Modern methods support newbuild construction

Since the government announced its ambition to build 1.5m new homes in the next five years, there is more pressure than ever on the construction sector to accelerate projects. Andrew Miele, Senior Application Engineer for offsite solutions at Baxi, explores how using modern methods of construction for heating systems can help speed up delivery of net-zero homes. 

The new Government has been firm in its housebuilding ambitions since winning the General Election. In the next five years, 1.5m new homes must be built – that’s 300,000 new homes every year. As last year saw just 231,100 new homes built, these new targets are ambitious and will need housebuilders, specifiers and the supply chain to work together closely. 

Growth in targets, however, also means growth for the industry. Glenigan predicts that newbuild housing project starts will begin an upward trajectory this year, growing by 2%, followed by more substantial growth of 14% and 6% in 2025 and 2026 respectively. In the face of these ambitious targets, housebuilders and develops will clearly be seeing more projects coming to the fore. 

The burning issue for the industry, however, is the need to deliver net zero homes. 

Homes fit for the future 

The Future Homes Standard 2025 mandates that no new homes can be connected to the gas grid. The aim is that newbuild housing can pave the way for net zero homes, with technologies such as heat pumps and heat networks being used to provide low carbon heating and hot water. 

Because new homes can be designed around the heat source, these solutions represent a practical option for housebuilders and developers to achieve net zero goals. For a home using a heat pump, ample insulation, suitable underfloor heating and radiators, plus space for the external and internal elements, including the hot water cylinder, can all be accounted for from the outset.  

Similarly, entire housing developments can be designed and built around a heat network, with a heat pump-powered central energy centre suppling hundreds of homes through heat interface units (HIUs). 

The housebuilding industry is, however, not immune to the challenges facing the wider construction industry. Supply chain issues, skills gaps and delays on site all contribute to posing a risk to projects being delivered on time and on budget. This means the industry needs to find new ways of making project delivery more efficient. 

Using modern methods 

With pressure to deliver net zero homes in quick time frames, housebuilders and developers are exploring modern methods of construction (MMC). This includes the use of offsite fabrication, for instance where heating systems, utility cupboards, heat network energy centres, or even entire bathrooms, are built in a factory before being transported to site ready for installation. 

These methods are increasing in popularity thanks to their many key benefits, which include: 

• Time: Prefabricating significant parts of the home, such as the heating system, can save time when installing on-site and therefore speed up the project delivery time. It also limits disruption and mess on-site, meaning that trades working together can carry out their tasks more efficiently without causing delays. 

• Skills: Prefabricated solutions can be more quickly and easily integrated, requiring smaller on-site teams for installation. As there are fewer qualified heat pump engineers at present, housebuilders can make more efficient use of the workforce they do have at their disposal while more heat pump engineers are trained. 

• Waste: A controlled factory environment means less waste product compared to traditional construction methods, reducing material costs and helping the environment. 

• Quality: The controlled factory environment also ensures that prefabricated solutions are of the highest quality and work as designed. With customer satisfaction at handover a key priority for housebuilders, yet familiarity with heat pumps fairly low, this will provide more peace of mind that issues will not arise later on. 

  
  

  

 Taking a WholeHouse approach 

To support those looking for offsite prefabricated heating and hot water provision, Baxi Packaged Solutions (BPS) provides a range of options for residential and commercial projects. An example of where this can be seen for the housebuilding industry is in the ongoing collaboration with WholeHouse. 

The WholeHouse aims to support SME and regional housebuilders with access to standardised designs and offsite prefabricated solutions, where Baxi is the platform’s heating and hot water specialist partner. More than 160 heating and hot water configurations from the Baxi range are available, including air source heat pump (ASHP) solutions, meaning users can select the most suitable one for the size and design of house. 

For those who build up to 250 units a year, the platform provides access to the technologies required to deliver net zero homes using a means that makes it simple and effective to integrate on site. The standardised model also supports housebuilders of this size that may not have their own teams dedicated to designing, specifying, installing and commissioning these new technologies. 

As a strategic partner to the newbuild sector, Baxi also provides design, training and assisted commissioning support, in addition to aftersales support for homeowners to ensure the technology has been installed correctly and can be operated as efficiently as possible. This will prove especially important as homeowner familiarity with heat pump technology continues to grow. 

As housebuilders of all sizes look to deliver net zero homes in line with rocketing targets, MMC will be an important asset, helping to overcome skills shortages and sustainability challenges. Collaboration between the entire supply chain will also be central to success, so forming strategic partnerships with manufacturers like Baxi to deliver the best possible solution is a practical way of providing suitable low carbon heating and hot water to new homes. 

www.baxi.co.uk/professional/specifiers-and-social-housing