BEES is collecting data from non-residential buildings around New Zealand. Put together, the research will enable all the research questions to be answered. This includes looking at where the highest energy and water savings could be achievable (research question 7) and informing modelling and forecasting work looking at the likely future changes as the building stock and distribution around the country changes (research question 8). There was no comprehensive New Zealand list of non-residential buildings available at the start of the study, so it was necessary to develop one from property valuation records (Quotable Value) for all potentially BEES-eligible buildings in New Zealand. Ensuring the list was accurate has required extensive checking, including the use of web-based searching, but it provided new knowledge about the BEES-eligible non-residential building stock, including size distribution. This has been used to prepare a random, stratified sample for surveying.

The buildings selected for the aggregate survey are a random sample of buildings stratified into five groups by floor area, selected from the property valuation list. Each floor size quintile represents a similar total floor area, although the number of buildings varies considerably (see pie chart). Within each group, an equal number of buildings have been selected to participate in BEES, making sure each is represented in the study.

Each building is then verified by a street visit to check:

• the property's existence
• the property's estimated actual floor size
• the use of the building.

The premises or businesses within that building have also been identified and matched with phone numbers.

A sample of premises that have agreed to participate in the aggregate survey is selected for detailed monitoring.

Find out more:

• Aggregate survey
• Detailed monitoring