School building kits to revolutionise construction

Aaron Morby 3 years ago
Share

A consortium that includes offsite specialists Elliott, McAvoy and Blacc as well as producer Tata Steel is at the forefront of creating the next generation of schools from a kit of parts.

The UK Research and Innovation-funded project will show how standardised components can be mass-produced to deliver better quality, performance and value for sectors including education and healthcare.

By using a similar technique to carmakers who build a number of different models on the same chassis, the consortium-led project aims to set the blueprint for the future of construction.

The partners said the kit of parts approach would allow highly energy efficient schools to be built off-site and then shipped to their final location.

This will reduce waste created during traditional building as well as allowing the buildings to be quick to build, give good value for taxpayers and be 100% recycled at the end of their life.

Kit of Parts Consortium


Off-site building experts Blacc; the Manufacturing Technology Centre; two off-site manufacturers, Elliott Group and the McAvoy Group; Tata Steel; the Active Building Centre; and the National Composite Centre.

The project is being accelerated after the Government announced its big school rebuilding rebuilding programme would start in 2020-21 with the first 50 projects supported by more than £1 billion in funding.

Further details of the new ten-year construction programme will be set out at the Government’s next Spending Review.

The government aims to reduce the construction costs and whole life costs of buildings by a third, while seeing those same buildings delivered in half the time and with a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from the construction sector.

Phil Clements, Tata Steel UK Technical Director, said: “This project will allow thousands of children to have access to education in buildings which have been designed using the latest technology, constructed off-site to lower emissions and can be repurposed and recycled.”

Latest news

Bouygues/Murphy JV confirmed for £2.3bn Thames tunnel job

BMJV clinches 4.2km Lower Thames Crossing road tunnel job
4 days ago

Berkeley keeping close eye on subbies as market softens

Supply chain insolvency now bigger threat than build cost rises
3 days ago

Roofing firm fined £881,000 after double fall

Court hears of two falls on sites involving same contractor
3 days ago

Plans in for £450m Coventry city centre regeneration

Work is expected to start next summer on City Centre South scheme
3 days ago

Galliford Try to upgrade Red Arrows base

Contractor seals quartet of RAF base upgrades
3 days ago

Strabag tunnel drive in Yorkshire sets new world record

Woodsmith potash mine tunnelling project to be included in Guinness World Records
3 days ago

McLaren and Arlington to develop York Central site

Developer deal signed for one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes
4 days ago

Watkin Jones plans 36-storey Glasgow tower

The Ard student rooms scheme will be Glasgow's second tallest building
4 days ago

Balfour Beatty on track for solid set of results

Country's largest contractor on course to meet financial targets
4 days ago

Brymor Group Southern heads for CVA

Hampshire builder applies for Company Voluntary Arrangement with its creditors.
4 days ago

Former Costain transport chief joins Aecom

Sue Kershaw takes up US-based vice president job with consultant
4 days ago

Industry’s best construction managers revealed

More than 80 now in the running for delayed awards: Full list
4 days ago

Materials prices plummet as housing demand slumps

Buyers report biggest fall in purchasing costs for 14 years
5 days ago

Welsh contractor Andrew Scott targets £90m turnover

Profit and revenue up at Port Talbot-based civils and building firm
5 days ago

M-AR buyer starts round of redundancies

30 jobs at risk after modular firm bought out of administration
5 days ago

First HS2 viaduct completes deck beam installation

EKFB completes beams for first of project's 50 major viaducts
5 days ago

Fatal accident at Laing O’Rourke Oxford site

Work suspended on site after tragedy
6 days ago

Homes lead the way as Bancon Group boosts turnover

Homes and contracting group looking to further growth in 2024
5 days ago

L&G Modular Homes scheme replaced by traditional build

Wolverhampton council chooses new partner and build method for £150m project
5 days ago

£33m Plymouth city centre homes scheme approved

Spring start for Bath Street scheme in Millbay regeneration area
5 days ago

Balfour renews £330m Lincolnshire highways deal

Firm will use its new operational control hub to promptly address network issues
6 days ago

Three Caledonian Modular-built schools to be demolished

DfE confirms Essex, Somerset and Northampton schools will be bulldozed and rebuilt
6 days ago

Gilbert-Ash takes £30m Tate Liverpool revamp

Work to start in the New Year on remodelling of iconic 1846 warehouse
6 days ago

HS2 Solihull mass transit enabling works out to bid

Bidding for £60m main works to start early next year
6 days ago

Modular health specialist Vanguard rescues M-AR

Deal with administrators sees Vanguard add production capacity with 100,00 sq ft offsite factory
6 days ago

Torsion forms JV to build £90m Leeds resi tower

Construction to start in January on one of Leeds' tallest towers
6 days ago

Approved change to concrete ‘recipe’ to slash carbon emissions

New approved concrete mixes will be able to blend finely ground limestone and fly ash
7 days ago

Network Rail unveils Cardiff South Central masterplan

Plans being drawn up for major housing-led mixed-use scheme
6 days ago

McLaren Living to revamp Watford police station site

Developer to submit plans for a major mixed-use development
6 days ago

National Grid £12.8bn HV civils framework hits market

Firms needed for major power line links and high voltage direct current converter stations
7 days ago

Contractor services