Partners of the Series
Professional institutes, academic associations, research networks, publishers and industry that have supported GDI and DigiBUILT.
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland University of Technology traces its origins to the Auckland Technical School of 1895 and in 2000 became the first New Zealand polytechnic to gain university status. It now teaches around 28,000 students from more than 140 countries across three Auckland campuses, and Times Higher Education ranks it first in New Zealand for international outlook. Its School of Future Environments, the academic home of GDI, works across architecture, construction and the wider built environment on questions of density, sustainability and affordability, in partnership with industry, government and community.
Beca
Beca is an employee-owned advisory, design and engineering consultancy founded in New Zealand more than a century ago. With more than 4,000 people in 24 offices and projects delivered in over 70 countries, it is one of the leading professional services firms of the Asia-Pacific. As principal industry partner of GDI 2025, Beca hosted the opening evening of the inaugural edition at Beca House in Auckland, and its leadership addressed delegates on the first and final days, bringing the perspective of practice on digital delivery, asset performance and climate adaptation into the programme.
Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects
Established in 1905, Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects is the professional body for architects in Aotearoa, with a membership that represents more than 90 per cent of registered architects. Through its architecture awards, the Gold Medal, its continuing professional development programme and the Kaitiakitanga 2030 resource, the Institute sets expectations for practice and for the profession’s environmental responsibilities. Its leadership has contributed directly to GDI, from the 2025 keynote programme to the plenary address that opened the 2026 Industry Chapter.
International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction
Founded in 1953 with the support of the United Nations, the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction holds special consultative status with the UN and connects around 95 member organisations and more than 3,000 individual experts. Its more than 40 commissions, international symposia and World Building Congress give shape to the international research agenda in construction. CIB’s partnership with GDI 2025 placed the inaugural edition within the principal global network for building and construction research.
Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia
Founded in 1999, the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia provides leadership and advocacy for architecture education across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It supports the quality of professional education and of research and creative work in architecture through learning and teaching grants and through sector projects on climate action and the wellbeing of architects. Auckland University of Technology is among its member schools, and the Association’s partnership with GDI 2025 linked the conference to the regional community of architecture educators.
Associated Schools of Construction
The Associated Schools of Construction was established in 1965, when representatives of nine universities met at the University of Florida, and has become the international association for construction education, bringing academic and industry professionals together. It publishes the International Journal of Construction Education and Research and convenes an annual international conference and regional student competitions. As academic partner of GDI 2025, ASC connected the series with construction educators and researchers in its member institutions.
New Zealand Green Building Council
The New Zealand Green Building Council was founded in 2005 as an independent, not-for-profit industry body. It administers the country’s principal sustainability rating tools, including Green Star, Homestar and NABERSNZ, and counts more than 600 member companies and more than 4,500 trained professionals. With more than 350 certified green buildings and 14,000 certified homes to its record, it brings to GDI a working measure of what low-carbon, healthy buildings look like at scale. Its Chief Executive delivered a keynote address at GDI 2025.
Building Institute Aotearoa
Building Institute Aotearoa, formerly the New Zealand Institute of Building, is a pan-industry membership organisation for people working across New Zealand’s building sector. Its partnership with GDI 2025 connected the conference with the practitioners who carry research into the delivery of buildings, and gave its members a direct line into the international discussion on green, digital and intelligent construction.
Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture
The Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture took shape in 2002 as a Legacy Project of the American Institute of Architects convention, under its founding president John Paul Eberhard FAIA. A non-profit with nearly 400 members, it advances knowledge linking neuroscience research to human responses to the built environment, work recognised with the Latrobe Prize. ANFA is a principal partner of DigiBUILT 2026, whose NeuroArchitecture stream reflects that mission, and Professor Frederick Marks of its Board serves as a DigiBUILT 2026 Chair.
CIBSE Intelligent Buildings Group
The Intelligent Buildings Group is a special interest group of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, the international body for building services professionals whose origins reach back to 1897. The group champions the role of the building services engineer in the design, management and operation of intelligent buildings, with work on whole-life value, smart materials, embedded sensing and healthy, sustainable buildings. It is a principal partner of DigiBUILT 2026, and its founder, Professor Derek Clements-Croome, serves as a DigiBUILT 2026 Chair.
Smart Cities Council
The Smart Cities Council describes itself as the world’s leading cross-sector smart cities organisation. Founded as an advocacy group in Washington DC with an office in Brisbane, it now coordinates members and partners from the public, private and academic sectors across six continents, through the Smart Cities Academy, partner education programmes and a marketplace for building, infrastructure and digital transformation technologies. Its international partnership with GDI 2025 connected the conference to that cross-sector community of city builders.
Lean Construction Student Association, AUT
The Lean Construction Student Association was founded at Auckland University of Technology in 2025 to connect students with industry professionals across New Zealand’s built environment through workshops, site visits, conferences and research initiatives. As student partner of GDI 2025, it brought the next generation of construction professionals into the conference and its exchanges with industry.
Springer Nature
Springer Nature was formed in 2015 by combining Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Education and Springer Science+Business Media, publishing traditions that reach back to 1842. With more than 9,400 employees in over 40 countries, its brands include Springer, Nature Portfolio, BMC and Palgrave Macmillan. GDI 2025 and GDI 2026 hold agreements with Springer Nature for their conference proceedings, under which the publisher applies its own editorial assessment to every accepted paper.
Partner with GDI
Professional bodies and institutions can support an edition through promotion, programme partnership or co-hosting.