Environmental Excellence Awards 2009

Auckland projects finalists in New Zealand Contractors’ Federation Environmental Excellence Awards 2009

 From a reserve walkway to a multi million dollar harbour crossing, Auckland’s most environmentally-friendly construction projects are celebrated in the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation Environmental Excellence Awards 2009.

The competition, now in its fifth year, aims to highlight and encourage excellence in environmental management in the civil construction industry in the region.

This year’s awards attracted a record entry with the 16 finalists impressing judges with a wide range of initiatives from safeguarding native trees and wildlife to innovative decontamination methods and comprehensive environmental planning and implementation on large long term projects.

Federation Executive Officer Malcolm Abernethy said the huge advances made in environmental management across the industry mirrored those made in Health and Safety in the 1990s.

“As a long term judge of the awards I have been delighted to see how much awareness of environmental issues surrounding contracting and the need to meet compliance requirements has developed,” he said.

“It illustrates how far we have come in terms of environmental management. The change is remarkable among both management and staff. Companies have embraced environmental issues and staff are very aware of the importance of reporting to senior managers.

“Some very innovative solutions have also been devised to minimise impact on the environment and to avoid cross contamination and issues from noise and dust.”

The awards include four categories for contracts, or subcontracts, to the value of up to $500,000, $500,000 to $2 million, $2 million to $10 million and over $10 million.

Many of the projects were in environmentally sensitive sites of archaeological and cultural importance or in areas where it was vital to minimise noise and dust impact on local communities. One was carried out free of charge as a community initiative.

The Up to $500,000 category includes the Point View Reserve Walkway in Manukau City, constructed by HEB Construction, which included installing a 17 metre bridge.

Normally a helicopter would have been used to lift the bridge into place. But the site team realised this would damage the canopy of 200 year-old trees on the site so, instead, devised a ‘flying fox’ system using forestry technology to winch the bridge in without damaging trees.

Other finalists in the category are Hawkins Infrastructure for the Mitre 10 Expo and Outlet Store: Asbestos Clean Up and Demolition and for the Gulf Harbour – Hobbs Wharf Seawall - bund removal and Fletcher Construction and Ward Demolition For the Hamlin’s Hill Reservoir Demolition.

Finalists in the $500,000 to $2 million category are McKenzie & Parma for Civil Works in Stanley Street, Parnell; Ross Reid Contractors for the Pukekohe Hill East Gully Stormwater Detention Dam; Nikau Contractors for SH1 Onewa Road Bridge and for 161 SH16 Hobsonville Deviation and Brian Perry Civil Auckland for the Waitakere Dam Resource Consent Upgrade.

Hawkins Infrastructure is also in the $2 million to $10 million category for the Ray Emery Drive – Stage 2, Auckland International Airport project.

One of the largest finalist projects is the $230 million SH20 Manukau Harbour Crossing being carried out by the Manukau Harbour Crossing Alliance (MHX) comprising the New Zealand Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, Higgins Contractors and Beca Infrastructure.

The alliance developed an overarching Environmental Construction Management plan to ensure it met the safety challenges of the project including protecting the sensitive marine environment and many shorebirds using the Manukau foreshore.

This included developing a strong and ongoing environmental culture within the entire team which has grown steadily as the project had progressed.

Initiatives ranged from onsite recycling, bicycles to get around the site and use of a worm farm, to innovative solutions such as reusing piping to divert clean water from the motorway below the work areas to limit the size of sediment controls.

Kylie Eltham, Environmental Manager for the project said: “One of the legacies the environmental team will leave behind is an enthusiastic and committed workforce who appreciate that our efforts in the environment is not just an add on but an important aspect of the construction industry in today’s environment.” 

Other over $10 million project finalists are Hurlstone Earthmoving for the Highbrook Business Park Development: Hawkins Infrastructure for Mission Heights, Flat Bush and for the Dart1, Newmarket Triangle from Sarawia Street to Remuera Road Bridge and Kingdom Street: Fletcher Construction and McConnell Dowell, joint venture for Project Hobson, Hobson Bay.

The judging panel also includes Roger Bannister, Auckland Regional Council’s Land Development Manager, and environmental consultant Andrew Reeve of SKM.

The awards are sponsored by Shell and Auckland Regional Council. Winners for each of the categories will be announced at the NZCF Auckland Branch AGM on June 22.

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