Elzine Braasch

A focus on data-driven design and developing specialist skills in her Master’s programme means Elzine is now in demand as a sustainability consultant.

The health and well-being of people within the built environment was the greatest driver to my choosing to study Building Science over Architecture. I had originally chosen Architecture as I loved the sciences and arts equally and realised during my first year that Building Science allowed me to focus on both through data-driven design. My passion for aiding design to result in a better outcome for people is still with me to this day.

I really enjoyed the computer modelling aspects of data-driven design. Despite the steep learning curve of not only the fundamentals of building physics but also the software, the outcome of seeing how small changes in building design can have large implications on the building performance made it well worth the effort and was very exciting! I was surprised that I enjoyed this element of design so much and knew that it was something I wanted to keep doing.

I obtained my first role with AECOM as Graduate – Applied Research and Sustainability based on the research and work experience undertaken in my Master’s degree. The opportunity to network with employers and choose a specific topic in which to learn and specialise meant that I came into the industry with a specific skill that was highly sought after. I was adamant that my research should be relevant to upskilling in an area that was very specialised, and my thesis supervisor was more than encouraging of that. I would not have been selected for my role without the postgraduate qualification.

I would say that critical thinking was the greatest skill that I developed through my studies, as our field is always evolving and new applications and techniques are emerging every year. The fundamentals in building simulation and building design processes have been a great help throughout my career. However, the greatest skill I gained from my postgraduate studies was learning parametric modelling (daylight, thermal and energy modelling combined). I am seven years on from graduation and am still growing my career as I introduce and upskill industry clients on the uses of this type of modelling and its value to projects.

I am currently a Senior Sustainability Consultant for Norman Disney & Young in Wellington. I lead the parametrics group within our global sustainability team, and seek innovative ways to provide early-stage design advice to our clients to improve the performance of a building design. This is often a holistic approach, ensuring the future occupants will be healthy while minimising annual energy consumption. My role has covered local and international work, which means I have always worked remotely from the project, often working for Australian, Canadian, American and UK clients. This has not only provided full flexibility and work-life balance but also meant that events such as COVID-19 had minimal impacts on my work.

I would highly recommend anyone who has a passion for health, design and tackling future climate change issues to consider the Building Science degree. The discipline of Sustainability has grown over the years, but we have never seen such a large demand for sustainability consultants as we have now and this is likely to increase in future. The new building code requirements for energy performance demonstration and our need to design more smartly have driven this demand. The Master of Building Science degree is highly regarded in industry across New Zealand and Australia and is currently the only postgraduate degree in the Pacific where you can gain the specialist skills needed.