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Technology
Focus on digital fabrication
New Zealand’s focus is primarily on digital fabrication, a eld we are ideally suited to. ‘Our high-value manufacturing, CNC tooling and automation punches above its weight,’ Dermott says.
‘For example, we have world-class fabrication talent in the marine industry. Digital fabrication for construction requires these same skills, and yacht fabricators are contacting me to see how they can contribute to the building industry.’
Fabricators are setting up
Dermott says digital fabrication also ts with our national DIY ethos, which is seeing the growth of small digital fabrication companies that have the initiative to trial and develop industry solutions.
‘People are gearing up for this. We have a number of digital fabrica- tors setting themselves up for timber fabrication for houses. Some are developing steel fabrication processes and are already selling product overseas.
‘They know they have a solution for better, cheaper houses that will be built faster. Architects I know have bought 3D printers to experiment with, simply to be prepared for the near future.’
Approvals process needs looking at
Of course, realisation of a new construction process relies on its accommodation in legislation and building codes, which is yet to happen. ‘The overall process needs to be looked at, as currently, a digitally fabricated house will be categorised as an Alternative Solution for approvals,’ Dermott says. ‘This has challenges, and we may bene t from a new legislative approach.
‘In Germany, for example, companies test new materials and fabrication in an open environment with data freely available to the industry. Regulatory authorities follow their work, making it easy for them to assess and accept.’
Solutions from National Science Challenge
Dermott McMeel says the government’s current National Science Challenge Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities will provide ideas for materials and processes that will be presented to local authorities to act on.
It seems that, while robot construction workers are unlikely to be prominent, we can expect digital fabrication to be signi cant in our near future.
64 — February/March 2016 — Build 152
FEATURE SECTION