Radical panels herald value green homes

19 May 2010

A radical approach to boosting housing affordability and sustainability is set to showcase at the forthcoming Master Builders' Building & Home Improvement Expo in Melbourne, when building technology specialist Multihouse Australia showcases a revolutionary product and associated suite of services.

Multihouse is in the process of introducing Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) to Australia for the first time. Hailing from European building giant Kingspan, the panels consist of a high performance rigid, fire rated urethane insulation core [PIR], with zero Ozone Depletion Potential, sandwiched between two layers of Oriented Strand Board [OSB] or Magnesium Oxide panel.

The new product is in line with Multihouse's focus on offering Renewable, Adaptive, Recyclable, Environmental (R.A.R.E) building systems to the Australian market. These typically take the form of off-site manufactured building systems with a focus on "flat-pack" assembly, which allow for rapid, cost-effective construction as well as seamless integration of building services into building designs.

The new products would play a key role in shrinking the high construction costs contributing to Australia's housing affordability crisis, said Multihouse director Jon Brunner.

"Australia has one of the highest un-affordability indexes in the world for its housing. At the same time there is a shortfall of approximately 70,000 houses per annum. The message should be clear, but isn't. We are using the wrong paradigm of planning, design and building. While housing density can be increased, it is only one of several factors to reduce costs. It is believed that the major problem rests with the methods and materials of construction assembly. In part, the lack of building services organisation is a major contributor to this problem."

The answer to affordable, sustainable housing lay in the concept of ‘Production for Construction', he said. With truly sustainable architecture demanding research into demountable, reusable building components, the new form of building offered by SIP products promised to provide airtight, clean, affordable dwellings.

"The building system permits for construction to take place off-site for precision factory assembly, yet allows convenient on site access to building service installation as well as entire panel connections. It is engineered to be flexible to various multi and single storey designs."

A multi-disciplinary company comprising a team of architects, engineers and business professionals with head offices in Victoria, Multihouse facilitates ‘Modern Methods of Construction' [MMC] in the Australian market. It partners with government, industry and research organisations to provide clients with affordable, quick and high performance building systems.

Multihouse will be on show at the Master Builders Building & Home Improvement Expo from 9-11 July at Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

www.multihouse.com.au

 

 

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