School of Built Environment

Overview

The School of Built Environment focuses on human-made environments and their impact on society. We examine innovative ways in which the built environment can improve quality of life and community wellbeing, from rural villages to mega-cities.

The school has an international outlook on teaching, learning, practice and research, particularly in digital built environments. We work closely with industry to ensure our qualifications include latest developments.

The expertise of our people, combined with our local, national and international partnerships, ensures our teaching and research serve the needs of communities, industry and government to improve the built environment.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Massey

We are deeply committed to being a Tiriti-led university, demonstrating authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand as we uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of our nation, and its principles through our practice. We embrace this not just as an obligation but as a real opportunity for the nation and its people.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – The Treaty of Waitangi at Massey

Research

Our researchers work closely with government and industry to shape innovative solutions to actual needs in New Zealand society and internationally. The School's three research groups focus on:

• building performance, services and facilities management
• productivity in the built environment
• resilience, innovation and climate change.

Research activities across all three groups are underpinned by our research competencies across:

• digital built environment
• zero carbon and energy
• health, safety and wellbeing.

Research groups

Our research expertise and examples of how we create and share new knowledge.

Building performance, services and facilities management

Research themes include acoustics, housing reconstruction, ventilation and indoor air quality, and universal design to make built environments accessible for people in wheelchairs.

Projects include our lighting research programme, which explores:

• effects of light and lighting on the natural and built environment
• enhancing people's sleep-wake cycles
• next-generation lighting technologies.

Productivity in the built environment

Research themes include digitisation, health and safety, off-site construction, and project management.

Research includes the flagship five-year programme Creating Capacity and Capability for the New Zealand Construction Sector. The aim is to boost:

• investor confidence in delivery
• stability of construction companies and resource planning
• confidence for people seeking training and education to work in construction.

Research funding to address future needs of NZ

Innovation, resilience and climate change

Research themes include low-carbon building design, post-disaster reconstruction, and innovations in the digital built environment such as AR, VR and digital construction.

Our research includes projects with, or funded by, partners such as the:

• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
• Earthquake Commission
• BRANZ.

Consultancy

We often carry out research for partners outside Massey or work with partners on certain topics or as part of long-term relationships. Our consultancy makes the most of expertise from within the school and around the university, offering fresh thinking.

Research partnerships

BRANZ

BRANZ and the School of Built Environment collaborate on research to improve the performance of New Zealand's building system. Areas of interest include:

• indoor air quality and ventilation
• heath and safety for construction workers
• matching infrastructure pipeline planning to industry capability
• zero carbon buildings.

BRANZ

SiteSafe

SiteSafe provides health and safety advice, auditing and training to the construction industry. SiteSafe and the School of Built Environment collaborate on research and other opportunities to improve health and safety in the industry, and enrich students' skills and knowledge.

SiteSafe

Women in Built Environment

Women in Built Environment (WIBE) is a student-led organisation connecting successful women leaders from industry with our students through networking opportunities. While this group focuses on promoting female working professionals, it is not an exclusive female-only group. WIBE was founded in 2021 by students and is fully supported by the School of Built Environment at Massey University and its industry partners, including GIB and Southbase Construction.  

This year WIBE will be hosting several events including a 6-week Leadership Development programme in the second semester. Thanks to our continued sponsorship from GIB wall boards, who have provided funding for our events and merchandise. A new Scholarship award, sponsored by Southbase Construction, will also be presented at the end of the year in a Prizegiving ceremony following the Leadership Development Program.