Offsite Magazine - Issue 52

Industrialised Construction 2026 conference report plus the Award winners from two days of debate and market visualisation

P32

Low Carbon White Paper

LSFA publishes its landmark document on circularity and sustainable use of light gauge steel frame

P50

Precast Concrete

Decarbonisation, EPDs and why transparent environmental data has become a defining building factor

P70

April / May 2026 Issue 52 / £4.95

Dedicated to offsite design, manufacture and delivery www.offsitemagazine.co.uk

TRANSPORT HOUSE A STRUCTURAL PRECAST CONCRETE AND BRICK-FACED PANEL FAÇADE TRIUMPH

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WELCOME APRIL / MAY 2026 Editorial

Gary Ramsay / Consultant Editor T: 01743 290001 E: gary.ramsay@offsitemagazine.co.uk

Progress or Slowgress?

Advertising and Events

Welcome to the latest edition of Offsite Magazine in which we carry reports from two key events that have thrown the spotlight on various aspects of the offsite and industrialised construction sector, highlighting its status as a maturing method of construction.

Julie Williams / Digital and print sales T: 01743 290042 E: julie.williams@offsitemedia.co.uk Rhian Morris/ Event enquiries T: 01743 290025 E: rhian.morris@radar-media.co.uk

Production and Finance

Sian Hawkins / Production T: 01743 290006 E: sian.hawkins@radar-media.co.uk

THE FOURTH MMC IRELAND NATIONAL

ideas, but the absence of the right conditions to

CONFERENCE was a buzzing event to network

enable those ideas to flourish and succeed.

Debra Brooks / Finance T: 01743 290001 E: accounts@radar-media.co.uk

and discuss the vibrant Irish offsite market.

Publisher

Offsite Media Ltd Suites A & B Hermes House, Oxon Business Park, Shrewsbury SY3 5HJ T: 01743 290001 E: info@offsitemagazine.co.uk W: www.offsitemagazine.co.uk

Subscriptions

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Print

Printed on FSC Mix paper by Buxton Press Ltd Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE T: 01298 212000

Disclaimer

The content of Offsite Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. The publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or nonpublication of any advertisement.

Content including images and illustrations supplied by third parties are accepted in good faith and the publishers expect third parties to have obtained appropriate permissions, consents, licences or otherwise. The publisher does not accept any liability or any loss arising in the absence of these permissions for material used in both physical and digital editions. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers.

All rights reserved.

What is the pace and trajectory of the UK’s offsite

Strong government engagement and a rapidly

market then? The UK’s offsite construction market

expanding eco-system of manufacturers,

sits at a curious juncture where its benefits are widely

designers and researchers, give the impression of

acknowledged but endlessly seems to struggle to

an increasing understanding and balanced view

gain significant traction. Where does offsite sit on the

of Ireland’s MMC sector. The Irish market faces

Technology Adoption Curve? Having just looked up

many of the UK’s building dilemmas, but the aura

the stages, I hope it is not in ‘The Chasm’. One thing

surrounding it is bright.

is for certain – the commitment of government

The second Industrialised Construction Conference – held only a few weeks ago in central London – was also a vibrant space with two

departments in propelling real-life developments forward must be applauded.

Amongst our usual spread of content this

mind-expanding days of discussion surrounding

issue we focus on the precast concrete sector. MPA

factory-based manufacture, data-driven processes

Precast provide a lead feature on the importance of

and supporting policy. But as I point out inside,

harnessing environmental product data within the

while the tone across both days was upbeat

built environment to help decarbonise – and related

and committed, the momentum to adopt more

to this – they were hosts of an industry roundtable

industrialised methods, alongside a willingness to

that unpicked the ways precast can contribute to a

use them, feels sluggish. It will not scale without

‘climate resilient’ built environment.

fundamental changes to how the construction

The customary final thanks to all our contributors,

industry operates. The challenge is not a lack of

advertisers, and supporters for their efforts and help

technology, cutting-edge systems, product or even

with this issue. It is hugely appreciated.

Gary Ramsay | Consultant Editor Email: gary.ramsay@offsitemagazine.co.uk We are always looking for the latest industry news, people appointments and project case studies using all types of offsite systems and products. For use both in print and online please send them to me at the contact email above.

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INFORMING THE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Invaluable Resource for Construction Professionals Celebrating all the benefits and achievements of offsite construction, the OFFSITE HUB features new and emerging technologies, informative project case studies and thought leadership articles from leading industry figures.

WWW.OFFSITEHUB.CO.UK

Issue 52 April / May 2026

03

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

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CONTENTS APRIL / MAY 2026

Fresh Face for Transport House

06

FP McCann recently completed the New Multi-Level Residential Development, in Dagenham, East London. This is another successful partnership build with London-based residential and commercial property developer, Hollybrook and used an offsite manufactured structural and architectural precast frame system.

26 Transforming Construction in Ireland More than 400 delegates from across Ireland’s construction, manufacturing, policy and research communities gathered recently for the fourth annual MMC Ireland National Conference. What were its key comments and important messages?

30 Understanding The Compliance Gap Building safety isn’t health and safety. As Ari Fatah, Technical Standards Manager at Veriforce CHAS explains, this critical point still causes compliance confusion.

Industry News

08

News and developments from across the UK offsite industry and wider construction arena including: Donaldson Timber Systems introduce a range of affordable house typologies, P+HS Architects and McAvoy partner in Bradford, and Liverpool named as a pilot region to improve UK construction productivity using more industrialised construction methods.

52 IC Awards 2026 Who were the stellar game changers and industry champions celebrated at the inaugural IC Awards?

58 Slow Housing Recovery, Rising Timber Opportunity Figures from the Housing Market Report 2025 and associated industry data paint a picture of a UK housing market stabilising – how can structural timber help shift the homebuilding market forward quicker?

32 Industrialised Construction Conference 2026 ICC 2026 offered a wide and generous scope of interest for all those wanting to know more about deeper and more integrated manufacturing aspects of the built environment.

62 Industrialised and Sustainable Living A new housing development in the Netherlands highlights the potential of large-scale modular construction using mass engineered timber. A development and approach where the UK lags behind.

44 A Pathway to Whole-Life Carbon Reduction Richard Hipkiss, Development Director of the MPBA, sets out a compelling case for volumetric modular technology and industrialised methods accelerating the transition to low carbon construction.

64 Designing Out Rework: The Case For Standardised Construction Craig Johnson, Senior Account Executive at Trimble, explores the value of standardised construction and how digital technology can solve one of the construction industry’s hidden financial burdens.

48 Powering the Rise of Airspace Development Nik Teagle and Martin Jamieson, joint Managing Directors of light steel frame specialists, Frameclad, are witnessing first-hand a quiet but transformative shift taking place ‘above’ the UK’s landscape.

50 Driving the Future Forward The UK construction sector is entering a new era, defined by safety, precision, automation and digital integration. Reflecting this the LSFA has published a White Paper setting out a clear direction of travel for the light steel frame industry.

67 Precast Concrete This issue’s special magazine section highlights some key buildings and businesses operating within one of offsite industry’s central manufacturing methods. Find out more about the precast approach from a range of specialists including a lead feature from MPA Precast and stunning precast and Passivhaus work at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre.

Host a CPD Webinar Amplify Your Expertise: Connect Your Brand with a Targeted Construction Audience

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

BUILDINGLEARNING.CO.UK

Your CPD. Our Audience.

Maximum Impact.

05

COVER STORY FP MCCANN

Fresh Face for Transport House FP McCann recently completed the New Multi-Level Residential Development, in Dagenham, East London. This is another successful partnership build with London-based residential and commercial property developer, Hollybrook and used an offsite manufactured structural and architectural precast frame system.

1

THE LONDON BOROUGH of Barking-owned Transport House

planks and precast stair cores and stair landings. Integral to the

site in Dagenham, is the former office block home to the Unite

structural frame itself are the architectural brick-faced insulated

trade union. The building consists of 149 brand new, sustainably

sandwich panels, which provide the building’s attractive external

heated residential properties with undercroft parking, which also

finish. Transfer slab cladding and ground floor cladding are other

serves a Premier Inn next door. The project is Hollybrook’s second

key precast concrete elements of the build. Many other MMC

collaboration between Barking and Dagenham council-owned

features included the supply and fix of galvanised conduits and

BeFirst, a pioneering urban regeneration company.

the fair-faced finish to internal walls, allowing follow-on trades to

With full adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC)

complete their works in a timely and efficient manner. Co-ordinated

on the build, FP McCann – the Tier 2, BIM Level 2-certified supplier

works in conjunction with other contractors, incorporated the bolt-

– has been instrumental in the design, manufacture, and installation

on stair and balcony fixings and the placement of bathroom, ensuite

of the precast concrete structural frame and architectural brick-

and utility pods. The accelerated construction time typically seen in

faced system. As on all such contracts undertaken by FP McCann,

such offsite precast concrete structural frame builds was evident in

BIM Execution Plans (BEP) were prepared for the Transport House

the Transport House project in Dagenham, which was completed in

site development, demonstrating FP McCann’s proposed approach,

just 50 weeks.

capabilities, capacity and competence to meet stringent Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR).

Aesthetic and brick-faced style

MMC and precast approach

by the high-quality architectural brick-faced panels that seamlessly

The visual impact of the development is striking, as evidenced The FP McCann precast structural frame comprises precast

blend with the surrounding urban landscape. The meticulous

concrete core and party walls, prestressed hollowcore flooring

detailing of the brickwork, with varied bonding patterns and

06

Issue 52 April / May 2026

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COVER STORY FP MCCANN

2

subtle tonal shifts, creates a dynamic, textured facade. This aesthetic excellence is achieved without

Precast components Precast concrete building frames are individual

compromising the building’s structural integrity

concrete components that make up structural

or thermal performance, thanks to the integrated

systems. These include products such as vertical

insulation in the sandwich panels.

columns and balconies, horizontal beams, precast

Furthermore, the development incorporates

walls, and floor slabs. Each element is manufactured

thoughtfully designed communal spaces, including

offsite to precise specifications using moulds and

a vibrant, landscaped central courtyard that

high-strength concrete mixes, ensuring consistency,

provides residents with a safe and engaging outdoor

accuracy, and quality. From a sustainability

3

Images 1-4: The visual impact of the development is striking with architectural brickfaced panels seamlessly blending with the surrounding urban landscape

environment. The inclusion of play areas and green spaces within the courtyard underscores the project’s commitment to fostering a strong sense of community and enhancing the overall well-being of its inhabitants. The integration of these elements highlights the versatility and superior finish achievable with FP McCann’s precast solutions.

Commenting on the Transport House residential development, David Langley, Project Quantity Surveyor for Hollybrook, said: “Traditional construction methods, while tried and tested, are increasingly inadequate to meet the soaring demand for quality, affordable housing. The Transport House residential development is a clear demonstration that offsite modular precast concrete construction

4

and MMC in urban locations, not only help address the current housing challenge but also lay the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable

perspective, precast concrete frames also offer clear

homebuilding industry.

benefits compared to other construction methods.

“By embracing these methods, we can build faster

Carefully controlled factory production generates

with construction times reduced by up to 60%,

less waste, reduces the number of site deliveries and

minimise our environmental impact and provide safe,

has lower embodied carbon levels as the concrete is

affordable living space, delivering quality, sustainable

produced in factories that use renewable sources for

living options for a diverse range of residents. The

power. FP McCann provides a full structural frame

building is a great showpiece scheme in a key location,

design, including cores, columns, beams, stairs and

and we look forward to partnering with FP McCann

landings which can all be designed for a 2-hour

on future keynote urban projects.”

fire rating. 

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Find out more at: www.fpmccann.co.uk

07

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Starship and Vandersanden Team Up for Façade Future

News in Brief Modular Social Housing Delivered in Hemyock ZED PODS working in partnership with Mid Devon District Council has completed its latest development of high‑quality, energy‑efficient council homes at Eastlands, Hemyock. The modular homes transform a former area of underused garages and parking into five modern homes. Construction of the modules was delivered through the Prisoners Building Homes programme.

Integra Appointed to £500m Public Sector Framework

Vandersanden, one of Europe’s leading brick

facade systems, is one of the most viable solutions

manufacturers and developer Starship have announced

to increase the volume of housebuilding without

a new strategic partnership to accelerate sustainable

compromising quality.”

housing delivery across the UK. The pioneering new

The collaboration is a direct response to several

partnership was announced at Starship’s two-day

longstanding issues in UK construction, including

event, Changemakers Live on 5 March.

energy efficiency standards, skills shortages and

With a shared forward-thinking approach

the ongoing housing crisis. To support faster and

and an ambition to deliver high quality housing,

more reliable housing delivery, RoboBrick® enables a

this new collaboration is set to reshape the

factory-controlled facade process that avoids weather

landscape of offsite construction using advanced

delays, reduces on-site risk and significantly shortens

facade automation and next-generation modular

installation times.

development. Vandersanden’s fully integrated

The partnership builds on Vandersanden’s

industrial facade solution, RoboBrick®, will support

growing focus on the UK market, where it continues

the partnership by offering a scalable, sustainable and

to strengthen its versatile offering and choice

highly efficient method of housebuilding. For Starship,

for developers, architects, contractors and other

the collaboration also addresses the need for greater

specifiers.

facade capacity and consistency as the business continues to expand.

transforming the UK’s housing market,” said Founder

bonds brick slips to various substrates and can be

and CEO of Starship, Dave Dargan. “RoboBrick®’s

incorporated into new and existing production lines.

integrated ecosystem gives us the tools to address

The comprehensive infrastructure supports quality,

industry challenges head-on by improving efficiency

consistency, safety and speed, essential to Starship’s

and helping us maintain the high level of quality we

long-term delivery mode. The sustainable solution has

prioritise in our developments. Our collaboration with

already been proven in Europe to dramatically reduce

Vandersanden enables us to advance together, using

waste, cutting raw material and energy use by up to

established technologies and scalable methods that

60% with brick slip technology, as well as a reduction

are already delivering results.”

in transport movement.

The new partnership is a pivotal step in making

Maarten Leën, Director of Offsite Solutions &

offsite construction a trusted, mainstream solution

Innovation for Vandersanden, said: “This partnership

in the UK. Vandersanden and Starship’s shared

represents a powerful step towards making offsite

ambition will accelerate the adoption of high-quality,

construction an accepted and trusted part of the

industrialised housing, helping to deliver millions of

UK’s building landscape. We’re committed to building

new, affordable homes throughout the country.

something that delivers long-term value for the entire industry with a proven, high-quality solution.

Offsite construction, supported by industrialised

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Source: www.vandersanden.com/en-uk www.starshipgroup.co.uk

New Head for NG Bailey OSM NG Bailey has named Paul Wylie as Managing Director of its Offsite Manufacturing (OSM) division, marking a major milestone in his 25-year career with the engineering leader.

Wylie will oversee a critical part of NG Bailey’s engineering operations. Paul said: “I’m excited to lead the next phase of growth and continue pushing the boundaries of what modern methods of construction can deliver.”

FastHouse Expand Operations

“Working with Vandersanden means we can push boundaries and deliver on our shared vision of

RoboBrick® is a total solution that automatically

The Framework from public sector procurement organisation YPO has been designed to address the challenge of sourcing modern, adaptable and sustainable buildings to improve the public estate. Integra has a proven track record of delivering bespoke modular and anti-vandal buildings of outstanding quality and has been appointed onto 11 lots within the framework, covering both permanent and hire buildings.

FastHouse has announced that it has completed the incorporation of the Monaghan-based Century timber frame business. Kingspan Group will retain a minority shareholding in the expanded FastHouse business. This represents a major milestone for FastHouse, which will see the company doubling its production capacity to 3,000 homes and increasing its workforce to over 380.

STEICO Wood Fibre Insulation Growth Plans STEICO has expanded its specification team to support its strategy to drive forward the adoption of wood fibre insulation in mainstream housebuilding and construction. Newly appointed Specification Managers Andy Cook and Pete Kelly will work closely with architects, housebuilders, specifiers and contractors to provide technical advice to ensure compliance with the Building Standards.

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Class A2-s1, d0 free hanging or onto substrate*

*For further technical information and fire test reports, contact us on +44 (0)161 905 5700 or e-mail info@glidevaleprotect.com www.glidevaleprotect.com/frsolutions www.offsitemagazine.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/exploreoffsite

Issue 52 April / May 2026

09

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Donaldson Timber Systems Introduces Affordable Housing Range Donaldson Timber Systems has introduced a range

The specified components are consistent,

The housing range is previewing to select

of house types to meet the increasing demand for

using a limited range of window sizes and uniform

affordable housing providers and local councils.

cost-effective, sustainable, and modern methods of

bathroom and WC setting-out to ensure the

construction (MMC) compliant housing solutions

efficient procurement of materials from a variety

Timber Systems said: “This housing range has been

across the UK.

of manufacturers, while reducing embodied

specifically developed to respond to the pressures

energy usage through material optimisation and

facing the affordable housing sector; delivering more

repeatability.

affordable homes, faster and at lower cost, without

The Affordable Housing Range offers a carefully curated mix of 16 house types, designed to meet local housing need while maintaining delivery efficiency.

John Smith, Technical Director at Donaldson

The homes are also land-efficient, with the width

compromising on quality, performance

The portfolio includes one, two, three and four-

of each floorplan reduced to ensure roads, footpaths

bedroom homes arranged in terraced, semi-detached

and services are minimised, and a consistent depth

“Offsite timber frame construction is uniquely

and detached formats.

of floorplan, enabling seamless terracing and efficient

positioned to respond to this challenge. By moving

or compliance.

master planning. The result is a flexible yet controlled

elements of the build process into a controlled

developed around Donaldson Timber Systems’

housing portfolio that can be confidently deployed

manufacturing environment, we reduce on-site

Sigma II closed panel timber frame system,

across a range of development sizes and locations.

labour requirements, improve quality consistency

While standardisation is key, each home

and accelerate programme delivery, while exceeding

Each architect-designed house type has been

ensuring consistency in performance, manufacture and programme, which is backed by third party

incorporates individual design flexibility to factor

required performance standards and delivering

accreditations including BOPAS+, BBA and STA Gold.

in local need, planning context and long-term

quality homes that people want to live in. The result

As part of the ‘Smarter Inside’ approach, fabric

adaptability, such as identified space for future

is a smarter delivery model that helps affordable

performance is designed and built in, delivering low-

showers in ground floor bathrooms; additional kitchen

housing providers build more homes, more efficiently,

energy living, long-term durability and compliance

storage; and space for air source heat pump hot water

with greater confidence in cost, compliance,

with current and future regulatory standards,

cylinders. This ensures Registered Providers retain

suitability and long-term performance.”

including achieving the performance of the Future

control over specification and appearance, while

Homes Standard with no additional works required

futureproofing for simple adaptions to suit lifestyle

expertise, Donaldson Timber Systems offers unrivalled

on site. The housing range also meets and exceeds

changes or improved energy efficiency.

experience and knowledge in offsite construction,

Homes England’s minimum requirement for a Pre-

The house range is supported with a suite

Manufactured Value (PMV) of 55% using only the

of information, including architectural drawings

timber frame build system; and allows the frames to

and schedules, Revit files and embodied carbon

be windproof and watertight on site in one day.

calculations and a PMV assessment.

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

With over 50 years of offsite timber frame

operating from a network of manufacturing and technical centres across the UK. Source: www.donaldsontimbersystems.com

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

11

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Coatbridge Housing Developments Taking Shape

CCG (Scotland) is making strong progress across two

Work is also progressing at Dunottar Avenue in

positive social and economic benefits for the

major affordable housing developments in Coatbridge,

Shawhead, where 100 new affordable homes are

with works well underway at School Street and Dunottar

being delivered on the site of former low rise flats.

Avenue. Together, the projects will deliver more than 220

The development will comprise 76 houses and

developments will deliver 253 affordable homes by

new homes, supporting regeneration and investment

cottage flats and 24 flats, with 11 homes designed for

mid 2027, underlining the strength of the partnership

across the town. CCG is working on behalf of North

wheelchair users. The homes will have low carbon

between CCG and North Lanarkshire Council.

Lanarkshire Council, with the developments forming

heating technologies, including air source heat pumps

part of the council’s wider programme to deliver 6,000

and exhaust air systems, while the wider site will

added: “North Lanarkshire Council has one of the most

new homes in the region by 2035.

include new community amenities such as a multi use

ambitious new council housebuilding programmes in

games area and play park.

the country and is making real progress in delivering new

At School Street, the former Columba High School

surrounding communities.”

Alongside a third development in Viewpark, the

James Stevenson, Housing Development Manager

School Street and Dunottar represent a combined

homes for tenants across the area. The two Coatbridge

homes, including flats, semi detached houses, and

investment of £50.5million, supported by £24.8million

developments being delivered by CCG are taking shape

bungalows. The development includes 22 wheelchair

in grant funding from the Scottish Government.

and will not only bring modern, affordable homes to the

site is being transformed into 127 new affordable

suitable homes and 57 amenity houses, designed to

David Wylie, Managing Director at CCG (Scotland),

area but will roll out benefits to the local community,

said: “These two developments represent a significant

including jobs, work experience placements and support

investment in Coatbridge and underline the

for community projects. These new homes transform

enhanced ‘iQ’ Timber System closed panel wall solution

strength of our long standing partnership with North

local communities and meet the needs and aspirations

– to create the superstructure – the homes will feature

Lanarkshire Council. Beyond delivering much needed

of our tenants now and for generations to come.”

both solar panels and EV charging infrastructure, with

affordable homes, both projects are creating local

the first residents moving in this summer.

jobs, supporting skills and training, and generating

adapt as tenants’ needs change over time.

Built using advanced offsite methods – the

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Source: www.c-c-g.co.uk

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Polypipe Building Services Appoints New Managing Director Murray’s promotion follows a period of strong

Andy Cullum added: “Tom has been instrumental

commercial growth. In his previous role as Sales

in driving Polypipe Building Services’ growth and

and Marketing Director, he expanded the company’s

strengthening its position in the market. I’m confident

water supply and prefabricated systems offerings and

he will continue to lead the business to new heights

reinforced its position as a drainage expert across the

within the new Genuit Group structure, which in turn

commercial building services sector.

will enable us to enhance our value propositions

The restructure also sees Andy Cullum, formerly Managing Director of Polypipe Building Services, take

to customers.”

Murray has been with Polypipe Building Services

the new role of Managing Director of the Commercial

for three years, overseeing significant commercial

Buildings Segment within Genuit’s Water Division,

progress and strengthening engagement with

which consists of six businesses – SkyGarden,

consultants, contractors and merchants. Under his

Permavoid, Effast, Cistermiser, Keraflo and Polypipe

leadership, the business will continue to build on

Building Services.

its leadership in commercial drainage systems and

Commenting on his own appointment, Tom

deliver sustainable water management solutions

Polypipe Building Services (PBS) has appointed

Murray said: “Polypipe Building Services has built

backed by industry-leading technical support, and

Tom Murray as Managing Director, strengthening

a strong reputation over decades for technical

tools that support effective specification

its leadership team as the business enters a new

expertise, product quality and close customer

and installation.

development phase within the Genuit Group. The

relationships. My focus now is to build on that,

appointment follows wider changes across Genuit,

working with my colleagues at PBS and across the

designed to create clearer, customer-focused

Group to leverage complementary capabilities and

divisions, enhance collaboration and embed

deliver more joined-up support, from specification

sustainability into every aspect of the business.

and design through to delivery and installation.”

vertexcad.com/bd

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Source: www.polypipebuildingservices.com Polypipe Buildings Services are hosting a factory tour 28 May 2026, to register interest in attending: ellie.guest@radar-media.co.uk

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Bradford Hospital Redevelopment Receives NHS England Funding Approval

P+HS Architects and leading offsite manufacturer

The modular approach supports the creation of

The redevelopment also aligns with wider NHS

McAvoy have confirmed that the Lynfield Mount

a flexible, therapeutic environment which will be

priorities around sustainability, quality of care and

Hospital New Build and Refurbishment project

delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption. We

long-term value, with the scheme designed to meet

has received Full Business Case approval from the

are committed to working alongside the Trust and

modern environmental and operational standards.

Department of Health and Social Care marking a major

project partners to ensure this facility is delivered to

milestone for the £65million redevelopment scheme.

the highest standards without delay.”

Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, said: “We inherited crumbling hospitals that were not fit for

The approval enables the project to progress to

Co-produced with Bradford District Care NHS

construction stage – starting the transformation of

Foundation Trust’s service users and clinical and

result, but projects like this demonstrate the real change

Lynfield Mount Hospital into a modern, therapeutic

estates teams, the design places patient wellbeing at

being delivered by the government’s record investment

mental health facility that better supports service

its core. Access to natural light, views, outdoor space

as we rebuild the NHS. This improved Lynfield Mount

users, staff and the wider Bradford community.

and calm, legible internal layouts have all been carefully

Hospital will offer a safe and welcoming environment,

The scheme will deliver a combination of the

considered to create an environment that supports

helping patients’ recovery and boosting wellbeing.”

refurbishment of bedrooms on two existing wards

recovery while enabling high-quality clinical care.

Cath Lake, Director and Mental Health Lead at

to achieve 100% en-suite provision, alongside the

Therese Patten, Chief Executive of Bradford

P+HS Architects, added: “This project represents

purpose, with mental health patients suffering as a

construction of a new modular two-storey ward block,

District Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The

a significant step forward in the design of

providing more modern inpatient wards, improved

redevelopment of the central block will bring

forward thinking, therapeutic mental healthcare

clinical and therapeutic spaces, and enhanced staff

significant improvements to Lynfield Mount Hospital,

environments. Funding approval from the Department

environments. The design supports contemporary

to create a facility that supports the recovery and

of Health and Social Care reflects the strength of

models of mental healthcare, prioritising dignity,

wellbeing of service users, and a better working

the clinical vision and the collaborative approach

safety, recovery and long-term flexibility.

environment for staff. We have worked closely with

taken by the Trust and project team. We’re proud

staff, patients, families, carers and partners to

to be working alongside Bradford District Care

McAvoy, said: “Achieving funding approval from

develop our plans and ensure that the redeveloped

NHS Foundation Trust to help create a facility that

the Department of Health and Social Care marks a

site can support the needs of our local communities

supports recovery, wellbeing for patients and staff.”

significant step forward in the creation of new high-

for years to come. We are delighted to have received

quality mental healthcare facilities for the Bradford

this final stage of approval as it gives us the go ahead

community.

to start making our exciting vision a reality.”

Stephen Clayton, Preconstruction Director at

14

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Source: www.pandhs.co.uk www.mcavoygroup.com

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

15

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Homes England’s National Housing Bank Officially Open for Business Homes England’s National Housing Bank is part of a

and partner organisations to understand the role

watershed moment and mark an unprecedented scale

once-in-a-generation investment offer to accelerate

the Agency and the National Housing Bank can

of ambition and investment to deliver homes and

delivery of new homes and mixed-use schemes,

play in delivering their pipeline of housing and

regeneration across the country. Both institutions

backed by a new Investment Prospectus that sets out

mixed-use schemes.

have up to £46billion of capital to deploy over the next

the agency’s full range of funding and support.

Headquartered in Leeds, the National Housing

decade, including £27billion of social and affordable

Bank will move quickly to back shovel ready

housing grant, a share of £5billion for land and

Housing Bank will work with housebuilders,

schemes. It launches with the announcement that

infrastructure and up to £16billion of debt, equity and

developers, investors and registered providers to

Homes England has contracted a new £100million

guarantees. Our message to partners and investors

deploy up to £16billion of debt, equity and guarantees.

partnership with Mansion House Compact signatory

is a simple one: please get in touch and talk to us. We

The bank will also work with Mayors through

and Sterling 20 member, Aviva. Its lifetime objective

are open for business and are committed to shaping

Homes England’s new regional model to strengthen

is to build up to 3,300 well designed and sustainable

the right solutions for a place or project.

collaborative working with partners and leaders.

homes for rent in underinvested areas of cities,

Backed by the UK government, the National

Simon Century, Chief Executive of the National

A subsidiary of Homes England, the bank is

including an initial 300 in Liverpool and Manchester.

Housing Bank, added: “The National Housing Bank

powered by the Agency’s expertise and will support

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Launching

will back delivery at scale and act at pace, providing

the delivery of more than 500,000 homes and a

England’s first ever National Housing Bank underpins

government-backed finance to de-risk projects and

raft of major regeneration and mixed-use schemes,

a new way of doing things as we accelerate

unlock delivery the market cannot change alone. Our

alongside unlocking more than £53billion of private

housebuilding at scale and tackle the housing crisis

ambition and scale as a public finance institution

investment over the next ten years.

head on. Now open for business, the Bank will rake

creates the conditions for long-term, stable

Launched on 1 April, it is supported by Homes

in billions of pounds of essential private investment

investment, focusing on delivery and giving investors’

England’s new Investment Prospectus, the Agency’s

to get spades in the ground for half a million new

confidence whilst enabling more innovative, scalable

single, authoritative statement of how it invests to

homes. This is just one of the many levers we’re

delivery models. With delegated authority, we will

deliver homes and regeneration. With the bank at its

pulling to make sure we reach our 1.5 million target

take decisions quickly and proactively, acting as an

core, the Investment Prospectus brings together for

this Parliament.”

enabler, not a barrier, to the market.”

the first time Homes England’s full range of capital

Amy Rees CB, Chief Executive of Homes England,

products, land, powers and technical expertise in one

said: “The launch of both the National Housing Bank

public document – making it easier for local leaders

and Homes England’s Investment Prospectus are a

16

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Source: www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/homes-england

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Western Delivers £25m Slough Community Diagnostic Centre A new £25million Community Diagnostic Centre

Hospital and local GP practices. Conveniently located

at Upton Hospital Slough, delivered by offsite

a 10-minute walk from Slough railway station and

manufacturers Western, has been officially opened. The

close to bus routes, the centre has been designed

landmark investment is set to transform access to vital

with accessibility at its core.

test and scans for people living in and around Slough.

James Clarke, Chief Strategy Officer at Frimley

The 2,800sq m facility was delivered within 52

Health NHS Foundation Trust said: “This is an exciting

weeks using advanced offsite manufacturing and

moment for the Trust and the people of Slough.

BIM 3D modelling. Modules were pre-assembled

The centre will play a vital role in addressing health

offsite and watertight within five days of installation,

inequalities by ensuring that diagnostic services are

reducing disruption, waste and programme risk within

accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live.”

a live healthcare environment. Western delivered a full

Developed following extensive public consultation

manufacturing, BIM-led design and a full turnkey approach, we have been able to provide Frimley Health

turnkey design-and-build solution, including internal

in 2023, the centre reflects community feedback and a

NHS Foundation Trust with a facility that is efficient,

fit-out and external works such as car parking and EV

commitment to tackling health inequalities. The centre

sustainable and future-focused. Most importantly,

charging infrastructure.

stands as a symbol of investment, innovation and

this centre will make a real difference to the people

community-focused healthcare, positioning Slough at

of Slough, enabling faster diagnoses, improving

the forefront of modern diagnostic provision.

patient experience and supporting better health

The centre will operate seven days a week, 12 hours a day, providing up to 150,000 additional diagnostic tests annually. Services include MRI, CT

“The Slough Community Diagnostic Centre

outcomes across the community. We are proud to have

and ultrasound scanning, alongside respiratory and

demonstrates the strength of modern methods of

partnered on a project that reflects both innovation in

cardiology testing – supporting earlier diagnosis of

construction in delivering high-quality healthcare

construction and ambition in healthcare delivery.”

conditions such as cancer and heart disease, reducing

infrastructure at pace,” said Rory McGuigan, Managing

waiting times and relieving pressure on Wexham Park

Director of Western. “By combining advanced offsite

Source: www.westernbuild.com

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02/04/2026 14:24:55

Issue 52 April / May 2026

17

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Liverpool Named Pilot Region in National Drive to Improve UK Construction Productivity As industry partners, Onward Homes and Torus

the forefront of innovation and creativity. The digital

how Britain delivers sustainable social housing,

Developments will test and refine the approach by

technologies and manufacturing methods developed

schools, hospitals and public infrastructure, in a bid to

trialling it in two social housing schemes. Their insights

here will help us speed up how we can build more homes,

boost a sector worth more than £250billion a year to

will help finalise a standard delivery model for adoption

schools, and hospitals right across the UK. This work will

the UK economy.

nationally. The approach is expected to transform

help us set the benchmark for how we deliver high-quality

Liverpool City Region has been selected to

social housing delivery in its first phase. Findings from

infrastructure more efficiently, directly benefitting

host the first pilot as part of the Industrialising and

the pilot will inform how the approach is refined, scaled

communities. By supporting this initiative, we are backing

Digitalising Construction Challenge. Working with

and rolled out nationally, including across the wider

more high-skilled jobs for Liverpool while also bringing our

Liverpool Combined Authority and the High Value

public sector infrastructure delivery, including schools,

construction industry into the digital age.”

Manufacturing Catapult, the pilot will apply innovative

hospitals and prisons across the UK in the future.

Katherine Bennett, CEO of the High Value

digital manufacturing processes to standardise ‘kits of

The challenge, which is the largest in the R&D

Manufacturing Catapult, said: “Our focus is on

parts’, improve digital co-ordination and provide greater

MAP Growth Mission, also supports the government’s

turning ambition into action. By bringing together

certainty of demand. The Challenge is backed through

economic growth mission by increasing investment in

manufacturers, housing providers and public clients

the R&D Missions Accelerator Programme (R&D MAP)

manufacturing skills and technology to enhance capacity

around shared standards and clearer demand signals, we

funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

and close the productivity gap in the construction sector,

can give industry the confidence to invest and expand

which is consistently around 23% below the national

capacity. That is how we move from isolated successes

Region, said: “I’m incredibly proud that our area has

average. Analysis suggests narrowing that gap could add

to a more resilient and competitive construction sector.”

been chosen as the first national pilot to modernise

up to £27billion in additional economic output over time,

construction. Our region is home to pioneering

generating up to 380,000 new jobs.

A new £85million national challenge is set to overhaul

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City

Plans also include an Accelerator Centre to support product testing, workforce training and supply chain

The goal is to grow domestic manufacturing

development in the near future. Further regions and

advanced manufacturing and digital innovation, with

capability by improving productivity and reducing build

projects are expected to follow as the challenge

the talent and political will to lead from the front. If we

times, reducing waste and improving cost predictability

develops, informed by evidence gathered through the

get this right, we won’t just build the next generation of

on publicly funded schemes an improving the

Liverpool pilot.

affordable social housing, schools and hospitals – we’ll

sustainability of construction and the energy efficiency

strengthen UK supply chains, boost productivity, and

of public buildings.

expertise in modern methods of construction,

give manufacturers the confidence to invest in skills

Lord Vallance, UK Science Minister, said: “We are

and capacity, helping to create good jobs, and drive

beginning our mission to transform the UK’s construction

growth across the country.”

industry in Liverpool – a city which has long been at

18

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Image L-R: Steve Rotheram, Mayor, Liverpool City Region, Sue Hine, Client Account Director, Jacobs, Keith Waller, Programme Director, HVM Catapult Source: www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

CPA Appoints New Deputy Chief Executive The Construction Products Association (CPA) has

progress on the key issues facing the industry,” said

announced the appointment of Amanda Long as

Amanda Long. “Additionally, I am keen to build on

its new Deputy Chief Executive. Amanda will join

those foundations and support the industry on the

the Association on a part-time basis following the

many opportunities to deliver growth and innovation

retirement of current Deputy Chief Executive, Jeff May.

as we move forward.”

Amanda brings more than 25 years of experience

At a time of significant change for the construction sector, Amanda brings deep knowledge

in senior executive roles across national and

of the regulatory, commercial and policy landscape,

international organisations, with extensive expertise

including building safety, decarbonisation,

in the construction and built environment sectors.

sustainability and supply chain challenges.

She has played a leading role in raising standards

Amanda will continue her current part-time role as

across the industry including being instrumental in

Chief Executive of CPI Ltd the not-for-profit body

the establishment of both the Code for Construction

driving forward the Code for Construction Product

Product Information and the Building a Safer Future

Information, working with manufacturers and wider

Charter and running and developing the Considerate

a wealth of experience from across membership

industry stakeholders to prepare for major regulatory

Constructors Scheme. Amanda brings significant

organisations, with a strong track record of

reforms. CPI’s independent governance will continue

experience in developing and leading national

delivering value for members and driving growth. Her

to be led by the CPI Independent Chair and Board,

initiatives designed to improve product information,

understanding of how to engage and support a range

and the CCPI assessment process is enacted by

strengthen regulatory compliance, and support

of memberships will be a significant asset to the

independent assessors.

cultural change across the construction supply chain.

Association.”

“I am very much looking forward to working with

Commenting on the appointment, CPA Chief

CPA members and stakeholders to continue driving

Executive Peter Caplehorn added: “Amanda brings

Source: www.constructionproducts.org.uk

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

19

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

The Cascade Delivers Affordable CLT Homes for Cardiff An innovative new affordable housing development on City Road, Cardiff, has been completed, marking a significant milestone in sustainable urban living for the capital. The Cascade, delivered by Codi in partnership with Cardiff Council and contractor Langstone Construction Group, provides 48 one-bedroom apartments for social rent which will be let and managed by Cardiff Council, alongside two ground-floor commercial units that will support the ongoing regeneration of this busy city centre location.

Standing on City Road, The Cascade is the tallest residential building in Wales to be built using cross laminated timber (CLT) as its main structural material delivered

(MVHR) systems provide fresh air while retaining heat within the apartments.

by Eurban. The scheme has been supported by Welsh Government funding through

Externally, the building features a plant-covered façade that cascades down

the Innovative Housing Programme and Social Housing Grant, recognising its role in

the structure, helping to green the surrounding street. As well as softening the

showcasing modern, low-carbon approaches to housebuilding in Wales.

appearance of the building, it will improve air quality, support urban wildlife and

Grant Prosser, Head of Development (East) at Codi, said: “The Cascade is a great

provide natural shading and cooling for residents. With construction now complete,

example of how well-designed, modern homes can transform city centre living. This

the new homes will soon welcome residents, providing high-quality, affordable

is about more than delivering new apartments – it’s about creating a safe, welcoming

accommodation in the heart of Cardiff, close to shops, services and public transport.

place in a fantastic location, where people can put down roots close to employment,

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, added: “Demand

services and public transport. We’re proud to have worked with our partners to bring

for affordable housing in the city remains exceptionally high, and developments like The

forward a development that raises the bar for affordable housing in Cardiff.”

Cascade show what can be achieved when the Council and our housing association

Designed with long-term sustainability and resident wellbeing in mind, The

partners work together with a shared purpose. By embracing innovation and

Cascade features no fossil fuel heating, with all apartments benefitting from electric

collaboration, we are not only increasing the number of affordable homes available but

heating systems. The homes are highly insulated and designed to consume very

also creating sustainable, future proof places for residents to thrive.”

low levels of energy, helping to reduce household bills. Solar panels installed on the roof generate renewable electricity, while mechanical ventilation with heat recovery

Source: www.codigroup.co.uk

EDAROTH Appoints Programme Director to Scale UK Delivery into the challenges facing housing associations,

emphasised that organisations across the sector are

local authorities and developers today strengthens

increasingly eager to explore new delivery models that

EDAROTH’s ability to scale-up its operation to meet

reduce programme risk, speed up delivery and provide

the demands of the UK housing sector.

long term quality assurance.

“I’m excited by the opportunity to help shape

Mark Powell, Managing Director of EDAROTH, added:

EDAROTH into a delivery partner of choice for the

“Toby brings vast sector knowledge, strategic leadership and

sector,” said Toby Bonner. “With the broad expertise of

a passion for innovation to EDAROTH at a crucial time for

AtkinsRéalis behind us, we have the capability to offer

the business. His appointment reinforces our commitment

EDAROTH, the social and affordable housing

something genuinely additive to the market which

to scaling-up EDAROTH and delivering high quality, energy

developer owned by AtkinsRéalis, has appointed

means homes delivered quickly, reliably and with a

efficient homes at pace.”

Toby Bonner as Programme Director to bolster its

clear focus on long term performance. My priority is

capability and ambition to accelerate the delivery of

to accelerate the pipeline to help drive substantial,

served as Director of Development & Project

high quality, sustainable homes across the UK.

tangible growth and I believe modern methods of

Management, overseeing the delivery of more than

Bonner joins EDAROTH from L&Q, where he

construction (MMC) and industrialised delivery

10,000 homes and commercial units. His earlier career

housing development, project management and large

models must play a pivotal role in that, if the UK is to

includes more than a decade at Madlins LLP and

scale programme delivery to EDAROTH (Everybody

address long standing supply gaps.”

senior roles in development and asset management

Toby Bonner brings nearly 25 years’ experience in

Deserves A Roof Over Their Head) at a time when

Toby Bonner added that while traditional

the UK housing sector is seeking new, scalable

development will continue to be essential, ‘it’s

solutions to unlock supply. His experience and insight

not going to get us to where we need to be’ and

20

Issue 52 April / May 2026

across the housing sector.

Source: www.edaroth.com

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

21

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Future Homes Standard Finally Published

A dominant theme in industry reaction was relief

Although earlier consultation suggested much stricter

Homes Standard (FHS) – due to take effect in March

that long-awaited details have finally been confirmed.

fabric standards, the Government has confirmed that

2027 – triggered a broadly positive reaction across the

After years of delay since its original conception in

the minimum fabric requirements will remain broadly

housing, construction, and energy industries.

2019, many stakeholders see the FHS as providing

aligned with Part L 2021. Compliance will focus on

As outlined by the Ministry of Housing,

The long-awaited publication of the UK’s Future

the regulatory certainty needed to plan investment

insulation, airtightness, and careful detailing to

Communities & Local Government (MHCLG): “The

and scale delivery. Housing bodies and developers

reduce heat loss. While fabric remains key, low carbon

Future Homes and Buildings Standards will make

have described it as a “final piece of the jigsaw” that

heating and renewables are now more important for

sure that new homes and non domestic buildings

enables expansion of building programmes and aligns

new carbon targets.

are future proofed with low carbon heating and high

the sector with net zero targets.

“Housebuilders will be pleased today,” said Neil

levels of energy efficiency. Homes and buildings

Manufacturers and supply chain firms similarly

Hargreaves, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation. “A

constructed to these standards will not require

welcomed the announcement as a “hugely positive

standard to deliver more efficient and comfortable

retrofitting to become zero carbon in use once the

step,” highlighting that clear long-term rules allow

homes for their customers, but without requiring

electricity grid is fully decarbonised.”

them to invest in low-carbon technologies such as

wholesale reinvention. In most cases, fabric

insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps.

compliance will be readily achievable using non-

While largely welcomed for boosting the clarity and direction of travel toward low-carbon homes and the

The standard is expected to reduce emissions

combustible insulation in 150mm wall cavities and

UK’s net zero strategy, concerns remain around cost,

from new homes by at least 75% compared to 2013

more efficient lofts. That should buy space to address

timing, skills issues, and policy gaps with a focus on

levels, while lowering energy bills and improving

an inherent mid-term risk. With fine-tuned heat

how new homes will be planned, costed and delivered.

comfort for occupants – critical for social housing.

pumps replacing brute force gas boilers, any fabric

22

Issue 52 April / May 2026

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

The Future Homes Hub has launched a campaign to help the homebuilding sector prepare for the implementation of the Future Homes Standard. Based on real-world experience, the ‘Future Homes Standard Essentials’ set out seven critical actions to help homebuilders and their advisors to de-risk the delivery of more sustainable homes that are comfortable, healthy, low-energy, zero carbon ready and aligned with the future energy system. Two Future Homes Standard Technical Conferences focusing on the practical realities of how to deliver compliant, healthy, high-quality homes will take place on 9 June at Leeds Beckett University and 17 June at Central Hall Westminster.

What to do? Developers for New Housing Should Now Consider • Heat pumps or heat networks on every new scheme • Solar PV on most roofs • Earlier design co-ordination • Reviews of site layouts, plant space and electrical capacity performance gap will be much more keenly felt by homeowners (and seen on their electricity bills). For all housebuilders, the right Future Homes adoption

The Climate Change Committee made it clear last

fuel markets. The Future Homes Hub is facilitating

strategy will include design and process choices that

June that the building sector needs to double

partnership across the whole housing ecosystem

mitigate this risk to prevent future headaches.”

its rate of emissions reductions between 2025

including sharing solutions between homebuilders,

More broadly, the FHS is framed as aligning

and 2030 if the UK is to meet its 2030 emissions

housing associations and developers of all sizes to

housing delivery with national goals on climate

reduction obligations under the Paris Agreement.

ensure residents feel the full benefits, starting with

change, energy security, and public health. It is widely

The fact that these new standards will not bite

the Future Homes Standard Ready campaign.”

seen as a necessary step to avoid costly retrofitting

until March 2027 – and not fully bite until the end

Overall industry reaction to the FHS can be

of new homes in the future and to ensure that the

of the transition period in March 2028 – puts that

categorised as ‘cautiously positive’. Stakeholders

UK’s housing stock is fit for a decarbonised electricity

trajectory at risk. Valuable time has been lost over

broadly support its goals and welcome the clarity

grid. Despite this support, concerns about cost

the last decade.”

it brings after years of uncertainty. However, this

remain central. Estimates suggest the standard could

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future

is tempered by concerns about costs, delivery

add several thousand pounds per property, raising

Homes Hub said: “The publication of the Future

capacity, and whether the policy goes far enough

questions about development viability and whether

Homes Standard isn’t just about a change in

– or indeed fast enough – to meet the UK’s climate

costs will be passed on to buyers.

regulation – it’s a promise to consumers that new

ambitions.

Siobhan Cross, Partner at Pinsent Masons said: “These new standards are overdue but welcome.

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homes will be more comfortable, more efficient, and more secure against the volatility of unstable fossil

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Find out more at: https://bit.ly/4sWPSbF

23

INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Glenigan Reports UK Construction Activity Suffering “New projects commencing in the

Glenigan’s Allan Wilen said,

coming months are expected to be

“All three main verticals: housing,

impacted. This comes after work starting

non-residential buildings and civil

on site fell once again, particularly when

engineering are considerably lower

Glenigan’s April Construction Index

A phenomenal series of socio-economic

seasonally adjusted, dropping by 17%

than a year ago and on the previous

has uncovered an industry struggling

events and foreign policy decisions have

compared to Q4 to finish almost a fifth

quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.

to cushion the blows from on-going

resulted in a severely disrupted supply

(-18%) below 2025 levels.

The sector is fighting on all fronts,

international conflict and a persistently

chain and unprecedented market

weak economy. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of March 2026 and

“Residential construction tumbled yet

home and abroad. Particularly, the Iran

volatility – stalling activity, flattening

again, as international conflict, persisting

War will depress activity further near-

margins and denting profits.

confusion around planning policy and

term as private developers and house

“The US-Israel/Iran War started

a weak economy continue to hinder

purchasers delay investment decisions

analysis of year-on-year construction data,

at the end of February resulting in

development. Ice-cold investors and

due to fears of higher than anticipated

giving built environment professionals a

considerable uncertainty that’s set to

apprehensive potential buyers are keeping

interest rates, rising material costs,

unique insight into sector performance over

keep sector performance subdued.

their hands firmly in their pockets for the

spiralling energy costs and stalled

the last 12 months.

Whilst some of the negative effects

time being. Private housing construction-

economic growth. It will have a

April’s Index highlights the serious

are being felt in the here and now, the

starts declined by 9% against the

knock-on effect on the non-residential

challenges facing the UK construction

expected aftershock of the continued

preceding three months and by 34%

verticals which, although many have

sector, ‘which seem to be relentless’.

closure of the Strait of Hormuz,

against the previous year. Social Housing

ring-fenced funding, will no doubt be

The bulletin said: “Industry remains in

alongside the increasing threats posed

starts were similarly depressed, dropping

putting activity on hold to ensure they

the tight grip of decline, which is having

to the Suez Canal and Red Sea, mean

by roughly a quarter (-24%) against the

don’t waste budgets whilst rates spike.”

a deeply damaging effect, pushing its

disruption is predicted to continue

preceding three months and by 16%

resilience to a breaking point.

through Q2 and Q3 2026.

against the previous year.”

provides a detailed and comprehensive

Source: www.glenigan.com

New CEO at Reds10 Reds10 has appointed Ryan Geldard as its new Chief

important milestone for our business. After a period

Executive, as part of a wider restructure that brings

of consolidation and significant investment in our

the vertically integrated business into a new group

manufacturing facilities and data platform, we are

structure along with its sister companies. Under the

now driving the wholesale industrialisation of design,

changes, Reds10 Founder and Chairman Paul Ruddick

production and construction, with AI integrated at

takes the new role of CEO of Reds10 Group, overseeing

every stage. Bringing our family of businesses together

a family of nine businesses that sit within the Group.

under one group is a crucial step in that journey and

Paul will also continue in his role as Reds10 Chairman.

provides a strong platform for continued growth.”

Ryan is currently Reds10 Managing Director –

Ryan Geldard added: “It is incredibly exciting to

Offsite, and takes the role of CEO of Reds10, assuming

take on the role of chief executive of Reds10, leading

day-to-day leadership of the business and driving

a talented and dedicated team as we accelerate our

margin of 4.8%. Reds10 has set out an ambitious plan

forward its mission to industrialise construction,

mission to industrialise construction. Our commitment

to grow its revenue to £500million and is targeting an

embed AI across its operations, and deliver

to innovation ensures we remain at the forefront of

expansion into the healthcare sector, as well as the

exceptional value to clients.

transforming the construction industry. In recent years

affordable housing and temporary accommodation

we’ve strengthened our position in defence, justice, and

sectors, providing high quality sustainable homes

industrialised construction to design and build high-

education, delivering sustainable, high-quality public

for local authorities to help them tackle the housing

quality sustainable buildings for the public sector,

sector buildings at pace, and are now expanding into

crisis in their communities. Reds10 manufactures

with a particular focus on defence, education, justice,

health and affordable housing. I’m looking forward to

all its buildings offsite at its advanced construction

health, as well as temporary accommodation and

leading Reds10 through this next phase of growth.”

facility in Driffield, East Yorkshire, where it has five

Reds10 deploys offsite manufacture and

The restructure comes after Reds10 reported

social housing.

Paul Ruddick, Chief Executive of Reds10 Group, said: “The creation of Reds10 Group marks an

24

Issue 52 April / May 2026

factories totalling 300,000sq ft.

robust financial results for the 2024/25, with revenue of £144.7million and an industry-leading operating

Source: www.reds10.com

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Made for the future.

Volume housebuilding is evolving, creating new ways of thinking about how we design and deliver homes.

Proven across modern build systems.

Superglass is widely used throughout MMC and off-site construction, providing an ideal insulation solution for: • Modular units • Non-structural pods • Panellised systems • Timber frame construction • Steel frame construction • Floor cassettes

REF: 50813

Thermal Insulation

Acoustic Insulation

Recycled Glass Content

Noncombustible

Contact our Housing Team

All rights are reserved, including those of photomechanical reproduction and storage in electronic media. Commercial use of the processes and work activities presented in this document is not permitted.

www.offsitemagazine.co.uk Issue 52 responsibility or any liability whatever for incorrect information and the consequences thereof. The publisher editors will be grateful for improvement suggestions and details of errors pointed out. www.linkedin.com/company/exploreoffsite April /and May 2026

Extreme caution was observed when putting together the information, texts, and illustrations in this document. Nevertheless, errors cannot quite be ruled out. The publisher and editors cannot assume legal Please check this is the current version by visiting the Superglass website. For archived versions please contact the Technical Services Team.

OSATA001 April 2026

25

superglass.co.uk

FEATURE MMC IRELAND NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026

Transforming Construction in Ireland

More than 400 delegates from across Ireland’s construction, manufacturing, policy and research communities gathered recently for the fourth annual MMC Ireland National Conference. What were its key comments and important messages?

1

THE EVENT has rapidly established

and best to date. The level of engagement,

points also picked up by Pat Kirwan of

itself as the country’s leading forum for

the quality of discussion and the momentum

Reddy Architecture, who is leading a

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC),

we are seeing across the sector clearly

working group on procurement reform and

offsite manufacturing and industrialised

demonstrates the significant progress that has

design-led advocacy to create conditions for

construction. Held on 5 March at The

been made in the past 12 months.”

successful MMC Adoption.

Alongside this, Marian Harkin, Minister

Johnstown Estate, Meath and set against

Government commitment and national momentum

for the Department of Higher and Further

accelerate housing delivery and improve construction productivity, the conference

With strong representation from

Science, addressed the conference with a

brought together a broad range of

government, industry and academia, the

strong focus on workforce development and

policymakers, developers, manufacturers,

conference provided a timely snapshot of

research capacity.

architects, engineers and academics to

a sector moving rapidly from innovation to

Minister Harkin emphasised that

examine how to scale the adoption of MMC

implementation. The scale of momentum was

industrialised construction represents not

technologies to meet national targets.

reinforced by the contribution of two senior

only a technological transformation, but also

ministers who addressed the conference.

a skills transformation, requiring new training

the backdrop of Ireland’s urgent need to

Over the course of a packed programme

Education, Research, Innovation and

of presentations, panel discussions and

James Browne, Minister for Housing,

pathways, apprenticeships and academic

interactive audience polling, one message

Local Government and Heritage, spoke about

partnerships to support factory-based

came through loud and clear: Ireland’s

the central role MMC must play in addressing

manufacturing and digital design processes.

MMC sector has made impressive progress

Ireland’s housing crisis and emphasised that

in the past 12 months – but the next phase

modern manufacturing-led construction

progress made by the Irish MMC sector

will require even greater collaboration,

methods are no longer experimental

over the past year has been remarkable.

standardisation and investment in skills.

solutions, but essential tools for delivering

Importantly, there was clear agreement

The event was chaired by Darren Richards,

the volume of homes Ireland requires.

across government and industry that the

Managing Director of Cogent Consulting, who

Minister Browne highlighted the

Both ministers acknowledged that the

trajectory of MMC adoption in Ireland is now

reflected on the growth of the conference

importance of procurement reform, pipeline

aligned with national housing ambitions,

itself, saying: “This is the third MMC Ireland

certainty and industry collaboration to

and that industrialised construction will

conference that I have had the pleasure of

ensure MMC manufacturers can scale

play a major role in addressing the country’s

chairing, and without doubt it is the biggest

production with confidence. These were

housing shortage in the coming years.

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FEATURE MMC IRELAND NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026

Housing at the heart of the conversation While the conference programme addressed a wide range of topics – including policy, skills, digitalisation and innovation – the dominant theme throughout the day was unmistakably housing delivery.

Ireland’s construction sector is under immense pressure to deliver homes at unprecedented scale while maintaining high standards of design, sustainability and affordability. Speakers repeatedly emphasised that traditional construction methods alone will struggle to meet these targets. Instead, manufacturing-led delivery models – combining offsite production, digital design and standardised components – are increasingly seen as the only viable pathway to achieving the required levels of productivity.

However, as many speakers pointed out,

2

scaling MMC requires a delicate balance between standardisation and design quality. Whilst repeatable layouts, pattern-book housing designs and component-

Learning from the UK experience

based construction systems enable factories to operate

Ireland’s MMC strategy has been influenced in part by

efficiently and reduce cost and programme risk,

the UK’s approach over the past decade, particularly

housing must still respond to planning requirements,

around Pre-Manufactured Value (PMV) targets

urban context and architectural quality. This tension

and procurement frameworks encouraging MMC

between efficiency and design excellence was a

adoption. However, the Irish sector has also learned

recurring theme in discussions throughout the day.

valuable lessons from the UK’s experience.

Images 1-2: The fourth MMC Ireland National Conference revealed a thriving sector full of encouraging signs for future growth and development

One of the key observations discussed during

Standardisation: the key to scaling MMC

the conference was that UK policy initially placed

If there was a single concept that dominated

significant emphasis on Category 1 MMC (3D

discussions across every session, it was

volumetric modular construction). While volumetric

standardisation. From layouts to structural systems

solutions have delivered impressive projects, they have

and individual components, speakers emphasised that

also faced challenges related to logistics, cost structures

the success of industrialised construction depends

and market adoption. This has created significant

on moving away from bespoke design approaches

issues around pipeline development and consistency,

towards repeatable, platform-based systems.

which as seen several large manufacturers fail over

This theme was explored in depth during the

the last few years.



conference’s Product and System Standardisation sessions, which included presentations from Brian Mallon - Hawkins\Brown, Oliver Kinnane - University College Dublin, Dr Daniel McCrum - UCD & Construct Innovate and Tony Woods - Midland Steel. These presentations demonstrated how digital design platforms, standardised structural systems and manufacturing-ready detailing can unlock significant improvements in productivity.

Research led by Construct Innovate is supporting the development of standardised Category 2 MMC light steel frame systems, enabling greater consistency across projects and improving certification pathways.

Similarly, initiatives within the timber frame sector are helping to establish clearer standards and expand capacity for panelised systems. Colm McHugh from Construct Innovate, highlighted emerging research around homegrown timber supply and indigenous cross laminated timber (CLT), which could play an increasingly important role in Ireland’s low-carbon

MENTIMETER INSIGHTS – WHAT THE INDUSTRY REALLY THINKS Throughout the day delegates were invited to share their perspectives via a series of live Mentimeter polls, providing real-time feedback on industry and sector priorities.

Two key questions asked of delegates included: What do you hope to gain most from the conference? Responses highlighted strong interest in: • • • •

Understanding the latest MMC trends Identifying practical solutions for live projects Building industry partnerships Learning more about government policy and funding.

And secondly a poll asked: Where MMC Ireland should focus its policy advocacy efforts? Key priorities identified included:

• • •

Procurement reform to support MMC adoption Establishing long-term public sector MMC pipelines Improving regulatory clarity and certification processes.

Delegates were also asked to identify the biggest barrier to workforce growth, with responses ranging from shortages of factorybased skills to limited MMC knowledge among designers and consultants.

Later polls explored barriers to standardisation and priorities for innovation over the next two years, including digital design tools, factory automation and lowcarbon materials. These insights will now help shape MMC Ireland’s programme of work over the next 12 months.

construction strategy.

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27

FEATURE MMC IRELAND NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026

3

4

As a result, the Irish MMC sector is

•

Factory-based manufacturing

•

Repeatable housing designs

increasingly gravitating towards Category 2

•

Digital design and BIM co-ordination

•

Standardised specifications.

MMC – panelised systems such as timber frame

•

Installation and assembly of offsite systems

and light steel frame – these technologies

Such approaches would provide

offer greater flexibility, easier integration

•

Robotics and automation

greater certainty for manufacturers while

with traditional construction processes and

•

Quality assurance and production

enabling public sector clients to benefit

management.

from economies of scale and reduced

improved scalability across the housing sector.

delivery risk.

The consensus among many delegates and speakers, including Ronan Lonergan,

One of the key themes was that the

Pre-Construction and Innovation Lead

transition to industrialised construction

from Cairn Homes (one of Ireland’s largest

requires a cultural shift across the entire

Digital innovation and industrialised construction

residential developers) was that a balanced

sector, from design teams and contractors to

The final sessions of the conference

MMC ecosystem, incorporating multiple

educators and policymakers. Encouragingly,

turned attention towards the technologies

technologies via an advanced digital toolkit

several government-backed initiatives are

driving the next phase of industrialised

was essential for long-term success, rather

already supporting this transition. These

construction. Speakers including Lars

than relying on a single category.

include expanded training programmes,

Nystrom, Autodesk, Matthew Lenehan,

partnerships with national training centres

Murphy, Gabriel Prior, Nua Manufacturing/

Skills and workforce transformation

and increased engagement between academia

Glenveagh, Charlotte Garrett, KOPE and

If standardisation is the technical challenge

and industry. The message was clear – Ireland

Saint-Gobain’s Tom Cox, that demonstrated

facing MMC adoption, skills and workforce

must create attractive career pathways into

how digital workflows, manufacturing

capacity may be the industry’s most

MMC, particularly for younger professionals

processes and component-based design

pressing operational challenge. This was

and those transitioning from other industries.

are reshaping construction delivery. Key innovations discussed included:

successfully outlined by Linda Kane from and Employment, who spoke alongside

Procurement reform and pipeline certainty

Sarah-Jane Pisciotti, Innovation and Design

While technological capability and

Director at Sisk Group, Irelands largest

workforce development are critical, several

•

Automated factory production systems

contractor, who addressed future skills

speakers emphasised that the biggest

•

Digital kit-of-parts design platforms

needs and the delivery of oversight and

barrier to scaling MMC may still lie within

•

Robotics and data-driven construction

momentum around the MMC Action Plan.

procurement structures. Manufacturers

the Department of Enterprise, Tourism

•

BIM-driven design-to-manufacture workflows

processes.

Several conference sessions focused on how

have invested heavily in new factories,

Ireland can attract and develop the workforce

equipment and workforce capacity in

required to support industrialised construction.

anticipation of increased demand. However,

construction to move beyond isolated

Speakers including Caroline O’Laochdha from

without consistent pipelines of projects,

offsite components towards fully integrated

Vision Built, and representatives from the

these investments carry significant risk.

industrialised delivery models.

Louth and Offaly Education and Training Board

Conference discussions highlighted the need

(LOETB), who have pioneered the Mount Lucas

for procurement models that enable:

These technologies are enabling

Collaboration and the future

National Construction Training Campus, and

Beyond the presentations and panels, one of

St. Andrews Resource Centre highlighted the

•

Aggregated demand across multiple projects

the defining features of the conference was

growing demand for skills in areas such as:

•

Long-term frameworks

the level of engagement between delegates.

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FEATURE MMC IRELAND NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026

From the early morning networking sessions through

These include standardising housing designs and

to the Autodesk-sponsored evening drinks reception,

components, reforming procurement to support

conversations continued throughout the day as

manufacturing pipelines, expanding workforce

industry leaders explored new partnerships and

training and education, accelerating certification and

collaborative opportunities.

regulatory alignment plus continuing innovation

The conference has now firmly established itself

in materials and digital technologies. Projects such

as the place to be for Ireland’s MMC community,

as Standardize, alongside new EU-funded research

providing a unique environment for knowledge

collaborations led by MMC Ireland, will further

exchange and relationship building. Reflecting on the

explore how standardisation and industrialised

day, Paul Tierney, CEO of MMC Ireland, commented

construction can scale across the sector.

on the energy and engagement from the sector. “The

Image 4: Paul Tierney, CEO, MMC Ireland

Now in its fourth year, the MMC Ireland National

energy in the room today has been fantastic,” said

Conference has firmly established itself as the

Paul. “There is a real sense of momentum across the

country’s annual gathering for industrialised and

sector, and a growing determination among our

modern methods of construction. With growing

members and delegates to rise to the challenges facing

attendance, strong government engagement and

Ireland’s housing delivery. The collaboration and

a rapidly expanding ecosystem of manufacturers,

ideas we have seen today demonstrate that the MMC

designers and researchers, the conference reflects the

community is ready to play its part.”

increasing maturity of Ireland’s MMC sector.

The key conference takeaway is that Ireland’s

Image 3: Marian Harkin, Minister for the Department of Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Much encouraging progress has been seen over

MMC sector is entering a critical phase of growth,

the past year but the work ahead remains

with significant progress made over the past year in

significant. Yet if the energy, ideas and collaboration

aligning government policy, industry capability and

demonstrated at this year’s event are any indication,

research initiatives. However, delivering the scale of

the industry appears ready for the challenge.

housing Ireland requires will depend on maintaining

Planning is already underway for the 2027 event

this momentum and addressing several key priorities,

where the conversation around how Ireland builds its

that encouragingly, are already underway.

future homes is set to continue. 

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Find out more at: www.mmcireland.ie

29

FEATURE BUILDING SAFETY

Understanding The Compliance Gap

Building safety isn’t health and safety. As Ari Fatah, Technical Standards Manager at Veriforce CHAS explains, this critical point can still cause compliance confusion.

1

Images 1-3: Building safety and health and safety represent fundamentally different obligations for compliance

THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT (BSA) came into effect

This distinction is important for supply chain

nearly three years ago, marking a significant shift

compliance and risk management. The BSA

in safety and accountability for UK construction.

introduced clear lines of personal accountability,

However, many organisations are still grappling with

meaning senior officers and duty holders can be held

what compliance looks like, and how it should be

directly responsible for compliance failures.

evidenced.

For contractors, the instinct has been to

The Building Safety Act compliance gap

demonstrate building safety compliance through

For offsite manufacturers and installers, where safe

traditional health and safety documentation. This

and efficient on-site assembly depends on competent

is contributing to a concerning evidence gap, where

professionals, building safety compliance must

organisations believe they and their supply chains are

be robust and demonstrable. However, confusion

compliant, but they remain unable to demonstrate

between health and safety and building safety is

meeting their statutory duties.

contributing to a significant compliance gap. Many organisations continue to submit health and safety

Building safety vs health and safety

records to demonstrate BSA compliance, despite these

Building safety and health and safety represent

not addressing the Act’s requirements.

fundamentally different obligations and should not be

An important factor in closing this gap is

conflated. Health and safety is focused on preventing

competence. Under the BSA, individuals must be

injury and ill-health. Within the offsite sector, this focuses

able to evidence their skills, knowledge, experience

on the mitigation of immediate risks, such as working at

and behaviours (SKEB) to demonstrate suitability for

height, plant movement, and factory floor logistics.

their roles. While contractors can evidence skills and

Building safety relates to the built asset, and its

30

knowledge through qualifications and training, they

integrity throughout its lifecycle. It requires key

are often less able to demonstrate how experience and

information, including design decisions, material

behaviours are assessed and verified. This remains a

suitability, individual competencies, and safety

critical weakness.

critical information such as material tolerances, to

Organisations must also support the ‘Golden

be fully considered, recorded and traceable. These

Thread’ – the requirement to maintain accurate,

decisions ensure that the building remains safe

accessible and traceable information throughout a

throughout its lifespan in line with the amended

building’s lifecycle. This ensures that key decisions

Building Regulations.

and justifications are recorded and can be revisited.

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FEATURE BUILDING SAFETY

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is reinforcing these requirements through its Gateway approvals process for high-risk buildings (HRBs), including high-rise residential buildings, hospitals and care homes. Gateway 2 approval must be secured before construction begins and requires organisations to demonstrate how designs and specifications meet building safety requirements.

However, Andy Roe, chair of the BSR, has highlighted that many firms are still submitting

2

incorrect or insufficient documentation for Gateway 2 approval. This reinforces the scale of misunderstanding over what constitutes compliant evidence. With Gateway 2 approvals taking three to four months, incorrect submissions can result in significant project delays, financial implications and avoidable disputes, often revealing compliance issues at a late stage.

Bridging the knowledge gap One of the most significant challenges facing the industry is understanding what compliance requires in practice. While tier-one contractors may have dedicated compliance teams, much of the supply chain operates with limited internal resources, knowledge and time, often relying on external consultants or outdated procedures that do not fully

3

address BSA requirements.

This creates a false sense of compliance.

Organisations produce health and safety policies,

Certification schemes such as CHAS Elite provide

training records or risk assessments, but these rarely

a route for organisations to achieve CAS certification,

demonstrate the competence, design assurance and

offering independent assessment against these

information traceability required.

criteria. The standard provides greater transparency

Closing this gap will require greater industry

and assurance for clients, while enabling contractors

wide education on the type and quality of evidence

to demonstrate competence and credibility.

required to support building safety obligations. It

Certification supports compliance, strengthens trust

will also require a shift towards compliance systems

and improves positioning for future tenders.

that capture competence, accountability and

Most importantly, robust prequalification helps

project-critical information across the entire supply

ensure that organisations and individuals can

chain. For the offsite sector, where speed, precision

evidence the competence and governance required

and co-ordination are essential, ensuring that this

under the BSA, reducing risk and supporting

information is accessible, traceable and verifiable will

accountability throughout the supply chain.

be critical for regulatory compliance and meeting client expectations.

A focus on meaningful compliance For offsite manufacturers and their supply chains,

The importance of verifiable evidence

closing the gap between traditional health and safety

Ultimately, this depends on the ability to demonstrate

documentation and true building safety compliance

clear, verifiable evidence of competence and

is critical. Doing so will support regulatory approval

compliance through the supply chain.

processes such as Gateway 2 and build long-term

One effective approach is structured supply

confidence in the sector. Achieving this requires

chain prequalification. The Common Assessment

a clear understanding of the distinction between

Standard (CAS) provides a consistent framework for

health and safety and building safety, a stronger focus

assessing contractor competence and organisational

on competence and traceability, and the adoption

governance before work begins. It evaluates

of systems that provide verifiable, lifecycle-based

contractors across 13 areas of risk management,

evidence. Only then can organisations demonstrate

including building safety, financial stability, and

the level of accountability and assurance the Building

corporate and professional standing.

Safety Act demands. 

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4 Image 4 Ari Fatah, Technical Standards Manager at Veriforce CHAS

Find out more at: www.chas.co.uk

31

EVENT INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE 2026

Moving from Ambition to Operation

Held on the 21-22 April in central London, the second Industrialised Construction Conference (ICC) offered a wide and generous scope of interest, for all those wanting to know more about making manufacturing a deeper and more integrated aspect of the built environment. Gary Ramsay picks out some key themes.

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS was the

capabilities with any degree of confidence. Despite

venue for two days of serious, intense and wide-

significant planned infrastructure investment over

ranging discussion. Bringing together industry leaders,

the next decade, concerns remain about whether

thought-leaders, policymakers, and innovators at a

this pipeline is sufficiently stable and transparent to

moment described as a ‘critical inflection point’. The

support industrialisation at scale.

tone across both days was clear – while momentum is building, the UK’s quest to adopt more industrialised

Public sector helps forward momentum

construction will not scale without fundamental

Public sector programmes are currently providing

changes to how the industry operates. The challenge is

the strongest foundations for genuine progress. The

not a lack of technology, cutting-edge systems, product

NHS, Department for Education, MoD and Ministry of

or even ideas, but the absence of the right conditions to

Justice are departments looking to create initiatives

enable those ideas to flourish.

for wider standardised design to demonstrate how

Across both days there were many repeated

aggregation of demand and repeatable solutions can

concepts that are either acting as barriers to wider

unlock efficiencies. What does an aggregated hospital

adoption, or as enablers to create a fresh climate

or schools programme deliver? When projects are

where industrialisation can make its presence felt.

bundled, specifications aligned, and outcomes clearly defined, industrialised approaches can thrive.

Pipeline is so important

The public sector is effectively acting as a catalyst that



Central to many of the presentations was the concept of a stable and visible pipeline. Manufacturing-led construction depends on predictability. That means technology-driven factories, supply chains, and investment models all require consistent demand to operate efficiently. Yet the construction sector continues to be defined by volatility – albeit some of it stemming from wider economic directions, but stop-start project pipelines, shifting priorities, and uncertain funding, all undermine confidence and

KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHT Opening the Conference, Dr David Hancock MBA, Construction Director and Infrastructure Lead at NISTA, placed industrialised construction firmly within the UK’s wider productivity and infrastructure agenda. His presentation linked the government’s modern industrial strategy, the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 with the need for longer-term planning, greater pipeline visibility and better co-ordination between government and industry.

Industrialisation is a part of how the UK improves delivery certainty, strengthens supply chains and creates the conditions for investment.

limit the ability of businesses to invest in long-term

32

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Informed Design enables Industrialised Construction Connect design and manufacturing workflows to reduce risk and improve predictability

Scan to get started with Informed Design autodesk.com/informed-design

Autodesk and the Autodesk logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Results may vary. © 2026 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

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33

EVENT INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE 2026

is creating conditions that allow offsite methods to

Homes – over the last few years would suggest

develop. Homes England and the National Housing

otherwise, or at least that it is fraught with difficulty.

Bank will certainly play its part in the multi-billion investment programme aimed at improving the

People need to speak to each other

UK’s much needed housing footprint. The big

Collaboration emerged as the dominant theme

question is can the private sector replicate this model

throughout the conference. There was widespread

without the same level of co-ordination and long-

agreement that industrialised construction is not

term commitments? The failure of many industry

about individual companies competing but about

disrupters - e.g. ilke Homes, TopHat and L&G Modular

an industry working together through connected eco-systems. Success depends on shared standards, integrated supply chains, and alignment across

KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHT A video message from Mark Farmer, CEO of Cast Consultancy, Government Skills Advisor and a member of the Construction Skills Mission Board, spoke of the value of upskilling and knowledge transfer. Skills are not a downstream issue to be fixed once the technology is ready. Industrialised construction changes the skills mix, demanding manufacturing literacy, digital capability, quality discipline, logistics planning, design co-ordination and leadership models that can operate across factory, site and programme environments.

clients, contractors, designers, and manufacturers.

Frameworks and long-term partnerships were repeatedly highlighted as essential tools to enable this shift, allowing multiple projects to be delivered over several years with consistency and efficiency.

Industrialised construction, MMC, DfMA, platform approaches, kit-of-parts, pattern books, productisation. What does it all really mean?

Often referring to overlapping concepts, is there a

Advanced Constructıon Technologıes

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EVENT INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE 2026

unified understanding that all these approaches can be pooled together into a coherent operating model? A lack of clarity creates confusion – and for me – is slowing adoption. Has the industry become overcomplicated about what at its core, is simply a behavioural challenge. The ‘rocks, pebbles, sand’ analogy discussed during the conference captured this well – while large structural changes are important, it is often the accumulation of small, interconnected behaviours that ultimately determines success or failure with working outside of silos at the crux of success.

Procurement sits at the centre of any behavioural shift in construction. Yet it remains one of the most difficult areas to reform. Traditional procurement models tend to prioritise lowest cost over long-term value, discouraging innovation and collaboration.

While there is growing recognition that procurement

need to capture critical messages and ‘lessons

must evolve to support productivity and performance,

learned’ and better disseminate them into individual

progress has been slow. Cultural inertia, risk aversion,

businesses and project team networks. Feedback loops

and a lack of consistent standards continue to

and cascading information is a fundamental way to

act as “invisible limiters.” There was much debate

mainstream behaviour and provide consistency.

surrounding whether procurement is inherently part

The broader economic context adds further

of the problem or whether, if reformed correctly, could

complexity. As highlighted by several speakers,

become a powerful enabler of better outcomes.

industrialised construction relies heavily on stability.

Geopolitical uncertainty, fluctuating material costs,



Learning from lessons and skills Skills and workforce transformation were also a regular topic of discussion. A video address from Cast’s Mark Farmer outlined why industrialised construction requires a fundamentally different approach to skills, one that blends traditional construction expertise with manufacturing, digital, and systems thinking. It’s not about replacing the existing workforce, but about building on existing skills and disciplines and evolving to “build on, not

KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHT Mark Reynolds CBE, Executive Chairman of Mace Construct and Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council, brought the productivity conversation into major project delivery. Drawing on examples including Stansted Terminal Extension, his keynote showed that industrialised thinking has been present in major construction for decades but has often been deployed as a project solution rather than a repeatable system. The challenge is to embed production thinking earlier and more consistently, changing how projects are conceived, designed and sequenced so that value is created through repeatability, smarter logistics, safer delivery and better use of labour.

replace” job roles. There is also a widely understood

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EVENT INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE 2026

showing the complexities of digital platforms used

KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHT Dr. Roxana Vornicu, Senior Lecturer in Construction Law, Kings College London, examined emerging procurement and contracting options, drawing on the Construction Playbook, the private sector Trust and Productivity Playbook, the Gold Standard and early supply chain involvement.

Her presentation underlined one of the Conference’s recurring arguments: industrialised construction will not scale if it is procured as a traditional one-off project and judged only on lowest initial price. The contractual environment must support integration, long-term relationships, outcome-based specifications, fair risk allocation and learning across portfolios.

to drive productivity and quality modular buildings.

Challenges do remain around interoperability, data ownership, and trust, but if collaboration is to succeed, there is a need for open-source approaches to data sharing, to ensure that information flows seamlessly across the much-quoted industrialised eco-system, to support continuous improvements.

As is now the norm, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) sparked particular interest. While its potential is widely acknowledged, there is

and broader economic pressures all impact investor

still uncertainty about how it will reshape the

confidence, supply chain resilience, and consumer

construction process. AI may help optimise design,

demand. In this environment, industrialised

improve manufacturing efficiency, and enhance

approaches offer potential advantages, with reduced

decision-making to an astonishing degree, but it also

reliance on labour, greater control over production,

raises questions about skills gaps, data governance

and improved security of supply.

and ownership, plus the role of human validation.

Data driven design

Carbon questions

Data and digital technologies were presented as

Carbon reduction is at the heart of many aspects of

critical enablers of industrialised methods. From

life, but with construction being a massive emitter

digital twins to AI-driven design tools, the ability to

of carbon – depending on where you get your

capture, analyse, and act on data has the potential to

statistics, the UK built environment is responsible

transform dramatically how projects are delivered. A

for approximately 30-40% of the nation’s total carbon

presentation from Scott Laird, the Technical Director,

emissions – there is a fundamental requirement for

at Reds10 gave a hugely in-depth presentation

adopting stronger integration of carbon metrics into procurement and design processes. The argument is that environmental performance should be treated

KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHT Melissa Zanocco OBE, Challenge Director: Growth Mission at UKRI, set out the Industrialising and Digitalising Construction Challenge in the context of Industry 4.0. Her keynote was one of the clearest statements of the Conference’s wider purpose. The Challenge is not trying to prove that manufactured building solutions work – it is trying to create the conditions required to make them viable at scale. Zanocco outlined a blueprint built around pipeline visibility, rationalised requirements, technical standardisation, manufactured production, structured data, continuous improvement, aggregated demand and stable relationships.

as a core measure of success alongside cost, time, and quality. But without enforceable standards and consistent measurement, there is a risk that decarbonisation ambitions weaken as projects move from design into delivery.

ICC’s headline sponsor Autodesk provided an international perspective with a ‘fireside chat’ between Az Jasat, Autodesk’s Director of Industrialised Construction and Donna Laquidara-Carr,

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

CO-LOCATED WITH THE OFFSITE AWARDS

15 & 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 NCC, BIRMINGHAM

Explore Offsite Conference 2026 is a two-day industry event bringing together leaders, innovators, policymakers and practitioners from across the offsite manufacturing, technology and modern methods of construction (MMC) sectors.

The conference will provide a focused platform to explore the latest innovations, emerging trends and strategic opportunities shaping the future of the offsite manufacturing and construction sector.

SPEAKER PROGRAMME COMING SOON!

Position your brand alongside industry leaders and elevate your presence by exhibiting at this year’s Explore Offsite Conference.

LIMITED EXHIBITOR STANDS AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! Contact Julie Williams julie.williams@radar-media.co.uk 01743 290 042

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Issue 51 February 2026

WWW.EXPLOREOFFSITE.CO.UK

37

EVENT INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE 2026

standardisation, stronger collaboration, and more stable pipelines. Here in the UK, the speculative prediction gave a 3-to-5-year timeframe for 50% of projects to use any form of offsite/industrialised methods and to ascend to the ‘business-as-usual’ level.

This will be amazing if it happened in 5-to-10 years.

The UK challenge is not a lack of intent though – there is widespread interest and optimism in factorybased design and delivery but there is a yawning gap between ambition to operation. How do we move the dial from ‘Belief to Reality to Execution’?

The future is here Ultimately, the conference reinforced a central idea. That is that industrialised construction is not a single solution, but a system of interconnected parts – the eco-system. Its success depends on policy, solid pipeline and aligning behaviours, processes, and incentives across the entire industry. Binning silo Industry Insights Research Director, at the Dodge

thinking and adopting wider collaboration that builds

Construction Network. Basing their discussion

on the mantra of repeatability and ‘standardising the

on recent international research, Germany and

invisible’ parts of our buildings.

Japan were cited as examples where industrialised

With over 50 speakers across the two days there

construction is already embedded as ‘business-as-

was a huge amount of information to digest. But

usual’. These markets benefit from higher levels of

the conversations were intelligent, inspiring with a strong sense of optimism throughout the event.

ICC 2026 showed that the serious conversation has already started surrounding industrialised construction. The 2027 Conference will test how far the sector has moved from discussion to implementation and which organisations are genuinely building the operating models industrialised construction now demands.

You can keep up to speed with a wide range of industrialised construction developments and read, watch and hear more about ICC 2026 in the Industrialised Construction Journal available at: www.industrialisedconstruction.co.uk

Speaking to many attendees, the currency required for industrialised construction to take off in the UK is both simple and challenging. The tools, technologies, and knowledge already exist. What is needed now is business alignment. Without co-ordinated action, consistent demand, and meaningful cultural change, progress will remain limited and the mammoth benefits of offsite and industrialised construction will remain unfulfilled for another generation. 

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Offsite Construction Specialists

Technical Support

Office Locations

40 Years Experience

Dublin Meath London Manchester

Tailored Solutions

Birmingham

CONTACT US +353 1 861 2000

+44 1217901023

UVALUE.IE

UVALUEINSULATIONS.CO.UK Issue 52

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April / May 2026

39

2026 The OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION AWARDS reward outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based construction methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost-effective way to deliver a better built environment.

15.09.26 NATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE BIRMINGHAM

This year, the Offsite Awards have themselves been under construction. We are proud to unveil a refreshed awards experience that will now take the form of a formal sit-down dinner with live entertainment, creating a fitting stage on which to celebrate excellence. This evolution reflects our commitment to truly recognising and appreciating the outstanding innovation, quality and ambition demonstrated by the remarkable projects within the offsite construction sector. By elevating the event, we aim to honour the achievements of the industry in a way that matches the scale and impact of its work.

ENTRY DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING - ENTER BEFORE: 29.05.26

2026 Categories Architect of the Year

Digital Innovation Award

Best use of Concrete Technology

Education Project of the Year

Best use of Hybrid Technology

Engineer of the Year

Best use of MEP & POD Technology

Healthcare Project of the Year

Best use of Steel Technology

Infrastructure Project of the Year

Best use of Timber Technology

International Project of the Year

Best use of Volumetric Technology

Offsite Pioneer of the Year

Building Performance Pioneer

Product Innovation Award

Client of the Year

Project/Construction Manager of the Year

Commercial Project of the Year

Residential Project of the Year

Contractor of the Year

For more information contact pip.pearce@radar-media.co.uk

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2025 Winner of Winners - B&K Structures, Bywater Properties, Gilbert-Ash, Webb Yates, FCB Studios, Engenuiti & Stora Enso: Paradise SE11

MEET THE JUDGES...

Tim Carey Mace Construct

Nicola Carniato AKT II

Graham Couchman Steel Construction Institute

Ken Davie Build Offsite

Anne Daw HLM Architects

Chris Hall NHBC

Lilian Ho AECOM

Dan Macpherson TSA Riley

Jackie Maginnis The Modular and Portable Building Association

Alison Nicholl BRE

Oliver Novakovic Barratt Developments

Andrew Orriss Structural Timber Association

Lidia Proykina Rothoblaas

Ana Raducu HTA Design

Gary Ramsay Offsite Magazine

Darren Richards Cogent Consulting

Sam Stacey Stacx

Trudi Sully Mott Macdonald

ENTER TODAY Paul Tierney MMC Ireland

Elaine Toogood MPA The Concrete Centre

Stephen Wilson Stride Treglown

WWW.OFFSITEAWARDS.CO.UK

LIMITED SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES REMAINING The 2026 marketing campaign is ramping up and many of the sponsorship packages have already been snapped up by savvy companies wanting to gain the full exposure in the coming months leading up to the event.

To discuss the sponsorship packages and bespoke advertising opportunities available please contact Julie Williams on 01743 290042 or email julie.williams@radar-media.co.uk www.offsitemagazine.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/exploreoffsite

Issue 52 April / May 2026

41

ADVERTORIAL PROCTOR GROUP

Fire Safety and Membrane Specifications: why system performance matters When Building Regulations changed in 2018 to require non-combustible or limited combustibility materials in external walls, membranes were exempt. Despite this, the industry has continued to evolve, with A2-rated membranes now available for projects seeking higher fire performance standards.

1

2

AT PROCTOR GROUP, this has meant developing

For example, membranes may be tested fixed

solutions such as Wraptite®, an airtight, vapour

to a substrate or free-hanging, and with different

permeable membrane designed to support both fire

installation details such as overlaps, tapes and fixings.

performance and overall building envelope efficiency.

These variables can affect fire performance, meaning

While Regulation 7(3) permits membranes classified as B-s3,d0, many specifiers now aim for A2-

two products with the same classification may behave differently in real-world applications.

s1,d0 across the full wall build-up. However, focusing

This is why Proctor Group promotes a system-

purely on fire classification can overlook other critical

led approach. By combining membranes such as

factors. Membranes play a vital role in airtightness,

Wraptite® with compatible components like Proctor

moisture management and durability, so performance

A1 Cement Board, specifiers can have greater

must be considered holistically.

confidence that the installed system will perform as

Not all membranes deliver the same balance of

intended. Substituting individual elements reduces

properties. In some cases, products with higher fire

this certainty. Differences in test methods, substrates

ratings may compromise on vapour permeability

or installation details can introduce unintended risks

or water resistance. The challenge is to achieve the

that are not immediately apparent from product data.

right combination of fire performance and envelope

Building Safety Act, there is also increased scrutiny

Membranes are often swapped for lower-cost

on specification changes. What might previously have

alternatives claiming similar classifications. However,

been considered a minor substitution now carries

matching a classification such as B-s3,d0 does not

greater responsibility.

necessarily mean equivalent performance or safety.

Ultimately, compliance is only part of the picture.

Fire classifications under BS EN 13501-1 are based

Delivering safe, robust and high-performing buildings

on multiple tests, including small flame exposure

requires a joined-up approach to specification – one

and the Single Burning Item (SBI) test. To achieve A2

that considers how all elements of the envelope

classification, additional calorific value limits must

interact. By specifying complete, tested systems,

also be met. Importantly, these tests are conducted

project teams can reduce risk, protect performance

under specific conditions that can significantly

and maintain confidence from design through

influence outcomes.

to completion. 

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Images 1-3: Wraptite® is an airtight, vapour permeable membrane designed to support both fire performance and overall building envelope efficiency

With the introduction of Gateway 2 under the

functionality. A key risk on-site is product substitution.

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3

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TRUST THE EXPERTS Holistic Solutions for a Healthy Building Envelope

A self-adhering, vapour-permeable air barrier that delivers reliable airtightness and improved energy performance. BBA certified and compatible with multiple substrates, it’s suitable for projects from timber frame housing to steel-framed high-rise. contact@proctorgroup.com

+44 01250 872 261

www.offsitemagazine.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/exploreoffsite Trinity Square, Manchester

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43

FEATURE MPBA

A Pathway to Whole-Life Carbon Reduction 1

Richard Hipkiss, Development Director of the Modular & Portable Building Association (MPBA), sets out a compelling case for volumetric modular technology and industrialised construction accelerating the transition to a low carbon built environment.

INDUSTRIALISED CONSTRUCTION METHODS represent a

materials and systems evolve. This shift enables early-stage decision

high-performance, systems-based approach to building delivery.

making that directly influences whole-life carbon outcomes.

By leveraging manufacturing efficiencies, digital integration and

Volumetric modular construction amplifies the benefits of this

advanced engineering, this process offers a scalable solution to

digital foundation. By converting digital models into manufacturable

many of the construction industry’s most pressing challenges. As

assets, buildings are effectively divided into standardised units that

technology, government policy and market acceptance continues

can be produced in controlled factory environments. This transition

to evolve, these advanced techniques are poised to become a

from project-based construction to product-based manufacturing

cornerstone of modern construction practice.

introduces repeatability, precision and industrial scale efficiencies.

Designing out carbon is rapidly becoming the defining challenge

Standardisation becomes a key enabler of carbon reduction, as it

of modern construction and the convergence of volumetric modular

cuts design variability, streamlines procurement and allows for the

technology with industrialised construction offers one of the most

optimisation of material use across multiple projects.

powerful routes to achieving it. By integrating advanced digital

Material specification plays a critical role in this modular

design environments with the precision manufacturing of modular

system design. Advanced material databases integrated within

systems, the construction industry is shifting from fragmented,

BIM environments allow designers to assess the carbon intensity,

site-based delivery models toward a fully co-ordinated, data-

durability and circularity potential of materials at component level.

driven construction ecosystem. This evolution is not simply about

This enables informed substitution of high-carbon materials with

improving efficiency – it is about fundamentally re-engineering how

lower-carbon alternatives, as well as the specification of materials

buildings are conceived, specified, assembled and ultimately reused

that support disassembly and reuse. Light gauge steel alongside

or deconstructed within a circular construction framework.

engineered timber and hybrid systems, can be selected not only for performance but for their lifecycle carbon profile and recyclability.

Design parameter, not a retrospective metric At the core of this transformation is the integration of advanced

Simplification, standardisation and repeatability

digital design technologies, parametric modelling and digital twins.

Testing and validation within a digital environment significantly

These platforms enable the creation of highly detailed, data-rich

reduce uncertainty and waste. Through simulation and

building models that embed performance criteria from the earliest

computational analysis, structural behaviour, thermal performance,

design stages. Carbon becomes a measurable design parameter rather

acoustics, and fire safety can be modelled before physical fabrication

than a retrospective assessment, allowing designers and engineers

begins. Digital prototyping reduces reliance on physical mock-ups

to evaluate embodied carbon impacts in real time as technology,

and enables iterative optimisation of designs.

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Image 1: Portakabin’s industrialised construction methods represent a systemsbased approach to building delivery Image 2 Wernick converts digital models into manufacturable assets produced in controlled factory environments Image 3 Premier Modular generates zero waste in their manufacturing processes

2 MPBA The Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) is the UK’s leading trade body representing the sector. It promotes best practice, quality standards and innovation across the industry, supporting architects, engineers, manufacturers and supply chain partners.

Through advocacy, training and guidance, the MPBA advances the sector’s growth, sustainability and professional standards – ensuring safe, efficient and high-quality solutions for those who work, receive treatment, teach and learn in modular buildings.

3 Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA)

following a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model, circular

is central to this approach. In volumetric modular

construction aims to retain materials for as long as

systems, this translates into highly integrated units

possible. Volumetric modular units are particularly

with pre-installed services, reducing on-site labour,

well suited to this model, as they can be relocated,

waste and rework. By shifting complexity upstream

reconfigured, or repurposed with minimal intervention.

into the design and manufacturing phases, DfMA

Ultimately, the combination of volumetric

enables tighter control over material usage and

modular technology and industrialised construction

construction tolerances, directly contributing to

represents a shift from construction as a bespoke,

carbon reduction.

linear process to construction as a configurable,

Beyond manufacturing efficiency, the industry

circular manufacturing system. By embedding carbon

is increasingly adopting Design for Reuse (DfR) and

intelligence into digital design tools, standardising

Design for Deconstruction (DfD) principles. These

components, optimising material specification

approaches ensure that buildings are conceived not

and designing for reuse and deconstruction, the

as permanent, immovable assets, but as adaptable

construction industry can significantly reduce

material banks.

embodied carbon while improving productivity and scalability. This is not merely an incremental

Circular by design

improvement – it is a structural redefinition of how

A circular construction approach extends these

the built environment is conceived and delivered to

principles into a systemic framework. Rather than

meet a carbon constrained world. 

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45

ADVERTORIAL VOESTALPINE METSEC

Closing the Knowledge Gap voestalpine Metsec has been recently involved with BRE for detailed testing of party wall/SFS wall junctions to strengthen fire safety assurances.

1

2

IN MODERN LIGHT STEEL FRAMING, designers have

Performance that removes ambiguity

long understood how individual wall systems perform

Both junction configurations achieved 90 minutes

under fire exposure. What has been missing, however,

fire resistance, matching the published performance

is clear evidence of how these systems behave where

of the individual external wall and party wall

they meet. The junction between a party wall and an

constructions. Thermocouples installed directly at

SFS external wall is a critical detail that, until now,

the junction demonstrated no adverse heat transfer,

has depended on engineering judgement. voestalpine

confirming that the interface did not create a localised

Metsec’s latest full-scale fire testing addresses this

weakness or undermine stability or integrity. In

longstanding knowledge gap directly.

practical terms: the junction did not reduce system performance and the wall interface behaved as a

A critical detail, historically untested

Image 1: The junction between a party wall and an SFS external wall is a critical detail that until now has depended on engineering judgement Image 2: Party wall and SFS external wall build up for testing

continuous, compliant fire resisting element.

Standard methods such as BS EN 1364-1:2015 provide established benchmarks for isolated wall

Why this matters for designers and contractors

performance. They do not, however, address real world

Fire compartmentation depends on the consistent

construction interfaces. As a result, design teams

performance of every part of a wall assembly, not just the

have traditionally relied on conservative assumptions

main through-wall build-up but also the junctions where

when assessing the fire performance of internal wall

different systems meet. By testing representative party

to external wall junctions. These assumptions have

wall/SFS junctions directly, this programme provides a

been safe, but untested.

clear and auditable understanding of how the interface performs as part of the overall compartment line.

Testing what designers actually build During summer 2025 at the BRE, two large scale test

•

For designers, it provides confidence.

specimens were constructed to replicate common

•

For contractors, it provides clarity.

party wall/SFS wall junctions, tested following the

•

For the wider industry, it helps close a gap that

general principles of BS EN 1364-1:2015. These were not

has been open for too long.

abstract laboratory setups, they were representative of real site conditions, including the actual through-

A step forward in transparency and confidence

wall and party wall linings supplied by major UK

This testing programme marks the first published evidence

manufacturers. Installation practices, interface

of its kind for party wall/SFS junctions. It supports a more

treatments, and buildup sequencing were all selected

transparent, evidence driven approach to fire performance

to be representative of real construction rather than

and sets a benchmark for how manufacturers should

optimised for laboratory performance.

demonstrate system behaviour in real world applications. 

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47

FEATURE LIGHT STEEL FRAME

Powering the Rise of Airspace Development 1

Nik Teagle and Martin Jamieson, joint Managing Directors of light steel frame specialists Frameclad, are witnessing first-hand a quiet but transformative shift taking place ‘above’ the UK’s landscape.

crisis. Research, including studies by Knight Frank and Apex Airspace, highlight that developing these spaces can generate over £50billion in value, often using offsite construction to minimise disruption.

At a time when the UK faces a housing shortfall of over one million homes, solutions that maximise existing assets are not just innovative – they are essential.

AS LAND BECOMES SCARCER and development

This upward trend has been further accelerated by

costs continue to rise, the industry is increasingly

policy. The introduction of Permitted Development

looking upwards. The addition of extra storeys to

Rights in 2020 has made it easier to add up to two

existing buildings – commonly referred to as ‘airspace’

additional storeys to certain buildings without full

or as we know it at Frameclad, ‘top box’ developments

planning permission, removing a major barrier to

– is no longer a niche concept, but a rapidly maturing

entry and unlocking new development pathways.

sector that is reshaping how we think about sustainable growth.

At its core, top box development is a simple idea.

However, while the concept is straightforward, the execution is anything but. Building on top of existing structures introduces a unique set of engineering,

Unlocking the untapped potential of rooftops to deliver

logistical and regulatory challenges. Structural capacity,

new homes and commercial spaces without the need

resident disruption, access constraints and fire safety

for additional land. In cities like London, Manchester

considerations all demand a level of precision and

and Birmingham, where land availability is constrained

expertise beyond that of conventional construction.

and values are high, this approach offers a compelling alternative to traditional ground-up construction.

The optimum solution This is where material choice becomes critical and

48

Maximising existing assets

why light steel frame is emerging as the optimum

The scale of the opportunity is significant. Rooftop

solution. Weight is perhaps the most defining

developments in London could provide 41,000 to

constraint in airspace development. Existing buildings

180,000 new homes, significantly easing the housing

were rarely designed with additional storeys in mind,

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FEATURE LIGHT STEEL FRAME

2 meaning any new structure must minimise additional

sprawl, protect greenbelt land and support the

load while maintaining structural integrity. Our light

creation of more sustainable, connected communities.

steel frame loadbearing systems offer an exceptional

Of course, challenges remain. Issues such as structural

strength-to-weight ratio, enabling developers to add

feasibility and stakeholder engagement must be carefully

floors without overburdening the original structure.

managed. The sector has also faced headwinds in recent

But the advantages of light steel systems go far

years, from rising construction costs to regulatory

beyond weight. Frameclad’s offsite manufacturing

complexity. But the underlying fundamentals remain

capability aligns perfectly with the logistical realities

strong. Demand for housing continues to outstrip

of rooftop construction. Prefabricated panels can

supply, and the pressure to make better use of existing

be produced in controlled factory environments

assets is only intensifying. For developers, investors and

and installed rapidly on-site, reducing programme

policymakers alike, the question is no longer whether to

times, minimising disruption to residents below and

build upwards, but how to do so effectively. The answer

significantly improving build quality.

lies in embracing modern methods of construction and

Speed is another critical factor. Airspace projects often operate within constrained timelines, whether

3

Images 1-3: Library Parade, Reading, is currently undergoing an airspace redevelopment with new upper levels built directly above the existing structure using Frameclad’s light steel loadbearing system

materials such as light steel frame that are specifically suited to the unique demands of these projects.

due to planning conditions, funding structures or

As the industry continues to evolve, those who

the need to minimise impact on existing occupants.

adopt smarter, lighter and more sustainable solutions

Our offsite manufactured light steel systems can

will be best placed to capitalise on the opportunities

accelerate delivery programmes by weeks, if not

above our heads. Quite literally, the future of urban

months, providing a clear commercial advantage.

development is looking up. 

Sustainability is also a key driver behind the rise of airspace development and here again, light steel frame systems excel. By building on existing structures, developers avoid the carbon-intensive processes associated with demolition and new foundations.

In addition, offsite construction reduces waste, lowers transport emissions, and supports more efficient use of materials. Rooftop developments themselves are often designed to enhance the performance of the host building, extending its lifespan and improving energy efficiency.

Increasing density within existing footprints Importantly, airspace development also aligns with broader urban planning goals. By increasing density

FRAMECLAD A trusted UK-based manufacturer, designer and engineer of light steel frame systems – Frameclad offers a complete package of services to customers. The business has invested significantly in state-of-the-art digital and manufacturing technology as well as fire test data. The 14-strong highly knowledgeable in-house design and engineering team provide cost estimates within 10 days and detailed designs within one week. Precision steel roll-forming machinery produces one of the largest ranges of steel sections available in the UK today from a single manufacturer. With great experience in the residential sector, Frameclad is known for its technical expertise, innovative approach and dedication to sustainable construction solutions.

within existing footprints, it helps to reduce urban

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49

FEATURE LSFA

Driving the Future Forward The UK construction sector is entering a new era – one defined by safety, precision, automation and deep digital integration. Reflecting this transition, the Light Steel Frame Association (LSFA) has published a landmark White Paper that sets out a clear direction of travel for the industry.

UNDER THE BANNER OF ‘Driving Circular, Low-Carbon and

ready production and platform-based system compatibility,” says

Industrialised Delivery Across the Built Environment’ the White

Ben Towe, LSFA Chair. “This unique position allows it to directly

Paper sets out a strategic vision for the future of construction. It

address some of the built environment’s most pressing challenges,

provides a clear roadmap for architects, engineers, specifiers and

bringing together digitally driven design, precision manufacturing

public sector clients navigating a fundamental industry shift, where

and repeatable system solutions. In doing so, it shifts construction

advanced manufacturing, automation and sustainability are no

away from fragmented, site-based processes towards a fully

longer aspirational, but fully embedded at every stage of design,

controlled, data-led production model.”

delivery and operation.

Light steel frame (LSF) is uniquely aligned with the UK’s

Critical drivers shaping construction

industrialised construction agenda, offering scalable, precision-

The White Paper also highlights the central role that LSF can play

engineered, low-waste and circular structural systems manufactured

in supporting the industry’s transition to net zero construction and

in controlled environments using lean and the most automated

circular economy principles. With embodied carbon now accounting

production method in the offsite material portfolio.

for a significant proportion of total building emissions, structural systems are increasingly under scrutiny. Once produced forever

From fragmented construction to data-led production

in use – steel’s unique ability to be endlessly reused and recycled

The publication comes at a critical time for the UK built environment, as

makes it the cornerstone of circular construction. Enabling high-

the sector faces mounting pressure to deliver more homes, schools and

performance buildings that minimise waste, extend material value

infrastructure while responding to tightening regulatory requirements,

and drive a more sustainable built environment.

net zero commitments and persistent labour shortages.

“Light steel frame sits at the intersection of industrialised manufacturing, DfMA delivery, circular material flows, automation-

50

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Steel decarbonisation is accelerating at pace. ‘Green steel’ produced using Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technology powered by renewable sources, transforms recycled scrap into high-quality

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FEATURE LSFA

2

1

3

materials enabling precision-engineered light steel

approaches enables scalable, repeatable solutions

frame systems that meet today’s sustainability and

across housing, education, healthcare and tall

efficiency demands. Increasing in prevalence in the

buildings, whilst its circular material characteristics,

light steel sector, Environmental Product Declarations

including recyclability, traceability and increasing

(EPDs) are now essential tools for credible

alignment with low-carbon and green steel supply,

sustainability performance and provide standardised,

respond directly to carbon reduction and resource

science-based environmental impact data, embodied

efficiency targets.

carbon values, resource depletion indicators, lifecycle impact metrics and end-of-life scenarios.

Digital transformation is another critical driver

Images 1-3: Light steel frame (LSF) is uniquely aligned with the UK’s industrialised construction agenda, offering scalable, precision-engineered, low-waste and circular structural systems

A call to industry and government Taken together, these attributes position LSF not

shaping the future of construction. The White Paper

simply as an MMC option, but as a future-fit structural

outlines how light steel systems are inherently

technology platform capable of meeting the sector’s

aligned with the industry’s increasing focus on data

parallel demands for speed, certainty, sustainability,

transparency, compliance and lifecycle performance.

safety and measurable performance. The White Paper

Through BIM-driven workflows, serialised

provides a clear roadmap for how the industry can

components and integrated production data, LSF

harness LSF’s capabilities to meet the challenges of

systems support the creation of a ‘Golden Thread’ of

the coming decade. As the UK construction sector

information – a key requirement under the Building

continues to evolve, the LSFA believes that light

Safety Act.

steel frame technology will play a central role in enabling the transition to a more resilient, efficient

Inherently aligned with industrialised construction

and sustainable built environment. The LSFA is calling

LSF is already structurally aligned to industrialised

to work collaboratively to accelerate the adoption of

construction and stands out as one of the few

industrialised construction approaches. By embracing

construction systems that satisfies both the current

change, the construction sector can unlock significant

and emerging drivers shaping the built environment.

improvements in productivity, sustainability and

Its compatibility with platform and kit-of-parts

delivery performance. 

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

on policymakers, clients, designers and contractors To download the White Paper visit: www.lsf-association.co.uk and head to the document library.

51

EVENTS IC AWARDS 2026

Game Changers and Industry Champions On the 21 April the inaugural ndustrialised Construction Awards, were held during the Industrialised Construction Conference 2026. Who were the first winners on an enjoyable and relaxed networking evening?

AFTER A DAY OF INTENSE DISCUSSION of the many issues, challenges and pressures surrounding industrialised construction, it was time to gather for an informal celebration of those judged by an independent industry panel of experts to be spearheading improvements across manufacturing a better built environment.

The Awards not only celebrated what has been achieved in this sphere recently but also creates a pathway and vision for others to follow to create the more ‘collaborative, predictable and performancedriven’ construction industry, the UK desperately needs.

Hosted with light-hearted flair by Keith Waller (pictured), Programme Director at the HVM Catapult, the 10 winners were recognised for their overall excellence and signalling a shift in how the UK intends to design, deliver and operate its built environment better.

The 2026 winners reflect a wide range businesses collaborating to transform construction. From digital innovation and platform-based design to integrated supply chains and advanced manufacturing,

understanding that industrialisation is as much about behaviour and

the projects and organisations recognised, demonstrated what is

mindset, as it is about tools and processes.

possible when traditional boundaries are challenged. Crucially,

You can see the categories and winning projects plus the highly

they also highlight a common thread – success in industrialised

commended here. The evening’s Winner of Winners (main picture

construction is not driven by individual technologies alone,

above) was scooped by Laing O’Rourke’s Centre for Construction

but by the ecosystems that enable them. Collaboration across

Engineering and Technology, Mace and Landsec with its entry on

clients, contractors, designers and manufacturers, was a defining

‘improving productivity in industrialised construction through data-

characteristic of many winning entries.

driven collaboration’. You will be able to read much more about this

Importantly, the winners showcase not just technical achievement

development in the next issue of Offsite Magazine in June. 

but cultural progress. Many of the projects celebrated have embedded new ways of working, by prioritising early engagement, data-driven decision-making and long-term partnerships over fragmented, transactional delivery. This all reflected a wider industry

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Make sure to keep an eye on developments surrounding industrialised construction via the Industrialised Construction Journal at: www.industrialisedconstruction.co.uk/journal

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

53

EVENTS IC AWARDS 2026

Best Use Of Industrialised Systems & Technologies Winner: PCE - 3 Copper Square

Collaborative Project of the Year Winner: Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering & Technology, Mace, Landsec - Improving Productivity in Industrialised Construction Through Data-Driven Collaboration

Manufacturing & Factory Excellence Award Winner: Portakabin - Alta Product and Production Facility Implementation

54

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Client Leadership Award Winner: New Hospital Programme Product Development Process (PDP)

Digital Innovation in Industrialised Construction Winner: Expanded Modular Bridges Digital Delivery of Modular Bridges

Industrialised Construction Pioneer Award Winner: Akerlof

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EVENTS IC AWARDS 2026

Productisation and Platform Design Award

Procurement Transformation Award Winner: Arcadis and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) - Programmatic Approach & Alliance Framework

Winner: EcoSystems Technologies - The BUILDUP® Platform: Industrialised Mass Timber Systems for retrofit and new construction

Skills, Training & Workforce Development Award Winner: Mott MacDonald, Offsite Alliance, Dynamic Knowledge, Turner and Townsend and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) – Building Capability: From Insights to Impact

Sustainability & Circular Construction Award Winner: ZED PODS & Mid Devon District Council - Crofts House

2027 Sponsorship Opportunities Position your organisation at the forefront of innovation and excellence in industrialised construction by becoming an official Awards sponsor. Opportunities available include: •

Category Sponsorship - Sponsor one of our ten award categories and align your brand with industry-leading achievements

•

Brochure Sponsorship - Gain prominent visibility within the official event brochure distributed to all attendees

•

Trophy Sponsorship - Have your brand featured on all Awards trophies presented during the ceremony

Winner of Winners Award

Sponsorship offers a unique platform to enhance brand visibility, engage with key stakeholders, and demonstrate your commitment to excellence in industrialised construction.

Winner: Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering & Technology, Mace, Landsec - Improving Productivity in Industrialised Construction Through Data-Driven Collaboration

For more information or to discuss the best option for your organisation, please get in touch with: julie.williams@radar-media.co.uk

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

55

FEATURE STRUCTURAL TIMBER

Reshaping Housebuilding Approaches Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design & Planning Director at City & Country, outlines why timber must become a mainstream homebuilding construction method in the UK. THE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY is facing two major hurdles that it can no longer afford to treat separately – we need to build more homes, and we need to do so in a way that meets our net zero ambitions.

There are increasing pressures to reduce embodied carbon across the built environment – the question is no longer whether construction methods need to evolve, but how quickly the industry is prepared to adapt.

Timber has a critical role to play in this shift, and across much of Europe timber is already a mainstream construction material. In countries such as Sweden and Finland, it is widely used across residential

1

development. In England, however, adoption remains limited, with timber accounting for a relatively small proportion of new homes. This is despite a growing

However, there is a misconception that

body of evidence that timber can help address many

timber buildings are less durable than traditional

of the industry’s most pressing challenges.

construction. In reality, the lifespan of any building is

At City & Country, we use timber across all our

determined by the quality of its design, construction

newbuild housing developments as part of our

and maintenance. What is clear is that there remains

approach to improving sustainability and reducing

a lack of understanding across the industry about the

carbon emissions. We are also seeing a clear shift in

role timber can play in modern construction, so this is

demand for timber-led construction, driven not only

where education becomes critical.

by environmental considerations but also by the practical advantages it offers in delivery.

homeowners, there needs to be a broader awareness

The environmental case is well established. Unlike

of how timber can contribute not only to carbon

concrete and steel, which generate significant carbon

reduction, but also to improved buildability and

emissions during manufacture, timber acts as a

delivery efficiency.

carbon store. Trees absorb carbon as they grow, and

There is also a role for policy in supporting this

that carbon remains locked within the building for

transition as recent government initiatives, including

its lifetime. When used effectively, timber can reduce

the Timber in Construction Roadmap, signal a

embodied carbon emissions by up to 60% compared

growing recognition of the importance of sustainable

with traditional construction methods.

materials in meeting housing and climate targets.

But the case for timber is not just about carbon, it

However, policy ambition alone will not be enough. To

is also about how we build. Timber frame systems are

drive meaningful change, the industry needs to build

lighter, easier to transport and quicker to assemble.

confidence in supply chains, in design expertise and

They can also be installed in conditions that would

in the long-term viability of timber as a mainstream

delay more traditional build methods. For developers

construction solution.

working under increasing pressure on programme and delivery, these efficiencies are critical.

Timber also aligns closely with the growing use

several tools available to the industry as it looks to modernise construction and reduce its environmental impact. But it is a tool that is still underused. If the

repeatability and quality control. This helps reduce

UK is serious about delivering homes at scale while

defects and improve build consistency.

reducing carbon emissions, timber must move from being seen as an alternative to becoming part of the

streamlined construction process, where elements

mainstream. The challenge facing the industry is not

of the build can run at the same time rather than

just to build more homes. It is to build them better,

one after the other, and that has a direct impact on

faster and more sustainably. And timber offers a clear

delivery timelines.

way to achieve all three objectives. 

Issue 52 April / May 2026

Image 2: Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design & Planning Director, City & Country

Let’s be clear, however, timber is not a silver bullet,

MMC system, timber frames enable a high degree of

56

Image 1: A closed panel timber system was used for the social housing scheme at Woden Road, Wolverhampton for GreenSquareAccord

and it should not be positioned as one. It is one of

of Modern Methods of Construction. As a category 2

In practical terms, this allows for a more

2

From developers and planners to lenders and

Find out more at: www.cityandcountry.co.uk

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57

FEATURE STRUCTURAL TIMBER

Slow Housing Recovery, Rising Timber Opportunity 1

Figures from the Housing Market Report 2025 and associated industry data paint a picture of a UK housing market that is stabilising rather than surging. Andrew Orriss, Interim Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association (STA) sees this favouring structural timber.

THE ECONOMIC BACKDROP is steady but subdued. UK GDP data,

largely due to Building Safety Regulator delays, with London

sourced from ONS and presented alongside winter forecasts, shows

particularly exposed given affordability constraints and the

the sharp contraction in 2020 followed by a gradual recovery and

requirement for 35% affordable housing on many schemes. Smaller

modest projected growth through to 2027. Growth is forecast at 1.1%

housebuilders are seeing some demand recovery yet planning

in 2024, 1.4% in 2025 and 1.1% in 2026, easing slightly to 1.6% in 2027.

barriers and added cost burdens continue to challenge viability.

It is not rapid expansion, but it does suggest a more predictable

Yet within this cautious environment, timber frame is quietly

environment for developers and manufacturers after several

strengthening its position. According to the Housing Market Report

turbulent years.

2025, total UK housing starts in 2024 reached 132,460 units. Of these,

Private housing output reflects that same pattern. ONS data charting private housebuilding in cash terms highlights the

31,493 were timber frame, giving timber a 24% share across the UK. Scotland is the dominant consumer, with 95% of starts using

pandemic dip, the strong rebound, and a subsequent cooling in

timber frame. England accounts for 81% of total starts but currently

activity. Construction Products Association figures show private

has a lower timber frame share at 13%. Importantly, commentary

housing output falling by 14.3% in 2023 and a further 4.9% in 2024.

in the data shows that England’s share has risen from 12% to 15%

From there, the outlook improves only gradually, with projected

during 2024. Long-term regional data from NHBC registrations

growth of 1.0% in 2025, 1.5% in 2026 and 4.0% in 2027.

reinforces the direction of travel. A further catalyst is emerging among the major housebuilders. Data presented alongside the HBF

Market pressures

Housing Market Report 2025 indicates that seven of the fifteen

Behind those numbers sit several fundamental pressures. Demand

national housebuilders are expected to self-supply timber frame

has slowed sharply in recent months. Housing Associations and

by 2026. This represents what has been described as a medium-

councils are not purchasing Section 106 units at previous levels.

term seismic shift. When the largest players alter procurement

Build-to-Rent investment remains active, but much of it is focused

and delivery models, the impact ripples through the wider market,

on existing stock. High-rise schemes have declined significantly,

including the UK’s estimated 2,500 SME developers.

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59

FEATURE STRUCTURAL TIMBER

2 National housebuilders and forecast changes

non-combustible structure restrictions in London are all

Forecast modelling to 2030 illustrates the scale of

identified as critical enablers.

potential change. One scenario assumes timber frame

The recovery in private housing is steady rather

demand grows to 25% over five years, driven by both

than spectacular, but the underlying trends are

overall market activity and rising market share. Current

significant. We are seeing growing timber frame market

output is around 35,000 units (averaged out over various

share, major housebuilders investing in self-supply, and

house types and sizes) per year. STA estimates the

continued skills pressures in traditional construction.

current capacity from the industry being closer to 45,000

That combination creates a real opportunity for

units. Once the national housebuilders are fully on

structural timber to play a much bigger role in UK

stream with their self-supply to overall capacity of the

housing delivery over the next five years.

industry could be as high as 70,000 units by 2030. With

The data from ONS, the Construction Products

further investment and industrialisation capacity could

Association and the Housing Market Report 2025

comfortably riser to 90,000 units.

suggests that while overall housing growth may

These projections depend on several assumptions set

be modest, timber’s share of that market is likely

out in the forecast. Effective planning reform, a confirmed

to continue rising. In a flat market, share gains

housing kick-start programme, unlocked council housing,

matter more. If policy conditions align with industry

supportive fiscal policy to restore consumer confidence,

investment, timber frame could move decisively

partial recovery of the Housing Association market,

from a growing segment to a central pillar of UK

strong skills programmes, and a reconsideration of

housebuilding before the end of the decade. 

Images 1-2: There is a growing timber frame market share but this needs to increase across all housebuilding typologies

Find out more at: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

‘TIMBER FRAME: WHERE TO START’ DIGITAL GUIDE LAUNCHED Timber Development UK (TDUK), the Structural Timber Association (STA) and Swedish Wood – have launched a new digital platform that makes timber frame construction easier for built environment professionals to understand and adopt.

‘Timber Frame: Where to Start’ is a practical, accessible guide that provides a clear introduction to timber frame construction and its principal elements.

The purpose of the guide is simple: to give users a quick and easy way to understand how timber frame works, while signposting them to credible and accessible information. Designed for anyone interested in timber frame construction, the guide supports a wide audience.

It will be particularly useful for architects, specifiers, engineers, timber frame suppliers, building operators, home builders and contractors. It also serves as a straightforward introduction for those new to timber frame who want reliable information in one place.

Seven of the top ten UK homebuilders operate their own timber frame manufacturing facilities, and it has been

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

predicted that as many as one in three UK homes could be timber frame by 2030. In Scotland, 92% of all newbuild homes are constructed using timber frame.

With the top construction companies now moving towards greater use of timber frame, and many smaller firms beginning that transition, the demand for clear and practical guidance is clear.

This new digital guide has been created to help companies build confidently in timber, providing the insight needed to deliver successful projects and positive experiences with the system. The digital platform reflects a shared commitment from TDUK, STA and Swedish Wood to support industry growth, encourage informed decision-making and promote high standards across the sector.

To access the ‘Timber Frame: Where to Start’ guide visit: www.timber-frame.uk

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61

FEATURE STRUCTURAL TIMBER

1

Industrialised and Sustainable Living A new housing development in the Netherlands highlights the potential of large-scale modular construction using mass engineered timber. A development and approach where the UK lags behind.

A NEW RESIDENTIAL PROJECT IN ALMERE shows how engineered

can be finished in roughly four weeks. Scalability is supported by

timber and modular construction can speed up housing delivery

digital design integration. Every component has a digital twin,

while lowering environmental impact. The five-storey development,

accessible via QR code, ensuring consistent manufacturing while still

called Xylino, provides 103 homes using an industrialised modular

allowing flexibility in layouts and housing types.

building system, made entirely from Kerto® laminated veneer lumber (LVL) load-bearing elements from Metsä Wood.

The size of the apartments is tailored to the specific wishes and requirements, with variations in the number of modules, including half

The country’s first project of this kind, developed by housing corporation

modules. The usable area varies from approximately 30sq m to more

De Alliantie and contractor Koopmans Bouwgroep. The project shows how

than 60sq m, so that the homes can be flexibly adapted to the needs

modular LVL construction can speed up delivery, lower environmental

of the residents. “One of the most remarkable aspects of Xylino is that

impact, and respond to industry challenges such as labour and skills

its industrialised construction is not visible from the outside. It shows

shortages, extended timelines, and hitting net zero carbon targets.

that architectural freedom and modular building can work together seamlessly.,” says Aafke Van der Werf, Director at geWOONhout.

Scalable and sustainable The building consists of 436 prefabricated timber modules, produced

Structural performance

offsite by Dutch timber builder geWOONhout. Fully demountable

Kerto® LVL was chosen for its high strength-to-weight ratio and

and reusable, each module arrives on-site with integrated technical

dimensional accuracy. Compared to similar mass timber products,

systems already installed, with construction teams able to

it can be up to 50% more resource-efficient while maintaining

place eight to twelve modules per day, completing three to four

equivalent performance. This reduces both transport emissions and

apartments at the same time. As a result, an entire residential block

on-site handling requirements.

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FEATURE STRUCTURAL TIMBER

Images 1-4: The LVL timber modules can be mass produced and show how industrialised sustainable construction is working on the European continent.

Courtesy Metsä Group, geWOONhout, Koopmans Bouwgroep

2

3

4 Different Kerto® LVL products are used throughout

module separation and additional floor mass, ensuring

the structure: 5.2m S-beams for floors and roofs, 2.9m

residential comfort. Sustainability is considered

S-beams for studs and rim beams, and 5.05m Q-panels

across the building’s full lifecycle. Lighter structures

for floor surfaces. Load-bearing walls use 100mm

reduce foundation and transport impacts, while

reglued Q-panels at 3.3m. Precision CNC machining

modules are designed for disassembly and reuse. The

keeps tolerances within 0.5mm, supporting accurate

buildings incorporate solar panels, high-performance

installation and minimising waste. The material is also

insulation, and rainwater harvesting systems, with

listed in Category 1 of the Dutch National Environmental

low-carbon concrete used only where required.

Database, providing verified lifecycle data that helps

Inspired by ‘Xylo’ – the Greek word for wood –

meet national sustainability regulations and enables

Xylino demonstrates that modular LVL construction

transparent environmental reporting.

can deliver affordable, high-quality housing at scale.

Xylino meets high standards for fire safety,

Metsä Wood is expanding supply and technical

acoustics, and durability. It achieves R120

support for Kerto® LVL across the Netherlands and

classification, providing 120 minutes of structural fire

Belgium to meet growing demand for industrialised

resistance. Acoustic performance is enhanced through

timber construction. 

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Issue 52 April / May 2026

Find out more at: www.metsagroup.com www.gewoonhout.nl

63

FEATURE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

Designing Out Rework: The Case For Standardised Construction 1

Craig Johnson, Senior Account Executive at Trimble, explores the value of standardised construction and the supporting role that digital technology can play in solving one of the construction industry’s most significant hidden financial burdens.

REWORK HAS BEEN a longstanding problem within the industry – in

It’s easy to see the benefits. With standardised components and

short, it’s an endemic. On average, direct rework costs range from 5-12%

repeatable ‘templates’, you can reduce the variants and increase

of a project’s total contract value. In worst cases, this figure can be as

predictability, in turn minimising risk. Unlike traditional building

high as 20-30%. As well as leading to significant project delays, avoidable

methods, which in essence are the creation of a series of one-

errors are reported to cost around £5billion per year in the UK. Clearly

off prototypes, repetition and standardisation bring increased

something needs to be done. So, what are the typical causes?

quality and productivity gains, being quicker and easier to design,

It may sound simple, but poor communication between teams

manufacture and assemble.

and stakeholders can have a very real impact, potentially leading to quality control failures, a lack of organisation and fragmented processes. Manual workflows and paper-based checks are

The digital tools driving standardisation When it comes to implementing standardisation across

susceptible to human error, leading to rework further down the line

construction projects, digital technology and software platforms can

if not detected. While the design and engineering stages are perhaps

have an important role to play in enhancing the productivity gains.

the most prone to issues, with design related errors said to account

Let’s take custom components as an example, a means of defining

for up to 70% of all rework. With increasing costs, volatile interest

customised connections, details and parts for your project within a

rates and skilled labour shortages, it’s clear that rework needs to be

design and detailing software platform. Generally speaking, once a

stopped in its tracks – but how?

custom component is defined and stored, it can be easily accessed from the catalogue and used in any other location or any model.

From MMC to industrialised construction There are many changes and processes that can help to improve

Custom components are a valuable asset, with companies able to create components bespoke to them and their individual procurement,

quality and reduce error. One is MMC, frequently tipped as the

manufacturing and assembly processes. Once you have created a

solution to our problems. In fact, it’s been the industry mantra for

bespoke library of standard components, these can be easily accessed

decades. In recent years, it has evolved one step further to focus on

and repeated across multiple projects that follow the same script. It

standardisation, promoting the value of a ‘kit of parts’ approach

can offer a means of standardising profiles or restricting the number of

or industrialised construction. This approach has already been

connection types that can be used in a model, reducing variation and

adopted in other industries, including aerospace and automotive

improving quality control. Stairs can be a great example: why have five

manufacturing, so why not construction?

different stair types within a building when you can have one.

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Hosting this expanded event in London carries particular significance. As the UK’s most active hub for high-rise development, London provides a real-time laboratory for the issues shaping the tall buildings sector - planning complexities, evolving safety regulations, net-zero imperatives, and the integration of mixed-use communities into dense urban places. Bringing the Summit to the capital allows professionals to engage directly with the challenges and opportunities that London exemplifies: how to deliver sustainable height, how to retrofit and future-proof existing towers, and how to balance ambition with public trust and regulatory scrutiny.

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65

FEATURE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

2 Parametric capabilities Within Tekla Structures, Trimble’s constructible BIM software, its inherent parametric capabilities mean that any changes will automatically be applied to all copies of that custom component in the model, helping to streamline last-minute design changes and reduce the likelihood of design errors. An added feature within Tekla Structures is the Batch Editor tool, automatically detecting similar objects within a model and reflecting the same change across all.

Parametric design tools can also assist with the move to standardised construction. Parametric design is guided by a set of interconnected variables,

3

functions and rules, with these same parameters generating or controlling the design output. With all components intrinsically linked, changing a single

Images 1-2: Barkston Ash Rail Bridge design benefited from repeatability and standardisation detailing

variable would automatically adjust all associated objects in line with the new inputted data. Once you have written a design script, this can be easily repeated and copied across multiple projects of the same design rules, simply changing the unique parameters (such as height and/or width) before generating it.

A great example of parametric design in action

4

and showcasing its value for standardisation is Double Check Digital Engineering’s work as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Tasked with

have taken conventionally. Repeatability is really

detailing the Barkston Ash Rail Bridge, one of many

where Grasshopper shines, especially when dealing

new bridges constructed as part of the wider project,

with standardised designs. By developing this script

Double Check Digital Engineering took the Network

for the Barkston Ash bridge, we can easily change the

Rail Standard Design information and created

position and heights of the bearing locations to suit

a bespoke script in Grasshopper. The script was

any new and similar projects that fall under the same

then automatically written out to Rhino 3D, which

Network Rail standard drawing framework.”

produced a wire framed model, before being imported

While a ‘kit of parts’ approach and industrialised construction can offer the unparalleled predictability,

to Tekla Structures.

Speaking about the project, Glyn Holland,

speed, cost efficiency and productivity that the

Managing Director, said: “We spent a month modelling

construction industry so desperately craves, it does

the first U-Type bridge conventionally using Tekla

require buy-in from across the supply chain and all

Structures. While the initial development of the

workflow stages if its advantages are to be realised.

Grasshopper script took roughly the same time,

And it’s not just the structural design stage where

running the script on future U-Type bridge projects

industrialised processes can be present, with the

will take only around twenty minutes, cutting the

same methodology able to be applied to MEP design,

design process down to 0.05% of the time it would

procurement, fabrication and delivery too. 

66

Images 3-4: Implementing standardisation across construction projects with digital technology and software platforms can boost productivity gains

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APRIL / MAY 2026 ISSUE 4

MPA Precast

Science & SFRC

Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre

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How to drive decarbonisation and improve our buildings using data and offsite design

How is Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete rewiring how precast concrete is manufactured and delivered?

Precast design and Passivhaus principles boost performance at one of Oxford’s landmark buildings

USING OFFSITE METHODS AND ROBUST DATA TO DRIVE LOW CARBON CONSTRUCTION

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CONTENTS APRIL / MAY 2026

THE PRECAST ADVANTAGE

It is that time of the year when we take some time to concentrate on precast concrete.

This issue’s special magazine section picks out some key projects and businesses operating within one of the offsite industry’s central materials and manufacturing methods. All of which showcase why a precast approach can reap huge structural benefits and create genuine aesthetic and low carbon impact.

A lead feature comes from MPA Precast, outlining the importance of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) as the concrete – and cement sectors – strive to decarbonise as efficiently as possible. EPDs capture a comprehensive range of impacts across the lifecycle of each product, including raw materials, manufacturing processes, transport, installation and end-of-life scenarios. The recent publication of a range of new sector EPDs for precast concrete cladding, marks a significant step forward in providing reliable, quality data to support whole life carbon assessments. Designers, architects, engineers and developers need these to make better, sensible and informed decisions on material specification to underpin carbon reporting requirements.

Concrete-led architecture splits opinion when it comes to good looks.

But as you’ll find inside, TIDE Bankside – a 12-storey commercial development in London’s Southwark – looks superb and is ‘distinguished not only by striking architecture’ but by cutting-edge technical innovation behind its precast concrete façade. It includes an intricate system of precast elements, with defining features of the building seen in a series of precast piers forming stunning wave-like brick ‘ripples’.

Read on for more project case studies, news snapshots and an industry roundtable full of precast debate, opinion and futurecasting.

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OVERLEAF…

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The availability of robust, transparent environmental data is a defining factor in the delivery of low carbon buildings.

How are EPDs becoming an increasingly important part of decarbonisation aims?

Some short news items that you may have missed, including the last of more than 2,700 enormous precast deck segments for HS2’s Delta junction finally rolls off the production line.

CREAGH CONCRETE

Cardiff’s skyline has a new landmark building with the 31-storey Guildford Crescent, showing how design, sustainability, and offsite innovation can combine on a complex urban site.

CLIMATE RESILIENCE ROUNDTABLE A recent industry roundtable sought to understand the pressure points surrounding precast concrete construction and withstanding future climate shocks.

THORP PRECAST

TIDE Bankside illustrates the evolving role of precast construction in contemporary architecture, with bespoke design and industrial processes meeting to produce expressive, buildable solutions.

BEKAERT SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

How is Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete rewiring how precast concrete is specified, manufactured and delivered and what is the science behind it?

MILBANK CONCRETE PRODUCTS

Trocoll House highlights an important lesson for high-rise residential construction, with precast solutions offering a strategic tool for improving buildability, reducing risk and delivering predictable outcomes.

STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN CENTRE Key details on how precast manufacture and Passivhaus performance come together at the centre of one of Oxford’s newest and grandest statement buildings.

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COVER STORY MPA PRECAST

DRIVING LOW CARBON OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION As MPA Precast outline here, the availability of robust, transparent environmental data is becoming a defining factor in the delivery of low carbon buildings, with EPDs increasingly part of decarbonisation aims.

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AS WHOLE LIFE CARBON ASSESSMENTS (WLCA) become embedded in project requirements, designers, architects, engineers and developers increasingly need to rely on consistent, high-quality data to inform decision-making. The standards and professional statements governing the creation of WLCA are clear that robust, comparable environmental product data is essential to delivering credible assessments and that increasing the availability of EPDs is critical to accelerating decarbonisation.

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The RICS Whole life carbon assessment for the built environment, Edition 2 states that: “A WLCA aids decision making during the design, procurement, construction and use phases of a project, enabling built assets to achieve the lowest carbon impacts across all life cycle stages.” The recent publication of five new sector Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for precast concrete cladding

by MPA Precast marks a significant step forward in supporting this transition to quality data.

EPDs and carbon data Covering grey, white, brick-faced, stonefaced and insulated concrete sandwich panel systems, the EPDs are based on the latest available production data from 12 UK factories and represent over 90% of the precast cladding market. This makes them robust and representative, offering a reliable benchmark for earlystage design and specification.

Designed for real-world application, the datasets align with key industry guidance, including the RICS WLCA standard. In addition, following guidance

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COVER STORY MPA PRECAST

from Façade Design Consultants, single-skin EPDs include only the precast cladding element this time, excluding insulation and internal finishes.

In this vein external fixings are also standardised at a minimum of 7 kg/m², allowing assessors to adjust and up lift values to suit project-specific designs.

Importantly, the EPDs capture a comprehensive range of impacts across the lifecycle of each product, including raw materials, manufacturing processes, transport, installation and end-of-life scenarios. They also comply with the latest Eco-Platform requirements for supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), ensuring transparent and accurate accounting of materials such as GGBS and fly ash.

Decarbonisation and precast concrete The data itself highlights clear progress in decarbonisation across the precast sector. For example, grey precast cladding now achieves global warming potential values as low as 66.6kg CO2e per m². More broadly, the publication of these EPDs demonstrates a commitment, by the MPA Precast membership, not only to reducing carbon, but to openly reporting and benchmarking performance, providing the industry with data it can trust and use.

This transparency is particularly important in the context of modern methods of construction (MMC) and offsite delivery. As more projects adopt offsite approaches, key design and material decisions are made earlier in the process. Having access to reliable environmental data at these early stages enables project teams to embed carbon considerations from the outset, rather than retrospectively.

Precast concrete plays a central role in this shift. As a core component of many offsite systems, it combines the inherent benefits of concrete with the efficiencies of factory production. Offsite manufacture enables greater precision, improved quality control and reduced material waste, all of which contribute to lower embodied carbon. Fewer site deliveries and faster installation further enhance these benefits, supporting both sustainability and programme certainty.

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2 In addition to its manufacturing advantages, precast concrete contributes to whole-life carbon performance through durability, robustness and non-combustibility. Its thermal mass and acoustic properties can also help reduce operational energy demand, supporting long-term building performance.

Understanding and early engagement When looking to capitalise on these benefits, early design engagement is essential. Understanding how precast elements will be manufactured, transported and installed can influence structural layouts, component sizes and connection strategies. Integrating these considerations at concept stage helps avoid inefficient solutions, such as unnecessary temporary works or overly conservative designs, which can increase embodied carbon.

Standardisation and repetition are key strengths of precast within MMC. Reusing moulds across multiple production cycles reduces waste and improves efficiency, while consistent layouts can streamline installation. However, this must be balanced with optimisation to ensure material is used efficiently and elements are not overdesigned.

Higher-strength concretes can reduce volumes and embodied carbon despite potentially increasing cement content and embodied carbon per cubic metre. A whole-life carbon approach is therefore critical to ensure that design choices deliver genuine reductions.

Material specification also requires careful consideration to avoid being over prescriptive. SCM such as fly ash, GGBS, calcined clay and limestone can significantly lower embodied carbon, but their use must align with manufacturing processes. Setting performance-based carbon targets, rather than prescribing specific mixes, allows manufacturers to deliver practical, lower carbon solutions.

Ultimately, delivering low carbon buildings at scale requires alignment between design, manufacturing and data. The publication of this latest set of sector EPDs by MPA Precast provides the transparency needed to underpin this process, while MMC and precast concrete offer the practical means to achieve it. 

Images 1-2: Offsite manufacture enables greater precision, improved quality control and reduced material waste

To download the MPA Precast sector EPDs visit: www.mpaprecast.org/Resources/Sector-EPDs.aspx For new completely free guidance on ‘Decarbonising precast concrete through design’ from The Concrete Centre and MPA Precast visit: www.concretecentre.com/Resources/Publications/Decarbonising-precastconcrete-through-design.aspx

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Forge 1 Looks to Automated Concrete Manufacture Hyperion Robotics has confirmed Flixborough near Scunthorpe as the location of its first UK factory, signing a strategic agreement with LKAB Minerals to establish a new advanced digital, automated and robotised manufacturing facility.

The partnership brings together Hyperion Robotics’ advanced computational design, robotics and digital manufacturing expertise with LKAB’s global leadership in low-carbon industrial minerals and materials. The new facility – known as Forge I – will be developed and operated by Hyperion Robotics, with LKAB providing both the industrial site and low-carbon material inputs that feed directly into digitally designed, robotically manufactured concrete.

Set to open before summer 2026 and produce digitally designed, robotically manufactured concrete foundation systems, the factory will become Hyperion Robotics’ primary UK manufacturing base and the first deployment of its Forge automated production platform. LKAB’s involvement ensures secure domestic material supply, enabling reduced material use and embodied carbon, faster programme delivery, and enhanced structural performance compared with conventional on-site construction.

Forge I will be the most automated concrete manufacturing facility of its kind in the UK market,

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initially focused on delivering high-efficiency foundation systems for the energy, water, data centre, and utilities sectors. The site will have the capacity to manufacture more than 50 large-scale, Eurocodecompliant and CE-marked foundations per week, with typical dimensions of up to 3m x 3m footprint and 2.5m height, ready for deployment nationwide.

By combining automated production with lowcarbon material inputs supplied by LKAB, the facility will deliver measurable cost, programme and CO2 savings compared with conventional construction methods. Centralised manufacturing will also reduce on-site labour requirements and significantly decrease heavy vehicle movements to and from project sites – lowering emissions across the wider value chain.

“Establishing Forge I with LKAB marks a major milestone in industrialising low-carbon infrastructure delivery in the UK,” said Fernando De los Rios, CEO of Hyperion Robotics. “This partnership brings together the material security, industrial capability and sustainability foundation needed to scale production and support the UK’s ambitious infrastructure plans and carbon reduction targets. Forge I is the first step in a new generation of manufacturing for infrastructure – helping the UK build stronger, lower-carbon assets and transforming how critical foundations are delivered at scale.

Steve Handscomb, Managing Director Cementitious, LKAB Minerals UK, added: “This partnership brings together low-carbon mineral materials and advanced digital manufacturing in a single, integrated production model. By supplying climate-efficient mineral inputs directly into Hyperion’s computational design and robotic production platform, we are helping to establish a new automated raw-materials-to-infrastructure value chain in the UK. It demonstrates how materials innovation and industrial digitalisation can work together to accelerate the transition to lower-carbon, high-performance construction.”

The next-generation production platform in the North Lincolnshire facility will initially support around 10 skilled roles, with further growth expected as production scales. The partnership will also support workforce upskilling in advanced manufacturing, robotics and digital production systems, strengthening industrial capability in North Lincolnshire.

Hyperion has delivered projects across the UK and Europe for clients including National Grid, Yorkshire Water, Welsh Water and Mott MacDonald Bentley. The new Flixborough facility positions both companies at the forefront of scaling low-carbon, industrialised infrastructure manufacturing nationwide.

Source: www.hyperionrobotics.com www.lkabminerals.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

New Acquisition Strengthens Breedon Group Breedon Group has completed the acquisition of Booth Precast Products, a leading regional quarrying and concrete business in County Laois, Ireland, following approval being granted by the Irish Competition Authority.

Booth has supplied the construction market in Ireland for over 25 years from its headquarters in County Laois, building a reputation for quality, sustainability and customer service over the last two and half decades. The acquisition supports Breedon’s growth strategy in Ireland, securing mineral reserves to supply the growing market in Dublin and increasing vertical integration through the addition of Booth’s concrete operations. Following completion of the acquisition, Breedon welcomed 32 colleagues from Booth to the Group.

Declan Carr, CEO Breedon Ireland said: “We are delighted to welcome Booth and our new colleagues to Breedon. Booth is a well-established and highly regarded business and a strong track record of excellence supplying Irish construction companies. The

team’s expertise and extensive customer relationships will further strengthen our operations in the country.

This acquisition delivers on our strategy in Ireland, providing Breedon with valuable source of aggregates to supply the growing Dublin market and expanding our concrete business, as well as our ability to serve customers with a broad, vertically integrated platform.”

Breedon recently posted positive messaging around growth through its 2025 Annual Results with record post-Covid-19 cash flow generation. Rob Wood, Chief Executive Officer, said: “In 2025 team Breedon rose to the challenge and delivered another year of revenue and EBITDA growth, along with a record cash performance, thanks to strong strategic execution combined with operating and financial discipline. We achieved a great deal in 2025 despite challenging markets, political uncertainty and weak business and consumer confidence, the missing ingredients for construction project activity.

“We are the largest cement manufacturer in GB and proud of what we do to support British jobs, supply

chains and decarbonisation. In 2025 we escalated our parliamentary engagement campaign to ‘Back British Cement’, advocating for our foundation industry’s role in our national security and economic prosperity as we transition to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

We approach the coming year with confidence in our proven capability, the resilience of team Breedon, and the agility of the model we operate.”

Source: www.breedongroup.com

Forterra and NHBC Partnership to Boost Skills Forterra is partnering with NHBC to help the next generation of housebuilders meet modern construction and energy-efficiency standards. The collaboration sees Bison Precast, supply its Jetfloor system to NHBC’s Groundwork and Substructure course at the training hub in Lichfield.

With much of the UK’s construction workforce nearing retirement age, both organisations recognise the urgency of attracting and training new entrants equipped to meet the demands of a lower-carbon future. As building methods and regulations evolve, the skills required on-site are changing too. The Future Homes Standard will tighten energy rules from 2025, making it vital for apprentices to understand Part L, the interim step focused on cutting carbon and improving fabric efficiency.

Through the partnership, Bison Precast’s technical specialists use Forterra’s Jetfloor insulated ground-system to demonstrate how accuracy and care at the earliest build stages can support energy efficiency and overall compliance. By combining this hands-on experience with classroom learning, the programme helps apprentices understand both what the new standards require and how to achieve them. This in turn helps bridge the skills gap, preparing the next generation to meet the expectations of a changing industry.

The apprenticeship programme’s combination of classroom teaching with site-based learning leads to an NVQ (National Vocation Qualification) that is fast becoming the industry standard.

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Working with Bison Precast also allowed the apprentices valuable CPD time, with interactive presentations and Q&As all leading to better knowledge and quality of workmanship.

This approach builds competence and confidence at an early stage, and it has already produced strong results. NHBC’s Tamworth hub already showcases exceptional success and retention rates: 102 apprentices have completed the course, with all but two remaining in the industry. By providing hands-on training and instilling professional discipline early on, NHBC and Forterra are helping to close the construction skills gap and ensure new entrants understand both how and why to build to these standards.

Laura Terry, Product Manager at Bison Precast, said: “We’re proud to support NHBC’s work in developing young

Issue 4 April / May 2026

talent for the housebuilding industry. Jetfloor has been a trusted solution for decades, and by offering apprentices the chance to handle and fit it themselves, we help them understand how quality ground-floor construction can improve build efficiency and long-term performance.”

Leigh Jakeman, NHBC Lichfield Training Hub Manager, added: “It’s in everyone’s best interests to see new practitioners get things right from the start.

By bringing Jetfloor into our training, we’re showing apprentices that accuracy, care and attention make for better homes, with fewer defects, reduced waste and greater reliability for homeowners.”

Source: www.forterra.co.uk

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PCE Awarded North Devon District Hospital Project PCE has announced it has been awarded the North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) staff and student accommodation project, working with main contractor BAM, project architects Grainge Architects, and the NHS to deliver a four-storey short term on-site accommodation block at NDDH. PCE will provide the design, manufacture, and assembly of the new Taw View building using its Hybrid Living system, supporting the delivery of modern, high-quality accommodation for clinical students, visiting and relocating clinicians, and on call medical staff, through a systemised and efficient construction approach.

At the core of the project is PCE’s Hybrid Living System Configurator, a digital platform that uses project-specific requirements such as programme, cost targets, carbon objectives, site constraints, and layout needs to shape the most efficient structural solution. Established system libraries and project insight are used to configure the structure, applying Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles to ensure buildability, manufacturing efficiency, logistics co-ordination, and streamlined on-site assembly. Key performance criteria including cost, carbon, programme, and quality guide the solution from design through to delivery.

The four-storey accommodation block will utilise a kit-of-parts structural solution including a precast sandwich panel façade with an etched Reckli pattern finish, solid internal walls, reinforced concrete floor units, prestressed concrete floor units, precast stair and landing units. Components are manufactured and integrated offsite, enabling high levels of quality, reduced on-site activity, and improved programme certainty.

With a forecasted assembly period of approximately 18 weeks using a single assembly crew, the project demonstrates the speed and productivity that can be achieved through PCE’s systemised DfMA approach and offsite methods. The NDDH project reinforces PCE’s commitment to delivering efficient, high-quality structural solutions that support critical infrastructure and provide certainty from design through to assembly.

Image courtesy Grainge Architects Source: www.pceltd.co.uk

Last Segment Rolls Off Production at HS2 ‘Viaduct Factory’

The last of more than 2,700 enormous deck segments for HS2’s Delta junction – a complex triangular network of viaducts outside Birmingham – has been manufactured at a purpose-built factory. The deck segments, each weighing up to 85 tonnes, were made at a temporary outdoor facility alongside the M42 near Kingsbury in Warwickshire. They are then moved to the nearby construction sites by road before being lifted and secured into position to form the spans of the viaducts.

The Delta Junction is one of the most complicated parts of the HS2 project, carrying the high-speed line across a dense web of motorways, local roads, railways, rivers and floodplains. Two major groups of viaducts – at Coleshill and Water Orton/River Thame – are being built using precast segments from Kingsbury. The team has installed around three quarters of the 2,742 segments produced at Kingsbury, recently completing the deck assembly for the Coleshill viaducts and successfully completing the key spans for the Water Orton 1 and 2 viaducts which cross the busy A446.

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With the deck segments complete, the facility will now focus on other precast components needed for the project, including deck slabs for Birmingham’s Curzon Approach viaducts.

HS2’s Head of Delivery, Caroline Warrington, said: “Casting these enormous segments on-site, close to the viaducts, helps us deliver a quality product and reduce disruption for road users. It’s great to see the final segments complete and I’d like to thank everyone involved in the manufacturing process. With this part of the work finished, the team can begin to focus on the deck slabs for the approach viaducts which will carry the railway into central Birmingham.”

Over the last three-and-a-half years, the precast yard turned out up to eight segments per day, weighing between 50 and 85 tonnes. The segments are 3.5m high and come in two different widths – 7m or 11m – to support single track and double track sections of the railway. Together they will form more than four miles (6.5km) worth of viaduct decks.

The project is being delivered by HS2’s main works contractor for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) which also has a Skills Academy on-site to support local people into employment or further training. BBV’s team leader for Kingsbury, Laura Arrieta, said: “Watching the final segment roll off the production line at our precast yard in Warwickshire was a huge moment for the team. We’ve successfully delivered 2,742 viaduct segments over three-and-a-half years – an incredible achievement that we can all be proud of. This outdoor facility will now be repurposed to produce over 1,200 concrete deck slabs that will help form the Curzon Approach viaducts, using the same highly skilled and experienced team.”

The viaducts are assembled using a cantilever process with temporary steel cables supporting the segments until the span is complete. Permanent post-tensioned cables are then installed in the hollow centre of the viaduct to strengthen the structure. The same process is repeated between each pier until all the spans are complete.

Source: www.hs2.org.uk

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OFFSITE FOUNDATIONS WHERE QUALITY MEETS EFFICIENCY RBL’S PRECAST GROUND BEAM SYSTEM Our precast ground beam system, RBeam, is manufactured offsite in a controlled environment, ensuring consistent quality, accuracy and reduced site disruption. With a stocked product, we’re ready to support quick starts and fast-paced programmes with reliable supply, making this solution ideal for residential construction.

THE BENEFITS

Large stock availability

Factory quality

Efficient installation

Contact your local RBL team to learn more.

Our regional experts understand local ground conditions and requirements unique to your area. info@roger-bullivant.co.uk Roger Bullivant Limited

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Issue 4 April / May 2026

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Roger Bullivant Delivers First Ground Beam Package for Taylor Wimpey Roger Bullivant Limited (RBL) has completed a major piling and precast ground beam package for Taylor Wimpey North Midlands at their Drakelow Park development in Staffordshire. While RBL has delivered numerous pile-only schemes for this Taylor Wimpey office/business unit in the past, this project is the first time the team has been appointed to install both piles and RBeam, RBL’s precast ground beam solution.

The residential team has installed over 300 No. Driven Precast Concrete Piles to depths of up to 12m.

This foundation solution was selected by RBL as the most economical and technically appropriate for the site’s ground conditions, which are consistent with the wider Drakelow area where it is estimated that 6,000 piles are being installed by the team across the full development. To complete the foundation package, the

team also supplied and installed 1,300m of RBeam to provide a factory quality system for Taylor Wimpey.

RBL’s value-engineered approach demonstrated clear efficiencies. By adopting precast beams, the overall number of required piles was reduced compared with a pile-only scheme, offering programme savings and a streamlined installation process delivered under a single specialist contractor.

The Drakelow location carries particular significance for RBL. The site neighbours the large-scale Dracan Village redevelopment, formerly the home of RBL’s 250-acre head office and manufacturing facility, where the company continues to deliver piling and ground beam solutions for Vistry Group. This long-standing knowledge of the area’s geology and former industrial uses has supported RBL

in offering effective and highly tailored foundation systems for Taylor Wimpey.

Source: www.roger-bullivant.co.uk

Siderise Provides New Passive Fire Protection for Precast Façades Siderise has launched its new PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier product range – a passive fire protection package developed specifically for precast concrete cladding systems.

Siderise previously supported precast concrete façade applications with its CW-FS Firestop, delivering a fully compliant solution. However, due to growing demand for these durable and efficient-to-build external wall systems, Siderise reapproached this application to develop a dedicated solution that has been comprehensively tested, whilst addressing the practical challenges associated with these systems, such as tight tolerances, limited access, tricky interfaces and construction sequencing.

The stone wool Lamella core provides built-in compression and, alongside a bracket-free fix for narrow voids, contributes to faster installation times compared to less compressible barriers. PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier can also be fit from above or below the slab — making them ideal where topside access is restricted, or when sequencing requires alternative installation approaches.

PC-FS Firestop seals the gap between compartment floors or walls and the concrete façade to continue the fire resistance of the element. PC-CB Cavity Barrier subdivides cavities and closes concealed spaces and cavity edges to prevent the penetration of smoke or flame and restrict the movement of fire and smoke within the façade.

They both feature a Lamella insulation core comprising durable vertically oriented stone wool fibres laterally compressed under factory-controlled conditions held in place with aluminium foil facings. This unique product design featuring built-in compression helps simplify site installation compared to less compressible alternatives.

PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier are tested to EN1366-4, third-party certified, and backed by supplementary test data to support a wider range of project conditions. This range is tailored to help overcome the specific passive fire protection challenges of precast external wall applications. Both products are tested to EN 13664 (Resistance to fire) and EN 13501-1 (Reaction to fire) standards, with supplementary

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fire test evidence for precast concrete panel bracket penetration, end of flexible wall configuration, and firestop bracket securement to the underside of the slab edge to support a wider range of project conditions. The firestopping products, PC-FS60 and PC-FS120, offer third-party certified 1 and 2 hours of fire resistance, respectively, with the cavity barrier, PC-CB30, offering 30 minutes.

As with all Siderise solutions, PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier are supported with comprehensive technical services and a suite of resources to assist with the specification process, including a specification pack containing all necessary technical information, and guidance on joints and complex details, such as blade column interfaces and other challenging geometries.

Source: www.siderise.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2026

Groundbreaking Carbon-storing Concrete Sets Net Zero Pathway

Holcim UK has partnered with Canary Wharf Group (CWG) and a host of top civil engineering consultancies and universities in a leading industry collaboration to produce net zero concrete.

A series of ultra low-carbon and circular concrete mixes in partnership with CWG were used on Canary Wharf development projects over a period of six months. The development projects demonstrate the performance and viability of the next generation lowcarbon concrete (LCC), utilising innovative alternative materials such as biochar and graphene in the mixes.

This research and development programme aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of construction and establish a clear pathway to market adoption.

Spearheaded by real estate developer CWG, Holcim joined together with a collective of industry experts to help solve the LCC equation including site contractors O’Halloran O’Brien and a collaboration of civil engineering and structural consultants: Arup, Ramboll, B&GE, Thornton Tomasetti, Walsh Associates, Robert Bird Group and experts from Queens University, Belfast and University of Cambridge.

The first tests saw a biochar recycled coffee grounds mix, developed alongside the Holcim Innovation

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Centre in Lyon, achieve an 80% reduction in net Global Warming Potential (A1-A3) compared to a traditional CEM I concrete, resulting in a projected combined fossil and biogenic GWP of 69 kgCO2e/m³.

The biochar used in the project was from two sources of waste biomass, forestry residues including UK coppiced fast growing hard woods and used coffee grounds as collected from Canary Wharf shops and cafés. When the biochar-coffee mix is added to concrete, the carbon absorbed by the trees and coffee plants during their earlier growth is locked into the concrete itself, acting as a carbon sink.

Jasen Gauld, National Readymix Product Development Director for Holcim UK, said: “The aim of these trials was to show that next-generation concrete mixes can perform as well as, or better than, standard concretes, giving contractors and the wider supply chain confidence to adopt them and embedding circular thinking into the buildings we help create.

“By optimising the biochar-coffee mix, we have achieved net zero concrete – a Holcim first – while maintaining strength, durability, and circularity. Where increased binder might otherwise have been needed, our products can remove that requirement, reducing

overall embodied carbon. At the same time, the carbon in the biochar is locked into the concrete, allowing buildings to fulfill a new role as long-term carbon stores, keeping CO2 safely out of the atmosphere. This demonstrates that high-performance, low-carbon, circular materials are ready for real-world use.”

Jonathan Ly, Director of Structures at CWG, added: “This collaboration represents a pivotal moment for the real estate sector’s transition to net zero. As both developer and main contractor, CWG occupies a unique position in the industry where we can validate nextgeneration materials on live projects at pace, allowing us to build the market confidence that low-carbon concrete needs to become mainstream.

“Achieving net-zero concrete with our biochar-coffee mix demonstrates that circular economy principles aren’t just aspirational, they can deliver measurable environmental and commercial value. By transforming spent coffee grounds from our own retailers into a construction material that sequesters carbon, we’re proving that sustainable development can be both ambitious and practical.”

Source: www.holcim.co.uk

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FEATURE GUILDFORD CRESCENT

BUILDING CARDIFF’S FUTURE ONE PRECAST PANEL AT A TIME With the expertise and knowledge of Creagh Concrete, Cardiff’s skyline has a new landmark building and a new standard in modern methods of construction (MMC) at Guildford Crescent.

THE GUILDFORD CRESCENT DEVELOPMENT rises to 31 storeys, making it the city’s tallest building.

More than a record-breaker, it shows how design, sustainability, and offsite innovation can combine on a complex urban site.

Delivered by Galliford Try Investments with Creagh Concrete leading the precast package, this private build-to-rent scheme provides 272 apartments plus shared amenities and a rooftop terrace. The form is split into three interlocking blocks stepping from 31 to 26 to 22 storeys, creating a distinctive but balanced profile.

Construction logistics were defined by the location: bordered by a train line, HMP Cardiff, and a main arterial route. With room for only one delivery trailer at a time, success depended on precise sequencing, tower-crane coordination, and true just-intime deliveries.

Creagh deployed its Rapidres® offsite crosswall system, well suited to repetitive high-rise residential layouts. Panels were manufactured offsite with insulation and openings pre-formed, arriving ready for rapid installation. The approach accelerated programme, improved tolerances, and reduced disruption in a constrained city-centre setting.

Concrete technology was central to the finished appearance.

Four architectural colours – Aspen, Signal, Charcoal, and Copper – were produced using carefully selected aggregates to maintain consistency. A key challenge was re-engineering fluted panels originally specified in aluminium. Developing them in concrete delivered cost savings, removed the need for post-fixing on-site, and created a more durable façade.

Achieving the copper tone required extensive R&D, testing pigment and aggregate blends to match the design intent.

Manufacturing also demanded new methods – timber base moulds absorbed vibration and complicated compaction, so the team trialled different vibrating pokers to lock in a consistent, high-quality finish.

Sustainability measures complemented the build methodology. Creagh’s roadmap to net zero includes a

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1 switch to 100% certified green electricity in 2025 – removing 1,360 tonnes of CO2e annually – alongside smart energy management trials and investment in lower-carbon concrete.

On this project, lightweight shuttering reduced material use and improved safety. Biodiversity stewardship, including ecological relocations ahead of quarrying, further underlines environmental responsibility.

Safety remained paramount throughout. Creagh’s Integrated Management System – accredited to ISO 45001, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 – brings health, safety, quality, and environmental controls into one framework. Engineered lifting solutions and a Six Point Safety Plan helped reduce lost-time incidents and reinforce a culture of vigilance and continuous improvement.

Guildford Crescent is more than Cardiff’s tallest tower, it’s a practical demonstration of what the next generation of construction can deliver, with smarter logistics, safer delivery, and measurable sustainability gains. In an industry often anchored by tradition, this project shows how precast and concrete innovation can raise the bar for cities everywhere.  Find out more at: www.creaghconcrete.com Image 1: Creagh deployed its Rapidres® offsite crosswall system, well suited to repetitive high-rise residential layouts

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Mesh Welding Plants Highly automated reinforcement technology: ˛ flexible ˛ energy efficient ˛ made-to-measure Customized mesh welding plants for the cost-effective production and bending of bespoke reinforcement mesh for a variety of applications.

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FEATURE ROUNDTABLE REPORT

ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE GAP A recent roundtable hosted by MPA Precast, sought to understand the pressure points surrounding precast concrete and the role it plays in creating buildings that are durable, structurally robust and can withstand future climate shocks.

1 WITH CLIMATE RESILIENCE rising across the built environment agenda, the roundtable exposed a gap between what the industry already knows and what it is prepared to deliver.

The discussion examined where precast and offsite approaches can make a practical difference and the importance of better policy decisions, clearer market signals and improved delivery culture.

Climate resilience is no longer a secondary technical issue sitting outside mainstream design and delivery. Flooding, overheating, storm intensity, water scarcity, wildfire risk and wider infrastructure disruption are all moving closer to the centre of the built environment conversation. Yet this roundtable made clear that the industry still does not treat those risks with the same urgency or structure that it now applies to embodied and operational carbon.

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Resilience is rising but still not embedded Convened to examine how the precast concrete sector can support the design, delivery and long-term performance of more resilient buildings

and infrastructure, the session quickly moved beyond a simple material argument and into a harder question – if the risks are increasingly clear, why is resilient delivery still so inconsistent?

ATTENDEES • • • • • • •

Facilitator: Darren Richards, Managing Director, Cogent Consulting Yetunde Abdul, Director of Industry Transformation, UKGBC Vincent Bolton, Editor, Industrialised Construction Journal Suzanne Davenport, Associate, Studio Partington Mark Gilliland, Structures Sales Director, Creagh Concrete Jon Hall, Senior Associate, Hoare Lea Dr Elisabeth Marlow, Sustainability & Resilience, Cundall

• • • • •

Ryan Millican, Sales & Estimating Manager, FP McCann Helen Raymond, Senior Sustainable Design Architect, The Concrete Centre Derek Russell, Director of Innovation, Product Development & Sustainability, Techrete Mark Shepherd, Director, MPA Precast and MPA Masonry Elaine Toogood, Senior Director, MPA Concrete and The Concrete Centre

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FEATURE ROUNDTABLE REPORT

For Elaine Toogood, Senior Director at MPA Concrete and The Concrete Centre, part of the answer is straightforward – adaptation still receives far less attention than mitigation. Elaine noted that climate resilience remains underdiscussed compared with sustainability and embodied carbon, despite the scale of the challenge. Work is happening, but too often in isolated pockets – overheating here, flooding there, supply chain resilience somewhere else. What is still missing is a joined-up approach that treats climate resilience as a standard design and performance requirement rather than a specialist add-on.

The risks are known but not the response One of the strongest conclusions from the room was that policy and planning guidance are not keeping pace.

Participants agreed that the framework remains too fragmented, too weakly enforced and too reactive. Overheating has at least begun to enter regulation more clearly, but even there the view was that current measures are partial and still need development. Flooding is better understood yet still addressed inconsistently and often too narrowly through the planning system.

Elsewhere, resilience remains trapped between voluntary guidance, fragmented standards and the hope that clients will choose to go further than the minimum. As a result, resilience is often treated as somebody else’s responsibility until the consequences become visible and expensive. The roundtable’s verdict was blunt and straightforward – too much of the sector is still operating reactively when it should already be designing ahead of risk.

Where precast makes a practical difference If the policy picture feels weak, the technical picture is much stronger.

One of the more useful aspects of the roundtable was its focus on where precast and offsite approaches already offer credible resilience advantages.

Durability was one of the clearest. The briefing for the session explicitly framed precast around structural robustness, long

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3 design life, predictable performance and lower maintenance cycles. In discussion, which was reinforced by manufacturers and consultants who pointed to the value of systems built to last, able to tolerate harsher conditions and less reliant on fragile layers of materials or finishes over time.

Flood resilience was another major thread. Participants discussed the extent to which material choice is fundamental to performance in floodprone conditions, with mineral-based materials seen as offering obvious advantages over lighter systems more vulnerable to water damage. The discussion did not suggest that precast alone is the answer to flood resilience, but it did underline a practical point, that if the industry already knows certain materials are more robust in wet or wash-down scenarios, continuing to specify less resilient solutions in known

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risk contexts becomes harder to defend.

Straightforward interventions such as raised sill levels, water bars and flood gates also featured in the conversation – not as futuristic answers, but as sensible measures that are still not being embedded consistently enough.

Thermal mass, overheating and the practical design gap Overheating prompted some of the most useful exchanges. Suzanne Davenport, Associate at Studio Partington, and others highlighted the importance of thermal mass in helping buildings cope with rising temperatures, particularly in residential and student accommodation settings where single-aspect rooms, compact layouts and long occupation periods can create difficult conditions.

Participants argued that precast can play a much larger role here than it often  does now, not through broad-brush

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4 claims but through basic building physics.

What still holds this back is that these benefits are not consistently understood, valued or integrated across the design team. As several contributors suggested, the material may have the right properties, but the building still needs to be designed to use them properly.

Hox Park: resilience by client intent That point was sharpened by discussion of Hox Park, the Surrey student accommodation scheme raised during the roundtable by Suzanne Davenport. It gave the discussion a practical example of what resilient thinking can look like when it is designed in rather than added on.

At Hox Park in Surrey, a 499-bed student accommodation scheme was delivered using a fully offsite fabricated precast concrete superstructure supplied

by Techrete. The project was used to show how exposed internal concrete could support both durability and thermal mass in student rooms, while deciduous planting formed part of the overheating response through seasonal shading.

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For a typology that is notoriously difficult from a thermal comfort perspective, which looked like a far more credible design response than leaving the problem to later mechanical fixes.

Hox Park also helped surface a wider commercial truth. The clients most likely to value resilience are often the ones who expect to live with the asset over time. That came through clearly in the discussion around student accommodation and social housing, where long-term operators care directly about durability, maintenance, asset performance and whether a building remains insurable and usable.

Several contributors contrasted that with more short-term development models, where immediate cost is highly visible but longer-term risk sits further down the line. In practice, that shorttermism means resilience measures are still too easily designed out, even when their long-run value is understood.

That was one of the roundtable’s most important underlying messages – resilience is not just a technical issue, but an ownership and incentive issue.

Insurers and investors can drive change Insurers, lenders and investors emerged as important figures in the conversation. Yetunde Abdul, Director of Industry Transformation at UKGBC, joined the discussion around the organisation’s Climate Resilience Roadmap and the next phase of stakeholder action plans. A clear message was that deeper engagement with insurers and banks is now essential, partly because formal policy is moving too slowly, and partly because those actors may end up applying more immediate pressure through finance, underwriting and risk assessment.

The insurance sector was discussed as both a frustration and a potential lever. Frustrating because some current assessments remain too blunt, but potentially powerful because insurers hold data on claims, costs and failure patterns that could influence higher standards if used more intelligently.

A broader point was that clients are still not consistently asking for climate adaptation in a serious, structured way.

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FEATURE ROUNDTABLE REPORT

5 Without a stronger policy stick or a clearer monetary signal, resilience is too often seen as desirable but non-essential.

The conversation also touched on how climate risk might be made more visible at the point of sale, including the idea of climate performance certificates in the same broad spirit as energy performance certificates (EPCs). The logic is straightforward – if resilience affects future value, insurability and upgrade cost, the market needs a clearer way of seeing that before the damage happens, not after.

Known solutions and adoption problems Derek Russell, Director of Innovation, Product Development & Sustainability at Techrete, brought a useful engineering perspective shaped by work across concrete, ports, coastal defence and flood modelling. More broadly, the discussion argued that resilience should not be reduced to a single hazard or a single metric. The risks are systemic.

They affect buildings, infrastructure,

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operations and supply chains all at once. The implication for design and specification is that resilience cannot sit in one corner of the brief. It must be built into the logic of the project from the start.

What gave the session its edge was that it did not suggest the industry lacks technical knowledge. In many respects, the opposite is true. The routes to better resilience are often already understood.

More robust material choices, earlier risk mapping, stronger passive responses to heat, better planning for flood conditions, and more serious attention to long-term asset value are known. The real gap is between what is ‘known and what is normal’.

Precast has a credible role in that conversation because many of its inherent characteristics align closely with what resilience demands of

buildings – durability, thermal stability, water robustness, fire performance and repeatable factory-controlled quality among them. But the bigger message from the room was wider than precast alone. Climate resilience will only become routine when it is treated as a delivery issue, a finance issue, an insurance issue and a design issue at the same time. Until then, the sector will continue to know the answers long before it decides to use them. 

Images 1-3: The roundtable discussion sought to understand climate resilience within a precast concrete perspective Images 4-5: Hox Park student accommodation scheme was used as an example of what resilient thinking can look like. Courtesy Tim Crocker/Studio Partington

Many thanks to everyone that gave up their valuable time to attend the discussion. Find out more about MPA Precast and its work on decarbonisation, durability and industrialised construction at: www.mpaprecast.org

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FEATURE TIDE BANKSIDE

PRECAST INNOVATION AT TIDE BANKSIDE

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TIDE Bankside is a 12-storey commercial development located in London’s Southwark, distinguished not only by striking architecture but by the technical innovation behind its precast concrete façade driven by Thorp Precast.

DESIGNED AS A LOW-EMBODIEDCARBON BUILDING, the project combines a high-performance in-situ concrete frame with an intricate system of precast elements that redefine the possibilities of brick-faced cladding.

The project team included Kier as main contractor, with architects Squire & Partners, structural engineer Heyne Tillett Steel and services engineer Hoare Lea. At the heart of the scheme is a structural frame incorporating a 65% ground granulated blast-furnace slag

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(GGBS) cement replacement, significantly reducing embodied carbon while maintaining durability. However, it is the precast façade that sets the project apart – specifically the eye-catching, sculptural brick-faced piers and precision-finished concrete spandrel panels.

One of the defining features of the building is its series of precast piers formed into unique, wave-like geometries. These elements were conceived to evoke the eroded textures of timber posts and brickwork found

along the River Thames. Rather than relying on traditional planar façades, the design introduces deeply contoured, organic forms that required an advanced approach to fabrication.

Maintaining a brick finish with precast solutions Initially developed through handsculpted clay models, the pier geometries were digitally scanned and translated into 3D models. This digital workflow enabled precise co-

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FEATURE TIDE BANKSIDE

material efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Additionally, bricks could be rotated or inverted to generate variation while maintaining consistency within defined parameters.

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4 ordination between design intent and manufacturing, ultimately allowing the forms to be realised through offsite manufactured, precast construction. The challenge lay in maintaining the fluidity of the sculpted shapes while meeting a late-stage requirement for a brick finish.

The solution was a hybrid precast system developed in collaboration with specialist cladding designer and manufacturer Thorp Precast. Working from its Stoke-on-Trent factory, each pier was constructed as a precast concrete panel faced with individually cut bricks. Using five-axis CNC machinery and waterjet cutting technology, standard bricks were sculpted into bespoke profiles that matched the complex surface geometry.

This process not only achieved the desired aesthetic but also exposed the internal texture of the bricks, enhancing the weathered, river-worn appearance.

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Each brick was digitally mapped and assigned a specific position within the panel, effectively creating a ‘passport’ system to ensure accurate placement. The bricks were then arranged within CNC-cut polystyrene moulds that mirrored the final geometry. Once positioned, a concrete backing, up to 300mm thick, was cast behind the brick face to form a composite precast unit. For areas requiring reduced thickness, ultra-high-performance fibrereinforced concrete (UHPFRC) was used, allowing panel depths as thin as 50mm without compromising strength.

Efficiency in production was a key consideration. The fabrication process was optimised to minimise waste by utilising both the positive and negative outcomes of each brick cut. This ‘mirror image’ or ‘butterfly’ approach meant that a single cut could yield multiple usable components, significantly improving

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Innovative precast sections The project also includes technically demanding precast elements such as the corner column known as the ‘stiletto’. Unlike planar panels, this threedimensional feature is visible from all sides and required a seamless brick finish around corners. It was fabricated as a series of vertically cast, four-sided precast sections, each approximately two metres high with a hollow core. On-site, these units were installed as permanent formwork, placed over reinforcement and subsequently filled with in-situ concrete to create a continuous structural element.

Complementing the piers are precast concrete spandrel panels finished with a light acid etch. This treatment provides a subtle texture and tonal variation, enhancing the façade’s material richness while maintaining a consistent visual relationship with the brick elements. The combination of acid-etched concrete and sculpted brickwork creates a layered façade system that responds dynamically to light and shadow.

The integration of advanced digital modelling, precision manufacturing, and material efficiency strategies demonstrates how precast concrete can be used to achieve both architectural ambition and environmental performance. At TIDE Bankside, precast elements are not merely cladding components but central to the building’s identity, delivering complexity, durability, and low carbon impact in equal measure.

This project illustrates the evolving role of precast construction in contemporary architecture, where bespoke design and industrial processes converge to produce highly expressive yet buildable solutions.  Find out more at: www.thorpprecast.co.uk Images 1-4: The scheme shows the innovative and dynamic nature of precast methods and how it can deliver huge aesthetic appeal

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FEATURE SFRC

REINFORCED BY DESIGN: FIBRES IN REBARS OUT As Danilo Di Giacinto, Business Development Manager Infrastructure at Bekaert Sustainable Construction illustrates, the construction industry pushes deeper into offsite production and standardised assembly, Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) is rewiring how precast concrete is specified, manufactured and delivered reducing complexity. controlled tensile strength, geometry and aspect ratio governing pull out resistance and post crack behaviour (Image 2). Where plain concrete is brittle and fails abruptly, SFRC redistributes tensile stresses across the fibre network, absorbing energy and maintaining structural integrity well beyond initial cracking.

THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF CONSTRUCTION has a concrete problem. Not a problem with concrete itself but a problem embedded within it – traditional steel reinforcement.

Every rebar cage is, by definition, a bespoke fabrication exercise. Bars are cut, bent and tied to suit a specific drawing. In a factory seeking repeatability and throughput, that variability is not a detail – it is a structural inefficiency that undermines the rationale of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA).

What is SFRC? SFRC resolves this contradiction. Instead of positioning reinforcement at discrete, drawing-specific locations, steel fibres are batched directly into the concrete during mixing, forming a continuous three dimensional reinforcing network (Image 1). The result is a homogeneous composite material, reinforced throughout its volume, consistent between batches, and inherently suited to automated formwork and controlled factory production.

The principle is not new. Fibre reinforcement has evolved since the 1970s, but the performance envelope of modern hooked end steel fibres is far removed from early generations.

Today’s fibres are engineered at the wire drawing stage, with

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The DfMA fit This is where SFRC directly supports offsite strategy and DfMA outcomes. DfMA is about elimination: removing process steps that add cost, risk, and variability without adding value. Conventional reinforcement in precast manufacturing clearly fails this test. It requires manual cutting, bending, cage assembly, placement, and inspection, a labour‑intensive, drawing‑dependent sequence completed before any concrete is placed.

1 SFRC eliminates this process entirely. The DfMA value is systemization – specify fibre performance, control dosing and mixing, and verify through routine testing. With no cages, no schedules, and no tolerances to manage, production cycles shorten, labour dependency falls, and output aligns with the pace of concreting itself.

Standardisation & MMC categories The standardisation benefits cascade further. Because reinforcement is distributed homogeneously rather than concentrated in bespoke layouts, the same SFRC concrete specification can often be applied across a family of components. A precaster supplying a modern methods of construction (MMC) programme can choose to optimise dosages by product type or standardise a single mix design and supplement it with local hybrid reinforcement where required. This is the kind of platform thinking that DfMA promotes, and SFRC delivers it at material level with structural performance derived from standardised flexural testing to EN 14651. For MMC supply chains, the fit is equally clean.

SFRC precast elements integrate seamlessly, for instance, into Category 1 (volumetric modular, e.g. bathroom/kitchen pods) and Category 2 (panelised, wall cladding panels) MMC systems without rework or structural compromise.

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FEATURE SFRC

Not all fibres are equal Steel fibres are recognised as structural reinforcement under Annex L of Eurocode 2, providing residual tensile strength that may be directly credited in load bearing design. By contrast, synthetic fibres are deemed non-structural – while they control plastic shrinkage, they lack properties to be credited for ultimate limit state capacity.

Conclusions The performance case for SFRC is strong. By enabling thinner, optimised sections and eliminating discrete reinforcement inefficiency, SFRC can reduce total steel consumption by up to 30% and embodied carbon by up to 35% in precast and infrastructure applications. DfMA is about removing avoidable

complexity. Processes require enabling materials, systems conceived to support factory production, repeatability and rapid assembly. SFRC is one such material. It was a DfMA solution before the industry had a name for the concept.

A practical route is to start with one element family, define performance targets and then scale as confidence grows.  Find out more at: www.bekaert.com www.construction.bekaert.com Image 1: Adding concrete reinforcement in the form of steel fibres during the dosing and mixing stage streamlines the production of precast concrete Image 2: The Dramix® range at a glance: from crack control to structural reinforcement

Steel fibre concrete reinforcement

Dramix®

Simplify.

Save.

Sustain.

Build effortlessly with steel fibres.

bekaert.com

Using Dramix® steel fibres to reinforce your concrete allows the creation of reliable and long-lasting precast elements of any design, no matter how complex.

Contact our local expert: danilo.digiacinto@bekaert.com or visit our website: www.construction.bekaert.com/precast.

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FEATURE TROCOLL HOUSE

FROM IN-SITU TO PRECAST: IMPROVING PROGRAMME CERTAINTY At Trocoll House, a shift in thinking and adoption of a hybrid structural approach demonstrated how an early design change helped unlock efficiency at scale.

1 ON HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, programme certainty often comes down to one key factor – how predictable the structural cycle is. At Trocoll House, a 29-storey build-to-rent development in Barking, this challenge was addressed through a fundamental change in approach.

Originally designed with in-situ concrete columns throughout, the upper structure was converted during early design review to a precast solution – a decision that significantly improved how the project could be delivered.

This shift reflects a broader trend across the industry, where developers and contractors are increasingly looking to offsite solutions to reduce programme risk, improve buildability and deliver greater certainty on complex schemes.

From level seven upwards, 418 precast concrete columns were introduced across 22 storeys, replacing labour-intensive in-situ works at height with a repeatable, factory-controlled process. This shift enabled greater consistency, improved dimensional accuracy and a more reliable construction sequence aligned with the vertical progression of the tower.

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Milbank Concrete Products worked closely with Oliver Connell to redesign the column package for offsite manufacture. This involved resolving all key installation requirements at design stage, including lifting systems, grout connections, lightning protection integration and co-ordination with sitespecific safety systems. By addressing these elements upfront, the team ensured that production and installation could proceed without disruption. For the project team, the benefits were immediate. Precast columns enabled: • • • •

Predictable floor-to-floor construction cycles Reduced reliance on skilled labour at height Improved quality through tighter tolerances and consistent finishes Fewer temporary works and reduced site congestion.

In a constrained urban environment, these advantages were particularly valuable. A just-in-time delivery strategy ensured each unit arrived ready for installation, minimising storage requirements and supporting efficient

2 sequencing on-site. Close co-ordination between manufacturing and erection programmes helped reduce crane downtime and maintain momentum on the build. Alongside programme and buildability benefits, the solution also contributed to the project’s sustainability targets. Optimised concrete mix designs achieved up to 33% embodied carbon reduction, while offsite manufacture reduced waste and improved material efficiency. All deliveries were completed using HVO-powered vehicles, lowering transport-related emissions.

Trocoll House highlights an important lesson for high-rise residential construction. When precast is considered early in the design process, it can move beyond product substitution and become a strategic tool for improving buildability, reducing risk and delivering more predictable outcomes.  Find out more at: www.milbank.co.uk Images 1-2: Milbank Concrete Products worked closely with Oliver Connell to redesign the column package for precast concrete offsite manufacture

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Precast Concrete, Delivered as Part of a Smarter Construction Strategy Supporting developers and contractors with efficient, buildable and low-carbon structural solutions.

Milbank Concrete Products delivers a wide range of precast solutions designed to support modern methods of construction - from structural frames and floors to stair cores, retaining walls and bespoke elements.

Working in collaboration with contractors and engineers from early design stages, we help optimise structural strategies to improve buildability, reduce programme risk and enhance overall project performance.

Manufactured offsite in a controlled environment, our solutions offer consistent quality, faster installation and reduced onsite labour, while achieving embodied carbon savings of up to 33% and lower transport emissions through HVO-powered deliveries.

Reliable. Repeatable. Ready for Offsite Construction.

Milbank Concrete Products - helping you build better.

Get in Touch: 01787 223931

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FEATURE STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN CENTRE

PRECAST & PASSIVHAUS PERFORMANCE

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With a huge precast concrete dimension, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre is an offsite design marvel. Nicola Carniato, Director at AKT II, Kitty Byrne, Senior Architect at Hopkins Architects and Steve Holland, Project Director at Laing O’Rourke outline why.

THE STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN CENTRE FOR THE HUMANITIES brings together Oxford University’s humanities faculties within a purpose designed building intended to foster cross disciplinary collaboration. Located in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, the Centre provides a single academic and cultural hub for disciplines previously dispersed across the city.

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The building accommodates seven libraries and a suite of major performance spaces, including a 500 seat concert hall, a 250 seat theatre and a 100 seat cinema. In total, it comprises over 25,300sq m of floor area and nearly 1,000 rooms. Arranged over four storeys, the building is organised around the Great Hall, which acts as a central public forum and circulation space, crowned by a distinctive timber and glass

dome that brings daylight deep into the heart of the building.

Precise design co-ordination Designed by Hopkins Architects and delivered by Laing O’Rourke, the Schwarzman Centre is the largest single building project ever undertaken by the University of Oxford. It has achieved Passivhaus certification, including the

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FEATURE STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN CENTRE

2 world’s first Passivhaus concert hall, made possible by precise design coordination and the high construction quality delivered across both structure and façade.

Offsite construction methodologies were fundamental to achieving the project’s environmental and programme objectives. More than 3,000 precast concrete columns, floor units and façade elements were manufactured offsite, allowing superstructure and envelope works to progress in parallel with

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basement construction. This significantly reduced programme risk and minimised disruption within Oxford’s historic city centre. The two storey basement was constructed using secant piled walls, in situ reinforced concrete walls and a raft foundation, above which the structure transitions entirely to precast construction up to roof level. Rapid erection allowed early weather tightness, thus providing programme certainty and early access for follow on trades.

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2 Precast and offsite fundamentals Three key areas of the project serve as key exemplars of how offsite manufacturing was fundamental to achieving the demanding performance and quality standards defined from the earliest stages of design.

The Great Hall forms the civic and spatial heart of the Centre. It is a centrally located, four storey atrium crowned by a timber and glass dome that draws  natural light deep into the building.

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4 Positioned at the intersection of the primary circulation routes, the space is defined by perimeter balconies at every level. These are formed from exposed precast columns and cantilevered lattice slabs, supported by expressed precast arches overlooking the Hall.

The balcony design balanced architectural ambition with the requirements of offsite manufacture and efficient installation. Precast columns are one storey high and terminate below the arches, which sit directly on top, creating a seamless structural transition to the columns above.

At third floor level, the dome springs from the precast frame. The dome was preassembled at ground level and lifted into position, requiring careful tolerance management. To accommodate this, the circular precast columns reduce in diameter between the third and fourth floors, articulated by conical capitals.

This geometry integrates embedded steelwork supporting the dome’s timber struts, achieving both structural performance and architectural refinement.

The 500 seat concert hall is a highly sensitive performance space requiring exceptional acoustic separation alongside long spans and high load capacity. These demands were addressed using a precast concrete independent ‘box in box’ construction.

The hall is formed from precast vertical panels spanning between steel columns supported on acoustic bearings, structurally and acoustically isolated from the surrounding building.

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The inherent mass of the concrete provides effective sound insulation, while the precision of precast manufacture ensures the reliable integration of internal architectural features, including the hand veneered timber wall linings and the acoustic ‘Top Hat’. This element incorporates a solid timber structure that references the heavy timber roofs of traditional Oxford halls and chapels and is shaped to reflect sound back down into the auditorium.

The concert hall is the world’s first to achieve Passivhaus certification, made possible by the combination of extremely high performance construction methods, strict tolerances and careful control of both acoustic isolation and environmental performance.

An integrated MMC solution Overall, the 500 seat hall demonstrates how precast construction systems can extend well beyond structural efficiency, enabling specialist building functions where performance requirements are critical.

Precast concrete played a central role in delivering a robust brick and Clipsham stone faced envelope capable of meeting the stringent requirements of Passivhaus certification, particularly with respect to airtightness and thermal continuity.

Windows were pre installed into the precast façade panels offsite, significantly reducing air leakage risk at interfaces while simplifying on site sequencing and installation. The façade provides a contemporary response to Oxford’s historic collegiate materiality, combining

traditional masonry aesthetics with modern methods of construction. This approach enabled exceptional levels of airtightness for a building of this scale, supporting low operational energy demand and long term environmental performance targets.

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities demonstrates how precast concrete can be used as an integrated MMC solution rather than simply a structural choice. Its success lies in combining speed, quality, durability and environmental performance within a single delivery strategy.

The approach significantly reduced material deliveries and construction waste, lowering disruption to the local community through fewer haulage movements and reduced on site labour. Health and safety benefits were substantial, as offsite fabrication reduced work at height, manual handling and occupational health risks, while improving programme certainty and working conditions, with positive effects on mental well being. As universities invest in large scale, low carbon projects on constrained sites, this scheme provides a clear reference point.  Find out more at: www.akt-uk.com www.hopkins.co.uk www.laingorourke.com Image 1: The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities is a major academic and cultural building at the University of Oxford Images 2-5: Precast concrete and offsite manufacturing was fundamental to achieving demanding performance and quality standards

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PRECAST CONCRETE FACTORY EXPANSION

A NEW ERA IN UK PRECAST PRODUCTION

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Oranmore Precast has launched the UK’s most advanced automated precast carousel facility, setting a new benchmark for industrialised construction and redefining how precast concrete is delivered at scale.

LOCATED IN LOUND, RETFORD, the £22million investment is not simply a new factory – it is a fully integrated, digitally driven manufacturing system engineered for precision, speed, and total control. Robotics, automation, and full digital traceability are embedded throughout, enabling high-volume production with consistent quality and significantly reduced programme risk.

Automation, scale and control Led by Joint Managing Directors Richard Burke and Ross Melville, the business has taken a decisive position to invest ahead of demand, industrialise delivery, and eliminate inefficiencies that continue to constrain traditional construction. At the heart of the facility is a next-generation carousel system producing twinwall and floor slabs in a continuous, high-output cycle. Twinwall is a structurally efficient precast solution comprising two reinforced concrete skins connected by lattice girders and infilled on-site to create a solid wall.

It delivers factory-controlled quality alongside on-site flexibility, accelerating

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build programmes, reducing labour dependency, and ensuring consistent structural performance.

Automation is central to the model.

Robotics-enabled shuttering, automated mesh fabrication, and just-in-time lattice girder production reduce set-up times by up to 50%, enabling true just-in-time manufacturing and materially shortening project lead-in periods. In a market under pressure to deliver faster and with greater certainty, this represents a fundamental shift.

Material efficiency is built into the system. Twinwall optimises the use of concrete and reinforcement, while advanced mesh production ensures precise specification with minimal waste.

The result is a product engineered for efficiency – not just structurally, but in transport and craneage – reducing site handling, lowering costs, and delivering a more sustainable solution with reduced embodied carbon. Strategically, the impact is significant. The UK has long relied on imported twinwall systems from mainland Europe. This facility restores domestic capability at scale, strengthening supply chain resilience and reducing exposure

Issue 4 April / May 2026

2 Images 1-2: The £22million factory investment adds a new dimension to delivering advanced precast products at scale

to logistics disruption. Shorter transport distances further cut carbon emissions.

Supporting the golden thread Sustainability is embedded at every level.

The facility operates on 100% renewable energy generated on-site, with waste heat recovery planned to enable reuse in the curing process, supporting a circular, lowcarbon manufacturing model aligned with net zero targets. Every element produced is digitally tracked from raw material through to installation, supporting the ‘golden thread’ of information required under the Building Safety Act and setting a new standard for transparency and compliance.

With capacity targeting 120,000sq m annually, the facility is built to support major residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects nationwide. This is not an incremental upgrade – it is a decisive move towards faster, more controlled, and lower-carbon construction, delivered at scale in the UK  For project enquiries or to discuss how we can support your next development, contact info@oranmoreprecast.com

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DIARY DATES 2026 UPCOMING UK EVENTS

Dates for your diary OFFSITE AWARDS ENTRY DEADLINE  29 May 2026  Online The OFFSITE AWARDS shine a spotlight on the most pioneering achievements - from forward-thinking designs to cutting-edge technologies, we honour those driving transformation in the built environment. Each year, our platform brings industry leaders, professionals, and innovators together to celebrate success stories and share best practices that define the future of construction.

TALL BUILDINGS SUMMIT  09 & 10 June 2026  TOGETHER, 88 Wood Street, London The Summit features keynotes, debates and innovation showcases on modern methods of construction, risk mitigation and regulatory change, where the scale and pace of development demand new solutions – from digital construction to smarter compliance pathways, to sustainable structural systems capable of meeting ambitious carbon targets.

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS  09 June 2026  TOGETHER, 88 Wood Street, London The Tall Buildings Awards is a prestigious celebration of excellence and innovation within the tall buildings sector. It brings together the architects, engineers, developers and product manufacturers who are redefining our skylines. The Tall Buildings Awards take a holistic approach, enabling all providers the opportunity for recognition.

STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS ENTRY DEADLINE  11 July 2026  Online For the last twelve years, Structural Timber Awards has celebrated excellence in the timber construction sector and this year the awards will be returning to the NCC in Birmingham in October. The Structural Timber Awards showcase innovation, sustainability, and technical achievement across the UK’s timber sector.

EXPLORE OFFSITE CONFERENCE  15 & 16 September 2026  NCC, Birmingham Explore Offsite Conference 2026 is an industry event bringing together leaders, innovators, policymakers and practitioners from across the offsite manufacturing, technology and modern methods of construction (MMC) sectors. The conference will provide a focused platform to explore the latest innovations, emerging trends and strategic opportunities shaping the future of the offsite manufacturing and construction sector.

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Issue 52 4 April / May 2026

www.offsitemagazine.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/exploreoffsite

THE LEADING PRECAST FRAME MANUFACTURER ACROSS THE UK & IRELAND

O’Reilly Precast delivers high-quality full-frame and Architectural Wall Panel (AWP) solutions designed to accelerate construction programmes.

Our offsite-manufactured systems enable rapid installation, reduced site labour, and consistent, factory-controlled quality across projects throughout Ireland and the UK. Designed and manufactured in-house, our approach is built around one dedicated team focused on your project, with the flexibility to adapt as plans change.

OREILLYPRECAST.COM

Talk to our precast team about accelerating your next build

(042) 969 3500 sales@oreillyprecast.com oreillyprecast

SAFER. FASTER. CHEAPER. GREENER. PROTECTING PEOPLE AND THE PLANET WITH OUR MODULAR INNOVATIONS FOR OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION.

Industry award-winning products and systems • ALIMATS® • Stacker Packers • Hole Covers

• Shutter Clip • Instant Pipe Shutter • Safety Net Recovery System

01335 345111

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