The latest NZGBC research informing policy, advocacy, and ultimately sustainable homes and buildings in Aotearoa
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New research says New Zealand can meet its looming energy shortfall more cheaply and securely by accelerating installations of hot water heat pumps and rooftop solar rather than spending billions importing LNG.
Category: Energy and climate
Year: 2026
Guidance to help lenders and borrowers define what a green building means for the purpose of sustainable finance. Version 2 released Sept 2025.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2025
Programme: Green Star, NABERSNZ
This report showcases the powerful opportunity we have to reduce building energy demand - shifting from gas and inefficient electric heating to heat pumps, and easing energy-supply pressure.
Category: Energy and climate
Year: 2025
Discussion paper assessing how two Auckland developments would perform under the Green Star Buildings NZ v1.0 rating tool, following retirement of Green Star Design & As Built v1.1.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2025
Programme: Green Star
Infometrics report commissioned by NZGBC on energy bill savings and financial benefits from lower-interest mortgage offerings available for Homestar certified homes.
Category: Our homes
Year: 2025
Programme: Homestar
A practical resource and toolkit to support landlord, tenant and stakeholder collaboration through lease clauses that improve building performance, workplace efficiency, lower outgoings and asset value.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2025
Programme: Green Star, NABERSNZ
NZGBC's Existing Homes Roadmap sets out recommendations, policy and funding initiatives to improve the woeful state of Aotearoa New Zealand's aging housing stock.
Category: Our homes
Year: 2024
Programme: Homestar
NZGBC's first Green Star Impact Report, highlighting progress in sustainable building practices and examples of industry mahi across New Zealand.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2024
Programme: Green Star
JLL report analysing Green Star and NABERSNZ certified office buildings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, showing rental, sale-price and vacancy benefits for certified assets.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2024
Programme: Green Star, NABERSNZ
Report arguing that improving buildings could save New Zealand almost $40 billion and reduce 93,000 kt of emissions by 2050 through building standards, gas phase-out and transparent energy use.
Category: Energy and climate
Year: 2024
Guide adapted with support from Beca that explains how projects can identify, reduce and report upfront carbon emissions from materials and construction of new buildings.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2023
Guide outlining steps to retrofit existing buildings to be all-electric and technologies available to replace natural gas systems.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2023
BERL and BRANZ report on international programmes to retrofit homes and the potential economic response if a large retrofit programme were implemented in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Category: Our homes
Year: 2023
Aurecon and Kwanto review of typical specifications required to achieve a 6 Homestar v5 rating compared with NZ Building Code Clause H1 compliance, including cost estimates.
Category: Our homes
Year: 2023
Programme: Homestar
BERL report on the economic impact of constructing new homes and buildings to be less polluting, including estimated economic and employment benefits between 2025 and 2050 which could contribute a $150 billion boost to the economy.
Category: Our homes
Year: 2022
Overview of the different sustainability rating tools available in Aotearoa, including objectives, scope, governance and assessment processes.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2022
Programme: Green Star, NABERSNZ
Guide for healthcare projects targeting Green Star Design & As Built NZ v1.0, including public and private hospitals and aged care facilities.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2022
Programme: Green Star
Sense Partners report exploring policy options to improve energy efficiency and energy-intensity reporting for existing commercial buildings.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2021
GBCA and NZGBC report on reducing carbon emissions, energy, water use and waste while delivering high-quality, cost-effective social infrastructure.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2021
Document setting out the value proposition for certified green buildings in New Zealand by consolidating international findings and local examples.
Category: Energy and climate
Year: 2020
Report on future-proofing industrial buildings such as warehouses and cold stores for climate impacts and a low-carbon economy.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2020
Paper arguing that improving 120,000 New Zealand homes to healthy standards could deliver economic, health, carbon and employment benefits to the tune of $1.5-$3.1 billion net benefit.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2020
Landmark report outlining milestones for government and industry to decarbonise New Zealand's buildings by 2050, including Building Code improvements and better energy transparency.
Category: Energy and climate
Year: 2019
Programme: NABERSNZ
thinkstep ANZ report evaluating decarbonisation potential in New Zealand's building and construction sector, with a focus on embodied emissions to 2050.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2019
Report on the co-benefits and financial savings from designing, building and operating greener hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Category: Non-residential buildings
Year: 2018
thinkstep ANZ report outlining the New Zealand built environment's emissions and estimating its contribution to the national carbon footprint.
Category: Construction and commercial property
Year: 2018
Leading experts in the construction and property sector have released three comprehensive climate change scenarios to guide the industry on how they assess and report on what climate change means for their business
