Temukisa Taito was looking for a degree which combines logic with creativity when she discovered Building Science at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

“Building Science is an underrated field of study in architecture.

“Throughout primary school up until high school my favourite subjects were math and physics. Building Science allows me to explore both my creative side and the logic of what goes into a building; understanding the materials, construction methods but also the social impacts that are applied to buildings, whether in project management or looking at the sustainable systems.”

She chose Wellington for its inclusivity and the extracurricular opportunities provided by the University.

“Wellington has room for every person of every shape and size.

“The range of services like the Māori and Pasifika support, Mauri Ora, Manawa Ora and also the student success advisors that they allocate each student has made my experience at the University much more accommodating.”

Temukisa wishes to build a career creating functional and environmentally sustainable buildings, and to inspire more women and Pasifika students to enter the building science industry.

“In five years’ time I wish to have graduated with a Masters in Architectural Science and to apply my studies to projects which champion sustainable systems in their buildings.

“I aspire to encourage more young women and Pasifika youths to step foot into this intimidating industry because it is a field that continues to challenge my problem-solving abilities.”

Lauren loves two things: housing and people. Her PhD at the University focused on sustainable housing and behaviour change.

After graduating, she founded a home management website called HomeOversite.

The website provided a paperless record-keeping system for homeowners. It allowed subscribers to oversee and engage with their property, by accessing detailed information about it online.

The website allowed homeowners to store anything from insurance or compliance and construction documentation to warranties, contractors’ details, and paint colours.

Lauren established the business after working as a project manager.

“I realised there was a heap of information that was just chucked in a drawer or lost, and being a homeowner myself I wondered what do you do with that stuff?”

Lauren says HomeOversite was tailored to meet the needs of property owners all over the country as well as those living abroad.

Guy has an ongoing interest in creating sustainable, weathertight buildings. His current research projects investigate the practical nature of how to create inspiring architecture via innovative building methods, with a focus on good construction methods.

He says the term 'building science' describes all aspects of a building—how warm it is, how well it’s built, how much it costs, how long it takes to build it—and increasingly nowadays, how sustainable it is to build and maintain.

“Understanding energy flow is important, as buildings use up a huge amount of electricity just to keep them warm, comfortable and well lit.”

Guy has been teaching at Victoria University of Wellington for over a decade and one thing he particularly enjoys is seeing students come together to collaborate on projects, the same way they will in the workforce.

“We try to get the spirit of teamwork in place as early as we can, so that at university you’re not alone—you’re working with friends.”