<p><span>Homes England has commissioned </span><span>a</span><span> research </span><span>study</span><span> into modern methods of construction (MMC) “to drive innovation in the construction industry”.</span><span></span></p><p><span>A number of the agency’s own sites will participate in the study which are set to deliver “ambitious levels of MMC which are higher than the market norm”.</span><span></span></p><p><span>Homes England explained that the study, monitoring over several years the construction of around 1,500 homes at sites across the country, would test the performance of different types of MMC, providing “verifiable” data to inform decisions on new construction technologies.</span><span></span></p><p><span>The study will explore myriad themes including cost and speed of build against traditional building methods, skills, safety performance, snagging and defect issues and energy efficiency and post-occupation performance.</span><span></span></p><p><span>“The study will also seek to learn lessons about how these technologies might be improved upon in future and give confidence to the industry to encourage more widespread use of MMC technologies,” Homes England said.</span></p><p><span> </span></p><p><span>Sites participating in the study so far include:</span><span></span></p><ul> <li><span>Vistry Partnerships’ 87-home York Road scheme, Birmingham. The homes will be built using a timber frame closed panel system, delivered to site for assembly</span></li> <li><span>Northstowe Phase 2a, a 406-home “100% MMC neighbourhood” in Cambridgeshire being brought forward by House by Urban Splash – a …