An independent research report, commissioned by RICS, claims that traditional building methods must make room for more cost effective designs if the UK’s growing housing crisis is to be alleviated.
There are approximately 80,000 new homes being built each year, well below the level required to meet a bursting population.
RICS research highlights a series of low-cost housing solutions that could ease national shortages considerably, and ensure that affordable houses are more readily available to both local authorities and first-time buyers.
Low-cost housing would involve making use of off-site construction methods, recycled materials and innovative structural design, which will speed up the build process and have less environmental impact. Many of the designs would be easily segmented and extended, eliminating the need for costly renovation work, and enabling homes to evolve as the needs of the occupiers change.
Case studies
Modular homes are self-contained whole houses with bathroom and kitchen, and can be priced anywhere from around £20,000. These are constructed off-site inside 12 weeks and then transported to the given location.
Homes made from recycled plastic are also available, created using a new material called ‘Thermo Poly Rock’. These homes are built from 18 tones of recycled plastics and minerals that would otherwise have been consigned to landfill.
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