House in a day event hailed a huge success

Home in a day 2Over 200 people from the construction sector turned up to the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club Build a House in a Day event on 11th June at Telford College of Arts and Technology to watch the two bedroom factory built house erected on site.

There was great excitement when MP David Wright opened the house and people were allowed in to see the fully completed house with fitted kitchen, bathroom and carpets they were impressed with the exceptional quality of the build.

Many of the attendees were able to stay for the seminar programme offered by the construction partners to learn about the latest products and technologies that now support this fast growing sector.

Roger Bullivant of foundation specialists Roger Bullivant said their new ground source heat pump piling system was an ideal match for the factory built house pod made using Sustainable Welsh timber by Elements Europe.

Richard Fish of Blue Green Design who attended the seminars said ‘I particularly enjoyed the seminars because I learned a fantastic amount about the leading technologies now driving the construction sector, I was particularly interested in the new Photo voltaic system that fitted as tiles on the roof from Forticrete it has given me a lot to think about’.

Attendees were able to make great contacts with the innovators in the sector from clients, architects, and planners to constructors and manufacturers. Club Vice Chair Ray Philpin of Building Components was excited to get an enquiry for a 500 bed construction locally. Others reported interest in offices sheltered accommodation and house extensions.

The Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club are working with the Telford and Wrekin Council to see how this technology can be used to help build the 30,000 homes in the area Chair Carl Huntly of Base Architecture said ‘With the support of Transforming Telford and Telford and Wrekin Council It looks like we will be able to build 10 houses as an exemplar site for this technology’.

He also said that they were thinking of building a second site to showcase other offsite technologies up to sustainable homes code 5 & code 6 from companies in Shropshire and further afield.

The collaboration of companies with the club has seen fantastic publicity from local radio, news papers, trade press, through to national TV coverage. Peter Sims from 7 Video who did the time lapse photography and video for the event Said ‘One of our customers saw the TV coverage and asked me in to see what I can do for them, a great result for the effort I put into the project’.

Although the house has now been removed Kevin Arthur from Elements Europe was pleased to announce that the house will be next available to see at the Royal Welsh Show 20th to 23rd July. He expects it to be shown at other events around the country and is happy to for prospective clients to visit it at the factory.

Neil Young Club committee member said that he was impressed with the can do attitude of staff members Alison Grey and Andy Wilkinson of Telford College of Arts and Technology, they were fantastic hosts and made working with the college a great experience.