Modern methods of construction provide a practical solution to shortages of skilled site labour, and demands for increasingly stringent thermal and acoustic properties, low environmental impact and faster build times.

The requirement for at least 25 per cent of all grant funded affordable housing to be provided using modern methods of construction presents developers with a new range of financial and technical challenges and opportunities.

Although over 70% of the world’s housing is built using timber frames, the use of off-site manufacturing in the UK still lags behind the use of traditional construction methods, particularly in the social housing field.

Recognising both the potential of MMC and the procurement pressures that the Housing Corporation’s requirements places on frame manufacturers, four of the Westcountry’s leading developing landlords have formed AdvantageSW, to design and procure a range of 25 MMC built standard house types.

Each floor layout has been designed in conjunction with a tenant led advisory group and is ‘plan approved’ by the Housing Corporation. All designs meet or exceed current thermal, acoustic, structural, fire resistance and air leakage standards and a minimum lifetime durability of 60 years can be expected.

AdvantageSW has a secure supply chain agreement with two of the UK’s leading frame designers and manufacturers, capable of meeting demand from all partners and other affordable housing developers seeking to procure “off the shelf” designs from the property portfolio.

With more and more off-site manufacturers entering the market place, AdvantageSW carried out a rigorous selection process before choosing their manufacturing partners, who are Frame Homes (South West) Ltd and Advanced Panel Systems.

Equipped with the latest CAD technology and state-of-the art, automated manufacturing plants, backed by many years experience in timber engineering, our partners have the flexibility and combined capacity to deliver up to 3,000 high quality, precision built homes a year to AdvantageSW partners and other social housing clients.