Three in four new
homes currently being built are using ‘traditional’ construction, but they
contain a wealth of innovation, according to a new report from NHBC Foundation.
Construction methods
and the products that are used in house building continue to evolve and reflect
advances in technology that are often overlooked.
Despite changing
fashions and regulations, the appearance of British homes and the techniques
used in construction may appear to have remained essentially unchanged for
centuries, yet they incorporate forms of construction that were once seen as
“modern methods of construction” (MMC). House
building: a century of innovation looks at the technology and materials
used in the construction of the modern home, charting the progress made over
the last century.
Over recent decades,
winters have become wetter and summers drier - this report shows how NHBC
Standards and building regulations have adapted to ensure homes today are ready
for the future. When built to the latest standards, new homes are far more robust,
they have intrinsic resistance to ground movement, include additional measures
to keep rainwater out, as well as achieving high energy efficiency levels.
Components such as
timber trussed rafters and engineered floor joists now set today’s new build
homes apart from previous generations of housing. A home built to modern
standards is not only more environmentally friendly but is cheaper to run and
can cost half as much to heat as a Victorian home.
This report
highlights the advantages achieved when new homes are built to modern
standards, leading to a much more comfortable living environment whilst saving
occupiers money on their bills.
Neil Smith, Head of
Standards, Research & Innovation at NHBC, said: "People living in
newly built homes are able to reap the many benefits of improved building
standards, ranging from better energy efficiency levels, which not only help
look after the environment but also lead to greatly-reduced fuel bills.
“This report is a
useful reminder of the technology and materials incorporated in the
construction of a modern home whilst comparing the performance achieved in
relatively recent times with the advancements of the last two decades. What’s
more, this report makes clear that what lies beneath the skin of new homes is
quite different from what has gone before.”
