Image: Former Contractor magazine editor Alan Titchall, who received a Service Award from CCNZ, says civil contracting is an essential, hardworking industry that’s not appreciated or credited enough by governments or local councils. He is flanked by outgoing CCNZ President David Howard and CEO Alan Pollard.
A wastewater tunnel bored up to 110 metres under Auckland by a giant machine the length of two rugby fields and a boardwalk suspended above a tidal estuary on a historic Māori route were among the winning projects at the CCNZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards on 14 August.
The awards were presented at the Civil Contractors Conference in Wellington and recognised outstanding achievement across six categories: from small yet significant works to one of the greatest feats of civil engineering ever undertaken in New Zealand.
Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard says the winning projects highlight the level of expertise and depth of capability in the industry.
“The work of civil contractors has an immensely positive impact on society. These projects will safeguard our communities for generations to come by building resilience, supporting our economy and protecting our environment.”
The Central Interceptor Main Works, delivered for Watercare by a Ghella Abergeldie Joint Venture, won the award for projects valued more than $100 million.
With a budget of $1.6 billion, this country’s largest wastewater project deployed the tunnel-boring machine Hiwa-i-te-Rangi to create the country’s longest wastewater tunnel – at 16.2 kilometres long. The Interceptor will futureproof Auckland’s beaches and waterways by reducing wastewater overflows by up to 80 percent.
The judges described the project as an “outstanding” entry and were impressed with the contribution the project made to the wider construction industry and the city as a whole.
“Through training, development, and the introduction of new people into the industry, the team helped build construction capability while also delivering positive social and economic outcomes for local communities.
“For its careful planning, resilient delivery, practical innovation, client focus, and lasting social value, the Central Interceptor Main Works Project is a worthy winner.”
The award for projects valued between $5 million and $20 million recognised another critical piece of infrastructure on the project. That award recognised a new confluence chamber built by Seipp Construction to merge wastewater flows into the 4.5-metre-wide CI wastewater tunnel from the existing Western, Eastern and Southwestern Interceptors.
The judges said Seipp Construction’s use of innovative construction techniques and value engineering to identify efficiencies saved time and millions of dollars on the project, leading to an “exceptional result”.
The work on a section of Te Whau Pathway linking the Northwestern cycleway to Horowai Reserve in Te Atatū South secured the award for projects valued between $20 million and $100 million.
HEB Construction engineered Te Kowhai Nui – a purpose-built travelling gantry – to allow a 1.35-kilometre boardwalk to be built from above the mangroves without disturbing the ecologically sensitive estuary below as it traced a Māori portage route through deep, soft mud.
“Technology and process improvement were clear strengths of the project. The use of BIM [Building Information Modelling] and lean construction methods helped the team coordinate effectively, improve certainty and deliver ahead of time,” say the judges.
A project to improve coastal resilience at Hataitai Beach on the Evans Bay Cycleway in Wellington was recognised with the award for projects valued between $2 million and $5 million.
Downer created a durable seawall along one of Wellington’s busiest arterial routes, protecting a key link in the Evans Bay Cycleway network to support active transport options for the capital’s community.
“This project stands out as a fitting example of how an innovative contractor can drive better outcomes when working in a functional, collaborative environment creating a win-win-win situation for the contractor, client and the ratepayer,” say the judges.
Further north, in Auckland, a project to remediate the Paremuka Dam Culvert in Henderson won Pipeline & Civil the award for projects valued up to $2 million. The contractor’s careful repair of a deteriorating culvert beneath a KiwiRail railway line and dam was completed within budget, while supporting Auckland Council’s environmental and biosecurity objectives.
In the South Island, exemplary road network maintenance in Selwyn District secured HEB Construction the Excellence in Maintenance and Management of Assets award.
The award recognised the success of a six-year roading maintenance partnership between the contractor and Selwyn District Council, with judges noting consistently high scoring across the contract’s key performance indicators.
Judges say the trust HEB developed with the Council allowed it to introduce innovations including artificial intelligence powered road condition monitoring and the first use of rubber chipseal in the Southern Hemisphere.
Several projects received highly commended recognition from the judges throughout the awards night.
In the $2 million to $5 million category, Pipeline & Civil was commended for its piling work to strengthen a critical wastewater pipe in Akoranga Reserve in Northcote, and Fulton Hogan was commended for its work replacing the Rua O Te Whenua radar and communication towers in the Waitakere Ranges.
The $5 million to $20 million category saw Fulton Hogan commended for its work remediating a portion of State Highway 60 on Tākaka Hill in Abel Tasman National Park. Downer was commended in that category for the Wellington International Airport Runway EMAS (Engineered Materials Arresting System) project – a system designed to bring aircraft to a safe stop if they overshoot the runway.
Other highly commended projects included the Canterbury Museum redevelopment done by March Construction and a project by MAP Projects to build the Otawere Water Storage Reservoir – both in the $20 million to $100 million category.
McConnell Dowell was commended for the Auckland City Hospital Central Plant and Tunnel project in the category for projects valued at more than $100 million.
In the category for maintenance and management of assets, Fulton Hogan was commended for the Auckland South Urban Maintenance – Super Weekends programme, after racking up almost 200 weekends of intensive work to maintain roads serving more than half of Auckland’s population.
Downer was also commended for its New Plymouth Infrastructure Partnership with the local council, which demonstrated best practice in collaborative infrastructure maintenance.
Champions of the industry were also recognised.
Former editor of Contractor magazine Alan Titchall and leading roading engineering specialist Dr Bryan Pidwerbesky were honoured with Service Awards.
“I was very humbled and honoured to receive this award, which had even greater meaning while enjoying an award night in the capital celebrating civil contracting projects,” says Alan.
“It is an essential, hardworking industry that I believe is not appreciated or credited enough by governments or local councils.”
The Major Associate Award went to CCNZ Principal Business Partner Hirepool.
• The CCNZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards, established in 1978, are New Zealand’s premier recognition of civil construction achievement. More information on all the project finalists for the CCNZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards can be found in the finalist book.
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