Fitted out in the factory and delivered to site fully completed, this latest advancement in pod technology is designed to accommodate all the mechanical, heating, technology and building services required for individual apartments or studios for build-to-rent or build-to-sell developments.

Each pod can be pre-installed with:

*       Heat interface units (HIUs) to deliver hot water and heating for each home, avoiding the need for individual gas boilers

*       Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) units to circulate fresh air and recover heat for energy-efficient re-use

*       Consumer unit for electrics

*       Provision for washing machine and tumble drier

*       Manifold, controls and thermostat for underfloor heating

*       Connection boxes for broadband, telephone and TV services

*       Power sockets and lighting

*       Pipework, ducting and waste pipes

*       Worktop and flooring options.

The pods have a highly durable steel-framed construction with a welded box section base frame, boarded with robust cementitious board and lined with a hygienic PVC walling sheet for a superior functional and aesthetic interior finish. Adjustable heavy-duty feet allow accurate installation.

The pods are delivered to site pre-plumbed, pre-wired and fully fitted out to reduce installation time to just a few hours.

The units are typically located in a hallway, within an apartment, adjacent to the kitchen and have an open-fronted design ready for the fitting of double doors or the addition of a stud wall on site.

Richard Tonkinson, Executive Director of Offsite Solutions said: “This launch follows an extensive period of product development and builds on our 15 years of experience in offsite manufacture and premium pod technology.

“The new utility pods will be manufactured to the same high standards as our multi-award-winning bathroom pods, using our proven quality control processes and robust factory testing before being delivered to site fully completed and ready to connect to the building services.

“This new product launch is the next step towards providing a focussed range of high quality prefabricated modular solutions for the construction sector to enable buildings to be built more quickly and efficiently.

“The proven advantages of our bathroom pods and factory production methods apply to the new utility pods – programme reductions, improved cost certainty, increased efficiency, less risk, reduced requirement for materials, labour and supervision on site, less impact on the environment, and significantly improved quality.

“Our customers will also benefit from a simplified procurement process, responsive pre-contract assistance and a single point of contact for any aftersales support.”

All the utility pods will undergo stringent factory testing and quality inspections before arriving on site.

These include full function and resistance tests undertaken by an NICEIC-approved electrician. Air testing is carried out on every pod at pre-calibrated static testing stations.