Mulberry’s MMC first with off-site roofing

Mulberry Homes has made its first foray into the world of modern methods of construction (MMC) with a hybrid approach that combines an off-site roofing solution with traditional brick-and-mortar builds.

A collaboration with Roofspace Solutions will see 37 i-Roof units installed at a new residential development in Rugby – Mulberry Homes at Houlton – which will comprise two, three, four and five-bed homes.

Mulberry Homes’ ambition to modernise and increase the efficiencies of its build program led them to approach Roofspace Solutions, which has been pioneering MMC housebuilding systems as part of the Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions division.

The i-Roof is a room-in-roof solution for 2.5-storey homes and was selected to be the first solution trialled across the Houlton site thanks to its ability to save time, minimise waste, reduce reliance on on-site labour and provide cost certainty.

Manufactured at Roofspace Solutions’ ‘specialist manufacturing site in Alcester, the i-Roof system helps accelerate construction by reducing the roof element to a one-day install and providing the developer with enhanced preliminary savings. When built traditionally, the roof element can often take up to seven weeks – a timeline which can slip further with labour shortages or bad weather.

With most of the build taking place in a controlled factory setting, this reduces risk to workers on-site. For example, the danger of unsupported blockwork and gables collapsing in adverse weather conditions is replaced with a secure timber-engineered solution which works alongside traditional build methods. The factory environment also adds a layer of additional quality control, with inspections and audits ensuring that the MMC components are compliant with all regulations and standards.

Further time savings are achieved during installation as the system is delivered to the site ready for assembly. This also improves the development’s sustainability credentials, as it negates the need for multiple deliveries and minimises on-site waste.

Simon Yates, Business Development Manager at Roofspace Solutions, said: “i-Roof is an ideal MMC solution for property developers as it accelerates the room in the roof construction considerably, allowing the developers to deliver quality homes faster. Our goal is to make life better on-site by taking things off-site, and that includes managing the process from factory to installation. Doing it this way reduces carbon emissions and waste, while also increasing the speed of the project and the standards of on-site health and safety.”

David Morris, Associate Commercial Director at Mulberry Homes, said: “We’re working to strengthen our vision for the future of housebuilding. Working with the Roofspace Solutions team was a pleasure. They’ve shown us how MMC brings consistency to the build pattern and the manufacturing methods. It is also clear that they put health and safety first.

“The UK has a desperate shortage of housing, so anything that speeds up delivery is important. We saw how i-Roof could increase the quality of our homes and help us to build them faster, we knew we wanted to work together. I’m confident that MMC will become a common sight on Mulberry Homes’ developments in the future.”