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FEATURE Modern construction methods
SECTION
Innovative delivery of
government houses
Modern methods of construction have been key to Housing New Zealand’s
plans to build more quality homes at scale and at pace while also helping
to transform the construction sector.
BY ANDREW BOOKER, GENERAL MANAGER, BUSINESS INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING NEW ZEALAND
HOUSING NEW ZEALAND believes shifting
the balance of our pipeline from traditional
to modern methods of construction will
help us deliver more quality homes across
New Zealand faster. At the same time, we
want to leverage the size and continuity of
our build programme to influence a higher
performing sector for all New Zealanders.
Driving innovation in development
Our innovation teams already collaborate
with Scion, BRANZ, Callaghan Innovation
and other industry leaders. Opportunities
we have been working on for new tech-
nologies, processes and products that have
disruptive potential include:
●● Inhouse research and development
programmes for building materials and
systems.
●● A GIS platform to visualise flood, geotech-
nical and planning zones over 3D satellite
imagery, allowing feasibility analysis of 3D New homes used for transitional housing in Orākei in East Auckland. The six homes use
volumetric transportable off-site manufacturing and were delivered whole to site.
building concepts.
72 — October/November 2019 — Build 174
Modern construction methods FEATURE
SECTION
●● Replacing individual build contracts
with multi-year Construction Partnering
Agreements, providing our partners with
the certainty they need to innovate and
scale up.
●● Buying building materials and compo-
nents in bulk through long-term supply
agreements.
●● Speeding up consenting timeframes
through standard, repeatable and pre-
approved designs that are Lifemark and
Homestar-rated.
●● Establishing a national Building Consent
Authority to process state house building
consents.
Embracing off-site manufacturing
We have been working on reduc ing
construction programmes by up to half
when delivering medium or high-density off-
site manufacturing (OSM). This is especially
important at a time when there is an urgent
need for housing.
We have used OSM for many years –
particularly during the Canterbury rebuild
and Right Size programme, where smaller
houses were extended to accommodate
larger families. In 2016, an OSM Panel was
established with tailored contracts, which
has been contributing to our increasing use
of OSM.
In September 2018, KiwiBuild launched
an international and domestic explorative
process to attract a range of disruptive
opportunities. This is ongoing but has
already identified the breadth and depth of
the opportunities that OSM presents.
Our Urban Development Group also has a
live explorative process for developers who
wish to buy government-owned land in
exchange for public and affordable housing
outcomes at scale. This has attracted much
These 12 award-winning new homes in Papatoetoe, South Auckland feature CLT technology.
interest from international OSM suppliers.
Build 174 — October/November 2019 — 73
FEATURE Modern construction methods
SECTION
Exploring wider opportunities investigated Cross Laminated Timber Hobsonville Point will have a modular test
Housing New Zealand has been examining (CLT) in medium density development. lab on site to showcase and demonstrate
the breadth of technologies including By orienting small fragments together it’s this technology.
light gauge steel, universal beam systems, possible to press a mass timber panel with
structural insulated panels, timber framed the strength of concrete or steel, into a Place for transportable homes
panels, mass timber, modular suppliers and product with less weight, improved sustain- In July 2018, Housing New Zealand began
transportable buildings. ability and carbon sequestering qualities. work on delivering 20 transportable
Work streams are also underway to explore Timber panels are factory cut, transported homes for transitional housing. These
how best to use the state housing portfolio and then lifted into place on site like precast one-bedroom homes provide a place for
to leverage renewable and sustainable concrete. people who have an urgent need for a safe
outcomes, such as green energy. This is an We’re particularly proud of having place to live.
interesting challenge in a country with a good received a merit award at the Property These homes are constructed offsite by
proportion of hydro and geothermal energy. Industry Awards in June 2019 for a CLT various manufacturers, each using slightly
The civils alliance, Piritahi, is an innova- development on Shirley Road in Auckland’s different manufacturing techniques – from
tive public private collaboration. Piritahi Papatoetoe. It took about seven months to thermally insulated panels to conventional
Artisan lets builders do their own inspections.
prepares for development by delivering new construct the three level walk up apartment timber framing and plyboard walls. They
and upgraded transport, infrastructure and block containing 12 one-bedroom homes. are then transported to site so they can be
build ready land. Civils alliances like these are An important success factor was early fitted out and connected to services. An
bespoke organisations that provide specialist engagement with XL am, RM Design, added advantage of these homes is they
capability with scale, pace and flexibility. Engco and Miles Construction. This R&D can be easily removed and relocated if
We have been maintaining a watching brief programme is now in its second generation necessary.
for future opportunities on the horizon such and we are sharing learnings with other
as distributed ledgers, smart contracts and agencies, OSM suppliers and PrefabNZ. A higher-performing sector
artificial intelligence. On 1 October 2019, Housing New Zealand will
Growth in pods and modular become part of a new Crown agency called
R&D delivering benefits technologies Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, along
R&D programmes have been collecting and Pods are ready-to-use rooms manufactured with its development subsidiary HLC, and
evaluating data on projects in real time. ahead of, or in parallel to, construction. some parts of the KiwiBuild Unit. Kāinga Ora
Working with our development team, poten- They are put to gether in controlled will work in partnership with others to lead
tial projects are pulled out of the normal factory conditions and delivered to site and facilitate integrated urban development
construction delivery pipeline so that we as fully finished bathrooms, kitchens or that provides a mix of public, affordable and
can focus more closely on their design, utility spaces. In April 2019, Housing New open market housing.
prototype and evaluation. Zealand’s bathroom pod designs were Kāinga Ora will act as a catalyst for the
These programmes have delivered enhanced to comply with our internal private sector to be more responsive, inte-
organisational benefits in design, market accessibility standards and Universal Design grated, and innovative in its thinking. It will
engagement, urban design, procurement, principles for ground floor homes. need to be at the forefront of innovation in
contracting, construction management and We have had a focus on modular and residential construction and explore new
consenting. volumetric technologies and are growing technologies as they emerge. It can’t do this
their capability through projects with local alone, which is why it will need to strengthen
CLT success for medium density and international suppliers to utilise whole partnerships with industry leaders both here
One of our first R&D programmes assemblies. In 2020, it is expected that and abroad.
74 — October/November 2019 — Build 174You can also read
