The written evidence provided by Totally Modular on the advantages and challenges of modular housing has been accepted as part of the evidence for the Lords inquiry on “Off-site manufacture for construction”. The document will help the Government to shape future building policies.

Leading volumetric steel frame modular manufacturer, Totally Modular, contributed with its expertise on the topic of offsite building, the key theme of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry.

The inquiry, launched on the 29th of March 2018, aims to examine whether the construction of houses offsite can help address the housing crisis. The committee is evaluating the potentials and pitfalls of modular buildings, any obstacles to their adoption, as well as how Government policy changes can encourage offsite manufacture.

The written evidence provided by Totally Modular, published on the UK Parliament website, makes a clear distinction between “offsite” and “volumetric/modular” housing. In offsite construction, only the house’s superstructure is built in sections in a factory, i.e. the skills required, and the final output are comparable to traditional building techniques. Whereas, in volumetric construction, over 90% of the house is completed offsite in a quality-controlled factory environment.

This enables houses to be built on a large scale, in a time and cost-effective way, while adhering to high-quality standards and minimising the environmental impact. Mick Pettitt, Operations Director at Totally Modular, commented:

“We believe that modular housing, rather than offsite building, is the solution to address the housing crisis and help to address the skills shortage in the building sector. At Totally Modular, we deliver energy efficient homes quickly and efficiently, minimising waste and any disruptions that can take place onsite.”

Click here to read Totally Modular’s written evidence.