April
14, 2014
published Architecture NZ http://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/prefabuliciousness/
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| Robots on the production line |
Always
one to enjoy the discoveries in meaning and cultural history found in words An
interesting one ‘Pre fabrication’ the definition of ‘pre’ before and
‘fabrication’ the act or process of fabricating or manufacture. So then ‘pre
fabrication’ the precursor to that which is built, which in my experience
always equates, to the dream and a big idea. Think of Noah pre arc, he had a
dream. At the recent Prefab NZ conference there were certainly plenty of dreams
and big ideas.
Ideas
about off site manufacture and industrial manufacture of buildings and elements
there of and how they might add value to the NZ culture of building. Pamela
Bell has with much aplomb, grace and tenacity, managed to mainstream the
concept of offsite fabrication in NZ. She has managed to turn her masters
degree thesis into a tool for focusing the industry, revitalizing a poorly
packaged idea, creating sector collaboration and political buy in along the
way. One could say she has nailed it, off site mostly. Ms Bell’s research
driven entrepreneurial approach is in a way a new mode of practice where
“building “ is not necessarily the only outcome of architectural investigation.
Pre
fab NZ has arrived on the scene at a pivotal time in NZ construction. A perfect
storm within the context of a
shifting landscape of demand for
housing in Auckland, the CHCH rebuild, a desperate need to up value primary
resources, a demand for increased productivity and for more efficient and
better ways of doing things alongside a lack of skills, changing demographics,
sustainability agendas, zero
carbon initiatives, compact cities, leaky and EQ prone buildings,
affordability, treaty settlements,
competitive markets and technological innovation its all on the table.
Tech
innovators love to talk about disruption considered as an idea process or
product that changes a market place to the extent all competitors need to pay
attention and get with the program. Clay Christensen, a Harvard Business School
professor, defined “disruption” as a product that addresses a market that
previously couldn’t be served or offers a simpler, cheaper or more convenient
alternative to an existing product. The iphone is the obvious example. I would
contest prefab has the potential to be a well needed disruption in the building
sector.
Another
pop phrase from the tech sector, early adoption refers to the market leaders
who have the foresight and bravery to embrace new ideas. Those who manage to
integrate off site into their projects will be the winners. Its not a new idea
just one that is given some traction based on the fulcrum the industry
currently balances on. The work been done by Prefab NZ and its crew is a
potential catalyst for an industry shift required to answer some of the
challenges it currently faces. The innovators are already at the coal face.
Innovation
and early adoption leads to mainstream adoption and on goes the cycle driven by
research and development, experimentation, big ideas and competition . NZ inc.
needs to do better in the R& D space especially regards the building
industry. It would be useful to
tie the R&D innovation cycle to that of the Construction boom bust cycle
which with the tide coming in, boom on the horizon Pre fab is one innovation
with a the finger squarely on the go button. That button happens to be green
also which is a great bonus.
There
was some good ones at the event. 5468796 Architects illustrated how
prefabrication has allowed them to carve a disruptive space in the mostly
frozen Winnipeg landscape and that young people are at the pole position to
lead.
“Architecture
is not a luxury product” its agenda is enviro-social not bling.
Associate
Primary Industries Minister Jo Goodhew showed off her own bling in the form of
a personal secretary and an effectiveness in maintaining a cyclone of public
appearances and words that were in the end only words with no actionable
program or commitment from central government to use its buying power to
disrupt the market the opportunity will be missed.
Conversely
the following speaker Dr Hae Yeon Yoo’s presentation on modular social housing
in Seoul South Korea made it explicitly apparent the government had put their
money where their mouth was as the primary investor in the front end research
and ultimate deployment of 80 000 units of prefabricated product to market.
God
is in the data as the new detail and some of the data regards the construction
sector to come out of David Chandlers presentation was certainly fuel to the
already solid business case for the value of off site fabrication moving
forward.
The
Global construction sector is forecast to be worth $15 trillion by 2025 13.2 % of Global GDP Meanwhile
Australian Industry in 2012 $255 billion this year NZ should exceed $24
billion.
Mr
Chandler presented the Australian construction industry similarly to NZ’s
industry in need of a core shift and a need to adopt three core industry
strategies that we could also perhaps learn from:
I.
Reduce on-site workforce inputs by 30% by 2023
II.
Reduce on-site construction durations by 50% by 2023, and
III.
Turn around net construction imports of goods and services by 50% by 2023
In
2013 Australia’s Chief Scientist reported The construction industry “” was challenged by the fact that 94%
of Australia’s construction industry is comprised of businesses with 5 or fewer
people, and that less than 1% of construction businesses in Australia conduct
their own R&D”. He also said, “That by neglecting to conduct our own
R&D, we not only reduce the chances we will discover new ideas and develop
new innovations before our competitors, we also limit our abilities to accept
and use those innovations that are developed elsewhere.” Sounds somewhat familiar
.Meanwhile the comparison of the NZ boatbuilding industry and its reliance on
factory built product formed a good backdrop for the innovation required in the
construction sector generally. Tim Smyth from core builder composites presented
a preview of the future in which the same digital fabrication and machines
producing Americas Cup Yachts produce Composite building elements from bridges
to entire houses a sentiment
reinforced by visiting MIt professor Mark Goulthorpe a longtime advocate of the
digital revolution for whom the opportunity rests in the technological edge of
polypropylene thermoplastic panels as a
recyclable unitary and monocoque building material, engineered and
explicitly factory produced allowing the architect to move from their current role of “selector and coordinator of
ready mades” to idea and form generator via digital means.
Let
the ideas people do what there best at the technical people get on with there
work and together weave an elaborate story of factory produced awesomeness.
Check
out the prefabNZ value case on line http://www.prefabnz.com/News/ValueCase/
