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Insights and highlights from Constructive 2024

09 September 2024

Kia ora koutou,
With the dust now settled from Constructive 2024, I want to take a moment to pause and reflect on some of the key discussions and insights.

This year, we focused on Innovation—a theme that couldn't be more relevant as we navigate an evolving landscape in the building and construction sector. Over two days, we tackled some of the most pressing current challenges including how we address housing affordability, what it takes to create resilient cities that withstand weather events and earthquakes, and can we make it easier to finance critical construction projects and lift productivity.
 
We kicked off with the annual State of the Sector report, which brought to light the critical challenges ahead—especially around access to finance. 83 percent of builders and homeowners had this as the top issue facing the sector, followed by lack of consumer demand. You can read more about this year’s results here, or you can watch the video.

 
A highlight of the event was our keynote speaker, Michael McQueen, who brought a fresh perspective about the ways we can innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing world. He challenged us to rethink our strategies and to approach the future with a mindset that today’s best practice won’t be best practice for long. In short, we need to get ourselves comfortable with change.
 
It’s a good thing then that New Zealanders tend to be natural innovators, and there are plenty of companies across the building and construction sector leading the way. This year Constructive featured a curated innovation showcase to highlight new technology and creative solutions in the market – you can read more about these exhibitors here.

We were also privileged to hear from key political figures, including the Minister for Building and Construction, Chris Penk who hinted that work is being done on a national consenting system. Plus, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka and Labour Leader Chris Hipkins, also joined us to share their views on the future of our sector. Their presence underscored the importance of collaboration between the government and the building sector as we work together to shape policies that will benefit us all.

Something we’ll look to build on going forward is the use of breakout sessions. This year for the first time, attendees were able to tailor their experience, by electing to go to a series of sessions on H1 Healthy Homes, contract law, good contracting and preconstruction, and practical sustainability models. There is a wealth of information from these sessions now live on the Constructive website.
 
I want to extend a special thank you to our main sponsors—Mitre 10 Trade, BCITO, Builders Academy, Waihanga Ara Rau and the Building and Construction Training Fund. Your ongoing support makes events like Constructive possible, and your commitment to our industry is deeply appreciated.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about what we can achieve together in the coming months. The insights and ideas generated at Constructive 2024 will undoubtedly help us navigate the challenges ahead and build a brighter, more resilient future for our industry.
We’re already planning for next year’s Constructive, which will take place in Auckland in September. Keep an eye out for further details—we’d love to see you there.

Let’s take the momentum from this year’s event and continue to push boundaries, innovate, and build a better New Zealand.

A word from our sponsors

As the platinum sponsor of Constructive, Mitre 10 Trade is committed to supporting the conversations that take our industry forward. This year’s event was a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration in relation to tackling the many challenges ahead, including supply chain pressures and evolving building practices. We’re proud to play a role in helping facilitate these conversations and look forward to seeing the ideas put into action across New Zealand. -       Mark Moffitt, Head of Trade, Mitre 10 NZ
Constructive 2024 has once again brought to the fore the critical conversations our industry needs to be having. This year’s forum put a strong emphasis on the need to find innovative solutions to the current challenges in our sector. At BCITO we’re focused on turning these discussions into action, ensuring that our builders have the training they need to embrace the future of construction in New Zealand. -       Greg Durkin, Director, BCITO
Builders Academy was proud to support Constructive 2024 and be part of the conversation on the industry's future. We are committed to ensuring the workforce is equipped with the skills needed to continue delivering much-needed quality homes and infrastructure in New Zealand. We’re not just talking about the future—we’re training for it. -       Glenn Duncan, General Manager, Builders Academy
BCTF is proud to be a first-time sponsor of Constructive, as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing skills, education, and innovation within the building and construction sector. It was encouraging to see the industry come together and seek solutions to critical challenges, and we look forward to continuing our efforts in driving the sector forward through targeted investment in education and training. -       Grant Florence, Chief Executive, BCTF