By Gary Gray, general manager, Muir Timber Systems
AS the housing sector contends with increasing delivery pressures, evolving regulatory demands, and an urgent need to decarbonise, timber engineering is stepping into sharper focus. The move towards modern, precision-manufactured construction techniques has placed timber frame and trussed rafter systems at the centre of a quiet transformation, one that is reshaping how homes are designed and delivered across the UK.
At Muir Timber Systems, we’re seeing this shift first-hand. Based in Inverkeithing, Fife, our solar powered factory produces fully prefabricated timber frame panels and trussed rafters for developments across the country. While we are part of the Muir Group and provide systems for Muir Homes, we also supply a growing number of major UK housebuilders, local authorities and housing associations.
In Scotland, the use of timber frame construction is well established. The Scottish Government reports that over 80% of new homes are now built this way. In England and other parts of the UK, however, adoption is still growing. As housing providers strive to meet housing targets through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), demand for engineered timber systems, particularly trussed rafters and panellised timber frames, is rising.
At Muir Timber Systems we have a capacity to deliver 2000 timber frame kits annually, and our work spans from bespoke one-off homes to high-volume residential developments.
Structural timber systems align closely with MMC objectives. Our panelised timber frames are part of Category 2 MMC, offering systemised, pre-manufactured structural components. Meanwhile, trussed rafters, which are increasingly in demand for their design flexibility and ease of installation, are considered Category 3, factory-produced elements that integrate easily with on-site construction methods.
As housing providers look for solutions that reduce reliance on traditional on-site trades, this type of off-site manufacturing offers clear advantages: improved predictability, lower waste, and fewer weather-related delays. With options such as factory-fitted insulation, it’s possible to embed up to 55% pre-manufactured value into a kit before it ever reaches the site.
Trussed rafters, in particular, are playing a greater role in programme efficiency. Delivered to site as ready-to-install components, they support rapid roof construction, minimise delays between trades, and offer design options such as room-in-roof or attic configurations that maximise internal space without additional structural complexity.
Across social housing, affordable developments, and private sector schemes, design demands continue to evolve. Energy efficiency targets, structural performance, and spatial flexibility all require early coordination, and that’s where engineered timber can offer real value.
At Muir Timber Systems, our in-house design team works closely with clients from early design stages. This technical input helps to resolve detailing, reduce the risk of redesign, and ensure that energy and SAP targets can be met without compromising buildability.
Operating from a quality-controlled factory setting enables us to maintain tight tolerances, repeatable quality, and full traceability across the supply chain. All timber frame and trussed rafter systems are manufactured in line with NHBC guidance and to the relevant BS and EN standards. In an evolving regulatory environment, this consistency is becoming even more important, particularly as housebuilders balance new performance requirements with delivery pressures.
The current momentum behind timber systems is not simply a trend, it reflects a necessary industry evolution. With skills shortages, rising material costs and net zero targets all converging, developers are increasingly turning to tried and tested methods that bring predictability to both programme and performance.
At Muir Timber Systems, we’re proud to be part of that shift. Whether supporting Muir Homes or delivering to individual homes, major UK housebuilders, local authorities or housing associations, our structural timber systems continue to provide the backbone of modern, efficient housing delivery across Scotland and beyond.
