A new research training centre that aims to propel growth in the prefabricated housing industry has launched its research programme at The University of Melbourne.
The Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing will undertake important research to develop new methods and technologies that will transform the construction of prefabricated and modular housing to make it smarter, more affordable and more sustainable.
ARC executive director for biological sciences and biotechnology Dr Fiona Cameron, who attended the launch, said the new training centre will create “industry-ready” researchers and a construction and manufacturing industry equipped with the most innovative technologies and materials.
“The ARC Training Centre… will train the next generation of researchers, embedding them in an industry setting and providing a ‘training pipeline’ for Masters students, PhD graduates and Postdoctoral Fellows,” she said.
“At the same time, it will enable industry-based engineers and architects to apply advanced manufacturing principles to the production of prefabricated modular buildings, including the application of new scientific knowledge, methods and technologies.”
Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing is receiving $4.0 million (over four years) through the Industrial Transformation Research Training Centres scheme, a key component of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Programme (ITRP).
The Industrial Transformation Research Training Centres scheme fosters close partnerships between university-based researchers and other research end-users to provide innovative Higher Degree by Research (HDR) and postdoctoral training in research industries that are vital to Australia’s future.
Researchers based at The University of Melbourne will work closely with a number of partners including: AMOVEO; Prebuilt Pty Ltd; Prefabaus Ltd; Tektum Pty Ltd; The Trustee for Richard Kirk Trust; CIMC Modular Building Systems (Australia) Pty Ltd; Habitech Systems Pty Ltd; Modulum; Timber Building Systems Pty Ltd; Surrey Engineering Pty Ltd; Enviro-Sip Australasia Pty Ltd; Pacific NonWovens Holdings Pty Ltd; Origination Pty Ltd; and MEMKO Pty Ltd. It will also collaborate with The University of Sydney; Curtin University of Technology; Monash University and Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited.
For more information about the training centre, visit the website. For more information about the ARC and its grant schemes, visit the ARC website.
Original link - API Magazine
