Poorisat, TharayaAigwi, Itohan EstherDoan, Dat TienGhaffarianHoseini, Ali2026-04-082026-04-082026-04-08Construction Innovation, ISSN: 1471-4175 (Print); 1477-0857 (Online), Emerald, 26(9), 79-114. doi: 10.1108/ci-09-2025-04181471-41751477-0857http://hdl.handle.net/10292/20892<jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>Sustainable building designs and practices (SBDPs) are increasingly recognised worldwide for their potential to enhance environmental sustainability, reduce resource consumption and improve occupant well-being. In New Zealand, however, the integration of energy efficiency (EE), water efficiency (WE) and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) remains a critical but underexplored area. This study aims to investigate the combined benefits, challenges and recommendations associated with integrating EE, WE and IEQ in advancing SBDPs within the New Zealand context.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 43 experts engaged in sustainable building initiatives. Thematic analysis was used to explore stakeholder perspectives on the benefits, challenges and recommendations associated with EE, WE and IEQ integration.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>The findings reveal that EE is widely regarded as a fundamental driver of sustainable buildings, but cost concerns, weak regulations, and market-driven priorities constrain its implementation. WE is frequently overlooked, despite its potential to support water conservation, owing to perceptions of resource abundance, limited policy support and financial barriers. IEQ is increasingly valued for its role in promoting occupant health, comfort and productivity, but regulatory and awareness gaps remain significant.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>This study provides one of the first holistic assessments of EE, WE and IEQ integration in SBDPs in New Zealand. By framing New Zealand as a testbed for countries with high renewable potential, abundant water resources and weak regulatory enforcement, the research advances academic discourse while delivering actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners and investors to promote meaningful sustainability transitions in the built environment.</jats:p> </jats:sec>© Tharaya Poorisat, Itohan Esther Aigwi, Dat Tien Doan and Ali GhaffarianHoseini. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence maybe seen at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/1202 Building1503 Business and Management1504 Commercial Services3302 Building3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour4005 Civil engineeringJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1108/ci-09-2025-0418