New Zealand has been announced as host of a major international building conference in 2027, which will bring more than 300 of the world’s top building science experts to Wellington.
The International Building Physics Conference (IBPC) — which will be held for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere — is the triennial forum for the International Association of Building Physics, which advances the science behind building healthy homes.
IBPC 2027 will be hosted at Takina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre in August 2027 by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), with support from Tourism New Zealand and Business Events Wellington.
BRANZ chief executive Claire Falck says the conference will bring hundreds of delegates to New Zealand to connect and advance new ideas to solve pressing issues in building — “ultimately helping to develop more affordable, sustainable, resilient and healthy housing around the world”.
She says hosting the conference is a “testament to New Zealand’s well-established scientific reputation on the global stage”.
“As New Zealand’s building research provider, BRANZ has long been an independent and influential voice in building science internationally,” she says.
“Welcoming IBPC 2027 not only reaffirms our standing, but also showcases our continued commitment to scientific excellence and innovation.”
Dr Chris Litten, general manager of research at BRANZ, recently accepted the role of host at the final day of IBPC 2024 in Toronto, Canada.
He promised conference attendees a mix of presentations, interactive sessions and workshops, and engaging site visit opportunities, including to BRANZ’s world-class research and testing facilities.
“New Zealand has some unique characteristics, such as our climate and earthquake-prone geography, and many of these have influenced our building methods and materials,” Litten says. “We have a lot of building science knowledge to share with the world,” he says.
Business Events Wellington manager Irette Ferreira says it is fitting that the conference will take place at the brand-new Takina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre.
“It has already won architecture and property awards for its design and sustainability credentials, making it an ideal venue for a conference focused on building best practice.”
