Reflecting on Housing 2023: Are the winds of change blowing?

That’s another major industry event in the bag. Housing 2023 is done for another year and what a conference it was.

With a huge table of events and more panels and workshops than you can shake a stick at, there was a feast of insight to get stuck into. All the pressing issues of housing were on the table for discussion and workable solutions to the destination. There was far more up for discussion than any one person can digest, so we went in with a very clear idea of the topics we wanted to join the conversation on.

The question for us is how do we best utilise offsite construction to build more homes and get to that magic 300,000 number?

We published a detailed account of our views on the matter last week. Now that the dust has settled, we wanted to put together a retrospective of the event and the many valuable discussions we had. From the panel event we took part in, to the workshop we ran, we heard from all parts of the industry. From registered providers to architects and construction specialists, every one of these stakeholders had important and enlightening views on the housing crisis and the things we can do to overcome the challenges.

In this blog, we’ve distilled these conversations down into a concentrated form.

All for One, One for All

At the heart of the conversations we had was the need for better collaboration in our industry, especially around offsite construction. It seems that for too long, offsite providers have been an afterthought. It's time we got them involved from the start, right from the design stages. By having everyone on the same page, we can create a smoother, more efficient process and deliver projects that everyone can take pride in.

Quality Matters

In the hustle to meet quantity targets, we mustn't overlook quality. We need to build homes that not only serve immediate needs but also stand up to future expectations. That's where offsite construction comes into play, giving us a consistent way to meet stringent standards, such as the government's Future Homes Standard. We're talking about homes that are sustainable, energy-efficient, and built to last. What we don’t want to build are the retrofits of the future.

Addressing the Skills Gap

Here's a harsh truth: the traditional construction industry is facing a skills shortage. But, like all challenges, it also brings an opportunity. Offsite construction and MMC are redefining how we build, moving away from trade-focused processes to more streamlined, process-driven techniques. We simply can’t look to traditional construction methods to solve the housing crisis anymore. Off-site methods have the potential to revolutionise the industry and help us meet that 300,000 target.

Communication is Key

There's no denying that MMC and offsite construction are still relatively new concepts for some (although off-site has been a concept for over 100 years). We need to get better at explaining the immense potential of these methods. We have a chance to reshape our industry and make it more sustainable and efficient. To achieve that, we need everyone to understand and be on board with the change. We won’t win the battle by convincing people who’re already on board with off-site, we need to tell the right story and convince the sceptics. That's one of our missions at Mansell Building Solutions - to communicate the merits of MMC and demonstrate how everyone can be a part of and benefit from this change with

Government Support

Just as it has been crucial in the renewable energy sector, government support could make a significant difference in promoting offsite construction. Incentives and supportive legislation can help encourage the wider adoption of MMC, making it a more viable and attractive method to meet our housing targets sustainably and affordably.

Looking to the future

Housing 2023 made it clear that the journey to 300,000 homes per year won't be an easy one. However, after all the valuable conversations we had across the three days, there’s evidence the industry is starting to understand the scale of the project ahead of it while also demonstrating more of an openness to fresh ideas.

Let’s be clear, off-site construction is not a panacea. But when done right, it is an extremely potent tool we can use to help us meet the targets set for our industry. Not just the homes target, but net-zero too.

There’s a lot of work to do to reach that magic 300,000 target a reality. With hard work, grit and an openness to do things differently, we’ll be able to make good on our civic duty to ensure everyone has a safe and comfortable home

We're ready to embrace these changes and look forward to an exciting future for the housing industry.