AUT School of Future Environments

⭐⭐ The #MATES Junior University for a Day 2024 event last month was made possible through our partnership with AUT School of Future Environments. This event provided an enriching experience for over sixty Year 8 students from six primary and intermediate schools. Held at AUT's City Campus, the day introduced our mentees to a wide range of career pathways in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). You can read the full story here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gts7MKj8

Thanks Terri-Ann Berry! So proud to have you in the AUT School of Future Environments team! Looking forward to working with SBN in the future!

Last week, about 30 of our School of Future Environments engineering  students had the privilege of visiting D&H Steel Construction ltd, where they experienced the world of steel fabrication firsthand. It was an eye-opening opportunity to see how steel is crucial in shaping the infrastructure of our built environments, bridging their on campus learning with real-world applications. A big thanks to the team at D&H Steel for hosting us!

What if we generated solar electricity closer to where it was used? These maps show what it coud look like if solar panels were distributed across Auckland rooftops equivalent to the same land area as the Lauriston project. Although large solar farms, like the one currently being built in Lauriston, Canterbury, generate clean electricity at scale, they keep generation far away from where it is used. In this The Conversation Australia + NZ article, Auckland University of Technology's Dr Priscila Besen, Dr Andrew Burgess, Dr Imelda Piri, Dr Stacy Vallis, Associate Professor Ann M. and master's student Kyle Palaa argue that more rooftop solar in cities would help solve NZ’s energy crisis, and build disaster resilience. https://lnkd.in/gH5_uRdw

Developed by the Royal Society Te Apārangi-funded NUWAO (Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania) team, the Nature-based Solutions Design Guide for Te Moananui Oceania is a tool for people involved in urban design, planning, policy-making, and community engagement, who want to create urban spaces that work with nature to enhance the health and wellbeing of people, other living beings, and ecosystems. The guide features an accessible database of approximately 100 practical NbS strategies, offering guidance and inspiration for the design of NbS initiatives. The strategies range from internationally recognised to those unique to the Te Moananui Oceania region. Head to the NUWAO website to browse the database and learn more about some of the nature-based solutions in your area. https://lnkd.in/gzDkxBnn Nuwao is is led out of Auckland University of Technology and Victoria University of Wellington by Associate Professor Maibritt Pedersen Zari, and Mercia Abbott. Pictured below: Ene’io Botanical Garden, Vava'u, Tonga is an example of a nature-based solution with ecological, societal and climate change mitigation benefits.

Aotearoa’s cities have experienced significant loss of green space over recent decades, and inequities in access within our urban centres often reflect inequities in people's health and wellbeing. Read the full The Conversation Australia + NZ article by Associate Professor Maibritt Pedersen Zari and co-authors at the link below. https://lnkd.in/gxVRaq5F

While solar farms generate clean energy at scale, they do so far away from where it's used. In this article, Auckland University of Technology's Dr Priscila Besen, Dr Andrew Burgess and MArch (Prof) student Kyle Palaa argue for a more decentralised approach to energy resilience, in which architects and built environment professionals play a critical role. https://lnkd.in/g7ZsdnEb

Have you registered for AUT Research Week? Check out the great presentations from our academic staff, and register at the link below. What: AUT Research Week School of Future Environments Presentations When: Thursday 12th September, 10:30am to 4pm Where: AUT's WZ Building, 6 St Paul Street, Auckland CBD. 11:00am - Dermott McMeel: Wasting time: A systemic review of the problem with #construction waste. 11:30am - Pouyan Zarnani, PhD, MEngNZ:  Safeguarding our Communities and Industries by Innovative #Seismic Resilient Solutions: Bridging Theory & Practice 12:00pm - Rachel Mary Shearer #Indigenising SoFE Research 1:30pm - Shahab Ramhormozian: Recent and ongoing Research, Developments, and Implementations of Low-Damage Friction-Sliding Earthquake Resistant Systems in New Zealand 2:00pm Advanced Construction and Architectural Research 2:30pm Ali GhaffarianHoseini & Dr Megan Burfoot: Smart Cities and Infrastructure Research 3:00pm Systems & Communities Research 3:30pm J. Antonio Lara-Hernandez: Human Scale and Sense of Community: The Role of Architecture AUT’s School of Future Environments is dedicated to teaching and research in built environment engineering, architecture, and creative technologies. We focus on designing sustainable solutions for local and global challenges, from Auckland’s housing crisis to climate change impacts. Join us for an exploration of research and projects within our school. Refreshments will be served at this event, so enjoy lunch while our presenters share insights into their innovative work, highlighting the diverse efforts of our staff and students.