We must harness the power of offsite to build back better, says Mark Davis, Acting Head of Partnerships and Communications at Public Sector Plc, if modular homes are to increase the quantity and quality of new homes and help to save the planet.
As we head into the darkness of winter and batten down the hatches to cope with a second wave of COVID-19 it is crucial that we all remain focused on turning the devastating experience of the Coronavirus crisis into something positive. While COVID-19 has cast a shadow on all of our lives, it has shone a light on some of Britain’s biggest challenges: the housing crisis and the climate crisis.
For millions of families the experience of lockdown has highlighted the problems caused by living in Britain’s old, cold, draughty housing stock – something which will be exacerbated by the second national lockdown in November.
And while CO2 emissions fell by almost a fifth (17%) in April during the lockdown they quickly recovered. At the same time, regions around the world such as California and Siberia have recorded their worst year for forest fires with millions of acres of habitat lost. Globally, between 2030 and 2050, the World Health Organisation expects climate change to cause 250,000 additional deaths per year. According to the UK Green Building Council the built environment contributes 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint.
