The Brief:
To deliver 25 zero carbon affordable homes for the local council built using Zed Pods steelwork modular build system.
About Zed Pods:
Zed Pods are a turn-key modular provider with in-house architectural design and project management expertise allowing them to manage the entire design and build process. Zed Pods have developed their modular construction system based on fully fitted factory built modules with a steel primary structure which they are deploying to deliver 25 affordable Zero Carbon homes for the local council in Bromley. The site is situated on an existing car park where they are creating a steel podium structure to raise their modules above and retain the car parking capacity whilst developing the airspace above to meet local housing demand.
Project Delivery:
ZED PODs factory built modules seek to utilise the benefits of steel as a primary structural material in all schemes. The lightweight properties of steel as a structural material help Zed Pods to achieve reduced material usage of supporting structures and concrete foundations when elevating units above the ground enabling them to provide a cost effective solution for creating habitable spaces in otherwise undevelopable sites. By deploying a combination of Hot and Cold Rolled steel in the modules, Zed Pods have been able to optimised the materials structural performance for use in each structural element accordingly. This helps them to achieve an excellent balance between performance and economics by reducing the requirements for over specifying structures. Steel ITFCs and PFCs are used to create rigid floor and ceiling decks with loads distributed down through the centre and corner posts, this allows Zed Pods to free the buildings plan of load baring walls increasing the amount of flexibility in their plan designs. The higher strength to weight ratio of steel has also allowed flexibility in fixings and attachments allowing a bolt together modular system to be developed for rapid on site assembly. This has been a key component to reducing built times to less than 50% that of a conventional construction system. The low profile nature of the metal work has also allowed flexibility to create low impact penetrations for connecting services to the units on site.
The client agreed on timeframe and budget with a “not to exceed” price point. By carrying out the full turnkey D&B process, Zed Pods worked closely with client at every stage of decision making that controlled the cost of the project. By standardising and simplifying their processes, Zed Pods increased quality and productivity whilst driving down costs. Factory procedures include managed supply chain & established working methodologies and removed weather-related delays helping to maintain reliable build programmes and schedule in works accordingly. Because units are prefabricated in a factory, construction time is shorter without affecting the building safety & durability of the units. By monitoring and using regular supply chain products, the cost of production was optimised whilst minimising construction risks. The low profile nature of steelworks in the modules allows more flexibility in terms of when MEP fixings can be carried out allowing reduced timeframes for instillation and reduced overheads and labour costs, savings which can be passed onto the client.
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