The HDS is a new construction method Kāinga Ora has developed alongside the building sector, driving productivity, reliability and reducing costs for state housing construction. By reducing design, planning and construction timeframes in a considered way without impacting on quality, we can build homes faster and more reliably for whānau and individuals throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

Christchurch HDS build in progress to completion

Chris Stevens, Project Manager, home Construction

“Having that openness to actually work out where that dead time sits and how we can actually manage the process better and still be able to deliver quality in a shorter timeframe has been a breath of fresh air.”

How does the Housing Delivery System work?

The HDS co-ordinates and tracks the thousands of tasks involved in planning and building a home, to schedule the work more efficiently and make the best use of resources.

Multi-disciplinary teams save time by troubleshooting on the spot rather than waiting for email replies

Every professional is together in one place from day one of the project - including architects, development and project managers, civil and structural engineers and landscape architects.

Professionals are asked to provide a realistic time they expect a task to take, called a ‘Reasonable Expectation’. This accuracy drives a reliable flow of work that enables predictable results, and detailed advanced planning reduces onsite delays.

Working side-by-side means different specialists understand how and why their individual tasks impact a housing project. Feedback from teams note the faster and effective in-person collaboration, the unique opportunity to learn regularly from other disciplines, the stronger sense of teamwork and overall efficiency and speed of project delivery.

Throughout the construction stages more predictable building timelines mean the sector can work with more confidence, securing building materials, crew and sub-contractors in advance.

Mathew Green, Project Lead & Architectural Graduate, Hierarchy Group, Christchurch

“From the outset you might think it seems like the system is stringent with all the planning and timekeeping involved but in reality the system underpins a really collaborative workspace which is a great place for change and innovation”

 

What’s next?

Kāinga Ora is continuously shaping systems to deliver better outcomes, to ensure we can deliver on our vision of building better, brighter homes, communities and lives across the motu. Buoyed by the success of the HDS, we have a dedicated Group continually identifying, supporting and implementing improvements to meet the ever-changing and ever-growing housing needs in Aotearoa. This team works alongside key Kāinga Ora business groups, supporting them to transform their delivery functions by providing the right expertise, capability and capacity at the right time and in the right way.

Page updated: 25 September 2024