CONSTRUCTION IN COLD REGIONS, WITH ROBOTS

The robotic arm is a technology that is used in multiple industries. A paper published in the journal Sustainability has explored the use of this technology in constructing modular buildings in colder regions, where building projects may be limited by the constraints of daylight hours and low temperatures due to the needs of human operators.

 

Robotic Arms in Construction

Meeting the demands of modern society has driven technological innovation in multiple industrial sectors. Consequently, technological progress has prompted individuals to demand more from their living environment in terms of aesthetics and functionality, leading to building designs that provide a safer, more convenient, and comfortable environment for inhabitants. An increasingly fast pace of life and population growth facilitates increased construction efficiency.

Robotic operation route. Image Credit: Sun, X et al., Sustainability

Robotic arms are high precision, multi-input and output, nonlinear, and coupled complex systems. Their operational flexibility means they are used in a variety of hazardous environments, industrial assembly processes, and other fields. Contemporary trends in the construction industry, such as standardized design, rapid construction, and refined construction, have facilitated the adoption of innovative technologies.

Robotic arms have significant potential as a breakthrough technology in the construction sector. They can replace human operators in harmful environments, perform heavy manual labor, improve the safety of construction projects, and accurately complete repetitive motions. The development of a standardized process from design to construction will aid the application, adoption, and promotion of robotic arm technology in building projects across the world.

Modular Design

Originating from industrial design, modular design is a concept that is conducive to the standardization, generalization, serialization, and combination of industrial production. The overall product is deconstructed into modular units. The concept has been applied in numerous industrial fields such as aerospace, automobiles, electrical appliances, and construction.

The modular design method was adopted by Ford in 1913 for their production lines, and since then, architects have employed modular design to save costs and standardize buildings. Applied to architecture, modular design combines separate standardized modules with similar properties and sizes to create an entire building.

The module construction process. Image Credit: Sun, X et al., Sustainability

Modular design is economical, as units can be produced in a factory, saving cost, materials, and time. It enhances reproducibility as units are constructed to a standardized design, and units can be replaced and recycled. Finally, there are environmental benefits due to reductions in waste, the adoption of emergent design ideas, and the building area can be adjusted due to functional needs.

Modular building projects are based on the client’s functional needs, modules are designed by an architect, and the project is assembled on-site by construction teams. However, a building that is too standardized may not meet the differentiated needs of modern society. To meet these demands, digital manufacturing has become increasingly utilized in modern design.

Robotic arms are highly adaptable, and superior precision and rapid assembly can be realized by using this technology. Moreover, combining modular production with robotic arm technology can drive down traditional costs associated with construction. Computer-aided design facilitates the customizable design of modules.

Using Robotic Arms for Modular Design in Colder Regions

Large populations live in the colder regions of the world. The same as any population, individuals living in these areas require structures for domestic and commercial purposes. However, building projects in these regions face unique issues with daytime hours and frigid temperatures, especially in the winter months. The use of robotic arms in colder regions is the central focus of the new research paper published in Sustainability.

The environmental issues faced by construction projects in these areas become apparent when human workers are considered. Cold weather and limited daylight hours are major health and safety concerns for construction workers and project managers.

The main advantages of automation and robotic technologies for building projects in colder regions are obvious. Firstly, robotic arms can operate in extreme conditions and even in hours with reduced daylight. Secondly, they can perform tasks more accurately and repetitively than human workers. Thirdly, they can carry out more complex construction in a three-dimensional space.

Current literature has mostly concentrated on the applications of the technology for masonry processes using small bricks and blocks, with a lack of focus on the installation of complete modules. Thus, the new research in Sustainability has investigated the use of a robotic arm design for the assembly of overall models and integrating this concept into the entire design and construction process. A complete design method for robotic arm assembly of modular units in colder regions has been developed by the researchers. The researchers used a case study of the construction of a museum in Harbin, China. The design and construction process was entirely simulated, and design and application limitations were investigated and discussed.

The authors have proposed several design strategies and methods for modular construction utilizing robotic arm technology. Furthermore, they have identified current limitations which will inform future development and implementation of robotic arms, especially for construction in colder climates. Overall, this study is a preliminary exploration of the use of robotic arms for modular building projects in colder climates.

 

Source: Azo Materials

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INDUSTRIALISATION, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERSIFY

By Luke Tap, Partner at Pinsent Masons

Industrialisation gives construction industry opportunity to diversify

The shift from a site-based industry heavily dependent on physical labour to one led by technology and innovation presents a unique opportunity to diversify the construction workforce.

Construction is a historically male-dominated sector, with UK gender pay gap reporting data showing one of the largest continuing gaps in the average earnings of male and female employees. While most of the businesses in this space have put in place strategies to address diversity and measure progress, progress is slow, and with many sectors now competing to attract a new breed of tech-savvy talent action is needed urgently.

For Madeleina Loughrey-Grant, group legal director at Laing O’Rourke, industrialisation will drive both decarbonisation of the construction industry and diversity, creating opportunities to better balance the profile of the workforce and bring in new talent who may have been put off by sector’s traditional image. Earlier this year, the company hired Vicky Bullivant, former head of sustainability at Drax, as group head of sustainability – a brand new role for Laing O’Rourke.

Reassessing reputation

In the same way as we can expect a ‘rush for talent’ at senior levels a more industrialised construction industry is likely to find itself competing for talent with other business sectors, in particular technology and innovation.

But attracting – and retaining – the right talent and skills will depend on construction significantly rehabilitating its reputation, particularly at apprentice and graduate level. ‘Generation Z’, those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, no longer anticipate having a career for life, having grown up through two recessions. They are likely to prioritise fulfilling work that aligns with their values and, in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, an agile working environment, including flexible working hours and the ability to work from home.

The construction sector tends to suffer a poor image among this age group, who may view it as dirty, old-fashioned, physically demanding and even dangerous. As construction businesses industrialise and the sectors begins to implement decarbonisation initiatives, there is an opportunity to re-set this reputation, as new types of work become available and the shift to industrialised methods drives up worker welfare and health and safety standards

Similarly, firms should also look again at existing diversity initiatives, including the work many are already doing to tackle the sector’s historic gender pay gap. Outreach programmes based on encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to consider careers in the fields of science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM), embracing flexible and agile working in those roles where it is practical to do so, and creating mentoring, development and leadership opportunities for those from less represented backgrounds are among the options considered by employers.

Source: Pinsent Masons

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Midlands at the forefront of Hydrogen innovation

New programme puts the Midlands at the forefront of Hydrogen innovation

A new programme has been launched which is designed to support and foster and creation of a new hydrogen economy in the Midlands.

‘HyDEX’ brings together the university partners in the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), with multinational businesses, SMEs and other partners, in order to accelerate innovation in hydrogen, build markets and the supply chain, and support the skills needed for the new hydrogen economy.

The aim of HyDEX is to address the challenge of building a thriving new business, industrial and manufacturing sector in hydrogen, where very little currently exists. The programme will allow businesses to accelerate the development and viability of new hydrogen products and associated intellectual property, while supporting the transition from declining industrial sectors and enabling the training and re-skilling required.

The £4.99 million, three-year programme, funded via the RED Fund scheme, run by Research England, which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will see the ERA university partners making available their £111m worth of hydrogen facilities, large scale demonstration programmes, and research capabilities to regional businesses.

This will be supported by the expertise of leading industrial partners in transport, heating and manufacturing technologies, who are also involved in HyDEX, these include Worcester-Bosch and Cadent (hydrogen boilers and gas networks); Intelligent Energy (fuel cells); Toyota (hydrogen vehicles); FAUN Zoeller (heavy vehicles); Cenex, ENGIE (Hydrogen Networks); Progressive Energy, ITM Motive (hydrogen generation and transport respectively); Siemens and ENGIE (hydrogen production and storage).

The universities involved in the programme include Keele (project lead), Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Loughborough, Nottingham and Warwick.

Civic partners such as the Midlands Engine, LEPs, local government and local authorities, will also add their weight to support the creation of a market for low-carbon hydrogen solutions as part of the net-zero transition.

There is also an international dimension to HyDEX, which will facilitate links with growing international markets in countries such as China, Australia and South Korea, where ERA partners have strong connections, in order to build commercial opportunities that reach beyond the Midlands and the UK.

Speaking about HyDEX, Professor Mark Ormerod, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of Keele University, which is leading the programme, said: “We are very excited to be launching the HyDEX programme and leading it from Keele University. At Keele we have been leading the way in researching the use of hydrogen in the domestic gas heating system and in smart energy systems. This experience and expertise, when combined with the wealth of knowledge in the ERA partnership and our collaborators will enable HyDEX to make a significant impact on the use of hydrogen in the future.”

 

Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Energy Research Accelerator, added: “The ERA universities have invested significantly in hydrogen infrastructure, creating an array of great facilities and demonstration projects. The HyDEX programme will see experts from our universities, working with Midlands’ businesses to use these facilities to develop new, innovative products.”

 

Dr Sharon George of Keele University, Principal Investigator for HyDEX, commented: “I am looking forward to leading the HyDEX programme. It will be a great challenge -we are

seeking to support the building of a hydrogen economy where one currently doesn’t exist. I am confident that with our academic, industrial and public sector partners, we will be able to demonstrate the commercial potential of hydrogen technologies, support businesses to create products, and build the skills base needed to support the transition to hydrogen.”

 

Wesley Tivnen, Decarbonisation Lead for Siemens Energy, (UK and Ireland) said: “For Siemens Energy and the other business partners involved in the programme, HyDEX

provides a unique opportunity for us to develop and test our technologies and prove the worth of hydrogen as a crucial green energy source for the UK and world, as we transition to

a net-zero society.”

 

 

There is an online engagement event about HyDEX for businesses and public sector organisations interested in hydrogen technologies. It is taking place on Friday 11th February from 10am to 11.30am.

More details about HyDEX and the event can be found at: www.era.ac.uk/hydex

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FUSION ENERGY – THE GAME CHANGER, EVENTUALLY

Fusion energy is perhaps the longest of long shots. To build a fusion reactor is essentially to create an artificial star. Scientists have been studying the physics of fusion for a century and working to harness the process for decades. Yet almost every time researchers make an advance, the goal posts seem to recede even farther in the distance.

Still, the enormous potential of fusion makes it hard to ignore. It’s a technology that could safely provide an immense and steady torrent of electricity, harnessing abundant fuel made from seawater to ignite the same reaction that powers the sun. It would produce no greenhouse gases and minimal waste compared to conventional energy sources.

With global average temperatures rising and energy demands growing, the quest for fusion is timelier than ever: It could help solve both these problems at the same time. But despite its promise, fusion is often treated as a scientific curiosity rather than a must-try moonshot — an actual, world-changing solution to a massive problem.

The latest episode of Unexplainable, Vox’s podcast about unsolved mysteries in science, asks scientists about their decades-long pursuit of a star in a bottle. They talk about their recent progress and why fusion energy remains such a challenge. And they make the case for not only continuing fusion research, but aggressively expanding and investing in it — even if it won’t light up the power grid anytime soon.

With some of the most powerful machines ever built, scientists are trying to refine delicate, subatomic mechanics to achieve a pivotal milestone: getting more energy out of a fusion reaction than they put in. Researchers say they are closer than ever.

THE QUEST TO MAKE A STAR

Fusion is way more powerful than any other energy source we have

Nuclear fission is what happens when big atoms like uranium and plutonium split apart and release energy. These reactions powered the very first atomic bombs, and today they power conventional nuclear reactors.

Fusion is even more potent. It’s what happens when the nuclei of small atoms stick together, fusing to create a new element and releasing energy. The most common form is two hydrogen atoms fusing to create helium.

The reason that fusion generates so much energy is that the new element weighs a smidgen less than the sum of its parts. That tiny bit of lost matter is converted into energy according to Albert Einstein’s famous formula, E = mc2. “E” stands for energy and “m” stands for mass.

The last part of the formula is “c,” a constant that measures the speed of light — 300,000 kilometers per second, which is then squared. So there’s an enormous multiplier for matter that’s converted into energy, making fusion an extraordinarily powerful reaction.

These basics are well understood, and researchers are confident that it’s possible to harness it in a useful way, but so far, it’s been elusive.

“It’s a weird thing, because we absolutely know that the fundamental theory works. We’ve seen it demonstrated,” said Carolyn Kuranz, a plasma physicist at the University of Michigan. “But trying to do it in a lab has provided us a lot of challenges.”

For a demonstration, one only has to look up at the sun during the day (but not directly, because you’ll hurt your eyes). Even from 93 million miles away, our nearest star generates enough energy to heat up the Earth through the vacuum of space.

But the sun has an advantage that we don’t have here on Earth: It is very, very big. One of the difficulties with fusion is that atomic nuclei — the positively charged cores of atoms — normally repel each other. To overcome that repulsion and spark fusion, you have to get the atoms moving really fast in a confined space, which makes collisions more likely.

A star like the sun, which is about 333,000 times the mass of Earth, generates gravity that accelerates atoms toward its center — heating them up, confining them, and igniting fusion. The fusion reactions then provide the energy to speed up other atomic nuclei and trigger even more fusion reactions.

What makes fusion energy so tricky

Imitating the sun on Earth is a tall order. Humans have been able to trigger fusion, but in ways that are uncontrolled, like in thermonuclear weapons (sometimes called hydrogen bombs). Fusion has also been demonstrated in laboratories, but under conditions that consume far more energy than the reaction produces. The reaction generally requires creating a high-energy state of matter known as plasma, which has quirks and behaviors that scientists are still trying to understand.

To make fusion useful, scientists need to trigger it in a controlled way that yields far more energy than they put in. That energy can then be used to boil water, spin a turbine, or generate electricity. Teams around the world are studying different ways to accomplish this, but the approaches tend to fall into two broad categories.

One involves using magnets to contain the plasma. This is the approach used by ITER, the world’s largest fusion project, currently under construction in southern France.

The other category involves confining the fusion fuel and compressing it in a tiny space with the aid of lasers. This is the approach used by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

Replicating a star requires doing this research at massive scales, so fusion experiments often involve the most powerful scientific instruments ever built. ITER’s central solenoid, for example, can generate a magnetic force strong enough to hoist an aircraft carrier 6 feet out of the water.

Building hardware to withstand these extreme conditions is its own scientific and engineering challenge. Managing such massive experiments has also been a struggle. ITER started with an initial cost estimate of 6.6 billion euros, which has since more than tripled. It began construction in 2007 and its first experiments are set to begin in 2025.

An upside to the intricacy of fusion reactions is that it is almost impossible to cause a runaway reaction or meltdown of the sort that have devastated fission power plants like Chernobyl. If a fusion reactor is disrupted, the reaction rapidly fizzles out. In addition, the main “waste” product of hydrogen fusion is helium, an inert gas. The process can induce some reactor materials to become radioactive, but the radioactivity is much lower, and the quantity of hazardous waste is far smaller, compared to conventional nuclear power plants. So nuclear fusion energy could become one of the safest sources of electricity.

For policymakers, investing in an expensive research project that may not yield fruit for decades, if at all, is a tough sell. Scientific progress doesn’t always keep up with political timelines: A politician who greenlights a fusion project might not even live to see it become a viable energy source — so they certainly won’t be able to brag about their success by the time the next election rolls around.

In the United States, funding for fusion research has been erratic over the years and far below the levels government analysts say is needed to make the technology a reality. The US Department of Energy currently spends about $500 million on fusion per year, compared to almost $1 billion on fossil fuel energy and $2.7 billion on renewables. Investment in fusion seems even tinier next to other major programs like NASA ($23 billion) or the military ($700 billion).

So from its basic physics to government budgets, fusion energy has a lot working against it.

Fusion energy should be treated as a solution, not just an experiment

Working in fusion’s favor, however, are scientists and engineers who think it’s not just possible, but inevitable.

“I’m a true believer. I do think we can solve this problem,” said Troy Carter, a plasma physicist at the University of California Los Angeles. “It will take time, but the real issue is getting the resources brought to bear on these issues.”

Investors are also getting in the game, placing billion-dollar bets on private startup companies developing their own fusion strategies.

The journey toward fusion has yielded benefits for other fields, particularly in plasma physics, which is used extensively in manufacturing semiconductors for electronics. “Plasma processing is one of the things that make your iPhones possible,” said Kathryn McCarthy, a fusion researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

And despite the hurdles, there have been some real advances. Researchers at NIF reported last summer that they achieved their best results yet — 1.3 megajoules of output from 1.9 megajoules of input — putting them closer than ever to energy-positive fusion. “We’re on the threshold of ignition,” said Tammy Ma, a plasma physicist at NIF.

To break out of its rut, fusion will need to be more than a science experiment. Just as space exploration is more than astronomy, fusion is much more than physics. It should be a leading tool in the fight against the world’s most urgent problems, from climate change to lifting people out of poverty.

Increasing energy access is closely linked to improving health, economic growth, and social stability. Yet close to a billion people still don’t have electricity and many more only have intermittent power, so there is an urgent humanitarian need for more energy.

At the same time, the window for limiting climate change is slamming shut, and electricity and heat production remain the dominant sources of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. To meet one of the goals of the Paris climate agreement — limiting warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius this century — the world needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more by 2030, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Many of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters are also aiming to zero out their contributions to climate change by the middle of the century. Making such drastic cuts in emissions means phasing out fossil fuels as quickly as possible and rapidly deploying much cleaner sources of energy.

The technologies of today may not be up to the task of resolving the tension between the need for more energy and the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. A problem like climate change is an argument for placing bets on all kinds of far-reaching energy solutions, but fusion may be the technology with the highest upside. And on longer time scales, closer to the 2040s and 2050s, it could be a real solution.

With more investment from governments and the private sector, scientists could speed up their pace of progress and experiment with even more approaches to fusion. In the US, where much of the research is conducted at national laboratories, this would mean convincing your representatives in Congress to get excited about fusion and ultimately to spend more money. Lawmakers can also encourage private companies to get into the game by, for example, pricing carbon dioxide emissions to create incentives for clean energy research.

The key, according to Carter, is to ensure support for fusion remains steady. “Given the level of importance here and the amount of money invested in energy, the current investment in fusion is a drop in the bucket,” Carter said. “You could imagine ramping it up orders of magnitude to get the job done.”

He added that funding for fusion doesn’t have to cannibalize resources from other clean energy technologies, like wind, solar, and nuclear power. “We need to invest across the board,” Carter said.

For now, the big fusion experiments at NIF and ITER will continue inching forward. At NIF, scientists will continue refining their process and steadily work their way up toward energy-positive fusion. ITER is scheduled to begin operation in 2025 and start hydrogen fusion experiments in 2035.

Artificial star power might not illuminate the world for decades, but the foundations have to be laid now through research, development, and deployment. It may very well become humanity’s crowning achievement, more than a century in the making.

 

Source: Vox

 

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Wates Residential searches for sustainable innovations to build net zero homes

Wates Residential, part of leading privately-owned construction, property services and development company Wates Group, is launching a new campaign to find innovative, sustainable technologies and materials that will help it build Net Zero homes and achieve its environmental targets.

 

Aiming to generate Net Zero carbon operationally and to halve energy consumption by 2025, Wates has also pledged to achieve zero waste and to make a positive contribution to nature on all its projects. As a result, it is looking for suitable materials, products and processes for the development, design, construction and sale of low to high-rise residential developments.

 

These could include resource efficient materials for the built environment with low embodied carbon content or those derived from natural resources. The company is also looking for suppliers that can help implement Modern Methods of Construction, as well as products that deliver significant biodiversity net gains, optimise building efficiency, help with the design and construction of zero carbon homes and save water.

 

Businesses keen to register their interest are being encouraged to visit www.wates.co.uk/win-portal and complete an application form. Suppliers will be screened by Wates’ technical advisory panel of experts and successful suppliers will be piloted on Wates sites. Successful applicants will also be registered on the Wates Innovation Network (WIN) portal, a new online hub for suppliers of environmental technologies and services. Launched in March 2021 to boost the industry’s transition to Net Zero, the first-of-its-kind and free to use network is designed to help businesses make connections and market their services across the construction industry.

 

Dr Zainab Dangana, Head of Sustainable Technology for Wates Group, says: “Our search for Innovation Partners and the concept behind the WIN portal is to boost the industry’s move to zero carbon and support emerging green technologies. This campaign is a continuation of our search for new suppliers with a particular focus on the design and construction of low to high-rise residential developments. There must be many businesses out there who would like to work with Wates, and we are keen to find them too.”

 

Shami Kaler, Technical Director for Wates Residential, comments: “Wates Residential is one of the UK’s leading developers, working with local authorities and registered providers across the South of England, London and Wales. We already use multiple technologies on site to improve environmental operations, build with Modern Methods of Construction and to Passivhaus standards, but we want to find new ways to build more sustainable homes to help us and our partners achieve our environmental ambitions.” 

 

Several WIN technologies have already been implemented across the Group to help Wates meet its Net Zero ambitions. An example of this is Propelair, which is an Innovation Partner that supplies water saving toilets. These have been installed at the Leatherhead headquarters to reduce water use by 87%, this has helped save carbon and provided cost savings at the same time too.

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ROBO BRICKIES

 A European-style house structure recently completed by FBR’s Hadrian X robot

 

FBR’s Hadrian X robot completes structure using Wienerberger’s Porotherm clay blocks

Australian technology firm FBR has announced it’s Hadrian X robot has completed work on a housing structure, using Porotherm clay blocks from Austrian materials producer Wienerberger.

The structure, which was built in a European housing style, with 5m-high gable ends, was constructed using Wienerberger’s largest blocks, each equivalent to 12 standard house bricks.

The robot used the largest double-leaf blocks for the external walls of the structure and single-leaf blocks for the internal walls, as well as working with Wienerberger’s own adhesive products.

The pilot project was originally planned to take place in Europe, travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic shifted plans to a specially-constructed outdoor test slab at FBR’s facility in Australia.

Both FBR and Wienerberger are now in talks to undertake a Europe-based test, when circumstances allow, with a view to establishing the process within Europe’s low-rise housing market, which is currently running at around 700,000 properties a year.

The Hadrian X robot uses dynamic stabilisation technology (DST), a system that counteracts external environmental conditions, to keep the end effector in position for highly accurate block-laying.

 

FBR’s managing director & CEO, Mike Pivac, said, “We are very pleased to be progressing our relationship with Wienerberger, the largest producer of clay blocks in the world.

“Both parties are committed to advancing robotic construction together and improving the efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation of the construction industry.”

 

 

 

Source: Construction Technology

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Bellway gets green light for Tattenhoe Park development

A development of 160 new homes in Milton Keynes which is to be built using faster modern methods of construction has been given the green light.

Bellway will deliver a mix of modular and timber frame houses at Tattenhoe Park as part of a pilot project being led by Homes England.

The developer has been selected to deliver the fourth phase of homes at Tattenhoe Park, a landmark extension to the town, and its plans have since approved by Milton Keynes Council in October.

Bellway’s development will be located in the south-western part of the wider site, close to Priory Rise School. Construction work is due to get underway in April 2022 with the first homes set to be completed by August 2022.

Phase four at Tattenhoe Park will provide 112 properties for private ownership and 48 affordable homes for rent or shared ownership, as well as public open space and new pedestrian and cycle links.

There will be a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments, one and two-bedroom maisonettes, and two to four-bedroom houses.

The 40 modular homes will be built off site in a factory, while the other 120 properties will be constructed using timber frames and panels in place of traditional breeze blocks. Adopting these methods will enable the homes to be delivered at a faster pace than those built using more traditional techniques.

Paul Smits, Managing Director of Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “This is a hugely significant development not only for Bellway and Milton Keynes, but also for housebuilding in this country. Phase four at Tattenhoe Park is the first Bellway development to include modular homes. It will deliver much-needed new housing for the town, and it is one of a select group of developments chosen by Homes England for its pilot scheme.

“The modern methods of construction we are using at Tattenhoe Park have the potential to transform the way new homes are delivered in this country. We are pleased to be working with Homes England on this exciting project to help accelerate the supply of new homes in high-demand areas.

“The off-site manufacturing process eradicates weather-related delays, which means we can speed up construction while maintaining the high quality that Bellway achieves as a five-star housebuilder.

“We look forward to starting work on the site and to releasing the first homes onto the market in Spring 2022.”

Outline planning permission is already in place for up to 1,310 homes at Tattenhoe Park, a new neighbourhood which is being created on the southern edge of Milton Keynes.

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Modular homes – are we storing up problems for the future?

The market for modular and prefabricated buildings continues to boom, but are we storing up problems for the future that may ultimately cost millions of pounds in repairs and heartache for home owners? According to Global, the country’s fastest growing supplier of insurance backed latent defect warranties, it is a real possibility.

Manufacturers from every part of the globe are now producing and developing more components offsite than ever before with industry estimates suggesting that some 15,000 new modular homes are being built every year in the UK alone – a figure that is rising rapidly.

Every new home requires a latent defects warranty to cover anything unforeseen that might happen between year two and year three. During the first 24 months the builder is responsible for correcting any issues.

It is a system that has traditionally worked well, with more conventional homes seeking a latent defects warranty, being inspected at every stage of the build process. Companies such as Global have a multi stage inspection guide from the moment footings are dug and concrete poured, right up to final delivery, to ensure that each home is fit for purpose.

“The problem is,” said Jim Edwards, commercial Director for Global Home Warranties, “how do you inspect modular components for latent defects? This would require sending our surveyors to every factory currently producing such systems, as far away as China in some cases.”

“This means that while we can inspect the way they are installed, we equally have to accept that offsite components are fit for purpose and have reached the highest possible standard. In most cases this is very much the case, but there is no way of knowing 100% and this is where the real problem lies – without independent inspection at the factories then it is not possible to determine whether we will have to address latent defects issues in the future.”

The market for modular buildings is expected to grow in excess of 6% year on year and there are estimates that the majority of contractors architects and engineers are now designing with or using modules built offsite.

The move to offsite construction has been driven by the need to meet Government targets to build up to 300,000 new homes every year which means that modular and prefabricated components are increasingly being used.

Companies in the UK specialising in offsite construction have an enviable track record in terms of quality and mostly produce components which have been ISO certified or meet all current building regulations and standards.

This means, according to Global, that it will more likely to be imported systems that ultimately fail, possibly because overseas manufacturers are not as familiar with or as aware of building practice within the UK and European construction sector, or simply because standards have been set lower to save money.

“As we know, price is very much a factor within all areas of construction and there is likely to be a temptation to import more and more low-cost building systems,” said Jim Edwards. “They may do exactly what it says on the tin but none of us yet know what is likely to happen two, five or even 10 years down the line and now is the time to ask ourselves – should we be more stringent by having independent inspection processes in every factory that produces such materials.”

There is growing evidence and other industry experts agree that we could be storing up problems. Recent reports suggest that the lack of detailed data on the durability of modular homes in the UK could be a considerable barrier for construction professionals concerned about the long-term viability of offsite components.

Financial service providers, including insurers, mortgage lenders and valuers need to have certainty that modular homes are safe and durable if they are to engage with them, which is why we are now seeing Global and other industry experts calling for the development of a digital database that records the design, processes and materials used in the construction of buildings.

Digital technology would make it possible to create a database that would store and track information about the built environment and would record the materials and processes used. It could also track repairs and alterations in larger housing developments and make sure that this information would be available to relevant stakeholders, including insurers and fire services.

“This will never be as good as a personal inspection process,” said Jim Edwards, “but it would certainly provide more confidence and peace of mind for the entire industry and ultimately for the insurance companies that have to back latent defects warranties – and the time to act is now.”

Global Website

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75,000 sustainable modular homes by end of the decade

Better, Faster, Greener

Britain’s manufacturers invest more than £500 million to end Britain’s housing crisis – targeting 75,000 sustainable modular homes by end of decade and 50,000 highly skilled jobs across the UK

Six modular homes can be installed each day by a single crane and heating costs are slashed by 20%

  • Upscaling modular housing would provide capacity for 75,000 additional new homes by the end of 2029
  • Up to six houses installed each day by a single crane and a factory produces each house in just two hours
  • Modular homes cost 20% less cost to heat, and use 30% less energy as a whole due to cutting-edge design
  • With a 25% reduction in the workforce between 2016-2025 construction labour will be the new haulage industry unless action is taken now
  • Upscaling modular housing can create 50,000 flexible future economy jobs where they are needed across the UK
  • With up to 96% less embodied carbon modular housing is vastly more sustainable than traditional homes
  • 33% of UK construction businesses are currently based in the South East of England. Modular housing can use the nation’s buoyant housing markets to drive employment in other parts of the country supporting the levelling up agenda
  • Modular homes achieve net zero through the use of solar panels, air source heat pumps, superior building materials and production which delivers almost zero defects for energy efficiency

Make UK has launched a new trade body Make Modular, bringing together Britain’s leading modular housing manufacturers with a plan to solve the country’s housing crisis by delivering 75,000 affordable high-quality homes before the end of the decade. The UK housing market is at a tipping point where it could transform into the most advanced housing manufacturing market in the world in under a decade delivering in excess of 75,000 new homes via modular housing. Make Modular members’ factories can produce a new home every 2 hours. These homes are near defect free with 97% less embodied carbon than traditional builds. Make Modular members have already invested more than £500 million in new factories, cutting edge processes, and state of the art technology.

The UK construction sector will have lost at least 25% of its workforce by between 2016-25. There is a major risk that by the next election construction has become the new haulage with economic competitiveness undermined by an ageing workforce leaving the industry. More than 2,000 new jobs have been created by Make Modular members in the last 3 years. By moving people off-site and into clean, safe, modern working conditions volumetric can rebuild the construction workforce bringing up to 50,000 new younger people into the workforce.

Uniquely in the construction sector, modular housing provides the opportunity to construct offsite and in regions where labour is available. Homes are then transported to the areas where demand for new homes is the highest. Current factories driving the start of the modular revolution are already located in the Midlands and the North of the country, providing highly skilled and sought after careers using the latest digital and automated technologies with innovative design bringing about the highest environmental credentials.

Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK said:

“Imaginative and speedy solutions are required to tackle Britain’s housing crisis and modular housing could certainly play a significant part in helping local authorities deliver the challenging home building targets set for them by Government. But to make real significant progress, modular housing needs to have equal access to land for construction with many sites still favouring traditional modes of construction.

“Modular also needs to have the weight of Government procurement behind it using a joined-up approach including education, defence and housing to build much needed scale the UK’s modular industry.”

Modular housing manufacturers are also keen to accelerate the development of building regulations to match a new, more ambitious new normal when it comes to quality and energy across construction as a whole, driving forward the world’s biggest challenge of climate change.

Dave Sheridan, Chair of Make UK Modular said:

‘Modular housing has grown rapidly in the last few years. The establishment of our own trade body is the crucial next step in this process. As a natural partner to Government to solve the housing crisis, deliver the levelling up agenda, and combat climate change Make Modular will accelerate and advance the MMC agenda through one strong voice rather than a series of disparate ones.’

 

 

MAKE UK WEBSITE

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OUT OF THIS WORLD CONSTRUCTION

Construction equipment manufacturer Komatsu has been selected by the Japanese government to work on developing autonomous construction equipment that can operate in space.

As part of the aim of producing construction equipment that could operate on the moon, Komatsu is using digital twin technology to recreate site conditions and machines.

Komatsu says that digital twin technology is essential in precisely recreating site conditions and machines and the company is conducting a feasibility study to verify the possibility of developing high-precision digital twin technology.

Komatsu will create and operate a hydraulic excavator in cyberspace, using digital twin technology, and compare its movements with actual equipment on Earth to verify the simulator’s precision.

The ongoing three-year, mid-term management plan, is scheduled to be completed in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.

The overall name of the project is ‘Promoting the Development of Innovative Technologies for Outer Space Autonomous Construction’ and it is lead managed by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism with collaboration by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Komatsu’s proposal of the Development of Digital Twin Technology for Lunar Construction Equipment has been selected as an eligible target of Technology related to Autonomous Construction (Automation and Remote Control).

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