Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 3 May 2022
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government
Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed)
Mr. Ross O'Colmain:
We are still only approximately six weeks fully into the implementation of our Built to Innovate initiative, so we are still gathering evidence. It is a very good question. It is apparent to us that it is highly dynamic area with massive expansions under way. The Deputy mentioned Framespace Solutions, and I attended that expansion announcement a couple of weeks ago. The three systems that we are seeing prevailing most commonly are timber-frame, light gauge steel and insulated or some sort of concrete formwork. We have figures on the timber-frame capacity. I do not want to mislead the Deputy, but I believe it is around 6,000. I can follow up with the more exact figure. On the other side, we are still getting to know many of the light gauge steel companies that would not have previously exported and would not have previously been on our agenda for that reason. To give the Deputy an idea, while he was asking his questions, I thought of how there were four companies I spoke to over two weeks that had plans to invest in capacity that would create up to 4,000 units. This is an area we are seeing companies pivoting to. Entrepreneurs get involved as well because they see the industry megatrend that is modern methods of construction and see the business opportunity of it.
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