Welcome to the Building Better Homes, Towns & Cities National Science Challenge
The National Science Challenges are designed to find solutions to some of the large, complex issues that matter most to us.
Why a Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) Challenge?
Housing is a fundamental human need. Every person is involved in housing, but we have needs and wants beyond simply a roof over our heads. A home should nurture and protect us. It should be hospitable. It should be dry, warm and insulated to keep us healthy. It should have clean air and sunlight. And it should be part of a community or built environment that also nurtures and protects us.
However, there are significant difficulties in
Challenge Vision - Ka ora kainga rua: Built environments that build communities
Challenge Mission - Manaaki tangata: Co-created innovative research that helps transform people’s dwellings into homes and communities that are hospitable, productive and protective.
Rangatahi: Perceptions of housing and papakāinga
04 December 2018: The Rangatahi Ahu within the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua research programme recently led three wānanga in Kaikohe, Auckland, and Dunedin. The Rangatahi Ahu engaged particularly with young Māori around their aspirations for and perceptions of housing. James Berghan, Maia Ratana, and Jackie Paul made a video summary of their thoughts after the last wānanga in Dunedin.
Data literacy for better research collaboration
18 May 2018:To help system users of all levels with the fundamental concepts around metadata and geospatial data management the team from the Building Better Next-generation Information for Better Outcomes have created a series of videos, as well as a booklet outlining the basic elements to add to each dataset, and guidance on how to create metadata for optimal outcomes.
Latest news and updates
Home and business: Living in harmony
17 December 2018: In a column in Architecture Now, Arthur Grimes, programme leader for the Supporting success in regional settlements research team writes about findings from a recent study his team has completed regarding what individuals and businesses prefer when it comes to locale. It seems that the things that make a place liveable and the things that make a place good for business are at odds. But can we have both?
Phase 2 investment process
14 December 2018: Following renewed investment from the Government, Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge (BBHTC NSC) is releasing its investment process for phase two. There is a research budget of up to $3.25m per annum to invest in research activities that align with the phase two strategic direction. The Challenge will invest in four research programmes of three-five years in duration with a maximum investment of $750km per programme per annum, except for the cross-challenge Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua programme, which has a maximum budget of $1m per annum.
The first round of research investment in phase two will be a co-created, negotiated investment, building on the lessons of phase one. It will not be an open contest of ideas. Research ideas for phase two must be appropriately co-created and critiqued to ensure that they are well aligned to the Challenge vision, mission and strategic research domains. There must also be a strong case made to show how they will deliver impact. Building on phase one means that we build on our current strengths and relationships with communities and collaborators.
Solving urban homelessness with manaakitanga
14 December 2018: Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua Principal Investigator Jenny Lee-Morgan talks on air about her team's research and why the work being done at Te Puea Memorial Marae is successful at getting people off the streets for good.
Te Puea manaakitanga tangata kaimahi - core team led by Hurimoana Dennis. Photo: The Treehouse Creative.