Work has begun on a 65 square metre, two-bedroom modular ‘research house’; the elements of which are being built at the Unitec Workshop and then moved to a permanent site on Mt Albert Road.
A group of third, fourth and fifth year Architecture students started work on fabricating the project last week which involves CNC cutting sheets plywood sheets and lining them with laminated veneer lumber to form wall, floor, ceiling and decking panels. Wiring and insulation is then installed before construction. The first lot of pre-fabricated panels is due to be transported to the site tomorrow.
Outside contractors are currently prepping the Mt Albert Road site with drain and concrete-laying, installation of piles and addition of bearers.
The project, which is part of an ongoing partnership with Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts and Proclima NZ, is due to be completed mid-March.
Project co-ordinator Yusef Patel says the project demonstrates how an automated workshop can be integrated into a conventional timber frame construction process with nearly three quarters of the work taking place on site at Unitec.
Pictured: Students underway with the pre-installation work on campus
“Looks like a classroom to us”
Go, Unitec! Prefabricated wooden houses to assemble on site make so much sense for NZ. They would reduce the time to construct the houses and would enable the mass production of energy efficient homes. I also like the size of the house – we need to build smaller houses to use resources efficiently, reduce our carbon footprints, and to make houses more affordable.