RP1011: Sustainable and Affordable Living Through Modular, Net Zero Energy, Transportable, and Self-Reliant Homes and Communities

_{Peer Reviewed Research Publications}

RP1011: Journal Article: Performance and perception in prefab housing: an exploratory industry survey on sustainability and affordability

Provision of adequate and affordable housing is a major challenge in both emerging and industrialised countries. With increasing urgency for addressing climate change and other environmental issues these habitats will need to be environmentally sustainable too. Conventional construction, especially in dense urban centres and in rural or remote areas, is putting great pressures on cost and resource efficiency and is compelling the industry and governments globally to question the approach of business-as-usual. Prefabrication or off-site construction can offer great opportunities for both environmental and economic performance and hence is emerging as an attractive alternative to on-site construction. Although in the established markets the share of prefabrication in overall construction output remains strong, in many countries including Australia it still remains in its infancy. In order to enhance the profile of prefab housing and effectively develop high performance sustainable and affordable housing it is vital that first the needs and perceptions of the industry on these issues are adequately studied.

This paper relates to the first of a two part research project aimed at exploring the makeup of the prefab housing industry and identifying various challenges and opportunities. The study was conducted as an international industry survey in which barriers, opportunities, performance and perceptions of sustainability and affordability were explored. The paper presents the results of this survey. Based on a cross-sectional analysis the responses are compared and categorised. Among other things the findings highlight the gaps in our understanding of the relationship between sustainability and affordability. This research contributes to the discourse on the need to better understand the role of design and design decision making for developing high performance prefab housing.

Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.227

RP1011: Report: Sustainable and affordable living through modular homes and communities - Final Report

This report presents a summary of all the findings and activities performed in the LCL-CRC research project RP1011 “Sustainable and affordable living through modular homes and communities” and represents the culmination of the project. 

The main objective of the project was to develop innovative designs, evaluate current and future technologies, and establish assessment processes that would both contibute to the wider research and knowledge of the project’s field and  allow the projects industry partner; Nova Deko, to manufacture sustainable, net zero energy, and affordable homes and communities, based on transportable modular units (Pods). 

rp1011 crclcl final report 17 june 2016

RP1011: Journal Article: Performance and perception in prefab housing: an exploratory industry survey on sustainability and affordability

Provision of adequate and affordable housing is a major challenge in both emerging and industrialised countries. With increasing urgency for addressing climate change and other environmental issues these habitats will need to be environmentally sustainable too. Conventional construction, especially in dense urban centres and in rural or remote areas, is putting great pressures on cost and resource efficiency and is compelling the industry and governments globally to question the approach of business-as-usual. Prefabrication or off-site construction can offer great opportunities for both environmental and economic performance and hence is emerging as an attractive alternative to on-site construction. Although in the established markets the share of prefabrication in overall construction output remains strong, in many countries including Australia it still remains in its infancy. In order to enhance the profile of prefab housing and effectively develop high performance sustainable and affordable housing it is vital that first the needs and perceptions of the industry on these issues are adequately studied.

This paper relates to the first of a two part research project aimed at exploring the makeup of the prefab housing industry and identifying various challenges and opportunities. The study was conducted as an international industry survey in which barriers, opportunities, performance and perceptions of sustainability and affordability were explored. The paper presents the results of this survey. Based on a cross-sectional analysis the responses are compared and categorised. Among other things the findings highlight the gaps in our understanding of the relationship between sustainability and affordability. This research contributes to the discourse on the need to better understand the role of design and design decision making for developing high performance prefab housing.

Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.227