Modular and prefabricated buildings are gaining attention as innovative solutions to the challenges faced in the construction industry.

By minimising waste and emissions, these methods offer a more sustainable approach to building, while also significantly reducing construction times. Despite these advantages, they have yet to be widely adopted in Australia, where housing demand is at an all-time high.

The potential for modular construction is considerable. These buildings are typically manufactured off-site in controlled environments, resulting in less material waste compared to traditional construction. This efficiency not only benefits the environment but also helps keep costs down. As Australia grapples with a shortage of housing, embracing prefabricated solutions could allow for quicker delivery of homes without compromising quality.

As Australia confronts its housing crisis, modular and prefabricated buildings present a viable solution that should not be overlooked. Their ability to minimise waste, reduce emissions, and expedite construction times makes them an attractive option for meeting urgent housing needs. Embracing these innovative methods can lead to a more sustainable future while tackling the immediate challenges of housing supply.

“In the construction arena, there is a growing consensus among practitioners: the prefabrication of housing—or, more precisely, the prefabrication of components destined for housing—promises significant gains in quality control, construction speed, sustainability, and, ultimately, cost reduction,” says Chris Hayton, Principal at Rothelowman.

“Yet, this promise remains largely unfulfilled, hindered by the rigid structures of procurement and regulation that define our industry.”

According to him, the building codes must evolve to embrace the realities of prefabrication. The prevailing financing models are mismatched with the needs of offsite fabrication, and the industry's stubborn reluctance to embrace offsite labour poses a formidable barrier.

“Addressing these issues is not merely a matter of innovation; it is an essential prerequisite for overcoming the myriad challenges often cited as justifications for the slow uptake of prefabrication,” says Hayton.

“Investment in skilled labour and large-scale manufacturing will not materialise until the industry can seamlessly integrate prefabrication into its everyday practices. Designers, too, must shift their mindset; employing prefabrication merely to achieve conventional outcomes is a missed opportunity. This approach must be supplanted by a more innovative outlook—one that prioritises optimisation over mere minimisation.

“Prefabrication is not a panacea that will miraculously resolve all housing-related issues, however the apathy around making the changes required to facilitate its adoption is an indictment on our industry. The time has come for a radical rethinking—a bold reimagining of how we build and what we can achieve.”

Prefab has many upsides, according to Tone Wheeler, Principal at Environa Studio.

“It’s quicker. Prefab speeds up construction time; whilst the house is being built in a factory, the footings and infrastructure are built on site. Time is big money in construction, lessening it can lower the overheads, making a house a bit cheaper,” he says.

“It’s better built. The quality of workmanship is always better inside a factory, with its constant conditions, than on a site open to vagaries of the weather. The tools are better maintained, being secure in one place, not driven all over the city in vans and utes.

“It’s safer. Working off a solid floor in a factory, with hoists and properly tagged tools is far better for the workers, with better lunchrooms, toilets and first aid than on a muddy site.

“And it’s greener. Material is better controlled, less transport, less waste as the offcuts can be more efficiently recycled. Workers can catch public transport to a central factory, rather than driving all over the city to far flung sites every day.”

According to Studio Director at Studio Johnston Georgios Anagnostou, the application of prefabrication technologies and modular design and construction methods alone won’t solve the issue of housing unaffordability, let alone fix a housing crisis.

“While these tools can significantly reduce construction costs and time, making it possible to provide more homes in an environmentally and economically sustainable way, we still need to address several roadblocks. These include regulations, financing challenges, market fragmentation, and cultural resistance,” Anagnostou says.

“Moreover, introducing higher production efficiencies into a supply-and-demand-driven market doesn’t automatically lead to savings for the end user. Government action is necessary to tackle factors like renter protection, negative gearing, and capital gains tax discounts, which have historically influenced housing prices in Australia.

Above all, we need to find the collective and political will to take action."

To discuss this topic, on this panel we will have Chris Hayton, Principal at Rothelowman, Richard Parks, National Architectural Specification Manager at Deco, Tone Wheeler, Principal at Environa Studio, Studio Director at Studio Johnston Georgios Anagnostou, and Karl-Heinz Weiss from WoodSolutions.

This panel represents some of the most accomplished leaders in the sustainability field who will explain the current climate of the prefab and modular industry and plant the seeds to help the next generation achieve a much more diverse and sustainable future.

The 2024 Sustainability Summit will be held in Sydney on November 14.

To reserve your place at the 2024 Sustainability Summit for this and other sessions, click here.

Clémence Carayol

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