This Special Issue includes expanded academic papers selected from the forthcoming BBNZ 2014 Conference.The 2014 Building a Better New Zealand conference was held at The Rendezvous Hotel, Auckland, from 3 September 2014 to 5 September 2014.Themes:•Achieving Better Buildings•Improving the Performance of Materials•Improving the performance of existing buildings•Sustainability•Productivity•Meeting New Zealanders’ housing needs•Building better cities and communitiesFor further information, please visit: http://www.buildingabetternz.co.nz.