On 8th July, the Offsite, Manufacturing and Technology group held a session exploring PAS 8700. The group were joined by Dan Rossiter, British Standards Institution (BSI), and Gaynor Tennant, Offsite Alliance, who shared insight into this standard, the UK’s first standard for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The session highlighted PAS 8700 as a practical, outcome-driven approach to improving housing delivery and addressing the sector’s productivity and capacity challenges.
Context: Why Does PAS 8700 Matter?
Over the past 50 years, UK manufacturing productivity has roughly tripled, with sectors like manufacturing and agriculture achieving growth of 200–400%. In stark contrast, construction has seen productivity gains of just 20–30%, with housebuilding trailing even further behind at only 10–20%. This lag highlights the sector’s struggle to keep pace with broader industrial advancements.
Nowhere are these challenges more pressing than in the affordable and social housing sector. A severe shortage has resulted in over 127,000 UK households, many with children, living in temporary accommodation, emphasising the urgent need for more efficient and scalable housing delivery models. Low productivity and rising demand make transformation not just necessary, but critical to addressing the housing crisis.
What is PAS 8700:2025
In the hierarchy of standards, PAS 8700:2025 is classified as a sponsored standard, a practical standard intended to address specific industry. PAS (Publicly Available Specifications) are voluntary and, while they do not carry the same formal status as British Standards (BS), European Standards (EN), or International Standards (ISO), they can often act as stepping stones that may eventually become formal standards.
PAS 8700 is the first standard specifically focused on Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Developed in response to a clear gap in the construction standards landscape, it is:
- A practical and outcomes-driven tool, designed by practitioners for practitioners.
- Not theoretical—it’s a real-world guide to doing MMC well.
- Built around the DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly) methodology but extends across the entire housing lifecycle, from concept to decommissioning.
Key Features of PAS 8700
- Holistic Scope: Covers every stage of a project—design, procurement, manufacturing, installation, handover, operation, maintenance, and disassembly/reuse.
- Cross-sector Application: Applies across building types, materials, and delivery models.
- Outcome-Focused: Aims to improve safety, quality, and sustainability.
- Common Language: Offers a shared framework and expectations for all stakeholders—clients, developers, manufacturers, and local authorities.
- Not Just for Reading: Intended for active use in projects; not a shelf document.
What’s Next?
PAS 8700:2025 is envisioned as a living document. The authors encourage feedback, updates, and real-world application.
What can you do?
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- Download and use the PAS 8700 standard.
- Engage with it actively and constructively.
- Provide case studies to inform future iterations.
The Offsite Expo, taking place in September 2025, will host a session featuring PAS 8700, offering further opportunity for sector engagement.
Final Thoughts
PAS 8700:2025 is a significant step forward for industrialized construction in the UK. It provides clarity, structure, and a shared pathway for delivering high-quality, sustainable, and efficient housing at a time when it’s desperately needed. It challenges the industry to rise to the occasion—by collaborating, sharing insight, and applying standards with purpose.
Get Involved
This session was held as part of the Constructing Excellence Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group. To find out more about this group and their activities, visit the group’s page. Alternatively, find out about our other groups here or explore our upcoming events on the events page.
