Resido is shifting the dial on rental housing in Aotearoa. The largest build-to-rent development in Aotearoa so far, this dynamic new apartment project has been awarded an impressive 9 Homestar rating for its smart, green design and construction.
Essentials
Name: Resido
What: Build-to-rent (BTR) development; 295 apartments across three multi-storey buildings; one-, two- and three-bedroom options and studios; 15 apartment typologies; capacity for 800 occupants; longest lease secured to date is five years
Infrastructure: Building A – 9 levels (11,311 sqm); Building B – 12 levels (7,211 sqm); Building C – 9 levels (9,643 sqm)
Amenities: 24/7 gym, lounge, work zone, and media room located in a single-storey pavilion in a central communal plaza; rooftop barbecue area; podium-level green spaces; community garden; dog park; under croft parking with EV chargers; bike storage; dog wash station; on-site management office
Address: 27 Lynton Road, Mount Wellington, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Project certification: 9 Homestar built rating v4.1 (March 2025)
Project Snapshot
Owner: Kiwi Property
Architect: Ashton Mitchell Architects and i2C Architecture
Homestar assessor: Kaito Paetz, ESD and mechanical engineer, eCubed Building Workshop
Main contractor: Naylor Love Auckland
Project timeline: construction commenced November 2021; completion June 2024
‘We know you’d love living at Resido’ says the @lifeatresido Instagram account punctuated with a green heart emoji.
It is easy to ascertain why.
Resido sits alongside Sylvia Park - the country’s largest shopping centre, and provides tenants modish, eco-smart apartments, a sense of belong in a BTR environment, neighbourhood values, close transport links and the framework for a healthy, green lifestyle with lower utility bills.
9 Homestar certifications have often been the reserve of high-performing standalone homes but Homestar assessor, Kaito Paetz, says Resido has changed the landscape.
“For a development of this scale with 295 apartments to reach this 9 Homestar benchmark is unprecedented. Added to that - this is New Zealand’s first build-to-rent development of its kind at scale – it’s a true game-changer.”
Clive Mackenzie, Kiwi Property CEO (left) & Andrew Eagles, CEO of NZGBC (right) with Resido's 9 Homestar certificate
Owner Kiwi Property says it set out to break new ground.
“Resido was inspired by a simple but powerful idea – to change the way New Zealanders experience renting,” says Head of Development at Kiwi Property, Greg Tolley.
“We wanted to create homes people could truly see themselves living in long-term. That meant designing with purpose, putting people first and embedding sustainability, community and convenience into the project. This isn’t just about building apartments – it’s about reimagining what it means to rent. It’s a new way of living.”
Central to that new way of living is sustainability. A stand-out leader in green development, Kiwi Property is no stranger to sustainability and innovation initiatives.
“By adopting the Homestar framework we can quantify and communicate our sustainability achievements, demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship and enhancing the long-term value of our developments.”
“Using Homestar integrated best practices in environmental design and construction at Resido – ensuring we met high standards for energy efficiency, water conservation and overall environmental performance.”
Greg says one of the biggest challenges was embedding sustainability at scale – while maintaining affordability and buildability within a build-to-rent model.
Achieving a 9 Homestar rating “required a disciplined approach to materials selection, energy, water efficiency and waste minimisation - without compromising design quality or operational performance.”
Ensuring sustainability was delivered in practice – not just in principle – was critical.
Ashton Mitchell lead architect, Clifford Paul, says the project’s early engagement with Homestar facilitated “the greatest design influence right across the board – from the big picture considerations of site design and layout through to fine grain selection of materials, fixtures, fittings and specification of building systems.”
Supplied by Kiwi Property
During the design process, the Homestar scorecard was used as a values reference to assist with project decision-making.
Homestar assessor Kaito Paetz says the project team consistently pushed for more – seeking innovation and additional measures.
“There was a strong sense of accountability throughout - from design to construction - which enabled us to not just aim higher and higher but to achieve revised targets throughout the process.”
Green elements of the project include:
Kaito says collaboration was essential.
“For a project of this scale to achieve a 9 Homestar rating we needed team input. When challenges arose it wasn’t about blame - it was about putting our heads together and solving the problem.”
Naylor Love Group Environmental Manager, Annie Day, was the construction lead for Homestar on site.
“Using our detailed management plan consisting of all the design credits we were able to assess and propose extra credits to push the project up to a 9 Homestar rating. Our Naylor Love site team and the sub-contractors were all invested in the project which made it easier to gather the information throughout construction and on completion.”
Kiwi Property Head of Development, Greg Tolley, says many Resido residents are seeking homes that align with their own environmental values. He says developers must treat sustainability as a core design principle not an add-on.
“While sustainability requires careful planning, the long-term benefits – for residents, asset performance and future-proofing buildings – far outweigh the initial challenges.”
He says Resido raises the bar for what renters can expect and what developers can deliver.
“It sets a precedent for urban living that’s community-led, climate-conscious and future-ready.”