BRANZ-funded research shows that up to 80% of plastic waste can be diverted from landfill – offering practical insights for landscapers aiming to improve onsite sustainability through better planning and material management. The research examined 7.2T of plastic waste collected from six separate construction sites in Auckland, which was separated and categorised into 46 groups. In total, 4.5T was kept out of landfill. The best-performing site diverted about 80% of its plastic

Landscape professionals in Australia’s capital are pushing back against a proposed licensing framework – a discussion that may sound familiar to New Zealand contractors navigating our own regulatory environment. The Landscape Association (TLA) in Australia is leading a renewed campaign to have structural landscaping formally recognised within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government’s trade licensing review, arguing that excluding the sector risks creating unnecessar

Regulatory changes for the construction industry are reshaping the operating environment. We’re here to help business owners and landscapers stay up to speed when undertaking consented work Recent months have seen developments in building regulation and related systems that have implications across the sector. This overview brings together four key updates. Granny flat exemptions From 15 January 2026, new rules allow certain small, standalone dwellings – commonly referred to

Recently announced legislative updates will make it easier to build granny flats – but what will that mean for landscapers? This article provides some answers The Government has passed the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Amendment Bill, enabling simple detached dwellings of up to 70m² to be constructed without a building consent from early 2026. At the same time, a proposed National Environmental Standard (NES) is intended to remove the need for resourc

The Government has announced the biggest overhaul of New Zealand’s building consent system in two decades, with a liability shift likely to affect landscaping projects that require consents Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has said he will shift liability in the construction industry from joint and several liability to a proportionate model. Currently, councils can be forced to shoulder the majority of costs when building failures occur, even if they were only pa

Tauranga horticulture professional Zoë Taylor was a finalist in the 2025 Wāhine Toa Award – a prestigious category at the National...

This is a column by landscapers, for landscapers. In it, you’ll find knowledge, views and insights from professionals just like you, who...

Primary ITO has confirmed it will continue supporting New Zealand’s landscaping workforce through a major overhaul of the vocational...

Landscapers could find business improving over the next 12 months, with data released by Stats NZ and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand...