A pioneering local company is using new technology to shave months off housing construction times, helping the State Government build more homes faster for South Australians.

The company’s advanced manufacturing has the capability to support the delivery of up to 3,000 homes a year, with one of the Government’s key urban renewal projects among the first to benefit.

Homes at Renewal SA's Noarlunga development will use some of the first prefabricated components produced by 5North, a company using robotic technology to complement traditional construction methods and help increase housing supply.

Based at a 12,000 square metre factory in Edinburgh on a 46,000 square metre site, 5North manufactures housing elements, including wall panels up to 12 metres long that incorporate framing, insulation, internal and external linings, windows and doors.

5North aims to work alongside builders, trades and developers to increase productivity by transferring repeatable, labour-intensive work into a controlled manufacturing environment.

Rather than being built piece by piece on a construction site, the components are assembled by 14 robots across five automated stations and four installation lines before being transported to site, allowing manufacturing to occur while site works are underway and helping reduce overall construction times.

The facility has the capacity to produce components for around six standard homes per day, equivalent to about 1,000 homes per year based on a 38-hour operating week. Capacity could increase to 3,000 homes a year through a 24-hour operating model if demand requires.

At Noarlunga, construction will begin on a range of two- and three-bedroom townhouses within weeks, using 5North's prefabricated wall, floor and roof frame components as part of the development's affordable housing offering.

The homes will provide an early demonstration of how advanced manufacturing can support faster housing delivery by shifting more construction activity from the building site into a controlled factory environment.

The State Government has already embraced modern construction methods to cut housing construction times.

The Office for Regional Housing established within Renewal SA, has already pioneered this approach to address housing challenges in regional South Australia through a modular and transportable housing pilot project.