A ‘seismic shift’ in how and where we work will take place by 2030, while new homes look set to be pre-fabricated ‘like cars’ within the next five years, says property consultancy JLL.

Research by JLL - Workspace, Reworked - into how technology is shaping the workplace also looked ahead to the future asking ‘what next?’ for the property market.

JLL predicts the growth of off-site construction of modular housing, the modern-day equivalent of the pre-fabs of the 1960s, which could alleviate pressure on the housing market.

Modular homes are generally quicker and cheaper to build, as well as smaller, more flexible and often of higher quality, bringing time and cost efficiencies that could make house building more attractive to developers, says JLL.

Simon Peacock said offsite construction in the UK is growing by 25% per year. “This technique results in a 30% reduction in build time, a 75% reduction in workforce and 40% less vehicle movements, meaning that modular housing is likely to drive a huge change in how homes get built over the next five years.

“Homes manufactured like cars, in other words an off site build in a factory, with the opportunity to pick and choose what goes into a basic structure, will bring ‘car quality’ to the market. Clients and designers need to adapt to this evolving trend; indeed, this is an opportunity for innovation that could lead to a competitive advantage.”