Construction News
26/02/2019
Demand Rises For Portable Buildings
Demand has increased for portable buildings, according to recent report 'Prefabricated Volumetric Building Systems Market Report – UK 2018-2022'.
Since 2016, where there was an evident dip in market value (possibly due to the EU referendum), the demand has shown a significant improvement with a 6% increase in 2017. This market value includes factory made, fully assembled, three-dimensional modules.
Since the construction industry began to recover in 2013, volumetric construction has grown, which is largely due to an increased demand for onsite accommodation on major infrastructure projects, such as The Thameslink Railway Construction Programme. It is also partly down to a spike in demand in other sectors such as portable offices and the education sector seeing request for flexibility and affordability.
Temporary Accommodation
The biggest market for portable buildings seems to be temporary accommodation on industrial sites and construction, including event hire. Education and healthcare are also key areas of use. The uses for these structures vary, with operating theatres and wards being the largest temporary application in the healthcare sector.
In the education sector, modular structures are widely used as semi-permanent portable buildings for school classrooms, and in many cases, these buildings end up being permanent solutions. Major, permanent builds include blocks for sixth forms, specialist subject blocks, whole nurseries and extra sports facilitates for storage and more.
House-building and Construction
Many established construction and house-building companies have begun to adapt their semi-permanent work structures into off-site housing in recent years. With many big 'players' in the industry getting on board, it's not hard to see the emerging trend. Well known names such as Berkeley Homes and Barratt homes, to name just two, are new market entrants amongst others.
Over the next few years there are numerous factors that are likely to underpin steady growth in this sector. These include an increase in the number of public sector procurement frameworks – several which are specific to off-site construction, as well as the increased use of BIM (Building Information Modelling).
More importantly there is now a strong likelihood of growth in the use of off-site construction methods and portable buildings to help meet the chronic housing shortage. It may be a viable solution in dealing with the lack of traditional construction skills within the industry.
Off-site Manufacturing Techniques
In the Housing White Paper of 2017, the government supported the use of off-site manufacturing techniques. This meant they backed the main benefits of high-quality, reliability, productivity, energy efficiency and required fewer people on site. The £2 billion Accelerated Construction Programme and the £3 billion Home Building Fund both supported this opinion. This includes those using modular construction and portable buildings.
A higher demand for site accommodation on major infrastructure projects is most likely to be sustained through 2022 and beyond. Due to the implementation of the government's Roads Investment Strategy and the continuation of Smart Motorways amongst other new developments, the need for portable buildings to be used as offices is forecast to grow at a rate of 3-5% per year. It wouldn't be surprising that this growth is likely to continue with further innovations and plans.
Excel Modular Buildings has more than 40 years of experience in the supply of Modular Buildings, Portable Cabins, Anti-vandal Units and Containers.
www.excelmodular.co.uk
Since 2016, where there was an evident dip in market value (possibly due to the EU referendum), the demand has shown a significant improvement with a 6% increase in 2017. This market value includes factory made, fully assembled, three-dimensional modules.
Since the construction industry began to recover in 2013, volumetric construction has grown, which is largely due to an increased demand for onsite accommodation on major infrastructure projects, such as The Thameslink Railway Construction Programme. It is also partly down to a spike in demand in other sectors such as portable offices and the education sector seeing request for flexibility and affordability.
Temporary Accommodation
The biggest market for portable buildings seems to be temporary accommodation on industrial sites and construction, including event hire. Education and healthcare are also key areas of use. The uses for these structures vary, with operating theatres and wards being the largest temporary application in the healthcare sector.
In the education sector, modular structures are widely used as semi-permanent portable buildings for school classrooms, and in many cases, these buildings end up being permanent solutions. Major, permanent builds include blocks for sixth forms, specialist subject blocks, whole nurseries and extra sports facilitates for storage and more.
House-building and Construction
Many established construction and house-building companies have begun to adapt their semi-permanent work structures into off-site housing in recent years. With many big 'players' in the industry getting on board, it's not hard to see the emerging trend. Well known names such as Berkeley Homes and Barratt homes, to name just two, are new market entrants amongst others.
Over the next few years there are numerous factors that are likely to underpin steady growth in this sector. These include an increase in the number of public sector procurement frameworks – several which are specific to off-site construction, as well as the increased use of BIM (Building Information Modelling).
More importantly there is now a strong likelihood of growth in the use of off-site construction methods and portable buildings to help meet the chronic housing shortage. It may be a viable solution in dealing with the lack of traditional construction skills within the industry.
Off-site Manufacturing Techniques
In the Housing White Paper of 2017, the government supported the use of off-site manufacturing techniques. This meant they backed the main benefits of high-quality, reliability, productivity, energy efficiency and required fewer people on site. The £2 billion Accelerated Construction Programme and the £3 billion Home Building Fund both supported this opinion. This includes those using modular construction and portable buildings.
A higher demand for site accommodation on major infrastructure projects is most likely to be sustained through 2022 and beyond. Due to the implementation of the government's Roads Investment Strategy and the continuation of Smart Motorways amongst other new developments, the need for portable buildings to be used as offices is forecast to grow at a rate of 3-5% per year. It wouldn't be surprising that this growth is likely to continue with further innovations and plans.
Excel Modular Buildings has more than 40 years of experience in the supply of Modular Buildings, Portable Cabins, Anti-vandal Units and Containers.
www.excelmodular.co.uk
17/01/2025
Leeds Trinity University has officially opened its newly refurbished City Campus at 1 Trevelyan Square in Leeds.
Completed by GRAHAM Interior Fit-Out, the transformation of the central Leeds site introduces state-of-the-art facilities designed to improve learning and collaborate with industry partn
17/01/2025
Trammell Crow Company (TCC) has secured planning permission for a Grade A logistics scheme in Heywood, Greater Manchester, following a successful planning appeal.
The development will feature two state-of-the-art industrial and logistics buildings. One building will house two units measuring 4,796
17/01/2025
Poole-based developer AJC Group has celebrated a record-breaking 2024, delivering 100 affordable homes, a significant increase from the 72 units completed in the previous year.
Since 2023, AJC Group has completed and handed over 172 affordable homes across five sites.
In 2024 alone, the developer
17/01/2025
Plans for one of the most ambitious parks projects in London have taken a significant step forward, with Haringey Council securing nearly two additional acres of land around The Paddock nature reserve in Tottenham Hale.
The agreement with Thames Water marks a major milestone in the transformation o
17/01/2025
Islington Council has unveiled two draft guidance documents aimed at helping residents, businesses, and developers combat climate change by making buildings more energy efficient and fostering a greener, healthier borough.
The consultation seeks feedback on the draft Climate Action Supplementary Pl
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has unveiled a £98 million investment plan over the next five years to develop around 500 new homes across the city.
The proposal, part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, received Cabinet approval this week and now moves to Full Council for final
17/01/2025
Croydon Council has announced a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the Purley Pool site, with revised proposals submitted for a new leisure centre, later living housing, and the regeneration of the surrounding area.
A planning application for the site was initially submitted in 2024, pro
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has announced that demolition work has commenced on the New Park Village estate, marking the start of a major £40 million redevelopment project to transform outdated council housing.
Contractor DSM Demolition has begun pulling down poor-quality bungalows on Valley
17/01/2025
Hillingdon Council has acquired 12 new homes at Carpenters Court in Uxbridge.
Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ian Edwards and Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth, visited the site to officially mark the handover of the properties from local developer Kearns Devel
17/01/2025
Organisers of UK Construction Week (UKCW) have announced another major coup for the show's 10th anniversary year, with the news that UKCW London will be co-locating with the 14th edition of The Stone Show & Hard Surfaces, the principal industry event for surface design.
Established 26 years ago, th