Author Rachel Loo
If you are smart and part (or all) of a small- or medium-sized enterprise in the construction industry, set aside an hour on 13 November and register now for a webinar in which MATES unpacks advice learned from its 2025 Industry Well-being Survey. Almost half of the workers surveyed live with a physical or mental health challenge — twice the national average. Stronger cultures and early intervention protects people and productivity.
Researchers have designed a wearable detector for the specific kind of longwave ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn, says Science Adviser. The devices could connect with a smartphone or smartwatch to alert the user when they have received 80 percent of the UVA dose likely to cause a sunburn based on their skin type. Though the solution may sound like a quick fix, it’s important to maintain usual sun protection like sunscreen or covering layers
Kiwis looking to buy a property in zone for the country’s top state schools can expect to pay a premium of more than 89 percent according to data from realestate.co.nz. Top of the list was Auckland’s Epsom Girls’ Grammar, where in-zone homes commanded an average asking price of $2.45m, compared to out-of-zone properties which fetched an average asking price of $1.29m. Auckland Grammar zone followed.
Buy the right school zone to boost property value
Kiwis looking to buy a property in zone for the country’s top state schools can expect to pay a premium of more than 89 percent according to data from realestate.co.nz. Continue →
New powder coatings cut carbon for new builds
A key aspect of sustainable construction consists of lowering operational and embodied carbon footprints. Continue →
The Zero Carbon Act commits New Zealand to cut methane emissions between 24 and 47 percent below 2017 levels by 2050. The government has weakened the target to 14-24 percent, saying it is investing to speed up the development and rollout of methane-cutting tools, which seems more a reason for keeping the targets
Researchers have created new viruses using AI. The hope is that the tech can be used to create targeted phages ** — that take out problematic bacteria — selectively killing an antibiotic-resistant strain infecting a person, for instance. However, “there is no sugarcoating the risks,” Tal and Jonathan Feldman wrote in The Washington Post
Josh Gullery from the Waikato region took out the top spot at the 2025 Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition. Second place went to Caleb Stuart from the Bay of Plenty and Central Plateau with Jade Murray from the Central North Island region taking out third
Master Builders Best all-round apprentice
Josh Gullery from the Waikato region took out the top spot at the 2025 Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition. Continue →
Commercial and industrial lead the recovery
The New Zealand investment property market has managed a measured recovery into 2025 towards a more stable investment environment with buyers and sellers juggling price expectations. Continue →
Te Huia’s five-year trial ends on 30 June next year. What needs to happen to make this vital rail link between Hamilton and Auckland a permanent part of New Zealand’s public transport system?. Darren Davis says we need to buckle up for a bumpy ride through all of the steps needed between now and then.
The EU-funded RECLAIM project has deployed a revolutionary portable Material Recovery Facility on the Greek island of Kefalonia, achieving 98 percent waste classification accuracy with AI-powered robotics. This breakthrough technology is transforming the economics of decentralised material recovery for remote communities worldwide.
A survey by The Urban Advisory finds that Kiwis are looking for more housing choices including options for co-housing, rent-to-buy, residential co-operatives, community land trusts and shared ownership models. Unaffordability remains a key issue.
Opportunities for developers
A survey by The Urban Advisory finds that Kiwis are looking for more housing choices including options for co-housing, rent-to-buy, residential co-operatives, community land trusts and shared ownership models. Continue →
If you are worried AI tools are too complex or risky for your business, the latest edition of Business.govt has an excellent You Tube presentation for those nervous about using this generative AI tool. From writing letters and creating headlines to answering questions and offering feedback, ChatGPT is a versatile tool that you can use to create great writing.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has spent much of his time in office bemoaning the interference of the government in Auckland plans says Greater Auckland which was established in 2015 to provide evidence-based commentary on transport and other issues. But he happily handed over control of the city’s transport future, labelling it a “major victory for the people of Auckland”.
Has the world’s next big electrical engine been in front of our noses all the time. It’s possible, according to new research published in Nature Materials which says that despite 10 percent of the Earth’s surface being covered by it, ice power remains untapped
Lessons from over the ditch
New Zealand could do well to look at the New South Wales government example of support which will cut housing road blocks and red tape and help bring construction forward. Continue →
The key to a circular economy
The built environment is responsible for almost 40 percent of global energy-related CO2 emissions and produces about one-third of the world’s waste — figures that continue to rise with new waves of construction and retrofitting according to McKinsey. Continue →