Asma Rashidi Mohammadi
Harmonising Timber life-cycle Informed by Kaupapa Māori: Unveiling Te Ako Torowhānui
Kei te mihi au ki ngā atua, ki Papatūānuku, ki ngā tūpuna o te whenua nei, me ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa. I extend my greetings to the gods, to Papatūānuku, to the ancestors of this land, and to all the people of Aotearoa. My research explores the intricate intersection of timber waste management, sustainable forestry practices, and mātauranga Māori. Examining timber waste in construction and demolition reveals a lack of a holistic, sustainable framework in timber life-cycle practices. While timber is perceived as sustainable in construction, certain aspects of current practices fall short. This research emphasises the significance of waste across the timber life-cycle, with a specific focus on the initial stage—whenua and forestry—linked to Papatūānuku in mana whenua belief. This leads to an assumption that incorporating traditional knowledge from tangata whenua in New Zealand, known as mātauranga Māori, can play an important role in crafting a holistic framework. Focusing on the nexus between tikanga Māori and contemporary timber and forestry operations, I aim to highlight how integrating these two paradigms can foster more sustainable and culturally aligned forestry practices. By centring tikanga in timber life-cycle processes, I aspire to enhance sustainability not just in New Zealand’s indigenous forestry, but also in standard plantation practices. Ultimately, my research seeks to contribute to a more balanced relationship between human activity and the natural environment, promoting ecological stewardship rooted in both indigenous wisdom and modern sustainability goals. Through this exploration, I hope to bridge cultural and ecological knowledge to better inform timber life-cycle practices that honour both Papatūānuku and the practical demands of modern forestry. Noho ora mai, Asma Rashidi
Supervisors
Dr. Emina Petrović & Natasha Perkins
Qualifications
Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.) in Architectural Engineering
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
September 2007 – February 2010
Grade: 3.46/4.0
Activities and societies: Sustainable Design, Design of Community Centers, Urban Morphology
Thesis: Sustainable Community Design in the Old Fabric of Kerman
Supervised by: Prof. S. Majid Mofidi Shemirani
Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in Architectural Engineering
Islamic Azad University
September 2003 – September 2007
Research: Design of Motel in Mahan-Heritage Site - Adapted to Vernacular Architecture
Publications
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, Mapping forestry practices against sustainable development goal targets, Opinion article, Frontiers, 2025. DOI: 10.3389/frsus.2025.1534449/full
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, Circular Construction and Demolition Waste Practices for a Sustainable Future: Enhancing Resilience through Mātauranga Māori, Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, Springer, November 2024. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-63203-7_22
Shirin Yazdani, A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Teaching Architectural Design, (A Comparative Study of Past-Oriented and New Approaches in Iran), 1st International Conference on Architecture & Urban Design, EPOKA University, Albania, 2012. DOI: 92.119.236.203/handle/1/209
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Analysis of Reciprocal Relation of Local Immigration and Consumption: A Case Study for Masjed Malek Zone, Kerman, Iran, SSRN Electronic Journal, February 2012. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.2007039
Conference Presentations
A.Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Hannah Hopewell, Natasha Perkins, Rethinking ecotoxicology through ūkaipō, from toxins to tangata, Proceedings of the 58th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association 2025, The Architectural Science Association and The University of Melbourne, Australia, 3-5 December 2025.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Integrating Cultural and Economic Dimensions in Māori Forestry Practices in New Zealand, Twenty-first International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability, Florida International University, Miami, USA, 23-25 January 2025.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, Timber's 'Unsustainable' Life Cycle, Sustainability Seminar Series, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 14 May 2024.
A.Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, A Critical Examination of the Timber Lifecycle Through the Lens of Sustainable Development Goals, Smart sustainable development conference & showcase 2024, SSD2024, Feb 14, 2024.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, Sustainability Re-imagined: Harnessing Mātauranga Māori for better Timber's Future, Sustainability Postgraduate Research Symposium, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Sept 25, 2023.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Emina Kristina Petrović, Natasha Perkins, Erosion of construction and demolition waste resilience on the environment and sustainably grown materials in the wake of climate change, Resilience and Responsible Architecture & Urbanism (RRAU), Auckland, New Zealand Apr 21, 2023.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, A review on carbon footprint emission and substitutive options of material in the construction industry, ICCE 2016: 5th International Conference & Exhibition on Clean Energy. Toronto, Canada. 2016.
A. Rashidi Mohammadi, Study on Corrosion of Correlation Between Control and Dynamism Sectional, Management of city conference, Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran, 2010.