BRANZ seeks views on engineered wood  

BRANZ is inviting construction sector participants to complete a short survey on the use of mass timber and engineered wood products in New Zealand 

The survey is funded by the Mid–Rise Wood Construction programme and is intended to provide updated data on how the use and acceptance of engineered wood products (EWPs) has changed across the New Zealand built environment. 

The Mid-Rise Wood Construction programme is supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Red Stag Investments, and aims to encourage the use of New Zealand-grown timber in the construction of mid-rise buildings. 

Engineered wood products include structural and other building materials made from timber and timber fibre. They include laminated veneer lumber, cross laminated timber, plywood, particleboard and other composite wood products using wood. 

The survey is designed to gather information on where and how these products are being used – from acceptance and design through to supply, delivery and completed buildings. 

It follows earlier surveys carried out in 2019, 2022 and 2024. Repeating the survey provides longer term data on perceptions, trends, barriers and the use of engineered wood products in New Zealand. 

The current survey is the final one to be undertaken under the Mid–Rise Wood Construction programme, which is due to close in June 2026. 

Interior of Ngā Mokopuna, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Images feature Te Tumu Herenaga Waka out the window

Information required to inform research 

The information gathered is expected to help identify what research, guidance and industry actions could support the current and increased use of engineered wood products in New Zealand homes and buildings. It may also contribute to future guidelines for structural and other uses of engineered wood products. 

Construction sector participants have been invited to take part, with views sought from people working across companies of different sizes. 

Responses will remain confidential and will be stored securely without identifying individual responses. The data will be accessible only to BRANZ researchers Dr David Carradine, Orin Lockyer and Amy Knight. It will be held securely on Qualtrics and BRANZ servers for three years before being deleted. 

Results are expected to be published in peer reviewed journals, conference papers, research reports and other materials for industry and government, including Build magazine. Personal details will not be identifiable in any publication. 

Can NZ be an early adopter? 

BRANZ said that this information can help New Zealand become an earlier adopter of technologies that are already showing great promise around the world for high performance, high quality, and environmentally sound buildings.  

“The resulting data will help deliver key information that can feed into development of new guidelines for innovative structural and non-structural uses of EWPs. Building designers, developers and building consent officials will benefit from understanding more about EWPs, and where innovation is required to be able to integrate these modern materials within buildings,” said BRANZ. 

Everyone who completes the survey and provides contact details can enter a draw to win one of five $200 Prezzy cards. 

Further information is available from Dr David Carradine, Senior Structural Research Engineer at BRANZ, at david.carradine@branz.co.nz. You can access the survey by following this link.