Optimize by DesignMost standards refine what already exists. PAS 8700 changes how Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are applied, and it introduces a new role to make that work: the MMC Adviser.
Projects are under pressure to deliver faster, cleaner and with tighter compliance. PAS 8700 gives the industry a joined-up framework and names the person responsible for holding it together.
What PAS 8700 is
PAS 8700:2025 is the UK’s new Publicly Available Specification for using MMC in housing. Rather than a catalogue of systems or products, it is a structured approach to applying MMC consistently and accountably, from brief to handover. It gives guidance on:
- Early-stage MMC appraisals
- Design integration and DfMA principles
- Procurement and risk
- Digital and physical coordination
- Compliance and safety standards
It brings clarity to a field crowded with buzzwords. For the basics, see what MMC means in architecture.
The MMC Adviser
One of the most important parts of PAS 8700 is the formal introduction of the MMC Adviser. This is a core member of the project team who links design, delivery and performance. It is not a product representative or a consultant added late. The MMC Adviser:
- Guides the client through system selection
- Aligns the design with manufacturing and installation
- Reduces the risk of late redesign
- Builds compliance into the design from the start
We have done this job for years. PAS 8700 gives it a name and a framework. If the terms are unfamiliar, our note on MMC and DfMA sets out the difference.
Why it matters now
Many MMC projects have failed because the system was added too late, even where the system itself was sound. The usual consequences are:
- A mismatch between the system and the design
- Costly revisions
- Loss of client confidence
- Missed sustainability targets
PAS 8700 moves the focus upstream, to the start of the project.
MMC is a starting point, not a late fix, and it needs the right advice from day one.
How we apply PAS 8700
Every stage of our MMC-led projects follows the structure PAS 8700 sets out:
- We assess system options at concept stage
- We apply DfMA principles across the RIBA stages
- We coordinate directly with manufacturers as well as specifiers
- We put buildability, compliance and a clear picture for the client first
Projects run more smoothly, decisions carry less risk and delivery is more certain. A better way to design explains the thinking behind this.
Optimize by Design
Production design for steel, timber and modular systems, drawn the way factories build.