We’ve appointed a range of approved manufacturers to our MMC Category 1 framework and MMC Category 2 DPS. In this series we ask our manufacturing partners to introduce themselves.
LoCal
Based in the West Midlands, not-for-profit LoCaL Homes manufactures sustainable, low carbon structures using timber frames and specialist insulation. Run on social enterprise principles and housed within a social landlord, LoCaL Homes is committed to communities as well as the environment. It employs local people and offers apprenticeships.
We asked sales and partnerships manager, Mike Doolan to tell us a bit more about himself and LoCal Homes
What made you want to work in MMC?
Having been in construction for over 25 years, I began to be aware that the industry needed to change build methods and become more efficient and raise quality standards. The industry was also experiencing a widening skills gap that was affecting many sites across the UK and this, coupled with the shortage of much needed housing, meant the obvious solution was MMC, particularly if we want to deliver high quality, low carbon offsite solutions at pace. There are so many benefits associated with offsite MMC, such as reduced waste, design flexibility, increased productivity, high quality, low carbon, and energy efficiency, to name just a few. I believe that MMC will be the norm as a building method in the very near future.
What housing projects are you currently working on? Where? What size?
LoCal are currently working on numerous housing projects and some of our sites have been designed and delivered to the 2025 future homes standard.
Some LoCal Homes sites include:
- Redditch, Worcestershire: 26 town houses and 49 apartments
- Bushbury, Wolverhampton: 178 houses
- Huntington, Cambridgeshire: 56 houses
- Telford, Shropshire: 116 houses
The projects were designed on a fabric first approach and manufactured using our Eco100, Eco150 or Eco200 system. These would be pre-fitted with insulation and the Eco 200 projects had external finishes applied in the factory, such as cladding or brick slips.
Where is your factory based? Why did you choose to locate it there?
Our modern, state of the art production facility is located in Walsall, West Midlands. We also promote the facility as our “Centre of Excellence”. As we are centrally positioned, we are able to host existing and potential partners who come to visit us. We can discuss projects, give presentations, and showcase our production processes. Walsall was chosen as it’s ideally positioned to be able to service our sites across the length and breadth of the UK as it is close to all the main motorway infrastructure, so we can deliver to sites quickly and efficiently. Being centrally positioned is beneficial as our own supply chain has easy access to our facility. LoCal will be able to create employment for the local communities, which adds great social value for the region.
What exciting news is on the horizon for your business?
LoCal are now producing offsite timber frame solutions to “future homes standard” and our high-quality panels are being supplied across numerous projects. One project is Platform Housing Group, and as part of the project, Birmingham University along with Platform will be visiting LoCal Homes’ production facility to see the manufacturing process and quality of the homes being produced. As part of this visit the low carbon timber frame structures will be monitored alongside traditional brick and block houses to measure the overall construction insulation and thermal performance. The findings will give critical performance data that will help us decide the way we build houses in the future, I’m sure.
Find out more about LoCal Homes:
Mike Doolan is sales and partnerships manager at LoCal
13 December 2022
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