Research Bank
Not a member yet
5195 research outputs found
Sort by
Resource Management Act (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 116288 Submission by Unitec Housing Research Group
No full textPRELIMINARY
1.1. We note that the Purpose of Amendment Bill 116288 is to introduce amendments designed to increase rates of housing supply, increase speed of consenting processes, increase housing affordability, while maintaining the core principles of the Resource Management Act 1991 to create excellent sustainable high quality urban environments. Any proposed changes to currently approved legislation must be measured against these objectives. The Bill introduces an Intensification Streamlined Planning Process mechanism (ISPP) intended to achieve some of the stated objectives.
[...]
2.8. Housing Research Group comments
(i) de-regulated developments on B-4 sites, and other pre-2016 housing schemes illustrate deficiencies in controls exposed by previous Auckland housing projects that should be corrected in future legislation.
(ii) as an example the Amendment Bill 116288 proposes a 1.0 x 1.0m outlook space for habitable rooms other than the principal habitable room (Schedule 3A, cl. 15 (1,2)). The effect of this reduced standard is shown in Figure 1, 10 Campbell Road, resulting in inadequate light and view from the room. Figure 2, with 3 examples illustrates a common absence of servicing planning that is not addressed in the draft Bill.
(iii) for future housing developments the Bill’s amendments will consolidate rather than eliminate these problems of inadequate regulation exposed by representative projects identified here.
(iv) These issues should not be “left to the market” for definition and/or resolution: they are all material to the quality of the urban environment (that is, they serve the public interest) or are material to the quality of the housing provided and to the well-being of the occupants.
2.9. Summary:
The purpose of revision to legislation is to correct shortcomings and improve outcomes. Amendments proposed in the Bill fail to acknowledge or address the deficiencies in current regulations illustrated by built examples drawn from the pre-AUP period of development. By embedding deficiencies (2.8 (iii) above) the Amendment Bill effectively endorses these development practices
Essential ‘SHARP’ skills: Defining creative abilities in a post‐pandemic world
No full textS- Skills and structure - Social quotient
H- Habit and heuristic knowledge - Holistic quotient
A- Awareness and agility - Adaptive quotient
R- Risk and responsibility - Resilience quotient
P- Position and perspective - Presence + Poetic quotients
What connects with you?
What's missing?
How do we teach these to creatives?
To 'non-creatives'
Determining the feasibility of a circular economy for plastic waste from the construction sector in New Zealand
No full textBy 2012, the annual quantity of C&D waste produced by 40 countries had reached three billion tonnes, contributing 10-50% to total municipal solid waste around the world. Recent data from Australia and New Zealand estimated a combined contribution of approximately 28 million tonnes C&D waste to landfill for just 0.4% of the world’s population. If C&D waste was produced at an equal rate around the world, global production could be close to seven billion tonnes. In 2015, the global production of plastic waste from building and construction was 13 million tonnes. It is estimated that annually, C&D waste contributes ≥25,000 tonnes to the total amount of plastic landfilled in one major city (Auckland) alone. Waste audits from four sites demonstrated that this was predominantly polyethylene (PE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and was derived from packaging, building componentry and building protection equally. The aims of this study were to implement a ‘foundations to completion’ plastic waste audit on a new secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. This sheds light on the nature of the plastic waste, e.g., type, use and potential for recyclability or reuse. The aim was to also identify the challenges in the construction industry that hinder effective waste diversion from landfill, and to trial practical on-site solutions
A peer mentoring programme supporting learners from the School of Civil Engineering
No full textPASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) is a peer mentoring programme at Unitec that effectively supports first-year Civil Engineering students. PASS leaders play an important role in helping them connect to new learning environments, supporting them to keep up with the basic knowledge of the subject, and develop the necessary skills to survive and thrive in the first year. They support the students on a one-one in the class, tutorial, labs and field. PASS leaders scaffold students’ learning and unpack complex concepts or processes when they get “stuck” in their learning by using questioning techniques, redirecting questions and generating peer-to-peer learning interactions. Students develop confidence and skills to solve problems and take responsibility for their learning. As a result, this helps students move from one learning level to the next within the course. This presentation shows how the PASS leaders help students engage in learning the content and provides insight into how students benefit from PAS
Quantifying and managing plastic waste generated from building construction in Auckland, New Zealand
No full textEach year, construction and demolition (C&D) waste contributes at least 25,000tonnes to the total amount of plastic landfilled in Auckland, New Zealand. The growing use of plastic in the packaging of building materials, use of polystyrene and products, such as building wrap, are contributing to this. Unlike countries such as the UK, most construction waste in New Zealand is not sorted on-site, and C&D waste is often co-mingled; therefore, minimal analysis on the recoverability of plastics has been attempted. This study identified and quantified the plastic waste stream produced from four construction sites, generated from various stages of construction in Auckland, New Zealand. Plastic waste was taken over three construction stages including demolition, exterior and weatherproofing and services and cladding, amounting to 112kg (or 11.2m3). The main types of plastic analysed were polyethylene, contributing 77% (by mass), and polyvinyl chloride, representing 31% (by mass). The main reason for the generation of plastic waste across the four sites was highly variable and dependent on construction stage. However, it was apparent that plastic packaging of materials was not the single area of concern, and plastic building componentry and protection materials should also be investigated for their contribution. This study supports the requirement for improved understanding and awareness around the composition and fate of plastic C&D waste. Long-term benefits to the construction industry are from raising awareness of the potential to make profits from valuable waste products and to improve environmental performance and reputation, for a competitive advantage in New Zealand
The training and education of civil engineering students at New Zealand's largest technical institute
No full textThis paper attempts to highlight some interesting and unique aspects related to engineering education (mainly in the civil discipline) in New Zealand, a country where the typical student cohort is extremely diverse in terms of nationality, ethnicity, previous educational background, and age.
The New Zealand education system follows a three-tier model made up of: kindergartens and childcare centres (Early Childhood Education), primary and secondary school (high schools), and tertiary education (higher and vocational education) – provided by the universities, institutes of technology, industry and private training providers, and Māori training organisations.
As with many other countries in the English-speaking world, engineering education in New Zealand is delivered at three levels; at diploma level (Dublin accord qualification), a three-year bachelor degree (Sydney accord), and a four-year bachelor degree (Washington accord). The diplomas and three-year bachelor qualification are typically delivered at institutes of technology around the country, while the four-year degree is only delivered at the universities.
The diversity of Dublin and Sydney accord civil engineering students in the structural specialisation over the past five years is introduced. Their academic performance in terms of these various characteristics, nationality, age, educational background, among others is investigated, and commentary is provided on how this relates to the imperatives of the New Zealand government’s long-term Tertiary Education Strategy.
Some practical teaching methods used to engage and inspire students, and ensure that they are equipped with relevant skills to participate successfully in the labour market are also presented
Living architecture: Buildings as a regenerative part of their ecosystems
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
In tying these aims and objectives together, the over-arching question becomes: How can buildings become living ecosystems?
ABSTRACT
Most human-generated systems are linear rather than cyclical, this causes an imbalance in natural systems, destroying habitat without replenishing it. Countless species have already been displaced or wiped out and climate change is beginning to impact the human species with increased severe weather events and food insecurity. To remedy this, designers need to look at the wider consequences of their decisions and use ecosystems as inspiration to find ways human design can replenish rather than deplete the natural systems that support life. This project takes inspiration from ecosystem processes to answer the question: how can buildings become living ecosystems? This project utilises ecosystem principles in relation to the flow of energy and the cycling of water, nutrients, and oxygen, replicating them within and around the building. The programme for this building is an early childhood centre, with the ‘architectural ecosystems’ made visible to the occupants so the children can better understand their roles within ecosystems and how architecture can enhance them. The architectural ecosystems are powered by human interaction, with the aid of supporting species, while the building orchestrates these processes so the regeneration happens automatically as the occupants go about their daily activities. By bringing people into direct contact with ecosystem services and facilitating them, they can unconsciously begin to reverse the damage being done by current human processes that are used to meet human needs. The regenerative aspects are site-specific to the ecosystems of Waitītiko Meola Creek, providing water, nutrients, and habitat to surrounding species, building soil and biomass while encouraging a diverse range of species. The strategies used in this project are based on knowledge in the fields of regenerative architecture, biomimicry, biophilia, ecology, early childhood architecture, and the benefits of time children spend in nature. The precedents examined include successful early childhood centres and projects that display advanced regenerative strategies.
...
This project involves the design of an early childhood centre, ‘Waitītiko Tamariki Garden’, integrated into the forest adjacent to an inner-city stream in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
Making the transformation in academic writing: Some strategies for students from Asian background
No full textThe notion of the “threshold concept” (Meyer & Land, 2003) can be used to examine strategies for inducting Asian students into Western academic writing practices. A threshold concept is integral to a given discipline; it functions as a portal, and creates a new way of thinking about key topics in that discipline. In academic writing, for learners to progress, they must understand threshold concepts in terms of academic literacy and make transformational progress from their literacy background to a Western way of writing. It involves learning and overcoming some troublesome knowledge influenced by the Asian students’ pedagogy of teaching and learning and cultural background (Green, 2007; Loh & Teo, 2017; Zhang, 2018).
This presentation reports on the author’s practices in using appropriate strategies to assist Asian students, particularly international students from China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, to cross the threshold of Western academic writing conventions. It begins by considering the shared practices of Asian academic writing style, which these students have to start from when learning to write in a Western education context. It will discuss the significant differences between the Asian and Western writing conventions that writing teachers need to be aware of. It then shares strate gies in terms of explicit teaching the features of Western academic writing, modelling of writing coherent academic texts, helping students develop critical thinking, paraphrasing and summarising skills, and showing students how to use proper referencing systems. Finally, the presentation concludes with feedback from students and sample lessons/resources that the author uses to assist students in making the transformation in their academic writing
Euro-American Years of Lee Wei-ning
No full text集作曲家、钢琴家、音乐教育家等多种身份于一身的李惟宁是中国近现 代音乐史上一个无法绕过去的人物。文章就新近发现的几幅照片及李惟宁在巴黎和奥 地利留学期间的生活和档案材料做一些稽考，旨在通过与已知资料的对比，来考证李 氏在法国、奥地利留学生涯、师承谱系、异国之恋，以及1947 年后李氏在美国波士 顿音乐学院及之后的教学生涯
Attitudes to preventative healthcare for cats and dogs in Aotearoa / New Zealand in 20–30-year-olds
Get PDFPet ownership has increased in Aotearoa / New Zealand over the last decade, with the largest jump in dog ownership attributed to 18–34-year-olds. With the transitional nature of this age group, considering the increase in independence and responsibility, this survey aimed to measure the attitudes of 20–30-year olds to preventative healthcare of their pets. A survey was disseminated through social media; respondents self-selected their participation and were asked questions about their living situation and management of components of preventative care in their animals, including vaccinations, parasite control and veterinary check-ups. There were 93 usable responses. The findings revealed that most pet owners were renting or were homeowners, with the number of cats owned and the incidence of dog ownership higher than expected in rented homes. Most respondents had knowledge about worm transmission, with living situation and number and type of pets affecting knowledge of worm and flea infestations. The responsibility of health management was assumed by those that made decisions about what types of preventative care was given and who paid for services and treatment. Overall, owners tended to know more about, and provided preventative care and treatment for, parasites that directly affect humans, such as worms, and two thirds of respondents would deworm the household, including pets and humans. Fewer respondents were aware of the effect of fleas, with a variety of treatments used. Knowledge of preventative care, in line with the standards of animal care in Aotearoa / New Zealand, by this age group is reassuring but there could be further compliance with increased awareness of the effects of worms and flea infestations on humans