Name

Oculus

Legal name

Oculus Ltd

Website

https://obsf.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Avondale

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Building Enclosure Design Consulting: Professional consulting services for building enclosure design including PS1 (primary design), PS2 (peer review), and PS4 (construction monitoring). Revenue is project-based and quote-driven, varying by project scope, complexity, and timeline.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Oculus is a specialist consultancy that designs, engineers, and monitors high-performance building enclosures and facades for new construction, retrofits, and bespoke architectural projects. Its core deliverables are PS1 (primary enclosure design), PS2 (peer review), and PS4 (construction monitoring) compliance documentation under the New Zealand building code, supported by advanced Passive House design, PHPP energy modelling, WUFI hygrothermal analysis, and thermal bridge modelling services. Clients are architects, developers, project managers, product manufacturers, and government agencies across New Zealand and, more recently, British Columbia, Canada.

Product overview

Oculus is a building science and facade engineering consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of services for building enclosures. The core offering centers on three main PS1/PS2/PS4 design and monitoring services for building consent, supported by specialized technical services including Passive House design, component engineering, and advanced modeling (PHPP, thermal bridge, and hygrothermal WUFI analysis). Additional services cover retrofits, engineering judgement, bespoke architectural houses, and ECI consulting. The company also provides educational content including PDF resources, webinars, podcasts (The 20 Degree Podcast), and YouTube content (Building Better by OBSF).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Enclosure Design PS1 Primary design responsibility for all building enclosure elements and junctions. Oculus works with the project team through the design phase to sort out details, choose assemblies and suppliers, liaise with consultants, and ultimately issue a full-enclosure compliance report and PS1 for building consent. Best suited when Oculus is engaged early to guide high-performance envelope design.
• Enclosure Design Peer Review PS2 Independent peer review of building enclosure design produced by another designer, returning markups to be updated and then issuing an enclosure PS2 for consent. Best suited when the design is already set but the council requires an independent specialist sign-off.
• Construction Monitoring PS4 On-site construction monitoring to ensure building enclosure installation matches consented details, including review of mock-ups, observation of testing, review of shop drawings, and defect closeout. Typically required when Oculus issues a PS4, but available as a standalone service for other projects.
• Passive House Design
• Building Science: Component Design PS1 Bespoke component engineering for different types of cladding, shades, louvres, brackets, battens, and other building enclosure elements, with full PS1 compliance documentation issued for consent.
• Building Science: PHPP Modelling Passive House Planning Package modelling that counts all energy inputs and outputs to verify comfortable interior environment and optimise building enclosure performance for Passive House certification.
• Building Science: Thermal Bridge Modelling (THERM, FLIXO) Isothermal / thermal bridge modelling using THERM and FLIXO software to compare thermal performance of different junction options and optimise enclosure design.
• Building Science: Hygrothermal Modelling (WUFI) Analysis of heat, air, and moisture flows through wall assembly layers to diagnose interstitial condensation problems before they arise and ensure long-term durability of the building envelope.
• Retrofits / Renovations / Investigations Assessment and design for improving performance and durability of existing buildings, including leak investigation, remediation design, fixing hot/cold stops, heritage building work, and routine maintenance support.
• Engineering Judgement Project-specific and general component design and code compliance evaluation for new or imported products, assemblies, or components, including compliance pathway reports and technical statements for product manufacturers.
• High-end Bespoke Architectural Houses Design services for unique luxury home designs requiring innovative details, alternative solution consenting, durability optimisation, and maximised occupant comfort.
• ECI Consulting Early Contractor Involvement consulting to accelerate construction, reduce costs, simplify details, and explore on- or off-site modularisation to minimise complication and maximise project margin.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced consent delays through proactive compliance pathway navigation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Engineering New ZealandminorOthersProfessional engineering association membership providing industry credibility and networking opportunities for building science professionals.
• ACENZminorOthersAssociation of consulting engineers membership for professional development and industry standards alignment.
• New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership supporting sustainable building practices alignment with Green Star and Homestar rating systems.
• Window and Glass Association New Zealand (WGANZ)minorOthersIndustry membership for building enclosure professionals working with glazing and fenestration systems.
• Property Council New ZealandminorOthersProperty industry association membership connecting with commercial property developers and owners.
• TeulominorOthersDigital platform partnership for architectural and building industry collaboration.
• PhinzminorOthersBuilding science industry association membership.
• Klein ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partnership for E Tū Wairua Hinengaro mental health facility project. Oculus provides building enclosure expertise from early design through construction monitoring.
• RTA StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partnership for Hawke's Bay Regional Museum Research and Archives Centre. Oculus provided PS1 enclosure design and PS4 construction monitoring.
• Gemco ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner recognized for meticulous vapour control layer installation on museum project, setting standard for airtightness.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aurecon: Australasian engineering, design, and advisory firm with a buildings practice covering façade, structures, and building performance. Highly comparable given overlapping geography (NZ/Australia) and multidisciplinary engineering scope that competes for the same institutional and developer commissions.
• Holmes Group: NZ-based structural and façade engineering consultancy with a long track record in high-performance building envelopes and seismic resilience. Direct peer because of its NZ presence, specialist façade practice, and similar institutional client base (universities, government, developers).
• Morrison Hershfield: Engineering firm with a recognised building envelope and building science group (now part of Stantec). Closely comparable service mix — thermal modelling, façade engineering, envelope forensics — and a useful reference for exit/consolidation outcomes.
• RDH Building Science: North American building science consultancy specialising in building envelope investigation, hygrothermal analysis, and energy retrofits. Closest international analogue to Oculus's PHPP/WUFI-led, performance-driven service model and similar mid-sized specialist structure.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger: US-based engineering firm with deep expertise in building envelope failure investigation, thermal and hygrothermal modelling, and façade engineering. Comparable specialist positioning and a benchmark for what a scaled-up envelope consultancy can become.

Broad incumbents

• WSP: Global professional services firm with a major buildings practice including façade, building physics, and sustainability consulting across NZ and Canada. Competes for institutional clients as a one-stop alternative to specialist boutiques.
• Arup: Global engineering firm operating one of the most established façade engineering and building physics practices worldwide. Competes for the same high-performance envelope commissions and provides an obvious benchmark for Oculus's growth ceiling.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with façade and building performance capabilities serving public-sector and infrastructure clients. Comparable as a larger incumbent that institutional clients (e.g., health, education, government) may default to over a boutique specialist.
• Buro Happold: Global engineering consultancy with a dedicated façades and building envelope practice and deep Passive House / sustainability expertise. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering building-science consulting alongside multidisciplinary engineering for large institutional projects.

Regional players

• Dunning Thornton: NZ structural and envelope engineering consultancy with strong credentials in performance-based design and complex façades. Direct geographic peer competing for high-end Wellington/Auckland institutional and bespoke architectural work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BuildingBetterbyOBSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oculus-building-science-facades
• Instagraminstagram.com/obsf_engineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oculus