Papua New Guinean workforces have assembled hundreds of Ark Pacific modular buildings for PNG’s resource sector since 2010. Unskilled local workers across the country have benefited from employment and training opportunities afforded by Ark’s easy-to-assemble modular building systems. Likewise, developers have benefited from the cost-effective delivery of fit for purpose and sustainable buildings.
Ark introduced its modular building systems to PNG during the PNG LNG construction phase. A 1,000-person, multi-storey accommodation complex and support buildings for the construction of Komo Airfield were delivered by a 99 percent local workforce in less than one year.
A landowner construction company in New Ireland has assembled a range of Ark buildings for a major developer since 2017. Half of the original local workforce who worked on the initial 800 room camp is still employed. Many of these workers have received additional training and been promoted (e.g., leading hand, project supervisor) resulting in a significant reduction of the expatriate workforce.
Local workers, generally employed through footprint landowner companies, only require introductory level construction industry training to assemble Ark buildings. This means that Ark buildings – irrespective of their type and configuration (e.g., camp complex, office block, laboratory) can be assembled rapidly – even in remote locations.
Developers that choose Ark buildings – assembled by workers in their footprint communities – are better positioned to meet their local content requirements. They also benefit from strengthened community relations associated with local workforce training and employment. Furthermore, these developers enjoy the advantages of a reduced freight footprint and building repurposeability.
Considerably fewer ships, trucks, barges, etcetera are required when building with Ark’s modular systems. Its freight footprint is up to 70 percent less than its competitors because six of its flat pack units are equivalent to a single standard 20 foot shipping container when stacked together ready for transport. This means (1) lower carbon emissions, (2) lower costs, (3) reduced degradation of local road networks, and (4) in the case of river transport systems, less water traffic and hence vessel wake erosion.
The ease with which Ark buildings can be both assembled and unassembled, means that they are also repurposeable. This is a distinct advantage for short term camps in particular, as they can be ‘unbolted’ and transported elsewhere to be reused (e.g., schools, libraries, and health clinics).
