//The relationship between MMC and offsite timber frames

Could timber frame be the perfect solution to combat the housing crisis? Many people seem to think so. 

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are taking the construction industry by storm. Used as an alternative to traditional house building, they embrace offsite and onsite techniques. These techniques hope to bring construction into the modern age.

In 2017 the government expressed its support for MMC, stating it would help tackle some of the issues in the construction industry. This support contributed to the launch of the Homes England research project.

But what are the issues facing your industry? And, how can MMC and timber frame building solutions help?

//The construction crisis

If you’re finding it difficult to meet building demands, you’re not alone.

The UK housing crisis is severe. To fix it, the government has pledged to build 300,000 new homes every year.

This comes at a time when the construction industry is also facing a massive skills shortage. An ageing workforce and fewer young people entering the profession means many jobs are going unfilled. In fact, CV-Library found an increase of 213.4% in construction vacancies.

As well as building more homes, you also have to think about your carbon footprint. In the government’s Future Homes Standard by 2025, they promised to create more sustainable houses.

As the demand for eco-friendly housing increases, the workforce decreases. PPE company Vizwear suggests the workforce is not large enough to deliver such a high target.

//MMC & offsite timber frames

The government believes that MMC, especially offsite timber frames, could be the answer for housebuilders to meet the eco-friendly housing targets. Offsite timber frames are prefabricated in factories and are used to form sustainable walls, roofs, and floors, meaning they offer the perfect solution.

Here’s three ways timber frames can solve the problems housebuilders are facing:

1. Deliver More Homes: it can be difficult to meet demands using traditional building methods and materials. In 2015, builders reported that they were struggling to source bricks. Resources are becoming more scarce after Brexit, with almost half a billion bricks imported from Europe. MMC uses different technologies and materials, such as timber frames, to keep up with the housing demand. 
2. Building more sustainably: using timber frame is a sure way to ensure low-carbon compliance. Timber is one of the most sustainable methods in housebuilding. It has extremely low levels of embodied carbon and acts as a carbon sink, ensuring carbon dioxide cannot be released back into the atmosphere. In contrast, brick and block construction is an energy-intensive and non-renewable method of building, with higher levels of embodied carbon.  
3. Good Quality Properties: this modern method of construction ensures high-quality homes. Because timber frames are made in factories, they go through rigorous quality and performance checks. It’s use also allows you to collaborate with design, engineering, and technical teams from the initial concept to delivery and construction.

In order to face the construction crisis, more people are turning to modern methods of construction. Prefabricated timber frames can help plug the skills gap, speed up time to market, and build more sustainable homes.

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