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Investing the Building Research Levy

BRANZ Inc. invests the Building Research Levy in industry good research and knowledge transfer. At the heart of our investment decisions is our commitment to lifting the performance of Aotearoa New Zealand's building system so it can deliver better outcomes for all.

Identifying research priorities for investment

Working closely with a wide range of stakeholders, BRANZ identifies and refines research priorities for Levy Investment. Read about how we identify information needs in the building sector.

BRANZ research portfolio

The BRANZ research portfolio consists of research activities conducted by BRANZ research teams and external research agencies.

It comprises seven key research areas:

  • Low-carbon
  • Quality and performance of homes and buildings
  • Resilience of the built environment
  • Vibrant industry
  • Thriving cities, regions and communities
  • Meeting Aotearoa New Zealand's population needs
  • Housing affordability.

Find out more about the BRANZ research portfolio

Investment Priorities Statement 2024

The purpose of the Statement is to provide guidance to BRANZ Ltd and external researchers on priorities for investment in the current financial year. It sets out how we invest, levels of investment, our investment criteria, and what activities will be supported (subject to the quality of proposals received).

This year’s Statement is the single guidance document for BRANZ Inc.’s investment in both research conducted by BRANZ Ltd and other research providers. In previous years, we published a separate statement called the ‘Prospectus’ for external researchers. In 2024 we will issue a single investment priorities statement to facilitate closer integration between internal and external research. This document signals BRANZ's priorities for research in 2024/25 for all research that it invests in.

Stewardship of the Levy

BRANZ Inc. is the steward of the Building Research Levy and invests the Levy through a range of mechanisms which include:

  • Work initiated and contracted with BRANZ Ltd (this can include sub-contracts with external providers);
  • Work initiated and contracted with external providers (this can include sub-contracts with BRANZ Ltd);
  • Scholarships to support the next generation of researchers and help support tertiary capability elsewhere in New Zealand;
  • Strategic initiatives that invest in significant activities above and beyond BRANZ’s baseline of research investment; and
  • Agile investments that are able to respond to urgent industry issues or take advantage of opportunities that may emerge outside of programmed investment rounds.