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Kia ora koutou, In this issue, I want to share where momentum is building — and where it’s stalling —across Aotearoa’s building sector. We look at the urgent steps needed to cut carbon today, shifts in the residential regulatory landscape, our upcoming nationwide energy-modelling masterclasses, and...

L’Oréal Groupe this week opened its expansive new ~12,000 square metre facility in Favona, Auckland, a development featuring a 6 Star Green Star Design Certified Rating.

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) and Auckland Council are calling for Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk to take steps to address the problem of new homes overheating. NZGBC Chief Executive Andrew Eagles says many recently built homes are experiencing unacceptably high...

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Kate Butterfield...

Pictured above: Chief executive Andrew Eagles speaking at this month's National Māori Housing Conference The sun is really starting to shine and it feels like summer is definitely on the way! It’s got me thinking hard about building on our efforts to bring in much needed changes to the Building...

Chris Daniels has this month joined the NZGBC as a Strategic Communications Advisor.

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) welcomes today’s Government announcement to simplify rooftop solar installations and create a fast-track consent pathway for sustainable buildings.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Arthur Lee Affordable,...

New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) has launched two new home designs that are Homestar ready, offering Kiwi families a faster, healthier, and more affordable pathway to quality housing.

It’s been over a month since the Green Property Summit and our last newsletter and there’s a lot happening. Bear with me. We've been hard at work with plenty more to come.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Josh McGlone Life Cycle...

Research released today by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) confirms what international studies have long shown: gas appliances in the homeemit dangerous pollutants that pose serious health risks.

Under the latest Green Star Buildings NZ framework, Credit 3: Verification and Handover sets out three minimum expectations that every certified building must meet: metering and monitoring, commissioning and tuning, and building information. These requirements are designed to ensure buildings...

Left to right: Warner Brunton - Mott MacDonald, Saatyesh Bhana - Argosy, Lisa Hinde - Precinct, Tricia Love - Tricia Love Consultants, Tom Slade - Goodman, Jeff Vickers - Thinkstep, Kate Butterfield - Southbase, Jason Wood - RDT, Jennifer Whittle - NZGBC, Fabio Pagano - Oyster Group, Ben Cannon -...

Some things just make sense: butter and crumpets, buying socks in pairs, fossil fuel-free buildings.

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has announced the winners of its annual Future Thinker of the Year and Emerging Leader awards at the Green Property Summit in Auckland this month.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Emily Newmarch An academic...

A new report released today by the New Zealand Green Building Council reveals a major opportunity to tackle New Zealand’s energy crisis while delivering significant benefits for households, businesses, and the wider economy.

BNZ’s striking new head office on Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington’s waterfront has achieved the highest possible Green Star rating for its sustainable design and construction.

This month brought some major milestones. We launched NABERSNZ Water, helping businesses use our most precious resource more efficiently. We also closed the financial year with the second-highest number of Green Star registrations ever—a strong signal of the sector’s commitment to low-carbon,...

Our Movers and Shakers series spotlights Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals who’re transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable environment in Aotearoa. Benjy Simmons Benjy Simmons is...

In a landmark moment for New Zealand’s built environment, the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has officially launched the NABERSNZ Water tool — the first expansion of the NABERSNZ rating system beyond energy since its introduction in 2014.

It’s cold! Even in Auckland, where I know you Southlanders would be in shorts and a t-shirt, I’m seeing beanies, gloves and scarves accessorising the pedestrians of Queen Street. While the chill reminds us to rug up, it also brings front of mind the buildings we live and work in, and how well (or...

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Sarah Wootton Waikato-based...

Top left to right: Mark Todd, Ockham with Matthew Cutler-Welsh, NZGBC, Ratenesh Sharma, Homes of Choice, Richard Stephenson, Bupa, Centre: Cate Kearney, Ōtautahi CHT, Bottom left to right: Daniel Henderson, Tāmaki Reneration, Arthur Lee, Queenstown Lakes CHT, Daniel Moriarty, Urban Plus Celebrating...

NZX-listed Precinct Properties is leading a pioneering initiative to help decarbonise key building materials, aiming to align New Zealand’s construction sector with Green Star and science-based target initiative (SBTi) emissions targets. The programme, led by Precinct's Head of Sustainability and...

With another busy month, we’re already halfway through the year. I want to take a moment to reflect on the momentum we’re building as a community.

On Monday Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the budget is what keeps the lights on in our hospitals and schools. Unfortunately, Budget 2025 leaves us staring at a flickering bulb, the New Zealand Green Building Council says.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Ged Finch Ged Finch is the...

A new report from leading economics consultancy Infometrics shows building better homes could save New Zealanders tens of thousands in energy bills and mortgage costs.

Today (Wednesday 30 April) marks New Zealand’s earth overshoot day –showcasing just how quickly we’d exhaust the planet’s biocapacity if everyone consumed at the same level as us Kiwis.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Tyron Hartle As Lead...

Award-winning workplace design specialist Andrew Tu'inukuafe, has been appointed as an independent director on the NZGBC board.

It’s common for tradies and builders to splash out on decent tools, because they know they’ll last longer, they’ll do the job more reliably, and they can get on and do the job.

Amohia Ake - the new ACC Centre developed by Tainui Group Holdings in Collingwood Street in Hamilton, has been awarded the city’s first 6 Star NABERSNZ rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council. This prestigious rating is the highest possible and recognises outstanding energy use and...

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Frankie L'Estrange Frankie...

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has today released an updated guide for tenants and building owners to reach their commitments on sustainability through their workplaces.

It might be a short month, but the opportunities to connect with you and our community have been far from in short supply. In what I hope establishes a trend for the year, February has been full of meaningful engagements and exciting developments.

Banner Image: Render of Ballantrae Place buildings courtesy of Studio Pacific Architecture. Two of New Zealand's new Parliament buildings, the Ballantrae Place Building and the Museum Street Building, have achieved impressive 6 Green Star ratings for their design, reflecting their commitment to...

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Greg Tolley As Head of...

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has published its response to the government’s H1 Building Code consultation, arguing it needs to take action to avoid building tens of thousands of overheating homes.

It is promising to see that the potentially disastrous rollback of insulation levels is not moving forward, the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) says. Keeping the standards help ensure Kiwis will stay warmer and ensures Aotearoa’s energy grid is more resilient.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built environment throughout Aotearoa. Sunshine Yates Sunshine...

I’m always anchored during the busy rush to the end of the year by the knowledge that we’re part of a longer journey. As much as I’d still love to pin a few things on 2024 before starting fresh in the new year, one of the things about working on climate is the knowledge that our efforts can’t be...

We are proud to release our first ever Green Star Impact Report - a key document highlighting some of the significant strides made in promoting sustainable building practices across New Zealand, and showcasing some of the incredible mahi being done by industry.

Last week, we were joined by a fantastic line up of panellists who shared their insights on developing ESG strategies in the property and construction sectors, giving them access to better sustainable finance options.

With spring upon us (not that the weather appears too aware of that fact) there have been a few new green shoots to highlight.

Tē tōia, tē haumatia Nothing can be achieved without a plan, workforce and way of doing things. It’s with huge thanks to Rui Peng from Critical who raised the roof with more than 300 of you joining us in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for the annual Green Property Summit. We often hear feedback on our...

The built environment presents huge opportunities to slash emissions quickly, and cost-effectively. With the draft ERP2 containing just a line or two about buildings, there's a large gap to fill. Suffice to say, our response is a whole new chapter in itself. Our key recommendations include:

The world of sustainable finance, green finance, green bonds, sustainable loans is moving fast. No matter whether you’re in Treasury, project finance, business lending, developers, investors, or heads of sustainability, it’s hard to keep up. So here are our top three reads released over the last...

It’s been another huge month, with some significant milestone and landmark mahi.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built-environment throughout Aotearoa. Jo Woods Jo Woods is the...

Buildings with sustainable credentials like Green Star and NABERSNZ command higher rents and are more valuable, according to a new report by leading real estate services company JLL.

After over two years of industry consultation the New Zealand Green Building Council has today launched the most carbon-busting commercial building certification yet.

As lenders and borrowers increasingly look to cut emissions and support others to do the same, the New Zealand Green Building Council has released an important guide to help the market answer the question ‘what is a green building?’ and “how can I evidence my green portfolio for finance.’

Sustainable buildings have hit a milestone with the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) awarding its 300th Green Star certification for new buildings and fitouts.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built-environment throughout Aotearoa. Dave Annable Dave is a...

Photo by Amin Hasani on Unsplash

Photo by Petra Reid on Unsplash

As interest in healthier, more efficient, and environmentally friendly homes increases, Te Kaunihera Hanganga Tautaiao | the New Zealand Green Building Council is launching its first Homestar Design Guide to support the industry to deliver.

A letter to Climate Change Minister Simon Watts and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk is urging the government to commit to energy labels on homes and buildings – similar to those required on domestic appliances, and to commit to MBIE’s Building for Climate Change programme aimed at...

As we hunker down and wrap up warm, on the other side of the world there’s an alarming reminder of the urgent need for climate action. In the past days and weeks, communities worldwide have mourned lives lost to extreme temperatures – More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage...

Over the past three years many of you may have worked with Emma Bijleveld, our Professional Development Manager and integral part of the NZGBC team. We are sad to announce that Emma is moving home to the Netherlands, but equally excited for her next adventure.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built-environment throughout Aotearoa. Danica Holgado Danica is...

Five new independent industry leaders have been appointed to the New Zealand Green Building Council’s (NZGBC) Green Star Advisory Committee as part of the ongoing collaboration with the sector to drive lower carbon, healthier, efficient buildings and communities. Since the New Zealand sector...

With a diverse commercial property portfolio valued at approximately $1.8 billion, Oyster Property Group is one of New Zealand’s leading unlisted commercial property and fund managers.

The day after budget day and I’ll be honest, it didn’t make for pleasant reading. Instead of cracking on with awesome pollution-busting, cost-saving measures like energy efficiency and the expanded Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme, our government has scaled back climate initiatives and failed to fund...

Image courtesy of Leroy de Thierry.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built-environment throughout Aotearoa. Amanda Bryan Amanda is NZ...

What a day! Thanks to the 300 plus people who joined us at Housing Summit 2024, supporting New Zealand’s journey to a low-carbon future and better homes. The packed room mirrored the packed schedule – it was a big one with lots to digest. Here’s our attempt to unpack the day and some of our key...

Improving buildings could save New Zealand almost $40 billion and slash emissions equivalent to taking half our country’s petrol cars off the road.

Widi Auliagisni has become the sixth young leader awarded the Future Thinker of the Year title. The annual award, run by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), acknowledges a student or young professional who demonstrates environmental knowledge and leadership and recognizes their success...

Our emissions are on the rise. New Zealand’s construction sector continues as one of the few sectors with rising emissions, while the homes our society live in are contributing to higher household emissions.

We're delighted to announce this year's Future Thinker of the Year finalists: Elizabeth Norris, Widi Auliagisni, Francisco Carbajal, and Mike Murray.

Our Future Thinker of The Year awards brings together some of the most innovative, passionate and exciting up-and-coming voices in driving better futures through sustainability. Now in its sixth year, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen some inspiring young leaders go on to make their mark in the...

2024 is passing as a blur – it’s been all go with events and courses, our team is working through a mountain of registrations and new certifications, providing new training such as air tightness webinars, we’re updating tools and improving our new website and systems, and more broadly we’re...

We're delighted to announce this year's Future Thinker of the Year shortlist: Oluwatobi Oyefusi, Elizabeth Norris, Widi Auliagisni, Francisco Carbajal, Ryan Simpson, and Mike Murray.

Our Movers and Shakers series is spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the charge for a more sustainable built-environment throughout Aotearoa. Abbey Pickering Abbey is an...

Image by Koon Chakhatrakan Thanks to the support of industry we are thrilled to launch a new benchmark for logistics warehouses looking to certify their operations with Green Star Performance.

Our Future Thinker of The Year awards brings together some of the most innovative, passionate and exciting up-and-coming voices in driving better futures through sustainability. Now in its sixth year, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen some inspiring young leaders go on to make their mark in the...

Our Future Thinker of The Year awards brings together some of the most innovative, passionate and exciting up-and-coming voices in driving better futures through sustainability. Now in its sixth year, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen some inspiring young leaders go on to make their mark in the...

At a recent event with Auckland city leaders I asked ‘what future do we want?’. It’s a basic question, but one that isn’t as front of mind as it should be. We’re facing hotter temperatures causing homes to overheat, ageing water infrastructure struggling under a growing population, extreme weather,...

Spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals who are transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes. These are the people leading the mission for a more sustainable built-environment across Aotearoa. Bridget Pyć Bridget is centre stage in the push for...

Each year our Future Thinker of The Year awards brings together some of the most innovative, passionate and exciting up-and-coming voices in driving for better futures through sustainability. Now in its sixth year, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen some inspiring young leaders go on to make their...

Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Director of Phoenix Metalman Recycling, Hilary West-Reeve has been voted onto the Board at the 2023 Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday.

Each year our Future Thinker of The Year awards brings together some of the most innovative, passionate and exciting up-and-coming voices in driving better futures through sustainability. Now in its sixth year, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen some inspiring young leaders go on to make their mark...

It’s getting hotter. 2023 was the warmest on record thanks to human-cause climate change and boosted by El Nino weather event. 200 days of the year saw new daily global temperature records for that time of year according to the BBC.

For the past two years we have been working with the building industry to update the Green Star rating tool to the next version, Green Star Buildings NZ, which is being released mid – 2024.

Spotlighting Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals who’re transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes.

Today the New Zealand Green Building Council has released A practical guide to upfront carbon reductions, a vital report to support developers, architects, builders, contractors and the supply chain to tackle pollution.

In its advice to government today on the second Emissions Reduction Plan, the Climate Change Commission is backing calls to improve our existing buildings, recommending speeding up comprehensive retrofits to deliver healthy, resilient, low emissions spaces.

Photo by Hunter Cosford on Unsplash This week years of industry action, advocacy, and collective change contributed to something I think is pretty awesome. The latest Construction Industry Council key design guidelines. Sure, it didn’t dominate the news cycle or enter into many office watercooler...

Since October 2022, all new Green Star projects have been registered under Design & As Built v1.1. One of the main changes from the previous version (v1.0) was the introduction of the Conditional Requirement for minimum Upfront Carbon reductions. This new requirement was included to emphasise the...

A basic, but vital step is for our industry to measuring our impact, and the performance of the homes we create. In the latest iteration of Homestar, version 5, we introduced new carbon accountability requirements for homes aiming for certification. Alongside these requirements, we created the...

We are thrilled to have three fantastic interns joining the NZGBC whānau for the summer, Melika Rabbani-Khah, Bhavya Jasti and Vincent Heijnen. They will be supporting our Green Star and Homestar teams and getting involved with Future Thinker events.

In our new Q&A series we're putting the spotlight on some of Aotearoa's leading sustainability professionals who’re transforming the way we design, build and operate our buildings and homes.

BRANZ has updated tools and resources to help building designers meet and exceed the recently updated acceptable solutions and verification methods for energy efficiency in the Building Code.