Sustainability

It feels like a ‘one-in-100-year’ weather event now happens every year. Flooding and landslides in the Nelson-Tasman region are the latest reminder of how vulnerable New Zealand is to extreme weather, and how we must prepare accordingly. One of the most destructive costs is forestry slash: the woody debris of branches, treetops, and even whole […]

Many New Zealand households face problems with condensation, drafts, and mould. But is a drier home necessarily a healthier home? A new study has shed light on how we understand indoor humidity and its link to ‘drier’ homes. It urges green building rating tools to clarify how humidity and dampness are measured and understood. Researchers […]

Manufacturers are working with the government to reform health and safety regulations that they say are unworkable. The proposed changes look to align national standards with their international counterparts. The government risk management consultation involves wood processors, bakers, millers, and other manufacturing industries. “We’re simplifying machine guarding rules and reviewing exposure standards to reduce complexity […]

New Zealand’s sand shortage grows, and demand is not slowing down. The crisis has been building over recent years, but by Christmas 2024, Auckland had run out of sand for construction. Sand is a critical resource in New Zealand’s construction industry, used not only in concrete but as bedding for roads and pipes and in […]

The construction industry accounts for almost 40% of global carbon emissions. This impact is significant in New Zealand, driving a need to boost carbon literacy among those in the field. Carbon literacy in construction means understanding how materials, designs, and construction practices affect carbon emissions and knowing how to reduce them, from the materials used […]

The construction industry is a vital part of New Zealand’s economy, but it also brings environmental challenges. Nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions are tied to this sector, so it’s crucial we consider its impact. In New Zealand, construction accounts for roughly 50% of landfill waste, with packaging materials comprising 5% of that total. As […]