Thirty years ago off-site and modular build were viewed as temporary or interim solutions to construction needs. But, in the decades since, there has been real growth in the market and the approach is being embraced within the healthcare sector.
Kevin Jones, director of business development at off-site construction specialist, Yorkon, said the change has largely been driven by the requirement for hospitals, in particular, to remain operational during any building work and to complete construction as quickly as possible.
He added: “There’s no doubt that off-site and modular buildings were, and in some ways still are, thought of as the temporary buildings that were placed at the back of schools and were probably wet and cold and would leak. That is what has changed a lot. More and more professionals and clients now recognise the flexibility, greater certainty and reduced risk of the off-site and modular approach.
“Now people often don’t see these buildings go up and they can’t see that they are modular. They can’t tell they are an off-site procured building and that is a significant change as in the past it was obvious.”
This change of perception is due to the advancement of the sector, which now offers a number of solutions, with various width and height options. Yorkon is currently building the UK’s largest off-site health scheme to date, an £18m women and children’s centre at North Middlesex Hospital, measuring some 8,000sq m.
The scheme will comprise 152 steel-framed modules up to 18m long and in many different sizes and configurations to suit the building’s design and site. The units have just been craned into position with doors, windows, first fix electrics and plumbing, and a high-performance concrete floor pre-installed.
“The advantage of off-site construction is that buildings can really be made to fit any footprint,” said Jones.
“In the old days there were only a couple of lengths and one width available, now there are endless configurations and we can go up to six storeys and that has made all the difference.
“Hospitals are generally in the middle of cities, with very tight sites, but we can build developments off-site and crane in up to 500sq m of buildings in a single day. That’s a very welcome thing for busy hospitals. The lack of disruption is selling it to the healthcare market.”
And, despite the large hospital building projects of the last decade drawing to a close, he said opportunities in the off-site sector will remain.
“There is a significant demographic requirement for new hospital buildings,” he added. “We are going to need to solve the problems in A&E departments, for example, and with a greater number of births we will need new maternity facilities.”
The future, he added, will also see the introduction of new hybrid solutions.
He explained: “I think as we move forward there will be a mix of modular and maybe traditional build to provide the best solution for large buildings. We will see a much more composite mix within single developments.”