With the global construction sector anticipated to grow to $25 trillion by 2030, Massey University is committed to strengthening Aotearoa New Zealand’s building and construction industry through education. The Construction Sector Accord (2019) identified a gap between where the sector is now, and where it needs to be to meet the future needs of New Zealanders. We need to shift to a future where knowledge and technology are incorporated into production, enhancing capital, labour, materials and energy. Investment in knowledge and technology creates innovation and economic growth, and can increase productivity.
New Zealand is among the lowest research and development (R&D) investors within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development at less than one per cent of gross domestic product, according to Stats NZ. The New Zealand construction sector’s low operating margin results in low specific R&D investment, too. Massey’s team envisions a future where governments, businesses, communities, and universities collaborate to create a sustainable and resilient society. The active participation of academic institutions as integral partners to upskill the workforce and increase competitiveness is a solution.
Massey recently celebrated 25 years in construction teaching and research. The university supports students to elevate their career with accredited qualifications ranging from diplomas, to degrees and beyond. Students join Massey to retrain, upskill or extend knowledge. Its flexible programs often enable part-time study so that students can study while they work. As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi–led institution, Massey integrates construction technologies with a respect for cultural context.
Massey offers excellent opportunities to jointly conduct R&D with industry, and extends an invitation to the sector to discuss its benefits. The university’s honours and master qualifications encourage students to work with a company to conduct real‑world research, and provide solutions to a challenge. Its program equips graduates with leadership, teamworking and critical thinking skills – providing a higher study pathway, generating opportunities, and advancing careers. It has world‑class academics ranked in the top 150 in QS International Global Rankings, with strengths relating to the modern construction industry.
For example, Massey’s research on virtual and augmented reality creates immersive virtual simulations so that people can experience and respond to hazard scenarios. This helps optimise building evacuation protocols during emergencies, and improves outcomes.
Massey aims to minimise sector environmental impact, including reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and applying circularity principles to conserve resources. Sustainable construction research helps create resilient built environments with longevity, while protecting the planet.
Massey preserves historically significant wharenui while enhancing their structural resilience, highlighting the university’s commitment to safeguarding New Zealand’s cultural heritage. It ensures that these structures can endure for future generations, even when faced with natural hazards.
Professor Monty Sutrisna, Head of Massey’s School of Built Environment, supports the sector: ‘Massey wants to equip construction staff with the right skills and foster a national culture of continuous innovation. If we can tackle issues that improve practice within the sector, this benefits both the student and their employers, too.’
To find out more, visit www.massey.ac.nz/construction.