DECEMBER 2023CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM 19challenges. From significant cost savings to shorter building timeframes, there are many perks of modular manufacturing and building homes within a factory.The controlled environment and standardisation of the build allow automation to speed up build time drastically whilst avoiding weather delays or on-site impacts that can slow down the project. This makes the modular method particularly agile - adept at supporting disaster-relief efforts.Fleetwood has responded to numerous flood and fire events, supplying quarantine accommodation to support crisis events.In early 2022, Katrina recalled severe flooding that hit many parts of Queensland, which left many school buildings damaged, requiring them to be demolished and rebuilt."Our team partnered with Qbuild and the Department of Education to restore Rocklea State School after the flooding. We installed emergency classrooms on the school oval using raised blade pile footings to combat the flood-affected soil. The 18-module structure was craned onto the site in only two days - an impressive turnover possible only with modular."This emergency relief project is just one of many that demonstrates the flexible nature of modular construction. In the context of the housing crisis, this rapid build time could help understaffed construction companies close the housing shortage gap. Modular buildings are easily reconfigured, uninstalled, refurbished, and transported, making them ideal for supporting governments, housing developers, and community organisations to address crisis events and changing population growth patterns with more flexibility. A Greener Solution Designed for People and the PlanetOffsite manufacturing leaves a much smaller footprint when it comes to carbon emissions, pollution, workers' safety, and construction waste and offers low amenity impacts during installation. A United Nations Environment Program report states that the building and construction industry is responsible for 38% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. This is a crucial factor to consider.The engineering used in prefabrication construction can deliver modular homes at a higher sustainability standard, providing savings of up to 70% on energy consumption compared to the average Australian home. Research has also found that modular construction is both more efficient and produces 90% less material wastage than traditional builds. Transport movements associated with modular building decreased by 80% compared with traditional construction, minimising community disruption and emissions."Modular really is the future for the building, especially for housing, schools, and healthcare," Katrina said. "These are sectors that usually need big projects turned around very quickly and that are built to last, and that's what modular offers. We've come to the rescue when schools and community facilities have been struck by natural disasters. Australia's extreme climate puts residents at risk of seasonal fire and flooding. No other building method can rapidly provide the volume of homes to respond to the increasingly extreme weather events associated with our climate emergency.Collaborating to Solve the Housing CrisisOne Piece at a Time"Modular companies are starting to give back to educating the industry by working with universities and partners. The tertiary curriculum in the design and engineering construction space is starting to address the change with increasing student exposure to modern methods of construction and offsite manufacturing."Passionate about driving the industry to solve the biggest construction industry challenges­Fleetwood partnered with industry association prefabAUS to run a design challenge for University students. The Fleetwood Challenge Cup is developing some of the freshest thinking to address the current housing crisis.Collaborating with ten other modular design firms, Fleetwood recently participated in a Modern Methods of Construction Design Sprints Workshop hosted by the government to foster industry-wide exploration of the role modular could play in solving the housing crisis and modular providers' involvement in the solution. The housing market and the construction industry will take time to recover and catch up to demand. Alternative building strategies can help speed this process along, though. Modular construction has the potential to become the new normal for housing construction due to its sheer efficiency and ability to build and hold stock ready for installation rapidly.Adopting modular construction today is crucial to repairing the housing crisis, one piece and one home at a time. Even if home prices cannot be reduced right away, modular construction can get more homes built faster than traditional construction. Over time, this will bring down the cost of new homes as supply catches up to demand."We are pleased to play a key part in solving the housing challenges of the future, "concluded Katrina. The tertiary curriculum in the design and engineering construction space is starting to address the change with increasing studentexposure to modern methods of construction and offsite manufacturing
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