Pod

Offsite residential construction, Glossary of terms, published by Buildoffsite in 2018, defines a pod as a: ‘Prefabricated volumetric pod, fully factory finished internally complete with building services. Probably not completed externally, except for roof-mounted plant rooms which may include external cladding. Types of pod include bathrooms, shower rooms, plant rooms, kitchens. Pod framing or structure may be light steel frame (LSF) or rolled hollow section (RHS) steel, timber frame, pre-cast concrete or GRP (mainly for smaller pods). Floors are typically suspended timber or concrete, tiled or finished as appropriate. Ceilings and wall covering are typically plasterboard, except for glass-reinforced polyester (GRP)/pre-cast concrete where that is the pod build material, tiled or finished as appropriate. Occasionally pods may be delivered as a flat-pack assemblies.’

It suggests that a combined pod: ‘Follows a typical bathroom pod technique, but combines a factory-finished bathroom with a pre-serviced kitchen, airing cupboard/hot water cylinder or boiler plant with building monitoring systems (BMS) etc.’

BIM Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work, published by the RIBA in 2012, suggests a pod is: ‘A prefabricated volumetric element, fully factory finished and internally complete with building services. Types of pod include bathrooms, shower rooms, office washrooms, plant rooms and kitchens. Pods use volumetric construction principles, but are smaller in size than modular units and are typically installed into traditional structural frames.’

Pods might also be described as a 'non-load bearing mini-volumetric units'. Ref Modern Methods of Construction, Introducing the MMC definition framework, published by Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) in 2019.

Offsite residential construction, Glossary of terms, published by Buildoffsite in 2018, defines a pod as a:’ Prefabricated volumetric pod, fully factory finished internally complete with building services. Probably not completed externally, except for roof-mounted plant rooms which may include external cladding. Types of pod include bathrooms, shower rooms, plant rooms, kitchens. Pod framing or structure may be light steel frame (LSF) or rolled hollow section (RHS) steel, timber frame, pre-cast concrete or GRP (mainly for smaller pods). Floors are typically suspended timber or concrete, tiled or finished as appropriate. Ceilings and wall covering are typically plasterboard, except for glass-reinforced polyester (GRP)/pre-cast concrete where that is the pod build material, tiled or finished as appropriate. Occasionally pods may be delivered as a flat-pack assemblies.’

See also: Building module.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Heating pod.
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• Kit house.
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• Modular.
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• RIBA Plan of Work.
• RIBA.
• Volumetric.