Modular Building Solutions for Sustainable Homes

The modular building industry is pioneering innovative, cost-effective solutions that meet the latest legislation for sustainable homes.

The renowned Hybred® concept has recently been applied to developments that are required to meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 or above, providing homes that meet the highest environmental performance requirements, whilst remaining within budget constraints. A recent project has the Hybred® concept being developed for use on a number of bungalows, to great effect, but it could equally be applied to five storey apartments, demonstrating the flexibility of the system.

The design is scalable to suit even the highest levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes, with the incorporation of features such as rainwater harvesting and the option of a monopitch roof, which incorporates sun pipes and PV panels. The design also allows for the inclusion of a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system, which adds to its environmental credentials, as well as offering low maintenance.

In reality, it means a single storey, Code Level 4 property can be delivered for under £100k, making it an attractive option for many social housing providers. There is also the option of extending the concept to meet the requirements of Code Levels 5 and 6, by combining the very best in off site design with expertise in delivering sustainable buildings.

The Hybred® modular building solution provides the potential to achieve ‘A' rated energy performance through the use of innovative cladding methods to optimise insulation levels and reduce heat loads. The flexibility of Hybred® also means that renewable options, such as green roofs, low emissivity glazing and solar panels can all be integrated within the system, providing a low carbon footprint for a building.

A complete turnkey solution can be offered by some offsite companies, by working with the client from the initial design and pre-planning stages right through to handover. Over 85 per cent of the structure can be built in the factory, which minimises the amount of time on site. Even the roof is completed off site, which means the whole building could be watertight within just one day. The end result is a building that meets the performance requirements of the highest Code levels, backed up by all the benefits of off site construction.

In addition, the building's lifetime carbon emissions can be minimised by specifying low embedded carbon building products that contain a high level of recycled materials.

As well as meeting exceptional performance standards, Hybred® also allows for the integration of non-rectangular modules and to introduce corner-to-corner glazed walls, using Corner Loaded Modules. There are a range of options for exterior and interior finishes and a variety of service options to give long term cost savings.

Terrapin is the first offsite manufacturer to gain accreditation to the Buildoffsite Lloyds Register Scheme which is integral to a newly launched building warranty scheme. This is being developed by the Royal Chartered Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Lloyds' Register, BLP (Allianz) and the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and provides assurance to the lending community that buildings will be sufficiently durable as to be readily saleable throughout the duration of two mortgage terms, which equates to 60 years. It also provides the peace of mind that the structural integrity of its buildings will not have a negative impact on the mortgage security during that term.

The modular building industry recognises the urgent needs of the present and future with regard to sustainable building methods and materials, and strives to find solutions to these requirements.