In recent years, Moelven Byggmodul has delivered modules for everything from rigs on tugboats, to parental accommodation at Rikshospitalet and student housing. In 2024, the company delivered module number 100,000 – a milestone. Over the past couple of years, however, Moelven Modular Buildings has also taken a closer look at what the company can do in connection with the reconstruction in Ukraine and has carried out a pilot to gain experience. A task with extra meaning.
Becoming Europe’s largest construction site
With 6.5 million people without permanent housing, the need for new housing in Ukraine is enormous. For the duration of the war, soldiers also need temporary housing to gather strength between the brutal battles on the battlefield. Here, too, the need is great.
– With so many men in the war, there is a labor shortage in the construction sector. Through our research, we became aware of both the importance of prefabricated solutions and access to materials,” said CEO Frode Henning Killi of Moelven Byggmodul. Frode Henning Killi of Moelven Byggmodul to the owners’ meeting in Norwegian Wood Cluster.
From concrete to wood
Ukraine has not been accustomed to wooden buildings, but many now want to switch from concrete to wooden structures to free themselves from Russian building practices.
– However, there are major regional differences and a need to change legislation to enable timber construction, so work needs to be done here,” said Killi.
He emphasized the importance of understanding the culture and how decision-making processes take place. “Moelven has chosen Itera as a partner because Itera has extensive experience of working in Ukraine. It has been a useful collaboration.
A job with meaning
-“Moelven finds it meaningful to work with this. We can build houses, schools, kindergartens etc. to help. In collaboration with our suppliers, we are now running a pilot to test all aspects of deliveries to Ukraine. The house is built from 8 prefabricated modules and will be offered to four doctor families in a municipality with a shortage of doctors. We know that the need for new buildings is formidable. At the moment, however, the financing of new buildings has not been resolved,” said Killi.
– A final reflection; An impressively large part of Ukraine is functioning. One third of Ukraine is hardly affected by war, one third is very affected in terms of many internal refugees and in the last third are the acts of war. That’s the reality in Ukraine now,” said Killi.
