Minister for Building and Construction delivers keynote address, highlighting the construction industry’s vital role in economic growth.
This content was prepared by the New Zealand Builders Association and is being published by The New Zealand Herald as Advertorial.
The 2026 BCAL & NZBA Joint Business Launch Summit, jointly hosted by the New Zealand Builders Association (NZBA) and Building Consent Approval Limited (BCAL), was successfully held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland.
The summit marked an important industry gathering, bringing together more than 100 guests and representatives from across New Zealand’s building and construction sector.
Distinguished guests included Hon Simon Watts, Minister for Building and Construction; Dr Carlos Cheung MP; Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan MP; former MP Naisi Chen; Frank Xu, President of the New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association, as well as property developers, construction companies, building material suppliers, builders, designers, engineers and other industry professionals.
The summit was proudly title-sponsored by Chinese kitchen appliance brand Sacon, with support from more than ten New Zealand businesses.
Two major products and services were officially introduced to New Zealand’s building and construction industry at the summit: BCAL’s building consent processing and building inspection services, and the NZBA Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee.
BCAL is an authorised Building Consent Authority providing professional building consent processing and inspection services, with a strong focus on professionalism and efficiency.
The NZBA Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee aims to establish clear standards and guidelines for building quality assurance, strengthen the scope and structure of building guarantee protection, improve market confidence in construction quality and provide homeowners with greater confidence and peace of mind for up to ten years.
Hon Simon Watts delivers keynote address
The organisers congratulated Hon Simon Watts on his appointment as Minister for Building and Construction and expressed their hope that, under his leadership, the construction industry would continue making a significant contribution to New Zealand’s economic development.
In his keynote address, Minister Watts highlighted the importance of the building and construction sector to New Zealand. He noted that the industry accounts for approximately 8% of New Zealand’s GDP, and that around one in every ten New Zealanders works in the sector.
From building homes to delivering essential infrastructure, the construction industry plays a fundamental role in New Zealand society and makes an important contribution to economic growth.
The Minister said the Government places significant importance on the development of the sector and will continue advancing reforms aimed at simplifying building processes, increasing competition in the building materials market, improving development efficiency, and making it easier and faster to build homes.
He thanked everyone working across the construction industry for their hard work and acknowledged their contribution to New Zealand’s development and economy.
He encouraged those attending the summit to continue their efforts and contribute towards building a stronger, more resilient and more prosperous future for New Zealand.
NZBA Vice President Tom Li delivers welcome address
Tom Li, Vice President of the New Zealand Builders Association, warmly welcomed the distinguished guests and thanked the Minister, Members of Parliament and industry leaders for supporting the summit.
He also extended his appreciation to the more than 100 attendees and thanked the BCAL and NZBA teams for their efforts in organising and coordinating the event, which provided building and construction professionals with a valuable opportunity for communication, networking and collaboration.
Tom Li said the summit was not simply an industry gathering, but represented a new beginning for stronger unity, greater trust and better cooperation.
He expressed his hope that BCAL and NZBA would continue strengthening their partnership and make an even greater contribution to the development of New Zealand’s building and construction industry.
Dr Carlos Cheung MP: More investment, construction and homes needed
Dr Carlos Cheung MP told attendees that, according to the latest data, construction activity grew by 4.8% in the second quarter of this year, representing the strongest period since 2022.
He emphasised that the construction industry is one of the foundations of New Zealand’s economy, and that a strong construction sector is essential to a prosperous economy.
He said the Government recognises the importance of the industry and has introduced a series of reforms aimed at making it simpler, faster and more affordable to build.
He also emphasised the importance of encouraging investment and development, noting that economic growth requires more investment, more construction and more homes.
Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan MP Calls for greater attention to climate change
Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan MP greeted attendees and thanked the organisers for bringing the industry together.
After hearing the presentation on the NZBA Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee, he said he looked forward to seeing the product better serve homeowners and meet the needs of the market.
He highlighted the importance of maintaining strong building standards and ensuring that newly built homes provide warm, dry and healthy living environments.
In his address, he also called for climate change and environmental considerations to be incorporated into the selection and development of building products and materials, while expressing the Green Party’s support for the building and construction industry.
Naisi Chen: Strong China–New Zealand trade relations supported by Free Trade Agreement
Naisi Chen welcomed the growing presence of Chinese products in the New Zealand market.
She noted that Sacon’s participation as the title sponsor of the summit demonstrated the positive development of trade between China and New Zealand, supported by the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.
She expressed the hope that diplomatic relations, trade and cultural exchanges between China and New Zealand would continue to strengthen.
Frank Xu: Construction industry needs strong policy support
Frank Xu, President of the New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association, said 2026 marked the third consecutive year in which the association had presented its construction industry report at Parliament, providing valuable industry information to support government policymaking.
According to the 2026 Construction Industry Report, New Zealand’s construction industry generates approximately $92 billion in revenue and supports around 300,000 jobs.
Frank Xu said the performance of the construction sector is closely connected to the wider economy: when construction grows, the economy benefits; when the construction industry faces difficulties, the broader economy also feels the impact.
He therefore emphasised the importance of strong and effective policy support for the industry.
He also expressed strong support for BCAL’s building consent and inspection services and the NZBA Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee introduced at the summit.
Clinton Rogers: Working together to improve building consent efficiency
Clinton Rogers, Business Development Manager of BCAL, highlighted the challenges associated with lengthy building consent processing times and inefficiencies within the current system.
He said BCAL aims to provide a building consent process that is faster and more transparent, helping improve the overall speed and efficiency of housing construction.
At the same time, he stressed that BCAL and existing consenting authorities should work as partners rather than opponents.
Improving the overall consenting system, he said, requires cooperation between all parties involved in designing, building, inspecting and regulating New Zealand’s buildings.
NZBA’s Eason Wei launches Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee
Eason Wei, Executive Member of the New Zealand Builders Association, officially presented the NZBA Safe Home 10-Year Building Guarantee.
He explained that the guarantee focuses on key aspects of building quality and safety, including structural integrity, roof and exterior waterproofing, and structural fire protection.
The programme also incorporates building quality oversight and reviews of relevant compliance and warranty documentation, providing protection for up to ten years and giving homeowners greater confidence and peace of mind in their homes.
BCAL CEO Richard McEwan introduces building consent and inspection services
Richard McEwan, CEO of BCAL, presented BCAL’s building consent processing and inspection services.
BCAL is an authorised private Building Consent Authority in New Zealand, providing services including Building Consent (BC) processing, Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) processing and building inspections.
At the summit, BCAL highlighted service targets including a five-day RFI turnaround, building inspections within 48 hours, and next-day CCC processing, demonstrating its focus on efficiency and service delivery.
NZBA General Secretary Jack Jia delivers closing address
Jack Jia, General Secretary of the New Zealand Builders Association, delivered the closing address and expressed his sincere appreciation to the Minister, Members of Parliament, industry experts, sponsors, partners and guests for their strong support of the summit.
He wished all attendees continued success in their work and businesses, as well as happiness and good health for their families.
Jack Jia said the building and construction industry is a pillar of New Zealand’s economy and will continue to play a significant role in social development, national progress and economic recovery.
He said NZBA would continue strengthening its relationships and cooperation with the Government, industry organisations, construction companies and building professionals, bringing different parts of the sector together and contributing to the future development of New Zealand’s construction industry.
“Through today’s event, our relationships and cooperation have become even stronger. Let us continue working together to build a more professional and prosperous construction industry,” he said.
Summit concludes successfully
The summit brought together representatives from government, the building and construction industry, businesses and the wider community.
The atmosphere throughout the event was highly positive and engaging, with speakers sharing their perspectives on the future development, innovation and collaboration of New Zealand’s construction industry.
The presentations and discussions received strong feedback from attendees, while a number of mainstream and industry media organisations attended the event for interviews and coverage, further extending the summit’s reach and industry impact.
The 2026 BCAL & NZBA Joint Business Launch Summit delivered meaningful outcomes, strengthened relationships across the industry and concluded successfully.
Sponsors
Title Sponsor - Sacon Appliances
Co-organizing Partners - Mitre 10 MEGA Manukau• Clad Solution Ltd• TFL Homes Ltd• Sky Scaffolding Ltd• Supreme Kitchen
Supporting Partners - Big Screen Media• Kings Tile & Flooring• Ray White Albany• General Structures• GK Building Consultancy• Aircon & Electrical Service Ltd• Hypercon Ltd• Harmony World Building Ltd• Site 99 Limited