Bjorn Guttenbeil

Bjorn Guttenbeil, a builder and project manager transitioning to his own business, walks through a career spanning Signature Homes, GJS, Fletcher Living, and Clever Core. The conversation centres on Clever Core's panelized building system, capable of erecting the superstructure of a 6-unit terrace in a single week, and the broader promise of prefab in New Zealand. Andy and Bjorn compare Melbourne and Auckland construction cultures (Melbourne tradesmen use public transport with gear vans, unthinkable in NZ), dissect the brain drain driven by boom-bust cycles, and debate the role of the engineer to the contract under the proposed NZS 3910 revision, which introduces an ETC plus independent verifier model that may just add bureaucracy. Andy champions Asta Power Projects over MS Project, which he calls a glorified Excel spreadsheet, and notes the scarcity of P6 skills in NZ. Total float, and how poorly site teams understand it, rounds out the planning discussion.

Key Topics Discussed

• Clever Core panelized building. Superstructure erected in 1 week for a 6-unit terrace housing project. Factory-built wall and floor panels delivered and craned into place on site, dramatically compressing programme duration compared to traditional build.
• Prefab future in NZ. Discussion of where panelized and prefabricated construction is heading, the barriers to adoption, and the productivity gains already demonstrated by Clever Core and similar systems.
• Melbourne vs Auckland construction culture. In Melbourne, tradesmen catch public transport and use shared gear vans, a culture shock compared to Auckland where every tradesman drives their own ute. Reflects different industry maturity and urban density.
• Brain drain and boom-bust cycles. NZ loses skilled people during downturns who never return. The cyclical nature of the construction market drives permanent talent loss, particularly to Australia.
• Contracts / Engineer to the contract. Some engineers act as genuine contract administrators; others are tick-box exercises. The proposed NZS 3910 revision introduces an ETC plus independent verifier, potentially adding more bureaucracy without solving the underlying problem.
• Planning tools debate. Andy promotes Asta Power Projects as a proper planning tool. MS Project is dismissed as a glorified Excel spreadsheet. P6 skills are scarce in NZ. The concept of Controls and Planning is widely misunderstood by site teams who think they own it.
• AI and red tape. Andy advocates for greater use of AI in construction to cut through regulatory and administrative overhead.

Notable Quotes

• Andy: "No decision is the worst decision you can ever make."
• Andy: "I'd like to see a world where we utilize AI more and cut through the red tape."
• Andy on MS Project: a "glorified Excel spreadsheet."
• On the proposed NZS 3910 revision: ETC + independent verifier, more bureaucracy or genuine improvement?

Guest Background

Bjorn Guttenbeil is a builder and project manager based in Auckland, currently transitioning to running his own business. His career spans residential and commercial construction: Signature Homes (residential building), GJS, Fletcher Living (large-scale housing delivery), and Clever Core (panelized construction). He brings hands-on building experience combined with project management capability, and is a strong advocate for prefabrication and panelized building methods as the future of NZ construction.