Unlike most developed countries, until now no time‐use microenvironment studies have been undertaken in New Zealand. International studies show that on average 60%–70% of each day is spent at home indoors in all countries. Time‐use differences usually relate to day type, season, gender, age and job type. Although house indoor environments have fewer pollutants than other microenvironments, spending much time in this one microenvironment can easily lead to greater exposure while some indoor spaces like kitchens are proven to produce higher levels of pollutants compared to other rooms. Consequently, this study undertaken in summer has focused on time‐use in three microenvironments: house indoors; house outdoors; and out of home, with a more detailed look at the time different members of selected household types spend in the various rooms of their house. Results show that New Zealanders spend on average 69.7% of each day at home indoors. Like other countries, time‐use at home indoors in New Zealand is affected by gender, age, job type and day type (weekday or weekend). The average summer time‐use at home outdoors is only 0.55 hours/day which is very little for a country with a temperate climate and a large proportion of houses with private gardens. In fact, New Zealand time‐use microenvironment patterns seem to follow similar patterns to those of most developed countries.

Many research and demonstration projects in the 1970s showed it was not difficult to make houses with a much lower energy use than conventional ones. Some of these projects also included autonomous systems, such as collecting and using rainwater and growing food on site. These projects not only recognized clear limits, but also translated into consumption restraints for occupants which positively affected their behaviour. However, these ideas failed to become mainstream. This resulted in houses in many developed countries becoming more energy efficient, but, paradoxically, the demands for increased floor area and amenity suggested that what users actually want is more rather than fewer resources. Building regulations to save energy have been outweighed, in terms of resources consumed, by other consumer-led moves. Seminal ideas and projects from the 1970s for the design of low-energy, autonomous houses are re-evaluated showing where resource reductions through synergy of lifestyle activities can be made. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) could have a significant role in the lowering of environmental impacts, but the framing of domestic POE must embrace a rating of the occupants' behaviour. A key challenge is to provide indicators not only on technical performance and usability, but also on user behaviours. De nombreux projets de recherche et de démonstration des années dix-neuf cent soixante-dix ont montré qu'il n'était pas difficile de réaliser des maisons utilisant beaucoup moins d'énergie que les maisons classiques. Certains de ces projets comprenaient également des systèmes autonomes, tels que la récupération et l'utilisation de l'eau de pluie et la production d'aliments sur le site. Non seulement ces projets reconnaissaient des limites claires, mais ils se traduisaient également pour les occupants par des restrictions à la consommation qui affectaient positivement leur comportement. Néanmoins, ces idées ne parvinrent pas à s'imposer auprès du grand public. Ceci a débouché dans de nombreux pays développés sur des maisons qui sont devenues plus écoénergétiques, mais, paradoxalement, la demande en surface de plancher et en équipements supplémentaires suggère que ce que les utilisateurs veulent vraiment est davantage de ressources, et non moins. Les réglementations du bâtiment destinées à économiser l'énergie n'ont pas compensé, en termes de ressources consommées, d'autres évolutions impulsées par les consommateurs. Les idées et les projets phares des années dix-neuf cent soixante-dix visant à la conception de maisons autonomes basse énergie font l'objet d'une réévaluation qui montre où peuvent être opérées les réductions de ressources par une synergie des activités liées au mode de vie. L'évaluation après occupation (POE) pourrait jouer un rôle significatif dans l'abaissement des impacts environnementaux, mais le cadrage de l'évaluation après occupation résidentielle doit inclure une notation du comportement des occupants. La fourniture d'indicateurs portant non seulement sur les performances techniques et l'utilisabilité, mais également sur les comportements des utilisateurs, constitue un défi essentiel. Mots clés: autonomie, comportement, dépassement écologique, rendement énergétique, maison, paradoxe de Jevons, modes de vie, évaluation après occupation (POE), approche systémique

A quantitative study was undertaken to calculate the potential sustainability of five residential blocks in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) of differing physical densities. The main study considered five attributes of sustainability: domestic energy, transportation, carbon sequestration, food, and waste. This paper presents the results and mathematical methodology developed for one key aspect, domestic energy. Using aerial photographs, Geographic Information System (GIS) and ecological footprint assessment techniques, domestic energy demand, generation and deficit were calculated. Research outcomes suggest that the classic New Zealand suburb with a density of 18 households per hectare might have the greatest potential to be more sustainable.

Place as a theory fails to clearly articulate linkages between meaning and physical settings for chosen activities in public space. In addressing these issues, the meaning of user behaviour in public space is described by affective and cognitive images of the physical setting; a theoretical conceptualisation of individual experiences which include overlapping social, cultural, and educational contexts. The results of a survey of 160 users across four public spaces found that affect framed cognitive evaluations of design elements for anticipated behaviour. A two-stage process suggesting place-making in design need to shift emphases from articulating preferences to enabling interpretation and opportunity. Within this theoretical framework, the argument is presented that a focus on aligning design with public expectation at a point in time will lead to temporal popularity of location, to popular places that will be presented for redevelopment at some future point in time when their popularity declines.

Sustainability Indicators are a measure to assess progress towards sustainable development, but how and why certain indicators are produced and used is often hard to understand. There is also a lack of common ground, so that different indicators cannot be directly compared. This paper explores the suitability of some existing sustainability indicators and measurement tools in this light. It suggests there is a need to develop simple local quantitative indicators in addition to the more commonly used qualitative indicators. A new method is outlined for the development of quantitative physical indicators as part of an integrated approach to a more sustainable urban environment.