Source
https://www.branz.co.nz/pubs/research-reports/sr493/ — original source (opens in a new tab; the file is not redistributed)
Summary
BRANZ Study Report SR493 (Kennerley et al., 2025) reviews the literature on the relationship between occupant wellbeing and the built environment — how wellbeing is defined, the New Zealand policy framework, the emerging themes, and where the knowledge gaps lie. It frames wellbeing as a multi-dimensional concept with no single agreed definition, and draws on Māori wellbeing models (Te Whare Tapa Whā, He Ara Waiora) and the Treasury Living Standards Framework as the NZ lenses. It is a framework synthesis rather than a data study — its value is establishing wellbeing as a legitimate, multi-dimensional design objective for buildings, broadening the healthy-housing case beyond warmth and dryness.
Key claims
- claim: "SR493 (Kennerley et al., 2025) is a literature review examining occupant wellbeing and the built environment — how wellbeing is defined, the current NZ policy framework, emerging themes in the wellbeing–built-environment relationship, completed research, and knowledge gaps; sources were selected with a focus on the NZ context."
source_location: "Abstract (p.ii); Introduction"
- claim: "Wellbeing is generally accepted as a multi-dimensional concept with no single agreed-upon definition; the review draws on Māori wellbeing frameworks — Te Whare Tapa Whā and He Ara Waiora — and the NZ Treasury Living Standards Framework (and its revised version) as lenses."
source_location: "§What is wellbeing / Māori concepts of wellbeing (p.5); §Current policy framework (pp.7–10); Figures 1, 2, 4, 5"
- claim: "Three areas were identified from the literature — housing, wellbeing in the workplace, and wellbeing and neighbourhood design; building design and performance can contribute to national wellbeing objectives and the intergenerational wellbeing of New Zealanders. Opportunities were identified to better understand and incorporate Māori concepts of wellbeing, and knowledge gaps remain in the building-for-wellbeing evidence base."
source_location: "Abstract (p.ii); §Knowledge gaps (p.26)"Neobiome Intelligence relevance
- Healthy housing — the wellbeing-framework strand. SR493 broadens the healthy_housing concept beyond the warmth/dryness/mould evidence: wellbeing is multi-dimensional, and the NZ-appropriate lenses are the Māori models — especially Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four-walled house: taha tinana/physical, taha hinengaro/mental, taha whānau/family, taha wairua/spiritual) — and the Treasury Living Standards Framework OT_049. For a Neobiome community this reframes “habitat” as supporting physical, mental, family and spiritual wellbeing, not just thermal comfort — directly relevant to I10 (psychological self-sufficiency) and D06 (health & wellbeing).
- Māori partnership thread. The emphasis on Māori wellbeing frameworks reinforces the Wai262/kaitiakitanga design consideration also raised for materials (OT_045) — wellbeing and materials both point to Te Ao Māori-grounded design.
- ⚠ Scope: qualitative literature review — no metrics; the quantitative health evidence stays with SR452/HEEP2/LIT_044.
Research targets
Research gaps
- A quantified NZ building-for-wellbeing evidence base linking specific design attributes (daylight, air quality, space, nature/biophilia, acoustics) to wellbeing outcomes — SR493 maps the framework and flags the gap but does not provide design thresholds.
Connections
Links to
Concepts (1): Healthy Housing — Warmth, Dryness & Wellbeing
Sources (1): OT_045
Referenced by
Sources (3): OT_051 · OT_156 · URL_035
EDT domains (1): D04: Sustainable Habitat & Building Technology
Concepts (1): Healthy Housing — Warmth, Dryness & Wellbeing