About us
Toa Homes is a joint venture between Ngāti Toa Rangatira and How We Live Investments.
Toa Homes was born from conversations between Helmut Modlik (Ngāti Toa Rangatira), James Bushell and many others, following the publication of the How We Live Report.
How We Live highlighted for many the ripple effect that housing has on our health, wellbeing and ability to thrive as individuals, families and as a nation.
Toa Homes is our answer to that challenge. Our simple panel system delivers a healthy, exceptionally energy-efficient home from $3,800/sqm, ensuring a healthy home is an affordable option for every new build in Aotearoa.
Research and development
It took three years of R&D to create the Toa Homes panel system.
We collaborated with builders, architects, PassivHaus specialists, sustainability experts, researchers and industry specialists to identify where the current methods are working and where they’re underperforming, causing cost escalation or delivering inconsistent results.
Whenever we reached a point where a high tech solution was needed, we went back to the drawing board and designed our own low tech solution.
To get to simple was a long and challenging process. But the result is anyone can now build with our panel system, using readily-available, locally-sourced materials and low waste.
Our team
We’re a tight knit bunch — bringing our unique skills, perspectives and world views to the challenge of forging a new housing pathway for Aotearoa.
Being outcome-focused means we view all of our decision-making through the lens of a healthy home and way-find using our core values as a guides.
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We strive to sustain people and resources.
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Enhance mana through generosity and care.
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Courageous leadership.
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Better things in a better way.
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James Bushell
GENERAL MANAGER
James is one of the co-investors in Toa Homes and is dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable world, and believes it starts with housing.
James has a background in strategy development and implementation, governance and data-driven decision making. He lives in the Toa Homes show home in Pāuatahanui with his wife and young daughter.
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Chelsea Cain (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga)
ACCOUNTS MANAGER
Chelsea is interested in the rights and welfare of indigenous cultures. She has taught Te Pou Hono ki Taiao through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and has recently completed a Bachelor of Te Reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Raukawa.
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Hyrum Modlik (Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER
Hyrum has worked in the building industry for over seven years — first as a bank mortgage manager, then as a qualified builder, moving on to manage his own modular housing company.
He is passionate about making healthy and energy-efficient homes accessible to everyone, especially those who are underserved by the status quo approach to housing.
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Kelsi Doscher
MARKETING MANAGER
Kelsi has a background in marketing and strategic communications. She’s worked across the humanitarian, remote sensing, conservation and fintech industries to help teams communicate their vision, values and product offering in accessible, engaging ways.
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Zak Read
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Zak has been working in the building industry for over 25 years, first as an apprentice right out of school, and most recently as the owner of a family-based building company with 27 staff, building high performance and passive houses in Canterbury.
He has a passion for alternative methods of construction and is interested in finding ways to deliver better health, safety and wellbeing outcomes through smarter building.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
Toa Homes is only possible because of an enormous generosity of time, heart and expertise from many across Aotearoa, Australia, North America and Europe.
Helmut Modlik (Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
Cara Hamon (Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
Boyd Scirkovich (Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
Sharon Bryant
Ben Preston
Matt Noyes
Adam Cohen
Guy Shaw
Kevin Spacey
The Nest
Yachal Upson
And many others…
Everyone has a role to play in shaping the future. This is our effort to improve the health of our whānau today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
