As the world embraces off-site construction, Andy King, operations director of Mtech Consult, looks at the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting those imaginative enough to shop overseas

Today there is an almost universal interest in the use of off-site construction technology in all the major construction industry sectors. This is fuelled by a government increasingly concerned that its public and private building agenda will not be realised without some major change in the industry’s building methods and productivity.

As the global OSC marketplace has opened up the internet has given clients and architects access to more information about OSC products around the globe. But there is the fear that OSC products purporting to offer the same functionality and levels of performance will not actually work well together. The diverse technology would be more useful with appropriate supporting regulation and harmonisation of standards.

This does not mean it is not worth looking abroad; on the contrary, a number of countries around the world have developed more sophisticated OSC technology than the UK. Much can be learned from it, although it is important not to get complacent or blasé about using this non-home grown technology – it can come with its own problems and complexities.

In Mtech’s experience, the industry’s uncertainties about using non-UK developed OSC techniques focus mainly on compliance with Building Regulations and durability. It is important to tread carefully in the selection and evaluation process to ensure that alternative products meet the UK standards, and that design interfaces and product lead times and so on can be accommodated.

Standards can help

For most construction project teams the general approach to the off-site construction elements is to see them as “black boxes”, incapable of being fully understood and therefore integrating them into the design at a superficial level at best. Teams often have little knowledge of the buildability and interface issues that are critical to the successful use of new technologies. This problem is multiplied significantly with elongated supply chains, not least because of differences in specification, and sometimes simply as a result of the design language used.

It is likely that new European certification and testing standards will continue to help address these problems, benefiting importers and exporters of European system building products. However, there is little harmonisation of standards for systems originating outside of the EU zone.

At this stage, adopting more global OSC technology solutions could help the industry move from what could be described as the development phase to a new level where true mass production and mass customisation of OSC systems is both possible and commercially feasible. After all, sourcing from abroad will help create the competition to stimulate system and product development.

The panacea is that the industry will adopt and promote proven standard details that will become minimum requirements for new entrants to the supply chain. It could even encourage new producers to expand the capability and capacity of the supply base, which in itself would be a positive contribution to the uptake of off-site construction.

So looking at this new technology and its application in other parts of the world should encourage new knowledge, ideas and developments.

Overleaf is a snapshot of some of the global hot-spots for OSC technology. Most of the highlighted countries have manufacturers active in the supply of OSC technology to the UK market.

Canada and the US

This is the home of timber technology. Canada and the US are acknowledged world leaders in timber frame and component supply.

They supply advanced timber technology using closed panel techniques, sometimes branded Super E technology, with fully integrated windows and cladding options. Often complemented by advanced heat recovery and building management technology, these systems are reputed to be some of the most sustainable building technology on the plant.

There is significant supply capacity based around low-mechanised and sometimes labour intensive manufacturing systems. Excess capacity is often identified when the US market (around 90% of Canada’s timber exports) sees a downturn.

Around 10 manufacturers have broken in to the UK marketplace over the past three years or so, with a particular focus on the housing sector, but supply volumes remain in the low hundreds of units. These manufacturers often benefit from significant support from the Canadian government for promotion of their technology and the development of export markets.

North-west Europe

The area is the European home of timber technology and the acknowledged leader in the European timber frame supply chain.

Countries generally supply advanced timber technology using closed panel techniques with fully integrated building services, windows and cladding options.

There is significant supply capacity based around mechanised and sometimes fully automated manufacturing systems.

Around 10 manufacturers have broken in to the UK marketplace over the past 18 months or so, with a particular focus on the housing sector, but supply volumes remain in the low hundreds of units.

Eastern Europe

This is an emerging supply base for a number of OSC technologies, but more recently the development of supply chains for bathroom pods has dominated in the region.

Most bathroom pod production emulates the already established bathroom pod industry in central/ western Europe – Denmark, Germany, Italy and France – and uses the lower manufacturing cost to compete throughout Europe.

Over 20 central or western European bathroom pod manufacturers are active in the UK market, mainly focused on hotel and student accommodation. There is increasing development of enhanced solutions for the residential sector.

There is a trend towards investment in mechanised manufacturing facilities and significant capacity for a range of off-site technology options – including unitised cladding systems which are arriving in the UK.

China

As with most manufactured products, the Chinese supply chain for OSC technology is emerging fast.

Its low-cost manufacturing has enabled a number of UK manufacturers to outsource production of building components/systems, and several UK clients have sponsored the development of supply chains for bathroom pods and volumetric modular buildings.

The ability of the Chinese manufacturing industry to emulate the given design means it is ready and willing to develop or manufacture OSC products under license that are fully compliant with UK standards and Building Regulations, without the constraint or influence of “home grown” technology.

While shipping time to the UK is a significant factor and risk to be considered, this is often offset by the reduced cost of the delivered product.

This is one to watch when it comes to real mass customisation of OSC technology.

Australasia

Australasia is the home of light steel frame technology and is the acknowledged world leader in the development of LSF manufacturing technology.

There is a limited supply of LSF technology to the UK market in terms of export of products/ systems. The trend here is in the development and export of LSF manufacturing technology such as roll-formers and complex framing stations.

Technology developed in Australia and New Zealand has found its way to the UK market over the past five years and can be seen at the heart of a number of UK LSF manufacturers.

Australasia has also exported technology to the US market, which is developing its LSF capability at a significant pace.

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