Creating a healthy workplace starts with a solid foundation for wellbeing – the overall physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health of people. A positive culture, increased productivity, higher staff retention, and better health and safety outcomes are just some of the benefits that come from making wellbeing a key focus of an organisation.
Leading health and safety organisation Site Safe New Zealand is on a journey to work with the construction industry to shift the approach to wellbeing in the workplace and set people up for success with the tools and resources they need to support wellbeing.
Since the release of a 2019 research report conducted by Site Safe into suicide in New Zealand’s construction industry, there has been acknowledgement from industry that mentally healthy and well workplaces have benefits for both health and safety and business success.
“We know how important it is to destigmatise the idea of looking after ourselves, especially in our industries who have typically had more of a ‘toughen up’ attitude when it comes to our wellbeing,” says Brett Murray, Site Safe New Zealand Chief Executive.
“We already work with key partners like MATES in Construction and Hato Hone St John to provide resources and training courses focusing on mental health in the industry, but we knew there was more we could do to support our industry and members, and in particular
Setting up for success with a solid foundation for wellbeing
small organisations who don’t have the financial resources to invest in this area.”
This year, Site Safe has partnered with Ignite Aotearoa to give Site Safe members free access to their
are evidence-based, easy to access, flexible and affordable, with a focus on partnering with workplaces to enhance employee wellbeing.
Site Safe are also investing in the wellbeing of the industry by sponsoring a
online platform and a large range of mental health and wellbeing resources, information, and workshops.
Ignite Aotearoa is a social wellbeing enterprise backed by Emerge Aotearoa – one of New Zealand’s largest independent mental health and social service organisations. Ignite Aotearoa’s mental health and wellbeing offerings
number of one-on-one support sessions so members can try out one of the services offered by the platform. Ignite
Aotearoa hosts over 100 different providers, including financial advisors, human resource consultants, occupational therapists, dietitians, social workers, counsellors, psychologists, and more.
“80% of our members are
small businesses who may not have ready access to tools and resources that support workplace wellbeing,” explains Murray. “We want to support our members to create a solid foundation for wellbeing by giving them access to a wide range of information and support that suits their needs.”
“Both our organisations have strongly aligned values,” says Murray. “Like us, Ignite Aotearoa believe New Zealanders should be able to access mental health and wellbeing support whenever they need it.”
By being proactive and getting support, employers can set a positive example for workers. Being open, honest, and free of judgement is a sure way to ensure people feel comfortable speaking up and ask for help when they need it.
To learn more, visit https://www.sitesafe.org. nz/news--events/news/ new-member-benefit-igniteaotearoa/
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New initiative to reduce carbon emissions of buildings
A new industry-led initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of New Zealand’s buildings, which contribute up to 20% of the national carbon footprint
The Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) announced a partnership with Masterspec to develop a national online resource of carbon data for construction materials and products. This free and authoritative database will empower the industry to make environmentally responsible decisions regarding their building designs and material selections. BRANZ has been collating and verifying the data underpinning this initiative since 2012. In response to industry demand, and with endorsement from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment | Hīkina Whakatutuki, this initiative will use BRANZ’s underlying data to create a highly accessible and usable national data resource, covering a broader range of construction products and materials. As an independent and impartial research organisation, BRANZ will continue to ensure the carbon data feeding the online resource is reliable and accurate.
Minister for Building and Construction Hon Chris Penk says this initiative is an excellent example of how the construction sector can collaborate to achieve great results.
“In particular, providing
high quality data will enable conscious consumers to make informed decisions. This in turn empowers builders to provide more sustainable solutions that the market is seeking,” says Penk.
BRANZ Chief Executive Claire Falck says that sharing the data is about the industry working together to provide essential tools to design more sustainable buildings.
“Today marks a significant step forward for sustainable building in New Zealand. To reach Aotearoa New Zealand’s zero-carbon targets, we need collaboration across the building and construction industry.
“Our research shows that the best way to drive this change is to work together to equip the industry with the tools, knowledge and abilities to make effective
zero-carbon decisions,” says Falck.
Masterspec Chief Executive Russell Turner says, “New Zealand’s construction, architecture and design professionals need to establish the embodied carbon content of their projects and need to know the consequences of their product decisions.”
“This partnership will provide a science-based repository, combined with a service to maintain and update the data regularly. The development of the national embodied carbon dataset for construction products will help the industry to reduce its carbon emissions,” he says.
Master Builders Chief Executive Ankit Sharma says the initiative exemplifies how collaboration and innovation can drive meaningful change.
“It highlights the industry’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. It’s important that we, as sector, play our part in reducing emissions. This initiative is a crucial step towards providing the industry with better tools and resources that support decarbonisation across the whole construction life cycle,” says Sharma.
Te Kāhui Whaihanga | New Zealand Institute of Architects Perehitini (President) Huia Reriti says that registered architects all over Aotearoa welcome the initiative.
“Our members are already focused on making environmentally responsible decisions. We’ve hired a sustainability advisor, and this national resource will be another very valuable addition to the tools available to members.”
“By providing impartial data and including a more comprehensive range of materials, the initiative will help architects to reduce embodied carbon in every project they embark on and to get closer to our zero carbon targets faster,” he says.
The platform will be developed and built over the coming months, with the first data estimated to be available next year.
Graphic Designer Rachel Loo rachel@infrastructurebuild.com
How rolling back insulation standards would impact health and the economy
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk’s proposal to reduce insulation standards is misguided and a step backwards that threatens the health, wellbeing, and economic stability of New Zealanders, writes Jennifer Hamlin
Penk’s proposal comes in the wake of significant improvements to insulation and glazing requirements introduced in the H1 part of the Building Code (May 2023). These new standards were widely supported by the public
and the building sector as an important step foward for New Zealand and were projected to reduce heating requirements in new homes by up to 40%, with an estimated upfront cost increase of only 2.8%. The new standards were designed not only to
enhance winter warmth but also to reduce the energy demand for cooling in larger buildings—a crucial aspect for sustainability in our changing climate.
However, Penk argues that the current standards will impose excessive costs, citing potential increases
of $40-50K per home and concerns that more insulation only exacerbates overheating issues as global temperatures rise. These assertions could not be further from the truth. Not only are the cost estimates inflated and not reflective of the true, modest increase
in building expenses, they do not consider a more effective holistic approach to managing overheating –through proper ventilation and design considerations. Moreover, there is no mention of how reducing insulation will add unnecessary burden on our healthcare system related to skyrocketing healthcare costs from housing related respiratory illnesses.
Rolling back insulation standards threatens to force more New Zealanders into poorly insulated homes, exposing them to cold, damp conditions. Research by Professor Phillipa Howden Chapman, University of Otago outlines that a significant portion of Kiwi homes suffer from inadequate heating and insulation, with over a third reporting dampness and mould and that conditions like this will significantly increase the risk of respiratory illnesses,
cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues.
Poor housing isn’t just an inconvenience – it impacts respiratory health and overall quality of life.
Children and the elderly, who spend the majority of their time indoors, are particularly vulnerable, facing increased risks of respiratory infections and other ailments directly linked to poor housing conditions. Yet, despite these compelling findings, improvements to New Zealand’s housing stock remains slow and uneven.
The divide between owner-occupied and rental properties exacerbates existing social inequalities.
Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled individuals, and those on low incomes disproportionately live in rental properties that are older, colder, and more likely to harbour mould. This disparity in housing quality directly correlates with
higher rates of preventable hospitalisations and poorer health outcomes among these groups, further burdening the health system.
Economically, maintaining higher insulation standards makes long-term sense. Well-insulated homes are cheaper to heat, thereby reducing energy consumption and easing financial pressures, especially for low-income households. Not only do higher insulation standards future-proof New Zealand housing stock, they help us align with global efforts to combat fuel poverty and promote sustainable living practices that benefit both individuals and the environment.
Rolling back insulation standards represents a shortsighted approach that prioritises short-term cost reductions over long-term health, economic stability, and sustainability. Penk’s
proposal is a significantly regressive step that undermines public health efforts and contradicts the industry supported standards seeking to ensure all homes are safe, affordable, resilient, and climate positive.
As we navigate the complexities of a postpandemic recovery and a changing climate, the urgency to transform our approach to housing has never been clearer. We have the evidence, we have the solutions—what we need now is the political will and collective action to turn these aspirations into reality.
First published by Dan Saunders Construction: linkedin.com/pulse/ government-suggestionroll-back-insulationstandards-mihec/
Earthquake-prone building rules under review
The Government has announced an extensive review of the management of seismic risk in existing buildings to ensure it is being managed effectively and in a workable, proportionate way
At a high level, the Review will include:
• considering society’s expectations and willingness to pay to mitigate the risk of injury and death in an earthquake, and for improving the resilience of buildings over time
• recommending regulatory responses
that balance life safety risks against the costs of regulation and impact on private property owners
• identifying barriers to meeting regulatory requirements and the types of support or incentives that would help building owners to better manage seismic risk
• considering how
outcomes from seismic risk requirements align with broader Government objectives.
There will be opportunities for input during the Review and any legislative change would commence in 2026.
Massey University’s Dr Lauren Vinnell says the review is useful.
“We want to keep people
safe, but we also don’t want people or businesses leaving buildings when they probably don’t need to.
“Several goals of the review have the chance to improve this system if they are done properly. However, the ‘people’ side of things can be vastly complicated. Questions of ‘willingness to pay’ need to consider the full range of (not just economic) costs
and benefits of improving building resilience but also an understanding of how people think about their earthquake risk in context.
“For many, there’s an idea that it’s a zero-sum game, so any money invested in seismic is money not invested in, for example, road safety. This means that conversations focused on earthquakes can miss a large part of the process by which the public balance risk against cost and decide how much they’re willing to invest for a particular hazard.
“Many of the words used in this terms of reference are understood differently between different experts, and between experts and the public. Even ‘risk’ can mean vastly different things, so key to the success of this review will be whether these conversations are happening with everyone on the same page about what is being said and what is being meant.”
AUT’s Professor John Tookey says this is a public safety issue that should be expedited.
“There are an awful lot of buildings that are at risk across the country. Since introducing the legislation in place, the levels of remediation undertaken have been less than expected.”
He says this is not surprising, given virtually all construction works require borrowed capital.
“As interest rates increase, so levels of general construction go down. This, then, presents a paradox for property owners that need to remediate their earthquake prone buildings.
“On the one hand, quoted prices from engineers and tradies are likely to sharpen since they are actively competing for
scarce work. On the other, the acquisition costs are likely to be prohibitive if the works require owners to extend their mortgages in order to start them.
“On balance it is highly likely that the final outcome of this review will be to recommend extending the timeline for getting remediation
“A simple thought experiment for any property owner at present is ‘how keen would you be to extend your mortgage by $150k to protect your asset?’ For many ‘mom and pop’ type investors, this is unlikely to be attractive. Indeed if anything it is likely to prompt some to divest themselves of at risk assets.
works completed. This is an obvious outcome that is highly beneficial to the government if not for public safety. Firstly it will reduce the pressure in the general market and lessen the likelihood of a sell off starting – particularly important in the weak market we have at the moment.
“Secondly – and much more importantly – it reduces the urgency on governmental budgets to implement remediation in public buildings – schools, sports centres, hospitals etc.
“According to analysis by BRANZ in 2017, the timelines for governmental assets such as schools and hospitals in high and medium seismic areas are respectively 7.5 years and 12.5 years from the date of the introduction of the law – July 2017. This makes the government and local councils responsible for blanket remediation of all assets within these zones by the end of 2024 and 2029 respectively.
“Consequently, all of these remediation requirements will inevitably and increasingly hold governmental budgets hostage as we get closer to these implementation dates. In order to encourage regular property owners the government needs to set an appropriate example with early remediation works.
“This is a huge problem for a government seeking to reduce spending over the next one or two electoral cycles. It is likely therefore that a particularly large can of seismic worms is going to be kicked some distance down the road. If in doubt, move the goalposts.”
For more information: Earthquake-prone building and seismic risk management review | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz)
A growing success in the Christchurch hotel market
Quest
Apartment Hotels has opened its fourth Christchurch property as it continues to grow its portfolio in New Zealand
and Fiji
Located at 93 Kilmore Street, Christchurch, Quest on Kilmore is opposite the Christchurch Town Hall. A quick walk to the restaurant strip of Oxford Terrace, Quest on Kilmore offers its guest’s a central location. As well as the 42 rooms, Quest on Kilmore has a meeting room that can easily cater to 20 people.
With Quest on Kilmore being its 43rd property in its New Zealand and Fiji portfolio, Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) continues to defy economic challenges, Chief Operating Officer Adrian Turner says. This growth has been
planned for a while and there will be more to come, he says.
“The opening of Quest on Kilmore in Christchurch is the last of the four properties we have planned for Christchurch. It will support Quest Cathedral Junction, Quest on Manchester and Quest on Cambridge and provide much needed inventory for the Christchurch market especially since the opening of Te Pae, Christchurch’s new convention centre.
“We are already seeing many advance bookings from both our existing corporate clients as well
as our new clients to experience the Quest boutique apartment hotels.”
Operated by Aaron and Lucie Carpenter, Aaron was the Commercial Manager at Quest Corporate Office who had been with Quest for nearly 11 years and the couple are really looking forward to opening this new property.
“I have been with Quest since 2013. I was the Commercial Manager at Quest Corporate Office and when an opportunity came up of the possibility to take on a brand-new property, we knew we wanted to do that, and the rest is history,” says Aaron.
“I am trying to get my head around being on the other side of the business now and we have lots to learn but we are very excited for what is to come. We look forward to strengthening the Quest network in Christchurch and nationwide and working closely with the other Quest properties in Christchurch.
“We are currently in the process of getting set up and plan to provide a great stay with exceptional customer service to guests. We will be ready to welcome you very soon” says Aaron Carpenter.
New Zealand, we’ve got some exciting
STAY IN THE HEART OF CHRISTCHURCH
Our brand-new Quest on Cambridge is opening this November. Enjoy introductory rates from $135 per night for stays from 15th November 2023 to 14th January 2024*.
SUSTAINABILITY IS HERE TO STAY
We’ve replaced almost all single-use plastic shampoo, conditioner and bodywash bottles with dispensers - removing 3.68 tonnes of plastic out of circulation. We’re also recycling old soap bars into new ones together with Soap Aid.
Find out more at soapaid.org
Five myths on smoke alarms ahead of new rules
From 1 November this year, new Building Code rules come into effect around smoke alarms – both builders and homeowners need to be thinking ahead and, in some cases, starting to address the changes, says Jared Dinneen, NZ Country Leader, Home & Distribution Schneider Electric New Zealand
Mid-winter is peak house fire season. It only takes three minutes for a house fire to claim lives, and good working smoke alarms are essential. More so as New Zealand’s housing density and population grows, and extreme weather events roll in.
From November 1, it will
be mandatory for all new homes to have a Type 1 Smoke Alarm System. This system consists of interconnected smoke alarms strategically placed in all bedrooms, living spaces, hallways, and landings on every level of the home, providing early fire alerts to occupants. If one smoke alarm in a
room detects a fire, all the smoke alarms in that house will activate and sound an alarm – helping occupants escape. Requiring these alarms in all new builds will go a long way towards protecting families from potential fire hazards. Previous versions of acceptable solutions and verification methods will
no longer be deemed to comply with the Building Code. For new buildings, a hard-wired interconnected smoke alarm system can be installed during construction while the house is being wired. For those who wish to upgrade to the new Building Code requirements while renovating an
existing building, there is a battery-operated, wireless interconnected smoke alarm system which enables safety improvement and compliance without rewiring the home. Note that the wireless interconnected system is also a compliant option for new buildings.
Builders need to incorporate the new Building Code regulations as soon as possible. Moving forward, builders and homeowners alike need to stay on top of the new requirements, install compliant smoke alarms, and perhaps be mindful of 5 myths.
Myth 1 – Smoke
alarms tend to be obtrusive.
These days, good smoke alarms are designed to blend in seamlessly. They have sleek, low-profile and modern designs that merge stylishly into the ceiling to complement existing interior décor, and they can be the same size as most LED lights.
Myth 2 – Smoke
alarms are all about sound.
Ongoing innovation means that smoke alarms have become more effective in saving lives. Some models combine an alarm with smart home functions.
Features can include lights turning on when smoke is detected (an extra safety measure for very young or elderly occupants, or those who may not be able to hear an alarm), and push notifications to smart devices. Through an app, test reminders (like the emergency alarm alerts sent to your phone) can be sent at regular intervals to prompt alarm system tests.
Myth 3 – Installation of smoke alarms is a chore
Along with ensuring regulatory compliance, smoke alarms need to be installed properly, tested, and maintained. Electricians can benefit from purchasing smoke alarms with features that make installation easier. For example, ample wiring space and large terminals make for easy installation and maintenance.
With some wireless lithium battery powered products, installation is as easy as using a few screws. They can be installed by a registered electrician or by the homeowner or occupant – and with the lithium battery backup options, homeowners won’t need to remember to replace the battery, providing added peace of mind.
Myth 4 – Dust won’t interfere with smoke alarms
Dust or insects in the sensing chamber of a smoke alarm can lead to false alarms and failure. With new builds, it’s critical to leave the dust covers on until after construction and cleaning. Many smoke alarms returned by customers have no faults, but they are full of “Gib“ dust.
Myth 5 – Smoke alarms don’t need replacing
All smoke alarms have a limited-service life of 10 years. After that period, the entire smoke alarm unit must be replaced with a new one. If homeowners aren’t sure, they should contact a registered Master Electrician to provide guidance.
No better investment than chemical safety training
Now is the time to schedule your customised Responsible Care NZ Competent Chemical Handler course, conveniently delivered on your own site
Changes to our Global Harmonisation System (GHS) chemical regime applying from 30 April 2021 require accurate and timely advice - non-compliance could prove costly.
Competent staff avoid expensive and sometimes confusing compliance advice, while enabling an effective response to chemical incidents, often without requiring emergency services.
Inspectors and certifiers with years of expertise warn of a declining national workplace chemical safety performance.
A crucial factor is the continuing loss of onsite chemical safety advice, primarily due to replacing flawed but effective mandatory Approved Handlers with whatever employers now deem sufficient.
A second major chemical incident in the same public facility is a timely reminder that safe chemical management is not receiving the attention it deserves. Competent staff are essential.
Onsite Responsible Care NZ (RCNZ) Competent Chemical Handler Certification courses are tailored to reflect your chemical inventory and enable compliance.
Upskill the last of your HSNO Approved Handlers, update Certified
Handler requirements and successfully implement the updated Global Harmonisation System (GHS).
For struggling, noncompliant business operators who are attracting attention from enforcement agencies, practical onsite advice from Competent Chemical Handlers helps lessen the load on a diminishing number of Compliance Certifiers. It helps to ensure site chemical safety measures remain effective.
RCNZ Competent Chemical Handlers (CCH) are increasingly in demand, resulting from our popular ‘Walk and Talk’ site visit to assess actual chemical management performance, identifying the need for specialist training, throughout the product life cycle.
Chemical incidents now guarantee media attention, often sensationalising the incident by highlighting persons adversely affected by unwanted exposure to chemicals.
This can irretrievably damage reputations to both customers and suppliers, particularly if employers have not taken all practicable steps to safely manage their chemical inventory throughout their operations.
When chemicals do cause problems, employees, customers, WorkSafe
Ensuring staff are competent to safely manage the harmful chemicals essential to your business includes your effective response to a chemical incident.
To enable a smooth, cost-effective transition to and beyond compliance, you need compliance tools: - the updated RCNZ industry Codes of Practice reflecting our revised GHS chemical management system
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inspectors, local authorities, health protection officers and emergency response organisations all benefit from the expertise and product safety information available 24/7 from 0800 CHEMCALL®, our industry’s unique, subscription based chemical emergency advisory service.
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How job management software magnifies worker safety
Historically safety documents and certificates have been hard copy paperwork that sparkies need to lug from one premise to the next, which really isn’t practical when safety assessments need to be logged right away on every job, says Fergus founder Dan Pollard
Digital safety certificates have helped tradies move from easy-to-lose, paper documentation to a simpler, more efficient digital format. For instance, these certificates mean sparkies can complete necessary safety checklists electronically, ensuring that all safety measures are reviewed and met before starting a job. This way electricians can go through each item on the safety checklist systematically. By assessing the risks
methodically, electricians can make more informed decisions that prioritise their safety and that of their mates onsite.
Job management software also plays a role in safety, going hand-in-hand with digital safety certificates. This type of software means that sparkies have easy access to previous safety certificates if needed, as well as track their safety checklist completion and monitor the safety status of ongoing projects.
Communication is
crucial to a safe working environment, and by using digital certificates, or even better job management software, this can be streamlined between workers. Tradies can share safety-related information and updates in real time to ensure that everyone on the team is aware of any potential hazards as well as any precautions needed to mitigate these risks.
Many sparkies find admin overwhelming, time consuming, and, let’s face it, boring. Fortunately, smart
digital job management tools can automate many of the admin tasks associated with safety compliance, like scheduling safety training sessions and reminding sparkies to complete their safety checklists, so they don’t have to worry about it. In short, automation takes away the admin burden for sparkies so they can focus more on their core tasks—like working with live electricity—while still ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
E v e r y p e r s o n , e v e r y c a n c e r
895,115 Kms driven to get people to appointments
46,600 Bed nights for people receiving treatment 5,742 People attending supportive care programmes
0 8 0 0 C A N C E R ( 2 2 6 2 3 7 )
Hard work gets results
The success of Rapid Facility Services is driven by a team that combines experience, commitment and a professional skillset that covers every aspect of facilities management with personal service
The team was forged by three friends working in the industry who realised that the key thing stressed building managers, business owners and landlords needed was to make a single call and get a reliable and qualified support team that would cover any aspect of facilities management.
The Rapid trio set down a business philosophy that “we will do what others can’t or won’t do “ and set about assembling a highly trained, efficient and safety-conscious team of professionals who get the job done right, the first time.
Today that service stretches from food manufacturers’ audit cleaning, all aspects of industrial cleaning, painting, building and floor safety management to anti-microbial and moss
Having worked in the industry for many years, three friends, Paul
and Andrew
realised that by combining their skills, they could create a company unlike any other
Schoch, Robyn Schoch
Chan
Team members Darren, Brandon and Akeli
and mould treatments to prevent surface damage to roofs, ceilings, walls, floors and specialised equipment.
10 things to know about the property market right now
Regulatory change is currently a huge theme for housing – CoreLogic’s Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson draws on some anecdotal insights gathered from market participants ‘on the ground’ in this environment
1. The economy is hurting.
To be fair, that’s nothing new, but it’s been a useful reality check to hear it directly from ‘real world’ mortgage advisors, estate agents, bankers, and property buyers. It’s also been a timely reminder that Q1’s 0.2% expansion in GDP is hardly anything to go overboard about.
2. Property buyers remain keen, but getting deals done is difficult.
Even despite the continued high levels of mortgage rates, buyers are still out there doing their due diligence. But with affordability remaining a key hurdle, until there is a bit more clarity about the potential timing for mortgage rates to start
falling, it may still remain tricky for many people to convert a willingness to buy property into an actual deal. However, it’s also worth noting that, anecdotally, the affordability/serviceability rules have recently been eased a little by some banks – as covered on recent guest episodes of the NZ Property Market Podcast.
3. Far from being ‘bad policy’, the balance of opinion is that debt to income restrictions are worth a try. Sure, some people think the DTIs are a terrible idea. But on balance, more people seem to think they’re worth a shot, if they can help slowly restore some kind of normality for our housing market in terms of affordability.
4. Buyers in the provinces aren’t unduly concerned about DTI caps. Although there’s a strong awareness that longer term declines in mortgage rates will eventually start to see debt to income caps become a more significant restraint on lending, the sentiment in regional markets is still fairly relaxed. That’s because property values are lower in relation to incomes anyway, so high DTI lending is always less of an issue in these areas.
5. There is interest in whether or not banks will ‘hold’ the DTI speed limits for more expensive markets. If the 20% allowances for high DTI lending will actually just be reserved for borrowers in pricier areas, such as Auckland, that might mean mortgages can flow relatively well for everyone. But if those allowances aren’t reserved
for expensive markets, it’s conceivable that some buyers from those areas will look outside their home patch.
6. Early action could be keeping formal mortgage stress indicators low.
Given ‘higher for longer’ mortgage rates, there’s a sense that some property owners with large debts are acting early and making a change to their situation (e.g. downsizing, moving to a cheaper area) before real trouble arises. Of course, it’s not easy to prove this, as these sales are not readily identifiable in the records –they’re ‘just another sale’.
7. Where mortgage stress does arise, the first step seems to be a loan term extension rather than going interest-only.
Opting for a loan extension from 25 to 30 years, for example, at least
allows some principal to still be paid off.
8. The shorter Brightline test from 1st July is arguably going to drive more selling activity than buying.
Due to the substantial top-ups required for some investors but also an early ‘escape’ from capital gains tax, no doubt some existing landlords will start to list. Of course, some people we spoke to will hang on, simply because a rise in new listings coming forward from other investors might make it an unfavourable time to sell.
9. On top of normal weekly outgoings, awareness levels that investors’ largest tax bills are about to hit might not be fully recognised. Clearly, the overwhelming majority of property investors will know that
deductibility was at its lowest level in the tax year ended 31st March 2024, but it was also noted that some investors will be getting an unwelcome surprise with their latest tax bill. This extra financial hit could underline the selling potential noted above.
10. Many people wondered about the level of interest rates that would bring investors fully back to the market, and where mortgage rates will generally settle in the long term.
The first part of that question is very difficult to answer as it depends hugely on individual circumstances. For the second part, the consensus seems to be that a longrun assumption of a typical 5.0-5.5% mortgage rate on average is roughly fair.
Property values fall for fifth month running
The average house price has dropped more than $20,000 since February according to CoreLogic’s latest figures, a trend which Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says is not surprising
CoreLogic’s updated, hedonic Home Value Index (HVI) showed a 0.5% fall in values across NZ in July – the fifth monthly fall in a row – taking the total decline from February’s ‘mini peak’ to 2.5%.
The median value across all stock nationally now sits at $827,515, with the fall from February’s figure ($848,713) equating to around $21,200. Values remain about 16% below the boom-time peak of $982,918 in January 2022, although they’re still approximately 19% higher than the pre-COVID level.
The new hedonic methodology improves the
timeliness and accuracy in measurement of changes to the residential real estate market, with weighted recent sales evidence demonstrating a prompt read on the re-emergence of soft housing market conditions across the country.
There were falls in median values in each of the main centres in July, with Tauranga down by 0.9% and Auckland by 0.8%, although Christchurch was more stable (down by a minor 0.1%). Amongst the main centres, Auckland and Wellington have recorded the softest figures in recent months, each falling 2.7% since April.
In an environment where economic growth is subdued and unemployment rising – with a knock-on sentiment effect even for those that are employed – it’s logical to expect that the housing market would reflect this.
In addition, the stock of listings available on the market remains at multiyear highs, giving credit-approved buyers the power when it comes to negotiating a deal and agreeing a price.”
In that context, it’s not surprising at all to see that transactions are taking longer and vendors are having to give some ground
to secure a sale.
The most noteworthy shift in recent weeks has been the general mood and commentary around the official cash rate and inflation. With the Reserve Bank now moving towards an easing stance, it only seems to be a matter of when – not if –the cash rate is cut in 2024.
Mortgage rates themselves have already been drifting lower lately. That news will obviously have been welcomed by existing mortgage holders and aspiring buyers.
Auckland
The renewed weakness in Auckland’s property
market has filtered to all of the key areas, with falls in values across the board in July; ranging from 0.4% in Rodney to 1.0% in Auckland City and Franklin.
Taking a three-month period since April, the drops have exceeded 3% in Waitakere, and are only a fraction less than that mark in Auckland City, Manukau, and Papakura. Franklin and Rodney have fared better, however they have also fallen since April.
Auckland shares many of the same restraints as other parts of the country, including relatively high mortgage rates (for now) –however it faces additional forces weighing down the market, including a higher starting point for values and stretched affordability.
The townhouse construction boom in recent years has been centred on Auckland to a large extent, especially areas such as
Waitakere and Manukau. This pipeline of new housing development isn’t finished yet, meaning that overall listings levels – and hence buyer choice – could remain elevated in Auckland for a while yet. In turn, that will tend to keep a lid
on property values.
Wellington
The Wellington area also showed broad weakness in July, with falls in values ranging from 0.2% in Upper Hutt down to 0.8% in Wellington City itself. On
a three-month basis, the declines have been 2-3% almost everywhere, apart from a little more resilience in Upper Hutt (down only 0.5% since April).
Even after the recent up-and-down patterns in Wellington’s market in the
past 6-9 months, the bigger picture is still one of the most striking in the country; with values remaining 1821% lower than the peaks of the post-COVID upswing.
No doubt some savvy buyers will be eyeing up opportunities for property bargains around the wider Wellington area, given that values remain significantly below the previous peaks. That said, planned reductions in public service
employment remain a compelling reason for caution about the Wellington market in coming months.
Regional results
To some extent, ‘provincial markets’ showed more resilience than the main centres in July, with property values up by 0.6% in Whanganui, 0.7% in Queenstown, and by 1.0% in Invercargill. Gisborne and Nelson also edged up, with
Palmerston North flat.
That said, there were other pockets of weaker results, with New Plymouth’s property value dropping by 0.9% in July, and Whangarei and Napier declining by 1% apiece. Hastings dropped by 0.4%.
However, regional variability is always a feature of the property market, whether wider conditions are strong or weak.
Indeed, all parts of NZ are
currently looking at elevated levels of listings, putting pricing power in favour buyers. I wouldn’t read too much into any urban vs. regional divide in July’s data. The bigger picture remains testing for the property market, regardless of location.
Property market outlook
Looking ahead, listings data and mortgage rates will remain towards the top of the list of property market measures to watch most closely.
Clearly, a medium-term drop in mortgage interest rates will help the finances of many homeowners, although it’s of course less favourable for those with savings. Given we now have debt to income ratio limits in place, any interest rate driven boost to the housing market may well be smaller than it’s been in the past. Meanwhile, the choice of property available to buy is already at a high level, and the shorter Brightline Test could yet push it up further. Indeed, any extra listings that come to market from investors who are now off the hook for any capital gains tax sooner than they originally anticipated would only add to stock levels. In turn, this would tend to keep a lid on house prices. Overall, the second half of 2024 could prove to remain challenging for the property market. But there’s always two sides to the coin, and aspiring first home buyers will no doubt be pleased with that situation – plenty of choice and flat house prices are already helping this group to maintain a record high share of activity.
Click here to read the full report.
How will we pay for all these new houses?
Housing Minister Chris Bishop has announced his ‘Going for Housing Growth’ policy which he says with flood the market with new homes, both up and out, but local councils say they weren’t consulted and are wondering how they will afford it
New housing requires roads, footpaths, green space, and services, which are currently really expensive for councils and ratepayers, says Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) President Sam Broughton.
While he welcomes the Government’s commitment to housing growth, he says the lack of support to make it happen is a major concern for councils.
“Councils want more housing growth. However, the logjam on housing has
happened because councils are not resourced to support the level of growth that everyone knows we need.
“If we are serious about solving the housing crisis, we must change how growth is paid for.
“A 50 percent share of the GST revenue on new builds – as signalled in the Coalition Agreement – is a good place to start and it was disappointing not to see that commitment today. Rates alone simply can’t cut it.”
Broughton says despite
meeting with the Housing Minister last month to discuss how local and central government can work together to get more housing built, LGNZ was not consulted on these changes.
“We are concerned at the increasing central direction on planning that we’ve seen through successive governments, especially given this Government’s commitment to localism.
“If the Government is serious about getting housing built, any changes should have both political consen-
sus and buy-in from local government, otherwise we risk going through this all over again with the next change of government.
Flip-flopping only costs councils and ratepayers.”
More information on the policy: Going for Housing Growth programme – Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga –Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (hud. govt.nz)
Located next to Auckland’s popular Sylvia Park, the 295 apartments from Kiwi Property is designed to be a community for renters only and has been created with the unique needs of these people in mind. At Resido, residents can make their houses their homes by painting a wall, hanging photos, or getting involved with a range of events held on-site.
The official opening event was attended by key project leaders, local iwi, and various dignitaries. The event featured a performance by students from Sylvia Park School and the ribbon was cut by New Zealand Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon.
Resido’s first residents have already moved in, and the apartments are designed for the long term.
Kiwi Property National Assets Manager, Shelley Jenkin, says Resido is a game changer for those who don’t want to be locked down by the financial and time commitments involved in homeownership.
“This is renting that makes sense. We’re offering Kiwis more choice when it comes to housing, combining the flexibility of renting with the stability of home ownership and a true community feel.
“Resido has been many years in the making and we’re excited to officially cut the ribbon and open our doors to an exciting new community. Nestled in the centrally located and exciting neighbourhood of Mount Wellington, with all the brilliant amenities of Sylvia Park right next door, the perks of this community are numerous.
“We’re looking forward to moving in more members of our new community and creating a vibrant place for
Largest build-torent development is just the start
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has opened Resido, New Zealand’s largest build-to-rent development so far, though recent legislative change is expected to enable far more in the near future
everyone to live and rent their way.”
The opening coincides with the government’s Overseas Investment (Build to Rent and Similar Rental Developments) Amendment Bill, which aims to facilitate increased foreign investment in the Build-toRent housing sector.
The Amendment Bill proposes the introduction of a ‘large rental development test’ designed to attract much-needed overseas investment to stimulate the Build-to-Rent housing market in New Zealand, Leonie Freeman, chief executive of Property Council New Zealand says.
“The proposed legislative changes clearly signal that New Zealand is open to overseas investment in Build to Rent properties.”
Freeman emphasised that the new legislation is expected to streamline the process for overseas investors, thereby boosting the supply of Build-to-Rent properties and providing
essential housing for New Zealanders.
Research from Property Council New Zealand suggests that with supportive legislation, its developer members could construct 25,000 Build to Rent homes within the next decade.
In support of these initiatives, Property Council New Zealand has launched a dedicated website with partners Bayleys, Colliers, Savills, CBRE, and JLL, to monitor the growth of Build to Rent developments quarterly. As of May 14, 2024, the Build to Rent tracker reported 1,449 completed units, 822 units under construction, and 3,376 in the pipeline across 57 developments, primarily in Auckland. Further details are available at www. buildtorentnz.co.nz
“With these benchmarks in place, we look forward to observing the impact of today’s announcement on the availability of Build to Rent homes once these
changes are enacted,” Freeman added.
Despite the legislation’s reliance on Ministerial discretion for ensuring timely availability of at least 20 units per development for lease to occupiers, Freeman expressed optimism about continued government support for the Build to Rent sector.
“The Property Council is carefully reviewing the legislation and will collaborate with our members and the government to refine the Bill where appropriate, ensuring it effectively addresses housing supply challenges,” said Freeman. “We are also exploring the potential benefits of introducing depreciation for Build to Rent fit-outs, which could significantly enhance the sustainability and suitability of housing for tenants.”
Freeman concluded by commending the government’s proactive collaboration with the industry. “It’s encouraging to see the government taking meaningful steps towards ensuring Aotearoa has more, better-quality housing, so all New Zealanders have a place to call home.”
SLABX200 is specifically designed to deliver high compressive strength and improve insulation under concrete slabs.
Developed by trusted Kiwi insulation experts EXPOL, this exciting new innovation has quickly become the product of choice for specifiers and others in the construction industry.
Why do I need to insulate the concrete slab?
Slab insulation is important not only to save on energy bills for future owners and tenants, but also to improve comfort.
Insulation will reduce heat loss and make the slab easier to heat. It offers a layer of projection against moisture and will provide a thermal mass to regulate temperatures.
If embedded floor heating is incorporated in a concrete slab-on-ground, the slab must be insulated so that heat from the slab is delivered up into the space above and not lost to the exterior and ground below.
Wayne Watson Technical Manager EXPOL doing a visual check of SLABX200 to ensure it meets EXPOL’s high technical specifications.
Kiwi innovation leading the way in concrete slab insulation
A new generation of Expanded Polystyrene Board insulation has arrived
What makes SLABX200 different?
We chatted to Wayne Watson a Structural EPS and GeoFoam Consultant at EXPOL to see what makes SLABX200 different.
Wayne told us that due to its compressive strength rating of 200Kpa there is no comparable product on the market. He states “SLABX200 is specifically designed for insulating concrete slabs.
It has a rating of 200kpa at 10 percent compression or 20 ton per square meter.
Its high performance specs are designed to give Engineer’s peace of mind so that they can recommend this product with 100 percent confidence”.
The team at EXPOL recognised that there was nothing on the market that offered a cost-effective yet high performance solution to concrete insulation.
So they set about to develop a product with New Zealand residential and commercial projects in mind.
The durable nature of SLABX200 means that it won’t degrade over time, keeping its integrity for the life of the structure.
Due to the lightweight nature of Expanded Polystyrene the product is also easy to handle and install making quick work of slab insulation on site.
How does this product compare to Healthy Homes standards?
The Healthy Homes insulation standards across New Zealand states than underfloor insulation should have an R-Value of 1.3 or
greater.
With several thicknesses available SLABX200 ranges from an R-Value of R 1.5 at 50mm thickness through to an impressive R6.0 at 200mm thickness.
Therefore, all thicknesses offer R-Values over and above the standards to ensure healthy and efficient homes.
How does this product work in my sustainable building project?
The team at EXPOL are committed to the environment. In a true closed loop process 100 percent of manufacturing waste is recycled in their seven recycling plants nationwide.
Expanded Polystyrene offers great eco credentials and at the end of a products life it can be turned into other EXPOL products.
The high performance of the SLABX product also ensures that your building project is sustainable to heat and cool and therefore leading to less energy consumption over the life of the building.
If you’d like to learn more about the SLABX200 product, the team at EXPOL are happy to have a chat. Visit their website on www.expol.co.nz or give the Technical Manager at call on 0800 86 33 73.
How Graduated Density Zoning could deliver more housing
Housing Minister Chris Bishop wants cities growing ‘out’ and ‘up’ – but with councils soon able to opt out of the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS), Better Things Are Possible author Malcolm McCracken explores how the ‘up’ can be achieved instead
Enabling greater capacity in our plans through intensification is key for unlocking greater housing supply and in turn affordability, as recent studies in Auckland and Lower Hutt have demonstrated. However, the National-ACT Party coalition agreement commits this government to enabling councils to opt out of the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS). While there was room for improvement, the MDRS was mostly positive, particularly
in enabling housing supply and choice in existing neighbourhoods across our major cities.
I believe that we still need to find a way to make it easier for the market to respond with new supply in areas of high demand in existing urban areas, where the zoning may not be commensurate with the demand. The current plan change process is arduous and time-consuming, in turn being costly and often financially unfeasible for developers to pursue, unless
it is a major land holding. While a replacement of the Resource Management Act (RMA) should seek to address this, we need to break down these barriers sooner. So, what could a solution look like, that generally enables councils to opt out in areas, but allows for the market to move more quickly?
I propose that a condition of a council opting out of the MDRS, in whole or just in certain suburbs, should be the requirement to introduce Graduated Density
Zoning (GDZ) to residential land that is zoned below three storeys. GDZ is where, when a developer buys neighbouring sites totaling more than the set threshold, e.g. 1400m2, they can automatically build to a higher density. The details of that can be debated but I believe GDZ should be introduced to enable better housing choice and new supply in every neighbourhood. While resource consent would be required, once the threshold has been met, three-storey
apartments and terraced houses would become a permitted activity.
Adopting GDZ could provide several key benefits:
1. Larger sites can make it easier to manage the externalities of greater density, which have been some of the driving reasons behind the backlash towards the MDRS.
This should see fewer sausage flats7 on single sites, which generally have poor
design outcomes and interaction with neighbouring sites. Larger amalgamated sites will enable greater master planning that considers the interaction of outlook spaces with neighbouring properties, limiting driveway crossings and the design of open and communal spaces.
2. It enables the market to deliver greater density in areas of
high demand and better match this with new supply. While councils can plan through future development strategies for ‘enough’ capacity to meet future demand, this is always based on a range of assumptions, which can never be completely accurate. Amenities and accessibility of an area, along with personal preferences, can change shifting
demand greatly. We should design our system to be more responsive and flexible to meet demand. GDZ would be a step towards this.
3. Enabling three storeys, as I have discussed many times previously, can enable greater housing choice to be provided. It also enables ageing in place, where you can find housing suited to your needs
2 – Allowing the development of up to three storeys, as the MDRS required, enables a wider range of housing types to suit different needs (McCracken, 2021)
Figure
These two neighbouring developments in Tāita, Lower Hutt, occurred through the use of the Comprehensive Residential Development provision, an example of GDZ in New Zealand (Williams Corporation).
at different stages of your life within the same neighbourhood.
4. It’s worth noting that this can also benefit neighbouring landowners, who could choose to sell together to seek greater profit, which is possible as an amalgamated site is generally a better development opportunity. This has occurred previously, including in Te Atatū Peninsula in 2020 when three neighbours teamed up to sell together to seek a higher price given the greater development potential of an amalgamated site totalling 2427m2. Under a GDZ scheme, this would likely become more common.
How should this be implemented?
GDZ is not new in the New Zealand context. Lower Hutt previously adopted a version of GDZ through Plan Change 43 in 2019. In this plan change, eight locations were chosen for upzoning based on their proximity to shops, schools,
public transport and access to parks. These areas were in Stokes Valley, Taita, Naenae, Avalon/Park Ave, Epuni, Waterloo, Waiwhetu/ Woburn and Wainuiomata. This occurred through the introduction of two new zones:
• the Suburban Mixed Use Activity Area, which introduced a building height standard of 12 metres (three to four storeys), and
• the Medium Density Residential Activity Area, which introduced a building height standard of 10 metres (plus one metre for the roofline).
Outside of these areas, the General Residential Activity Area zone applied, keeping low density, stand alone houses on sites of at least 400m2 as the primary built form. However, in areas with this zoning, the Plan Change also provided for medium-density housing of up to 8m (two storeys) on sites larger than 1400 square metres through what they termed Comprehensive Residential Development. While I understand the development has
largely occurred in the eight primary development areas, many developments have been delivered through the Comprehensive Residential Development, approach, improving housing supply and choice.
The Lower Hutt case study provides inspiration for a more nuanced while flexible approach to enabling medium density in low density areas. I believe, a part of the condition of opting out of the MDRS, GDZ should be a requirement with the standards modelled on the Coalition for More Homes – Alternative MDRS. These standards sought to free up the front of the site for development while introducing greater restrictions to the rear half of the site to minimise impact on neighbouring sites.
GDZ should not apply everywhere. Tier One councils have already undertaken significant work on Qualifying Matters, like floorprone areas and coastal erosion zones, to exclude these areas from upzoning. These should be exempt from the GDZ, in the same way they were exempt from the MDRS and NPS-UD requirements.
Conclusion
As Donald Shoup notes in his 2008 paper, GDZ “has the potential to ease both the politics of higher density and the economics of land assembly”, the former being the primary challenge that medium density faces in New Zealand. GDZ as proposed in this article, could achieve similar benefits to the MDRS but with greater mitigation of the potential perverse outcomes possible under the MDRS. I believe that GDZ could provide suitable mitigation, in terms of supply and flexibility for the market, to councils opting out of the MDRS. If we are serious about addressing the housing crisis, we need to find pathways to enable density across existing urban areas, GDZ may be that pathway.
Originally posted at Graduated Density Zoning, a condition for opting out of the Medium Density Residential Standards? (substack.com)
The Kupenga apartments in Point England, Auckland, are an example of the outcomes that could be enabled through Graduated Density Zoning (Baker, 2023).
The dataset from Stats NZ tells us how many consented dwellings (i.e., theoretical dwellings) turn into completed dwellings (i.e., places people can live). The gist of that data is that across the country, at the median, about 93% of consented dwellings get completed, and they take roughly a year to complete once they’ve been consented.
Put another way, for every 1,000 dwellings consented, on average, we can expect about 930 completed dwellings total and in a about a year or so, roughly half of them will be completed.
In greenfields areas, this means that we can expect a net addition of 930 dwellings to the housing stock for every 1,000 dwellings that get consented.
However, in areas where there is lots of brownfield redevelopment (like Auckland currently, and soon to be Wellington), calculations of how many consented dwellings get completed do not give us an accurate picture of the net gain to the housing stock. Why? Demolitions.
For instance, across West Auckland where I live, standalone homes are being bowled and replaced with 6 townhouses. This adds much needed housing to Auckland’s housing stock – but it doesn’t add 6 dwellings. Only 5 dwellings are added once you consider the house that got knocked down. And sometimes a house is knocked down and replaced one-for-one with another house. This adds zero houses to the housing stock, but counts as a new dwelling consented.
Unfortunately, demolitions are quite difficult to track accurately. In most cases, a consent is not needed to demolish a house, so there
How many consented houses actually get built?
Stats NZ has released its experimental dataset on construction timelines and completion rates, but Shane Martin, Principal Economist at MRCagney, points out that demolitions are still a missing piece of the puzzle
is no tracking of it there. There are alternative data sources, like new electricity connections, for instance, that give some view into this. But it’s imperfect. What would be better is if demolitions themselves were tracked.
Otherwise, we know how much of the new construction is getting completed. But we don’t know how much housing is actually being added to the housing stock. This makes it difficult to see how well the provision of additional housing is tracking with a growing population.
Take the example of Auckland adding 47,000 people in 2023. Those new people will require roughly 15,000 additional dwellings. During the same period, Auckland consented approximately 15,500 new dwellings. Of course, not all those dwellings will end up
getting built, and our best guess, using the Stats NZ data, is that approximately 14,400 new dwellings might be completed. This means, we’re at least 600 dwellings short – and that’s before considering that somewhere between 65% and 75% of Auckland’s housing is being built in brownfields areas – areas where demolition of older standalone dwellings to make room for townhouses is quite common.
What we do not know is what the actual net addition to the housing stock will be. If they all followed the pattern of my example above where one house is demolished to make way for six townhouses, then the total number of additional dwellings from the 15,500 consented is likely to be around 12,000. This puts the shortage at 3,000 dwellings to accommodate the popu-
lation growth.
But rather than the ratio of consented to additional dwellings being 6:5 like in this example, it could be 4:3 or 7:6, or 10:9. The point is – we don’t have necessarily have a great idea. And until we do, it will be difficult to monitor how well we’re providing housing for the growing population.
We can do a reasonable job estimating this using alternative data sources, and this is likely what will need to be done until proper demolitions data is collected. But it isn’t something we can just go look up. And until it is, councils around the country will likely have a tough time tracking how much housing they are adding.
How demolitions make everything complicated | LinkedIn
What’s behind NZ’s townhouse boom?
CoreLogic Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson explores the driving forces behind New Zealand’s decade-long house-building boom
Townhouses have become a key component of growth for NZ’s housing market, accounting for 45% of all new dwelling consents across
NZ lately, compared to just 6% back in 2012.
Of the 39,600 townhouses built across NZ since 2016, nearly 25,000 have been in Auckland.
Key Auckland sub-markets including Waitakere and Manukau have seen townhouse stock increase more than 50% since 2016. It’s been common over the
past few years for analysts and commentators to focus on terraced or semi-detached townhouses* from the perspective of sales activity or new dwelling con-
sents. That’s understandable given that townhouses have recently accounted for around 45% of all new dwelling consents across the country, compared to just 6% back in 2012. However, new data from CoreLogic’s Market Trends dataset shows the growing importance of townhouses/flats and how this has changed over time in various parts of New Zealand. Starting with the national picture, Figure 1. shows the housing stock at 10-year intervals since the early 1980s. Back in 1984, standalone houses accounted for 80% of all dwellings in New Zealand, but that’s now drifted down to 75%. On the flipside, the reduced share for houses has been mirrored by a rise for apartments and lifestyle properties, and in fact the townhouse and flats category was 13% in 1984 and still sits at that figure today.
The national data also masks interesting trends at regional level. Across our three largest centres (Wellington covers the City, Porirua, Lower Hutt, and Upper Hutt), the townhouse category has been on a clear rising trend for a number of years now, especially in Auckland (Figure 2.) from around 2016 onwards, stemming from the Unitary Plan and the shift to more intensified housing on existing brownfields land.
Christchurch still has a higher share of townhouses (nearly 24%) than Auckland (16%), but the latter’s growth in the past 7-8 years has been more significant. Of the 39,600 townhouses built across New Zealand since 2016, nearly 25,000 have been in Auckland, or approximately 63% of the growth. For comparison, Auckland has about 38% of the national stock of this type of property.
Where townhouse stock has surged the most
CoreLogic’s
Market Trends
data shows that the stock of townhouses has risen by roughly 50% or more over the period since 2016 in Rodney, Papakura, Manukau, and Waitakere. But given the smaller size of the townhouse market in Rodney, the biggest contributions to the overall growth across Auckland have in fact been in Waitakere (33%) – which includes areas such as Hobsonville –as well as Manukau (24%), and Auckland City (19%) as seen in Figure 3.
It’s always a little difficult to disentangle supply from demand as the most important driver for the rise of townhouses; did tastes change and developers respond, or have buyers just had to purchase what was available? In reality, it’s
likely to be a bit of both, but certainly buyers can access at a lower price point than other dwelling types. For example, our latest median value for Auckland flats and townhouses is around $775,000, versus the figure for houses of about $1.12m. Overall, it’s clear that townhouses are now a more prominent feature of NZ’s housing market, especially in the largest cities. Given they use land well and can be built close to existing infrastructure such as transport links, they provide a different and cheaper option for a wider range of property buyers. The obvious aim would be that the Government’s current housing supply rule changes – ‘Going for Housing Growth’ – will prove effective in keeping the townhouse building pipeline strong over the medium term, alongside general growth in all dwelling types.
Chemical safety relies on meaningful cooperation
Expanding government-industry partnerships to help business operators should be a no brainer. Inviting enquirers to read the regulations falls well short of educational expectations
Barry Dyer Chief Executive
Responsible Care NZ
Today, chemical suppliers and their customers continue to adjust to the Covid operational environment.
They struggle with supply chain delays, the loss of experienced staff, frustration with unanswered queries to risk-averse authorities, inflexible and prescriptive regulations, rising compliance costs, diminishing resources and increasing public chemical safety expectations.
While 130,000 businesses are reportedly captured by the Hazardous Substances and Major Hazard Facilities regulations, the official mantra of “600-900 persons seriously harmed each year by unwanted exposure to chemicals in their workplace” presumably applies to all of the country’s 530,000 workplaces.
Increasing community concerns about vulnerability to unwanted chemical exposure and damage to our fragile environment places additional pressure on both suppliers and users of the chemicals.
We all need to sustain and improve our quality of life and these products must be safely managed throughout their life cycle.
Downgrading the flawed but effective HSNO Certified Handler requirement has inadvertently undermined an invaluable capability.
The action deprived businesses, particularly SMEs, of an immediate and recognisable source of workplace chemical safety and compliance advice -- a safe chemical handling capability and emergency response knowledge – critical when a chemical incident occurs.
PCBUs and SMEs must now devise their own solutions to ensure employees are competent to safely handle the chemicals with which they work.
Chemical industry leaders are moving away from relying on lagging indicators of safety performance in favour of identifying safer work practices and work-
places, by responding to workers’ suggestions about improvements.
Conscientious business operators can add value by sourcing accurate, cost-effective workplace chemical safety advice and compliance tools from their suppliers, industry partners and Responsible Care NZ.
A proven strategy is government agencies collaborating with proactive industry associations to best achieve workplace safety aspirations. The problem is that SMEs rarely join associations.
However, they all obtain their chemical requirements from suppliers and can benefit from product stewardship advice and cost-effective industry compliance initiatives.
Responsible Care NZ extols less regulation in favour of enabling business operators to be increasingly self-sufficient, using cost-effective products and services such as site compliance assessments and specialist training.
The focus is keeping people safe around the chemicals we encounter every day by adding value to businesses.
Responsible Care is a global voluntary chemical industry initiative developed autonomously by the chemical industry for the chemical industry.
Chemical suppliers continue to help customers achieve workplace chemical safety aspirations through product stewardship initiatives.
To help solve the in-house chemical compliance dilemma in New Zealand, Responsible Care NZ delivers specialist and cost-effective Certified Handler standard training, complete with a certificate.
Responsible Care NZ site compliance assessments are non-threatening, effectively capturing and assessing chemical safety performance in a variety of workplaces.
+64 4 499 4311 info@responsiblecarenz.com
The Expos will showcase the most comprehensive range of innovative products, services, solutions and the entire supply chain under one roof by local and international participants to trade visitors, potential buyers, policy makers, government officials, C-Level executives, business leaders, leading industry experts, top-tier public visitors and key decision makers from the region and beyond, making it a definitive power packed networking platform, where new projects and partnerships are initiated and visionary objectives are implemented.
Architecture and Urban Planning Expo - Oman’s first and only dedicated event focusing on Architecture and urban planning will showcase the latest technologies, products and services.
Architecture Section is an exclusive event where architects, designers, specifiers and property developers from the Sultanate of Oman and the Middle East region explore carefully selected innovative and inspiring products, materials and services for their projects. Some of the most revolutionary solutions will be presented in the Expo which will generate high interest among the architects and designers’ community.
The Urban Planning section will provide an unmatched platform for the urban and landscape design industry to secure new business in the Sultanate of Oman and the region. Key decision makers will meet local and international suppliers to explore business opportunities, and to source the latest landscaping,
Attend the Home and Building Expo in Oman this October
Exhibitors and visitors are invited to participate in the Home and Building Expo, co-located with the Architecture and Urban Planning Expo, which is the Sultanate of Oman’s premier bespoke B2B and B2C event to be held from 07 - 09 October 2024 at the Oman
Convention and Exhibition Centre, Muscat.
infrastructure & urban development solutions and technological advancements.
There are diverse and cost-effective ackages to
ensure participation with assured ROI and exhibition booths to create a strong impact and presence at the event.
The event organiser also offers customised packages best suited to your organisation’s requirements and budget.
HIGH
CONCRETE SLABS
SLABX200 is EXPOL’s new generation high performance Expanded Polystyrene Board specifically designed to deliver high compressive strength and improve insulation under concrete slabs.
It delivers an uncompromised compressive strength of 200kPa @ 10% deformation and exceptional Insulation Values.
Specifically engineered for residential and commercial projects, its high performance gives engineers and specifiers peace of mind while increasing the thermal performance of a building.
SLABX200’s durable nature means it will not degrade over time, keeping its integrity for the life of the structure.
