MMC 73 THE TIME FOR MMC IS NOW!


Richard Smith of NHBC looks at lessons from the history of Modern Methods of Construction, and how the growth of off site is being driven by the combined forces of housing shortages, the need for quality, and climate change


M


odern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been considered the future of house building for


some time. Yet, excluding Scotland, most new homes in the UK are still brick and block and factory-built housing remains uncommon. The roised benefi ts of


non-traditional and offsite construction are well documented: speed of onsite operations, fabrication quality, safer workin conditions, aterial effi ciency and reduced waste, and less noise and disruption for residents. However, enthusiasm for non-traditional construction methods has been anything but consistent. Today, at a time of increased housing need and a country-wide skills shortage, the case for non-traditional housing is being made again. By looking back at the development of MMC we can learn lessons, make continuous improvement, and harness technological advances, such as digitally enabled design, to deliver high-quality, economical factory- made homes.


LOOKING BACK


There have been three previous periods of advancement in non-traditional house building techniques: after the First World War when there was a serious shortage of skilled labour, essential materials and industrial capacity the large-scale building campaigns seeking to provide homes after the Second World War combined with the Government programme to replace slum housing the shift towards industrialised building and high-rise construction during the house building boom of the 1960s and 1970s.


Interestingly each of these periods of development and Government-stimulated investment have been followed by a return to traditional techniques. There is no single reason for this, except the problem of mass production always applies – make a mistake once and you make it many times rapidly, so it becomes expensive to remedy. However, there was extensive non-traditional housing output in the 1960s when government-promoted


factory-built housing delivered in quantity, providing numerous homes. Unfortunately, much less emphasis was placed on quality and how housing at scale would integrate into the wider area and infrastructure, leading to a lasting negative perception.


LOOKING AHEAD That is why, regardless of how homes are built, good practice principles of neighbourhood planning, housing design and construction detailing should be followed.


Promising systems made from various materials have been developed out of the early experiments, wider applications and secifi c innovations of the last century But MMC alone does not guarantee fabrication quality.


Again, design underpins everything and investment at the early stages of a project can mitigate the risks of off-site construction. Detailed drawings and secifi cation of all coonents, beyond that required in conventional construction, are also essential before manufacture begins.


Although prefabrication reduces time on site, care is still required for site operations that cannot be transferred to a factory. Indeed, where traditional construction interfaces with precise factory-assembled components, such as at the junction of the external walls and round  oor, it ust be built to tighter tolerances.


Quality assurance checks by a third


party are therefore key. Checks must take place throughout before products leave the factory, once they are installed on site and on the remaining site operations.


CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Anyone designing or commissioning off-site construction can work towards continuous improvement in MMC and should consider the implications of the need for investment in design, the choice and design of systems and site operations. And, of course, standards need to continue to adapt to meet the demand from industry. These areas are explored in the below paragraphs.


INVESTMENT IN DESIGN


Design should be based on established good practice principles regardless of how homes are constructed. Rigorous detailed design, resolving construction details and specifying all components is essential before manufacture can commence Lastly, a Quality Management System for MMC which is audited by a third party is essential to ensure good design.


CHOICE OF SYSTEM hen it coes to the diffi cult choice of which  syste to ot for, the fi rst priority is to choose the most appropriate construction solution for site constraints and planning requirements. You also need to understand and work with the characteristics and the limitations of different materials and technologies. It’s important to test material


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