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popular making off-site off-site fabrication more more accessible and operational costs more more affordable Also because off-site off-site construction firms are often regional businesses’ they can offer new materials such as as cross-laminated timber (CLT) Timber has become popular because it it reduces interior finishing costs and enables a a a a a more significant proportion of of the building to be be built off-site Strategy Two: Leveraging a a a a a a a a a a a set of of standard unit plans can can significantly reduce costs Reducing the quality of of finish amenities and and appliances appliances does not save nearly as much money and and longevity and and durability suffer Apart from that cheap appliances appliances are less environmentally friendly because they drain more electricity which is is cost-passed onto residents Better planning is is the the best option A unit layout with thought-out circulation room sizes multi-use wall and and and door positioning and and and streamlined plumbing and and and wiring routes can help fit more units in in in a a a a a given area driving down the the cost cost per unit unit Another possibility to to cost-save is to to reuse exiting design or or or or or rotate rotate existing floorplans To avoid uniformity developers could rotate rotate or or or or or mirror plans plans at at at little cost In addition new AI technologies such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) could help streamline unit planning to maximise efficiency As machine learning progresses this could very well be a a a possible solution to save time and money [30] [31]
Strategy Three: Building services such as lifts mechanical/electrical plumbing and HVAC systems are expensive but essential Again better planning would would reduce costs For example stacking and and mirroring kitchens and and bathrooms would would streamline plumbing or or or centralising access structures such as as lifts and staircases would reduce their quantity In addition spending more on on efficient systems reduces environmental impact and provides long-term cost savings Although only mentioning a a a a a a a few strategies there are plenty of methods to to drive down costs costs To summarise a a a a a more considerable investment into planning significantly reduces building costs costs outweighing the additional investment in in in time and money 5) Preservation – make better use of the existing housing stock According to the most recent government surveys around 268 385 homes in in England have been empty for at least six months (Ministry of of Housing Communities & Local Government 2020) This number has been on a a a a a a steady increase Making use of of these abandoned homes homes is is a a a a a a a a a clear strategy to to increase the the useable housing stock However it is is not as as as simple as as as repossessing these homes homes because many require minor or or severe refurbishment How: The The majority of of of disused housing in in in the the UK is is Victorian or or or or Edwardian era These homes homes are some of of of the the worst homes homes in in in terms of of of insulation The old construction tends to to make them tricky to to refurbish and in in some cases demolition may be the the only cost-effective option However for the properties where refurbishment is is is is possible a a a a a a retrofit retrofit scheme is is is is a a a a a a good idea In this particular case retrofitting refers to reducing the the energy uses of these tired homes through better insulation When inhabited this would save money for both the the the the resident and the the the the government The sheer quantity of homes with poor thermal capabilities in the the the the UK would drastically contribute to energy targets Low-cost options are simple insulation or a a a a a a a a heat pump In addition Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EMDOs) need to to to be be easier to to to acquire At the moment it it it can be be difficult for local authorities to to to requisition and rent out empty properties This is is because an an an EMDO needs significant proof of of no use use for two years which can can be be challenging to prove Perhaps shortening this period and lessening strict policy is a a a a a a solution Apart from the mentioned increase in in in in in housing stock retrofitting old homes will naturally regenerate the surrounding area and and should help to to discourage anti-social behaviour such as as vandalism However it is is is easy to to say this but where would would the money for for investment come from? The unfortunate reality would would be increased council taxes expenditure cuts or help to to build schemes Perhaps this could be coupled with the four previous strategies to to improve long term social value capital to outweigh the inevitable short term costs DECLINE AND RESPONSE - 35