What If We’re The Problem? Why Offsite Still Isn’t Mainstream

By Chris Griffiths

Marketing Manager, Public Sector - Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions

As someone relatively new to the off-site sector, I’m surprised that it’s not more prevalent in England and Wales than it currently is. The benefits of MMC - speed, safety, sustainability - are well evidenced and documented, so it seems odd that the majority of English and Welsh homes are still built using traditional brick and block construction methods.

In addition, our own recent investigations into off-site in the social housing space revealed that all the methods and materials within the industrialised construction sector are already widely understood and accepted by providers, so it’s not a lack of knowledge that’s holding clients back.

It’s easy to blame developers. The construction sector isn’t known for evolving fast; developers don’t like doing what they didn’t do last time, and for understandable reasons – margins are tight and the impact of making the wrong decision can be high.

So, what’s not getting through? Why are we lagging behind when elsewhere in the world (like Scotland, for instance) optimised off-site systems are considered the normal way of building, exactly because they’re known to deliver the multiple benefits we’re all acutely aware of?

Maybe it’s down to us. The suppliers. The manufacturers. The installers. Maybe we’re the problem.

Saint-Gobain Off-site Solutions

While we’re quick to point the finger at developers for being slow to adapt, it strikes me that what we’re really good at is confusing things. We like to make our systems and our products sound technical, and new, and complex, and superior… and all that makes us easy to ignore. We do it for the right reasons; every player in the market wants to offer something novel and differentiated to give them an edge over their competitors. The problem is that this can result in a host of confusing messages, none of which make it easier for the customer, who, at the end of the day, only wants to get on with building houses with minimum fuss.

We don’t help by employing a host of flavour-of-the-month buzzwords that change every couple of months (I’ve used a selection in this blog – see if you can fill your bingo card). The language alone can make our corner of the construction industry seem exclusive and impenetrable, when really, all we’re doing is offering a better way of building.

That’s why Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions has joined the Offsite Alliance (OA). We want to work with our peers to take a simple, digestible message to customers. We want to work together to grow the market for the solutions that will bring better outcomes for everyone - not least the end users, the residents of the future. We recognise that we need to join forces to grow the market, and it’s clear that the OA is an organisation that’s working hard to deliver an aligned and harmonious future for off-site construction.

Thanks for having us. We’re looking forward to meeting with our OA partners over the coming months.

Gaynor Tennant, Founder and Chair of the Offsite Alliance, added:

“Couldn’t agree more. The biggest barrier isn’t the technology, it’s how we talk about it. We’ve overcomplicated things, wrapped them in jargon, and made offsite sound more exclusive than it is. If we want to see real change, we need to speak the same language, one that resonates with clients and focuses on achieving better outcomes, rather than relying on buzzwords. That’s exactly what we’re working to do at the Offsite Alliance, and we’re delighted to welcome Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions into the fold. The more we align and collaborate as a sector, the faster we’ll grow the market and our businesses together.”