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Research

Discover more about research and development projects in the world of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) led by Irish higher education institutions and other research-performing organisations, alongside a showcase of research activity across the country, highlighting what is being done to drive new innovation and workforce development in Irish construction.

  • Translating R&D on Innovative Building Materials from the Lab to Real Application in Construction

    Concrete production is one of the more carbon-intensive construction activities. But researchers from Trinity College Dublin are working to showcase that a lower-carbon concrete, produced with biomass ash, offers building companies a commercially viable and equally appliable alternative. How can research and development lead theory to practice and contribute to a more sustainable construction sector?
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    Group of construction workers in hi-vis vests and hard hats inspecting an outdoor facility.

  • How Can Standardising MMC Product Designs Drive New Efficiencies in Construction Developments?

    Despite the expanded use of offsite construction, Ireland still lacks publicly available, non-proprietary detail libraries for manufacturers, designers, certifiers, and regulators. The STANDARDIZE project in University College Dublin is addressing this, aiming to standardise MMC technologies for greater sector efficiency and mobility.
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Researching and Developing the Right Concrete Products and Application Systems for 3D Construction Printing

3D construction printing is still in its earliest phase in Irish building, but research into the best-practice materials and applications of this type of Modern Method of Construction (MMC) can help increase the rate of uptake. Two researchers from the Construct Innovate unit of the University of Galway are making this happen. 

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Platform4MMC: Supporting Decision-Making to Drive the Adoption of Modern Methods of Construction in Ireland

Ireland’s housing targets need to be met rapidly while achieving high sustainability standards. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) offer the opportunity to digitise the construction sector, improving project delivery speed, efficiency, and quality. 

Logo for Platform MMC featuring stacked layers graphic in gray and dark tones.
Taking MMC Research to the Construction Site and Beyond

The MMC Research Group at University College Dublin (UCD), spearheaded by Dr Daniel McCrum, is leading the innovations behind Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).  

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Research showcase

  • Cover with the title “Build 2024: Construction Sector Performance and Capacity” and a partial image of a modern building facade.
    Jun 2024

    Construction Sector Performance and Capacity

    Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
    Commissioned by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), this report examines construction sector performance and capacity, including the potential of MMC to increase the speed of delivery of new homes through innovation.
    View Report on gov.ie
  • Cover image of the Journal of Constructional Steel Research published by Elsevier.
    May 2024

    Experimental Axial-Compressive Behaviour of Bare Cold-Formed-Steel Studs with Semirigid-Track and Ideal-Hinged Boundary Conditions

    Sohini Mishra, Ciaran McNally, Andrzej M. Wrzesien, Daniel McCrum (UCD)
    This research experimentally investigates bare-CFS-studs' axial compressive behaviour with BCT, considering, for the first time, the combined effect of the tracks' warping rigidity, stud-to-track gap, non-linear connection stiffness, and bare studs' various cross-sectional slenderness.
    View Report on sciencedirectassets.com
  • Cover page of an MDPI publication titled “Computational Modelling of Intra-Module Connections and Their Influence on the Robustness of a Steel Corner-Supported Volumetric Module,”
    Mar 2024

    Computational Modelling of Intra-Module Connections and Their Influence on the Robustness of a Steel Corner-Supported Volumetric Module

    Si Hwa Heng, David Hyland, Michael Hough, and Daniel McCrum (UCD)
    This paper investigates the robustness of a single 3D volumetric corner-supported module made of square hollow-section (SHS) columns. The results demonstrate the importance of an accurate assessment of framing rotational stiffness and the benefits of a computationally efficient model.
    View Report on mdpi.com
  • Build Digital logo beside text "Digitalisation for a Circular Economy (DiCE)" with cloud imagery.
    Mar 2024

    Digitalisation for a Circular Economy (DiCE)

    Build Digital
    The main objective of the report will focus on the opportunities to incorporate circular economy principles into construction and elaborate on a series of resources which are available for interested stakeholders. The report particularly focuses on the opportunities aligned with the increasing digitalisation of the industry and how such tools can be used to not only increase productivity but also increase circularity within the industry.
    View Report on squarespace.com
  • Graphic titled “BUSI2030 – National Upskilling Roadmap 2030 for the Built Environment,” featuring an illustration of hands holding the Earth with green buildings, wind turbines, solar panels, and birds, representing sustainability and environmental innovation.
    Mar 2024

    National Upskilling Roadmap 2030 for the Built Environment

    CIF, Irish Green Building Council, LOETB, Technological University of the Shannon
    The project’s scope is to analyse the current and future skills gaps in sustainable construction for 2030. It aims to create a National Upskilling Roadmap for Ireland to achieve its climate targets for housing, retrofitting, renewables and the decarbonisation of Ireland’s built environment.
    View Report on igbc.ie
  • Cover titled 'Viable Homes – Practical guidance for planners and developers on carbon optimisation of housing developments'
    Feb 2024

    Viable Homes: Practical guidance for planners and developers on carbon optimisation of housing developments

    Oliver Kinnane (UCD) and Pat Barry (Irish Green Building Council)
    This report intends to highlight to planners and other key stakeholders of the built environment the whole life carbon impacts of the continued construction of new low-rise, low-density dwellings on greenfield sites and to provide recommendations to mitigate these impacts by promoting a switch to a low-rise, medium density model.
    View Report on constructinnovate.ie