challenges facing the social housing sector 

Of all the potential shocks to the UK economy that loomed in the aftermath of 

Britain’s June 23 vote to leave the EU, few seemed as dramatic as the impact 

on the housing market. Four months on, catastrophe seems at least to have 

been deferred, however focus and concern still looms regarding the lack of 

Social Housing available. 

Complete range of high 

performance offsite solutions 

Regards, 

Juliet. 

Features Editor: 

Juliet Davies 

Advertising: 

Paul Barstow 

paul@buildinsite.co.uk 

Press Releases: 

press@buildinsite.co.uk 

Production: Di Smith 

di@buildinsite.co.uk 

Design: Ellie Rich 

design@buildinsite.co.uk 

Circulation: 

circulation@buildinsite.co.uk 

Enquiries 0121 661 9484 

Offsite manufacturing demands product that is proven, 

consistent, reliable and robust. British Gypsum has a 

range of products and services which offer tangible 

benefits to the manufacturing process. 

For more information see page 10 

Offsite manufacturing demands product that is proven, consistent, 

reliable and robust. British Gypsum has a range of products and services 

which offer tangible benefits to the manufacturing process. 

Specifiers can subscribe free of charge to this magazine, please visit 

www.buildingspecifier.com/subscriptions 

Publisher’s Statement. 

Printed in England. All rights reserved. No part of MMC may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form 

without prior permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, the editor and 

publishers do not accept responsibility for errors or loss and damage caused by any statements, 

claims or observations made by contributors, authors and their agents. 

Waverley Communications Limited. Reg. No. 4805329 


Nov 2016 M2 3


Latest News 

First new school in £28m PSBP handed over 

Off-site construction specialist the Portakabin Group has handed over the first new school in the £28m Surrey and Kent batch of the Priority School 

Building Programme (PSBP). The £5.6m building for Pyrford Primary School near Woking was successfully delivered on time and on budget. 

The scheme for 480 children has replaced two outdated 1960s buildings which Portakabin will now demolish. Pyrford is the first of six primary schools 

in the Surrey and Kent region being rebuilt by the Portakabin Group under the Government’s PSBP, in contracts worth in the region of £28m. 

Each scheme has been designed in line with stringent Department for Education teaching standards to create outstanding learning environments and 

is being delivered using Yorkon advanced off-site building solutions. 

The use of off-site construction has halved the programme time for completion and occupation at Pyrford, ready for the start of the 2016/17 academic 

year. The approach has also avoided any interruption to teaching on a constrained rural site which is immediately adjacent to the original school. 

More solar helps Bournemouth University go green 

Bournemouth University’s new flagship Fusion Building incorporates a 95kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) array, designed and installed by Photon 

Energy. The Fusion Building, which saw £22m of investment, aims to provide a state-of-the-art academic space with a minimal carbon footprint. 

The PV installation is one of a number of measures that has enabled the building to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. 

This is the second installation at Bournemouth University by Photon Energy who also designed the PV system at the University’s Student Centre 

which opened in 2015. Willmott Dixon, a major client of Photon Energy, was the main contractor for both projects. 

The PV system consists of 276 SunPower 345 Wp high efficiency modules and SMA 3 phase inverters. 206 modules were mounted on a K2 

aluminium frame on the octagon shaped standing seam roof, with the arrays of PV carefully installed in order to provide a magnificent aerial view 

of the roof. Additionally, on the top level flat roof of the building, 70 modules were mounted to a bespoke frame system allowing for integration 

with a plant room screen. This innovative design enabled the black Sunpower modules to blend seamlessly with the plant screen, which enhanced 

the aesthetic finish of the building. 

Allow councils to borrow to build new homes, 

FMB tells Chancellor 

Allowing local authorities to borrow to build homes could both help 

tackle the housing crisis and mitigate any emerging economic 

uncertainty, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said ahead of 

the Autumn Statement. 

“The Autumn statement presents an opportunity for the new Chancellor 

to think creatively about how to address the country’s growing housing 

crisis,” said Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB. “We simply aren’t 

building enough new homes to meet current demand, which is why 

we’re calling for the Chancellor to empower local authorities to borrow 

money to build thousands of new social homes.” 

At a time of political and economic uncertainty, a sensible programme 

of investment like this could both significantly boost housing output and 

provide a welcome shot in the arm to a sector that is still jittery over its 

prospects for the next few years. 

Crendon reaches new heights with new 

factory 

Pioneering UK roof truss supplier Crendon Timber Engineering 

has marked a £1.5m investment with the official opening of a new 

state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The 1,700m2 factory at the 

company’s site in East Harling, Norfolk, manufacturing trussed 

rafters and Posi-Joists, is the latest landmark for the company 

which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. 

The plant at East Harling, one of six production facilities in the UK 

(Crendon also has an estimating and design office in Bristol), was 

officially opened on September 9th. The new depot will offer a full 

design and manufacture service for roof trusses and Posi-Joists 

along with a distribution hub for the south-east of England 

including East Anglia, Kent and Surrey. 

CCS announces new Board Directors 

The Considerate Constructors Scheme - the national Scheme to improve the image of construction - has formed a new Statutory Board of 

Directors. 

The new board includes four independent non-executive Directors: Roma Agrawal, a distinguished structural engineer; Richard Byrne, a 

prominent Health and Safety Director; Nick Coley, a successful entrepreneur within civil engineering and contracting; and Simon Harvey, a 

renowned strategy and marketing director with a wealth of experience of launching consumer products to younger generations. They were 

appointed at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Scheme in London on 2nd November. 

Scheme Executive Chairman Isabel Martinson leads the new Statutory Board of Directors, which also comprises representatives from the 

Schemes owners, Dr Diana Montgomery, Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association (CPA), Professor John Nolan, Chairman of the 

Construction Industry Council (CIC) and Chief Executive of CIC, Graham Watts OBE. Mike Petter joins the Board as Chairman of the new standing 

Service and Performance Committee. 

The new standing Service and Performance Committee, led by Mike Petter, will oversee the operational management of the Scheme and will 

report in to the Statutory Board of Directors. 

4 MMC 

Nov 2016 M2

Construction ignoring billions in tax rebates 

A lack of awareness about what counts as Research & Development in construction means companies are missing out on millions of pounds in 

tax rebates. The R&D Tax Credit Scheme is a Government incentive designed to encourage innovation in UK industries, with claims via the 

scheme totalling nearly £2.5 billion last year. 

However, out of an industry of 290,000 businesses, only 480 construction companies made a claim via the scheme in 2014-15. 

Despite contributing 7% of UK GDP, construction accounts for just 0.9% of total R&D Tax Credit claims, with the industry averaging just £23 

million per year over the past three years. Invennt director Tim Fitch argues that construction is innovative, and the problem is actually one of 

perception of what R&D means. 

Companies claiming via the SME scheme, meanwhile, can receive up to a third of all their R&D expenditure as money back from HMRC. 

Companies can only claim for R&D activity that has taken place in the previous two tax years. This means that for those construction businesses 

working to a January-December financial year, the deadline for claiming work done in 2014 is fast approaching. 

Britcon completes extension for outdoor 

learning centre 

Britcon has completed the design and build of a new £720k 

accommodation building as part of an extension to an award 

winning outdoor learning centre in Ilkley for Bradford City Council. 

Nell Bank is a local authority outdoor education centre in Bradford, 

where children of all ages and abilities can enjoy learning in the 

outdoors. Conceived in 1977 by the then Lord Mayor of Bradford, 

Paul Hockney, as part of his Appeal, the Centre is now administered 

by Bradford City Council on behalf of the trustees of the Nell Bank 

Silver Jubilee Trust. 

In response to expansion plans drawn up in 2014, Britcon was 

commissioned to provide a new facility to extend capacity for 

overnight accommodation at the popular centre. Britcon has 

delivered a new dormitory block allowing space for 64 beds with 

living space and shower/toilet facilities. It utilised the Structural 

Insulated Panel System (SIPS) which is timber clad for maximum 

insulation and energy efficiency. 

Government announces EV workplace charging 

grant 

Chargemaster, the UK’s premier supplier of electric vehicle (EV) 

chargers, welcomes the government announcement today of a £600 grant 

supporting the installation of dual charging points at workplaces. 

“This is great news for companies that have adopted EVs into their fleets, 

or wish to provide charging facilities for visitors,” commented David 

Martell, Chief Executive of Chargemaster. “There are now more than 

80,000 electric vehicles on British roads – many of those are owned and 

run by businesses. This new £600 grant from government will allow more 

companies to install charging points at workplace locations for a fraction 

of the cost.” 

Chargemaster operates the UK’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging 

network. Its public POLAR charging infrastructure has more than 5,000 

chargers across the UK, and the company has installed over 30,000 

homecharger units. 

Chargemaster designs and manufactures its charging points in the UK as 

well as having a nationwide installation team. 

£2m expansion creates 300 school spaces 

MORE THAN 300 extra school spaces across Nottinghamshire have been created this year, to meet the ever-growing demand of extra school 

places in the region. 

South Wilford Primary School, Flintham Primary School in Newark and Butlers Hill Infant and Nursery School and Broomhill Junior School in 

Hucknall have all undergone more than £2.5m worth of expansion work through Ashe Construction. Working in partnership with the East 

Midlands Property Alliance (empa), each project was completed on time and included ten new classrooms, play areas and a car park. 

Working across Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands region, Ashe Construction has created 810 extra school places this year and is currently 

working towards creating an extra 680 places for the start of 2017. 

Ashe Construction is an empa framework partner. Managed by Scape Group and formed by local authorities, the empa framework aims to 

improve the delivery of construction projects and property maintenance for public sector bodies, saving them and the taxpayer money. 

Prater delivers unitised solution 

Specialist building envelope contractor Prater has completed an extensive scope of works at the 101 Embankment office building in Manchester. 

Appointed by main contractor Carillion, Prater delivered a package which included a 360° unitised curtain walling façade, utilising off-site 

manufacturing and unconventional methods of delivery and installation to complete a fast-paced programme within a congested urban location. 

Prater began work on site in January 2016 to install the unitised system, which consisted of 1,160 panels. The specialist contractor’s responsibility 

extended to louvres, rainscreen cladding and structural glazing, in addition to a separate curtain walling system on the ground floor of the building. 

Prater appointed AEL, a manufacturer local to the site to construct the panels for the unitised system. Panels were produced at a rate of 50 per week, 

allowing Prater’s site team to complete the installation of a complete floor in under two weeks. Constructing the panels in a factory environment 

allowed AEL to ensure precision engineering, whilst carrying out a complete quality check on each panel prior to dispatch. In addition, this allowed for 

comprehensive checks on each panel prior to installation on-site. 




Product News 

Easy does it 

Portakabin, the UK’s 

leading modular 

building specialist, has 

provided multiple 

buildings for a new 

flagship aircraft 

maintenance hangar at 

Gatwick Airport for 

Europe’s leading 

airline, easyJet. 

Portakabin worked in partnership with easyJet and alongside Rubb 

Buildings who designed and installed the 5,490m2 twin span 

hangar, which has a modular steel frame fitted with 8,700m2 of 

insulated PVC membrane. The facility can accommodate up to two 

aircraft for light-base overnight maintenance. 

Around 1,000m2 of accommodation were provided by Portakabin for 

30 on-site staff to facilitate the maintenance of easyJet’s fleet of 

aircraft, which is carried out overnight, seven days a week. 

Six Portakabin buildings were installed inside the hangar structure 

for two maintenance control stations, an additional office area, a 

locker room, toilets, showers and changing facilities, and a 

workshop. A larger modular building is located externally, 

immediately adjacent to the hangar, for the storage of parts and 

tooling on the ground floor with offices, a canteen and a meeting 

room above. 

www.portakabin.co.uk 

Kingspan TEK beats Alpine snow 

The Kingspan 

TEK Building 

System has 

been installed 

as part of a 

luxury ski chalet 

in the French 

Alps, helping 

the project to be 

completed 

within the tight 

schedule of the 

Alpine building 

season. 

400m2 of the Kingspan TEK Building System was specified to 

complement the green oak frame, designed and constructed by 

Westwind Oak. The System comprises of SIPs, which are pre-cut to each 

project’s exact specifications, limiting on-site alterations and waste. As 

the snow load on the roof can be up to 2m deep, extra beams were also 

added and reinforced to support the Kingspan TEK panels. The roof 

angle also had to be low to ensure that the snow sits on the roof, helping 

to further insulate the roof in the coldest months. The highly insulated 

core of the 142mm Kingspan TEK Building System panels can allow them 

to achieve U-values of 0.20 W/m2.K and below. 

www.kingspantek.co.uk 

BeA sets sights on glue gun success 

BeA, the manufacturer of fastening 

technology, tools and consumables for 

the off-site construction industry, has 

made a new addition to its product portfolio. 

The business has introduced a new cordless 

glue gun which combines impressive 

performance with exceptional flexibility and 

versatility. 

Known as the b-tec 807 Glue Gun, the new BeA 

product is ideal for a wide range of light to 

medium duty fixing applications. 

As it is battery-powered, the b-tec 807 Glue 

Gun frees users from being tied to a mains 

power source. It employs the same RYOBI® 

18V 1.5Ah lithium+ battery that’s commonly 

employed in other power tools. 

This battery also has a 4-stage charge 

indicator - which enables easy monitoring of 

remaining battery life - and delivers fast 

recharge times. A full recharge takes just 60 

minutes. 

In addition, the b-tec 807 uses 12mm (1/2”) glue 

sticks which are a standard and widely 

available size. 


Nov 2016 M2 

Further benefits include a rapid warm up 

time enabling almost immediate use and 

helping to reduce unwanted battery 

consumption. 

Once its illuminated power switch is turned 

on, the b-tec 807 Glue Gun is ready for use 

in only 3 minutes. 

The tool is also comfortable and easy to 

work with. It features an adjustable full 

hand lever trigger and a soft grip handle. It 

also has a narrow profile and extension 

nozzle which makes it easier to apply glue 

accurately. 

BeA is offering the b-tec 807 Glue Gun as a 

complete kit with a battery, charger and 

case or as individual guns. Separate 

battery and charger sets are also available. 

Commenting on the launch of the b-tec 807 

Glue Gun, Paul Shepherd, national sales 

manager at BeA, said: “BeA already offers a 

range of high performance fastening tools and 

consumables for customers in the off-site 

construction sector. 

“Our new b-tec 807 adds to that capability and 

provides a fast and flexible fixing solution. 

“It’s highly portable, convenient and perfect for 

use in confined spaces, in situations where 

mains power is restricted or for those quick 

and unexpected fixing jobs.” 

www.bea-group.com 

Fast and flexible fixing. 

Manufacturer of fastening 

technology, tools and 

consumables, BeA has added the 

new battery-powered b-tec 807 

Glue Gun to its range.

Moneypenny HQ, Wrexham, North Wales 

Engineered timber and hybrid structures 

G-frame Structures specialises in the design, supply and installation 

of engineered timber and hybrid structures. We offer a direct route to 

a complete hybrid package, helping you to make savings and deliver your 

project ahead of programme and within budget. We provide solutions 

across a range of building types including social and private residential, 

education, public access and workspace. www.g-frame.co.uk 

G-frame Structures 

Unit B2, Beckerings 

Business Park, 

Beckerings Park Estate, 

Lidlington, Bedfordshire, 

MK43 0RD 

5b Firth Road, Houstoun 

Industrial Estate, 

Livingston, West Lothian, 

EH54 5DJ 

Growtown, Barntown, 

Co Wexford, Ireland, 

Y35 XF68 

t: 01525 288022

News 

Off-site awards 2016 

More than 200 leaders and innovators gathered to celebrate offsite construction at the 2016 Offsite Awards. The awards took place 

on the 18 October at the NEC, Birmingham and were presented on the main stage at UK Construction Week. 

Showcasing innovation, celebrating best 

practice and recognising overall 

expertise in offsite construction, the 

awards featured a shortlist of exceptional 

landmark projects, influential people and 

material and manufacturing excellence in the 

dynamic arena that is offsite construction. 

With over 160 exemplary entries packed full of 

pioneering projects, innovative products and 

inspirational people - this year's Offsite Award 

judges had an onerous job of shortlisting 

entries. 

Awards host, and head of the judging panel, 

Darren Richards of Cogent Consulting said of 

the night: 

"I have been overwhelmed with the breadth 

and quality of entries received in the second 

year of the awards. It is great to see the sector 

growing so rapidly and to witness so many 

boundaries being surpassed by these 

inspiring and innovation projects. The depth of 

expertise across all categories was 

impressive and the exceptional number of 

entries is proof of how offsite construction is 

not just for one off niche developments. The 

entries clearly demonstrate the upturn in the 

industry and the Offsite Construction Awards 

are now regarded as a highlight of the annual 

construction events calendar. 

The Offsite Awards celebrated outstanding 

examples of prefabrication and factory-based 

methods, products, systems and disciplines 

that increasingly strive to develop a 

sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective 

way to deliver a better built environment. 

The prestigious ‘Winner of Winners' Award, 

which is awarded for the highest scoring entry 

across all categories, was presented to B & K 

Structures and Engenuiti for their project at 

the University of Essex. The Essex Business 

School is an innovative educational facility 

which, through the use of timber and offsite 

manufacture, significantly contributed to it 

becoming the UK's first zero-carbon business 

school and achieving its aim of a BREEAM 

Excellent rating. The project was described by 

one of the industry expert judges as - 

‘stunning architecture which has resulted in 

the building being delivered using optimal 

structural timber solutions. Well done to the 

whole project team for delivering such an 

outstanding building.' 

The list of winners from the night boasts 

some of the industry's leading innovators: 

Best Use of Concrete 

Company: Atkins 

Project: The Priority School Building 

Programme (PSBP) 

Best Use of Steel 

Company: EOS Facades 

Project: The Sir David Attenborough Building 

Best Use of Steel 

Company: Fusion Building Systems 

Project: Light Gauge Steel Building System 

Best Use of Timber 

Company: Cygnum Timber Frame 

Project: The Enterprise Centre at the 

University Of East Anglia 

Best Hybrid Construction Project 

Company: B & K Structures & Engenuiti 

Project: University of Essex 

Best Use of Volumetric Technology 

Company: Vision Modular Systems 

Project: Chapter Living Lewisham 

Housing Project of the Year 

Company: Urban Splash 

Project: HoUSe 

Commercial/Retail Project of the Year 

Company: Arup 

Project: Pinewood Studios 

Public Sector Project of the Year 

Company: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff 

Project: Alder Hey Children's Hospital 

Product Innovation Award 

Company: Willmott Dixon & Scape Group 

Product: Sunesis 

Offsite Professional of the Year 

Company: HTA Design LLP 

Best Use MEP Prefabrication 

Company: SES Engineering Services 

Project: 5&6 Wellington Place 

Winner of Winners 

Companies: B&K Structures & Engenuiti 

Project: University of Essex 

There has already been a large amount of attention focused on next year's awards, which will be 

returning in October next year. For more information, visit: www.offsiteawards.co.uk 



HIGH PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE 

OFF-SITE INDUSTRY 

Off-site manufacturing is an increasingly popular method of project delivery. As well as driving construction efficiency and cost 

certainty, it also offers increased quality along with faster project delivery and accelerated return on investment. 

To ensure all the benefits of using an offsite 

solution are realised, it’s essential 

that the most suitable building materials 

for a project are sourced and integrated. 

Working with a supplier that can provide a 

range of solutions specific to different 

applications can help the off-site construction 

sector achieve this. 

Extensive choice 

British Gypsum has long invested in developing 

high-performance off-site manufacture 

products and manufacturing facilities to give 

...Off-site manufacture will 

become more widely-used 

over the next years, as 

firms seek to optimise 

process efficiency, while at 

the same time meet 

increasingly rigorous 

regulatory guidelines for 

sustainability... 

customers solutions that truly meet their 

project’s needs. The company provides a host of 

off-site compatible solutions, including its 

Gyproc plasterboard, Glasroc specialist boards 

and a comprehensive range of acoustic ceilings. 

One of the latest products available from the 

company’s off-site range is Gyproc Habito, a 

plasterboard with a reinforced core that makes 

it both durable and damage resistant, allowing 

items up to 15kg in weight to be hung from a 

single no.10 woodscrew. 

Other products in British Gypsum’s portfolio 

suitable for off-site manufacturing include 

high-performance Rigidur H gypsum fibre 

board, which offers enhanced impact resistance, 

as well as increased levels of sound insulation 

and fire protection, making it ideal for busy, 

high-traffic environments, such as those in 

public and commercial buildings. Smooth, ready 

to paint and inherently fire, sound and moisture 

resistant, Rigidur H is available in a range of 

standard and extra-large sizes up to 6 metres by 

2.5 metres, providing “whole wall solutions” for 

modular, pod, and panellised off-site 

manufacture systems. 

Rigidur H is also available with ACTIVair 

technology which absorbs formaldehyde, a 

common volatile organic compound associated 

with headaches, nausea and breathing 

difficulties, converting it into inert, non-volatile 

compounds to prevent their re-emission. This 

technology has been proven to reduce the 

concentration of formaldehyde in the indoor air 

by up to 70%.* 

Comprehensive support 

To help construction professionals deliver offsite 

projects as efficiently as possible, British 

Gypsum has also developed comprehensive 

support services. The company’s Technical 

Advice Centre for example, provides dedicated 

technical assistance, from design stage, to 

completion, helping customers to specify the 

most appropriate approach for their project’s 

needs. The company’s external technical sales 

force is always available to offer customers 

hands-on practical expertise at the 

manufacturing level or on-location. 

Opting for off-site manufacture 

Off-site manufacture will become more widelyused 

over the next years, as firms seek to 

optimise process efficiency, while at the same 

time meet increasingly rigorous regulatory 

guidelines for sustainability. As such, it is vital 

that manufacturers like British Gypsum work to 

continuously enhance the off-site support they 

provide to customers to enable them to meet 

both its environmental and business goals. 

For more information about British Gypsum’s 

off-site solutions, email Andy Watts, Offsite 

Business Development Manager at 

andy.watts@bpb.com 

*Formaldehyde reduction is based on experimental 

data following ISO16000-23 standards from 0.4m 2 to 

1.4m 2 installed/ m3 room. Lifetime is based on a 

calculation assuming constant Formaldehyde 

reduction with indoor formaldehyde concentration of 

25µg/m3 for ceiling, drywall or combined drywall and 

ceiling configurations. 



Kingspan OPTIM-R installed at exclusive 

London apartments 

The Kingspan OPTIM-R Balcony & 

Terrace System was the product of 

choice for a luxury apartment 

building right in the heart of the 

capital. 

42-43 Pall Mall is a new build 

development from Amazon Property, 

featuring four spacious apartments 

and a flagship art gallery. 

To maintain excellent energy 

efficiency throughout the lifespan of the building, the scheme has been 

designed using a fabric-first approach. The target roof U-value of 0.15 

W/m2.K proved challenging to achieve on the front and rear roof terraces 

as the elegant, even transition between internal and external spaces did 

not leave enough room for conventional insulation. The Kingspan OPTIM- 

R Balcony & Terrace System provided a slim-line solution. 

MODULAR SHOWERING SOLUTIONS 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kingspan OPTIM-R panels have an aged thermal conductivity of 0.007 

W/m.K, allowing them to match the thermal performance of other 

commonly used insulation materials at a fraction of the thickness. 

20 – 40 mm thick Kingspan OPTIM-R panels are the only vacuum 

insulation panels in the world to be certified under the independent BDA 

Agrément scheme 

To ensure all Kingspan OPTIM-R Systems achieve the best possible level 

of thermal performance from an absolute minimum thickness, 

Kingspan’s specialist technical team provide detailed layouts and 

instructions for every project. 

www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk/optim-r 

 

 

 

TAPLANES 

S H O W E R I N G S O L U T I O N S 

R 



DfMA 

Offsite: 

What’s not to like? 

Shaun McCarthy OBE 

Shaun McCarthy OBE, Chair, Supply Chain School, tells us why 

manufacture and assembly is a no-brainer for construction. 

If you told an 11-year-old alien from another 

planet how we construct buildings, I think 

they would roll about laughing. To start 

with, we take all the individual bits to site and 

lay them down in the mud and the rain. Then, 

lots of people try to work out how to put them 

together from drawings produced by 

somebody they have never met, who stays in 

his or her cosy office all day and never speaks 

to them. Some of the bits don’t fit, so they have 

to be cut and the unwanted bits are thrown 

away. Some bits are broken, so they have to 

order new ones and sit around drinking tea 

until the replacement bits arrive. Traditionally, 

this is how construction happens, here. 

Once the laughter had stopped, I think the alien 

child would probably say something sensible 

and sobering like: “Why don’t you make the 

bits fit properly in the first place, put them 

together in a nice dry factory and only deliver 

them where you want the building, when you 

know it all works? 

On planet Earth, we call this Design for 

Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA). 

Adopting this approach means we can deliver 

projects faster, cheaper, with better quality and 

resulting in better operational and in-use 

outcomes. If there is no catch, no drawback, 

then, what’s not to like? 

Change. DfMA means changing the way we do 

things in construction, but, let’s face it, 

‘business as usual’ just isn’t working. From 

Construction 2025 to the Farmer Review, the 

industry is facing tough performance targets 

going forward and under pressure to raise its 

game. To have any hopes of boosting 

productivity and efficiency, whilst 

simultaneously cutting carbon and costs - 

never mind conserving resources and bridging 

the skills gap - there clearly needs to be a 

minimum amount of time spent making the 

same mistakes in the mud and the rain. We can 

do better; if we do different. 

A unique combination of designers and 

construction contractors can work together to 

develop the most efficient, effective and 

sustainable solutions. To that end, the 

publication of the DfMA Overlay to the RIBA 

Plan of Work 2013 represents a major step 

forward. It offers advice at every stage of the 

process on how best to design for manufacture 

and assembly and encourages early 

engagement of contractors and manufacturers. 

“As well as delivering projects faster, lowering costs and improving quality, the use of DfMA techniques will 

also result in better operational and in-use outcomes. There is no downside.” 

Rob Francis, Director, Industrialised Solutions at Skanska 


Davyhulme Wastewater 

Treatment Works 

Modernisation (courtesy 

of United Utilities), a 

£300m scheme with 

construction designed 

and planned with offsite 

solutions at the heart of 

delivery. 



The DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work 

was developed with the support of the 

Offsite Management School and launched 

officially at the RIBA, in London, on 28 

September, 2016. As well as providing a 

useful library of online resources and 

background materials on the subject, the 

Offsite School has also now developed a 

dedicated e-learning module on DfMA for 

its Members. 

The Offsite Management School builds 

upon the success of the Supply Chain 

Sustainability School. 

The Wheel of Industrialisation 

Ursula Cooper and James Cadman of the Offsite Management School at 

the Offsite Awards 2016, where the School won 'Highly Commended' for 

'Offsite Professional of the Year' 

The Offsite Management School 

We don’t have to think like an 11-year-old alien, 

but we do need to think differently. It is not 

always about employing complex technical 

solutions. However, capacity building will still 

be necessary to develop the skills within the 

design community to facilitate delivery of more 

efficient solutions. 

The benefits are compelling. Use of ‘Flying 

Factories’ by Skanska and Costain for Phase 1 

of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment 

resulted in a 44% cut in cost, 73% less rework 

and a 60% reduction in time. Laing O’Rourke 

also claims that 80% of the Leadenhall 

Building was constructed offsite, resulting in 

50% reduction in deliveries to site; as was 

Vinci’s Circle Health building in Reading, 

resulting in 20% programme reduction and 

28% cost saving. 

Make no mistake, however, DfMA is no facile 

flat-pack fix, not some kind of ‘IKEA for 

construction’. The shift to thinking in terms of 

‘assembly’ rather than ‘construction’ is an 

evolutionary step and clients will be a major 

driver, with their buy-in essential. 

The good news is that enlightened players 

such as United Utilities, for example, have 

already made that leap, plus their expectations 

plain to their supply chain. Describing DfMA as 

the ‘easy choice’, for them, the decision has 

effectively been made. It’s a no-brainer. 

So, as we Earthlings say, what’s not to like? 

The Offsite Management School is an initiative of leading contractors and clients who are 

committed to helping their supply chain develop to meet the big challenges that property, 

construction and infrastructure will face over the next five years. 

The School’s consortium of Partners brings together Skanska, Laing O'Rourke, Costain, 

Carillion, United Utilities, Prater, Saint Gobain and McAvoy, alongside leading knowledge-based 

organisations such as BRE, Build Offsite, Exelin and Total Flow. The Offsite School builds upon 

the success of the multi-award winning Supply Chain School and is delivered by Action 

Sustainability. 

Through the School, the group of Partners have co-invested and collaborated to give a common 

and consistent message to offsite supply chains about the need to transform the way we think 

about construction. To be fit for the future needs of government, business and society, the 

School believes the industry must go through a process called Construction Industrialisation. 

Digital design and use of digital data throughout the value chain will lead to increasing use of 

offsite manufacturing, just-in-time logistics and multi-skilled onsite assembly to produce 

assets that are leaner, greener and more efficient. Best-in-class performance during an 

asset's lifetime will reduce maintenance costs and produce building and infrastructure that go 

beyond client expectations. 

The School focuses on the five stages of this Industrialisation process: Digital design; offsite 

manufacturing; logistics; onsite assembly; and best-in-class maintenance. In support of these, 

the School then concentrates on a further eight enabling management competencies to help 

businesses build skills in these areas. 

Whilst all School resources are free of charge, in order to access them, Members are asked to 

undertake a confidential assessment. Once completed, this enables an organisation to 

benchmark against similar trades and suppliers, plus it provides them with a targeted action 

plan. 

As the School offers many types of support covering the 13 learning areas, each Member’s 

personalised action plan signposts the most relevant resources to help them grow knowledge 

in areas that affect their business and industry sector, in particular. All members are also 

welcome and encouraged to attend the Supplier Days and Workshops taking place throughout 

the UK. 

Since its launch back in March last year, the Offsite Management School has continued to grow 

and develop, both in terms of numbers and influence. Its increasingly important role and 

contribution as a go-to learning resource for the offsite sector earned it recognition as Highly 

Commended in the category of Offsite Professional of the Year, at the recent Offsite Awards 

2016. 

The Offsite Management School: 

Web: www.offsiteschool.com 

Email: Ursula@actionsustainability.com 

Tel: 0207 697 1962 

Twitter: @OffsiteSchool 


CLT 

CLT has the ‘X’ factor! 

As construction makes up a total of 45% of carbon emissions in the UK, sustainability is 

an important issue for the industry and one that should be addressed throughout every 

aspect of the build - from the sourcing of materials through to the long term impact of the 

final structure. Greg Cooper, Pre-Construction Manager of the X-LAM Alliance, explains 

the positive impact of cross laminated timber (CLT) within the built environment. 

As one of the most renewable 

mainstream construction materials, the 

increased use of engineered timber as 

the core structural component enhances the 

construction industry’s credentials not only 

from a sustainable perspective but equally 

from achieving optimum speed and 

performance. 

Identifying and measuring carbon properties 

are now a fundamental part of any construction 

business. There are two ways of decreasing 

CO2 in the atmosphere – either by reducing 

emissions, or by removing CO2 and storing it. 

Wood has the unique ability to do both. 

We may commonly hear the term ‘carbon 

sequestration’, which is the process of 

capturing and long-term storage of 

atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Solid wood 

products such as cross laminated timber (CLT) 

are natural, renewable and are far less energyintensive 

to produce and apply. When 

compared to other building materials such as 

concrete or steel, the environmental 

credentials of CLT are far superior. Not only is it 

a renewable material, it involves very little 

waste during production and is extremely 

carbon efficient to transport. When we consider 

the whole manufacturing processes for the 

production of each m3 of CLT, 676kg of CO2 will 

still be stored after the production process. 

Taking on board the importance of monitoring 

and reducing environmental damage in 

construction, the X-LAM Alliance has developed 

a Carbon Calculator, an innovative digital 

resource that gives carbon estimates to help 

assess the best ecological solution. Material 

resolutions and transport factors are entered 

into the system and the calculator then 

produces carbon estimates, to act as a guideline 

for different project scenarios. This enables 

professionals to gather early information about 

the ecological impact of their future 

development. 

The Chain of Custody Certification for both PEFC 

and FSC® outlines requirements for the ability 

to track certified material from the forest to the 

final product. For the wood-processing industry, 

Full Chain of Custody Certification can improve 

efficiency and production systems by enhancing 

traceability and accounting. 

Reducing the loading on foundations is 

particularly important for inner city construction 

where the underground infrastructure results in 



loading restrictions. Using CLT, as a lighter 

weight structural solution, can increase, for 

example, the amount of storeys in a residential 

build – offering a better return on investment. 

Manufactured to exceptional levels of accuracy 

in factory controlled conditions ensures minimal 

defects and improves construction and project 

delivery time, reducing costs and maximising 

efficiency on all levels - providing cost and 

programme certainty. 

However the benefits do not end after the 

construction phase. Due to the enhanced 

performance values and robust nature of cross 

laminated timber, the on-going lifecycle costs of 

the building is vastly reduced through fewer 

maintenance requirements and lower energy 

consumption. 

Finally and most importantly the design of a 

building can be critical to the well-being of its 

occupants. Much has been written about the 

impact construction can have on the 

environment but very little on the effect a 

building can have on its occupants. The 

influence construction materials can have on 

the comfort and wellbeing of end users is an 

area where more research is required, however 

evidence is now emerging about the role cross 

laminated timber can play in enhancing internal 

environments. 

Engineered timber, as a core structural 

solution, is gaining traction across the industry 

and from my professional standpoint, a wood 

first policy not only ‘stacks up’ from a 

construction cost and performance perspective 

but also in creating better buildings for people 

to live, work and relax. 

The X-LAM Alliance can assist at every stage of 

your construction journey – from pre-tender 

design through to onsite delivery and everything 

in between, and as industry specialists, they 

offer one hour CPD sessions. 

www.xlam-alliance.com

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Forum 

A speedy recovery? 

Steve Newell 

The healthcare sector is an ideal showcase for off-site construction, with the finished result 

requiring factory-controlled build quality assurance. We speak to Steve Newell, General 

Manager at the Portakabin Group, about his experiences. 

What healthcare project have you most 

recently been involved? 

The Portakabin Group has recently handed over 

a £2 million, four-storey scheme for office 

support staff at the University Hospital 

Southampton to create space for further 

development, to the benefit of the local 

community. 

The new building was required to provide 

purposed-designed, permanent business 

support offices and meeting space for around 85 

staff from the Medical Physics and Dietetics 

teams who were relocating from outdated 

temporary facilities. That accommodation could 

then be demolished to allow construction work 

to start on a new seven-storey car park. The 

upper two floors of the office scheme will 

provide additional space for the Trust’s future 

expansion without any further impact on the 

hospital site. 

Portakabin was appointed as design and build 

contractor for the project, and manufactured the 

1,300m 2 facility off site using a Yorkon solution. 

What differences did the use of off-site make to 

this project? 

This scheme was on the critical path for a wider 

project and so was very programme-driven. The 

Trust needed to have the new offices fully 

operational as soon as possible for the 

relocation of staff from various departments. 

Fast completion was also essential so work 

could be started on the hospital car park 

development. Portakabin handed over the 

building after less than five months on site. 

The site is in the centre of the hospital and was 

University Hospital 

Southampton (Portakabin) 

extremely constrained, fronting a busy road and 

next to a number of clinical buildings. Access 

had to be maintained at all times for bus and 

ambulance routes and for around 800 deliveries 

each day along the road immediately adjacent to 

the site. 

Because of the severely restricted working area, 

off-site construction allowed the modules to be 

craned into position around 70 per cent fitted 

out, with partitions, plumbing and electrics preinstalled 

in the factory. This further reduced 

work on site. 

Site-based building methods could not have 

delivered the building in the timeframe available 

and were not feasible on such a tight site, 

immediately adjacent to clinical facilities. The 

space for the new facility was extremely limited 

and so lent itself well to moving as much of the 

construction process into the factory as 

possible. 

What are the main advantages that offsite/MMC 

has in the healthcare sector? 

Hospital buildings are often complex, specialist 

and highly serviced facilities, typically located on 

extremely constrained hospital sites. Off-site 

solutions can deliver healthcare schemes in up 

to half the time of site-based building methods, 

with much less disruption to patient care, 

greater certainty of completion on budget and 

on programme, and to stringent quality and 

NHS standards. 

Faster completion means patients can be 

treated sooner to reduce waiting times and 

bring in revenue for the healthcare provider. 

Construction work can be carried out without 

the need for 

decanting and the 

building installation 

can be timed for 

weekends, keeping 

any disturbance to 

patients to an 

absolute minimum. 

Off-site construction 

facilitates the 

development of 

challenging and 

highly constrained 

sites which do not 

have the access for 

the plant, 

equipment and 

materials storage 

required for sitebased 

building. 

Modular buildings can be installed on the roofs 

of existing hospital facilities and in completely 

enclosed courtyards, allowing healthcare 

providers to increase capacity and optimise the 

use of space. 

An advanced off-site solution can significantly 

improve the thermal efficiency of a building. 

Building Regulations require air permeability 

standards of 10m3/(m2.hr)@50Pa. The 

Portakabin Group regularly achieves 

performance of 1.85 and easily achieved 0.85 for 

a haemodialysis unit at Plymouth Hospital. This 

is a key advantage for new healthcare facilities. 

Lower air permeability performance will reduce 

the size of the plant required for heating, 

ventilation and air conditioning. The building is 

more controllable and there are no unknown 

heat losses. It also means that Building 

Regulations requirements will be less onerous, 

for example, requiring no unnecessary 

compensation in the building envelope values. 

Do you see the use of off-site increasing in this 

sector in the future? 

We definitely believe the use of off-site 

construction will continue to increase in the 

healthcare sector. The pressure on health 

services continues to rise in line with 

demographic changes – rising birth rates and 

an ageing population – which means healthcare 

providers need to increase capacity and 

optimise the efficiency of existing buildings and 

space planning. 

With good design, highly efficient processes and 

a robust and flexible building solution, off-site 

construction can deliver comfortable and 

welcoming environments for patients and staff, 

with complete long-term flexibility to meet 

changing local needs, in compliance with NHS 

best practice for building design – and on some 

of the UK’s most challenging building sites. 

With the latest technical advancements, there is 

no compromise on design, performance, or 

appearance. There are now literally thousands 

of configurations with advanced steel-framed 

modular building systems. Columns are no 

longer visible internally for ease of space 

planning or externally to create seamless, flush 

façades without the cost of specifying secondary 

cladding. 

There is a much wider range of floor solutions to 

avoid costly over-specification and 

accommodate standard loadings for office areas 

as well as heavy or sensitive equipment, and 

enhanced acoustics if required. 

www.yorkon.co.uk 

16 MMC Nov 2016 M2

North Tees Hospital (Portakabin) 

The dialysis unit at Plymouth Hospital (Portakabin) 


In My Opinion… 

The stars are aligning for 

pre-manufacture… 

The Farmer Review highlighted the critical need for more homes as well as the incorporation of new ideas and innovation within 

the construction industry. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association, explains how pre-manufacture 

is the obvious answer. 

Andrew Carpenter 

The construction industry timeline is 

segmented, with decades often 

favouring specific building materials. 

For example, concrete was used extensively 

during the period post World War Two and the 

1960s. More recently, on-site construction 

using brick and block has been the preferred 

method of large housebuilders and 

developers, but now, as before, the industry 

is starting to evolve. 

Hopefully acting as a catalyst for change, the 

recent Farmer Review offers a frank and 

honest appraisal of the challenges affecting 

the construction industry today. Providing a 

transparent overview of the construction 

industry, few professionals within the sector 

will be shocked by its findings. 

Defining the pathway in which the sector can 

revolutionise to meet modern demands for 

sufficient housing and overcome the skills 

shortage, Farmer identifies pre-manufacture, 

or offsite construction, as essential to 

achieving construction goals. 

An area largely dominated by structural 

timber frame, pre-manufacture is not a new 

phenomenon. Invested in significantly for 

several years by the structural timber frame 

sector, automated factory based 

manufacturing can deliver properties 

incorporating the latest innovations such as 

vapour, thermal and acoustic layers. Steadily 

increasing in market share, up 10% since 

2004, structural timber frame properties 

demonstrate the true capabilities of the build 

method. 

Enabling demands to be met more easily, 

factory based manufacturing moves reliance 

from onsite tradespeople to factories with 

precision engineered machinery. For example, 

the structural timber frame sector has 

significant growth potential; with the capacity 

to double its output if, and when required, due 

to a consistent strive for best practice. 

Offering a significantly easier and quicker 

route into construction for those seeking a 

factory based role, pre-manufacture provides 

an almost immediate solution to the skills 

shortage when compared to several years of 

training required for onsite trades. 

A tangible solution to the barriers the 

construction industry faces, those within the 

pre-manufacture sector should be poised for 

growth and supply chain engagement. 

The Farmer Review should be used as a 

catalyst to drive positive disruption and as 

encouragement for clients to change and 

adapt their needs and commissioning 

behaviours. 

For example, in the housebuilding sector in 

particular, the opportunity to collaborate 

further with housebuilders and developers 

would be ideal. As only through collaboration 

and early engagement will the true 

capabilities of pre-manufacture be brought to 

fruition, with the design stage essential to the 

success of the sector. 

There is evidence of this desire, with recent 

partnerships agreed to utilise the inherent 

benefits of pre-manufacture and structural 

timber frame, such as contractor Willmott 

Dixon and manufacturer Robertson Timber 

Engineering collaborating to deliver 1,000 premanufactured 

households a year. 

Another key publication supporting the use of 

pre-manufacture is the updated RIBA Plan of 

Work 2013: Designing for Manufacture and 

Assembly. The report puts forward that utilising 

pre-manufacture construction methods will 

enable the industry to meet the UK 

Government’s Construction 2025 strategy of 

50% faster delivery, 50% lower greenhouse gas 

emissions, 50% improvements in exports and 

33% lower costs. 

Offsite construction and pre-manufacture have 

long been touted as the solution to the skills 

shortage and housing crisis, but now is the time 

for the sector to come together and move 

forward for further and greater growth. 

Evidenced as the solution in other countries 

with a high population and consequent demand 

for housing, such as Japan, pre-manufacturing 

facilities produce more than 10,000 homes each 

annually - clearly indicating pre-manufacture 

as the ideal solution for the UK construction 

industry. 

As the influencing stars are aligning, defining 

the pathway for the UK construction industry, 

the pre-manufacture sector should now gear 

up to drive Government legislation and reach 

out to clients to help meet their needs and 

provide guidance for design, manufacture and 

delivery. 

www.structuraltimber.co.uk 



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Modular & Volumetric 

MTX deliver a fantastic project to 

Northwick Park Hospital 

In December 2014 MTX were awarded the contract to design, install and commission a new five storey modular extension for 

London North West Healthcare NHS Trust. 

Northwick Park Hospital required a new 

modular development to provide acute 

ward accommodation for 48 bed spaces 

along with 15 bed isolation wards and ancillary 

rooms. This was to be housed over 5 storeys of 

modular accommodation including a curtain 

glazed main entrance and top floor plant room. 

The main building was to be built on a transfer 

structure to allow continued movement at 

ground floor of the ambulances serving the new 

facility. 

The new modular wards were to be positioned in 

a tight space between the hospital’s existing 

operating theatre suites and emergency 

department. One of the key priorities for the 

new ward was a good connection to the existing 

emergency department. This connection was 

provided by a main link corridor approximately 

50 metres in length along with an open plan link 

area. 

The main accommodation was split over 3 floors 

with a 24 bed design to Level 3 and Level 4. 

Level 5 is a state of the art isolation ward with 15 

isolation rooms including positive pressure 

lobbies. Each floor is served by 2 lifts with the 

lift lobbies being designed with graphic 

designed décor stating the name of each floor; 

Crick, Darwin and Elgar. 

Repeatable room designs were utilised 

throughout the floors with 4 bed multi wards, 

single bedroom accommodation and 

standardised isolation rooms. Each floor was 

served with a modern designed reception area 

including a curved desk, feature decoration and 

TV displays. Touchdown staff bases were also 

incorporated into the layout design giving 

nurses and clinicians an excellent observation 

point over the wards. 

All floors were designed and installed to achieve 

the response factor required by HTM for night 

ward accommodation using a hollow rib deck 

construction infilled with reinforced concrete. 

Internal finishes were of a high standard 

throughout with all doors to the isolation ward 

being fully encapsulated. The external finish of 

the building was a Formica Vivix Rainscreen 

cladding with the plant room having a 

contrasting louvered screen. 

Within the top floor plant room is a large 

amount of specialist equipment including 17 no. 

air handling units, IPS and UPS equipment and 

chiller plant. Each isolation room is served by its 

own air handling unit to comply with the 

stringent regulations. These rooms are also 

monitored by pressure alarms. Sustainable 

renewable technologies were also incorporated 

within the building infrastructure along with 

smart technology LED lighting. 

The module installation had to be planned 

months in advance with the Trust to ensure 

logistics and careful co-ordination with all 

elements of the restricted site space and 

location. Throughout the lifting operation of all 

105 modules the main one way ring road 

around the hospital along with the blue light 

route were not disrupted and maintained clear 

at all times. MTX commenced on site in 

February 2015 with a site set up and site strip 

works. The module installation was completed 

in July 2015 with the Trust taking full 

occupational use of the building in early 

January 2016. The project on a whole was 

completed in just 49 weeks. 

“MTX delivered a great building and enables 

the Trust to make use of 63 beds within 11 

months. The facility is sandwiched between a 

24 hour A&E department and theatre complex 

and works were undertaken around such 

crucial clinical services, it really demonstrated 

careful logistical planning and commitment by 

the team which was most reassuring.” – 

Muhammad Syed Head of Capital Projects for 

London North West Healthcare NHS Trust. 

www.mtxcontracts.co.uk 



MODULAR MAGIC 

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NET WORK | IN-HOME | INDUS TRIAL | HIRE & SALES 

| B UILDING 

| EVENTS

Tata Steel and BIMobject ® 

sign development agreement 

Tata Steel UK Ltd - one of the UK’s leading construction product manufacturers and BIMobject ® – a provider for a cloud based 

digital content management system for BIM objects - today announce a development agreement that enables the two companies to 

work together in developing new tools for the advancement of data delivery for Building Information Modelling (BIM). 

The technology will allow data to be 

applied to products across the virtual 

construction world providing greater 

flexibility to designers and enabling data to be 

used for a multitude of purposes within the 

built environment. 

With the UK Government - and other 

governments worldwide - now requiring BIM 

for centrally funded projects, the need for 

accurate and relevant data to be provided by 

construction product manufacturers is 

becoming paramount. This partnership will 

help lead the way for innovation in data delivery 

and encourage other manufacturers to invest 

in supporting digital transformation in the 

Construction Industry. 

Alex Small, BIM manager at Tata Steel said: 

“With the UK Government, and many private 

companies, now asking for BIM level 2, Tata 

Steel needs to ensure that it is able to deliver 

not just high quality products, but the data, 

technology and services that are required to 

accompany them. 

The move towards BIM level 3, functional 

building efficiency and the ‘Internet of Things’ 



will all require new ways for Tata Steel to work 

with its customers and supply chain. There is 

no doubt that the company will need to work 

ever more closely with specifiers in the future; 

and will therefore need to have digital tools 

that enable product information to be available 

in the formats they require. 

Stefan Larsson, Founder and CEO of 

BIMobject ® added: 

“BIMobject ® is leading the way in delivering 

product data and is delighted to be working 

with Tata Steel to deliver these necessary 

tools. 

“As BIM moves into an increasingly data rich 

environment it becomes even more important 

for construction product manufacturers to be 

sure they are providing accurate data and with 

the flexibility to adjust this as industry needs 

change. BIMobject ® Open Property Cloud 

(BOPC) already offers architects, designers, 

and manufacturers, great flexibility in the 

management and provision of object data. 

“The vision at Tata Steel, to better service its 

customers and to integrate existing Product 

Information Systems with BIM, strongly aligns 

...The vision at Tata Steel, to 

better service its customers and 

to integrate existing Product 

Information Systems with BIM, 

strongly aligns with the 

BIMobject ® vision and the 

company is delighted to be 

partnering with Tata Steel in the 

development and deployment of 

these new advanced 

technologies... 

with the BIMobject ® vision and the company is 

delighted to be partnering with Tata Steel in 

the development and deployment of these new 

advanced technologies.” 

Tata Steel’s BIM objects 

Tata Steel now has all of its UK construction 

products available to download via its portal at 

BIMobject.com. Alternatively you can follow the 

links from its product pages at 

www.tastasteelconstruction.com/BIM

METSEC PROVIDES FRAMING SOLUTION FOR 

NEW UNITE DEVELOPMENT 

When the industry leading, and FTSE 250, student accommodation provider Unite announced plans for its latest development in 

Coventry, the curved, complex shape of the building – as well as the restrictions of a confined location, meant that the project 

would require a bespoke solution. As such, light gauge structural steel specialist voestalpine Metsec plc was chosen – delivering 

its Metframe system to meet the building’s design and performance requirements. Furthermore, with panels manufactured offsite 

– this was crucial in helping to streamline the build process and reduce activity on the busy, restricted site. 

Metsec to ensure that we met the specific 

requirements of the project - particularly the 

difficult curved wall and corners of the building. 

Maintaining clear communication meant that we 

could ensure a high quality solution was 

manufactured, delivered and installed efficiently 

and effectively.” 

Unite operates over 125 sites across 25 

key university cities and towns in the UK. 

The latest development on Far Gosford 

Street, known as Gosford Gate, will be home to 

286 students and is a key part of a long-term 

regeneration programme in the Coventry area. 

The site combines studio living spaces with 

communal study, social and utility areas and 

will help satisfy the growing demand for 

student accommodation – with over 20,000 

students now enrolled at Coventry University. 

Led by main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland, the 

process of constructing a facility to host a large 

number of students within a restricted urban 

area required the full design and engineering 

capabilities of Metsec. In addition to the 

logistical issues of working in a congested 

location, the complex design required a number 

of bespoke elements, to ensure that the framing 

solution accommodated the number of curves 

on the building. These challenges were met 

using Metsec’s innovative framing solution, 

which combines precision engineering with a 

concise delivery and installation process. 

The Metsec team produced essential 

engineered designs for its Metframe system to 

construct the upper levels of the building. 

Metframe is a lightweight panelised solution, 

ideal for medium-rise buildings. The panels are 

manufactured off site and faceted around the 

curves on the building. This precision 

engineering helped to avoid waste on site, limit 

the cost to the customer as well as help to 

reduce the project’s overall environmental 

impact. The Metframe system also provided a 

practical solution for the complex and confined 

development by reducing the amount of work 

required on site – with framing delivered in the 

correct erection sequence for a streamlined 

installation process. 

Delivering the project within these challenges 

required clear collaboration from the supply 

chain. Angela Mansell, Operations Director at 

Mansell Finishes commented: “As one of 

Metsec’s preferred installers, we have 

benefitted from a close partnership for many 

years and this was particularly crucial to the 

success of this installation. 

“This project represented many design and 

installation challenges. We worked closely with 

Ryan Simmonds at Metsec commented further 

on the challenges of the Gosford Gate project: 

“When designing the framework, we had to 

consider both pitched and flat areas of the roof. 

Areas of the framework also needed to be 

faceted to accommodate the building’s curved 

corners. The use of BIM was crucial to ensure 

we could visualise the interfaces and ensure our 

teams would not face any issues on site when it 

came to installation. From the design and 

planning phase, we worked collaboratively with 

the architect, integrating our BIM model into 

theirs, allowing them to co-ordinate their own 

model and other following trades.” 

“The use of our off-site capabilities was also a 

significant advantage for the project as our 

Metframe panels were built with complete 

accuracy and delivered to site in the correct 

erection sequence – with no further modification 

required.” 

For more information on the Metsec product 

range visit: www.metsec.com. Alternatively, 

connect with Metsec via @MetsecUK or 

facebook.com/MetsecUK. 



Changing the perception of 

buildings and construction 

m odular 

MTX are a leading Healthcare construction and engineering 

company in the UK, offering a unique alternative to a 

traditional construction solution. 

MTX deliver a fast, quality service with guaranteed cost and programme certainty. 

Building uses include, but are not limited to: 

• Operating Theatres 

• Diagnostics 

• Clean Rooms 

• Ward Accommodation 

• Mental Health 

• Data Centres 

• Mortuaries 

• Out Patients 

• Plant Room 

s 

For more information contact us on: 

0845 130 9639 www.mtx.co.uk 

@mtxcontracts

The Biggest Ever Modular Build 

Construction Project in the UK 

EDF Energy’s Final Investment Decision on Hinkley Point C confirms Premier Modular’s appointment to Build the Prestigious 

Accommodation Project for the new Nuclear Power Station 

Premier Modular Limited, a leading East 

Yorkshire based manufacturer and 

constructor of modular buildings, 

celebrating their 60th year in business, is 

pleased to announce that its appointment as 

the contractor providing a series of modular 

building complexes at Hinkley Point C in 

Somerset has been confirmed following EDF 

Energy’s Final Investment Decision. The 

complex will deliver offices and site welfare 

facilities required for the construction phase of 

the new nuclear power station. . 

View of Hinkley Point C - Premier Modular 

The 38,000 sqm of office space – the largest 

modular project awarded in the UK - will house 

all the management and technical personnel 

required during the construction stage of this 

much needed new nuclear power plant. Part of 

the buildings will be converted after the 

construction cycle to remain as high quality 

offices for the permanent site. 

Almost 1000 steel framed modules are being 

constructed ‘off site’ at Premier’s state-of- theart 

manufacturing facility in East Yorkshire, 

before being transported to the Hinkley Point C 

site for final assembly and fitting out – a process 

that will take only 16 months from manufacture 

to hand over. 

Since Premier’s appointment as a preferred 

bidder for this contract back in July 2015, 

Premier has continued to work closely with EDF 

Energy to ensure that delivery of the complex 

can proceed as soon as the Final Investment 

Decision has been made. 

Hinkley Point C will provide reliable, low carbon 

electricity to meet 7% of UK demand. During its 

60 years of operation, it will avoid 9 million 

tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. 

EDF Energy envisages an estimated 25,000 job 

opportunities will be created over the 

construction of the new power station, including 

up to 1,000 apprenticeships. It is also Premier’s 

intention to contract work, where practical, to 

companies local to the Hinkley Point C site, 

where it is anticipated that approximately 35% of 

the work will be completed. 

David Harris, Divisional Director at Premier 

reports 

“This project is one of the most significant 

modular projects in history and will really put 

modular construction on the map. We foresee 

that this project is not only important for 

Premier but will also be of significant benefit to 

the local economies in Yorkshire and Somerset 

in terms of both sub-contractor and supplier 

opportunities required to support this major 

construction project. 

Premier will resource this project with the full 

scope of skills required to deliver the scheme to 

the excellent standard and quality of product 

that we and EDF Energy expect and we 

anticipate taking on a number of apprentices 

throughout the delivery of the scheme.” 

www.premiermodular.co.uk 

Portakabin help meet special needs 

The Portakabin Group has handed over the first phase of a £44m school campus for 

the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, which will be the UK’s largest free 

school campus. Constructed using a Yorkon off-site solution, the new special 

educational needs (SEN) school for Riverside Bridge has doubled its capacity in time 

for the start of the 2016/17 academic year. 

Portakabin phased the construction programme to allow the SEN school to open on 

its new site ahead of the other buildings at Riverside Campus. On completion of the 

overall development, the SEN school will work very closely with the primary and 

secondary schools, creating an inclusive educational environment. 

The use of a Yorkon off-site solution from the Portakabin Group for the curriculum 

areas of the campus has significantly reduced the programme time for faster 

completion, and off-site construction allowed the structure to be manufactured in 

York at the same time as the major ground works were progressed on site, creating a 

quality, watertight structure for fitting out much earlier in the build programme. 

www.yorkon.co.uk 




Q&A 

MODULAR 

CONSTRUCTION 

Matt Goff 

Modular building methods are growing in popularity and becoming the smart construction choice. Offering an alternative to current 

construction techniques, the offsite approach to building is promising improvements across a building’s life – from its original 

design to its eventual demolition and disposal. Building offsite lifts quality standards as well as saves time, money and accidents. 

Matthew Goff, Actavo | Building 

Solutions’ director of UK operations, 

discusses 21st century modular 

construction techniques with Modern Methods 

of Construction (MMC). He also envisages 

how offsite will continue to reshape the 

construction industry. 

What impact does a modular build have on a 

construction programme? 

Modular building methods can save up to 50% 

of construction time – from the initial design 

stages to full occupation – over traditional 

construction. Weeks are cut out of 

programme as shown in the infographic 

overleaf because design, manufacturing, 

enabling works and foundations run 

Modern modular 

buildings are a 

world away from 

the grey prefabs 

of they were 50 

years ago 

concurrently. That can make a big difference 

to the speed of return on your investment in a 

building. 

Manufactured in controlled environments, 

buildings are sheltered from the elements so 

they are easier to control and have much safer 

processes than a building site. 

What are the design capabilities of modular 

construction? 

There are no design limitations attached to 

modular buildings. They can take whatever 

style, size, shape or colour you choose. 

Using BIM (Building Information Modelling) 

level 2, each building’s design is perfected in 

3D visualisations with interactive 

Granard Primary School 

walkthroughs. This is then fed into a model 

which coordinates the entire supply chain. 

Great benefits are derived from all strands of 

the production programme coming together in 

pre-construction phase. Clashes are reduced 

as are costs because of more accurate pricing. 

Buildings are delivered more quickly and 

predictably. 

Take one our latest projects as an example – 

the Sunday Times’ International Baccalaureate 

school of 2014, Tonbridge Grammar School. 

Its new ‘Ibarn’ sixth from study centre is styled 

to inspire and motivate pupils yet remains 

highly practical. For instance, its two-storey 

curtain walling not only increases natural light 

and ventilation but also fosters an atmosphere 

which supports collaborative and reflective 

learning. 

It was built in just 26 weeks. Tonbridge 

Grammar School’s ‘Ibarn’ is highly practical 

yet stylish. 

As with any other building, modular 

construction is fully compliant with current 

building standards and regulations. We also 

build to AECB, BREEAM and Passivhaus 

standards which are summarised below: 

AECB Stage 1 - silver standard covers design, 

daylight displacing electrical light and 

accommodating renewable energy mechanics 

to reduce CO 2 emissions by 70% compared to 

the UK average. 

AECB Stage 2 – is the Passivhaus standard 

which adds solar water heating and aims to 

reduce CO 2 emissions by 80%. 

AECB Stage 3 – the gold standard aims to 

reduce overall CO 2 by 95%. 



OFFSITE’S TIME ADVANTAGE OVER TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION 

Typical case study: a two-storey, seven-classroom block on a school campus. 

Traditional bricks and mortar construction 

– 52 week programme 

W E E K S 

Offsite modular construction 

– 23 week programme 

W E E K S 

2 

Mobilise, 

planning 

Design 

Manufacture 

3 7 

10 

Enabling works, 

foundations 

BREEAM is the seal of outstanding energy 

performance encompassing every element of 

the construction process from site 

management, procurement through to health 

and wellbeing, transport and sustainability. 

Passivhaus looks for airtightness to optimise a 

building’s insulation and air quality. 

How do you think modular buildings have 

changed over the last 20 years? 

Just as Tonbridge Grammar School’s ‘Ibarn’ 

illustrates, modular methods deliver buildings 

which look, feel and are world class. 

Gone are the days of the grey ‘prefab’ mainly 

associated with temporary buildings. We still 

hire out buildings but many mistake them for 

permanent fixtures. Customer perceptions are 

gradually changing but still need to catch up. 

Nowadays whatever the design – multi-storey, 

airy atriums etc - modular construction 

methods can deliver it. 

Offsite constructed buildings are made up of 

Tonbridge Grammar 

13 

Install,finish 

50 

Enabling works,foundations,build,finish 

F I N I S H 

OFFSITE’S 

TIME SAVING VS 

TRADITIONAL 

BUILD = 

29 WEEKS 

modules manufactured in a controlled 

environment. They are pre-fitted with 

electrics, plumbing, windows and doors before 

they arrive on a site to be assembled on 

permanent foundations. Once a modular 

building is complete, there are no visual 

differences between that and a traditionallyconstructed 

building. 

Can you tell that Granard Primary School’s 

classroom complex is a modular constructed 

building? 

Granard Primary School’s modular classroom 

complex was delivered in just 22 weeks. 

How has modular construction improved the 

health and safety and environment 

performance of the industry? 

There are far fewer risks with modular versus 

traditional construction and that translates 

into far fewer incidents. 

The modules are delivered to site 95% 

complete having been built in a consistent, 

quality-controlled, manufacturing environment 

which is easier to control. 

Offsite construction takes far less time to build 

on site which means a lot fewer vehicle 

movements which in turn reduces the risk of 

contact with the public as well as carbon 

emissions. 

On Actavo | Building Solutions construction 

sites, each worker – including our 

subcontractors - is given our Actavo valuesbased 

code of conduct as well as a numbered 

high-vis vest to aid visual identification should 

the need arise. 

What’s the current position of modular 

construction in the industry today? 

F I N I S H 

Clients are becoming more knowledgeable and 

accustomed to seeing how a building – 

manufactured in a factory – looks every inch a 

grade A office or public building built to the 

highest international standard. 

The growth of modular construction 

companies is out-stripping their traditional 

competition. 

Technology’s another key driver behind the 

trend. BIM builds confidence in how the 

building will work day-to-day by immersing 

clients in 3D visualisations and walkthroughs. 

We’re looking to take that to the next level 

with BIM 4D which adds the dimension of 

time. 

Every building can be modularised. That 

means no building project need ever be 

subject to the uncertainties of traditional 

construction methods. 

Modular will continue to eat into traditional 

construction’s market share. We’re already 

seeing a significant lift in the number of 

frameworks stipulating modular construction. 

The public sector particularly recognises the 

speed, quality and value which modern 

methods of construction deliver. 

What’s the potential of modular construction 

in the future? 

Construction 2025 – the government and 

industry industrial joint strategy – has set out 

its priorities for the future of construction 

which includes smart construction 

techniques, digital design and BIM. For the 

strategy’s targets to be met, offsite 

construction needs to be considered to ensure 

buildings are built in the most efficient way 

possible. 

We’ve seen the quality of modular 

construction grow over the past 50 years. They 

are no longer the grey pre-fabricated 

temporary, cabin-type units they once were. 

Instead, we are producing fully-fitted, 

accessible, architecturally-stylish buildings. 

In these uncertain financial times, the 

predictable nature of modular buildings’ costs 

gives the modern method a considerable 

advantage over its traditional competitors who 

are renowned for stories of serious 

programme slippage and overspends. 

Modular is definitely reshaping the industry by 

injecting greater precision, predictability, 

quality, cleanliness, safety and environmental 

performance into any construction 

programme. As BIM becomes increasingly 

sophisticated, modular construction will soon 

be able to factor in any late design changes. 

Environmentally speaking, we can deliver 

assets with 25% less energy used and half the 

waste as traditional building methods. 

Little wonder, offsite construction is fast 

becoming the preferred building method of 

choice. 

To view Matthew Goff discussing 21st century 

modular construction, please visit: 

www.actavo.com/buildings 


SOUND ADVICE FOR CURTAIN WALL BUILDINGS 

The product of choice for many of the world’s leading architects, curtain wall systems have been increasingly specified across both 

the commercial and residential sectors in the UK. A barrier to the elements, curtain walls give design creativity and are a happy 

marriage between metal framing and gleaming glass. While they provide a cost-effective way to clad and glaze buildings and offer 

a wealth of benefits to building occupants, it’s vitally important that specifiers take into consideration the role of acoustics in 

curtain wall buildings. Mike Carrick AMIOA, Head of Acoustics at Siderise Group, provides some sound advice on acoustic design 

and offers up proven ways to deal with common sound path problems. 

Once upon a time, buildings had massive 

heavy walls supporting thick floors, 

which together provided considerable 

protection against the transmission of sound 

between rooms and floors. The rise of modern 

lightweight construction, with walls that literally 

hang like curtains, has led to sound 

transmission issues and presented a number of 

issues when it comes to acoustics. This complex 

issue is not helped by specialist criteria and 

jargon which is often designed to baffle, when in 

fact it is not difficult to understand. 

Weak point 

Let’s start with the overall sound performance in 

a curtain wall building which is effectively 

controlled by the ‘weakest link’. Very careful 

consideration should be given to any potential 

weak point to ensure it does not become the 

‘limiting factor’ in the overall sound 

transmission performance. The curtain wall, 

together with the movement joint, should all be 

considered as potential weak points and 

thoroughly assessed accordingly. 

Whatever the building type, whether it be an 

office, hotel, school or apartment building, the 

client requires a sustainable structure that is 

fully robust and compliant to all building 

regulations and design criteria. 

dB or not dB 

When considering the transmission of airborne 

sound energy the applicable criteria (regulatory 

or otherwise), will usually be in decibels 'dB' in 

one of the following forms:- 

A DnT,w is a final site-measured value and will 

be controlled by both the ‘Rw’ value of the floor 

slab or partition (direct sound transmission) and 

the Dnf,w value of the façade (flanking sound 

transmission). 

An Rw value is a laboratory test value for a 

component or construction, such as a concrete 

floor slab, partition, window, door etc. 

A Dnf,w value is a laboratory test value for a 

system, such as a curtain wall system, raised 

access floor or suspended ceiling system. 

What’s critical is to understand the important 

and significant differences between these in 

order to validate or otherwise prove potential 

compliance. In general, site measured values 

cannot match those recorded in a sound 

laboratory. The difference will vary, depending on 

the method of test and actual performance 

levels, but a guide of 5-10dB minimum practical 

difference is commonly quoted. 

Sound flanking 

The Dnf,w value is a total flanking sound 

transmission of the façade system. It does, 

however, comprise a number of individual sound 

transmission paths with the five main path 

elements: being the glazing element; the 

transoms; the structural element of the mullion; 

the hollow of the mullion; and the movement 

zone. 

A number of factors directly affect the overall 

performance, including the span between the 

mullions and transom, the stiffness, number of 

façade brackets, type of glass, glass orientation, 

twin or single mullion or transom designs and 

importantly, the use of façade acoustic 

enhancement products. 

The overall performance is a combination of all 

these path elements and can only be established 

by full façade testing in an accredited laboratory, 

which can be time consuming and very 

expensive. It is possible for a project noise 

consultant to look at specific project details at 

the slab edge, compare the design with known 

library data and assess the possible overall 

performance. However, this would not 

necessarily offer any guarantee of compliance. 

When assessing any design, it is important to 

understand that the overall performance would 

be wholly controlled by the weakest path 

element, referred to as the ‘Performance 

Limiting Factor’ and therefore any design change 

or acoustic enhancement should only be 

considered if all other path elements are capable 

of meeting the same value or are being 

upgraded to meet the value. 

Soundtight facades 

Designed to reduce vertical and horizontal sound 

transmission in curtain wall buildings, there are 

a number of effective and proven sound 

reduction solutions that deal with all common 

sound path problems and are frequently used to 

assist in reducing flanking transmission between 

adjacent internal areas. 

The cavity seal should ideally always be selected 

at the design stage because at this point, the 

largest range of suitable products is potentially 

available to the designer. Products can therefore 

be selected based on cost-effectiveness, ease of 

installation, and acoustic performance. Post or 

remedial treatment severely limits available 

product selection. Also it is invariably more 

expensive, less practical to install and may not 

always be fully compliant. 

Being able to provide a superior acoustic 

environment for building occupants should be a 

given, but is often a challenge to the designer. It 

is all too common when considering the 

specification of the seal between the slab edge 

and the facade, for product selection to be based 

exclusively in terms of compliance to the 

relevant fire regulations. For façade engineers, 

architects and their clients, it is essential that 

due consideration is given to both the acoustic 

implications and performance of the closure 

arrangement, ensuring any potential weak point 

in curtain walled buildings is controlled. The use 

of performance enhancing products will mitigate 

against these issues. 

For further information about SIDERISE or for 

specific technical advice contact 

technical@siderise.com, or call 01656 730833 

www.siderise.com 




Article 

London Assembly: Can modular housing 

help solve London’s housing crisis? 

London’s population is projected to grow by 70,000 per year to reach 10.5 million by 2041. In A City for All Londoners, the Mayor has 

shown that at least 50,000 homes are needed every year. However, housing completions have averaged 20,000 homes per year in 

the past decade. The housing crisis in London today is severe and we need to look at modern construction methods to complement 

‘traditional’ housebuilding. 

...There are still many 

barriers to delivering 

modular housing more 

widely, including demand 

and financing. ‘Prefabs’ 

still have a negative 

image among developers 

and residents... 

Deputy Chair of the 

London Assembly 

Planning Committee – 

Nicky Gavron AM 

The advantages for London 

Housing manufactured off-site is far more 

common in continental Europe, in countries 

like Germany, Sweden or the Netherlands. 

The speed of construction and the 

competitiveness on costs are two of its most 

attractive features. The particular suitability 

of this type of housing for small sites is 

another advantage. The growing interest in 

‘Build to Rent’ schemes has also made 

modular construction an attractive option. 

The speed of delivery means that rental 

revenue is delivered quickly and investments 

can pay for themselves within a relatively 

short period. 

In spite of such advantages, the previous 

Mayor’s guidance documents on housing 

mention off-site housing once, and only to 

address its suitability for self-build housing. 

A new investigation 

The new Mayor is very receptive to innovative 

methods of construction and momentum has 

been growing nationally for a renewed role of 

off-site housing using Modern Methods of 

Construction (MMC). We need to fully 

understand the specific advantages of MMC to 

help solve the current housing crisis in the 

capital. Some of those advantages are cost 

and construction time reduction and demands 

on labour. I want to see how they can meet 

mayoral objectives such as affordability and 

the low carbon agenda. They will also 

contribute to the new London Living Rent 

scheme, which will offer cheaper rent to low 

and middle-income households. 

There are still many barriers to delivering 

modular housing more widely, including 

demand and financing. ‘Prefabs’ still have a 

negative image among developers and 

residents. What are the factors that have 

created such barriers and how can we 

overcome them? If particular housing sectors 

have proved to be more receptive to using 

such types of housing, they need to be helped 

to deliver. We also need to know which skills 

exist and how they can be used to increase 

production. 

Overall, the focus of my investigation is to 

look at the role that the Mayor can play in 

accelerating the use of modular housing for 

London’s new homes. We need to further our 

understanding of which planning policies, 

design guidance and housing grants are 

needed and what financial models will be 

able to support off-site housing. It will also be 

helpful to have a clear understanding of how 

the Mayor can act strategically to enable a 

critical mass of demand to give more 

certainty to offsite manufacturers to invest in 

production facilities. Such economic aspects 

are particularly important in the current post- 

EU context of economic uncertainty. 

Your views are needed 

To answer these fundamental questions, I am 

seeking input from a wide community of 

experts, developers and builders, but also 

residents, across London and the United 

Kingdom. 

How can we help? What kind of support do 

you need? I encourage you to send me your 

experience and ideas over the next few 

weeks. I aim to publish a report on off-site 

housing by early next year. This investigation 

by the Planning Committee, and the actions 

that flow from it, will make a contribution 

towards closing the gap between need and 

supply. This will allow the Mayor to grasp the 

different ways modern and sustainable new 

homes can help fulfil the housing needs of 

Londoners. 

nicky.gavron@london.gov.uk 

See more information about the 

investigation on the website of the London 

Assembly. 





Nearly 1,000 Goodlight LED lights 

illuminate Bristol eco-apartments 

Award-winning complex makes more savings with Goodlight LED 

offers a long life as well as consuming very little 

energy.” 

Etienne Cadestin specified Goodlight LED 

products from LED Eco Lights. He said, “Whilst 

many vendors claim long lives for their LED 

lights, Goodlight LED lamps and luminaires 

stood out because they support their products 

with a five year guarantee. This gave us 

confidence that the specified 50,000 hour life 

span would be achieved, effectively eliminating 

the need for staff to replace lights on the site on 

a regular basis. We were also looking for a 

retrofit technology, which means we were able 

to use the existing fittings to achieve higher cost 

efficiency and reduce the project’s carbon 

footprint. ” Etienne Cadestin confirmed that the 

installation of the lights was straightforward. 

Saima Shafi, Sales & Marketing Director at LED 

Eco Lights, explained, “Goodlight lamps are 

specifically designed for retro fit applications. 

We offer an LED equivalent for most of the 

existing lighting which can be quickly and simply 

installed into the existing fixture.” 

Camberley, Surrey, 25 October 2016 - LED 

Eco Lights and Longevity Partners today 

announced the completion of a project to 

refit all emergency lights in the common areas 

of a grade 2 listed Bristol eco apartment 

complex with long life, energy efficient LED 

lights from the Goodlight range. The 10-acre 

Lakeshore development in Bristol, England has 

a BREEAM EcoHomes rating of ‘Excellent’ from 

the BRE (Building Research Establishment), as 

well as a Housing Design Award and a Green 

Apple Award for its sustainable and green 

credentials. 

Longevity Partners was commissioned to 

replace nearly 1,000 individual lights in the car 

parks, walkways and stairwells of the complex 

with LED lights to reduce operational costs and 

Longevity Partners 

chooses Goodlight 

LED lighting from 

LED Eco Lights for 

Lakeshore, Bristol 

eco-apartments. 

ensure compliance. The existing lights were 

mainly fluorescent lights. The operators of the 

complex, sought longer lasting lights to reduce 

the frequency of replacement. Energy 

consumption was also a concern, as the lights 

can be on for twelve hours or more per night in 

winter. 

Longevity Partners conducted a thorough review 

of the market. Etienne Cadestin, Managing 

Director of Longevity Partners explained, “The 

operators are keen to maintain the complex to 

the highest possible standards. A failed light is 

clearly a compliance issue until it is replaced. It 

also reduces the confidence of residents moving 

around the complex after dark, creates a 

potential safety hazard and presents a poor 

image. We recommended LED lighting which 

Longevity Partners implemented the 

Lakeshore project as a rolling programme to 

replace each of the 957 lights on the complex 

with a suitable alternative from the LED Eco 

Lights Goodlight range. LED Eco Lights 

supplied 3W Emergency Downlights, T5 5ft LED 

tubes, Emergency Bulkheads, and PL Lamps 

from the Goodlight range. Many lights are 

battery backed up, ensuring continued 

operation in the event of a power failure or 

other emergency. Goodlight LED switch on 

instantly at full brightness with no warm-up 

required. They use much less power than other 

lighting technologies, and are maintenance 

free. Their 50,000 hour lifespan equates to 

eleven years if switched on for 12 hours per 

day. Goodlight LED products are guaranteed for 

five years. 

The programme was managed and delivered as 

a turnkey project by Longevity Partners as part 

of its energy efficiency and cost optimisation 

services. Longevity Partners provides services 

to all types of property including hotels, offices, 

warehouses, residential complexes, public 

buildings, schools and universities. 

Lakeshore, Crox Bottom, Bristol, is a unique 

development of eco homes sitting over its own 

lake, offering studio, one and two bedroom 

apartments. The Grade II Listed building, 

former home of Imperial Tobacco, sits in 10 

acres of green space, and features numerous 

great eco features. Lakeshore is located in 

South Bristol, approximately three miles from 

the city centre and just two miles from Temple 

Meads train station. 

www.goodlight.co.uk 



AN AIR TIGHT OSB SYSTEM 

YOU CAN 

DEPEND ON, ALL WRAPPED 

UP IN 

ONE PERFECT PACKAGE 

DEPEND ON: 

SMAR TPLY PROPASSIV 

is a fully ce rtified, zero added formaldehyde, structural, air and vapour tight 

OSB panel system for the constructio on of Passivhaus and Low Energy buildings. 

To find out more or request a produc ct sample, call 01322 424900 or visit MDFOSB.com

Passivhaus - Is it desirable? 

Is it affordable? 

In 1991 Wolfgang Feist and Bo Adamson applied the passive design approach to a house in Darmstadt, with the objective of 

developing a prototype low energy home. The design proved successful both in terms of energy consumption and comfort and 

Passivhaus is now considered the ultimate in building performance. Passivhaus fundamentally requires a balance of three 

elements: energy, quality and cost - encompassing heating, cooling and thermal comfort which all have to be met cost effectively. 

Kingspan Timber Solutions 

are pushing the practical 

application of new 

technologies to create high 

performance building 

envelopes. Prefabrication 

and lean design expertise is 

invaluable when dealing with 

the enhanced thermal and 

airtightness requirements of 

passivhaus projects... 

Business Unit Director for Kingspan 

Timber Solutions, Ian Loughnane, shares 

his perspective on the merits of high 

performance building envelopes and the 

company’s experience of building low energy 

homes. 

Achieving the design performance as detailed in 

the build specification can present challenges - 

eliminating the gap between design and as-built 

performance is a key issue within the 

construction industry. Developers, architects and 

engineers are beginning to recognise the impact 

of building details and specification in use 

energy performance and are keen to promote 

best practice. 

Though renewable technology has its place, 

there is no doubt that the energy performance of 

the building’s external fabric is the most cost 

effective, reliable and long-term, lowmaintenance 

solution. This is what ‘Fabric First’ 

and Passivhaus principles are all about - high 

performance insulation, good airtightness, the 

minimisation of thermal bridging and harvesting 

the sun's energy through solar gain via southfacing 

windows. In essence this means that the 

building does the work, rather than relying on 

occupiers operating and maintaining costly 

renewable energy devices. 

Whilst the benefits of the Fabric First principles 

are well documented, we still find some projects 

that only specify U-values whilst the SAP rating 

of a dwelling is driven by the interlinked 

properties of U-values, Psi values and 

airtightness. This is likely to be because U- 

values are readily calculated whilst the overall Y- 

value can only be determined once the building 

details are known and the individual junction Psi 

values input against actual junction length. 

Passivhaus is a building standard that is truly 

energy efficient, comfortable, ecological and 

when the reduction in long term operating costs 

are taken into consideration - affordable. It is a 

construction concept that follows a set of 

rigorous and certifiable principles that have 

stood the test of time and practice. 

Kingspan Timber Solutions are pushing the 

practical application of new technologies to 

create high performance building envelopes. 

Prefabrication and lean design expertise is 

invaluable when dealing with the enhanced 

thermal and airtightness requirements of 

passivhaus projects, such as the Greenhauses in 

Sulgrave Gardens. 

Greenhauses represents a significant step 

forward in bringing Passivhaus into common use 

in the UK, in an affordable and deliverable 

format. The development comprises a terrace of 

three-storey houses together with two fivestorey 

apartment buildings all of which have 

been constructed to Passivhaus principles. The 

development is completed with four mews 

houses with roof terraces. These homes are not 

only designed to save residents a significant 

amount on energy bills - up to 90% in the case of 

the certified units, but also to provide 

considerably improved indoor air quality. 

To complement the architecture in two adjacent 

conservation zones, brick was chosen as the 

primary facade material for the buildings. Given 

the tight urban nature of the site, minimising the 

thickness of the remaining wall build-ups was 

key, whilst still attaining the required level of 

thermal performance. 

Each of the four blocks required a specific 

design response so as to meet the challenges 

of the planning and architectural context, and 

the energy use and heat loss targets of 

Passivhaus. Two main construction methods 

were used both utilising the high performance 

Structural Insulated Panel system (SIPs). 

Kingspan TEK ® SIPs produce the primary 

structure of the 10 houses, with a concrete 

frame insulated with Kingspan TEK® cladding 

panels being developed for the 20 apartments. 

Both build-ups achieve outstanding thermal 

performance with final external wall U-values 

of 0.10 W/m2K. The proprietary jointing system 

featured on both Kingspan TEK products, in 

combination with the additional airtightness 

detailing on the project, ensured that air loss is 

below the 0.6 air changes per hour @ 50 Pa. To 

maintain a constant flow of fresh air, 

mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) 

systems were installed, using heat from the 

outgoing air to warm the incoming, fresh air. 

Building performance evaluation is currently 

underway together with occupier wellbeing 

research. 

The transition to a low-carbon economy 

presents our industry with great opportunities 

for growth. Environmental considerations will 

transform how our buildings are constructed, 

what materials are used and the methods 

employed. We are now on the cusp of the 

predicted ‘sea-change’ and the time is right for 

the construction industry to embrace 

innovative timber technology and offsite 

techniques to develop better buildings at a 

rapid rate to enhance lives, minimise the 

environmental impact and reduce energy costs 

for occupants for many years to come. 



CBS CONCRETE PRODUCTS 

PRECAST CONCRETE 

RETAINING WALLS 

Comprehensive & unique 

Precast Retaining Wall range 

2-6m lengths & 0.5-6m heights available 

Suitable for, but not limited to: 

landscaping, earth retention, 

flood barriers & storage bays 

Fast & efficient installation 

On average CBS can deliver, unload and 

place 100 linear metres of retaining wall 

into final position per day 

Huge cost savings 

Due to simple foundation requirements, 

readily available stock & speedy installation 

See the full range online: 

www.cbs-concreteproducts.co.uk 

Contact our experienced sales team on: 

Freephone: 0808 189 1258 

Email: info@cbs-concreteproducts.co.uk 



Challenges 

facing the Social 

Housing Sector 

Of all the potential shocks to the UK economy that loomed 

in the aftermath of Britain’s June 23 vote to leave the EU, 

few seemed as dramatic as the impact on the housing 

market. Four months on, catastrophe seems at least to 

have been deferred, however focus and concern still looms 

regarding the lack of Social Housing available. 

Steve Hardy, JMD of offsite specialists 

Sidey tells us that offsite construction 

is absolutely the way forward in 

delivering cost effective, long term thermally 

efficient, and quick to deliver dwellings for 

future generations. 

“It has been well documented by the Scottish 

Government and the SFHA (Scottish Federation 

of Housing Associations) that Scotland 

desperately needs more affordable homes in 

order to solve its current housing crisis, and 

although there has been a commitment to 

delivering at least 50,000 new affordable homes, 

backed by more than £3 billion, over the lifetime 

of this parliament, there are other factors 

impacting on the sector’s ability to deliver 

increased numbers of affordable housing. The 

key issues include economic uncertainty 

surrounding Brexit, planning availability of 

affordable land and access to skilled workers. 

Offsite Construction is the Solution 

“The solution to some of these problems has to 

lie in the growth of offsite construction. Costs 

“One of the great benefits to a 

company such as Sidey, is the 

opportunity for us to get involved 

at the design team stage, to work 

collaboratively with the architects, 

the constructors, and the clients 

themselves...” 

are now no more than when building through 

standard construction methods, but the two 

huge pluses are the delivery of better buildings 

by design, and delivery on time”. 

“There is a growing lobby of government 

agencies, procurement organisations, and 

individual housing associations all reviewing 

whether they should directly invest into, or 

partner with offsite manufacturing factories; 

they are recognising that the housing crisis 

which the country faces is being exacerbated by 

a basic failure in the construction sector – an 

inability to deliver on time”. 

“Offsite is well and truly proven as a 

construction option and it is the way forward for 

the Social Housing sector wanting to build 

better quality homes; cost effectively, and most 

importantly sure to be delivered on time”. 

Offsite Construction automatically brings a 

collaborative approach to the supply chain 

“One of the great benefits to a company such as 

Sidey, is the opportunity for us to get involved at 

the design team stage, to work collaboratively 

with the architects, the constructors, and the 

clients themselves; to understand exactly what 

they want, and to offer them bespoke solutions, 

and to ensure that our element of the build – 

enhanced specification windows and doors, airtightness 

and offsite installation solutions 

compliments the whole of the rest of the 

construction”. 

There is capacity in the offsite market to fill the 

growing demand in a controlled and health and 

safety conscious way, and at the same time to 

offer the Social Housing sector the best 

products on the market to give them a long term 

return on their investment and further reduce 

waiting lists of thousands waiting for affordable 

housing”. 

www.sidey.co.uk 



There’ s a lot more behind 

Metframe than meets the eye 

Pre-panelised offsite construction 

www.metsec.com/steel-framing/metframe 

Offering a wealth of opportunity to developers 

and con ntractors, Metframe embodies the 

latest legislative requirements, modern 

standard ds and technical support demanded 

from a pr re-panellised structural system. 

It is not on nly BIM part II compliant, it also has 

European Technical Assessment (ETA) status 

and carries 

CE Marking. 

ETA 

European Technical 

Assessment status as standard 

PEACE OF MIND 

Project reassurance 

from start to finish 

BIM 

Full suite of BIM 

details available 

FAST 

Efficiencies 

through offsite 

construction 

ZERO WA ASTE 

Reduced 

environmental 

impact 

CE MARKING 

Can be manufactured 

up to Execution Class 4 

QUALITY & 

ACCURACY 

Material, time and 

cost savings 

HIGH PERFORMANCE 

Both thermal and acoustic 

perfor rmance and fire protection 

voestalpine Metsec plc 

www.metsec.com

M2 MMC Nov' '16 cc

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