Will 2022 be the year we see a real shift toward the use of MMC in residential developments? Tim Reid, Customer Relationship Director, at NHBC sees a range of opportunities ahead.
Recent discussions and anecdotal examples from industry experts certainly suggests that long-held caution about adopting modern methods of construction (MMC) is finally beginning to ebb away. The launch of the new Make Modular trade association in December 2021 underlined the determination within the sector – and among investors – to set about transforming outdated and often incorrect perceptions of MMC. Its members have committed to collectively investing £500million to end the housing crisis and make 75,000 modular homes by the close of the decade, so it will be interesting to see how the association develops over the coming year.
Despite the many potential benefits of MMC, confidence is the deciding factor and has ultimately been lacking – despite ever-mounting evidence of its viability, and a host of successful projects. Perhaps understandably, caution has remained the name of the game, with developers, local authorities and housing associations airing concerns around the popularity of MMC homes and perceived issues with build quality and longevity, and sometimes design and aesthetics. Yet, as the housing crisis deepens and the industry is no closer to meeting the government target of 300,000 new homes per year, attitudes towards MMC are finally beginning to change.
The reality is, MMC has the potential to play a key role in our ability to tackle the housing crisis – not only in delivering single dwellings – but across a swathe of tenures, from Build to Rent and Retirement Living, through to social housing and student accommodation. The fact has become more obvious during the last year as materials and skills shortages have taken their toll.
While there’s no denying MMC projects carry greater risk – and it won’t be appropriate for every development, with some better tackled using traditional methods – we now have the checks and balances in place to limit any risks and the potential benefits do often outweigh the downsides.
Provided quality assurance and necessary assessments are in place throughout the development process, the risks in building an MMC residential scheme can now be managed appropriately.
Accreditation schemes like NHBC Accepts are playing an important role in helping to underpin confidence, giving developers and investors the reassurance that the necessary safeguards have been considered, the systems being used are of a high standard and quality and, crucially, are able to stand the test of time. While the accreditation process is vigorous and can be lengthy, ultimately it gives developers, contractors and investors the confidence that quality, design and assembly has been reviewed in detail and appraised thoroughly.
Developers now have a library of NHBC approved MMC systems that have completed stringent assessments, making the process of selecting a suitable system much more straightforward and again helping to reduce risk. So, with the checks and balances in place to manage risk and guarantee quality, confidence is the key to shifting perceptions of MMC long-term. It relies on industry leaders spearheading the adoption of MMC for new schemes, with new tech and innovation becoming more mainstream.
Convincing investors and funding partners is also a job that remains to be done, potentially freeing up significant capital for large-scale residential schemes across the country, delivering much-needed new homes and supporting the government levelling up agenda. The number of products and systems being submitted for NHBC Accepts is a welcome indicator of the appetite for innovation and the work being undertaken to drive new technology and new possibilities – and with confidence growing in some of the harder to crack corners of the industry, 2022 may just be the year we see real strides in the uptake of MMC.
For more information visit: www.nhbc.co.uk
MAKE MODULAR
Make UK’s new trade body Make Modular, brings together Britain’s leading modular housing manufacturers with a plan to solve the country’s housing crisis by delivering 75,000 affordable high-quality homes before the end of the decade. Members include TopHat, Urban Splash, Ilke Homes, Laing O’Rourke, Legal and General Modular. Make Modular members’ factories can produce a new home every two hours. Make Modular members have already invested more than £500million in new factories, cutting edge processes, and state of the art technology. More than 2,000 new jobs have been created by Make Modular members in the last three years. By moving people offsite and into clean, safe, modern working conditions volumetric can rebuild the construction workforce bringing up to 50,000 new younger people into the workforce.
“Modular housing has grown rapidly in the last few years,” said Dave Sheridan, Chair of Make UK Modular. “The establishment of our own trade body is the crucial next step in this process. As a natural partner to Government to solve the housing crisis, deliver the levelling up agenda, and combat climate change Make Modular will accelerate and advance the MMC agenda through one strong voice rather than a series of disparate ones.”
Make UK, The Manufacturers’ Organisation, is the representative voice of UK manufacturing and represents 20,000 companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, across engineering, manufacturing, technology and the wider industrial sector. It directly represents over 5,000 businesses who are members of Make UK, from providing essential business support and training to championing manufacturing industry in the UK and the EU
For more information visit: www.makeuk.org
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