"Industrialised building systems": with specific reference to the domestic sector of the New Zealand building industry

Abstract

This Research Report is a review of Industrialised Building Systems and their applications to the domestic sector of the New Zealand Building Industry. The review is undertaken with respect to: a) The building delivery process and b) The feasibility of introducing an Industrialised Building Systems, (factory-produced houses) with respect to the existing housing situation in New Zealand. It was found that by continuing to use the existing building delivery process, a number of disadvantages would remain. Therefore, the report contended that the application of industrialised building techniques would be an improvement to the traditional delivery process. At present there are two building systems that are available. These systems as well as an unsuccessful factory-produced housing operation are described as Case Studies. The unsuccessful operation had collapsed due to a number of reasons underlined by social, economic and political factors. These factors are present in the existing housing market. Therefore, the report concluded that the establishment of an Industrialised Building System, of the type similar to the recent failed example, would not be feasible at present. This report is not an exhaustive study of Industrialised Building Systems. The intention of this paper is to act as a primer for more intensive research in the field of industrialised building in New Zealand. Therefore, some further research topics have been suggested.