Research Economist
Dr Cristhian Prieto puts an economic lens on resilience, working at the intersection of housing, climate change, and economics.
Dr Cristhian Prieto is a Research Economist in BRANZ's Sector Insights team. His work on market dynamics is shaping how the industry responds to some of its biggest challenges: affordability, sustainability, and resilience – the ability of buildings and communities to withstand hazards. These are economic problems as much as technical ones: no matter how sophisticated the technology we develop, it won't make an impact if we don't understand how it will be used. As Cristhian puts it: "We need to understand demand. We need to understand supply. And that's what economists do."
In 2020, Cristhian and his wife moved to Aotearoa New Zealand from Colombia after seeing photos of the South Island. "We came with zero English. Literally zero." Undeterred, Cristhian began a PhD that same year, researching the economics of disasters and climate change in New Zealand communities, including the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. His research convinced him he had a role to play in how New Zealand prepares economically for climate change – and that conviction brought him to BRANZ. (He made the Dean's List, by the way.)
Cristhian currently works across two areas. The first is durability in circular construction, a research project examining how to make New Zealand homes more resilient to extreme weather events, and what that means for building performance and occupant wellbeing.
The second is Build Insights, BRANZ's sector intelligence dashboard. Build Insights brings together data on demand, planning, and construction into a single platform, helping industry and government monitor changes across the sector.
Before joining BRANZ, Cristhian worked at MBIE as an Associate Senior Analyst. He completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in economics at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia.
"There is a lot in the resilience space that I can contribute to. I'd like to be part of addressing those challenges. Absolutely, always, especially now."
Qualifications
- PhD (Economics) with Distinction (Doctoral Dean's List), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
- MSc (Economics), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
- BSc (Economics), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Awards
Dean’s Recognition for Academic Excellence (PhD), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington