New developments in the architectural and building products space have helped elevate both CSR and Hickory Group onto the prestigious BRW 50 Most Innovative Companies list for 2013.

Building products supplier CSR was recognised for innovations including CSR House, the state-of-the-art building research centre built in Schofields in western Sydney to determine how different energy saving products could be integrated to improve energy efficiency and cost. The house, which has over 140 monitoring sensors, is also used as an R&D facility and achieved an 8-star energy rating, and total energy consumption 70 per cent less than an equivalent-sized new house.

The house was praised by judges during the 2012 BPN Sustainability Awards program. Hickory Group was recognised for its innovative project to prefabricate complete bathroom units off-site on a sub-assembly line in the construction group’s existing manufacturing facility

Of the impact, BRW said: “The manufacturing facility has the ability to manufacture more than 200 bathroom units a week, and reduces the head contractors’ contact points from a dozen trades to just one.”

Earlier this year, that work by Hickory Group was praised by Australian Institute of Architect’s CEO David Parken in a feature by Building Products News.

The BRW Top 50 Innovators list is compiled by Melbourne-based innovation consultancy, Inventium, led by Amntha Imber and supported by a team of judges from a variety of backgrounds, including BRW Editor, James Thomson, media personality James O’Loghlin and finance expert, Peter Switzer.

“What all companies on the list have in common is that they are implementing some brilliant innovations into the Australian marketplace, and in many cases the global marketplace,” Imber says.

“These organisations have leaders who treat innovation seriously, as opposed to just paying lip service to it. And they are clearly resourcing innovation, and protecting innovation budgets.”

Visit the BRW website for the full list.

David Wheeldon

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