Engineering Sector Gets First Excellence Awards

Friday, November 25 2005

Engineering Sector Gets Inaugural Excellence Awards

Inaugural New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards recognise the heroes of the technological era.

The awards were staged by the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) with the Electricity Engineers' Association, INGENIUM, and the Centre for Advanced Engineering.

World-class individual and group efforts were celebrated with honours at New Zealand's premier engineering awards event held at Wellington's Duxton Hotel on Wednesday November 23.

Project Manukau, a water treatment scheme, won New Zealand's Supreme Award for Engineering Excellence 2005, the highest honor for engineering endeavor. The award is sponsored by Career Engineer.

Holmes Consulting Group scooped the Building, Construction and Amenities Award 2005 for innovative design and world best practice in constructing Christchurch Women's Hospital.
Grafton Gully & Central Motorway Junction creatively overcame constraints and tackled environmental issues to win the Roads and Transport Award 2005.

Project Probe, a development which extends broadband internet services to remote New Zealand schools, impressed judges with its overall benefits to society and was awarded Information and Communication Technology Award 2005.

The project resulted in increased use of broadband services by schoolchildren and has provided a huge boost for the communities concerned.

Refurbishment of the old diesel electric train sets by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to meet modern needs was the focus of the South Auckland Train Project.

The project won the Mechanical and Manufacturing Award 2005 and was noted for delivering a high quality results to fulfill a major community requirement in an economical and visually appealing way.

Te Apiti Windfarm, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, claimed the Electrical & Systems Award 2005. Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner implemented the project for Meridian Energy in the unusually short time of only 12 months.

The South Christchurch Library and Service Centre project featured creative design and construction with the application of sustainability principles and clean technology. Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd and City Solutions - Christchurch City Council worked to produce an environmentally friendly library which picked up the Sustainability and Clean Technology Award 2005.

Clayton Cosgrove, Minister for Building Issues, praised the efforts of engineers. He said: "I am impressed with this industry for obvious reasons and reassured because this government does recognise just how important engineering is to New Zealand. It is a source of innovation and wealth creation."

ENDS

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