Offsite construction offers reliability and predictability
Offsite construction efficiencies can result in up to 50% cost savings over traditional methods.
(PRWEB UK) 29 July 2015
Although it can’t really be described as a new method of construction, (it’s been around since Roman times), offsite construction is demonstrating significant innovation within the building sector.
What are the benefits of offsite construction? The market for off-site manufacture is expanding rapidly in the UK. According to a survey conducted by Inside Housing magazine; over the next three years, 56.8% of 22,544 homes planned by 17 of the UK’s largest housing associations will be constructed using offsite methods, including timber frame and modular construction.
Offsite manufacturing is typically associated with affordable housing and student accommodation, but it is becoming more common in other areas. For example, London’s iconic Leadenhall Building, with its tight footprint and constraints around site storage, was 85% manufactured offsite, while Heathrow’s Terminal T2A, with its deployment of modular M&E, has saved one million onsite working hours. AV Danzer have been working with hospitals, schools and laboratories for over 25 years, and their LinkPak products are considered by many to be an industry standard in flexible custom built solutions.
Offsite construction offers many advantages over traditional ‘brick and block’ construction. Here are some of the many the reasons why:
Speed:
There are significant time savings to be made using offsite modular construction. With project start to completion times cut by up to 50%, disruption to clients and the local community is always minimised – a particular benefit in the case of a school or hospital. Because a high proportion of the build and fit-out is completed in the factory, on-site time required for final finishing is vastly reduced.
Sustainability:
Offsite construction is ahead of the game when it comes to sustainability. Work in the factory can be scheduled to start at the same time as the site is being prepared (or even sooner), so the two processes take place in parallel, resulting in an accelerated build programme. Waste is reduced, impact of construction activities on-site, such as noise, ground disturbance and vehicle movements are all greatly minimised.
Safety and working conditions:
Transferring work off-site into a controlled environment improves safety. It’s much safer to produce something in a controlled factory environment rather than building outside, at height, while exposed to changeable weather.
Whole life cost:
Enhanced specification standards and build quality can reduce occupancy costs related to energy use, defects and repairs.
Helen Scott of modular buildings specialists AV Danzer says, "When clients and contractors visit our completed buildings, they are amazed with our build quality, and the speed of our delivery. The resulting efficiencies can result in up to 50% cost savings over traditional methods."
Traditional methods of construction delivery are inherently wasteful with multiple layers of management with complicated and inefficient working methods on site that ensure and perpetuate some of the lowest productivity figures in any industry. These performance figures will not change – without challenging and changing the delivery processes.
Off-site solutions are becoming recognised as a mainstream method of building.
For more information about offsite construction methods for modular buildings call Helen Scott 0800 012 6563 or visit http://www.avdanzer.co.uk
AV Danzer are based in Manchester, London and Nottingham in the UK and provide modular, prefabricated, secure steel buildings, on-site sanitary solutions, and portable offices for short term, or long term use. Custom built solutions are always available. Visit http://www.avdanzer.co.uk