New Zealand Engineering Excellence Award Winners 2014

New Zealand Engineering Excellence Award Winners 2014

Honours go to 14 Winners at last night’s Engineering Excellence Awards

Fourteen winners took home highly coveted awards at last night’s New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards, held at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland. The Awards, running since 2005, celebrate outstanding leadership, innovation, and excellence in engineering projects, people and practice.

“It was a great night with such a high calibre of entries. It reminded us again just how well New Zealand’s engineering community deserves its world-leading reputation. The judges certainly had their work cut out for them,” Kieran Devine, interim Chief Executive of IPENZ, says. IPENZ is one of eight partner organisations hosting the awards.

The 14 winners were selected from a pool of 53 entries, covering everything from earthquake-resistant building design, sewage, waste and water management, through to electricity supply and safety. There were some excellent examples blending engineering design with New Zealand’s cultural heritage.

“These are New Zealand’s premier engineering awards,” Panel Judge, Peter Higgs, says.
“This year’s entries included some outstanding examples of innovation and creativity in engineering projects and practice that are making a huge difference in the lives of countless New Zealanders – from innovations in the management of sewage and wastewater in Christchurch to a world-first in the use of redeveloped earthquake-resistant building technologies.”

The overall supreme award was given to the team behind the creation of Whangarei’s Te Matau ā Pohe bridge – which is only New Zealand’s second-ever bridge, and the first in 50 years, with a lifting mid-section to enable boats to pass underneath it. The design of the bridge incorporates the traditional Māori fish hook and takes its name from Wiremu Pohe, the Māori chief who greeted the first ever Europeans to visit the region.

“It was a pleasure to announce McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd, Transfield Services, Novare Design Ltd, Gaia Engineers Ltd, Knight Architects, Eadon Consulting, Northern Civil Consulting and Whangarei District Council as the joint winners of the Supreme Award for their work on Te Mata ā Pohe. It’s a well-deserved accolade that we hope will also inspire others to continue to integrate excellence in design with New Zealand’s unique cultural identity and ingenuity,” Mr Higgs says.

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(Note: A table outlining the winners in each category follows, along with separate summary releases for each of the overall awards).

NOTES TO REPORTERS:
1. The correct title of the awards is: The New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards.

2. The Awards are run by the Institution of Professional Engineers (IPENZ) on behalf of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA), Electricity Engineers’ Association (EEA), Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand (ACENZ), Civil Contractors New Zealand, Water New Zealand and the New Zealand Council of Engineering Deans and the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ).

3. Further information regarding the Awards, including an overview of each of the finalists and videos featuring their work, is available at www.nzeeawards.org.nz

4. The winners in each category are:
PEOPLE AWARDS
NZ Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Shaun and Grant Ryan
NZ Engineering Innovator of the Year Gallagher Team: Craig Malins, Paul Reid, Keith Gallagher and Andrew Bealing
Young Engineer of the Year Brendon Bradley
William Pickering Award for Engineering Leadership Doug Hefferman
PROJECT & PRODUCT AWARDS
Building & Construction Christchurch Airport Artesian Heating: Beca
Chemical Bio & Food Darfield Site: Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, GEA Process Engineering, Ebert Construction, Calder Stewart, Fulton Hogan and Babbage Consultants
Energy & Resources HVDC Pole 3: Aurecon NZ Ltd, Siemens NZ Ltd, Transpower NZ Ltd
Resource Efficient Design Christchurch Bio Solids Drying Facility: Beca
Transportation Infrastructure
+ Supreme Award for Engineering Excellence Te Matau ā Pohe: McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd, Transfield Services, Novare Design Ltd, Gaia Engineers Ltd, Knight Architects, Eadon Consulting, Northern Civil Consulting and Whangarei District Council
Wastewater & Amenities Eastern Selwyn Sewage Scheme: MWH New Zealand Ltd
Information, Communication, Electronic and Electrical Technology Wellington Trolleybus Overhead Protection Project: Wellington Cable Car Limited, ProTechtion Consulting Ltd, Greater Wellington Regional Council and RCR Infrastructure – O’Donnell Griffin
PRACTICE AWARDS
Excellence in Community Engagement Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative: Opus International
Excellence in Community Engagement We’re Going Home Safely Today: Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, GEA Process Engineering (NZ) Ltd, Ebert Construction, Calder Stewart, Fulton Hogan and Babbage Consultants

OVERALL WINNERS

Whangarei’s Te Matau ā Pohe bridge nets Supreme Engineering Excellence Award

The New Zealand Engineering Excellence Supreme Award has been awarded to those behind the creation of Whangarei’s Te Matau ā Pohe bridge.

McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd, Transfield Services, Novare Design Ltd, Gaia Engineers Ltd, Knight Architects, Eadon Consulting, Northern Civil Consulting and Whangarei District Council were recognised for their involvement in the creation of New Zealand’s second-ever bridge, and the first in 50 years, with a lifting mid-section to enable boats to pass underneath it.

The $30.4-million project also won the Transport Infrastructure Award earlier in the night and caps off a notable year for Whangarei City, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“It was a pleasure to announce the team behind Te Mata ā Pohe as the joint winners of the Supreme Award for 2014. It’s a well-deserved accolade that we hope will also inspire others to continue to integrate excellence in design with New Zealand’s unique cultural identity and ingenuity,” Panel Judge, Peter Higgs says.

“It’s an outstanding achievement that has not only addressed a very practical need, but done so in a way that has created a new landmark the entire region can be extremely proud of,” Mr Higgs says.

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William Pickering Award for Leadership
Dr Doug Heffernan was awarded the William Pickering Award for Engineering Leadership at the 2014 New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards, held at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel last night.

“Dr Heffernan has made an enormous contribution to the electricity industry – both in New Zealand and overseas,” Chief Panel Judge, Steve Reindler, notes.

Dr Heffernan’s served as Chief Executive of Mighty River Power, where he created the model that has taken the State-owned Enterprise into mixed ownership and helped implement long-term plans for strategic development.

“During his 16 years at Mighty River Power, Dr Heffernan had to navigate major challenges including the provision of secure and sustainable sources of energy. This led to the growth of geothermal energy in New Zealand as an ideal supplement to hydroelectricity and has led to investment in geothermal developments internationally,” Mr Reindler adds.

Dr Heffernan has considered alternative technologies since the 1980s, including alternative power like wave and wind, and has also supported several companies through mergers to corporatisation, developing national companies into global players.

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2014 Young Engineer of the Year: Leader in Earthquake Research Honoured

Dr Brendon Bradley was named the New Zealand Young Engineer of the Year at last night’s Engineering Excellence Awards, held at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel.

A senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury’s Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, Dr Bradley spearheaded vital research following the Canterbury earthquakes.

“He has led a study on prediction models, re-evaluating Christchurch’s seismic hazards, documenting the behaviour of engineered structures and quantifying seismic design loadings for the rebuild,” Chief Panel Judge, Steve Reindler, comments.

“It’s an outstanding accolade that’s gone to an outstanding young man. Dr Bradley’s work is providing very real guidance in the way people think about earthquake resistance in a seismically active environment. It’s another example of the way engineers not only shape the world around us but make it safer and more sustainable at the same time,” Mr Reindler adds.

Dr Bradley is considered an international research leader in several emerging fields of earthquake engineering and has been a member of the New Zealand reconnaissance teams for overseas natural disasters including the 2009 Samoan tsunami and 2011 Japan earthquake.

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2014 New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year: Brothers Recognised in Joint Success

Brothers Shaun and Grant Ryan have jointly received the New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Award at last night’s prestigious New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards.

"Shaun and Grant are remarkable entrepreneurs. One of the things that impressed us was not only their obvious affinity for new ideas and innovations but their established track record of making them happen and bringing them to market,” Chief Panel Judge, Steve Reindler, says.

“These are New Zealand’s premier awards for engineering professionals. Shaun and Grant are great examples of the talent and ingenuity that this country has to offer. It was a pleasure to announce them as this year’s New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners - it’s an accolade that's well deserved and will hopefully inspire others to pursue their vision just as relentlessly,” Mr Reindler adds.

Shaun and Grant have been involved in a number of engineering entrepreneurship ventures, making a significant impact to new business creation in New Zealand.

With Grant’s help as a cofounder, Shaun has developed SLI Systems into a highly successful business that is accelerating e-commerce for major retailers around the world. This innovative software system learns from users’ behaviour to optimise search results. SLI Systems builds on the success of their earlier company, GlobalBrain.net, which was sold to NBCi in one of the largest New Zealand tech deals of the time.

Grant is a serial innovator. He created the lightweight folding electric bicycle known as the YikeBike, social media company Real Contacts, and the new eco tourist experience of PurePods. He is the Chief Executive of a business incubator and serves on the boards of venture development organisations.

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New Zealand Engineering Innovators of the Year: Securing an Innovative Idea

The Gallagher Team – Keith Gallagher, Craig Malins, Paul Reid and Andrew Bealing – were named the New Zealand Engineering Innovators of the Year at the 2014 New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards last night.

The team have developed integrated security solutions that are being used by corrections and military facilities around the world. Their systems prevent unauthorised access across boundaries into secure areas.

“The team were nominated in particular for the work they undertook when they set out to create a product that was capable of simultaneously measuring wire tension and generating alarms in real-time if that tension needed adjustment,” Chief Panel Judge, Steve Reindler, explains.

This led to the development of the K20 Tensioner Link System and the Z10 Tension Sensor. The sensor continuously measures and reports wire tension in real time. It can also identify when maintenance is needed or if the security fence has been damaged.

“Their system reduces costs while at the same time increasing real-time situational awareness for clients. The system is simpler and easier to install, and more robust and reliable than previous solutions with a very low false alarm rate. It’s a well-deserved award for a New Zealand product that is attracting a lot of interest across the globe,” Mr Reindler adds.

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Christchurch engineers cleaning up at the awards

It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. Two Christchurch projects have been rewarded for their efforts in improving, and disposing of, sewerage in Canterbury at last night’s New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards.

MWH New Zealand was recognised for their work on the Eastern Selwyn Sewerage Scheme with the Water, Waste and Amenities Award. Work began prior to the Canterbury earthquakes, after which the project’s scope suddenly increased.

The engineers faced a number of challenges following the earthquakes, including the need to get 4,000 Selwyn households off the stressed city system while ensuring the expanded sewerage project remained affordable to ratepayers and could continue operating during the redevelopment.

A key part of the project was the design and construction of New Zealand’s first large-scale solar air sludge drying hall, addressing a significant sludge management problem and resulting in cost savings of more than $250,000 a year.

Similarly, Beca claimed the Resource Efficient Design Award for its Christchurch Biosolids Drying Facility, the first plant of its type to be built on such a scale in Australasia.

With nearly 5,000 dry tonnes of wastewater solids produced from the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant, the challenge of what to do with this became a growing problem. Rising landfill costs and poorly accessible forestry land forced the Christchurch City Council to seek an alternative means of disposal.

It came in the form of Beca’s thermal belt drying plant and an agreement with state coal mining company Solid Energy to use the waste material to rehabilitate mined areas at Stockton Mine.

"Last night was further testament to the outstanding quality and ingenuity that is being evidenced across many areas of the Christchurch rebuild. These two awards in particular, for MWH New Zealand and Beca, demonstrate excellent contributions not only to the ongoing rebuild but also the future sustainability of the surrounding environment,” Panel Judge Peter Higgs, comments.

The Christchurch region had a particularly strong showing in last night’s New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards, supplying eight of the 19 finalists in the overall Projects and Products category for 2014.

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