Reducing the barriers to MMC - new guidance
This in-person event introduced the new BUILDOFFSITE/CIRIA guidance on the development of functional specifications to reduce barriers to offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction (MMC).
The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy –
Construction Sector Deal – recommended a renewed focus on:
- MMC and offsite manufacturing technologies
- whole life asset performance.
It is widely acknowledged that in the UK traditional construction methods typically remain the ‘go to’ solution adopted across the industry. Offsite manufacture and MMC has been shown to bring measurable benefit from a ‘systems’ approach and the ability to create multifunctional and repeatable elements which can be manufactured at a production level.
BUILDOFFSITE Client Group identified a key barrier to the increased adoption of offsite manufacture and MMC is the degree of detail which is typically provided in procurement documentation whether commissioning design services or a tender stage when selecting constructors and suppliers. This level of detail can inadvertently lead towards traditional construction practice as a default and create barriers to the adoption of offsite manufacture and MMC.
To counter this, offsite and MMC bidders invest significant time creating unique solutions, only to discover bids are non-compliant because the maturity of initial information is framed around traditional construction practice. From a client perspective this discourages innovation and hinder the opportunities to bring the benefits of ‘tooled-up/ investing in tooling-up’ manufacturing technologies into play.
In response to this identified need, CIRIA and BUILDOFFSITE have produced a guide to developing appropriate forms of functional specification which would not act as a barrier to the adoption of offsite manufacturing and MMC.
This event provided insight into the new guidance and how it will enable primarily clients and those procuring new buildings and infrastructure to produce specifications which are suitable for use across sectors but can be specialised for particular disciplines and maximise the benefits available from the offsite market.