With a substantial programme of quality content, BuildUP26 provided plenty of industry food for thought.
BuildUP26 brought more than 230 people to Christchurch for the Building Institute Aotearoa’s flagship annual conference. A feast of content included 17 speakers, 13 sponsors, 10 roundtable hosts and five industry mentors, all contributing to a programme that stimulated hearty discussion on the construction sector.
Framed around the themes of people, performance and productivity, the day tackled some of the biggest issues facing the built environment, from infrastructure confidence and sector productivity through to technology, leadership and workforce capability.
The programme opened with Petra Bagust setting the tone for the day, before Andy Hagan of Te Waihanga introduced the National Infrastructure Plan and the role it can play in giving the sector greater confidence to invest in people, equipment and innovation. Gareth Kiernan then turned attention to New Zealand’s productivity challenge, taking a clear-eyed look at what is holding the sector back and what needs to change to unlock a stronger future.
International keynote James Pearce brought a global perspective to that discussion, sharing lessons from complex projects overseas and locally in New Zealand.
Later in the day, Jon Sinclair explored the growing role of AI, robotics and digital innovation in lifting performance and productivity, offering a future-focused session grounded in practical change already underway. Together, those sessions gave the conference a strong thread of forward thinking, without losing sight of the realities facing the industry right now.
The programme also kept a clear focus on people. A panel discussion on high-performing teams and projects looked at the day-to-day realities of improving output, accountability and team performance on site, while Brian Dillon highlighted the ongoing importance of growing workforce capability for the future.
Hon Chris Penk added the government’s perspective on the sector’s direction, before Janine Branje delivered a personal and powerful keynote on courage, leadership and legacy. James Laughlin then closed the formal programme with a session on clarity, consistency and self-leadership, leaving attendees inspired with practical ideas to reflect on well beyond the day itself.
Organisers said,
“What gave BuildUP26 its strength was the balance it struck between big-picture conversation and practical industry relevance."
Alongside the keynote sessions, roundtables created space for smaller, focused discussions on collaboration, digital tools, workforce capability, mental health, and legal and commercial clarity, while the parallel Mātātahi session gave next generation leaders their own place in the programme.
Building Institute Aotearoa summarised, “BuildUP26 was a timely opportunity for the sector to come together, share ideas, test thinking and focus on what will help lift outcomes across Aotearoa’s built environment. At a time when confidence, capability and clarity all matter, it showed the value of creating space for real industry conversation.”
CARTERS were proud to sponsor the BuildUP Conference again this year, showing support for the industry to connect and learn.
