Modern methods of construction in Germany - playing the off-site rule

There is widespread concern that the rate of construction of new housing in the UK is insufficient to meet current needs. The reasons for this shortfall are the subject of debate, but it is clear that an significant increase in the rate of construction of new homes by traditional methods would impose considerable strain on an industry which is having difficulty recruiting sufficient skilled labour to meet present rates of construction.

This report was produced after a DTI Global Watch Mission undertaken in March 2004 to examine off-site manufacturing (OSM) for housing in Germany.

The mission visited eight suppliers of OSM housing, a supplier of prefabricated concrete basements, two 'show home' parks each with some 50 OSM houses, and a University research group.


Contents:

• Introduction
  • UK interest in Off-site management (OSM)
• Housing in Gemrany
  • Main supply routes and types of homes
  • Producer-client relationship
• Design aspects and customer services
  • Light, space and quality
  • Architecture - not just boxes
  • Housing finance
• Housing technologies
  • Fertigbauweise and OSM
  • High quality eco-friendly construction - Baufritz
  • Standardisation and customisation; striking a balance - Kampa ExNorm
• Post-production aspects
  • Transport of components
  • Assembly processes
• Commentary and conclusions
  • Business philopsophies and processes
  • Technologies and production processes