About Us

Our history

Beacon Pathway was formed to integrate research into building technologies and industry practices with research on consumer awareness and uptake, policy and regulation, and urban form.  The original shareholders were Fletcher Building, Waitakere City Council, Building Research and Scion.  They were joined in 2005 by New Zealand Steel.

Establishing our research directions

In July 2004, Beacon commissioned an initial research programme to confirm the path and scope of its future research.  Nine themes were identified and the reports commissioned at this time are available below:

  1. New technologies
  2. NOW Home®
  3. Consumer
  4. Industry
  5. Research integration tool
  6. Sustainability framework
  7. Retrofit
  8. National scorecard
  9. Neighbourhoods

 

Together, Creating Tomorrow's Homes

The key learnings from Beacon’s initial phase of research were summarised in a 50 page booklet, Together, Creating Tomorrow’s Homes.   The booklet outlines Beacon’s vision and goals, and looks at the issues Beacon, and New Zealanders, face in achieving them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beacon’s progress toward meeting the FRST contract can be charted through our annual reports and the final end of term review.  These are available below.

 

  • 20-May-2010 (Publication PUB/6)

    Executive Summary, 2010 End of Term Review of Beacon Pathway Research Consortium (PDF 43KB)

    Professor Peter Newton, Dr Richard Hawke

    The Foundation for Research Science and Technology commissioned a review of Beacon's research programme at the end of the contract term.  The panel consisted of Professor Peter Newton and Dr Richard Hawke. 

  • 30-Aug-2009 (Publication PUB/5)

    Beacon Pathway Ltd Annual Report 2008/2009 (PDF 699Kb)

    Beacon's second annual report covers the financial year of 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

  • 30-Mar-2009 (Publication PUB/1)

    Beacon Pathway Annual Report 2007 (PDF 1.4MB)

    Beacon's first annual report covers the financial year of 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. 

  • 30-Jun-2005 (Publication PCP/17)

    Together, Creating Tomorrow's Homes (PDF 5MB)

    Beacon Pathway Ltd

    Based on early research by Beacon Pathway Ltd, this publication suggests why we might want to live more sustainably, and how we can start doing so.  It argues that the most obvious place to start is at home, by improving the functionality and performance of our homes.

  • 29-Nov-2004 (Report PCP/16)

    Housing Retrofit: Housing Interventions, Stock and Market (PDF 560KB)

    John Storey, Ian Page, Louw van Wyk, Mike Collins, Tobias Kriel

    This early report for the Programme Confirmation Phase scoped retrofit interventions internationally in energy, water, materials and health.  It includes statistics on home occupiers, housing stock and retrofit programmes in New Zealand at that time.  It identified gaps in knowledge and areas where Government intervention is needed. 

  • 08-Oct-2004 (Report PCP/12)

    Sustainability Framework Design (PDF 523KB)

    Mike O'Connell

    An early report from the Programme Confirmation Phase of Beacon.  Recommends key elements of a sustainability framework, relevant to NZ.  Beacon's focus subsequently moved in a different direction and this work was not take further.

  • 29-Sep-2004 (Report PCP/2)

    Industry Research Impacts and Alternatives (PDF 568KB)

    Ann Smith, Jeska McNicol, Graeme Finlay

    An early report commissioned for Beacon's Project Confirmation Phase.  Summarises international knowledge on encouraging industry uptake and assesses the current/future capacity of the industry to deliver sustainability outcomes. Proposes assessment and performance measurement , plus an economic study to generate industry cost benefit case studies.  Superseded by later research and activity.

  • 29-Sep-2004 (Report PCP/4)

    Neighbourhoods Research Baseline (PDF 2.2MB)

    Rachel Hargreaves, Megan Howell, Katja Lietz, Roman Jaques, Charles Eason, Robert Vale, John Mackay, Surya Pandey, Alison Greenaway

    This scoping report from the Programme Confirmation Phase identifies existing national and international initiatives that address neighbourhood sustainability issues. Provides a critical assessment of a selection of these initiatives drawing out replicable elements and lessons for future initiatives.

  • 23-Aug-2004 (Report PCP/3)

    Integration Project: Prioritisation/ Optimisation Tool

    James Turner, Frances Maplesden, Ian Page

    An early report from the Programme Confirmation Phase, commissioned to help set up Beacon's research but not picked up by Beacon.  It compares methods to prioritise the research programme, assessing  the Analytical Hierarchy Process  and Real Options Analysis,  based on a review of the R&D investment literature, application of AHP and ROA, and a problem analysis.   

  • 11-Jun-2004 (Report PCP/14)

    Sustainability Framework Benchmarking Report: NOW Home versus REF Home (PDF 737KB)

    Roman Jaques, Barbara Nebel, Robert Vale, Katja Lietz, John Storey, Louw van Wyk, Bob Frame

    This early report was commissioned for the Project Confirmation Phase.  It describes and compares the sustainability features of the Waitakere NOW Home® to a typical house (Ref Home).  It then develops a practical decision making framework to assess key sustainability issues with the aim of later developing tools for future rating systems.  Work in this report formed the basis for later work on a rating tool for New Zealand.

  • 09-Jun-2004 (Report PCP/16)

    NOW Home Demonstration Home Hypothesis (PDF 469KB)

    Albert Stoecklein, Stephen McKernon

    An early report from Beacon's Programme Confirmation Phase, this report looks at how the first NOW Home (then in planning) could be used as a demonstration home.  Reviews overseas energy intervention programmes and case studies for market impact and achieved consumer behaviour change. Develops five step demonstration home evaluation methodology.

  • 10-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/6)

    New Technology Impacts (PDF 337KB)

    Michael Donn, John Storey

    This early report from the Programme Confirmation Phase considers what technologies are needed for 2012.   Concludes more need for new technologies for renovation rather than new houses. Later in Beacon's programme, research focus moved away from creating new technologies and this work was not built upon. 

  • 10-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/7)

    New Technology Impacts: Spreadsheet (Excel spreadsheet 131KB)

    Michael Donn, John Storey

    Attachment to main report PCP/6. This early report from the Programme Confirmation Phase considers what technologies are needed for 2012.   Concludes more need for new technologies for renovation rather than new houses. Later in Beacon's programme, research focus moved away from creating new technologies and this work was not built upon.

  • 09-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/13)

    National Scorecard: Interventions and Assessment Models (PDF 264KB)

    Ian Page, Nigel Jollands, Nancy Golubiewski, James Turner

    Commissioned for Beacon's Project Confirmation Phase, this early report aims to identify whether models can quantify the benefits and costs of the Beacon projects, and what influence these models may have on Government intervention. Superseded by further work on a National Scorecard to plot progress towards Beacon's goal, and by the National Value Case for Sustainable Housing Innovations.

  • 08-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/10)

    The NOW Home® Project: Part 3. Monitoring the NOW House (PDF 290KB)

    Chris Kane, Louw van Wyk, Andrew Pollard

    One of a three reports which document in detail the project communications, decision making and committee process involved in the NOW Home design.  It reflects the early design period July 2002- June 2004 prior to Beacon taking over the project.  Superseded by later iterations of NOW Home procedures which reflect monitoring and actual experience of the research homes, and consequent changes in focus and direction by Beacon. Part 3 covers the possibilities for monitoring the NOW Home. 

  • 08-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/9)

    The NOW Home® Project: Part 2. The NOW House - information for new owners (PDF 683KB)

    Karen Bayne, Chris Kane

    One of a three reports which document in detail the project communications, decision making and committee process involved in the NOW Home design.  It reflects the early design period July 2002- June 2004 prior to Beacon taking over the project.  Superseded by later iterations of NOW Home procedures, which reflect monitoring and actual experience of the house, and consequent changes in emphasis and direction by Beacon.  Part 2 records possible IP used in the project and passes on outstanding issues to Beacon as new owner. 

  • 08-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/1)

    Influencing People's Uptake of Sustainability in Housing (PDF 568KB)

    Stephen McKernon, Susan Bates, Karen Bayne, Albrecht Stoecklein, Frances Maplesden

    An early report from the Programme Confirmation Phase, this report has been superseded by more recent market transformation studies.  Includes a review of knowledge about, and commercial, social and environmental approaches to, social change.  Proposed research intervention design tool not picked up by Beacon.

  • 08-Jan-2004 (Report PCP/8)

    The NOW Home® Project: Part 1. The NOW House Design Process and Insights for Future Projects (PDF 1.6MB)

    Karen Bayne, Chris Kane

    One of a three reports which document in detail the project communications, decision making and committee process involved in the NOW Home design.  It reflects the early design period July 2002- June 2004 prior to Beacon taking over the project.  Superseded by later iterations of NOW Home procedures which reflect monitoring and actual experience of research homes, and consequent changes in focus and direction by Beacon.   Part 1 covers the development of the design brief - this was prior to seeking building consent and does not always reflect the home as built.