Covid-safe prefabAUS conference moved to 100% virtual delivery.
Australia’s peak body for off-site construction, prefabAUS, has announced its hybrid conference, Merging to Mainstream, will move to 100% online delivery over four half days due to uncertainty about the Covid situation. The Conference was initially scheduled to be a hybrid conference that allowed for virtual and physical delegate attendance in case of tighter restrictions.
prefabAUS has also announced the final speaker line-up in what is set to be an exciting and topical conference for the building industry.
“While we would have liked to continue with our original hybrid delivery, the unfolding COVID situation across the country makes that too difficult. We had always planned a hybrid model with a virtual delivery option and feel that delegates will still have all the opportunities they would have at a live event. To reduce screen fatigue, we will also offer the conference over four half days rather than two full days,” says prefabAUS Chairman Damien Crough.
The conference will highlight how prefabrication, off-site and modular build has moved into the mainstream delivering numerous high-profile commercial, government and residential projects.
“We are excited that the mainstream construction industry is recognising prefabricated building as a viable, fast and sustainable construction method, and the breadth of projects our speakers will cover at our 2021 conference reflects that,” says Crough.
“Off-site construction is fast becoming popular in several Government projects, from the fast delivery of pandemic quarantine facilities to overseas embassies and correctional facilities. Prefabricated building also addresses a shortfall of mental health beds in response to the Royal Commission into Mental Health in Victoria.
“It’s also fast gaining popularity in the private construction sector as a stylish, affordable, build-to-lease solution for older Australians, as well as bespoke architecturally designed luxury residential and commercial construction. The prefabricated building industry is showing it can deliver high-quality, sustainable and fast solutions time and time again,” he says.
“Our speaker line-up showcases the speed, quality and versatility of off-site building for residential and commercial construction.”
The virtual format will deliver the same engaging content in the new digital format that will allow attendees to listen, interact, engage and digest at their own pace.
With the conference now being spread across themed micro-sessions, registration options include either the full program or the option to purchase a half program registration.
Some of the topics speakers will cover include: Manufacturing Affordable Housing (Tamika Smith); Lean manufacturing of prefabricated buildings for social housing (Tim Newman); Addressing social needs by decentralising the prefabricated housing model (Matthew Dingle); The Industralized Revolution: Shifting from Prefabrication to Productization (Amy Marks, International Keynote Speaker); The Business Case for Prefab – Mirvac Case Studies (David Haller); Future Living Spaces (Steve Sammartino). A full list of speakers is available here.
Crough concludes: “We are excited to bring the building industry an extraordinary line-up of expert speakers across multiple micro-sessions, in what we hope will be an amazing conference for all delegates.”
For more information and to register please visit https://www.prefabaus.org.au/conference-2021#2021-conference-registration
Image: Tim Newman from TBS is a conference speaker, talking on Lean manufacturing of prefabricated buildings for social housing.
