In May 2025, the Auckland War Memorial Museum was closed while specialists removed asbestos that had been discovered in the roofing of the original 1929 part of the building during renewal work. Auckland Museum Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive David Reeves said it had been a challenging few weeks, but the community looked forward to partially […]

A Shift to ‘Whole of House’ Insulation Compliance The Government has unveiled its anticipated plans to overhaul national insulation laws. It aims to cut the cost of the average new build by up to $15,000. “I’ve heard clearly from the industry that the current one-size-fits-all approach to insulation requirements is needlessly driving up costs,” Minister […]

When US President Donald Trump announced a spree of extra import tariffs in April 2025, New Zealand wood exporters breathed a sigh of relief. Wood products were temporarily exempt from the initial tariff wave due to a new trade investigation into US lumber imports. Albeit temporary, the chief executive of the Wood Processors and Manufacturers’ […]

There were 33,530 new homes consented in Aotearoa in the year ended May 2025, down 3.8% compared with the year ended May 2024, according to new figures released by Stats NZ. “The record for the annual number of new homes consented was 51,015 in the year ended May 2022. While consent numbers fell sharply after […]

Risky Stunts Prompt Safety Concerns Trespassing teens have recently shed an unexpected light on crane safety in New Zealand’s booming construction sector. In early 2025, a 16-year-old scaled a crane at the Seascape construction site in downtown Auckland, filming themselves more than 220 metres above the ground without any harness or safety gear. Seascape, still […]

Why Weathertightness Still Matters External water ingress is often a contributing factor in most building failures, and avoiding rain damage can be one of the most challenging tasks that designers and builders face. Our nation’s history reminds us that designing for weathertightness should begin long before many other construction details are considered. Building properties right […]