Building Techniques in the Present: Prevalent Obstacles and Resolutions
In the world of social housing construction, modern methods of construction (MMC) present a set of unique challenges that require tailored solutions. Trina Chakravarti, Project Director for the Building Better initiative, is leading the charge to accelerate the use of prefabricated components in the social housing sector.
One of the key obstacles to MMC adoption is the integration with traditional construction practices. Social housing providers often rely on local builders familiar with traditional methods, leading to hesitancy or complexity when incorporating MMC on a large scale. To address this, Trina recommends developing integrated frameworks that blend traditional and MMC methods.
Material and logistical constraints also pose a significant challenge. These factors affect delivery timelines, cost planning, and investment decisions, making MMC implementation complex. To mitigate this, investing in workforce training and skills development is crucial to accelerate MMC adoption and efficiency.
Skills shortages and workforce training gaps are another hurdle. The lack of trained construction workers capable of MMC slows adoption and increases reliance on slower traditional methods. To tackle this, targeted training programs for construction workers should be implemented.
Policy uncertainty and lack of coordinated investment also hinder MMC growth. Without bipartisan political support, clear national housing targets, and sustained government investment, it is difficult to create the scale and certainty needed for MMC to thrive. Trina emphasises the importance of ensuring bipartisan political commitment and stable policy environments.
Ethical and quality concerns are another challenge. The pressure for rapid construction using MMC can lead to compromises on safety, sustainability, and resident well-being. To avoid these pitfalls, MMC projects should integrate sustainable materials, inclusive design, and respect for residents' cultural and social needs.
Economic and market risks, such as high land costs in mixed-income or higher-income neighbourhoods, also inhibit diverse MMC project development. To address this, supporting mixed tenure and mixed-income developments through incentives can promote MMC in diverse neighbourhoods and reduce socioeconomic segregation.
Trina Chakravarti has formed a strong partnership with Procurement for Housing to aggregate supply pipelines, making it easier for housing associations and manufacturers to access MMC. She also recommends making mechanisms contractual to support genuine collaboration and the sharing in risks and rewards.
Collaboration offers greater agency and better control over processes for housing associations, as they can join forces to kickstart change in the MMC sector. Housing associations and manufacturers, led by MMC champions like Trina Chakravarti, can put their differences aside to establish a new standard for fast, high-quality builds.
The Building Better project aims to provide proof of long-term security, better investment, and more support navigating the MMC market to encourage large organisations to move away from traditional construction. By accepting tension and acknowledging differences, people can agree on things that will work differently in their businesses, paving the way for a brighter future in social housing construction.
[1] HM Government (2018) Modern Methods of Construction in Housing. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/modern-methods-of-construction-in-housing/modern-methods-of-construction-in-housing
[2] UK Green Building Council (2019) Offsite Construction in the UK: A Review of the Market and Policy Landscape. Available at: https://www.ukgbc.org/resources/offsite-construction-uk-review-market-and-policy-landscape/
[3] National Housing Federation (2018) Modern Methods of Construction: A Review of the Evidence. Available at: https://www.housing.org.uk/policy-and-campaigns/policy-library/modern-methods-of-construction-a-review-of-the-evidence
[4] Construction News (2019) Modern Methods of Construction: A New Era for Social Housing. Available at: https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/issues/cni-24-08-19/modern-methods-of-construction-a-new-era-for-social-housing/10608223.article
[5] CITU (2018) Modern Methods of Construction: Challenges and Opportunities. Available at: https://www.citu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CITU-Modern-Methods-of-Construction-Challenges-and-Opportunities.pdf
- As Trina Chakravarti mobilizes efforts to improve social housing, she suggests that blending traditional and modern methods of construction (MMC) could help alleviate integration issues, opening new avenues for finance and business opportunities in the technology-driven lifestyle sector.
- To ensure successful MMC implementation, it's essential to invest in workforce training and skills development, fostering a technological-savvy workforce capable of coping with logistical challenges and delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that cater to diverse lifestyles and financial capacities.
