Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 23/Jan 23:22

Green Timber to address NSW housing crisis

A new prefabrication building company based in Central West NSW is helping to address the state’s current housing crisis, while also sourcing local timber and creating local jobs. Green Timber Technology, which has recently been established in partnership with The Pentarch Group, will fabricate timber walls, roofs and floors in the factory and then deliver them to site for assembly, mostly within NSW. Source: Timberbiz Housing affordability and availability is the single biggest pressure facing the people of NSW. Instead of taking around nine months to build a new home, this process can produce around ten homes per week. Once fully operational, the company will build a new home roughly every four hours. The company also aims to achieve zero waste. The houses that will soon be fabricated at the company’s Orange site, will not only be affordable, but also high-end architecturally designed homes. The 10,000m2 facility is also adding a robotic element to its production line while still creating local jobs, with plans to employ 70 people by 2026. While the prefabrication element helps dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to build a new home, the operation still involves essential building trade elements including plumbers, builders and electricians as part of the final construction phase. “This exciting new approach will help deliver on the Government’s priorities by producing affordable housing, which is the single biggest pressure facing the people of NSW,” Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said. “It will significantly increase the speed of construction through automation and avoiding weather impacts. “I congratulate the company for also working to achieve zero net waste and providing improved worker safety, because construction will occur in a controlled environment,” she said. “This prefabrication building company is also vertically integrated with Pentarch Forestry’s softwood plantations and mills which are based at Oberon, which is ensuring local timber and timber products are sourced in the region, reducing transport costs. “NSW sourced timber has an important role to play in addressing our housing crisis, and it’s companies like this that are demonstrating well timed critical problem solving to address this challenge. “The benefits for the local economy, industry and the community have come at a very welcome time.” Executive Director, The Pentarch Group Stephen Dadd said sourcing local products was an integral part of this new venture for the company. “In addition to the timber aspect, we hope in the future to see some other companies follow our lead and look at what other housing products could be produced locally,” he said. “We are not using the entire Electrolux site, so there is potential for further growth into a prefabrication housing hub.” CEO of Green Timber Technology’s Orange site Pete Morrison said around 20-25 people would be employed in the early stages of production on the floor to oversee the panel, flooring and roofing components, and additional staff in the design and structural engineering aspect.