Industrialised Construction: Meeting the Housing Challenge with Purpose and Precision – By Oliver Novakovic, Barratt Redrow

As Oliver Novakovic concludes, 'industrialised construction should no longer be viewed as a niche modern method. It is a strategic operating model with the potential to transform the UK’s housing landscape — delivering homes with the purpose, precision and predictability the sector urgently needs'.

A Sector at a Turning Point

The UK housing industry is standing at a decisive moment. With demand rising, labour dwindling and traditional construction models straining under cost and regulatory pressures, a shift in how homes are delivered is no longer optional — it is inevitable. In a thought‑provoking analysis, Oliver Novakovic, Technical & Innovation Director at Barratt Redrow, argues that industrialised construction offers not just an upgrade to current practices, but a new operating model capable of reshaping the nation’s housing future.

A New Operating Model for UK Housing Delivery

Oliver Novakovic positions industrialised construction as a transformational response to the mounting challenges across the sector. By moving away from the variability of site‑based building and towards manufacturing‑led, repeatable systems, developers can achieve greater speed, consistency and control. This shift — rooted in precision engineering rather than traditional craftsmanship alone — promises a route to scalable, sustainable and predictable housing delivery.

Key Pressures Driving Change

Across the UK, construction companies face a convergence of pressures not seen in decades. Demand continues to outpace supply, while labour shortages deepen and material costs fluctuate unpredictably. At the same time, expectations around carbon performance and build quality are rising rapidly. Oliver Novakovic notes that these combined forces make the existing project‑by‑project model increasingly untenable. Industrialised construction, he argues, provides the systemic resilience required to withstand these pressures.

From Projects to Products

A central pillar of Oliver Novakovic’s case is a fundamental shift in mindset: treating homes not as one‑off projects, but as repeatable products. Drawing inspiration from manufacturing, the approach embraces Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), platform‑based design, and factory‑controlled production processes. This is not simply moving trades into a warehouse — it is a complete re-engineering of the delivery model, designed to enhance reliability and scale.

Enhancing Certainty in Cost, Carbon and Quality

One of the most compelling arguments in favour of industrialised construction is its potential to inject certainty into a traditionally volatile industry. Controlled factory environments allow for predictable costs, consistent quality, reduced waste and optimised carbon performance. Novakovic highlights that platform systems can be engineered for energy efficiency, material efficiency and long‑term durability, directly supporting both environmental goals and commercial stability.

Tackling Labour and Skills Challenges

With an ageing workforce and ongoing recruitment challenges, traditional site‑based construction faces a structural labour problem. Industrialised construction provides a credible solution by shifting more activity into factories where automation, digital tools and specialised training can flourish. This not only improves productivity but also creates safer, more appealing career pathways, making the industry more competitive in attracting new talent.

A Call for Leadership, Investment and Collaboration

Despite its clear benefits, Oliver Novakovic stresses that the transition will not happen without commitment. Industry leaders must invest in long-term capability, align supply chains and embed systems thinking into organisational culture. True progress, he argues, will depend on collaboration between developers, manufacturers, regulators and public bodies — ensuring that the move towards industrialised construction is both consistent and meaningful.

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