Prefabrication has the potential to unlock housing constraint in the Australian market driven substantively by availability of skilled labour and resultant cost pressures.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) refers to innovative construction techniques designed to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality compared to traditional methods and generally involves factory-based prefabrication.
MMC can significantly impact housing affordability in several ways:
- Cost Reduction: MMC can lower construction costs by up to 20% compared to traditional methods
- Speed of Construction: Housing supply can meet demand more quickly, which can help stabilise or reduce housing prices
- Quality and Durability: Higher quality control in factory environments leads to fewer defects and lower maintenance costs over time for long-term affordability
- Sustainability: MMC often uses energy-efficient materials and methods, reducing operational costs for occupants
- Labor Efficiency: MMC addresses labour shortages by a reduced on-site workforce, controlling labour costs and making projects more feasible
Volumetric construction (VMC) is a type of MMC where self-contained, 3-dimensional modules are produced off-site and then transported to the construction site for assembly. Modules can include fully finished rooms or sections of a building, complete with all internal finishes, fixtures, fittings and services for ‘plug & play’ connection and commissioning. Once on site, the modules are ‘simply’ stack connected each other and traditionally constructed ‘base-building structure and services.
Essence offers its clients experience in both MMC and VMC product typologies across a broad range of project aspects including:
- Evaluation of “conventional approach” construction projects at pre-DA stage for the applicability of MMC or VMC delivery approach
- Engagement of consultant teams with the requisite capability for VMC product
- Site Appraisal to establish construction logistics constraints (access, carnage etc.)
- Cost plan establishment and comparison between conventional and VMC in conjunction with QS
- Management of consultants in the preparation of VMC specific documentation including delineation (if applicable) between modular and conventional components
- Identification of appropriate supplier/contractors relevant to project typology
- Engagement in ECO and/or D&C contact arrangements
- Monitoring regulatory and QA compliance (on-site and at manufacturing facilities pre-shipment
- Assist in the preparation of pre-shipment ITP’s, QA and compliance checklists pre-shipment
- Manage site acceptance inspection (identify defects) same day as dispatch from holding yard or port to construction site.
- Defects inspection for of all construction works
Essence brings its experience from projects on the eastern seaboard and offers service capability nationally in support of client projects.
What we do
Civil works
Masterplanning
Capital works program
Detached dwellings
Community facilities
