The Mauri Model

The Mauri Model is a decision-making framework that combines a stakeholder assessment of worldviews, with an impact assessment of indicators (such as Escherichia coli; E. coli) to determine sustainability and trends over time. This framework uses the concept of mauri as the measure of sustainability, rather than the conventional monetary based assessment. Dr Kēpa Morgan created the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework and mauri-0-meter in 2004 while researching Rotorua Lake's water quality for his Doctoral Studies at the University of Auckland.

The use of mauri as the measure of sustainability allows for a more accurate representation of the impacts of certain actions/options. These may not always be best represented or included in monetary based assessments of sustainability, but are nonetheless important to the decision-making process.
The Mauri Model measures mauri in four dimensions – environmental wellbeing (Taiao), cultural wellbeing (Hapū), social wellbeing (Hapori) and economic wellbeing (Whānau). Indicators are then chosen that represent the impacts upon mauri for each dimension.

The impact upon indicators are measured using the mauri-0-meter, a very intuitive system of sustainability determination which identifies the state of mauri and trends – giving the user the ability to assess several options/scenarios and their relative outcomes and impacts over time. The Mauri Model is easily customisable to accurately model most situations, and simple enough to be understood and completed by the general public.

Exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa

The mauri-0-meter is an interactive exhibit at Te Papa Tongarewa (Wellington) in relation to fresh water.Fresh water samples are contained in labelled plastic bottles in a glass doored fridge. The mauri-0-meter is explained and displayed on each sample indicating the mauri of the water. The measures of mauri have been calculated using a set of indicators and the mauri dimensions are equally weighted for the score given. The audience is asked to estimate the mauri of each sample based on appearance. Some results are surprising.