The DTI is pumping £1.5m into two research initiatives designed to help cut construction time in half.
The £1.8m three-year Off Site Production Technology in Construction (OPTIC) programme, led by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association, is being boosted by £750,000 from the DTI.
It aims to increase the take up of off site production methods, including timber frame manufacture, by promoting case studies, producing industry guidelines and building a database for potential users.
Off site production has proved popular with hotels and restaurants but only accounts for about 1% of UK house construction. The average house building time of 12 weeks could be cut by up to 10 weeks by delivering ready-made components, the government believes.
The second £5.8m programme, also benefiting from £750,000 DTI cash, focuses on information and communication technology. It aims to increase business performance by using IT to get contractors, designers and architects working closer together.
Construction minister Brian Wilson said: “This initiative will encourage firms to break out of short term thinking and look towards developing energy efficient, innovative buildings for the long term.”
Managing director of wood. for good, Charles Trevor, is enthusiastic about the research.
“Timber frame construction is ideally placed to help developers meet the government’s amibitious house building targets, as it combines speed of construction, better value, lower runing costs, low environmental impact and the advantages of off-site manufacture,” said Mr Trevor.
Off-site timber manufacture has been proved to be more efficient and allows consistently higher quality of workmanship, he added.
