Cardiff Met Design and Manufacturing Engineer named a Future Leader in the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Best of the Best Awards 2021

A product design and manufacturing engineer, currently working with Wales’ largest offsite timber frame manufacturer – Sevenoaks Modular – has been named one of eight future leaders at the prestigious Innovate UK KTP Awards 2021.

For almost three years, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate Verity Moorhouse, has been working with South Wales offsite manufacturer (OSM) of modern methods of construction (MMC) Sevenoaks Modular (SOM) to enhance the business operations using sustainable offsite manufacturing methods. With high profile public and private house building contracts, OSMs such as SOM are integral to the Welsh Government’s ambitious plans to build 20,000 affordable homes by the end of the current Welsh Parliament.

Verity’s time at SOM has seen her leading on key projects designed to improve the design, manufacture and installation processes for timber frame prefabricated ‘modular’ buildings used to build modern high-performing residential dwellings.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething MS said: “I’d like to congratulate Verity on this superb achievement. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships offer real solutions to difficult problems for industry, and this award recognises their ability to help solve societal problems too by having a real world impact and genuinely improving people’s lives. In Wales, industry and academia continue to collaborate so positively for the benefit of future generations. The Welsh Government will continue to support that.”

Sevenoaks Modular Company Director, Charlotte Hale, said: “Proud is an understatement of Verity’s achievements with SOM, we cannot thank her enough for what she has done in the way of injecting innovation throughout our company. Its most definitely embedded a culture of continuous improvement and innovation that will continue to flourish within our company.”

On hearing of her win, Verity said: “It feels amazing to be recognised as a future leader. It’s not something I ever imagined I’d achieve so early on in my career.

“It’s been a real team effort to get me here and I am eternally grateful to colleagues at Sevenoaks Modular, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Knowledge Transfer support network and advisers.”

The Welsh Government backed Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Cardiff Metropolitan University and Sevenoaks Modular (SOM) tasked academics and house builders with improving the design, manufacture and installation processes for timber frame prefabricated ‘modular’ buildings.

To date the research has improved operational output and seen benefits with sister company Hale Construction of £40 million+, to deliver two innovative housing projects in Swansea and Port Talbot.

Funded through Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation and the Welsh Government, the team are pioneering the expansion and transition of prefabricated homebuilding in Wales into near-to-zero operational energy and near-to-zero embodied carbon, perfecting sustainable modular construction in the house building sector.