Winning with Purpose: How Keola Took Home 3 House of the Year Awards

Some moments remind you why you do what you do.

For us, that moment came last Saturday night at the 2025 Master Builders House of the Year Awards, when Keola proudly took home three major honours:

• Regional Gold Award
• Regional Category Winner
• Regional Special Award

These trophies represent more than just craftsmanship.
They tell the story of how quality, sustainability, and community can work together to create something truly lasting.

From the Ground Up – A Story Worth Telling

Every build we take on starts with a promise: to deliver spaces that don’t just meet expectations, but change lives.

The Gold Award and Category Winner recognition celebrate our ability to deliver at the highest level of New Zealand’s building standards.

But the Regional Special Award, given at the judges’ discretion, is something else entirely.
This award is for projects that stand out beyond technical excellence, recognising innovation, responsibility, and impact.

For us, that recognition came from one very special project.

The Project That Won Judges’ Hearts

Our winning project was an eight-unit community housing development designed to prove that sustainability, functionality, and dignity can live under the same roof.

The goal was simple but powerful:

Safe, warm, healthy homes built with minimal impact on the environment. From the first sketches to the final nail, every decision was made with the future in mind:

• 80% of construction waste diverted from landfill, including 3.7 tonnes of timber fencing repurposed for local projects.
• Soft plastics, polystyrene, and plasterboard sent into specialist recycling streams.
• Our own branded site banners reused, cleaned, and turned into durable bags for tenants in other housing communities.
• Compact, comfortable living spaces designed for privacy while encouraging a sense of neighbourhood.
• Sustainable transport options integrated, with bike stands and limited parking to promote active lifestyles.
• High-performance materials selected to ensure long-term warmth, safety, and efficiency.

You can read more about this award-winning project on the House of the Year website.

This was responsible building at its best, designed for people, built for the planet.

Why This Win Matters for Keola

Awards are great. But for us, they’re not the end goal.

They’re proof that our approach, blending craftsmanship, innovation, and care for the environment, works.

We believe building is about more than bricks and timber.
It’s about creating spaces where people can thrive, and doing it in a way that leaves a lighter footprint for the generations to come.

And this win?
It’s a reminder that when you put people and purpose at the centre, excellence follows naturally.

Looking Ahead

We’re proud of this moment, but we’re even more excited about what’s next.

From value engineering that saves costs without cutting quality, to sustainability initiatives that turn waste into resources, we’re committed to raising the bar for construction in New Zealand.

If you’d like to see more of the work we’re proud of, visit our Projects Page or check out the House of the Year page to see more about our winning project.