It is no secret that the UK faces a severe shortage of homes, particularly in the social housing sector. The pressure on the housing supply comes at a time when the average age of the construction workforce is increasing, creating a potential time bomb that will play out over the next 10 years as the workforce shrinks by an estimated 25%.
There is a smart solution – the industry needs to embrace offsite forms of construction to increase the attractiveness of the industry to new entrants and to improve productivity to increase output with less labour. Offsite manufacture in a factory environment is by no means a new concept and the benefits are clear.
Major manufacturers working in the offsite sector say that they can deliver the capacity required, however to do this, they need committed volumes to generate a climate of confidence for investment.
Chair of the Explore Offsite Housing Event, Darren Richards, Managing Director of offsite experts, Cogent Construction, supported this view saying: “By far the largest house building programme that is going to be delivered is by the government. For the industry to have the confidence to invest, a committed government housing pipeline is required, but I think this should be taken a step further to offer greater economies of scale and instead of buying as a single programme – the government should aggregate demand across residential sectors and regions.”
The official figures released at the end of 2017 show that the number of new homes in England increased by more than 217,000 in 2016. This signifies the highest level of net additions since the recession and it is the first time in almost a decade that the 200,000 milestone has been reached.
Without doubt, some progress is being made – experts have hailed offsite construction as the only way to respond to the huge demand for new housing. This represents a major opportunity for construction professionals operating in or entering the offsite arena. Crucial to success, is understanding the construction dynamic and keeping abreast of constant innovations within the sector.
Explore Offsite Housing does not claim to have all the answers but can offer in-depth insight from those who are shaping the future of the social housing and private residential sectors – as well as learnings from a host of innovators and thought leaders in the offsite sector. The conference and exhibition will offer the opportunity to learn direct from a high-profile speaker line-up featuring Sir Edward Lister, Chair – Homes England; Aiden Wilkie, Deputy Director for Housing Diversification – The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Jenny Coombs, Project Director – Local Partnerships.
Explore Offsite Housing brings together industry leaders and pioneers to discuss the latest innovations in offsite technologies and the growing opportunities that the housing shortage presents. For the full speaker programme go to: www.exploreoffsite.co.uk
Speakers include:
- Sir Edward Lister, Chair – Homes England
- Michael Williams, Director – ModularWise
- Andy Bellerby, Associate – shedkm
- Peter Andrew MBE, Deputy Chairman – Home Builders Federation
- Brian Ham, Executive Director of Development – Home Group
- Jenny Coombs, Project Director – Local Partnerships
- James Walsh, Lead Designer – Anyo Architects
- Paul Williamson, Managing Director – Modular Construction Swan Housing/NU Homes
- Matt McColl, Associate – Pollard Thomas Edwards
- Gareth Mason, UK Business Development Manager – Stora Enso
- David Jones, Modular Integration Director – Legal & General Capital
- Val Bagnall, Business Development Director – Apex Housing Group
- Bjorn Conway, Chief Executive Officer – ilke Homes
- Gwen Beeken, Managing Director – Osco Homes
- Jon Sawyer, Head of Custom Build Housing – Igloo
- John Smith, Director – CityZen
- Ross Gilbert, Director – QED Sustainable Urban Developments
- Aiden Wilkie, Deputy Director for Housing Diversification – The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Michael Kimmer, Residential Sector Lead – Caledonian Modular
- Brendan Geraghty, Director – Geraghty Taylor Architects
- Neil Magner, Regional Sales Manager – FP McCann
- Dave Lomax, Senior Associate – Waugh Thistleton Architects
Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham 10 & 11 April 2018 – the conference and exhibition will provide a fantastic opportunity for members of the construction industry, who want to tap into the huge opportunities on offer across the offsite construction sector. The event format provides a dynamic and interactive learning experience for all visitors through presentations and a wide array of exhibitors.
Tickets cost just £225+VAT for a two-day ticket and £125+VAT for a one-day ticket, which includes entry into the conference and exhibition, parking, lunch and refreshments.
Explore Offsite is a series of conferences and exhibitions creating a platform for construction clients and their professional advisers to explore the latest offsite construction solutions.
For the full speaker programme or to enquire about exhibitor opportunities at forthcoming events, visit the Explore Offsite website: www.exploreoffsite.co.uk or contact the team on 01743 290001 or email: julie.richards@radar-
