NON-TRADITIONAL STRUCTURES
A typical
sprung structure
sports facility
Ray O’Neill looks at how MMC can
deliver a sports facility on time and on budget
Modern Methods of Construction
W
ith our economy struggling It’s not surprising therefore, that more in the 15th century. We used to build
to find the bottom of and more organisations are turning to big castles back then, by stacking block
the current recession, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) upon block. We still do that today – we
increasing strain on the to help them deliver sports facilities at just build smaller castles.
government’s ability to meet its funding a reduced cost that can meet with their
commitments and banks reluctant clients’ expectations without the need Future Build
to provide lending facilities, many for compromise. In fact, in some cases Increasingly construction firms and
organisations involved in sport, leisure these provide benefits that traditional end users are turning to MMC to build
and education are now having to construction can’t deliver. more for less. Currently, MMC accounts
face up to the reality that their plans for £6bn and 8 per cent of the total
for future development and expansion Building Systems UK construction market. It’s a small
are under pressure. In simple terms, Tradition Build (TB) de- but important element of the future
scribes a system where raw materials and construction industry and critically, is
MMC Facts and Figures
labour are delivered to the client site growing at 20 per cent annually.
and, using conventional methods, build- Laing O’Rourke is a key member of the
The Royal Institute of Chartered ings are constructed over a period of delivery partners for the London 2012
Surveyors recently reported that: time. The idea of MMC is to shift the ma- Olympic Park and principal contractor
• Only 63 per cent of traditional build jority of the construction from the site for Terminal Five Heathrow and Terminal
projects complete on time to off-site manufacturing (usually in a Three Dubai. Currently on a major drive to
• Approximately 53 per cent exceed purpose-built factory environment). Ful- build a more efficient business, the com-
the agreed contract sum ly finished units or major elements are pany is increasing the amount of off-site
• Traditional build projects waste 27 then delivered to the client site for final manufacturing from 10 per cent today to
per cent of bought materials assembly and finishing. The benefits of at least 70 per cent by 2012 – using MMC.
• Thirteen per cent of materials MMC are quicker build time, improved Freespan Structures is working with a
delivered never get used and go quality, reduced costs and a substantial number of organisations to design facili-
straight to waste reduction in the number of projects that ties which will be built using MMC. The
• Off-site construction shows an in- go over budget and are delivered late. company can now design a high-spec-
crease in site safety of 46 per cent Surprisingly (or alarmingly perhaps) ification sports hall designed to Sport
• Up to 67 per cent less energy is construction is one of the few industries England guidelines, which includes a
used to produce a manufactured to continue to rely on ‘built by hand’ main playing hall, fitness suite, dance
building, compared with an to deliver its product. It’s difficult to studio, changing and shower facilities,
equivalent traditional build find an industry today where the prod- offices and stores for less than £900,000
• There are 70 per cent fewer uct is mass produced, price sensitive and and built within 14 weeks. ●
vehicle movements with off-site requires a high-quality finish, which has Ray O’Neill is operational director
construction and therefore less not embraced the benefits of moving to at Freespan Structures
environmental pollution a production line. However, construction
still largely uses methods first developed
For Case studies see page 62 > > >
Issue 3 2009 © cybertrek 2009 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 61
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84