GM Update December 2023

Greetings from the GM’s desk at Formance!

Can someone please tell me where 2023 has gone?! 

My word that year went fast. Yet while it slipped through awful quick; what a great year it’s been! Both busy and productive at the same time! 

From a construction industry point of view a lot of the industry focus seemed to be on interest rates, and what the new government's priorities might be post-election. It was insightful to read Tony Alexander's economic update for 2024, and note that while political concerns have dropped back in the business community’s worry-list, the elevated interest rate remains a primary concern. 

From a Formance perspective it’s been the best year ever, with steady growth of projects, fueled in no small part by the strong tailwinds of an increased H1 (insulation) requirement in the NZ Building Code, and a more informed public who understand the importance of building better performing homes. It’s always pleasing to see the great work done by the NZ Green Building Council, The Passive House Institute, and The Superhome Movement who continue to shine as beacon lights ahead of mainstream construction players, and lead the way forward. Also, let’s not forget the energy (excuse the pun) in Social Housing towards a better standard of housing. Groups such as Kainga Ora (government social housing) and the community housing providers are taking action on more energy-efficient homes. As we all know; the Building Code is not the Gold Standard of construction; it’s simply the poorest performance you are legally allowed to build!

On the production front it’s hard to believe we’re now in our 3rd year of manufacturing the Formance system in our Christchurch factory. Some days it seems like yesterday we unpacked our shiny new machinery and set it up, and other days it feels like a very long time ago. We continue to make changes to the factory processes every month and have seen some useful gains in output as a result.

For 2024, the big news from Formance will be the new Formance Design Guide. Simply dubbed “V2.0” it’s been a mammoth effort from Dean and his team of expert advisors, and I can’t wait for the paint to dry so we can release it to the market. I won’t spoil their thunder by letting you know what’s in it, but suffice to say it’s way more comprehensive than the previous version, and without a doubt be the absolute rock-solid reference document for the industry when it is released. Don’t forget to register for your copy on release here:

https://home.formance.co.nz/design-guide-v2-registration-of-interest

Anyway, that’s enough from me, it really is a privilege to lead such an amazing team, and to meet so many homeowners and industry professionals in our quest to bring healthy energy efficient homes to all New Zealanders. 

In closing, my final three wishes for you in 2023 are 

1. I hope you have a truly relaxing holiday break, 
2. you actually forget about work for a bit, and that 
3. you come back to 2024 with fresh resolve to make it your best year ever!

Happy holidays, see you in 2024!

William Hubbard

General Manager

Formance