The natural disaster event toll for 2011 hopefully won't get any
bigger with Christchurch and now Japan's seismic activity setting
rescue services and government rebuilding programmes monumental
tasks.
We discussed disaster housing in previous issues and Quicksmart
Homes' unique design for a temp to perm housing solution for
Christchurch. Now the subject is getting more air time as Japan
announced large modular home building programmes to provide shelter
for it's homeless citizens.
Japan is a technologically advanced and well organised place and
it's industry and management have long been a marvel in the Western
world. What stands itself apart from other countries in this
situation is it's planning for the worst.
The day after the earthquake Japan's government announced
substantial orders for modular homes to replace housing in the main
prefecture. The Japan Prefabricated Construction Suppliers and
Manufacturers Association mobilsed the highly automated and
productive housing providers around Japan to manufacture and erect
the buildings. A total of 33,000 houses have been ordered so far
for the three main prefectures affected by the tsunami and
quake.
The 14 main housing members of the association had delivered an
erected some 200 dwellings in the first prefecture by the end of
the second week of deployment and have increased productivity in
other factories to increase delivery and erection as quickly as
possible. They are now rebuilding at an incredible rate.

Organisation and clear planning.
So if the Japanese can do it, why can't the UN or Red Cross?
The Japanese scale of disaster calls for multiple deployment of
very simple housing. Standardised product ready for production with
agreed pricing and organisation to back up the planning. Japan also
has very organised, compliant and determined citizens.
The world wide requirement is for culturally diverse products in
varying places with differing logistics. Japan is very different
theatre of operation to say Northern Pakistan or the jungles of
Borneo.
We wish the Japanese people the best of luck and determination
and hope they can recover from the recent disaster and rebuild
their towns and villages as quickly as possible.