Industrialised construction methods could unlock the potential of custom-built homes in the UK, providing an alternative to the UK’s dominant, developer-led model.
This will be the focus of research by British engineer and sustainability advocate Ele George, who has been awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship, enabling her to study Europe’s most successful models of scalable, sustainable custom-built housing.
The Churchill Fellowship is one of the UK’s most respected research awards, supporting outstanding individuals to travel internationally and investigate innovative solutions to pressing challenges back home. Each year, over 1,000 applicants compete for this opportunity to explore new ideas to bring back practical, actionable insights that can benefit communities across the UK. Ele’s successful application reflects both her expertise in construction innovation and her passion for giving people greater agency over the homes they live in.
Over six weeks, Ele will travel to Germany and Sweden, two countries that have led the way in combining citizen-led development with off-site manufacturing, modular construction, and platform-based housing systems. Her goal is to identify models that can be adapted to the UK context, delivering high-quality, affordable, and sustainable homes at scale.
“This isn’t just research for the sake of research—it could benefit thousands of potential homeowners and renters,” said Ele. “It could also integrate models for social housing and shared ownership, helping to broaden access to well-designed, sustainable homes.”
A key part of her study will be exploring Baugruppe, a German concept meaning “building group,” where groups of individuals collaborate to design and construct their homes. This model has empowered communities to create housing tailored to their needs while reducing costs and improving environmental performance.
The key to unlocking custom-built at scale
The UK faces a well-documented housing crisis, with demand for homes outstripping supply and concerns growing over the quality, affordability, and environmental impact of new developments. The Government’s target of building 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament only adds urgency to finding innovative, scalable solutions.
While custom-built housing—where individuals or groups commission homes designed around their specific needs—has been shown internationally to deliver faster, greener, and higher-quality housing, it remains a niche concept in the UK. Barriers such as limited policy support, fragmented supply chains, and the absence of enabling infrastructure have prevented the sector from reaching its potential.
Ele believes that industrialised construction, such as prefabrication, modular timber systems, and 3D configurators, could be the missing link. These approaches not only enable faster delivery and lower environmental impacts but also create opportunities for greater community participation and design flexibility.
“There is a real opportunity to move beyond the current developer monopoly,” Ele explained. “With the right systems in place, we can deliver homes more quickly, more sustainably, and with far greater input from the people who will live in them.”
Building a sustainable future for UK housing
Through her Churchill Fellowship project, Ele—who leads Elevate, a consultancy at the intersection of construction innovation and equitable housing—will produce actionable recommendations for UK policymakers, housing professionals, and industry leaders.
She has issued an open invitation to UK housing stakeholders, as well as European partners in Germany and Sweden, to share insights and best practices. Her research will also explore intersections with climate change, ensuring that proposed solutions contribute to the UK’s broader net-zero goals.
“The UK’s housing crisis requires scalable, sustainable solutions, and my research will identify actionable ways to help,” said Ele. “I’m thrilled to have been awarded a Churchill Fellowship and excited to collaborate with global experts to help drive meaningful, positive change for housing in Britain.”
As the demand for sustainable, affordable, and community-focused housing grows, Ele’s research could mark a turning point, providing the UK with a clear pathway to more equitable and environmentally responsible housing development.
Read next: Fully Integrated IoT fire door – Build in Digital
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
