Print Icon
 

APRIL 2024

2024 is our fourth year as Building 4.0 CRC and it is going to be a milestone one. With the housing crisis and cost of living pressures escalating, our work to innovate across building has never been more important. That is why we are fiercely focused this year on creating significant demonstration projects, increasing the reach and awareness of our research across industry and government, and continuing to build value for our partners.


And we have hit the ground running. We’ve launched three new projects that feature physical works on ground – one involving the Post & Plate system for mass timber construction (#68), another focused on collaboration robots or ‘cobots’ (#85) and a third around improving safety on construction sites (LHP#28).


Our Annual Showcase will shine a light on housing innovation, demonstrating prototype products and systems that aim to create more affordable, efficient, and sustainable housing in Australia. So keep Wednesday 19 June 2024 free – there are more details below.

The Executive Team and researchers are increasing the reach and awareness of our research through high-profile national speaking engagements and conferences – already this year we’ve had team members present at events both in Australia and internationally including the Industrialized Construction Forum at Stanford University, the UDIA National Congress in Melbourne and the Net Zero Construction Forum in Sydney.

We are providing value for our partners through increased activities including the recent research tour to the San Francisco and Greater Bay area, and our Research Expressions of Interest are driving an increased number and diversity of partners involved with the CRC.

 

It is going to be an exciting, productive and impactful 2024 and our team looks forward to working with you to drive innovation in building and together deliver important social, environmental and economic outcomes across the community.



Prof. Mathew Aitchison 

CEO, Building 4.0 CRC

New projects

We currently have 26 active projects including 5 launched since the December 2023 newsletter:

#56 Accelerating B4.0CRC Translation and Impact 

This project investigates the capability gaps that hinder collaboration between researchers and industry. The aim is to upskill researchers and industry professionals, to support the adoption and translation of new research on building. 

Partners are Cruxes Innovation, the Victorian Building Authority, the Master Builders Association Victoria, Sumitomo Forestry Australia, BlueScope, 
A.G. Coombs and the University of Melbourne. 

     

#66 Future of Construction Education 

This project will contribute to the body of knowledge on the future skills required for Australia's building and construction industry, and the role of technology and automation in meeting those skills demands. 

Partners are Holmesglen Institute, A.G. Coombs, Lendlease Digital, the Victorian Building Authority, Nexans, the Master Builders Association Victoria, Sumitomo Forestry Australia, Fleetwood Australia, Monash University and the University of Melbourne.

     

#68 Post & Plate feasibility study 

This research centres on an innovative project to bring the Post & Plate timber structural system to Australia's multi-residential sector. The research is designed for rapid deployment and aims to revolutionise high-density, sustainable living in Australia. 

Partners are Sumitomo Forestry Australia, Hyne & Son and the University of Melbourne. 

     

#85 From Digital Design to Human Robot Collaborative Masonry Construction 

This project will develop a digital design to physical construction workflow for masonry construction, using collaborative robots (cobots) to be employed alongside labourers.

Partners are Brickworks Building Products and the Queensland University of Technology.  

     

LHP#28 Computer Vision to measure productivity and enhance safety on construction sites 

This project explores more automated and technologically advanced solutions that can provide real-time, accurate and unbiased data on on-site performance. 

Partners are Level Crossing Removal Project, Sightdata and the University of Melbourne.  

     
     

New partners

We recently welcomed the following new industry partners:

PT Blink provides a technology platform and manufacturer marketplace to create multi-storey structures faster, safer, better and with less waste than traditional construction.

Sightdata harnesses new computer vision and machine learning technologies to detect and identify safety risks on construction sites in real time, before they pose a risk to workers.

Brickworks creates materials for beautiful environments, sourcing, collaborating and uncovering new insights from around Australia and around the world. 
     

Recent events

UDIA National Congress 2024 (March)

Prof. Mathew Aitchison addressed the UDIA National Congress, on emerging housing forms. He discussed the big disruptors, changing the way we design, construct and deliver housing. He was joined on the panel by our partners Kyle Donovan (Donovan Group) and Wayne Larsen (PT Blink). 
     

NetZero Construction Summit (March)

Prof. Tuan Ngo (Program Lead from the University of Melbourne) moderated a roundtable discussion examining what industry can do to help reduce embodied carbon with construction materials. 
     

International Women's Day (March)

Two of Australia's Building Industry leaders – Julie Saunders (Urbis) and Jennifer Cunich (AHURI) – shared their insights on how we can COUNT HER IN: INVEST IN WOMEN AND ACCELERATE PROGRESS. 


In a session moderated by Prof. Mathew Aitchison, Julie and Jennifer discussed how we can remove barriers and build systems that enable all women and girls to thrive and realise their full potential. Drawing on their own career experiences and achievements, they shed light on what has changed and what still needs to change to foster innovation, inclusion and gender equality. 

     

International Research Tour (February)

Building 4.0 CRC led a tour of 32 industry partners and researchers to the San Francisco and Greater Bay area, to give delegates first-hand experience of cutting edge technology and innovative building techniques. 

Over 5 days, delegates visited:

  • University of California, Berkeley
  • Factory OS
  • Urban Machine
  • Stanford University
  • Autodesk
  • Google
  • Volumetric Building Companies
  • Apple.

A copy of the report will be released this month and can be downloaded from our website

     

Industrialized Construction Forum, Stanford University (March)

Our Program Lead from Monash University, Dr Duncan Maxwell, spoke about his work on industrialised construction, platforms and ecosystems. 
     

Education and training update

We are working with a cohort of 46 PhD students, who will become the building industry leaders of the future, preparing for and leading the sector-wide change Building 4.0 CRC aims to deliver. These students are researching diverse issues related to Australia's building industry, ranging from creating new building products, to introducing new business models and applying new virtual technologies to building design and construction. 


You can read about their research via the journal articles and conference papers they have published as part of their candidature. 

     

New publications

The following final project report is now available on the website:

You’ll find the complete list of published project reports on our website.

     

New face at Building 4.0 CRC

Welcome to Smaro Exelby, our new Engagement Lead. 


Smaro brings a wealth of engagement experience and a deep understanding of Australia's building sector gained from previous roles with the Property Council of Australia. 

Smaro replaces Dr Sarah Breen-Lovett, who has taken up a position at the University of Newcastle. We thank Sarah for all her work with the CRC and wish her well in her new role.