The NSW Government Modern Methods of Construction Taskforce (the MMC Taskforce) was established in November 2023 to help drive, shape, and demonstrate the use and potential for off-site manufacturing in NSW Government housing projects.
The taskforce is focused on providing advice, feedback and facilitating dialogue on:
- Applying MMC to deliver faster quality social housing (including teacher and police housing) in NSW.
- Demonstrate how MMC can generate increased demand for the supply of MMC homes in social and other types of housing.
- Identify challenges to innovation and adoption of MMC across the sector.
- Define how MMC can be successfully integrated into the housing system in NSW.
- Advocate for the use and adoption of MMC to deliver more homes in NSW.
- Advocate for the growth and capacity building of the MMC industry and its workforce.
Taskforce members
The taskforce is co-chaired by Michael Wheatley, A/Head of Housing Portfolio, Homes NSW, and David Haller, Board Director, prefabAus. Members include peak bodies representing housing and homelessness, construction, manufacturing, communities, residents, and local government.
All taskforce members
- Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU)
- Association of Australian Certifiers (AAC)
- Australian Institute of Architects - NSW
- Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS)
- Building Products Industry Council (BPIC)
- Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) NSW
- Engineers Australia
- Faith Housing Alliance
- Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia (FTMA)
- Housing Industry Association (HIA) NSW
- Housing Now!
- Business NSW
- Homes NSW
- Local Government NSW
- Master Builders Association (MBA) NSW
- Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)
- prefabAUS
- Property Council of Australia - NSW
- Shelter NSW
- NSW Teachers Federation
- Think Brick Australia
- Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) NSW
Industry working groups
Working groups were established to address key challenges and opportunities identified by the taskforce.
The working groups will report to the taskforce and allow opportunities for interested industry partners to contribute to the overall ongoing work of the taskforce.
Key themes for working groups
At the initial launch, participants have identified 4 key topics and challenges to address:
More homes
- Provide a consistent, transparent, visible, and reliable pipeline.
- Efficiencies are achieved through standardisation, repetitious designs and visibility of a long-term pipeline.
- Factories have consistent overheads, so a clear “pipeline” is most important.
- Consider different models using a hybrid modern method of construction and traditional construction.
Planning and regulation
- Work with regulatory bodies to streamline planning and building regulations to accommodate MMC whilst ensuring safety and quality standards.
- Work with local and state governments to provide certainty through the planning system. This could be through a pre-approved or regularised plan. To ensure that there is a fast, efficient, and risk-averse approval system to give confidence to investors and other financial institutions.
Building the industry
- Delivering demonstration projects to inform a broader program and enable certainty of investment.
- Considering collaborative contract models to reflect MMC.
- Create more accessible procurement methods.
- Looking for opportunities to build capacity of the MMC industry through training and apprenticeships.
The journey to adoption
- Collaborate across the nation to build confidence in and knowledge of MMC. With exemplar projects demonstrating quality design, and consistent standards and certification.
- Create high quality design and deliver higher sustainability performance and communities people love.
For more information email Homes NSW Modern Methods of Construction team via homesnsw-hp-mmc@homes.nsw.gov.au