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Hot Topic Hawke’s Bay
Hot Topic Hawke’s Bay
General Business
6 mins to read

‘No brainer’ adaptable housing system fails to gain support

Despite developing a modular, low carbon and simple residential building system, Murphy O’Neal can't catch the eye of government innovation boffins.

Adaptable Structures is a fully modular system that can be reconfigured and repurposed like 'assembling an Ikea dresser'.

Maria Slade Wed, 24 Jan 2024
Key points
  • What's at stake: Modular reusable housing system Adaptable Structures has failed to gain government support despite its sustainability benefits.
  • Background: Murphy O'Neal has developed the aluminium-framed building system on his own and is frustrated at the lack of innovation in the New Zealand construction sector.
  • Key players: Murphy O'Neal, Adaptable Structures, Callaghan Innovation, XFrame.

Murphy O’Neal, the founder of modular home building company Adaptable Structures, is a straight-shooting American.

He just can’t understand why Kiwis are still building houses the way they have for decades, with all the associated costs, lack of productivity, and environmental impacts.

The wing

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Key points
  • What's at stake: Modular reusable housing system Adaptable Structures has failed to gain government support despite its sustainability benefits.
  • Background: Murphy O'Neal has developed the aluminium-framed building system on his own and is frustrated at the lack of innovation in the New Zealand construction sector.
  • Key players: Murphy O'Neal, Adaptable Structures, Callaghan Innovation, XFrame.
‘No brainer’ adaptable housing system fails to gain support
General Business,
102423
true