With councils and community funds across the country suffering under budget cuts; time and money are in short supply when it comes to procuring or replacing community buildings. Far from the drab, box-like buildings of yesteryear, modular buildings are uniquely placed to provide stylish, spacious space solutions to councils and community groups on a limited budget.
Modular buildings are made up of individual, factory-built modules which are delivered and combined on site to form a complete building. These modules are more than just walls and windows however; manufacturers can integrate electrics and plumbing into each component part, ready to be connected up when the building is whole. While the building is being manufactured off site, groundwork on site can run concurrently, speeding up the build programme.
Altogether, modular construction can provide time and cost savings of up to 50% compared with traditional build methods. These factors can be vital when a new community building is being provided by councils on a limited budget, or where funds have to be raised by the local community.
Birmingham City Council encountered this problem when trying to find a new home for Edgbaston Community Centre, when the local school could no longer house community activities. A purpose-built facility was required, and architectural firm Acivico was approached to create a design for the new building.
When the council approached a traditional ‘on-site’ construction firm, it found the cost quoted to be far too high for its intended budget. When the construction firm learned this, it recommended a cost-effective off-site solution, provided by Wernick Buildings.
Recognising the importance of cost in this instance, Wernick worked closely with Acivico to create a modular building that held true to the original architectural concept, but at a more economical price. The new, modularised design reduced the cost of the building by hundreds of thousands of pounds, while delivering everything requested in the council’s original brief.
Tony Bailey, the Community Centre Manager, reported that staff and visitors alike were impressed with the new building. “It’s spacious, airy and light, it’s really got the wow factor. It’s a much nicer working environment for the staff, and our visitors have nothing but compliments for the building.”
It might come as a surprise to those in the local community that their stylish, spacious new building took just 10 weeks to go from breaking ground to opening its doors. Part of the cost-saving appeal of modular buildings is the dependable build programme they offer. Constructing buildings in a controlled factory environment negates many of the unforeseen delays that can upset build programmes and incur extra costs; welcome news to many councils tight on time and budget.
While cost is usually a consideration, it isn’t always the most important factor, as was the case with Renewal Church, Chelmsley Wood. Phil Greenaway, Operations Manager for the church, told us: “The most important thing for us was the efficiency of the project; the sooner the building was ready, the sooner we could be using it for the good of the local community.”
The congregation of Renewal Church has long been dedicated to reaching out to their local community. Holding events and hosting community groups, the church is often full of people at weekday meetings or song-filled Sunday services. Such a dynamic church community should have a welcoming building to work from, but unfortunately the existing building was beginning to show its age.
According to Bradley Greensmith, who co-ordinated the new building on behalf of Renewal, “the old building had reached the end of its life. The facilities were poor; it just couldn’t meet the demands of a vibrant and modern-day church”. The church wanted a striking and modern-looking building that could house social areas, like a coffee shop and creche.The building needed to be cost-effective to run – and had to meet the requirements of a young, diverse congregation with families. The building also needed to be installed quickly, making an efficient build programme a priority for the project.
Wernick Buildings turned the project around in just 17 weeks from start to finish; including demolition of an existing building on the site. The new building was actually handed over ahead of schedule, to meet the congregations’ requirements of a timely completion.
The building’s spacious room and bright exterior seem to have made a positive impression on the building’s users. Phil Greenaway reported: “Everyone thinks it’s amazing, we’ve had great feedback from the congregation and the local community.” Bishop David Carr, OBE, commented: “We are delighted with the building, it was complete, on budget and finished a month earlier than programmed – a fantastic result. I’m sure this new building will reach out and impact lives within the community of Chelmsley Wood and bring people to Renewal Church for generations to come.”
Edgbaston Community Centre and Renewal Church are examples of just how much modular can achieve when money and time are in short supply. For local councils who need purpose-built leisure facilities, or community groups who need old buildings replaced, modular buildings provide a dependable, economical solution, without compromising on aesthetic appeal.
