South Australians could soon see homes going up faster thanks to a new approach to construction that moves much of the work from the building site into a high-tech factory.
The State Government is partnering with Edinburgh-based company 5North, which is using 14 robots across five automated stations and four installation lines to manufacture prefabricated components for residential construction.
The technology is designed to complement, rather than replace, traditional builders and skilled trades, while helping address labour shortages and increasing demand for new housing.
Based at a 12,000-square-metre factory on a 46,000-square-metre site in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, 5North produces housing components including wall panels up to 12 metres long, incorporating framing, insulation, internal and external linings, windows and doors.
The factory can currently produce components for around six standard homes each day, equating to approximately 1,000 homes a year based on a 38-hour operating week.
That capacity could eventually increase to as many as 3,000 homes a year if the facility moves to a 24-hour operating model.
Rather than constructing each element piece by piece on site, the prefabricated components can be manufactured at the same time as work is being carried out on the development site, potentially shaving months off construction timelines.
One of the first projects to benefit will be a Renewal SA development in Noarlunga, where construction is due to begin within weeks.
The project will deliver a mix of two and three-bedroom townhouses, with 5North’s prefabricated wall, floor and roof frame components forming part of the affordable housing development.
The Noarlunga project will provide an early demonstration of how advanced manufacturing could help South Australia deliver more homes by shifting repetitive and labour-intensive construction work into a controlled factory environment.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said, “It’s fantastic to see South Australian companies innovating, working together and partnering with our government to get more homes built for South Australians, faster.
“Importantly, this innovation will not replace builders or skilled trades – it’s about supporting them and the industry at a time of escalating demand and labour shortages.”
The Malinauskas Government has set a target of 13,500 homes being built across South Australia each year, with the Premier describing the figure as the number required for the state to reach its economic potential.
“Meeting this target requires ingenuity, investment and partnership between government, developers, builders and suppliers.”
Housing Minister Nick Champion added, “This is exactly the kind of partnership between government and industry we need to tackle the national housing crisis.
“We are backing in this innovation with components used at one of our key southern urban renewal projects.”
The Government has previously explored modern construction methods through Renewal SA’s Office for Regional Housing, which established a modular and transportable housing pilot project aimed at addressing housing challenges in regional South Australia.
5North co-founder and CEO Wayne Hughes said, “Australia has other prefabrication, frame-and-truss and offsite manufacturing operations, but 5North’s point of difference is the breadth and integration of its platform.
5North has worked with international automation and offsite manufacturing partners including KUKA and Waypaver to adapt advanced manufacturing technology for Australian residential construction.
While robots may be doing more of the repetitive work, the company says the technology is ultimately designed to support the people already working across the construction industry.
With the first 5North components soon to be used at Noarlunga, South Australia is set to get an early look at what the future of home building could look like.
