Modular housing could be the solution to the housing crisis, delivering houses 50% faster and half emissions in the process, Make UK Modular has claimed
Modular housing could be the solution to the housing crisis, research by Make UK Modular has found.
‘Greener, Better, Faster: Modular’s Role in Solving the Housing Crisis’ has found that modular homes can be built to consistently high sustainability standards in factories, many of which have been established in over 40 post-industrial provincial towns or cities, creating over 3,000 jobs and delivering £700m of investment to low-growth, low employment areas.
Modular manufacturers produce 3,300 homes a year, or one in 60 of all new houses in the UK.
With no snagging or defects, it is possible for a single crane to install a house completely in one day, far faster than traditional construction.
Make UK Modular argues that the Government should fast-track planning permission for modular housing solutions to deliver 20,000 low-energy use homes across the country, which would cost 55% less to heat than the average ‘bricks and mortar’ family house in the UK.
Modular housing offers energy savings in the face of the cost-of-living-crisis
Factory engineering can deliver modular homes at a high standard of sustainability, providing savings of 55% on energy consumption compared to the average UK home and cost 32% less to heat than a traditional new build.
This translates to savings of up to £800 a year for a three-bedroomed family home, and energy reduction rises to 60% for single or two-person households living in smaller properties.
This investment would deliver even more energy-efficient homes in the coming months at a time households are struggling with an unprecedented cost-of-living-crisis.
Modular homes are not only more efficient in day-to-day life but also throughout the construction lifecycle
The research found that modular home construction is both more efficient and produces 90% less materials wastage than traditional builds.
The amount of transport access for sites was also reduces, with 80% fewer vehicle movements to site, creating less local disruption and pollution.
Current housing targets have not been met
Homes England missed its 2021-22 affordable homes target by 21.5%, an issue exacerbated by a shortage of skilled construction labour.
However, modular factories have been set up in those areas of the UK where employment is needed, creating a secure labour pipeline.
Employment prospects are attractive with modular manufacturers delivering training and upskilling for new staff, enabling homes to be guaranteed for swift delivery to regions of the UK where housing is in short supply.
The research goes on to suggest that the Government should commit 20% of their programme of affordable housing provision to modular housing to continue this growth of housing stock and local economies.
The report argues Government support will boost innovation and productivity in modular housing, offering a solution to the housing crisis
Record spending by modular construction companies in Research and Development accounts for 30% of all R&D in across the whole construction sector.
The research takes the further step of outlining key ways in which the Government can drive the modular housing industry to new heights:
- Dedicate 20% of their programme of affordable housing provision to modular housing which has already shown it can deliver new homes fast
- Offer fast-track planning, prioritising modular and green homes in land allocation
- Raise energy efficiency standards for new housing, where modular already meets a higher criteria than traditional building, reduce stamp duty based on energy efficiency and net zero performance and require all for sale and to let homes to provide accurate date on energy bills
Collectively, these changes would drive up standards, while offering pipeline security for modular producers and helping the industry to scale up.
Steve Cole, director of Make UK Modular, the trade body for modular housing said:
“There is a housing success story in this country, and it is modular. This report shows definitively that modular is now a significant player in the UK housing market. Government must capitalise on this as opportunities to transform our broken housing market into the most sophisticated in the world do not come around every day.
“Government must accelerate modular delivery, building on the investment made and the jobs created, by removing the remaining barriers holding the industry back.”
