Winning infrastructure

Who says infrastructure is dull?

A public toilet and a plant converting gas into electricity in Hastings are undoubtedly top of the line.

Both pieces of Hastings District Council infrastructure featured in awards line ups in May.

Winning the small project category in the Gisborne-Hawke’s Bay Regional Architecture Awards makes the Clifton Reserve public toilets eligible for shortlisting in the New Zealand Architecture Awards. Those national awards which will be announced in November.

It is the second accolade in a year for the toilets which last year won Best Loo in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful awards.

The design was very important, given the beauty of the coastal area, but so was practicality, given predicted high use and remote location.

Also showing that infrastructure dealing with waste products can be creative and innovative, the Omaranui Landfill methane to electricity plant received a ‘commended’ in the national Trustpower Renewable Energy Category of the 2016 EECA Awards.

This renewable energy project has dual environmental benefits: removing a potent greenhouse gas from the atmosphere and using it to generate electricity.

The plant is capable of providing electricity for the equivalent of about 1000 homes.

The project is a partnership between Pioneer Energy and Hastings District Council. The landfill, owned by Hastings District Council and Napier City Council, sells the methane produced by the buried rubbish to the partnership, which then on-sells the electricity it produces.

Mayor Lawrence Yule, who attended the EECA awards in Auckland, said “both awards showcase Hastings District Council’s commitment to sustainable development which enhances our environment whilst providing the best quality infrastructure.”

ENDS

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