The rise of modular construction

With modular construction, the most impactful work is done before you get on site

Although the concept of modular is not new in construction, the full potential of modular methods is still to be realised in the UK. Where it was once fairly typical for a large development to be constructed piece by piece, the industry is now turning towards a model where many of the constituent parts of a building are built offsite and installed as a module.

In many ways, the modular method provides workable solutions to many of the problems facing the construction industry, particularly the very topical skills shortages and materials costs.

In this short blog, we’re going to highlight why modular methods are becoming of increased interest, covering how it’s helping the industry to deliver better results for clients, increasing sustainability, and improving financial viability.

The skills gap

The skills gap is widening year on year, with many traditional tradespeople like bricklayers becoming fewer and farther between. This has created issues for an industry that relies on the skills these people bring; whether cost or availability.

With a modular approach to construction, some of these trade issues become less important. Because of the prefabricated nature of these methods, much of the work is completed on the factory floor in a controlled, manufacturing environment. 

Carbon

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last ten years, you’ll no doubt be aware of the conversation around carbon and our industry. Worldwide, construction accounts for almost 40% of global carbon emissions, making it one of the least sustainable sectors.

With new government commitments to lower national carbon emissions, our industry must make gains in the drive to decarbonise the industry.

The good news is that modular approaches to construction have a profound effect on the carbon output of a project. Because many of the component parts of a building are constructed in factory conditions, there is far less waste and we can make better use of more sustainable materials.

Just to drive the point home, when comparing a modular build to a traditional build, the modular build uses 67% less energy and up to 50% less time is spent on site. As an added knock-on effect, this results in 90% fewer vehicle movements and dramatically reduces the carbon cost of a building project.

Improved quality

One of the benefits of delivering a building via prefabricated hubs is that much of the work is already done before starting on site. As you might imagine, it’s much easier to manage quality, minimize mistakes and guarantee water tightness from inside a factory than on a live building site.

This is one of the reasons that modular constructions tend to spend less time on-site and why in most cases it leads to cost savings. Above all else, one of the primary benefits is that the buildings have better quality standards.

Cost

Modular construction is quicker, more sustainable and can produce a better quality standard than traditional methods. With all those benefits, you’d expect it to cost more, right? Incredibly, the costs of a modular build can be between 10 and 20% less than a traditional building for medium-sized schemes in the current market.

Modular construction and the Truman approach

One of the things Truman puts at the centre of its work is the time we spend at the preconstruction stage. It’s here that we add tremendous value by guiding our clients to deliver viable, functionally perfect and game-changing projects.

This is an approach that fits well with modular building practices. Because the most impactful work is done before you get on site, it enables us to play to our strengths and deliver careful plans and designs, safe in the knowledge that the supply chain is reliable, safe and delivered to the highest quality.

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If you want to talk about how modular can benefit your project, give Truman a call and set up a no-obligation consultation today.