Is prefab fab? Draft scheme out for comment.

The ABCB says the scheme is designed to provide an independent, nationally-consistent certification pathway for manufacturers of prefabricated construction.

“The Scheme framework is designed to support innovative construction systems and manufacturing approaches, while improving the efficiency, quality and consistency of prefabricated building work,” the ABCB states.

Discussion papers have been released for stakeholder consultation and feedback.

They cover matters including a proposed definition for Prefabricated Construction, outlines the key issues the Scheme aims to address.

The core of the scheme is a systems-based assurance model aligned with contemporary manufacturing processes, according to the ABCB. It is expected to deliver benefits for manufacturers including improved consistency, reduced “regulatory fragmentation” and more efficient pathways to market.

The draft Scheme Rules and Scheme Framework have now been released for industry feedback.

There are two pathways proposed. The manufacturing pathway involves a specific facility, its processes and its capability being assessed and certified, while the design certification pathway aims to enable individual designs to be assessed against NCC requirements to facilitate repeatability.

AIRAH made a submission to the initial ABCB consultation proposing the voluntary certification scheme. The issues paper neglected to mention HVAC&R, despite the importance of prefabrication within the sector.

The submission noted prefab has been utilised within HVAC&R sector for nearly 20 years.

“This includes prefabricating not just modular building services components, but entire plant rooms that can be shipped to site and installed in days, when a traditional approach would take months,” the submission states.

“While this prefabricated approach is not yet the norm in our industry, it is becoming more prevalent and shows potential to reduce construction timeframes and costs.”

The major shift represented by the ABCB’s proposed certification scheme is positioning prefabricated construction as a form of manufacturing, rather than an extension of conventional on-site building approaches.

It defines prefab as, “a method of construction in which a building, in whole or in part, is made in a location separate from the site of installation.”

The draft proposes the scheme applies only to NCC Class 1 (detached residential) and Class 2 (multi-residential) buildings and asks for feedback on whether other classes of building should be considered.

While mechanical systems and building services are both mentioned in the descriptions of two proposed categories of prefabricated buildings, this is in the context of them as components of a whole building system being assessed and certified.

Another category of separate building systems proposed to be eligible for certification is focused on structural systems such as engineered lumbers and prefabricated concrete solutions, not building services systems.

Comment on the Draft Scheme Rules, Scheme Framework, proposed definition and Economic Analysis is sought until September 15, 2026.

Download the documents including the discussion paper and have your say here.

Feature Image by Mike Flynn from Pixabay.

---