Modulock innovation

Construction-related spending globally is approximately US$10 trillion ($13.9t) per annum, equivalent to 13 per cent of world GDP.

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The Modulock system has been designed as a solution that is scalable, exportable globally and massively increases the speed of house construction, whilst simultaneously reducing costs significantly. McKinsey the global consultancy group, suggest that acting in seven areas simultaneously in construction, could boost productivity by 50 to 60 percent. These areas are:

• ​reshaping regulation;

• rewiring the contractual framework to reshape industry dynamics;

• rethinking design and engineering processes;

• improving procurement and supply-chain management;

• improving onsite execution; 

• infusing digital technology, new materials, and advanced automation;

• and reskilling the workforce.

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McKinsey advise that the industry could move toward a manufacturing-inspired mass-production system, in which the bulk of a construction project is built from prefabricated standardized components off-site in a factory. They say there is evidence that a productivity boost of five to ten times is possible from this construction methodology. 

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Modulock housing has been designed to comply with or exceed the rigorous and highly regulated NZ/ Australian building standards. NZ houses are built tough to withstand the harsh ozone depleted high UV NZ sunlight, coastal salt laden sea air, Roaring forties making Wellington the worlds windiest city, the seismically active Central North Island, Auckland humidity and heavy rainfall and Christchurch/Central plateau snow . As tough as an environment that is available anywhere in the world and that many New Zealand houses face year after year.  The only exceptions that need further specific design changes from a standard Modulock house, are areas in close proximity to sulphur laden geothermal fields, cyclone areas or extreme cold climates.

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Many western countries popular urban centres, suffer the same significant unrelenting demand and growing expectations from the public for modern quality housing, which is leading to ongoing housing issues. The NZ Government 329-page Productivity Commission report into housing affordability also identified poor building productivity, as a major contributor to New Zealand's high house prices.   ​

It identified the following industry problems:

• projects exceed their original budgets;

• there is a failure to meet agreed time frames;

• work is non-compliant or defective

• there is poor design and layout

• the industry has a reliance on lower-quality materials which have a shorter lifespan and require higher levels of maintenance.

• the New Zealand building industry is dominated by small firms and has been characterised as a 'cottage industry'".

 

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The Productivity Commission's recommendations include:

• innovative approaches to supply chain management and procurement;

• re skill the workforce;

• greater use of prefabrication and modular components.

 

Of the above recommendations by McKinsey and The NZ Government, the patent pending Modulock system addresses 100% of the factors identified using its:

• Vertical integration of manufacture, supply chain, property development and group housing construction PM,

• Innovative design that is still compliant with legacy regulatory systems,

• Global innovation by NZ, Asian and European based designers and engineers,

• Global efficiencies in procurement, manufacture and supply chain direct to actual construction site,

• Utilizing a readily available unskilled workforce but managed by targeted highly skilled licensed onsite personnel,

• Highly efficient and fully systematized construction methodology,

• Digital and audit-able quality assurance systems from supply of materials, manufacture to construction.

• Treading lighter on the planet due to reduced waste by design, construction methodology and lower life of ownership costs.  ​

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What is the Modulock system?
Our simple one-bedroom house may seem basic but in behind the Type A, B and C 48m2 base living module are:
•    26 pages of house plans
•    61 pages of detailed onsite installation plans 
•    42 pages of detailed manufacturing plans
•    93 pages of detailed onsite installation manual for builders 
•    41 pages of Quality Assurance system manual
•    1 page of 50 Approved Product (materials) schedule that are used in these dwellings
•    200 pages + of test results on all materials used in these dwellings

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