From mammoth bone huts in 16,000 BC and 3rd century French chateaux, to modern 20th century pre-fab, the evolution of housing through the centuries makes for pretty fascinating stuff.

Skip to the 21st century and a Chinese construction company has developed a process for 3D-printing houses. More impressive is that the company can produce up to ten 200-square metre houses per day, and they cost less than NZ$7,000 per unit.

The structures are assembled via computerised templates and a mixture of quick-drying cement and industrial waste. Corrugated cardboard-style reinforcement also allows space for adding insulation later on. This unconventional technique limits construction waste, cuts manufacturing time and reduces labour costs.

Meanwhile in New Zealand, housing construction costs are skyrocketing. By some estimates, building a standard house can cost up to NZ$1,800 per square metre. For some, 3D-printing could seem a feasible solution to our housing crisis.

But before we get caught up in the eye-watering costs of construction, it is important to focus on the core of the problem: land.

New Zealand has an abundance of land, of which less than one percent is built upon. Yet, artificial restrictions on land supply have fed directly into prices. Overly-tight regulations and inefficient use of urban land for things like council-owned golf courses exacerbates the issue.

Unfortunately, the role these factors play in housing affordability does not appear to be getting through to local officials.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the number of building consents issued in Waikato had dropped due to a shortage of land zoned for residential development. This is in spite of high demand for housing in the region, as judged by prices.

It is well within the power of local officials to fix this problem with the stroke of the planning pen. Regrettably, further intractability is more likely than effective action on land supply.

This has real-world consequences for New Zealanders.

Economists Shamubeel and Selena Eaqub, in their just-released book Generation Rent, note that the Kiwi dream of owning a home is increasingly out of reach for many. High house prices also force low-income families to live farther from employment centres, impeding their access to public transport, good schools, and other amenities.

Addressing the supply issue is the absolute priority. Only then can we turn our focus towards the benefits of emerging technologies in the construction industry.