Back in late 2017 the Scape Group estimated that more than 14,500 additional classrooms were needed in the UK by the end of 2020 – just in the secondary sector. There’s no published data on how big a bite has been taken out of that target but it’s reasonable to assume there’s still a long way to go.
This is school building on an almost unprecedented scale. And much of the projected growth in pupil numbers is in densely populated urban areas. So there are bound to be challenges around finding suitable locations and with building on sites with restricted access. Both of these will be a brake on progress.
Can We Avoid the Time vs Quality Trade-Off?
Even if the construction sector succeeds in meeting the targets the challenges might not end there. In the rush to meet the demand we need to be careful that we don’t store up future problems. The history of construction projects shows that faster and better tend to pull in opposite directions. Urgency on this scale could lead to cutting corners on design and build quality. It might also lead to over-reliance on temporary buildings and volumetric modular construction.
It won’t be helpful if the next generation of learners is subjected to buildings with ongoing maintenance problems or sub-optimal learning environments.
Simplicity, Speed and Quality
What’s needed is a simpler, faster way to execute school building projects. One that doesn’t compromise on quality, building performance or the design flexibility needed to create exceptional learning environments. Fortunately, we have one.
Panelised offsite construction delivers high quality, high performing buildings faster, and to a more reliable timescale than traditional methods. We have dozens of case studies that prove this. It also has the optimum balance of standardisation to reduce cost, and bespoke design to adapt to the site location and customer needs.
Adopting Panelised Offsite
The Innovaré System is very different from what many people imagine when pre-manufactured or modular building is talked about. In fact, it is proven to meet the unique design challenges of many school projects: large spans, high wall heights and large window openings. There are no compromises needed when it comes to design.
Education building programmes need greater speed and simplicity, and more confidence over quality and timescales. These demands are leading many customers, architects and contractors to consider offsite solutions. Because it is a less familiar technology, the unique fully integrated design, manufacture and install service offered by Innovaré is seen by many as a risk-free and reliable way to access the benefits.
We have produced an infographic illustrating the 10 Benefits of Offsite Construction which you can access here. This will also give you access to our resource centre where you can find a host of additional information on offsite construction.
