The Housing Industry Association says closing CSIRO’s fire technology laboratory will have major implications for the delivery of new homes.

The lease on CSIRO’s North Ryde fire testing facility has been extended by six months. The site had been scheduled to close in December.

But the HIA says that while this provides “valuable breathing space”, it does not resolve the long-term threat to Australia’s building product testing capability.

“The extension was a positive step that acknowledged industry concerns, but the underlying issue remains,” HIA CEO of industry and policy Simon Croft said. “The extension simply buys time. Australia still needs a long-term plan to protect this critical national asset.”

The NSW facility tests products used in home construction including timber windows, doors, plasterboard systems, flooring, facade assemblies and bushfire-rated building materials.

The HIA has raised concerns with the federal government on behalf of manufacturers and builders, saying without the lab, Australia risks relying on a single private provider for many forms of fire testing.

“We cannot afford to lose nationally significant testing infrastructure,” Mr Croft said. “A six-month stay is an opportunity that should not be wasted. The clock is now ticking, and industry will be looking for a positive solution.”

The CSIRO laboratory’s independent fire testing supports product certification, National Construction Code compliance, research and development, and the commercialisation of new building products.

HIA says its closure would remove up to half of Australia’s large-scale fire testing capacity when demand is increasing.

“Every new building product, construction system, prefabricated solution, engineered timber product or bushfire-resistant housing component must pass rigorous testing before it can be widely adopted by the industry. Without that capability, innovation slows, costs increase and housing delivery becomes harder,” Mr Croft said.