Built Evolution to make the case for timber in WA’s MMC transition

When: 16 September, 2026
Where: Crown Casino Perth
Book: HERE

Western Australia’s increasing investment in prefabrication, manufacturing technology and lightweight construction will provide the setting for WoodSolutions Built Evolution – Transitioning to Timber and MMC, at Crown Perth on 16 September. (main image: Mass timber installation at Murdoch University’s Boola Katitjin building in Perth.)

Hosted by Timber Insight on behalf of WoodSolutions, the event is intended to focus on practical capability, specification and project delivery rather than timber advocacy alone.

In conversation with Built Offsite, Timber Insight CEO Craig Oatway said WA already had considerable manufacturing capability, but awareness among developers, builders and designers had not necessarily kept pace.”

“We have incredible capability and capacity to support the transition to modern construction methods in Perth,” Oatway said. “It’s here now.”

Oatway said the smaller industry events held in WA had consistently revealed a gap between the state’s existing timber capability and broader industry awareness, with developers, engineers and builders often surprised by the scale, technical standard and level of manufacturing technology already available locally.

He also pointed to WA’s plantation resource, frame and truss sector and engineered timber manufacturing base as part of the case for increasing timber use.

“When we’re thinking about materials, we need to look beyond performance and consider their economic and social impact,” Oatway said. Timber can meet and exceed NCC standards but it also supports a rich regional supply chain from forestry and milling through to fabrication and distribution.

FWPA Head of Marketing and Communications Sarah Downey said greater timber adoption depended on informed specification and design decisions.

“We want those decisions to be based on facts rather than perception or myths,” Downey said. “Timber should be considered on an equal footing with other materials when design choices are being made.”

She said education around species selection, durability and application remained important.

“It’s important to understand how to specify the right species for the right application so that timber performs as intended,” Downey said.

FWPA Marketing and Communications Business Partner Olivia Topham said interest in timber was building across WA, with recent industry events helping bring manufacturers, designers and construction professionals into the same conversation. She said WoodSolutions’ role was to support that interest with the technical guidance and case studies needed to inform real projects.

The Built Evolution program includes WA Housing Minister John Carey, HIA’s Michael MacGowan, Offsite’s Norm Roberts, Keystart’s Liam Loan-Lack, Scott Park Group’s Brad Ridolfi, FTMA CEO Kersten Gentle, FWPA’s Kevin Peachey, Building 4.0 CRC’s Daryl Patterson and NeXTimber’s Ben Cox, alongside representatives from Wesbeam, DevelopmentWA, Responsible Wood and CarbonTrace.

Built Evolution will focus on the practical steps needed to increase timber use in WA, including specification, manufacturing capability, project delivery and the role of local supply chains in supporting a broader shift towards MMC.