The Birmingham National Conference Centre (NCC) on the 7-8 February, saw the fifth Modular Matters event take place with delegates benefiting from two days of discussion about the most efficient ways to transform the UK built environment.
Over 350 delegates came to hear expert speakers and panel sessions plus view a wide range of pop-up exhibitors showcasing cuttingedge offsite products and systems. These included headline sponsor and exhibitor OBEX that took the opportunity to highlight several products geared towards the offsite market – in particular a 'one piece' modular roof membrane, meaning fewer junctions and leakage and potentially reducing installation time by 50%.
In a break with tradition, the event changed format slightly to include several panel-led discussions on key areas shaping the modular and wider world of offsite manufacture. After David Hyland from MJH Structural Engineers started proceedings with an overview of its work on the landmark Ten Degrees – the world's tallest modular building that maximised modularisation to awardwinning effect – Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director of TopHat, outlined their technology-driven approach to housing design and delivery, alongside the vision behind its new 650,000sq ft mega-factory in Corby – one of the largest of its type in Europe that will help deliver 5,000 homes per annum.
This led into a key panel discussion on Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) facilitated by Darren Richards, Managing Director of Cogent Consulting. Taking part: Andrew Pryke, Managing Director, BAM Design, Anne Daw, Head of MMC Delivery at HLM Architects, Ben Haldin, Managing Director, Fulcro Engineering Services and Renee Puusepp, Founder of Creatomus Solutions. This setabout defining and exploring what DfMA means. In many respects this boils down to a 'simple clarity of approach and understanding of detail' and seeing the DfMA approach as a collaborative one, from design decisions to standardisation and choice of materials.
It is also about getting to grips with 'how buildings are made, not how they look'. Architects perhaps need to get 'a better grip on the power that standardisation can bring'. There was also some minor criticism of the RIBA Plan of Works DfMA Overlay for not allowing the contractor to come into the design process early enough, plus the role of the MMC Advisor not being fully realised – perhaps a specific 'DfMA expert' would be better suited to address the intricacies of platform design and digital software to boost quality and productivity.
New Thinking
Debate on skills development and creating a new industry talent pool was facilitated by Scott Tacchi, Head of MMC at Sir Robert McAlpine and included Rion Thomas, Lecturer in MMC/BIM, Institute of Technology at Dudley College, Dave Sheridan, Executive Chairman, ilke Homes, David Emery, Consultant, Supply Chain Sustainability School and Trudi Sully, Impact Lead DfMA at Mott MacDonald. The Skills and Supply Chain debate surrounded 'trades v tasks'. As Rion Thomas pointed out regarding the challenges of young people, the better use of role models provides a connection and can help overcoming barriers to entry. "It is about creating content that can be understood and joining the education and construction industries together more." A cleaner and safer industry will also attract a more diverse workforce but 'each company has to look at its own workforce and how to attract them and hold them there'.
Net Zero Carbon
A complicated subject and an entire conference in itself with many differing aspects to discuss and explore. Facilitated by Richard Hipkiss, Development Director, MPBA with Dr Rehan Khodabuccus, Operations Director, Zedpods Philippa Birch-Wood, Local Network Co-ordinator, UKGBC and Imran Kassim, Director, AHR. For many, the future of building regulations and carbon targets will dictate the direction of travel but also a better 'understanding and control of what net zero carbon is and developing ways of assessing operational and embodied carbon effectively.'
One key issue raised: whilst accreditation is important (e.g. Passivhaus) perhaps it is less important than the actual approach. Collectively the construction industry needs to look for an appropriate low carbon solution rather than obsess about accreditation. This could be helped by more detailed post-occupancy studies that map out operational carbon and reveal a better understanding on how buildings are used.
Day 1 ended with Wayne Yeomans, Sales Director at Algeco providing a case study on their use of the SEISMIC approach and work with McDonalds, including its net zero restaurant at Market Drayton with Jim Mitchell, Design Director, Stelling Modular, outlining their innovative modular connector system and road to low carbon design.
Revolutionary Homes
Day 2 was chaired by Sam Stacy, Chief Executive of Stacx International and started with ilke Homes' R&D Director Nigel Banks giving a wide-ranging presentation on how they are 'revolutionising housing supply' and changing the modular homes market dynamic. Ilke Homes has very quickly become synonymous with quality modular homes and Nigel gave an update on the ZERO Bills home and potentially how these kinds of developments are: "the key to unlock consumer appetite for low carbon high performing modular homes." The Digital Platforms panel debate saw David Philp, Chief Value Officer, Cohesive Group, Chris Spiceley, Client Accounts Director, Modulous, Nick Marriott, Digital Engineering Lead at Portakabin and Craig Johnson, Business Development Manager at Trimble, describe some of the ways that digital platforms are driving change and innovation, with the 'golden thread' becoming more important. However, the wealth of information, data and work-flow complexities, 'have to be understandable for all users from architect, engineer to manufacturer, to aid better collaboration between services and trades.' Although digital tools are visually exciting and a way of attracting a more diverse talent pool to the sector, it has to remembered that a digital strategy is not appropriate for every employee. There does need to be a reduction in the 'clicks required to perform a task.'
The final two panel sessions covered Modular Design and Social Value and Designing for Modular. The first facilitated by: Peter Morgan, Deputy Chief Engineer, MTC, Mike De'Ath, Partner at HTA, Penny Anderson, Head of Social Value, Akerlof and Fenella Lowden, Client Solutions Manager, Tophat, with the final panel led by Andy King, Group Technical Director, MPBA, Charlotte Garrett, DfMA Lead at KOPE, Richard Crosby, Director, the Seismic Group and Simon Reid, Managing Director, Lungfish. Core to much of the afternoon discussion was the pressing need for modular design to prove what it can do – both from a technical perspective but from a skills transfer and workforce creation perspective as well – with factories created where jobs are needed and able to cater for desired flexible work-life patterns.
As ever, designing for modular needs early engagement and more than once over the two days, talk surrounded how the industry should be looking at what can be standardised for manufacturers to produce systems that are easy to specify and replace if there is a problem. The search for interoperability and commonality to link design and supply together – probably through digital tools – can provide more confidence for clients and developers erring on the side of caution of offsite adoption. Here, digital software is understood to be a huge enabler to building design work and providing a huge boost to productivity: 'making something consistently, makes it easier to improve.'
Two days of in-depth discussion and debate ended with Stephen Webb, Design Manager at McAvoy and Alan Davidson, Healthcare Director at Darwin Group, providing an overview of projects at Merstham Park School and Hampshire Hospital's Heart Centre respectively.
Across both days the benefits of offsite modular design and delivery were laid out clearly. Not just from technical and net zero carbon standpoints – regular concepts of early engagement, developing simpler tools and processes and greater interoperability between the various platforms and systems on the market – but from their wider societal effects on skills, job roles and employment. Ultimately modular construction matters as it is a way to not only change construction, but create a brand new construction model fit for 2023 and beyond.
To find out more about Modular Matters and to keep tabs on what is happening in 2024 visit: www.modularmatters.co.uk
Source: Offsite Magazine
