Saving builders time and money is the driving force behind a new technology pilot programme from NZCB.
Every year, New Zealand’s construction industry sends more than 1.6 million tonnes of waste to landfill – enough to fill Eden Park eight times over.
Mutu and New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) are launching a pilot programme to help address this problem, saving builders time and money in the process.
The new app allows builders to list surplus construction materials on a public marketplace, making it available to other app users. This means that materials such as excess GIB board or reinforcing mesh that might otherwise be sent to landfill can be used on other building sites, often at a discounted price to what they would cost new.
In addition, the app measures and tracks the environmental and financial impact of material sharing, including cost savings, waste diverted from landfill, and carbon emissions avoided.
Previously available only to major construction firms to coordinate the allocation of materials between their sites, the Mutu-NZCB pilot will be the first time the app has been made available to smaller residential builders.
Selected NZCB members in Auckland and Christchurch will trial the app for six months, with a view to understanding how it performs for builders in this different market segment.
“We’re excited to be the first building association in New Zealand to partner with Mutu,” says NZCB Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming.
“Our members are always looking for ways to build sustainably and affordably for their clients, and the Mutu app will allow them to do both.
“This isn’t just about waste—it’s about rethinking how we build,” says Ben Redwood, Mutu’s CEO.
“By connecting NZCB’s trusted builders with Mutu’s circular economy tools, we’re making it easier to reveal, reuse and report. This is more than a partnership. It’s a major milestone in the journey towards a circular economy in New Zealand construction.”
What’s next?
The Mutu-NZCB partnership will begin with pilot programmes for NZCB members in Auckland and Christchurch.
Based on the results of these pilots, the organisations expect to make the app available to all of NZCB’s approximately 3,000 members around the country by the end of 2025.
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