Toitū te whenua, toitū te tangata.

Pā Reo at Te Wānanga o Raukawa is now officially a certified Living Building Challenge® project. This is a significant milestone not only for the Wānanga, but for Aotearoa and the global movement toward truly sustainable design.

Located within the Ōtaki campus and designed by Tennent Brown Architects, Pā Reo has achieved Living Building Challenge® certification through Living Future, meeting all 7 Petals and 20 Imperatives of one of the most rigorous sustainability standards in the world .

This places Pā Reo among a small group of just 38 buildings globally and as only the second commercial building in Aotearoa to reach this level of certification.

A Building Grounded in Kaupapa and Purpose

More than buildings, Pā Reo is a reflection of kaupapa Māori values in practice.

At its core is a commitment to kaitiakitanga and whakapapa a responsibility to care for and sustain the environment for future generations. It reflects a way of thinking where balance is essential between people and the environment, between use and regeneration, between innovation and mātauranga.

Pā Reo operates as a self-sufficient system, designed to:

• collect and manage its own water
• treat its own waste on-site
• generate its own energy
• use carefully selected, low-chemical materials to support both human and environmental wellbeing

Every element has been considered, not just for function, but for its impact on the whenua, the people, and those yet to come.

Kotahitanga, A Collective Journey

The journey to certification has taken years of dedication, innovation, and collaboration.

Working alongside Te Wānanga o Raukawa, architects Ewan Brown and the team at Tennent and Brown Architects have remained committed to a shared vision, one that places hauora, sustainability, and long-term thinking at the centre.

It has not been without its challenges. The Living Building Challenge® is known globally for its rigor, and rightly so. But through this process, the project has not only met the standard, it has helped to shape new ways of thinking about what buildings can be.

A Blueprint for the Future

Pā Reo stands as both a beacon and a blueprint.

It shows what is possible when design is guided not only by technical excellence, but by kaupapa Māori values — when we consider the interconnectedness of people, place, and environment.

In many ways, this approach reflects long-held mātauranga Māori where living in balance with the natural world is not a new concept, but an enduring principle.

Looking Ahead

As we look to the future, Pā Reo offers a model for how we might build, live, and learn differently.

It challenges us to think beyond sustainability as a goal, and toward regeneration, responsibility, and collective wellbeing.

At Te Wānanga o Raukawa, this achievement is not just about certification, it is about continuing to uphold a vision where our spaces reflect our values, and where the wellbeing of people and the place are held together.

Pā Reo is Living Building Challenge®v4.0 certified.

Mā tātou e tiaki te taiao, kia ora ai ngā uri whakatipu.