2020 Property and Construction Honours

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis it triggered hung like a dark cloud over our lives and work, surrounding us with unease and anxiety.

Reassuringly, after the initial shock, New Zealand's property and construction industries maintained an “unexpected” prosperity. Looking back and looking ahead, and continuing an annual tradition, YIJU New Zealand has joined forces with the New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association (NZCBIA) to launch the 2020 Property and Construction Honours as 2021 approaches.

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How did the individuals honoured rise against the tide during the pandemic? How did the companies make such a swift and successful transition from crisis to opportunity? During the first lockdown, NZCBIA proposed a three-stage strategy for responding to the pandemic-induced crisis: “persevere, regroup and transform”. We believe the stories of these individuals and companies offer lessons in the capabilities and techniques needed to transform themselves and turn adversity into opportunity.

As the saying goes: “Insiders see the workings; outsiders see the spectacle.”

If you work in property or construction, we recommend looking closely at the key reasons for their success. For Developer of the Year Risland. Holdings, the strong launch sales of its Albany apartments and the construction of its Neo apartments ahead of schedule are both linked to the company's commitment to systematic team development. Its marketing and project management teams alike have comprehensive workflows, training systems and contingency procedures.

Development of the Year Pacific Gardens sells out whenever new homes are released because its location, growth potential, product variety, quality and pricing all draw strong market demand.

Livefirm. Construction (N.I.) Ltd's achievement as the first Chinese-owned company to win the NZIOB Safety Award was no overnight sensation. It is closely linked to the company's longstanding culture of putting safety first.

The company is already planning its next innovative project to improve safety. Even if you do not work in the industry, you can still learn the secrets of these outstanding companies' success: they all place a high value on brand image, marketing and promotion.

As the leader in Auckland's real estate agency market, Barfoot & Thompson remains tireless, investing substantial staff time and resources in brand building and marketing, just as it has for decades.

Context. Architects has invested heavily this year in promotion within the Chinese development and construction market, organising a series of events, updating its Chinese-language webpages and promoting itself on Chinese-language social media. At year-end, it also compiled and published a Chinese edition of its Guide to the New Zealand Building Development Process, making every effort to provide comprehensive support for its team of 17 Chinese designers.

We also encourage more companies seeking to build their brands and promote their businesses to remember that YIJU, New Zealand's largest integrated property and construction platform, is their best choice.

All these honoured companies have distinctive strengths. We look forward to seeing more outstanding Chinese-owned businesses across a wide range of industries stand out next year!