| 103 T T Lindy Andrews Modular buildings a cost-effective solution Laidlaw Builders recently installed six of the modular buildings, which were built by Builtsmart in Huntly, at Mount Maunganui Intermediate. Laidlaw Builders BUILDING The writing is on the blackboard for New Zealand’s $6 billion education infrastructure log jam, with many schools desperately needing new classrooms. Getting top marks from Education Minister Erica Stanford are offsite modular buildings, which are fast to manufacture and install, and cost a fraction of more conventional builds. The average cost of a traditional on-site build is between $1.2 million and $1.8 million per classroom. Streamlined offsite manufacturing processes can slash that to $400,000. Grant Laidlaw, director of Tauranga’s Laidlaw Builders, says Kiwi schools across the country can expect to see the groundbreaking approach to delivering teaching spaces become the norm. “It’s the way the Government – and Minister Stanford – would like to go to deliver cost-effective, compliant classrooms. The added bonus is that they can be easily relocated in the future.” National school roll projections show the total regular school roll is projected to increase from 821,146 FTE (full-time equivalent) students in 2023 to a projected peak of 827,834 in 2025. Many of the country’s ageing classrooms – some more than 50 years old – score poorly when weighed against the New Building Standard. In August, Wellington Girls’ College students took their concerns to Parliament after two levels of one building – which house some 360 students and staff – scored less than 34%, the absolute minimum criteria. Damp, mouldy teaching environments are all too common, while seismic safety is also a concern. That, says Grant, is unacceptable and is easily remedied with offsite manufacture. Laidlaw Builders recently installed six of the modular buildings, which were built by Builtsmart in Huntly, at Mount Maunganui Intermediate. With their smart design, full insulation and heat pumps, they provide safe, comfortable places that make teaching and learning a pleasure. “The six teaching spaces are equivalent to three, full-size classrooms. This particular installation was reasonably straightforward, although you are obviously bringing them over the Kaimais and navigating your way through urban streets.” A licensed building practitioner and business member of New Zealand Certified Builders, Grant has been installing offsite modular buildings for the past three years. Working during school holidays, he says, minimises disruption and maximises health and safety. On average, installation takes three weeks. The rapid turnaround, low-cost solution will come as a great relief to hundreds of schools snarled up in funding shortfalls and lengthy approval processes, Grant says. The times they are a-changing for education – and quickly. In the first quarter of 2024, over 60% of new classrooms were initiated as offsite manufacturing, up from under 20% in the last quarter of 2023, according to last month’s Parliamentary press release. “We want to reassure school communities that works and improvements currently underway at schools across the country will continue as planned while the Government develops a more efficient and sustainable solution for how we deliver school property going forward,” Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said. “Improving education infrastructure is an important part of laying the foundation for New Zealanders to succeed.” For Grant Laidlaw – who is busy installing classrooms the length and breadth of New Zealand – it’s a win-win for his business and education alike. “This particular installation was reasonably straightforward, although you are obviously bringing them over the Kaimais and navigating your way through urban streets.” GET IN TOUCH 07 828 92825 www.builtsmart.co.nz
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