The Callidas Blog

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"The DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work aims to dispel the myth that DfMA is a barrier to great architecture or reserved just for a few new build sectoral building types. 

As the case studies in the report clearly highlight, DfMA can produce extraordinary, award-winning architecture, with few limits on where it can be applied. It is relevant to all kinds of projects, including small projects and work on existing buildings." 

Download the DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work below for the complete guidance.

Modern methods of construction for new-build residential properties – Specification

This publicly accessible specification (PAS) sets out the process for the effective deployment of modern methods of construction (MMC) in residential development to improve stakeholder understanding and realise the benefits of MMC. 

It has been introduced at a time of fundamental reform of building legislation throughout the UK, particularly through the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022), the Fire Safety Act 2021 and associated regulations. 

Download PAS8700 by following the link below. 

The next normal in construction. 

The construction industry, and its broader ecosystem, erects buildings, infrastructure, and industrial structures that are the foundation of our economies and are essential to our daily lives. 

It has successfully delivered ever more challenging projects, from undersea tunnels to skyscrapers. However, the industry also has performed unsatisfactorily in many regards for an extended period of time. 

The COVID-19 pandemic may be yet another crisis that wreaks havoc on an industry that tends to be particularly vulnerable to economic cycles.

Follow the link below to the full McKinsey & Co report. 

The Construction Playbook captures commercial best practices and specific sector reforms outlining the government’s expectations of how contracting authorities and suppliers, including the supply chain, should engage with each other.

The Construction Playbook provides invaluable guiding principles on how projects can be delivered better. 

Download the Construction Playbook from the Gov.uk website by clicking the link below. 

Building on the work of the public sector Construction

Playbook first published by the government in

December 2020, Trust and Productivity harnesses

and adapts these learnings, and suggests new

strategies to improve the delivery of projects across

the private sector.

Those following the guidance set out within the

playbook’s chapters will be adopting practices and

processes that:

• Establish a collaborative team at the outset
• Encourage early supply chain engagement
• Drive standardisation and modern methods of
• construction
• Create mutually beneficial contracting
• arrangements
• Ensure a strong and capable supply chain

Published in October 2016, Mark Farmer did a detailed diagnosis of the construction industry and laid out what he saw as a systemic issue if we were to continue on the same path. We have always subscribed to the findings of Modernise and Die and the CIOB Capacity Constraints report published October 2025 has further reinforced this. 

In summary the report sets out at the time that the construction industry and the

clients that rely on it are at a

critical juncture and it is time to

review the seriousness of the

future outlook. 

It also states how deep-seated problems have existed for many years and are well known and

rehearsed, yet despite that, there

appears to be a collective

reluctance or inability to address

these issues and set a course for

modernisation.