MEDIA RELEASE FROM LIFETIME DESIGN
Thursday 28 February 2008

Wellington’s Houses Not Fit For Population Says A Lifetime Of Experience

An “absolute necessity” is how Lifetime Design Ambassador and former Consumers Institute CEO, David Russell, describes the need for accessible houses that work for all people.

On Thursday 28 February David Russell will head a panel of expert speakers at Lower Hutt’s TheNewDowse as part of Lifetime Design’s first round of regional presentations.

The Lifetime Design presentation will be shared with a diverse group of people interested in building, architecture, design, development and community housing, as well as Mayors from across the Greater Wellington Region.

Kapiti Coast Mayor Jenny Rowan, whose electorate has the highest density of over 65's in New Zealand, will talk about her commitment to make Kapiti somewhere where older people can live in their own homes in the community. She will talk about how Kapiti District Council is already planning streets and shopping centres for this purpose.

Wellington councils have been given over $200m to upgrade their current stock of housing as it no longer meets the needs of our diverse and aging population.

David Russell will give an insight into how his role as former CEO of the Consumers Institute as well as his early days in architectural drafting have led him to become a champion for the Lifetime Design movement.

Other guest speakers include: Hon. Maryan Street, ACC Minister, Roger Styles, Deputy Mayor of Hutt City, Ron Pynenburg, Chair of the New Zealand Registered Architects Board, Kevin Atkinson, CEO Generation Homes, Kevin Cox, Director of the Greenstone Group, and Rhys Forsyth, Apprentice Builder of the Year and Lifetime Design Foundation member.

“It’s great to have such an impressive line-up of speakers involved. Like them, I really believe that Lifetime Design is one of the most significant developments and opportunities seen in the housing sector in a very long time,” says David Russell.

As well as guest speakers, Lifetime Design General Manager Viv Maidaborn will use the presentation to give participants a heads-up on the most significant trends affecting New Zealand’s population and specific initiatives that every builder, architect and developer should be acting on right now in response to these changes.

Viv will also highlight leading construction industry players already responding to the opportunity, and how they changed their business strategies as a result.

“The information we will be sharing on the night will challenge the way people think about their businesses now - and in the future,” says Viv Maidaborn.

***ENDS***

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