Every building project has two critical choices: how you plan it, and what you build it with. Get these right, and you create a better building and building practice from the start. You can reduce waste from the ground up, choose materials that don’t harm people and planet, and build spaces that will last the test of time.

Think of pre-planning as your chance to rethink and reduce before materials even arrive on site. Do all those dwangs and nogs actually get used? Is the space the right size, or are you over-engineering? Can you coordinate delivery timing with your suppliers so excess material doesn't end up in the skip? These decisions — made early, made together — cut waste, cost, and complexity.

Material selection is about asking better questions: What does this space actually need? What's locally available? What's non-toxic and will last? What can be recovered or reused at the end of life? Standards change, resources shift, new products emerge. Each project is different.

Meet your speakers:

Delia Bellaby is an architect and lecturer at Otago Polytechnic. Delia's practice focuses on natural building techniques and sustainable design — she believes natural materials have the power to transform how we build within a circular economy.
Eva Rowe is a Building Enclosure Engineer with Oculus Building Science and Facades, focusing on high-performance buildings and energy modelling. Eva’s passion lies in building better by creating durable, healthy, warm, and dry buildings while minimizing the impact on the earth’s finite resources. Her experience spans a diverse range of projects, from high-density residential developments to bespoke single-family dwellings.
Joel Herbert is Trade Manager for PlaceMakers Wānaka. Joel has previously highlighted how industry collaboration has already driven tangible change, including improvements to construction packaging systems that reduce unnecessary landfill waste.

Head to our collections page to find other events in the series – tickets for our next webinar Integrated Design Webinar with Charissa Snijders, Kristy Jones & Matt Jones are live now.

This is How We Build Training Series

Visit our website for more details on our This is How We Build training series

This webinar, as part of our This Is How We Build series, dives deeper into what is possible when we plan and choose better. Our Pre-Planning and Materials Selection Module will be open on the 9th of June and we will run through this module as part of this webinar.

Visit our website for more details on our This is How We Build training series

This webinar is proudly supported by Queenstown Lakes District Council Zero Waste District Programme.

Contact the host of Pre-Planning & Materials Selection Webinar with Delia Bellaby, Eva Rowe and Joel Herbert