Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park—Helping To Create A Brighter, More Sustainable Future

Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park is the first of its kind—a venture that will deliver a unique mix of environmental, social, and economic benefits for the people of Northland. While business has yet to start, construction on the park has begun, diverting waste from landfill into a circular economy.

The Park’s sustainability mission and focus on a circular economy is what sets it apart from other innovation parks. In collaboration with Far North Holdings Limited (FNHL), Henwood Construction, John Pattinson Builders, and Phoenix Metalman Recycling (PMR), the Park has been separating, weighing, and recycling construction waste, with 72% of all construction waste managed by Phoenix Metalman being diverted from landfill thus far.

The Park is targeting a NZGBC Greenstar Communities rating for circular construction. Although the NZGBC baseline is 60%, the Park is aiming to divert over 80% of the construction waste over time, with early success from the construction teams on site. They also have Regent Training Centre and NorthTec as commercial tenants, operating continuous building sites and taking the opportunity to expand and link circular economy concepts to local businesses.

Some of the key features that could help the Park earn credit under the NZGBC Greenstar Communities rating are its careful design to minimize its impact on the land; use of local and recycled materials; and incorporation of native plants and trees. Adrian Tonks, who is guiding the civil engineering work, said that it has been designed with sustainability in mind. The master planning and architectural services for the Park are being provided by Eclipse Architecture, who have used local and recycled materials in their designs. The Innovation Hub building will feature NZ Native Riverwood extensively, thanks to Glenn Ruddell.

Phoenix Metalman typically specialises in metals, but they have helped the Park by offering consolidated transportation to transfer the gathered resources to their nearest location in Kamo, where they will be weighed and distributed for reuse and recycling. Grade 1 and 2 plastics, cardboard, wood, metal, and cardboard have all been recycled. Plasterboard was scheduled to arrive in Auckland, but Northland's persistent rain made it difficult to keep the recyclable material dry. Alternative local options are currently being looked into.

“Being able to collect the waste data has been critical to helping understand how much is produced and what opportunities could be conducted from various resources,” says Hilary West-Reeve from Phoenix Metalman. PMR’s Northland Regional Manager, Kelvin Attwood, Francis Davies in Kamo, and Hilary have been essential in leading the project at the Park.

A local startup, CiRCLR, has been working with the Park to connect local businesses into the network, creating the prospect of repurposing waste material. “We are trying to look at local opportunities to create full circularity,” says CiRCLR co-founder, Sara Smeath, “understanding what resources the Park is disposing of, will help us identify new business connections." The CiRCLR app matches new end-users for the materials, then tracks how these materials are getting a second life as they are distributed throughout the local economy, demonstrating waste impact for businesses.

According to national reports, construction and demolition waste produces 40-50% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s total waste, with most of it ending up in landfill. In areas like Northland, the waste of resources not only impacts the environment but is a loss for local enterprises that could apply the reusable materials for their own production. Reused metal drums and metal bulk bins in a variety of sizes are set up at each building site, separating glass, cardboard, plasterboard, timber, and multiple metal grades. Education on site has been instrumental in the success of construction waste sorting.

The first stage of the Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park is due to open in 2023. 

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