Finalists Named In ACENZ INNOVATE NZ Awards 2010

Outstanding Projects Named As Finalists In ACENZ INNOVATE NZ Awards 2010

From clearing toxic chemicals from a historic wartime fuel depot to world-first seismic design, top engineering projects have been named among finalists in the INNOVATE NZ Awards of Excellence 2010.

The awards are organised by the Association of Consulting Engineers NZ (ACENZ) and recognise innovation in consulting engineering both in the structures or processes developed and in the means of providing engineering services to the client.

Convenor of Judges Allan Leahy said that the number and sheer variety of projects types this year presented real challenges to the judging panel.

“The dramatic increase in New Zealand based projects as opposed to international projects will also really highlight our local talent,” said Mr Leahy.

“It shows, that despite the international economic gloom over the last year or two, the industry in New Zealand is still very strong, dynamic and innovative.”

The URS consultancy was responsible for the project to remove toxic chemicals from the historic Bankside WWII Fuel Depot in Canterbury, built in 1942 for the secret Te Pirita airfield, and which has Category II registration from the Historic Places Trust

The depot had been used as a dumping ground for agrichemicals and the project was made particularly challenging by the range and unknown mix of chemicals and the possibility of buried military explosives.

The approach developed by URS - resulting in the successful removal of all the waste - was the first project of its kind in New Zealand, and required the contractor to be prepared for any hazard.

Major seismic design projects in Wellington are also among finalists, including the BNZ Building, Chews Precinct and new Wellington Regional Hospital.

The Beca consultancy features for its outstanding structural solutions for the 25,000m2 BNZ Building which includes world-leading seismic design features.

Beca also provided all engineering building services for the new regional hospital development, including initiatives to ensure the building can remain functional in the event of a major earthquake.

Dunning Thornton Consultants also developed entirely new approaches, including seismic retrofit methodology, for the extensive urban regeneration project at Chews Precinct, which included four heritage strengthening and five new build structures.

Other finalists include the Mahia Weather Radar Tower, the first structure of its kind in the country, developed for the Metservice by MWH New Zealand to withstand challenging weather conditions on the Mahia Peninsula in Hawke’s Bay.

Winners of the awards will be announced on July 31.

All Finalists: Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand’s INNOVATE NZ Awards of Excellence 2010

Auckland/Manukau City

Abbotts Way Stormwater Upgrade Project: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Achilles Point Lookout: Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

Auckland Motorways Ramp Signalling Project: Beca

Deloitte Centre: Holmes Consulting Group

Grafton Bridge Strengthening: Beca

Kawakawa Bay Landslip Remediation: Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

Newmarket Railway Station: Opus International Consultants Ltd

Project Storm 2: MWH New Zealand Ltd

SH20 Mt Roskill Extension: Opus International Consultants Ltd and URS NZ Ltd

Southdown Cogeneration Facility GE105 Project: Parsons Brinckerhoff

Sylvia Park Commercial Centre Infrastructure: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Telecom Mayoral Drive Exchange: Opus International Consultants Ltd

Waitakere Dam Resource Consent Upgrade: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Northland

Shell Kaikohe Asset Replacement: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Kaitaia Municipal Treated Water Reservoir: Richardson Stevens Consultants Ltd

Kerikeri Heritage Footbridge: Richardson Stevens Consultants Ltd

Wave and Waka Sculpture at Hihiaua Point: Richardson Stevens Consultants Ltd

Waikato/Bay of Plenty

Hautapu Lactose Evaporator Project: Aurecon

Avalon Drive Bypass: Opus International Consultants Ltd

Huntly Power Station Overland Coal Conveyor Upgrade: AECOM

Kawerau Geothermal Power Station: Steam Separation System of Unit 1: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Pauanui Effluent Irrigation Disposal System: URS New Zealand Ltd

Tairua-Pauanui Water Supply Options Study: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

Hamilton Street Zone substation development: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

SH2/29 Hairini & Maungatapu Roundabout Signalisation: Beca

Tauranga Harour Link - Stage2: URS New Zealand Ltd and Tonkin & Taylor

Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith - Base Isolation of the No 8 Power Boiler: Beca AMEC Ltd

Waihi Pumphouse Relocation: Dunning Thornton Consultants Ltd.

Hawkes Bay/Central North Island:

Metservice Mahia Weather Radar Tower: MWH new Zealand Ltd

Ravensdown One Side Upgrade Project: Aurecon

WPI Refiner Heat Recovery Project: Aurecon.

Wellington

Ferndale Eco Subdivision Development: Aurecon

BNZ Building, Harbour Quays: Beca and Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

Chews Precinct: Dunning Thornton Consultants Ltd

Geotechnical & Feasibility Study for Transmission Gully: Opus International Consultants Ltd

Mackay’s Crossing Road over Rail Bridge, SH1: An embankment on peat: Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

New Regional Hospital - Wellington - Building Services Engineering: Beca

New Regional Hospital - Wellington - Fire Engineering. Holmes Fire and Safety.

Project West Wind - Civil Infrastructure: Beca Carter, Opus International Consultants Ltd and Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

Supreme Court of New Zealand: Holmes Consulting Group

Weir House Seismic Strengthening: Dunning Thornton Consultants Ltd.

Nelson

Saxton Stadium: Aurecon

SH60 Eureka Bend Reinstatement: GHD Ltd

Canterbury

Environmental Performance Assessment of Orion New Zealand Ltd: MWH New Zealand

Waimakariri Flood Protection Project Consenting: Good Earth Matters Consulting

Aircraft Hangar Maintenance Docks: Beca

AMI Stadium - Deans Stand - Fire Engineering: Holmes Fire and & Safety

AMI Stadium - Full Circle Project: Alan Reay Consultants Ltd

Bankside Former WWII Fuel Depot Investigation and Remediation: URS New Zealand

Christchurch Airport Control Tower: Holmes Consulting Group

IRD Building, Christchurch: Zoned Smoke Control Through Open Stairway: Cosgroves

Lyttelton Tunnel Power Upgrade: Opus International Consultants Ltd

NZi3 ICT Innovation Institute - Structural Engineering: Beca

Pacific Tower: Structex

Otago/Southland

Waikoutaiti Water Treatment Plant Improvements: MWH New Zealand

Papatotara Coast Road Development: MWH New Zealand Ltd

Relocation of Caustic Soda Tank from Seaview to Bluff: Aurecon

Overseas

Trail Blazing Geothermal Carbon Credits in Indonesia: Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

About ACENZ

ACENZ is the professional association for consulting engineering firms in New Zealand. It has 180 members ranging from one-person firms to those with over 1000 employees. Although only one overseas project is presented in 2010, members carry out work all over the world.

Mahia Weather Radar Tower

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