The MHCLG categorisation of MMC is comprehensive and includes the application of digital tools to drive productivity improvements both on site and in factories.
We can’t focus exclusively on ‘cheap,’ driving a race to the bottom.The focus must be on broader value.
In terms of implementing policy decisions, we need to provide more evidence, more data, more measurement.It’s vital that we’re able to demonstrate clearly that these new ways of operating will deliver the outcomes we seek.It’s not enough just to measure cost and time.
We need to make a strong case for the other value outcomes as well, including productive growth and social value..Finally, we need to have a certain amount of flexibility on the journey to meeting our goals.
It’s critical to know where we’re heading, but we shouldn’t rush down the wrong path for political expediency or short-term measures.
We’ve got to be able to respond to emerging needs, placing greater emphasis on what may be required at any point, be that lowering carbon emissions, social value, or any other value driver, and we’ve got to respond in the right way and at the right pace, so we don’t get taken off course.Intumescent paint has to be manually chipped off steelwork before it can be recycled or reused, so choosing to use boarding for fire protection is a better sustainable design choice.
These decisions have little cost impact when they are integrated into the building’s design, but can help create – and sustain – the circular economy..Extending a building’s life, or giving it a second life through refurbishment, reduces the need to use yet more building materials for its replacement.
Designing adaptable buildings enables the function to change depending on its users’ needs.If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that workplaces and homes both need to be flexible to account for changing work patterns.
(Editor: Popular Infrared Sensors)