An essential task for us is to:

• identify the new knowledge needs of the building and construction sector
• design research and information strategies to meet these needs.

We work closely with relevant industry groups to refine priorities for research work to be undertaken for the good of the sector.

To further collect the industry's views on what it sees as being important for future development, a number of methods and information sources are used.

The bi-annual Industry Needs Survey
Distributed annually (in 2008 and again in 2010, to approximately 4,500 industry contacts), this survey asks respondents about key research and information needs, and about preferred ways for industry to receive information.

Abridged summary of the Industry Needs Survey - May 2010.

Abridged summary of the Industry Needs Survey - September 2008.

Industry workshops
Industry participants are invited to share their views on industry information needs and development. In 2008, a workshop was held with a number of key industry thinkers with the specific brief to consider the industry's short- to medium-term research needs. Download the output of this meeting - a short-form research agenda.

Building controls reviews
Building control documents such as the Building Act 2004, the review of the New Zealand Building Code and associated Standards are key documents for the sector, and identifying gaps in the knowledge that underpins the industry's ability to implement these is a very important driver for levy investment. The Building Research Levy funds expert involvement in reviews of these types of documents to assist the sector.

Phone advisory feedback
The monitoring of our phone advisory service part-funded from the Building Research Levy provides evidence of common questions, issues and trends from the industry and public.

Published government strategies and policies
Key government strategies and policies referred to include:

• National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy
• New Zealand Transport Strategy
• New Zealand Waste Strategy
• New Zealand government signing the Kyoto Protocol
• Urban Design Protocol
• Foundation for Research, Science and Technology strategies

We work with government departments directly and indirectly to bring an informed industry view and to help shape strategies and policies that benefit New Zealand and are also workable in the construction sector.

Overseas trends
Overseas trends such as the increasing attention to energy efficiency, the increasing recognition of the importance of environmental issues and the potential improvements in processes at the design stage and on site are also factored into strategising of the Building Research Levy investment programme. In addition to a seat on the CIB board, BRANZ staff are active on numerous international research task groups and bring insight on emergent trends back to New Zealand to be factored into the forward research planning process.

To determine funding priorities and initiatives, our research strategy processes then combine all this collected information, and integrate it with:

• our knowledge of trends - such as changes in urban densification in New Zealand, or the number of new houses, schools and so on that will be needed in each region over the next 20 years, or ­the vastly increased amount of plantation forest timber due to be harvested
• the portfolios adopted by other funders
• our knowledge of research and information generation in progress both in New Zealand and offshore.