CASE STUDY
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Case study
Modular West
Building dreams in Barra
Roddy MacInnes left his home on the Isle of Barra aged 15 to study furniture construction and design in Glasgow. After graduating from Glasgow’s College of Building and Printing he started his first business Touchwood Design and Build in 2001, specialising in crafting high-end bespoke furniture, joinery and exhibition fit outs for clients throughout the UK and around the world.
In 2012 he made the move to return home to Barra where he established Coastal Homes which provided a full design and build construction service and has completed a range of bespoke buildings throughout the Islands.
Fast forward to 2020 and seeing the benefits in a shift towards Modular construction, Modular West Ltd was established in response to the growing demand from clients for design led, quality and efficient modular buildings throughout Scotland.
With the help of HIE funding, Roddy set about designing and building the first purpose build off-site construction facility on the isle of Barra to provide a more streamlined method of construction on the Western Isles. Since completion of the 1000 sqm factory in early 2021, a skilled team of local specialist tradespeople have worked together under one roof to produce a range of residential dwellings, education facilities, offices, and other modular buildings for a variety of customers and companies across the west of Scotland.
Modular West completed a diverse set of projects ranging from a staff welfare and shop facility for Barratlantic on the Isle of Barra, a new visitor centre at the Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye and they are currently working on a new college extension for Macaulay College in Stornoway as well as two new social houses in Meavaig, Isle of Lewis.
A key driver for these projects was the quality and efficiency of a factory build while allowing groundworks to be carried out at site at the same time reducing overall project delivery and disruption.
This next phase of investment and the continued support from HIE will help increase standards, capacity and employment opportunities driving Modular West forward in the years ahead.Roddy MacInnes, Modular West
Supporting their plans for the future
We’ve helped Modular West with their growth plans for the future. Their latest £481,000 investment project secured £211,000 from HIE. The project is expected to support three new apprentices and create six jobs. Modular West’s factory will expand to 1500 sqm, increasing its capacity to meet current demand and better serve its employees.
This expansion will feature an extension to the assembly hall as well as a fully equipped staff welfare area with changing facilities, new offices, boardroom, client reception area, car park surfacing, lighting, security cameras and new equipment within the workshop. This will enable staff to be based together under one roof instead of travelling between temporary storage and office spaces. It will also allow Modular West to increase capacity and expand its team to keep up with demand moving forward. Another key aspect of the company’s expansion is its ambition to operate smaller satellite factories managed from its Barra office servicing various locations throughout Scotland to meet the demands of future projects.
Keeping young people in the islands
Modular West plays a crucial role in retaining young people on the islands by providing affordable housing options and creating job opportunities, supporting the aspiration of growing the population and ensuring that families can afford to live and work in their communities.
Modular West’s staff are all from the local community and range from age16 to 65. The company is passionate about career progression particularly through apprenticeships. Right now Modular West have five apprentices all at different stages of their apprenticeships. The hope is this supports people to progress into skilled and well-paid jobs through on-site education but leaves the legacy of a sustainable skilled workforce on the island.
Helping to address the housing issue in the islands
Housebuilding is a priority throughout the Outer Hebrides. Modular West’s innovative approach significantly reduces build time, saving money and allowing resources to be focused on high-quality design and materials. Constructed off-site under controlled conditions, modular buildings meet the same standards as traditional builds but in less time while avoiding unnecessary delays due to weather and also increasing working hours by using various shift patterns and not being restricted by daylight hours.
This approach helps the availability of affordable housing and reduces on-site construction time and disruption, making it easier to meet the urgent housing need of the local community.
A focus on net zero
Transitioning to net zero is a priority for Modular West, an example of this is the switching of its latest electricity provider to Engie whereby 100% of their energy is being supplied by windfarms within the Outer Hebrides with all profits reinvested into the community providing a huge community benefit.
Modular West’s buildings are constructed using sustainably sourced materials wherever possible. The modules conform to industry standards but are constructed with high performance insulation, high levels of air tightness and are therefore low energy in operation and will deliver carbon savings over a lifetime of the building. Another advantage is the reduction in waste compared to traditional construction and minimal environmental impact on site.
Modular West are continuing to work closely with Business Energy Scotland receiving tailored advice on the appropriate measures that they should consider for limiting their carbon use. Modular West are currently undergoing an energy audit on the business with a view to implementing further measures such as solar/wind to lower our carbon footprint further.
What’s next?
Roddy MacInnes says: “I believe we have one of the best bespoke build teams in the west of Scotland. We are a strong and skilled group who all live and work on the island and this sense of community and camaraderie feeds into our work to build to the highest standards that we can, and to create work we can all be proud of
“This next phase of investment and the continued support from HIE will help increase standards, capacity and employment opportunities driving Modular West forward in the years ahead.”