Faster, Flawless: How MMC is Driving Out Defects
Monaghan County Council’s new Plás an Bhrí development was built with a ‘record low’ number of defects using Modern Methods of Construction.
Finishing on schedule, on budget, and to a very high standard is difficult to achieve in any construction project. This is even more of a challenge with the Irish building industry impacted by factors including workforce and skillset shortages.
Monaghan County Council’s Plás an Bhrí development in the town of Castleblayney is a testament to the real-world impact that Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) such as off-site and modular builds can have on successfully delivering a housing project.
Using off-site construction techniques, 26 houses were built in the space of just nine months and with a record-low in defects.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage assigned funding of €5.61 million to the development. Monaghan County Council used this to develop a mix of three- and four-bed semi-detached, and three-bed terraced, houses. The scheme also entailed infrastructure such as an access road, drainage, and street lighting.
Lorcán MacCinna, Senior Executive Engineer in the Housing Section of Monaghan County Council, noted the role of off-site construction in successfully delivering the housing quickly and efficiently. The 26 houses were constructed to 80% completion in a factory in the form of six modules and then delivered to the site to be connected. This meant preparatory work could begin onsite while the modules were being fabricated. It also meant issues with the houses could be assessed in more controlled conditions.
The housing project had the lowest number of snags and defects ever experienced by Monaghan County Council.
Senior Executive Engineer in the Housing Section of Monaghan County Council
Fewer mistakes also saved a lot of time towards the end of the project in quality control checks – in fact, the 26 homes were completed in the space of nine months. This is well ahead of the curve on typical delivery timelines expected in other building projects.
But Plás an Bhrí is just the start. With several significant housing projects underway or at design stage, Monaghan County Council is encouraging the use of MMC in many of its projects in going forward. This included the recent Slí Lorcáin scheme in Latlorcan and the Slí na Coille scheme in Mullaghmatt, as well as further developments.
Off-site and modular building doesn’t just have the potential improve the efficiency of delivering housing. The more digitally focused and, indeed, off-site nature of this type of work will attract builders to projects using MMC. If more work can be conducted under factory-controlled conditions, this can be both safer and more convenient for staff.
Workers could potentially base themselves near a factory rather than travelling to sites around the country. It also means more opportunities to work indoors, and in a safer environment. That’s hard to beat.
Senior Executive Engineer in the Housing Section of Monaghan County Council
