Sumner, Harry;
Burman, Esfandiar;
(2024)
Modern Methods of Construction: Do we need them for a resilient net zero future for UK housing?
In:
Proceedings of the 37th PLEA Conference.
: Wroclaw, Poland.
(In press).
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Abstract
Against the backdrop of a global climate crisis and recent pandemic, the need for affordable, sustainable and future-resilient housing has never been greater. Despite having some widely acknowledged benefits in terms of quality and scalability, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are still relatively misunderstood and underutilised in the housing industry, with only 6 to 10% of new homes being built using MMC. Whilst the government is committed to increasing the number of new MMC homes, current literature lacks rounded analytic comparisons to support or reject the use of MMC for future UK housing stock. Using a building performance model, a RIBA Stage 4 MMC housing case study is assessed against a traditionally-built masonry counterpart. Three Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are identified to provide a holistic view of performance: Operational Energy, Embodied Carbon and Summertime Overheating (CIBSE TM59). The results suggest that whilst there is an opportunity for high quality factory-led methods to reduce heating demand significantly by reducing linear thermal bridging, the challenge of reducing future climate resilience in lightweight MMC homes needs critical consideration. The need for more careful consideration of materials for whole life performance is highlighted, particularly when balancing opposing objectives such as reducing material weight and transportation costs, reducing upfront carbon, and improving passive cooling performance.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | Modern Methods of Construction: Do we need them for a resilient net zero future for UK housing? |
| Event: | PLEA 2024 |
| Location: | Wroclaw, Poland |
| Dates: | 25 Jun 2024 - 28 Jun 2024 |
| Publisher version: | https://plea2024.pl/ |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10191356 |
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