With the current strain on the NHS fuelling the ever-growing need for more facilities, trusts are increasingly choosing factory-built, modular developments to extend existing healthcare institutions or indeed to build new green-field hospital sites.
From GP practices through to individual wards or even full theatre departments, modular construction is fast becoming the top choice for temporary and fixed healthcare facilities. Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons why.
The potential reductions in construction costs are significant, not to mention the rapid development times. What’s more, the advanced spec of modern modular buildings means they can be just as aesthetically pleasing and robust as those built using traditional methods. In fact, they are often difficult to distinguish from ‘traditional’ buildings.
Modular buildings can be designed, produced and assembled in remarkably little time. Because most of the elements are brought to the site pre-constructed, build times can be reduced by as much as 50% when compared to conventional methods. The NHS frequently works under very tight deadlines; with modular solutions offering unrivalled speed from conception to completion, the benefits are undeniable.
It’s far from out of the ordinary for hospital facilities to have limited space. However, with the rapidly growing strain on the NHS, finding new facilities and building extensions is a major challenge. With the help of a modular building solutions provider, a floor plan design can be optimised to make use of all available space. Modular designs also offer the potential to quickly and easily adapt to future needs – with the addition of extra stories at a later date, for example.
Modular construction uses modern materials and techniques to minimise the carbon footprint of construction. For example, thermally efficient units can insulate the building to suit the season, whilst lessening the burden on heating and cooling systems. Choosing modular buildings for new facilities will help to significantly lower the health industry’s contribution to C02 emissions, whilst offering a cost-cutting solution to the tight budget of the NHS.
Needless to say it is of paramount importance in a hospital environment to provide a flawless service to patients, even under the difficult conditions of refurbishment. Modular building options minimise construction times and on-site waste, significantly reducing disruption to doctors, patients, and staff in existing facilities.
Tried and trusted construction solutions are required to deliver contemporary health care facilities on time and on budget. The reality is that with modern-day demands placed on the NHS, modular construction is the most sustainable and efficient method of expansion. Permanent prefabricated buildings offer a cost-cutting and eco-friendly long-term option, whilst temporary healthcare suites can be rapidly deconstructed and relocated to the next hospital or trust that requires them.
With modular building solutions, the same planning laws and building controls apply as with more traditional methods. However thanks to the performance, cost efficiency and speed of the modular building process, the ‘normal’ process of construction is now being outshone.
This article was written by Kelly Gilmour-Grassam who you can follow on Twitter @KellyGGrassam. Kelly is a Yorkshire lass who is also an award winning freelancing copywriter.
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