The construction sector and the ways that buildings are created didn’t change significantly for many years. Building control didn’t change much either. As offsite methods join the mainstream, building control will need to undergo a similar transformation to the one being experienced by the construction industry.
There are two aspects to this. The first is adapting the building control process to the different ways that projects are delivered using offsite methods. The second is whether performance targets (particularly energy efficiency) are appropriate. Are they ambitious enough to reflect the new capabilities that offsite can deliver and should they be updated to include embodied carbon, for example?
Approved Inspectors (AIs) have traditionally focused on what happens on site. This was the most effective place to check for compliance regarding fire safety, acoustics and energy efficiency. Offsite is a fundamentally different way of building. Those performance parameters are set and controlled away from the construction site and in a manufacturing facility.
Offsite is faster paced and the building has to be right before it leaves the factory. What happens on the construction site is more related to assembly than construction. AIs need to focus inspections in different ways.
There’s a disconnect between modern construction methods and building control processes established for traditional methods. If the issue isn’t addressed there’s a risk of avoidable project delays, important gaps in the compliance regime and missed opportunities to deliver better performance through the built environment.
Tighter Compliance Windows
With traditional construction there are weeks or months of onsite work during which compliance checks can take place. In the offsite world, the structure can take a matter of days to assemble ready for fit out – giving a much tighter onsite compliance window.
Because compliance is something that largely happens in the factory, many site inspections need to be replaced by manufacturing quality assurance and factory audits.
Different skill sets and knowledge are needed to ensure that offsite products conform to the specification. Interactions with the project team are also different. They’re more likely to take place in front of a computer screen looking at a 3D design model than walking around a construction site in hi-viz and hard hats.
A bit like the offsite construction industry, building control in this new way of working could become more accessible for a wider range of people with different interests and skills. This will then help bring diversity to the sector as a whole.
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