A partnership with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) aims to provide expertise and support to enable housing associations to engage with, and use, off site construction and modern methods of construction (MMC).

MMC covers a wide range of modern ways of working including digital tools, design for manufacture assembly, building information modelling (BIM), augmented reality and virtual reality.

The long term goals are to mainstream off site construction in order increase the quality and numbers of new affordable housing delivered by housing associations and address the shortage of skilled construction workers in Scotland.

SFHA’s Innovation and Futures Thinking programme is bringing its members and other stakeholders together to collaboratively develop new ideas and solutions for the future. Members and partners are working on a range of projects with CSIC leading the ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ project within the programme. CSIC will provide up to £50,000 of academic funding support for the implementation and take up of Modern Methods of Construction.

CSIC said it hopes the funding call, which will be made at the SFHA Development Forum on November 22, will inspire housing providers to experiment with innovation and to look at how new technology can be used to improve services.