Shropshire Star – October 2009
This week, North Shropshire MP, Owen Paterson has told the Shropshire Star that Elements Europe has a proposed solution to the affordable housing market that will bring jobs to the area.
Mr Paterson recently visited Elements Europe’s factory in Oswestry where the team outlined plans for the production of modular homes.
Mr Paterson was shown how Elements Europe is developing Ty Unnos modular, an innovative off-site constructed housing system which delivers sustainable performance at an affordable cost.
Ty Unnos exceeds current housing sustainability standards and will assist the Government with its delivery of affordable social housing.
Wayne Morgan, Managing Director at Elements Europe told the Shropshire Star “The modular system is a high quality product and extremely energy efficient. Its success will reduce energy emissions, provide a solution to the housing marketing shortage and bring jobs to the area.”
“We believe it will provide a solution to many of the countries housing issues. It is affordable and achieves level four on the code for sustainable homes” he added.
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Construction News – July 2009
Elements Europe and the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club join up to demonstrate how to build a house in less than 12 hours using modular pod technology
Room Modules for Oswestry School
Founded in 1407, Oswestry School commissioned a new modular construction eight-bedroom boarding block for its Guinevere House from local builders, JR. Pickstock Ltd, part of the Pickstock Group and sister company of Elements Europe Ltd.
The high quality room pods, each complete with an ensuite bathroom and connecting corridor, were constructed by Elements Europe Ltd off site at its factory on the Mile Oak Industrial Estate.
Managing Director, of both companies, Andy Jones explains: “The modules were built in our Oswestry factory, with installation on August 23 and the completed building was handed over the school ready for the new term on September 5. We are proud of the quality and delivery of this scheme which will greatly benefit the school and its pupils.”
Oswestry School’s Headmaster Douglas Robb adds: “We are delighted with the scheme and the professionalism and attention to detail of the contractors and their staff. It has been a pleasure to do business with JR. Pickstock Ltd as they completed the scheme to budget, to a high specification and to a tight schedule.”
The accommodation block is just one of a series of developments at the school with new staff and student study areas, redecoration and refurbishment and new laptops for the IT suite. Earlier in the year, JR Pickstock Ltd built a Headmaster’s house at the school.
Modular construction portable hotel for Grand Prix fans
An unique portable hotel called Snoozebox gave Formula One spectators the opportunity to stay in comfortable accommodation for this year’s Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Oswestry firm Elements Europe manufactured the modular units which make up hotel. Managing Director Andy Jones explains: “The Snooze Box phase one consists of 40 modular bedrooms – room pods – with entrance area and bathrooms which are craned into place.”
“It provides a flexible and instant way of accommodating the racing teams and guest directly on site right in the heart of the action.”
David Coulthard, MBE, President of Snoozebox and former Formula One racing driver, comments: “The concept of a turnkey hotel, delivered to an event and fully operational in 48 hours just clicked with me immediately. For spectators, staff and teams, it works on every level at any event.”
The portable hotel was positioned inside the circuit at Copse Corner and also provided a VIP hospitality area for guests. Each room is fully-equipped with double bed, ensuite wetroom, climate control, wireless internet, flat screen TV and fully serviced.
Snoozebox CEO Robert Breare comments: “We are delighted to have had a successful inaugural launch of our new portable hotel concept at this prestigious event. The feedback from Silverstone and the people who stayed was great.”
The units were manufactured at Elements Europe headquarters where the company manufacture modular room pods and bathroom pods as well as roofing units, corridors and stairways for a range of multi-million pound schemes such as student accommodation, nursing homes and hotels.
The Snoozebox hotel concept is likely to become a regular feature at many key sporting events around the UK and Europe and provides event organisers with an easy solution to the headache of providing enough good standard accommodation on site.
Andy Jones adds: “Our staff worked incredibly hard to get this project out in time for the British GP and the comments we have received to date have all been very positive. We are sure this will be the first of many such initiatives.”
Elements Europe transforms lives – in just two hours
Use this link to watch the BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13751320
The family of a severely disabled boy have taken delivery of a ready-built home extension constructed by Elements Europe of Oswestry for our client Modular Adaptation Pods.
The Modular Adaptation Pod (MAP) contains a bedroom and large bathroom for the four-year-old who lives on the Wirral. It was fitted in under two hours to the back of the family home in Moreton on Monday (June 14).
His mother, Chantelle Smith, told BBC Television News that she cried when the extension was unveiled. Their home’s current bathroom was not spacious enough for her son, who suffers from a muscle-wasting condition.
Elements Europe Managing Director Andy Jones said: “We are delighted that our innovative modular products, which are built off-site at our production plant in Shropshire, can instantly transform lives in this way.”
Elements Europe is part of the Pickstock Group of Companies covering construction services to food.
Elements Europe campaigns with construction experts to help the ailing building industry
Elements Europe is partnering with Shropshire construction experts in a campaign to help the ailing building industry.
Elements Europe and the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club are asking the Government to consider the benefits of new building methods to get the sector back on its feet.
The Oswestry company represents a new approach to the development and delivery of off-site construction solutions, creating modular and pod-style buildings at their West Midlands base.
Kevin Arthur of Elements joined Carl Huntley, Ray Philpin and David Chiva of the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club in talks at the House of Commons with MPs Iain Wright, Parliamentary Under-Secretary Of State for Communities and Local Government and David Wright, Labour MP for Telford.
Kevin Arthur said that innovative modern construction methods were being stifled by expensive testing costs and higher construction prices as the result of new standards.
“We are asking the Government to consider proposals which will support the industry through difficult times,” said Mr Arthur.
“If the Government can back our proposals then we look forward to working our way out of this recession.”
Proposals put forward by the group for the Government to consider included; assistance with certification and testing; grant funding to assist with sustainable and affordable housing targets; addressing unemployment through offsite construction and support for initiatives to support the construction industry.
The MPs were told about the groundbreaking ‘house-in-a-day’ project which will see a two-bedroom, highly sustainable, modular affordable home constructed at Telford College of Arts and Technology on June 11 by Elements Europe, using their award-winning Ty Unnos modular pod technology.
The event is being organised by the Excellence Club to showcase the best in modern construction methods available in Shropshire
Lembit Opik backs Elements Europe’s affordable housing solution
Liberal Democrat MP, Lembit Opik, has thrown his weight behind an Oswestry company’s attempts to provide a solution to the affordable housing market.
The Montgomeryshire MP’s support follows his visit to the Royal Welsh Show where he saw Ty Unnos, a two-storey modular house built in less than 12 hours by Elements Europe, the Oswestry based offsite construction experts, part of the Pickstock Group of companies.
And now the MP is calling for cross-party support for the scheme which he claims will provide around 30% of the answer to overcrowding and first-time buyer barriers-to-entry and provide employment for his constituents.
“Since I first visited the factory where these modular homes are constructed, I’ve been utterly convinced of their importance to solving basic problems like overcrowding and the cost of a first home,” said Mr Opik.
“It’s a very high-quality product, and, at ‘code 4’, remarkably energy efficient. This is one of those ideas whose time has come.
“Its success will reduce pressure in the housing market, reduce emissions in the atmosphere, and bring jobs to our region. It’s a triple win, and I sincerely hope politicians will endorse a common sense solution to the pressing problems of housing and climate change.
“The Pickstock Group has earned every penny of its success through an ethical operation and innovative design. This follows on in that tradition and really represents where we should be heading in the 21st-century homes fit to live in which don’t cost the earth,” he added.
So-called because of its Welsh timber frame superstructure and the speed of its construction, Ty Unnos literally translates from Welsh as ‘House Overnight’.
Made from low-density timber, Ty Unnos is very lightweight and yet exceptionally strong. A unique laminating process and clever beam, column and joist arrangements result in a sturdy, load-bearing structure.
Ty Unnos, which began as a collaborative project by Coed Cymru, the Design Research Unit at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) and Bangor University two years ago, has clinched a string of awards for innovation, sustainability and design.
Ty Unnos Modular, a volumetric housing system based on the original concept, is now being developed by Elements Europe and is expected to be launched to the affordable housing market by the end of this year.
Kevin Arthur of Elements Europe said it would be possible to build a two-storey house for around 93,000 including land purchase, external treatment and foundation.
“It would be the full turnkey package,” he said.
“Ty Unnos is a quality modular alternative which will provide affordable and sustainable homes. The product ticks all the right boxes. It is aimed at the affordable housing market offering the purchaser the highest factory manufactured quality while exceeding the government’s parameters for sustainable development”.
“Ty Unnos will make a real difference in the provision of affordable properties and the timing could not be better as the property market begins to see signs of improvement.”
North Shropshire MP, Owen Paterson, visits Elements Europe and likes what he saw
Owen Paterson, Conservative MP for North Shropshire has been impressed by Elements Europe’s proposed solutions to the affordable housing market and the prospect of more jobs for the area.
Mr Paterson has paid a visit to The Pickstock Group, a privately owned international group of companies with interests in construction, property development, manufacturing, investment and food processing.
The MP met directors of The Pickstock Group and its subsidiaries Elements Europe and J Ross Developments when staff from the offsite construction experts outlined their plans for the production of modular homes.
The MP saw at first hand how the company has developed Ty Unnos modular, an innovative offsite constructed housing system which delivers sustainable performance at affordable cost.
The company believes the system will provide the answer to overcrowding and first-time buyer barriers-to-entry while providing employment for the area.
Ty Unnos exceeds current housing sustainability standards and will assist the Government with its delivery of affordable and social housing.
Mr Paterson said: ” I was tremendously impressed by the quality of the products of this Oswestry-based company which will provide a radical system to solve the problem of affordable housing.”
“The modular system is a high-quality product and extremely energy efficient. Its success will reduce energy emissions, provide a solution to the housing market shortage and bring jobs to the area.”
Element’s Europe is a specialist in modular construction, providing pods to all sectors of the construction industry including hotels, care homes, student accommodation and local authorities. Current clients include Premier Inn, Butlins, and European Care.
“We at Elements Europe are very excited about our new product,” said Wayne Morgan, Managing Director.
“We believe it will provide the solution to many of the country’s housing issues. It is affordable and achieves level four on the code for sustainable homes, meaning that the house is truly accessible to everybody, even first time buyers. The sale price for a completed home starts at £68,000.
“And it isn’t just the buying price which is attractive but energy bills for an entire year will cost substantially less due to the efficient the house,” he added.
Editor’s Note:
So-called because of its Welsh timber frame superstructure and the speed of its construction, Ty Unnos literally translates from Welsh as ‘House Overnight’. Made from low-density timber, Ty Unnos is very lightweight and yet exceptionally strong. A unique laminating process and clever beam, column and joist arrangements result in a sturdy, load-bearing structure. Ty Unnos, which began as a collaborative project by Coed Cymru, the Design Research Unit at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) and Bangor University two years ago, has clinched a string of awards for innovation, sustainability and design.
Ty Unnos Modular, a volumetric housing system based on the original concept, is now being developed by Elements Europe and will be launched to the affordable housing market in October. Elements Europe represents a new approach to the development and delivery of off-site construction solutions. Innovation and investment are the key components at the heart of the company’s ethos, creating a dynamic and forward-thinking business.
Elements Europe is one of the UK’s leading offsite construction specialists, delivering ‘pod’ solutions to contractors and developers in the hotel, care, housing and student accommodation sectors. Working closely with its construction and manufacturing partners, Elements Europe invests in research and development each year and leads the way in modular technology and sustainable design solutions.
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy visits Elements Europe at Grand Designs Live
Greg Clark, the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, was an interested visitor when Elements Europe presented their ‘House In A Day’ project at Grand Designs Live in Birmingham last weekend.
Elements Europe partnered with the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club to build the house on the grounds of Telford Art & Technology and such was the interest that they were invited to take centre stage at the Birmingham exhibition.
The project caught the eye of the Shadow Secretary who said, “This is a very interesting project and I will be following the progress of the company’s plans to provide affordable housing very closely.”
He was joined on the stand by Marian Spain, Leader of the Energy Saving Trust. She is responsible for leading the EST’s policy and research programme.
Other visitors to show interest in the project included Kevin McCloud, the presenter of TV show Grand Designs and George Clark, presenter of Channel 4’s The Home Show and Restoration Man.
Julia Kendall from 60 Minute Makeover and DIY SOS was another interested visitor.
Telford school in study of Ty Unnos Modular housing system
Pupils from a Telford school have been given first-hand information about Elements Europe’s exciting Ty Unnos Modular housing system.
Year 9 students from Ercall Wood Technology College are working on a special science project to design a town for 20,000 people.
In this project, the pupils need to consider power, housing types, transport and leisure areas, all with a sustainability focus.
It is a competition and has been chosen as it is a stimulating project to work on where the pupils develop a deeper understanding of a whole range of issues and develop their learning skills and teamworking skills.
So a visit to the Grand Designs Live exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham was a perfect way to gain information particularly when they were invited to visit the ‘House In A Day Project’ being displayed by Elements Europe in partnership with the Shropshire Constructing Excellence Club.
There the pupils were able to see the house that was recently erected in less than 12 hours at Telford College of Arts & Technology.
They were given a tour of the building by Kevin Arthur, Elements Europe’s Ty Unnos Project Manager and learned about the eco-friendly nature of the project.
Main Picture (left to right: James Campbell (staff), Kevin Arthur, Ty Unnos Project Manager, Sophie Taras, Tabitha Heeley, Elisabeth Brewer, Sophie Martin, Alexander Connor and Katie Lutner (staff).
Elements Europe take Roompod to Telford Construction Centre
Oswestry-based Elements Europe displayed their Room pod system, at the Telford Construction Centre recently. Room pod is a volumetric modular solution developed for residential commercial projects such as care homes, hotels and student accommodation.
Telford Construction Centre is a subsidiary of Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology and courses include BTEC Diplomas in construction, bricklaying and carpentry. Students at the centre were given the chance to see firsthand the benefits of modular construction for the built environment.
Joanne Green, Team Leader of the Telford Construction Centre commented that “prior to seeing Room pod many were questioning the benefits of switching from traditional to modern methods. But now that has changed.”
Elements Europe transported Room pod to the centre for an open day as part of College Week. The demonstration proved to be an ‘eye opener’ for students and staff, particularly from the electrical sector.
“This was a very useful exercise. There was a lot of scepticism from not just students, but staff as well before they visited the Elements Europe exhibition.” Joanne Green went on to say that “they all went away buzzing about the benefits of the Room pod solution, particularly in terms of the sustainability benefits of the system.”
Other visitors to the Room pod Roadshow included representatives from Wrekin Housing Trust – Shropshire’s largest landlords.
Wayne Morgan, Managing Director of Elements Europe, is very keen to build on the existing relationship with the Telford Construction Centre. Wayne commented that as offsite construction continues to grow and meet UK construction needs, it is crucial for future construction workers to learn about both traditional and modern methods of construction to ensure a suitably skilled labour resource for the future.
Elements Europe Open New Offices and Launch New Products to Make 2010 an Exciting Year
As we enter 2010 Elements Europe Ltd. is in a stronger position than ever to meet customer demands.
In the past year, we have opened offices in Southampton and central London as well as expanding our premises in the West Midlands. At Elements Europe we believe that direct communication is vital when building working relationships with our clients and have expanded to meet this need. These offices ensure that clients from across the UK can easily meet our representatives face to face to discuss upcoming projects and maintain dialogue during current projects.
During the last year we have also greatly expanded our product range. We now offer more modern building solutions for residential, hotel, care home, student, commercial and holiday accommodation markets.
2009 saw the launch of the M.A.P. (Modular Adaptation Pod), the re-launch of the StrucMet product line and the start of the first Ty Unnos Modular commercial development.
M.A.P. is a new product designed to equip individuals to live longer in the own homes by offering simple and cost-effective adaptations to their existing homes. By positioning a factory constructed extension onto an existing property, individuals can have access to a downstairs space as required.
StrucMet our light steel frame building solution has four products under its banner, StrucMet Infill Panels, StrucMet Cladding, StrucMet Modular and StrucMet Elite. These products have been designed to improve quality of traditional builds whilst also reducing cost and waste through highly engineered and bespoke steel frame solutions.
Throughout 2009 the Ty Unnos Modular housing solution has gathered pace and has now received awards including; Local Authority Building Control (LABC) New Homes Warranty, Premier Guarantee, Trada Q Mark technical approval and National House Building Council (NHBC) approval. Ty Unnos is now ready to embark on its first residential development in conjunction with sister company J. R. Pickstock Ltd.
Elements Europe is looking forward to a year that builds on the expansion of 2009 as these products enter the market and drive the business forward.
Offsite: the benefits were clear for all to see!
Elements Europe provided the corner-post of the ‘Innovate Off-site’ stand at Ecobuild 2010 in Earls Court London this March, a showcase of off-site construction coordinated by The Mtech Consult and Galliford Try.
The stand at the show demonstrated that combining appropriate off-site techniques and systems delivers significant cost and performance improvements, making compliance with increasingly stringent environmental and performance criteria more certain.
Visitors particularly valued the stand’s emphasis on integrating off-site building systems into a whole development, demonstrating that off-site is not just about individual components – it’s a practical, efficient and effective construction method.
Elements Europe showcased a hotel room module that offers a comprehensive structural building solution that delivers internally complete room modules that stack together on-site to form the super-structure of the building. This has been used to build budget hotels and a number of care homes in less time and on budget over the last 18 months.
Wayne Morgan, Managing Director of Elements Europe stated that “our (Elements Europe’s) part in the collaborative stand at Ecobuild 2010 highlighted how far off-site construction has come over the last five years”. The module we built specifically for the show is a great example of the quality that off-site construction solutions, whilst offering the proven programme benefits to hotel, student, care and custodial projects.
Elements Europe commences manufacture of Traveller Units
Elements Europe Ltd have been selected to provide amenity accommodation at the Withy Beds Traveller site in Welshpool. The Ty Unnos Modular units are part of a wider improvement scheme being undertaken by Alun Griffiths Contractors Ltd that will see a new access road, footpaths, fire prevention systems, improved lighting and recreational facilities for residents and visitors of the site. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of Powys County Council in collaboration with the Welsh Assembly Government.
The modules supplied by Elements Europe Ltd will be a factory manufactured single storey building offering a lounge, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, cloakroom and storeroom. This accommodation will be fully completed within the factory in Oswestry, transported to site leaving only the external cladding and roof to be finished onsite by Elements Europe’s sister company JR Pickstock Ltd. Ty Unnos Modular is a sustainable building system that promotes the use of indigenous Welsh spruce timber to provide the building’s structure.
This modern method of construction has been chosen for this project for its environmental credentials, installation speed and quality of the completed product.
The residents of the traveller site have been involved in selecting the internal decoration of these modules and have in fact helped make this modernisation a reality by agreeing to increase their rent to help part fund the cost of the scheme.
Elements Europe Ltd secures £2.5 million contract to supply light gauge steel frame and infill panels
Mace Ltd has appointed Elements Europe Ltd to design, manufacture, supply and install structural bathroom pods and the structural lightweight steel frame to the 14 Fieldgate Street development after a rigorous tender process.
The £19.3m development includes over 300 student rooms, some residential apartments, as well as ground level retail areas. Elements Europe will be providing the full structure and pods to the upper eight levels on a design and build basis.
The structure will be lightweight steel framework from the second floor and Elements Europe will deliver standard non-structural bathroom pods for inclusion in the reinforced concrete frame on the first floor. Elements Europe will then install structural bathroom pods that will form part of the lightweight steel frame. The unique combination of both the bathroom pods and structural infill panels won Elements Europe this contract by consolidating two complicated works packages so offering savings to the Client.
Mace Ltd identified that a project of this scale would benefit from the use of modern methods of construction as it will speed up the build programme and by using bathroom pods there will be fewer trades on-site and the bathrooms will be built under stringent factory quality controls. By procuring these packages as one operation it has assured design integration efficiencies and speed together with ensuring the upfront design and procurement phase is minimised to a very compact period.
This student block will offer future students of all London universities accommodation as it is well placed to transport links. The surrounding area will also benefit from a substantial regeneration from the Aldgate master-plan.