{"id":87664,"date":"2021-01-20T08:31:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T08:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=87664"},"modified":"2021-01-20T10:40:54","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T10:40:54","slug":"the-mmc-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/mmc-news\/the-mmc-industry\/87664\/","title":{"rendered":"How has 2020 changed the MMC industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The events of 2020 have required many to reconsider their business models at an astronomical rate. Jamie Parr, director & founder of BD Solutions<\/a>, explains how this has changed the way the construction industry is working and the effect this is having on the growing MMC sector<\/h2>\n

The pandemic has if anything accelerated businesses into exploring ways of doing things better, this has led to a marked increase in clients wanting to explore Modern Methods of Construction<\/a> (MMC) and other efficiency-based solutions such as digital tools, to enable them to meet their business goals, with some companies sighting as much as a 150% increase in the level of enquires about MMC in all of its various guises.<\/p>\n

Due to our position in the market acting as a bridge between the construction supply chain and end-user client groups, luckily, we have a broad range of clients ranging from leading tier 1 contractors, MMC supply chain, Housing Associations, Local Authorities and private developers allowing us to spread our risk.<\/p>\n

However, the events of 2020 have caused a marked shift in focus whilst we are continuing to support with our contractor and supply chain clients, supporting the implementation of MMC into Public Sector<\/a> projects is where it is at, across multiple tenure types, but particularly housing, education and healthcare.<\/p>\n

Moving from siloed to collaborative\/blended roles<\/h3>\n

Historically, the construction industry has dogmatically pursued a \u2018pigeon-holed\u2019 meritocracy based upon siloed roles. This is a key problem with regard to the efficiency of our industry.<\/p>\n

The industry is predicated upon using separate individuals to deal with the pieces of the \u2018puzzle\u2019; quantity surveyor, site manager, site engineer, mechanical designer, electrical designer, structural engineer, drainage engineer, landscape designer etc.<\/p>\n

Technology is moving to a more manufacturing and digitised context where these disciplines are blended into one homogenous model. The accepted premise (and yes there\u2019s some irony in observing the current institutions; RIBA<\/a>, CIOB<\/a>, RICS<\/a> et al promoting this) is for the AEC industry<\/a> to move towards far more efficient industry role models, such as automation and aviation, but we\u2019re all going to have recognise that the current siloed roles will have to significantly change.<\/p>\n

Current BIM capabilities are so harmonised that they\u2019re waiting for the people to catch up. An abrupt paradigm shift is definitely on the cards.<\/p>\n

Digitisation of construction supply chain<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m predicting a marked increase in the digitisation of the MMC supply chain, to realise DfMA efficiencies, free up design resource, reducing costs and allowing greater overall control of all the parameters that can be accommodated within these digital models.<\/p>\n

The frontend Generative Design (GD) market has boomed in the last couple of years, which is encouraging with the likes of Archistar<\/a> bringing notable innovation harnessing the power of data.<\/p>\n

However, it is my view that there is a need for a digitised library of real time generative \/ adaptable MMC products to inform the GD assumptions thus bringing decisions around MMC further forward in the development process, contributing to better surety in pipeline and decisions being made earlier a key current blocker of progress. Expect to see this take off in 2021. There are multiple companies emerging int this space, but for me Matterlab and RIVEIA are ones to watch.<\/p>\n

Improvements in public sector procurement<\/h3>\n

Generally speaking, approaching large clients such as Housing Associations, Local Authorities (or any client that has a variety of projects) as a programme of works, rather than individual projects, fundamentally changes the scale and proposition for MMC. So it is great to track all of the work the UK government are doing to improve public sector procurement across the departments.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s apparent from our International reach that, perhaps with the exception of Singapore, the UK leads the MMC way<\/a> with regard to government MMC initiatives.<\/p>\n

A great deal of work has been done in recent years to manage the incongruous variables associated with large Government Procurement Frameworks in order to transition these frameworks from Open towards, far more manageable, Closed Systems.<\/p>\n

Examples of useful tools to utilise are:<\/h3>\n