Copies of Homing in on Excellence can be downloaded free from the Forum’s website: www.thehousingforum.org.uk. Alternatively, hard copies are available by calling 020 7691 0220.
Homing in on excellence is a commentary on the use of off-site fabrication methods in UK housebuilding.
It has been produced to raise awareness of the opportunities and pitfalls associated with off-site fabrication, and encourages a wider take-up of manufacturing techniques in house production.
Revisions to the Building Regulations, improving access, energy efficiency and acoustic performance, have all contributed to a thorough reappraisal of housing design. This, the report says, offers a window of opportunity to revisit the basics of construction.
The commentary begins with a look at housebuilding in the twentieth century, and offers an explanation of why now is the time to make fundamental changes.
This is followed by an introduction to the manufacturing processes involved in off-site fabrication. It shows what the Housing Forum believe to be the way forward in this technique and discusses the current state of UK technology and available products. Comparisons are drawn between the UK and other countries. It also looks at the design challenge, including housing and site layout, as well as the communities involvement. The study divides all the stakeholders of a project and discusses their individual perspectives.
The next generation of products, including component and integrated systems, are discussed.
It ends with a look at the factory of the future, and offers conclusions that highlight immediate actions each party involved in the construction process must take if housebuilding is to develop successfully.
Source
Building Sustainable Design
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