Article Archive

Cooler, Greener, Smarter

Extreme weather events are causing higher temperatures and flash floods in urban areas – due in large part to a growing footprint of conventional concrete surfaces, which trap heat and block rain from soaking into the ground. Permcon offers a solution As highlighted in the BRANZ article on pages 10-11 of this magazine, we can’t keep paving our cities the same way – we need smarter, greener, infrastructure. Permcon permeable concrete offers a practical way forward. It looks li

Nov 1, 20252 min read

Navigating parental leave

For many small to medium-sized businesses, dealing with parental leave can be daunting without the resources available to larger organisations. Understanding your obligations and getting good advice from professional advisers can help you through. In the final part of this series, Kathryn McKinney from law firm Martelli McKegg answers some common questions on this topic In Part 1, we covered how an employee knows if their employer is entitled to parental leave, the differenc

Nov 1, 20253 min read

What proportional liability may mean for landscapers

The Government’s plan to shift the construction sector to a proportional liability regime is set to ease pressure on councils – but may leave the main contractor exposed to greater compliance burdens and legal responsibility for subcontractor mistakes. In this opinion piece, Builtin construction insurance expert Ben Rickard explores the implications for landscapers carrying out work that requires a building consent The Government has announced that it intends to switch the co

Nov 1, 20254 min read

Save our soils!

Earthworks compact soil so much that it sucks the air out of it, making it little better than paving at soaking up water in severe weather. University of Auckland Engineering and Design PHD student Sue Ira explains Walk down almost any new Auckland subdivision and you’ll notice the tidy strips of grass, freshly planted shrubs and young trees along the berms. They look green, healthy and good for the environment. But dig a little deeper, literally, and you’ll find that the so

Nov 1, 20254 min read

Location, Location, Location

Choosing trees is as much about foresight as it is about aesthetics. In this expert guide, Jon Muller explains how selecting the right species – and siting it carefully – can turn potential problems into long-term landscape assets When I visit more established gardens, there are often large trees on site. However, they are regularly not suitable for the location in terms of their size and position in the landscape. Estate agents love to say ‘location, location, location’ – an

Nov 1, 20253 min read