Modern methods of construction

Modern methods of construction (MMC) is an umbrella term describing non-traditional building methods and materials. Innovations are often born of political necessity; a profound housing shortage, labour shortages, climate change all combine to create a high demand for construction methods that enable rapid delivery, lest waste, economic benefits and carbon reduction. For many reasons, adoption has been slow; factors such as building failures, prejudice, economic barriers, lack of performance data and customer concerns all need to be addressed. Improvements in warranty provision and a greater demand will help, but changes will also be required to building regulations to reflect matters such as fire safety and building performance. Properly designed and constructed buildings using MMC can yield significant benefits, but there are serious pitfalls, particularly if basic construction principles are ignored. This paper sets out to consider some of the benefits and risks associated with MMC and some reasons for slow adoption. Practical case studies are used to illustrate potential problem areas and to explain how modern construction does not mean that the tried-and-tested methods can be ignored. Modern methods of construction do pose challenges, but with care and persistence the rewards are there to be realised.