MMC. Offsite. Industrialised Construction. Traditional. Are We Even Speaking the Same Language?

Written by Matthew Egan, By Design Group

As Chair of BSI CB/301, I have the privilege of working with an extraordinary cross-section of the industry to develop the standards that will underpin the next generation of Modern Methods of Construction.

Standards are more than paperwork, and in the MMC sector, they matter even more because, frankly, we barely have any. Done well, standards help build confidence, allow innovation to scale, and create clarity where there is currently too much ambiguity.

There is now an important opportunity for the industry to get involved in what I would describe as a fundamental and foundational piece of work. This consultation focuses on creating a standard that will underpin the language we use to classify and identify different types of MMC systems in the future.

Look at where we are as an industry, MMC is no longer experimental! Whether it is called MMC, offsite, industrialised construction, or something else entirely, these approaches are now used in one form or another across most construction schemes. Pre-assembled roof trusses are commonplace in residential buildings and pre-manufactured timber frame has been specified on a huge number of recent projects we’ve been working on.

Despite our progress, projects using MMC still face higher levels of scrutiny from funders, insurers, regulators and clients. These stakeholders quite rightly want clarity and assurance about what systems are being used and how they are understood.

This is why what I'm asking you for here matters.  We need feedback to know we are on the right track and the ideas and concepts we are working with as an MMC standards committee are broadly understood and accepted by industry.

Find out more by following this link https://pages.bsigroup.com/l/35972/2026-02-19/3t9pxg1

This is YOUR opportunity to shape how MMC is defined, structured and assessed going forward. Clearer routes to compliance, better alignment with the Building Safety regime, greater confidence from lenders and insurers, reduced friction in procurement, and a shared language across the supply chain will only emerge if the industry engages and helps build that consensus.

The consultation aligns closely with the ethos of the Offsite Alliance. The Alliance has consistently championed practical deployment over theory, collaboration over silos, clarity over confusion, and delivery over rhetoric. Standards development should reflect those same principles. Given the reach and credibility of the Offsite Alliance across the sector, it feels like the right place to encourage people to lean into this consultation. In the same way that design should always be intentional, standards should also be purposeful and grounded in the realities of how the industry works. Every detail matters.

This consultation is about more than technical wording. It is about how MMC is perceived, trusted and adopted at scale.

Anyone involved in the sector can add value to this discussion. Manufacturers, developers, architects, housing associations, contractors, warranty providers, insurers, funders, regulators and the wider supply chain all bring perspectives that will help shape something meaningful.

There is no expectation that everyone will agree with everything in the draft. In fact, a few intentional mistakes have been included, so see if you can spot them while you have fun pulling the infographic apart and putting it back together again.

The aim is to create something grounded in real-world delivery, with genuine value, that provides a platform for future standards.

If you care about building better systems, improving clarity across the sector, and supporting the responsible growth of MMC, please take twenty minutes to share your views.

Let’s make sure the next chapter of MMC is written with the full intelligence of the industry behind it.

Send your feedback to Sophie Sherwood, who is our amazing committee manager.  You can e-mail her directly here: sophie.sherwood@bsigroup.com

We look forward to hearing your feedback.