Short Term Modular Housing, Bushfire Recovery Victoria

In response to the 2019-20 bushfires, we have delivered 70 temporary modular houses with Bushfire Recovery Victoria to support affected regional families. These homes give families hope and allow them to live on site whilst rebuilding their homes and maintaining care for their land and animals.

Many of these residents are living in locations that are extremely hard to access, not serviced by power, septic, or town water, without reception, and with no one around for hundreds of kilometres. Particularly during Covid, materials shortages and limited supply of local trades were also major issues. 

Modular Units – Prefabricated Offsite

The offsite construction of modular units allowed us to customise these homes, prefabricating offsite with available workers into smaller pieces that could be delivered and installed onsite with local trades for off grid solutions – connecting to septic systems, solar panels, gas bottles for cooking. Using this approach, onsite activity (early works, delivery, install and connection to existing services) takes just 2 weeks, with 5 weeks offsite for the building manufacture. Undertaking multiple site inspections also helps us determine a suitable building location for minimal impact on residents trying to build, whilst also considering access and distance to services.

When working with families who have lost their homes, we understand how important it is to be sensitive to their situation and attempt to assist in the rebuilding of the community. Listening, working together and ensuring that the rebuilding and recovery of the affected areas is done with the assistance of both locals and the State Government. 

Bushfire Recovery Victoria

Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) was established in January 2020 as a new, dedicated, permanent and ongoing Victorian Government agency to support longer-term initiatives to help local communities and economies ‘get back on their feet’ and better manage the recovery process for bushfire affected communities. A critical of BRV has been to roll out Short Term Modular Housing for individuals and families impacted by the bushfires. Sensum was engaged as the Delivery Partner, to offer program and project management support, collaborating and interfacing with local contractors and temporary housing providers through the guidance and oversight of the BRV team.