He Kāinga Oranga: reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing

J R Soc N Z. 2023 Feb 6;54(3):290-315. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2023.2170427. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

This paper reflects on the influences and outcomes of He Kāinga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme over 25 years, and their impact on housing and health policy in Aotearoa and internationally. Working in partnership particularly with Māori and Pasifika communities, we have conducted randomised control trials which have shown the health and broad co-benefits of retrofitted insulation, heating and remediation of home hazards, which have underpinned government policy in the Warm Up NZ-Heat Smart programme and the Healthy Homes Standards for rental housing. These trials have been included as evidence in the WHO Housing and Health Guidelines and led to our designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Housing and Wellbeing. We are increasingly explicitly weaving Māori frameworks, values and processes with traditional Western science.

Keywords: Housing; Pasifika; health; mātauranga Māori; policy interventions; wellbeing.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This work has been supported since 1991 by multiple grants: recent programme grants from Health Research Council of New Zealand are He Kāinga Oranga: Research to maximise the health and wellbeing from housing (HRC 20/683); the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Research Programmes: Public housing and urban gegeneration: Maximising wellbeing (UOOX2003); Housing children and youth: Ensuring Aotearoa’s future get the best start possible (UOOX1604) and the Marsden Fund Representation, Discourse and Reality: Eviction and its consequences (UOO1733).