Innovate, Partner, Build – a better way to work with industry

New Zealand needs to renew and build over 2,000 homes each year for the next two decades, and Housing New Zealand General Manager Asset Development Patrick Dougherty says they have been exploring ways to better support the industry to deliver this.

"We've spoken to our supply and construction partners about how we can collaborate more effectively to work at scale and pace — this is a once in a generation opportunity to work smarter with the industry."

Innovate, Partner, Build will make better use of the size of the state house build programme to get better deals on materials and provide more continuity of building work for construction firms. As part of this, Housing New Zealand is signing up to ‘capacity partnering agreements’ with suppliers — giving them multi-year contracts to build a set number of homes each year, rather than the current system of contracting from project to project. The agency is also sharing plans for the number, type and location of homes it plans to build in the next ten years.

Patrick says creating more certainty of future work will give firms the chance to innovate and expand their operations to match the growing build programme.

"We’ll be helping businesses to flourish, create and sustain business investment in staff and training, plant and machinery."

The programme will build on other new initiatives to get houses built faster and more efficiently including building to standard house designs and using more offsite manufacturing.

Patrick says the Innovate, Partner, Build programme aims to significantly improve the country’s construction market productivity, sustainability, quality and level of innovation for the benefit of New Zealanders.

"As the country’s biggest residential builder — we’re in a position to be a leader in the drive to make building homes in New Zealand more affordable and efficient."

Find out more about Innovate, Partner, Build(external link) on the Housing New Zealand website