DECEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER
Well that was a busy month. So busy we didn’t get a November edition of our newsletter out. In November, we've been across to the US, seen Las Vegas, attended the Sustainable Network Next 95 event and attended the NZ Reseller awards in Auckland. It was off one flight, on another for the full month.
The good news is that a well-earned break is on its way. Just one week left and we can get a few weeks off to recover, spend time with the people that are the reason you do this.
From the V-Quest team, we wish you the best for you and your family. Make sure to leave some room for desert.
TRIMBLE DIMENSIONS CONFERENCE 2025
The V-Quest team had the incredible opportunity to attend the Trimble Inc. annual Global Conference, Trimble Dimensions, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year, they combined forces with the SketchUp Base Camp conference, creating one massive event—it was huge! The Venetian Hotel, which happens to be the 3rd largest building in the world, hosted the event, so there was plenty of room for everyone. Trimble really went above and beyond as hosts.
Barry Lynch (CEO) and William Roberts (CTO) made the long journey from Christchurch—22 hours of travel—landing in Las Vegas where the locals were surprisingly shivering in the “cold” (18°C!). Once there, we hit the ground running, setting up our stand and spending the next three days talking to architects, engineers, and contractors. The feedback we got was consistent and exciting: “Wow, we need this in the US. When are you launching here?”
We also had the privilege of competing in the Trimble Trimble 0-60 Challenge. Out of hundreds of applicants, we were one of just eight companies selected globally to take part. The task? Develop a new feature or function for our solution in just three months, with Trimble’s incredible support, and then pitch it live in front of the 6000 conference attendees. Our solution was an AI-driven benchmarking tool for carbon and cost (we’ll share more on that below!). The winner was an impressive tool from Australia called ScaffPlan, which optimises scaffolding design—a well-deserved win.
It wasn’t all work, though. Between long days and battling jetlag, we still managed to soak up some of what Vegas has to offer. Highlights included seeing an iconic Frank Gehry building and exploring the stunning Clark County Government buildings.
The best part? Building strong relationships with Trimble, meeting future users, and connecting with potential investors. The conference also opened the door to collaborate with some of the other 0-60 Challenge participants—exciting opportunities ahead!
They key takeaways
V-Quest is currently raising a Pre-Seed round investment, which will help us access the North American market. If you are interested in helping us, reach out. [email protected]
SKETCHUP EXTENSION WAREHOUSE
Since returning from Las Vegas, we’ve kept the momentum going, strengthening our partnership with both Trimble and SketchUp. We now have a clear roadmap to collaborate and promote V-Quest.
The first major milestone? Getting V-Quest listed in the SketchUp Extension Warehouse. But Trimble didn’t stop there—they’ve highlighted V-Quest right at the top of the warehouse, putting us front and center. If you’re a SketchUp user, you can check us out and sign up for a free trial.
In addition, we’re thrilled to have been selected for Trimble’s new Subscription Pilot Program—one of just 10 companies worldwide invited to take part. This means we’re among the first to test out their brand-new Application Warehouse Subscription features. Over the coming months, we’ll be working closely with Trimble to test, provide valuable feedback, and ensure we stay ahead of the curve.
Exciting times ahead!
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER EVENTS
Beyond our big trip to Las Vegas, the V-Quest team stayed busy with several other key events back home.
First up was the Hynds sponsored Sustainability Workshop, where Barry (our CEO) had the honour of chairing a dynamic and impactful session with young water engineers. Drawing on his international experience in decarbonisation, Barry led discussions with a panel of client-side engineers, contractors, low-carbon suppliers, and local government representatives. The group shared valuable insights and experiences on decarbonizing water engineering projects—a fantastic exchange of ideas and real-world solutions.
Next, we attended the Next 95 Sustainability Event in Auckland, hosted by the Sustainable Business Network. It was inspiring to see so many innovative sustainability products and services coming out of New Zealand. Some standouts included socks made from recycled rubbish, next-gen circuit boards, seaweed-based products, and a very impressive pod foundation system.
Finally, we were thrilled to attend the NZ Tech Resellers Awards, where V-Quest was nominated under the sustainability category alongside some heavy hitters like Spark, Schneider Electric, and Jabra. The award ultimately went to Digital Futures Aotearoa, but for us, it was an exciting milestone. This was V-Quest’s first recognition from the tech community, and it’s just the beginning. We’re looking forward to continuing to showcase what we’re doing in the digital space.
CARBON LEGISLATION
Last week, the New Zealand National/ACT Party unveiled their Emissions Reduction Plan 2 (ERP2)—a follow-up to Labour’s ERP. To call it a letdown is putting it lightly. It’s hard not to think of the movie "Don’t Look Up", with so much hope pinned on private industry somehow creating technology that either doesn’t yet exist or remains unproven. Sadly, there seems to be no Plan B in sight.
Under Labour’s proposal, carbon measurement was mandatory, with phased introductions of carbon thresholds. Now, all of that’s been wiped off the table. Instead, it feels like our future’s been thrown on a long-shot horse, odds running at 100/1.
The major issue? International pressures through ESG reporting and trade policies like the EU’s CBAM will inevitably force us to decarbonise anyway. By delaying action, we’re choosing the hard road—slower progress, greater social and financial costs, and a serious dent in New Zealand’s reputation for sustainability on the global stage.
领英推荐
Meanwhile, there’s some good news out of Australia. Earlier this year, New South Wales released its carbon legislation. The rollout was delayed until they launched the NABERS carbon compliance reporting tool, which builds on the excellent groundwork BRANZ completed with their LCAQuick solution. Now that both the legislation and compliance tool are live, we can expect real progress in Australia by 2025.
This positive momentum isn’t limited to Australia, the rest of the world has moved or is moving. Regions like California, New York State, Washington State, France, the UK, Germany, and most of the Scandinavian countries are either live or about to roll out similar carbon initiatives. Let’s hope New Zealand’s government wakes up—and Looks Up—soon.
AI BENCHMARK FEATURE
Did you know? 60-80% of carbon reduction opportunities are typically found during feasibility and preliminary design stages—when design data is still light and flexible. So how do you lock in those reductions? Until now, we’ve relied on experience, theories, and assumptions about which materials are "better" for the job.
Our building assembly methodology simplifies this process. At concept and prelim stages, you can use composite or system assemblies to measure and manage carbon—even without fully finalised design details. Running a carbon LCA early has never been easier.
But what if you could unlock even more opportunities at feasibility? Since July, we’ve been hard at work with Trimble to develop a game-changing feature—showcased at their Dimensions conference in Las Vegas.
Introducing Benchmark AI.
Upload a render, a screenshot, a building photo, or simply describe your project. Benchmark AI will analyse the typology, materiality, and use of the building. Enter your project details—square meters, floors, etc.—and it will generate a benchmark analysis of carbon, cost, and weight per m2 across multiple build methodologies.
Why is this a big deal?
It gives you key information, early. Whether you’re applying for Green funding or justifying your design choices, Benchmark AI answers the tough questions. Bring in our report to show you’ve already completed a carbon-cost benefit analysis and can confidently start your design journey with clear steps to achieve significant carbon reductions.
We’re almost ready to BETA test this solution. If you’re keen to be a tester, send us an email at [email protected].
CARBON FLOW PODCAST
?
In October, we launched the Carbon Flow Podcast—a platform that spotlights industry professionals actively measuring, managing, and delivering low-carbon construction solutions.
In our first episode, Barry (our CEO) sat down with Bob Burnett and Jasmin McNelly to discuss Christchurch's first negative carbon superhome. They shared the project’s background, the materials used, and the innovative solutions they discovered along the way.
For our second episode, we spoke with Bernie O'Fagan (RM Designs) and Julian Addington (Engco) about decarbonising commercial construction projects. The conversation explored the role of mass timber and the additional opportunities for mass and weight reduction.
In our third episode, we had the pleasure of talking with Katie Symons (MBIE) about the Building for Climate Change Programme, the MBIE Whole of Life Cycle Carbon Methodology, and what the future of carbon legislation could look like in New Zealand.
Looking ahead to 2025
We’re already planning future episodes and want to hear from anyone with experience in:
If this sounds like you—or someone you know—drop us a line at [email protected]. We’d love to share your story!
V-QUEST TEAM NEWS
This November, we were excited to welcome William Roberts to the team as V-Quest’s new CTO! Will brings a wealth of experience as a Quantity Surveyor, having contributed to many of New Zealand’s mass timber projects. But that’s not all—Will also has a passion for coding and will be leading the charge on V-Quest’s application delivery. From managing the front and back end, to refining the user interface and overseeing database management, Will’s role is pivotal to our growth. In early 2025, he’ll be relocating to Sydney to help expand V-Quest’s presence in the Australian market. Welcome aboard Will.
At the same time, we said a bittersweet goodbye to Abby Heath Heath, our incredible intern. Abby joined us full-time in June and made a huge impact, particularly in improving our database development and management processes. This month, we were thrilled to learn that Abby achieved an impressive 95% (A+) in her capstone project, finishing top of her class. Her contributions to V-Quest were invaluable, and we’re so proud of what she’s achieved. Thank you, Abby—we wish you all the best in your next chapter!
WORLD NEWS
The follow carbon news stories captured our attention this month.
That is it for November / December and of course 2024. Have a great holiday and see you all in 2025.