Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Building for the Future: Modular Student Accommodation Tailored for Gen Z

2024-10-03T09:30:51Z

Premier Modular: Created page with "As universities prepare to welcome a new wave of students, there's a pressing need to rethink how student accommodation is designed and delivered. Gen Z, the cohort born between ..."

As universities prepare to welcome a new wave of students, there's a pressing need to rethink how student accommodation is designed and delivered. Gen Z, the cohort born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, brings with them unique expectations shaped by technology, social consciousness, and recent global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. They seek a balance between privacy and community, all wrapped in a sustainable package. Modular construction emerges as a compelling solution to meet these demands efficiently and effectively.

== The Changing Landscape of Student Accommodation ==

The UK Department for Education anticipates that by 2035, an additional 11 million graduates will be needed to fill skilled job roles. With over two million students enrolled between 2021 and 2022 alone, universities face the dual challenge of accommodating growing numbers while meeting the evolving preferences of Gen Z.

== Gen Z values: 
==

Environmental Sustainability 
They’re highly environmentally conscious, seeking out eco-friendly living options that minimise their carbon footprint. 

Mental Health and Wellbeing 
There's a strong emphasis on spaces that promote mental health, offering both communal areas for social interaction and private spaces for relaxation.

Technological Integration 
As digital natives, they expect seamless technology integration in their living spaces.

== A Smart Solution 
==

Modular construction involves manufacturing building components offsite in a controlled factory environment and then assembling them onsite. This method offers several advantages.

 
Speed 
Projects can be completed in a fraction of the time compared to traditional construction. 

Flexibility 
Designs can be easily customised to meet specific needs, and modules can be added or reconfigured as requirements change. 

Sustainability 
Offsite construction reduces waste and allows for better resource management, aligning with Gen Z's environmental priorities. 

Reduced Disruption 
Minimising onsite construction activities leads to less noise and disturbance, which is especially beneficial in busy urban campuses. 

== Success Stories from Leading Universities ==

Several universities have already contacted [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/ Premier Modular] and embraced modular construction to expand their accommodation capacity swiftly and sustainably. 

University of Nottingham

Facing the need for additional rooms with minimal disruption to campus life, the university opted for a modular approach. A new three-story block was completed in just 16 weeks, providing 94 en-suite bedrooms, communal kitchenettes, and tutor flats. By manufacturing modules offsite and assembling them in an L-shaped configuration, the project minimised interference with ongoing campus activities. 

University College London (UCL)

Located opposite St Pancras Station, UCL's site posed significant space constraints. The solution was an innovative rooftop extension added to an existing building. This modular addition provided 55 en-suite bedrooms along with shared kitchens and living spaces, all completed in a mere 12 weeks. The project showcased how modular construction can overcome urban space limitations while enhancing architectural aesthetics. 

Newcastle University

With an urgent need to house 200 students in the city centre, Newcastle University turned to offsite manufacturing. While groundworks were underway, accommodation units were produced and fitted out offsite. This parallel processing ensured the five-story building, comprising 206 beds with a mix of en-suite rooms and studios, was ready for the new term. The project highlighted the efficiency and time certainty that modular construction brings to large-scale developments. 

== Meeting Compliance and Sustainability Standards ==

Modern modular buildings are designed to meet or exceed current safety and environmental regulations, including:

 
Fire Safety 
Adherence to the latest fire safety standards ensures student security.

 
BREEAM Certification 
Buildings are constructed to meet sustainability benchmarks, reducing environmental impact.

 
Energy Efficiency 
The use of high-quality materials and technologies lowers energy consumption, aligning with Gen Z's eco-friendly values. 

Additionally, offsite construction promotes a circular economy by reducing waste and allowing for materials to be recycled or repurposed, contributing to zero waste to landfill goals.

Inclusivity in the design of healthcare buildings

2024-03-21T11:54:59Z

Premier Modular: Created page with "Creating inclusive healthcare environments goes beyond legal requirements, it's about making spaces accessible and comfortable for everyone. Healthcare decision-makers play a cru..."

Creating inclusive healthcare environments goes beyond legal requirements, it's about making spaces accessible and comfortable for everyone. Healthcare decision-makers play a crucial role in developing inclusive spaces, particularly when it comes to modular healthcare buildings and hospitals, where adaptability and scalability are key. 

1. Understanding Individual Challenges 

Inclusive design must cater to a wide range of disabilities, ensuring facilities are accessible to all. This includes:

* Physical Disability Solutions. Incorporating ramps, lifts, wide doorways, and adjustable furniture to support mobility.
* Sensory Disabilities. Implementing tactile navigation aids, braille signage, adjustable lighting, visual alert systems, and induction loop systems for those with visual and auditory impairments.
* Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities. Utilising clear signage, quiet zones, seizure-safe environments, and sensory rooms to aid those with cognitive challenges and neurological conditions.
* Developmental Disabilities. Designing flexible, engaging environments with supportive technologies to accommodate individuals with developmental disorders.

2. Maximising Inclusivity of Materials

Choosing the right materials can significantly enhance the comfort and safety of patients:

* Flooring: Non-slip vinyl and tactile paving improve navigation and safety for those with mobility and visual impairments.
* Finishes: Matte finishes and contrasting colours help reduce glare and assist in delineating spaces for those with visual sensitivities.
* Lighting: Diffused and natural lighting options support those with light sensitivity, enhancing the overall well-being of patients and staff. 

3. Accounting for Acoustics 

Creating a tranquil environment is essential for those with sensory sensitivities:

* Soundproofing: Utilising acoustic panels and ceiling tiles to reduce noise.
* Quiet Rooms: Designing spaces for relaxation and meditation, away from the busy healthcare setting. 

4. Controlling Development Disruption with Modular Solutions 

Modernising facilities with minimal impact on patient care is achievable through:

* Offsite Manufacturing: Enhancing construction quality and speed while reducing waste.
* Modular Healthcare Buildings and Hospitals: Offering scalable and reusable design solutions that adapt to changing healthcare needs, modular hospitals embody flexibility and efficiency.

There are lots of examples of successful [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/sectors/modular-healthcare-buildings/ modular hospitals] to take inspiration from. Check out a wide range of [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/case-studies/ healthcare case studies here.] 

5. Prioritising Early Communication

Engaging with healthcare staff and patient advocacy groups ensures that designs meet the real needs of users, making early communication a cornerstone of inclusive design.

By integrating these principles, particularly the use of modular hospital and healthcare building solutions, decision-makers can create healthcare infrastructures that are not only current and sustainable but deeply inclusive, enhancing care experiences for all patients and staff.

Healthcare facilities are an integral pillar of society. It is vital that they reflect the diverse communities using them.

[[Category:Regulations]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]]

How to procure offsite construction

2022-11-24T11:28:25Z

Premier Modular:

== In this interview with Nathalie Meunier, Business Development Director at [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk Premier Modular], we look at some of the [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/how-to-procure-offsite-construction-some-practical-advice-and-considerations/ issues affecting the procurement of offsite construction] and some advice to customers on what to consider and when. ==

* What skills/awareness are most important among client-side project teams when choosing an offsite construction solution?

 
On too many projects, the offsite specialist is involved too late to optimise the benefits of the approach. This is a huge issue.

 
Clients and contractors need to engage with an offsite specialist early and prior to tendering so we can set the right parameters for design and ahead of the planning process. 
 
Many architects just don’t know enough about offsite construction to produce drawings that work for manufacturing. There are probably only 4-5 architects in each sector with sufficient knowledge of volumetric systems to do this well. 
 
It is important that cost consultants appreciate when comparing tenders that costs for offsite construction are presented differently to in-situ construction, particularly if they don’t usually work on offsite schemes. This can be a barrier to successful procurement. 
 
We would always advocate sharing information prior to tendering. This is not about trying to gain commercial advantage but simply results in more accurate pricing.

* What are there any issues that are sometimes not given consideration by client project teams on modular projects?

 
We regularly talk to clients who are keen to pursue an offsite solution, but their architects and cost consultants can be resistant and put up barriers. Preconceptions abound! 
 
‘Offsite is too new and not proven’. The term ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ does imply modular construction is a new method of building – but we have been manufacturing buildings for more than 60 years and steel-framed buildings have been in use for much longer than that. This is not new technology and there have been tremendous advances in the last 15 years. 
 
‘There is no capacity’. But the reality is I have never worked for any manufacturer who is at full capacity all of the time! 
 
It is critical that client project teams engage with us from the earliest stage, in order to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective building solution. 
 
Government continues to advise on a presumption for offsite but this is very often not the case, and many projects start without offsite being at the forefront. And it is important the client team understands why offsite is being suggested as it is not right for every project. 
 
For a really successful scheme, we need to marry the highest standards of design with the efficiency of offsite manufacturing. Or create hybrid solutions comprising both offsite and in-situ construction methods.

* What RIBA stage do clients typically need to start thinking about a modular solution to optimise the benefits?

 
RIBA Stage 2 is the best time. Engagement with an offsite specialist at this stage will be more efficient and more cost effective because you can maximise fitout offsite. That will reduce work on site – an important issue for construction projects on school, hospital, and city centre sites, for example. And we then do not have to re-design the building to suit offsite construction.

* At what stage is it too late to use offsite construction without incurring significant cost or redesign?

 
Modular can be used at later stages but designs will need to be extensively reworked to fit a manufacturer’s module sizes which adds to cost – or multiple module sizes will be needed, which removes the benefit of standardisation and is therefore far less cost efficient. 
 
It really isn’t ideal to take a design for a traditionally-built building which has planning and try to make it fit an offsite building system.

 
Engagement too late with the offsite manufacturer is likely to result in design clashes, for example between M&E services and structural steelwork. These issues would typically have to be rectified on site, incurring cost, increasing disruption, and removing the programme benefits. Designing for the offsite system from the outset avoids this.

* Is there an example of a successful project where the client project team engaged early?

 
Premier Modular was awarded a [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/case-studies/st-peters-hospital/ £9.8m contract for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals] NHS Foundation Trust to build a 62-bed Priority Assessment Unit at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. 
 
This project was procured using a two-stage tender process via a modular framework which reduced the time and cost of procurement. 
 
The client developed a loose brief and timeframe, and appointed Premier as preferred contractor to develop the scheme and the design prior to the second tender stage. 
 
This worked very well and allowed the Trust to maximise offsite fitout and radically reduce disruption – a key issue when extending hospital buildings. 
 
We would advise clients to engage with an offsite specialist who they are confident could deliver their project and develop the design with them from the outset. That way you can optimise the benefits of factory production, standardisation, and speed of construction.

* Do you recommend any skills or awareness training for client-side project teams if they are not familiar with offsite construction?

 
Use the expertise of the offsite specialist. Visit the factory, attend workshops and visit completed projects. And ask questions! This applies to the client, main contractor if there is one, cost consultants and architects. 
 
Collaborate with the offsite specialist at every level. Recognise that offsite solutions are different to in-situ construction but with an open and transparent approach and working as a genuine partnership, the benefits to the client are enormous.

--[[User:Premier_Modular|Premier Modular]] 10:58, 24 Nov 2022 (BST)

How to procure offsite construction

2022-11-24T10:58:32Z

Premier Modular:

== In this interview with Nathalie Meunier, Business Development Director at [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk Premier Modular], we look at some of the [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/how-to-procure-offsite-construction-some-practical-advice-and-considerations/ issues affecting the procurement of offsite construction] and some advice to customers on what to consider and when. ==

What skills/awareness are most important among client-side project teams when choosing an offsite construction solution? 
 
On too many projects, the offsite specialist is involved too late to optimise the benefits of the approach. This is a huge issue.

 
Clients and contractors need to engage with an offsite specialist early and prior to tendering so we can set the right parameters for design and ahead of the planning process. 
 
Many architects just don’t know enough about offsite construction to produce drawings that work for manufacturing. There are probably only 4-5 architects in each sector with sufficient knowledge of volumetric systems to do this well. 
 
It is important that cost consultants appreciate when comparing tenders that costs for offsite construction are presented differently to in-situ construction, particularly if they don’t usually work on offsite schemes. This can be a barrier to successful procurement. 
 
We would always advocate sharing information prior to tendering. This is not about trying to gain commercial advantage but simply results in more accurate pricing. 
 
What are there any issues that are sometimes not given consideration by client project teams on modular projects? 
 
We regularly talk to clients who are keen to pursue an offsite solution, but their architects and cost consultants can be resistant and put up barriers. Preconceptions abound! 
 
‘Offsite is too new and not proven’. The term ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ does imply modular construction is a new method of building – but we have been manufacturing buildings for more than 60 years and steel-framed buildings have been in use for much longer than that. This is not new technology and there have been tremendous advances in the last 15 years. 
 
‘There is no capacity’. But the reality is I have never worked for any manufacturer who is at full capacity all of the time! 
 
It is critical that client project teams engage with us from the earliest stage, in order to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective building solution. 
 
Government continues to advise on a presumption for offsite but this is very often not the case, and many projects start without offsite being at the forefront. And it is important the client team understands why offsite is being suggested as it is not right for every project. 
 
For a really successful scheme, we need to marry the highest standards of design with the efficiency of offsite manufacturing. Or create hybrid solutions comprising both offsite and in-situ construction methods. 
 
What RIBA stage do clients typically need to start thinking about a modular solution to optimise the benefits? 
 
RIBA Stage 2 is the best time. Engagement with an offsite specialist at this stage will be more efficient and more cost effective because you can maximise fitout offsite. That will reduce work on site – an important issue for construction projects on school, hospital, and city centre sites, for example. And we then do not have to re-design the building to suit offsite construction. 
 
At what stage is it too late to use offsite construction without incurring significant cost or redesign? 
 
Modular can be used at later stages but designs will need to be extensively reworked to fit a manufacturer’s module sizes which adds to cost – or multiple module sizes will be needed, which removes the benefit of standardisation and is therefore far less cost efficient. 
 
It really isn’t ideal to take a design for a traditionally-built building which has planning and try to make it fit an offsite building system. 
Engagement too late with the offsite manufacturer is likely to result in design clashes, for example between M&E services and structural steelwork. These issues would typically have to be rectified on site, incurring cost, increasing disruption, and removing the programme benefits. Designing for the offsite system from the outset avoids this. 
 
Is there an example of a successful project where the client project team engaged early? 
 
Premier Modular was awarded a [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/case-studies/st-peters-hospital/ £9.8m contract for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals] NHS Foundation Trust to build a 62-bed Priority Assessment Unit at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. 
 
This project was procured using a two-stage tender process via a modular framework which reduced the time and cost of procurement. 
 
The client developed a loose brief and timeframe, and appointed Premier as preferred contractor to develop the scheme and the design prior to the second tender stage. 
 
This worked very well and allowed the Trust to maximise offsite fitout and radically reduce disruption – a key issue when extending hospital buildings. 
 
We would advise clients to engage with an offsite specialist who they are confident could deliver their project and develop the design with them from the outset. That way you can optimise the benefits of factory production, standardisation, and speed of construction. 
 
Do you recommend any skills or awareness training for client-side project teams if they are not familiar with offsite construction? 
 
Use the expertise of the offsite specialist. Visit the factory, attend workshops and visit completed projects. And ask questions! This applies to the client, main contractor if there is one, cost consultants and architects. 
 
Collaborate with the offsite specialist at every level. Recognise that offsite solutions are different to in-situ construction but with an open and transparent approach and working as a genuine partnership, the benefits to the client are enormous.

--[[User:Premier Modular|Premier Modular]] 10:58, 24 Nov 2022 (BST)

How to procure offsite construction

2022-11-24T09:46:33Z

Premier Modular: Created page with "== In this interview with Nathalie Meunier, Business Development Director at [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk Premier Modular], we look at some of the [https://www.premiermodula..."

== In this interview with Nathalie Meunier, Business Development Director at [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk Premier Modular], we look at some of the [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/how-to-procure-offsite-construction-some-practical-advice-and-considerations/ issues affecting the procurement of offsite construction] and some advice to customers on what to consider and when. ==

What skills/awareness are most important among client-side project teams when choosing an offsite construction solution? 
 
On too many projects, the offsite specialist is involved too late to optimise the benefits of the approach. This is a huge issue.

 
Clients and contractors need to engage with an offsite specialist early and prior to tendering so we can set the right parameters for design and ahead of the planning process. 
 
Many architects just don’t know enough about offsite construction to produce drawings that work for manufacturing. There are probably only 4-5 architects in each sector with sufficient knowledge of volumetric systems to do this well. 
 
It is important that cost consultants appreciate when comparing tenders that costs for offsite construction are presented differently to in-situ construction, particularly if they don’t usually work on offsite schemes. This can be a barrier to successful procurement. 
 
We would always advocate sharing information prior to tendering. This is not about trying to gain commercial advantage but simply results in more accurate pricing. 
 
What are there any issues that are sometimes not given consideration by client project teams on modular projects? 
 
We regularly talk to clients who are keen to pursue an offsite solution, but their architects and cost consultants can be resistant and put up barriers. Preconceptions abound! 
 
‘Offsite is too new and not proven’. The term ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ does imply modular construction is a new method of building – but we have been manufacturing buildings for more than 60 years and steel-framed buildings have been in use for much longer than that. This is not new technology and there have been tremendous advances in the last 15 years. 
 
‘There is no capacity’. But the reality is I have never worked for any manufacturer who is at full capacity all of the time! 
 
It is critical that client project teams engage with us from the earliest stage, in order to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective building solution. 
 
Government continues to advise on a presumption for offsite but this is very often not the case, and many projects start without offsite being at the forefront. And it is important the client team understands why offsite is being suggested as it is not right for every project. 
 
For a really successful scheme, we need to marry the highest standards of design with the efficiency of offsite manufacturing. Or create hybrid solutions comprising both offsite and in-situ construction methods. 
 
What RIBA stage do clients typically need to start thinking about a modular solution to optimise the benefits? 
 
RIBA Stage 2 is the best time. Engagement with an offsite specialist at this stage will be more efficient and more cost effective because you can maximise fitout offsite. That will reduce work on site – an important issue for construction projects on school, hospital, and city centre sites, for example. And we then do not have to re-design the building to suit offsite construction. 
 
At what stage is it too late to use offsite construction without incurring significant cost or redesign? 
 
Modular can be used at later stages but designs will need to be extensively reworked to fit a manufacturer’s module sizes which adds to cost – or multiple module sizes will be needed, which removes the benefit of standardisation and is therefore far less cost efficient. 
 
It really isn’t ideal to take a design for a traditionally-built building which has planning and try to make it fit an offsite building system. 
Engagement too late with the offsite manufacturer is likely to result in design clashes, for example between M&E services and structural steelwork. These issues would typically have to be rectified on site, incurring cost, increasing disruption, and removing the programme benefits. Designing for the offsite system from the outset avoids this. 
 
Is there an example of a successful project where the client project team engaged early? 
 
Premier Modular was awarded a [https://www.premiermodular.co.uk/case-studies/st-peters-hospital/ £9.8m contract for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals] NHS Foundation Trust to build a 62-bed Priority Assessment Unit at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. 
 
This project was procured using a two-stage tender process via a modular framework which reduced the time and cost of procurement. 
 
The client developed a loose brief and timeframe, and appointed Premier as preferred contractor to develop the scheme and the design prior to the second tender stage. 
 
This worked very well and allowed the Trust to maximise offsite fitout and radically reduce disruption – a key issue when extending hospital buildings. 
 
We would advise clients to engage with an offsite specialist who they are confident could deliver their project and develop the design with them from the outset. That way you can optimise the benefits of factory production, standardisation, and speed of construction. 
 
Do you recommend any skills or awareness training for client-side project teams if they are not familiar with offsite construction? 
 
Use the expertise of the offsite specialist. Visit the factory, attend workshops and visit completed projects. And ask questions! This applies to the client, main contractor if there is one, cost consultants and architects. 
 
Collaborate with the offsite specialist at every level. Recognise that offsite solutions are different to in-situ construction but with an open and transparent approach and working as a genuine partnership, the benefits to the client are enormous.

User:Premier Modular

2022-11-23T15:21:04Z

Premier Modular:

=== We have a proven track record in delivering innovative, fast-track building solutions manufactured to the highest standards, with zero waste to landfill and across a diverse range of market sectors including healthcare, education, construction, infrastructure and residential. ===