The construction industry is playing a very important role in shaping the future of our communities as they continue to grow.

As developers contribute to the housing market with their projects, it’s important for them to consider the broader impact of these developments beyond the scope of constructing new buildings and turning a profit.

Developers have a responsibility to address the social impact of their work and how these builds will have an immediate and lasting effect on the environment. New strategies are needed to make positive changes in these areas.

Social Impact

Social impact in property development can cover a few areas. Firstly, there is people management. How does the management of the property development affect internal staff as well as contractors, suppliers, purchasers and investors?

Streamlined management and transparent communication can make all the difference to team members’ productivity and morale. The construction industry is identified as a vulnerable area regarding mental health concerns in the workplace. It faces a poor reputation with workers experiencing high levels of stress, bullying, working through unsafe conditions, and inconsistent pay.

Addressing these issues and destigmatising the care for mental health is crucial for improving overall well-being and creating a healthier work environment. By applying the fundamentals of process optimisation in team management, operations become streamlined, errors are minimised, and stress is reduced on-site. This also strengthens relationships and results in a very solid team for future projects.

The social impact of property development extends to the wider community. It’s essential to consider whether a project meets the needs of the community and if the project benefits the area. This includes ensuring high housing quality and planning attractive community spaces in the development, particularly projects that will incorporate several shared spaces within the development.

Developers can go a step further with social impact by pursuing corporate sponsorships for the community. Identify your core values as a business and reflect on your community for aligning values. Contributing a portion of project profits to charitable causes adds greater meaning to the project, looking at the bigger picture outside the construction site itself.

Growing Needs

Environmental impact is very significant when it comes to the future development of New Zealand. There is a growing need for intensified housing in dense urban areas, but what adverse effects will the environment meet as a result of increased construction?

Developers need to consider the effect their project will have on natural resources and the ecosystem. District planning maps generally outline these considerations through overlays, designations and controls. However, design choices a developer makes in their project can go a step further for lasting impact.

New builds should be focusing heavily on energy efficiency. Mass produced and hastily constructed developments may meet immediate housing demands, but they often fail to consider long-term environmental consequences. After all, we should be striving for construction to last generations, and not in need of structural repairs after 10 or 20 years.

Building with construction systems with proven exceptional energy efficiency, such as those assessed by building lifecycle assessments, results in homes requiring less electricity for heating and cooling, as well as requiring less maintenance, ultimately reducing long-term greenhouse gas emissions.

As the construction industry and nation shifts towards a more sustainable and socially conscious future, developers must play their part. Through thoughtful and responsible development, we can ensure construction projects contribute positively to the world around us.

Anthony Corin and his team specialise in property development and construction using ICFs and operating through a relational contract, open-book system. Shorcom Ltd, 0800 SHORCOM, www.shorcom.co.nz