The benefits of MMC, perceived or otherwise?

With a range of experience in the fully off-site manufactured housing sector, and lots of discussion surrounding it, we thought it would be useful to provide an overview of our thoughts around the benefits of MMC. Andy Bayley, our director, highlights some of his thoughts on the perceived benefits below:

• Faster overall construction, resulting in the delivery of more units
• Building envelope watertight quicker
• Improved quality (factory components)
• Less material wastage (more sustainable) – reduced space needed to store materials on-site
• Process is not affected by the weather
• Improved performance e.g., improved airtightness due to factory quality control; making it more sustainable
• Improved health and safety – construction activity is a controlled environment
• Helps tackle skills shortage and better staff retention
• Reduced costs and improved profitability – to be proved
• Reduced site labour and therefore less disruption to residents.

Key drivers:

• Political – safety, better quality and number of homes needed.

Challenge to clients:

• Must accept that they do things differently – change can be daunting
• Ensure funds can be raised for MMC and that the products are mortgageable
• Not all lenders will accept OSM houses as security to raise capital against.

The Housing Forum has defined 7 categories of MMC:

Category 1. Pre-manufacturing [3D primary structural systems] (components entirely factory produced and assembled).

Category 2. Pre-manufacturing [2D primary structural systems] (generally panelling, walls, floors, stairs and roofs as basic frames).

Category 3. Pre-manufacturing components [non-systemised primary structure] (components manufactured but not assembled off site, e.g., floor slabs, columns and beams).

Category 4. Additive manufacturing [structural and non-structural] (including 3D printing).

Category 5. Pre-manufacturing [non-structural assemblies and sub-assemblies] (e.g., volumetric podded assemblies and bathroom pods).

Category 6. Traditional building product-led site labour reduction/productivity improvements (traditional products cut to size, e.g., walls, brick slips and pipework).