RAT Chat - April 2026 # 3 Frames and Trusses – the Original Pre-fab

Welcome to RAT Chat number 3. This edition is all about pre-fabrication. 

Before we deep dive, don’t forget to register for FTMA’s National Conference. The event will be hosted on the Sunshine Coast at the Novotel (Twin Waters) on the 18th, 19th and 20th of May.
 

Day one (18th) is jam packed full of fun and networking at the Red Activities Day followed by a banquet icebreaker.

Day two (19th) is the formal conference, 40+ booth trade show and the gala dinner, so if you’ve only got a day free, this is the one to get to.

Day three (20th) is an industry tour and is now sold out.

During the conference, I have the opportunity to moderate a leading panel of experts to learn more about the Future Framing Initiative (FFI) and the opportunities it will bring for our sector. You don’t want to miss it! 

Register Here

Pre-fabrication or pre-fab has been a trending topic in Australia. With a housing crisis, a National Housing Accord and a commitment to build 1.2 million well located homes by 2030, I am not surprised. 

In Australia, we are also suffering from increasing red tape, a cost-of-living crisis and a significant shortfall of trades which is working against us to meet housing targets. The current situation in the middle east is also destabilising global supply chains placing pressure not just on the cost of transport associated with every step of building houses but also on building materials and how and where they’re made. 

One solution seems to be offsite pre-fabricated building, and I’d argue the frame and truss sector is the original pre-fab and has been for decades. There is a bit happening in the pre-fab space so here is a brief update. 

Late last year Standards Australia released a new glossary of terms handbook related to pre-fabricated building for public comment. After strong feedback on the handbook draft, we now have two voices for the timber industry and I’m happy to be one of them. The writing team are finalising the handbook draft and writing for the full pre-fabricated standard will commence very soon. The vision is that the standard will become the point source of truth and place to go for everything you need to know about pre-fabrication, definitions and how to connect existing standards and the NCC in pre-fabricated settings. 

The pre-fab standards committee is also communicating with Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) around Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), the introduction of the voluntary MMC Scheme and the alignment of definitions. The MMC Scheme is expected to be introduced in 2028. 

Last month, the Cairns Post reported a failure of a pre-fabricated social housing development in Woree, Cairns (Qld). A significant number of ‘modules’ or ‘pods’ became water damaged and are now being disposed of in landfill. Despite this, the $426 million project (to deliver 490 units) is still expected to be delivered in early 2027. The pre-fab modules were manufactured in Melbourne, and transported to far north Queensland. The manufacturer was tasked to deliver 1008 modules in a supply/manufacturing only contract with transport, storage and assembly the responsibility of FCC construction. 

To me the failure highlights the often-underappreciated logistical challenges of pre-fabrication. Centralised manufacturing in a protected environment makes sense until you overlay the significant geographical distances and climate variability we have in Australia. Transport, logistics management and weather protection are actually the real challenge if pre-fab is to be scaled even further. Ideally, a pre-fab element either 2D or 3D should be manufactured, transported and directly placed into the final destination as it is loaded off a truck to avoid double handling.

Despite the challenges of pre-fabrication, there is a significant opportunity for the frame and truss sector. I believe the real opportunity is in incremental additions to the current practice in what can be considered as the “value-added continuum”. The frame and truss sector already have the existing infrastructure and supply chains. If this is something you’re interested in, please feel free to get in contact. 

Save the date for an upcoming webinar on June 16th, 2:00 pm. In this webinar, we will be exploring a new research and development project focused on embodied carbon, how to quantify it and what we are doing at FTMA to ensure timber has a leading role in climate conscious markets.

We will be joined by Builder, Architect and Co-founder Tom Petty from CarbonTrace. Looking forward to seeing you there, keep your eyes peeled for a registration link. 

See you at the conference and as always feel free to get in touch with any research or technical queries on 0431 088 918 or rhianna@ftma.com.au