You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
More research needed on modular, says report
More studies are needed on modular housing – including how happy people are with the homes, the speed and quality of construction and the overall lifetime costs of the units, according to a new report.
The University of the West of England today published its report on the potential impact of modern methods of construction (MMC) on housing associations.
It was commissioned by a partnership of landlords in the East of England: Flagship, Cross Keys Homes, Freebridge Community Housing, Havebury Housing Partnership, Longhurst, Saffron Housing Trust and Victory Housing Trust.
The full report is attached below this article.
READ MORE
Housing associations considering embarking on modular projects should develop a clear business case, including required levels of investment, predicted volumes, target markets and product types, it said.
It added that they should begin with pilot projects and seek to gather evidence from other existing schemes.
Researchers warned that business models for modular delivery “are largely ill considered in the UK”.
And they noted that traditional procurement routes are “reported not to be sufficiently well set up” for MMC housing.
Dr Sonja Oliveira and James Burch from the University of the West of England, who wrote the report, said: “There is a clear need for post-occupancy evaluation in MMC delivered housing to better understand resident experiences and needs in terms of spatial and environmental quality.”
Jack Weaver, public affairs advisor at 22,500-home association Flagship, said: “Modern methods of construction have potential to revolutionise the way we build and regenerate homes and can make a genuine contribution to solving the housing crisis.
“This research has brought together experts in the field with some of our most creative and ambitious partners. It joins together many different aspects of MMC in a way not done before in social housing. It also demonstrates our desire to innovate and shows the government we are serious about driving forward innovative ways of delivering new homes.”
