The Government has commissioned the British Standards Institute (BSI) to develop a new universally recognised standard for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) that will help deliver high-quality and energy-efficient homes.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said the new requirements will be introduced by the BSI via a publicly available specification that will set out the recommended technical standards when building homes.
It will apply for schemes using a range of MMC categories and will also be used to define quality assurance and compliance processes for the sector.
BSI plans to create working groups involving industry representatives to inform the new guidance and share best practice for using MMC.
Housing minister Lucy Frazer said: “We want to help homebuilding step into the future. This means embracing the latest technology to deliver more high-quality, energy-efficient homes for generations to come.
“Our work with the BSI and the wider industry will help to do just that – allowing more home builders to take up modern methods of construction, creating new jobs and homes across the country.”
MMC as an efficient and effective process for building new homes and buildings has been gaining momentum in recent years. In 2019, the government launched a cross-industry working group to build an MMC definition framework.
The BSI’s working groups will gather evidence regarding MMC manufacturing, logistics, design, and the assembly of homes. Once the new proposed new standard is developed, a consultation is expected to be released by the government later this year.
Anthony Burd, head of built environment at BSI Knowledge Solutions, said: “As society’s needs change and in light of the role all of us have to play on the road to net zero, improving levels of building safety and ensuring better design, MMC will be key to meeting these future challenges.
“The standard will provide essential requirements and guidance for best practice in the residential building sector and much-needed assurance for the growing off-site sector.”
