What Sano does

Sano Development Limited is a privately held UK IP-led housing innovation company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Manchester, with a secondary presence in Wilmslow, Cheshire. The company develops and licenses patent-protected construction technologies to manufacturers, developers, builders, housing associations, and local authorities, addressing four industry challenges: lack of affordability, aging housing stock, rising costs, and stagnant innovation. Its core portfolio consists of four innovations: The Fin (a concealed Air Source Heat Pump with integrated service corridor), CoreMods (a hybrid modular construction system combining factory-built MEP modules with flexible on-site methods, renamed from M-Dock in 2025), Dropped Truss (a thermal bridge solution for roof-wall junctions addressing up to 30% of heat loss), and AirFire/MVHR (a compact vertical mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system integrated into a reimagined hearth).\n\nThe company monetises through IP licensing and royalties on its 135 filed and 70+ granted patents, supplemented by technical consultancy services covering MMC, DfMA, Passive House, and low-carbon timber design. Distribution is B2B direct, with named partners including Nuaire, Mast Architects, SIPCO, and Project Curv. Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market combines sales-led enterprise licensing with content-driven thought leadership (blog, social, newsletter) and selective industry event participation, including the World of Modular 2025 conference in Las Vegas and the Unlock Net Zero Awards 2025 shortlist. The firm is founder-led, with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and no M&A activity to date.

Name

Sano

Legal name

Sano Development Limited

Website

https://sano.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sano is a UK-based IP-led housing innovation company that licenses patent-protected construction technologies — including a hybrid modular system, a concealed air-source heat pump, a thermal bridge solution, and an MVHR ventilation system — to manufacturers, builders, housing associations, and local authorities, supplemented by technical consultancy services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Technology IP Licensing

NAICS

Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992), Residential Building Construction (2361)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction (IMAFABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH), Modular/Offsite General Contracting & Installation (IMAFAAAK), Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

Keywords

• Housing construction innovation
• IP licensing services
• Modular construction systems
• Energy efficient building
• Construction consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. IP Licensing: Sano licenses their patent-protected innovations to manufacturers, developers, and builders seeking first mover advantage and exclusivity in the housing innovation market. The IP portfolio includes The FIN, CoreMods, Dropped Truss, and AirFire systems.
2. Technical Consultancy Services: Sano provides consultancy services to help companies develop products from concepts to manufacturing-ready designs. Services include technical validation, expert guidance, streamlined designs, MMC expertise, DfMA-driven designs, Passive House solutions, and low-carbon timber solutions.
3. CoreMods Design System: Licensed design system for housebuilders providing designs, engineering, and support to integrate core modules into building programmes. Targets manufacturers looking to improve productivity while tackling the housing crisis.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sano develops and licenses patent-protected construction innovations for the UK housing industry through four core products: CoreMods (hybrid modular construction combining factory-built MEP modules with on-site methods), The Fin (concealed Air Source Heat Pump with integrated architecture), Dropped Truss (thermal bridge solution for roof-wall junctions), and AirFire MVHR (vertical mechanical ventilation with heat recovery). The company also delivers technical consultancy services spanning MMC, DfMA, Passive House, and low-carbon timber solutions.

Product overview

Sano is an IP-led housing innovation company offering a portfolio of patent-protected construction products. The core offerings include CoreMods (a hybrid modular construction system with factory-built MEP modules), The Fin (an architecturally-integrated Air Source Heat Pump), Dropped Truss (a thermal bridge solution for roof-wall junctions), and MVHR/AirFire (a ventilation system integrated into the hearth). These products are complemented by Sano Consultancy services, which provide technical validation and innovation support for manufacturers, housing providers, and local authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Fin: A redesigned Air Source Heat Pump that integrates with architecture, featuring concealed pipework, cabling and penetrations in a protected service corridor.
• CoreMods
• Dropped Truss
• MVHR (Sano AirFire)

Products and services

• CoreMods A hybrid modular construction system combining factory-built modules containing the home's MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) systems with flexible on-site construction methods, enabling faster, more cost-effective delivery of energy-efficient homes for manufacturers and housebuilders.
• The Fin A redesigned Air Source Heat Pump featuring concealed pipework, cabling, and penetrations within a protected service corridor, eliminating exposed insulation and external boxes for improved architectural integration. Targets manufacturers, developers, and builders seeking aesthetically integrated heat pump solutions.
• Dropped Truss A thermal bridge solution for the roof-wall junction (eave) in residential construction, addressing up to 30% of a home's total heat loss and preventing condensation, mould growth, and structural decay at building edges. Designed for residential construction manufacturers, builders, and warranty providers.
• MVHR (AirFire) A compact, vertical Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system integrated into a reimagined hearth, functioning as a 'digital lung' that draws fresh filtered outdoor air while exhausting indoor pollutants without traditional ductwork. Serves residential developers and builders seeking advanced indoor air quality solutions.
• Sano Consultancy Technical and innovation consultancy services for the construction industry, offering technical validation, expert guidance, and streamlined designs for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), Passive House, and low-carbon timber solutions. Serves manufacturers, housing providers, and local authorities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% reduction in home's total heat loss through wall-to-roof connection
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NuairecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuaire is a current and past partner of Sano. Nuaire specialises in ventilation and indoor air quality solutions, making them a strategic partner for Sano's MVHR/AirFire innovation and broader ventilation technologies.
• Mast architectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMast architects is a current and past partner of Sano, collaborating on architectural integration of housing innovations.
• SIPCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIPCO is a current and past partner of Sano in the construction industry.
• Project CurvcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Curv is a current and past partner of Sano in the construction industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Modulous: UK-based modular construction tech/IP platform that licenses a configurable kit-of-parts system to developers and contractors. Closest comparable to Sano's licensing-led, IP-driven modular housing thesis.
• ZEDfactory: Bill Dunster-led practice developing zero-carbon, Passivhaus-aligned housing and component systems. Comparable in net-zero housing IP, Passivhaus design expertise, and system-level thinking.
• Ilke Homes: UK volumetric modular housing manufacturer deploying factory-built homes at scale. Comparable as a fellow modular residential player targeting large housebuilders and housing associations.
• TopHat: UK-based modular housing manufacturer combining factory precision with on-site flexibility. Comparable hybrid offsite approach and customer overlap with housebuilders.
• Wernick Group: UK modular building manufacturer serving residential, education, and commercial sectors. Comparable as a UK modular building provider with proprietary factory-built systems.

Broad incumbents

• Legal & General Modular Homes: Subsidiary of Legal & General producing modular homes at volume for UK housing associations and developers. Comparable end-market focus and scale ambition in factory-built housing.
• Berkeley Modular: Modular housing arm of major UK housebuilder Berkeley Group, pursuing factory-built solutions alongside traditional construction. Comparable as a developer-owned modular housing programme.
• Laing O'Rourke: Major UK/international contractor with an established modular and offsite manufacturing capability (Explore Industrial). Comparable as a scaled incumbent pursuing DfMA and offsite housing delivery.

Emerging players

• Envision Intelligent Solutions: Construction tech / low-carbon housing solutions company operating adjacent to Passivhaus, DfMA, and modular housing themes. Comparable in low-carbon and DfMA-driven housing innovation.
• Impact Modular Systems: UK offsite/modular systems specialist delivering volumetric and panelised housing solutions. Comparable in targeting faster, more consistent residential delivery through factory methods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Sano_housing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sanohouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/sano_development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sano