Offsite construction
New and smarter construction techniques are needed to enable us to build a more profitable and sustainable industry that can deliver the significant reductions in costs, project times and CO2 emissions that are called for by the Construction Playbook.
Learn about offsiteThe term Offsite Construction encompasses a wide spectrum of innovations, not just volumetric modular units.
The construction industry needs to grasp the concept of construction industrialisation, and learn new competencies, as illustrated on the graphic below.
An industrialised approach requires five key competencies;
- design for manufacture & assembly (DfMA),
- offsite manufacture,
- logistics,
- onsite assembly, and
- best-in-class maintenance.
These competencies are underpinned by eight management skills. You can find out more about these in the management topic.
The School provides hundreds of best-in-class learning resources that help to build an understanding of offsite:
- Sub-topics – the five elements of industrialisation: DfMA, offsite manufacturing, logistics, onsite assembly and best-in-class maintenance
- Format – do you prefer video, e-learning, workshops, webinars or web documents?
- Competency level – Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced.
To find resources that suit you, view Topics or select Learn from the main menu. Whilst all our resources are free, we do ask that you register with the School to access them.
Check out our newest resources, helping us to make Offsite ‘for Everyone’.
In this short video, industry leaders explain how offsite and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) technologies can help address carbon, skills and productivity issues facing construction.
Start your learning journey
Our offsite Training Needs Assessment helps you better understand your skills, and provides a tailored learning plan to help you improve.
Whole Life Carbon Guidance for Offsite Construction
In 2023, we investigated how offsite construction can impact carbon emissions across the whole life cycle, from materials to operation. The resulting report, guided by our expert steering group and Offsite Leadership Group Partners, provides advice on the 9 key ways premanufacture can help decarbonise our built environment.
Building on experiences shared from organisations across the sector, the guidance provides tailored recommendations on how different job roles can contribute to the effective use of offsite techniques as a carbon reduction tool.
Delivering social value through offsite construction
Our 2022 report, compiled alongside Akerlof and the University of Salford, explains the ways in which offsite projects can bring about as much, if not more social value than traditional construction.
When increasing proportions of the construction process within projects take place away from the development site, social and economic benefits which accrue can be undervalued or overlooked altogether. The report discusses how, with more robust evidence gathering, communication and early engagement, the best outcomes for communities both near to site and in the manufacturing locality can be achieved.
Bringing together academic research, industry literature and stakeholder experiences, we share step-by-step recommendations for the sector on how to demonstrate the possibilities of social value, along with five case studies across key social value themes.
DfMA is about embedding efficiency throughout a product’s life-cycle, including…
Bringing factory thinking to the construction process, to industrialise the…
Moving to an offsite approach has significant impacts on offsite…
The onsite assembly process is the management and culmination of…
Implementation of decisions taken at the design stage through the…
Develop your leadership and management skills and drive sustainable change.
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
The MMC Categories
Video
2 minutesManagement Capabilities
DfMA Overlay To The RIBA Plan Of Work: 2nd Edition
Document / Presentation
Materials
Offsite Fundamentals – Systems
E-learning Module
Management Capabilities
Offsite Fundamentals – Sectors
E-learning Module
The Supply Chain Sustainability School teamed up with Kier to create the Modern Methods of Construction database.
It’s really important for clients and professional designers to understand the capabilities of the offsite construction supply chain. This interactive map allows offsite manufacturers to have visibility of who does what in the supply chain and to start the process of building those really important collaborations.
The School is pleased to be part of the Smart Construction Network.
This is a collaboration of organisations who are leading the way in supporting innovative construction firms taking their crucial first steps towards adopting smarter, more modern methods of construction. Since its launch, the Network has grown to include organisations with world-leading expertise in the fields of offsite manufacturing, BIM & digital construction, and high-performance buildings.
“The Offsite School is an excellent source of knowledge on DfMA and offsite construction. Its combination of online resources and face to face training delivery means that you can choose the style of learning that best suits your organisation.”Nigel Ostime, Project Delivery Director, Hawkins Brown Architects
Offsite Assessment
Offsite Leadership Group Meeting Notes
Catch up on what’s been discussed in the Offsite Leadership Group meetings.
2023
8th June 2023 | 2nd March 2023
2022
7th December 2022 | 14th September 2022 | 1st June 2022 | 14th March 2022
2021
1st December 2021 | 8th September 2021 | 26th May 2021 | 24 Feburary 2021
2020
2nd December 2020 | 8th September 2020 | 4th June 2020 | 2nd April 2020 | 15th January 2020
2019
2nd October 2019 | 3rd July 2019 | 3rd April 2019 | 16th January 2019
2018
20th November 2018 | 19th September 2018 | 12th June 2018 | 15th March 2018
2017
27th November 2017 | 18th September 2017 | 13th July 2017 | 17th May 2017 | 14th March 2017| 10th January 2017
2016
25th October 2016 | 23rd August 2016 | 22nd June 2016 | 21st April 2016 | 29th February 2016
Our Partners
The School is a collaboration between clients, contractors and suppliers who have a mutual interest in building the skills of their supply chain. They pay for the School, so it's all FREE for you.
