TIMBER
REDUCING RISING COSTS
Debi Lama, Key Account Manager for Affordable Housing at Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses why offsite construction coupled with a build fabric such as timber frame is key to reducing fuel poverty across the UK.
1 The rising cost of running a home set against a backdrop of economic uncertainty is a growing issue, now more so than ever before, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is estimated that approximately 3.5million households in the UK are classed as being in fuel poverty. While these figures from 2017 are the lowest since 2005-06, it is evident there is still more to be done. And with budgets likely to tighten even further over the coming months, it comes as no surprise that household running costs are a key consideration for homebuyers across the country.
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Sustainable building used to be the exception rather than the rule, but the fact that buyer attitudes are shifting is forcing housebuilders to act. If they want to attract budget-conscious buyers, housebuilders now need to consider how to appeal to buyers who wish to reduce their overall living costs. In response to calls for more sustainable housing, industry reports are increasingly signalling a move towards modern methods of construction (MMC) in the housebuilding sector. A phrase coined by the UK government, it acts as a
WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | MAY/JUNE 2020
definition and framework to encourage developers to adopt and champion construction practices which will speed up delivery, plug the skills gap, and crucially, be a driving force for a low carbon sustainable economy. As demand for increased production continues to be driven by the government, it is crucial that low carbon sustainability remains frontof-mind – and this is where the build fabric itself becomes just as important as the construction method.