A comparison between Volumetric Timber Manufacturing Strategies in the UK and mainland Europe

Abstract

The construction sector in the UK is currently being challenged by an urgent need to produce housing. This requirement is within a context of increasingly stringent greenhouse gas emission legislation and tough goals to reduce build time by 50% and financial cost by 33% by the year 2025. Many agree that these targets and others relating to build quality and productivity can only be achieved with increased utilisation of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). This research study proposes that Volumetric Timber construction (VT) is a suitable system for use in the UK, as it can achieve up to 95% prefabrication in a controlled factory environment combined with rapid onsite construction. There are a variety of VT timber systems on the market, including timber studs, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Structurally Insulated Panel (SIP) structures and a variety of production methods. This paper presents findings from a study comparing four VT manufacturers in the UK and four in mainland Europe. Different design and processing methods have been compared and analysed with respect to production type, offsite components and productivity metrics. The findings demonstrate that there are diverse approaches to efficient VT manufacturing and opportunities for flexibility in the design of products to suit local market conditions.