A NEED for more houses to be built in general and a lack of affordable homes in particular is a pressing concern for many families.

The solution to the problem is a combination of affordable homes for sale plus provision of properties for rent and shared ownership or equity.

But this does not solve the issue of not enough homes being built to keep up with demand.

It is estimated that 237,800 homes need to be built a year. To meet that challenging target, rapid build panelised systems could form a major part of the answer.

This involves off-site fabrication which speeds up the building process as well as reducing costs by cutting the construction time in half.

It also brings better quality control as parts are constructed in controlled factory conditions.

Factory-made lightweight steel frames fitted with precision cut insulation panels create properties which exceed building regulation requirements in all aspects of thermal requirements and building quality, meaning they are also more environmentally-friendly.

Putting a roof over people’s heads is a vital part of helping drive the economy forward and politicians and the construction industry, particularly those involved in the affordable social housing arena, should be looking to embrace this modern, more efficient method of house construction.

Michael O’Connell, Director, Eos Ltd, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham.