It looked holistically at the New Zealand exterior cladding context and has subsequently gone on to form the basis for a major R&D project which will be launched commercially in 2008.

Another output of this project was an experimental method called the 'Holistic Framework' which investigated a quantitative research approach to looking at social, economic and environmental factors in the same context. This formed a presentation delivered by Barbara Nebel at the annual SETAC conference in 2006.

Locus was approached to investigate this project and propose a structure that would satisfy the required outcomes. The project was entitled ‘Guardian’, a term which means ‘One that guards, watches over, or protects’. This provides a conceptual theme for the project and a focal point.

The

primary objective of this project was to establish the feasibility of developing a new timber exterior cladding system and to provide a direction for this potential development. The secondary objective was the use of a different development process and model of thinking.

The results showed that solid timber weatherboards have a place, but not in the mainstream market. They are a high-end product that is mainly used in architecturally designed homes. However, there would appear to be opportunities to develop new products for the mainstream residential, commercial and industrial cladding markets.