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JUNE 2026
In May, Australian Housing Minister the Hon. Clare O’Neil announced a $40 million investment package to help modernise how we deliver housing. The funding goes towards supporting a national ‘kit-of-parts’ approach to housing delivery, leveraging our work with Homes NSW. What’s important about the announcement is not just the funding. It’s the recognition that we need to change how we build in Australia. As Minister O'Neil said,
“If we want to build the housing that Australia needs, we are going to have to think differently about how homes get built in this country.”
And while it’s significant, the National Housing Platform is just one part of a broader change we need to see in Australia’s building and construction sector.
We need to invest in building industry capability. I’m pleased to say that ours and our partners efforts in that respect were recognised recently at the Cooperative Research Australia Collaborate Innovate Conference. Our partnership with Holmesglen Institute has translated Industry 4.0 concepts into applied practice and helped strengthen Australia’s building workforce.
We need more evidence that demonstrates why and how to move away from how things have always been done. It’s a theme I explored when looking back on what’s happened in the 12 months since Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein released their book ‘Abundance’ (see the latest Future Building podcast episode). Some things didn’t work out the way they expected, but the central premise remains true: To have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of what we need.
We’re continuing to do that work. In the past 3 months, we launched 4 new projects:
- Project #109 – exploring how digital traceability works on a real-world construction site
- Project #115 – assessing how distributed building can be applied in regional areas
- Project #120 – developing MMC microcredentials to upskill workers
- Project #123 – investigating a pre-certified suite of components that meet fire and acoustic performance requirements.
We released 5 new reports:
- Project #108 (Project Circle), which provides yet more evidence that building and construction needs to move away from how things have always been done
- Project #102, which recommends actions to guide workforce development, training provision and education reform that supports the building workforce of the future
- Project #10, which provided early evidence for a product platform approach for building
- Project #20, which explored methods of assessing the structural robustness of light gauge steel structures
- Project #22, which explored how generative design and BIM-based automation can transform early-stage decision making for mid-rise buildings.
We’re also still advocating for change with decision makers and practitioners, via opportunities such as appearing before a Senate Select Committee and speaking at conferences and workshops.
Read on to see how this work is taking shape in practice – and what we're building together with our partners.
Prof. Mathew Aitchison
CEO, Building 4.0 CRC
$40 MILLION INVESTMENT IN NATIONAL HOUSING PLATFORM
In May, the Australian Government announced new investment to support a National Housing Platform, leveraging our work with Homes NSW on its Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Program.
The initiative is an important step towards modernising how we deliver housing across Australia through improved coordination, repeatable building systems, modern manufacturing and scalable supply chains.
Discussions with all states and territories about being involved in the national platform are progressing.
We are also interested in hearing from manufacturers, suppliers and technology providers whose products support a more industrialised approach to construction. If you are interested in finding out more about System 600, complete the registration form.
AN AWARD WINNING COLLABORATION
Holmesglen Institute and Building 4.0 CRC received a Special Judges Commendation in the Award for Industry–Research Collaboration category at this year’s Cooperative Research Australia Collaborate Innovate Conference. Dr Henry Pook (Director, Centre for Applied Research and Innovation) and Dr Sam Duncan (Dean of Higher Education and Applied Research) accepted the award for Holmesglen.
For 7 years, our two organisations have collaborated to translate Industry 4.0 concepts into applied practice and strengthen Australia’s building workforce. The partnership combines Holmesglen’s vocational and higher‑education leadership with Building 4.0 CRC’s applied research capability to address a national imperative:
The significant skills gap in the construction sector – which needs over 100k more workers – has led to escalating costs, insolvency, an aging workforce and an undersupply of housing.
To date, the collaboration has:
- generated 12 projects leading to upskilling and adoption of new technologies
- created Australia-first new degree programs in digital and sustainable construction
- impacted training of 10,327 construction students, exceeding our initial 7,000 target.
Beyond direct education outcomes, the collaboration delivers broader societal value by supporting safer training environments, accelerating sustainable construction practices, improving workforce mobility and contributing to a more resilient and future‑ready sector.
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NEW PODCAST
In 2025, Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein released their book 'Abundance', positing that to have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of what we need.
In his latest essay, Prof. Mathew Aitchison reflects on what has happened since the book's release, focusing on housing.
NEW PROJECTS
Project #109 Evaluating the effectiveness of a digital traceability pilot – This project explores whether digital traceability – using a verified digital record to track materials, components and processes across a building project – can operate reliably on a real-world site.
Partners are PT Blink, Building and Plumbing Commission, Master Builders Association Victoria and the University of Melbourne.
Project #115 Productivity and carbon benchmarking of a distributed prefabricated construction system – This project assesses how decentralised manufacturing can improve supply chain resilience, create regional jobs and reduce construction risk in regional areas.
Partners are PT Blink and the University of Melbourne.
Project #120 Modern Methods of Construction Microcredentials – This project involves developing microcredentials that support further training and upskilling in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) for businesses and professionals working in the industry.
Partners are TAFE NSW Construction Centre of Excellence, Homes NSW and Monash University.
Project #123 Ready-to-use fire and acoustic certified solutions for off-the-shelf CLT construction – This project aims to create a pre-certified suite of CLT and XLT floor and wall systems that meeting national fire and acoustic performance requirements.
Partners are Hyne and Son and University of Melbourne.
NEW REPORTS
While current building sustainability practices often focus on energy use, Project Circle highlights that embodied emissions represent a growing share of our environmental footprint. To work within planetary boundaries, the sector must move beyond ‘carbon counting’ and address the broader ecological degradation embedded in material supply chains.
Project #102 investigated the workforce implications and skill needs that will support MMC adoption across the Australian built environment value chain and developed evidence-based recommendations to guide workforce development, training provision and education reform.
Project #10 investigated the potential of a product platform approach for volumetric building in Australia. Product platforms seek to standardise products, processes and supply chain to improve efficiency, unlock design variability and enable continuous improvement as market conditions change.
Project #20 explored methods of assessing the structural robustness of light gauge steel structures. Connections between structural elements are particularly important – they must be strong and ductile enough to prevent collapse under extreme conditions. Improved connection designs can significantly improve performance.
Project #22 explored how generative design and BIM-based automation can transform early-stage decision making for mid-rise buildings, particularly when comparing light gauge steel with traditional systems like concrete and timber. The study found better integration between design, analysis and cost tools may reduce inefficiencies and rework.
RECENT EVENTS
Prof. Mathew Aitchison appeared before the Senate Select Committee on Productivity in Australia in April, to provide insight into why productivity is so low in Australia's building industry.
In May, Prof. Mathew Aitchison participated in two panel discussions at the Future of Construction Summit in Brisbane:
- Delivering affordable, sustainable housing for a stronger Australia
- MMC and building modular momentum – Cutting costs, accelerating delivery, driving sustainability.
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Prof. Chris Knapp presented at 2 events in June:
- He joined property leaders from across South East Queensland at an event organised by Hassell to explore how Modern Methods of Construction can help address a critical infrastructure question in Queensland: How do we deliver more, faster, better and more sustainably in a market already under pressure?
- He joined practitioners at the ABB Electrify Tomorrow 2026 Forum to discuss the future of sustainable residential housing and how modular construction combined with wireless technology can transform building.
ELEVATOR INITIATIVE PROFILES
The Elevator Initiative engages with small and medium enterprises that are passionate about transforming Australia’s building sector. This year, we're profiling some of our members.
Multipanel
Multipanel is Australia's leading manufacturer of next-generation waterproof building systems, simplifying wet area construction and helping building deliver projects faster with less risk. Its prefabricated solutions replace traditional screeding and membraines, increasing on-site productivity while reducing the likelihood of defects and failures.
This innovative system has been recognised through industry accolades, including the Leading in Construction Technologies award at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards 2025 and Best Use of Prefabricated Materials at the Smart Building Industry Awards at PrefabAUS 2025.
Multipanel is now scaling its systems across modular and multi-residential construction, where productivity, speed and build quality are critical. With the industry's shift towards prefabrication and smarter construction methods accelerating, Multipanel is playing an important role in shaping how Australia builds.
As a Building 4.0 CRC Elevator Initiative member, Multipanel demonstrated its capability as a participant at the Homes NSW Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Showcase.
