More than 500 guests attented the awards ceremony to celebrate the winners of the 2012 programme.

Below is a list of all the winners:

Supreme Award Winner

Nominee Grant Thomas
Project Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki
Employer Hawkins
Role Project Manager
Client Auckland City Council

Jury comments
Having navigated preliminary challenges associated with resource consents, site constraints, and working within, around and below listed heritage buildings, Grant’s team – along with the wider project team – remained committed to the project, working hard to realise both the aesthetic and structural vision as well as the completion date of mid 2011. Grant delivered a very successful project within a very constrained site showing strengths in significant management performance in all aspects of leadership, organisation, co-ordination, innovation and safety management. He created loyalty and commitment, through trust and respect. Excellent preparation and planning was critical to the success of the project. Grant worked closely with the relevant consultants and the Hawkins team to ensure that methodologies were well detailed. With his team working in the vicinity of a very busy CBD precinct, control of health and safety management was paramount at all times. 

1,100,000 man hours were worked on the project; the last 600,000 without a lost time injury (LTI). At all times he had a strong team relationship, his leadership and management style resulted in getting the best out of all concerned. In 2006 Grant was the recipient of the NZIOB Progressive Building Young Achiever of the Year Award.

Under $5M Winner

Nominee Steve Pankhurst Project Karangahape Road shelter redevelopment - motorway overpass
Employer NZ Strong Ltd
Role Site Manager
Client Auckland City Council
Project value  $2.1M

Jury comments
Steve was site manager responsible for the demolition and redevelopment of bus shelters on on one of Auckland’s busiest main thoroughfares – Karangahape Road. The project included the removal of old bus shelters and the erection of new motorway bridge safety barriers on a 120 metre section over an eight lane motorway and involved new bus shelters, canopies, seating and sculptural signage markers.

As well as being an excellent leader, he has a proven ability in creating a cohesive and productive project team. He is highly skilled in both project administration and people management, he is equally effective in dealing with clients, contractors and/or consultants and has the ability to form strong working relationships – in this role he was in contact at all times with all necessary parties and held weekly design team and client meetings. Steve’s comprehensive knowledge of the construction process, coupled with attention to detail and a passion for quality and safety has seen him consistently delivering high standard projects on time and within budget. This project was no exception and with a time frame on tender of three months Steve brought the project home in 66 days from start to completion.

The site had many restrictions from council and daily challenges existed – restricted time frames and restraints of use of craneage and demolition pre and post local school hours, closing and re-opening of lanes below the site, continuously moving bus stops for deliveries. Each and every one of the 225 base plates had to be individually x-rayed and surveyed as built before going to manufacture to avoid restructure reinforcing to the bridge. Extremely colourful public foot traffic on K Road – always only to willing to give their special advice and/or assist with any design and construction advice that they thought would help.

Under $5M Highly Commended

Nominees Anthony Leighs, Mark Riddell and Anton Tritt
Project Start Christchurch
Client Re:Start The Heart Trust
Project value  $3.8M

Jury comments
Anthony from Leighs Construction was project director and helped develop the vision and deliver the project. Anton Tritt from The Buchan Group was appointed as project architect, tasked with creating an “uber-cool” temporary retail facility. Appointed project manager construction, Mark Riddell was handed the daunting task of leading upwards of 250 staff, to convert 123 shipping containers into a high quality retail development in only two months.

Each member of the team excelled at adapting to this environment and managing the associated challenges.   In addition, the unique ‘disaster zone’ nature of this project raised issues and problems never before encountered requiring the project team to face these issues with practicality, common sense and innovative thinking in order to find solutions within short time frames.

$5-25m Winner

Nominee Brandon O-Reilly
Project Auckland Zoo - Te Wao Nui
Employer NZ Strong
Role Project Manager
Client Auckland City Council
Project value  $12M

Jury comments
Te Wao Nui – a theatrical upgrade plus additions, encompassing a quarter of the zoo’s 17ha footprint – is the largest development in the Auckland Zoo’s 87 year history and is home to over 100 New Zealand native plants species and around 60 difference animal species. Six new precincts were developed to showcase New Zealand – the forest, the high country, the coast, the wetlands, the islands and the night. Brandon has an excellent depth of construction knowledge and is extremely efficient in planning a job through to completion safely and cost effectively.

As project manager he related well to his peers and clients alike, and understands that client expectations were foremost. Involved from pre-conception through tender to completion, he successfully planned and managed budgets and created, communicated and implemented detailed methodologies to his team and contractors. His strong interpersonal skills together with engagement of sub contractors to extract programme, cost and risk value for the benefit of the client. He directly employed artists and students who had previously worked creating movie sets and props – and trained them from the movie set mentality to realistic construction work, where their work was required to be substantial for many years. Excellent programme management that better enabled the successful execution of the works on site with minimal delay.

The Auckland Zoo was fully operational for the length of the project and the safety of the public was paramount. The theatrical nature of the construction provided challenges in that it is visually rather than graphically designed, making cost management an important aspect of the project. No vibration screw pilings or rock breaking was allowed, as this was deemed too loud and would upset the residents.

$5-25m Highly Commended

Nominee Richard Ogden
Project Dulux
Employer Hawkins
Role Project Manager
Client Dulux
Project value $22M

Jury comments
The project required the building of a new factory over the top of an existing working plant and integrating the two structures while production continued. Richard produced methodologies that reduced planned production shutdowns to only 20 working days during the two years of construction.

The detail that Richard acquired and incorporated into the planning and methodology carried through, not only into the design to allow a smooth construction process, but into ensuring that when areas were handed over they were ready for production.

Two major challenges on site were the relocating of the build storage tanks without disrupting production and the controlling and relocating into special areas to ‘air’ 6000 cubic metres of contaminated ground into separation zones for further testing and treatment before being sent to local landfills. Through Richard’s meticulous planning and detailed approach the programmed works were completed four months ahead of schedule.
 

$25-50m Winners

Nominees Ant Beale, RCP Christchurch and Shawn Cunningham, Hawkins
Project Christchurch Temporary Stadium
Role Project Manager
Client Christchurch Stadium Trust Project
Project value $32M

Jury comments
The outstanding achievement in the delivery of this project simply would not have been possible without the knowledge, motivation and cohesive teamwork displayed by both Ant and Shawn throughout the project. Ant led the consultant and design team during the construction phase, liaising with the client and the operator VBase. Shawn was ultimately responsible for the programming and site management, ensuring the project was delivered within the agreed project parameters and to the highest standard.

With a 100 day build programme for the project, a number of elements were instrumental in successful delivery – health, safety, environmental management, quality management, cost management, supply chain and stakeholder management. Each of these elements provided an incredibly wide range of challenges, compounded by the unusual nature of this project. To meet the tight programme, works were often scheduled for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ant and Shawn lived, ate, breathed and dreamed stadium from they day they started, until well after the first game on the 24 March. Their dedication to their employers, to Canterbury, the Crusaders and to the project was exceptional. Some challenges incurred – ground improvement scope was additional to the project and had to be accommodated in time frame. Grass harvesting was difficult due to the amount of liquefaction damage under the surface at the existing AMI Stadium leading to a lot of hand-cutting where the harvesting machine could not cope.

$25-50m Highly Commended

Nominee Richard Joseph
Employer Dominion Constructors
Project Wynyard Quarter (Jellicoe Street + tramway projects)
Role Senior Project Manager
Client Auckland Waterfront Development Agency 
Project Value $26.5M

Jury comments
The project consisted of major utilities and infrastructure works and 12,500 sqm of concrete and paving, lined rain gardens, water features and street furniture. Other works included the development of a ‘mudcrete’ solution to effectively utilise 8500 cubic metres of contaminated material on site and the restoration of the old wharf and historic elements as well as the reinstatement of tram services.

The large area of the site necessitated multiple work faces as well as dealing with both the public and transport requirements through and around the construction site. Richard’s calm demeanour and strong project management skills ensured the overall smooth running of the project and he was an excellent ambassador to the local businesses, keeping them informed and maintaining cooperative relationships.

Over $50m Winner

Nominee Grant Thomas
Project Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki
Employer Hawkins
Role Project ManagerClient Auckland City Council Project Value $102.5M

Jury comments
The comprehensive redevelopment of the Auckland Art Gallery at the corner of Wellesley and Kitchener Streets in Auckland provides an exciting, vibrant and welcoming art experience while protecting one of Auckland’s most treasured iconic buildings for future generations.

With significant experience in the restoration and refurbishment of historical buildings, Grant realised and understood that every day would be different with unique challenges. A project that was a combination of civil works, demolition, heritage restoration and new construction.

The site was bound by Albert Park, busy arterial roads, Wellesley and Kitchener Streets and existing heritage structures that needed to be retained. This coupled with rigorous resource consent conditions such as weekly arborist’s reports provided the design and construction team with significant challenges. Given the CBD location it was important that local residents and businesses were informed of upcoming construction activities. Hawkins team established a series of ‘neighbour briefings’, undertook leaflet drops and met one-on-one with adjoining businesses.

The project duration was a significant challenge, this project required commitment for over three years from the initial tender submission and Grant was able to keep the team focused in the right direction and meeting the requirements of a technically and demanding project.

Over $50m Highly Commended

Nominees Lale Ieremi and Andrew Holmes
Employers Arrow International and Hawkins
Project Forstyh Barr Stadium
Role Project Director
Client Dunedin City Council
Project Value $185 Million

Lale was involved from the outset having understood the feasibility and then taking on the responsibility of project director, managing all aspects of the design, procurement, pre-construction, construction and integration with the operators. He was responsible to the client for all of the various projects that made up the Stadium Precinct.

Andrew led the Hawkins Construction tender team in compiling a fixed price bid based on concept documentation to win the contract for main contractor services, then recruited and mobilised a team to Dunedin. Andrew’s ability to create a positive culture within his team while dealing with contractual items was testament to his drive and determination to ensure the project was delivered as a success for the City of Dunedin and in time for the Rugy World Cup.

James Hardie Innovation Award Winners

Nominees Paddy Molloy And Brandon O’reilly
Employer NZ Strong
Project Te Wao Nui – Auckland Zoo Role Design, develop, construct an innovative solution to installation of extremely large rock wall in wetlands area
Client Auckland City Council – Auckland Zoo
Project value $12 million

The project called for the design from an artist’s impression of a finished rock wall and sub-structure support to take the load off the 30 x 9 metre rock wall. Given only concept sketches they had the ability and confidence to undertake construction, maintaining close constant contact with designer and artists.

What was required was a new and innovative way to design a sub-structure as the rock wall would not be supported off the building. The construction of rock formation needed to be designed, created and structured to enable to artist to apply their render – a shotcrete formation – to allow detailed sculpting of each rock and then finished and painted.

After the drawings were scanned into a 3D CAD file, they then constructed a scaled 1 metre model which enabled them to evaluate the size and positions required for the construction. To take the load off the rock wall frame they erected braced timber poles enabling the rock structure and profile to be exactly assembled. This ensured the wires from the aviary structure to the rock wall to be attached in exact alignment.

Steel collars were then attached onto the top of each pole with fitted re-enforcing steel at top enabling the construction team and artist to bend each frond to shape to suit each of the different the solid rock formations. Paddy Molloy is a highly experienced and capable project engineer with skills across construction planning, programming, engineering detailing in both concrete and steel buildings. With adept CAD skills Paddy ensured that this project was thoroughly planned ahead of construction so that the physical works proceeded without complication.

This improved time, cost and quality performance. Brandon O’Reilly has an excellent depth of construction knowledge and is extremely efficient in planning a job through to completion safely and cost effectively. As a project manager on the site he worked with Paddy on the innovation and development through to construction of the new rock formation and set out complex aviary arches also on this site.

Both Paddy and Brandon endorsed complete confidence to the client and architect that they could innovatively design and execute a new concept for such a difficult portion of this total project design.

Steel Construction New Zealand Sustainability Award Winners

Nominees Richard Joseph, Dominion Constructors and Rob Bassett Bassett Plumbing & Drainage
Project Wynyard Quarter (Jellicoe Street+ Tramway Projects)
Client Auckland Waterfront Development Agency
Project Value $24.1 Million

Richard and Rob both played significant role in providing, refining and implementing an effective sustainable ‘mudcrete methodology’ for stablising contaminated material, resulting in several significant benefits to the project. This entailed not only proposing, trialing and presenting a fully cost effective solution, but gaining the approval of all stakeholders and implementing it with no release to the sea or safety incidents within the immovable deadline prior to the Rugby World Cup.

The 500 page contamination report and 50 page summary was only issued three days before the tender closed which didn’t allow much time to comprehend the contents, let alone plan for them. One of the difficulties of the report was that estimates of the contamination varied between 800,000 and 1,500,000 litres. In addition to this the scope of the works detailed in the tender made no allowance for contaminated ground; so this meant that contamination wasn’t an issue until the works started on site.

Once the works started the ground was found to be tidally affected which made the contaminated ground quite viscous. The contamination was a mix of aviation and other fuels (free hydrocarbon products) that arose as soon as the excavations reached l.5m deep, with most excavations up to 4 to 6m deep for the drainage works being undertaken by Rob and his team.

The contaminated ground quickly became a critical issue for the project and onsite meetings were held involving all parties to identify and determine the ‘best for project’ solution on which to go forward. Their ‘mudcrete’ solution eliminated the need to remove approximately 8500 cubic metres of contaminated material from the site.

Progressive Building + info-link Magazine Young Achiever Award Winner and Highly Commended

Brendan Lindsey, Dominion Constructors

Brendan was just a 7-year-old when he was first introduced to building by his father, a self-employed carpenter. He helped out on his father’s jobs on weekends and during school holidays right through his high school years at Auckland Boys’ Grammar.

He then enrolled in the Construction Management degree course at Unitec and after a couple of years into his degree he applied for an undergraduate construction co-ordinator role advertised on the Unitec noticeboard. This was with Multiplex and he landed an entry-level role with them on the Metropolis Apartments project in Auckland. His role there developed over time and his work on the project was noticed by senior management.

He was subsequently given more responsibility and gained valuable experience. In 2003 he left New Zealand on his ‘OE’ and ended up in the UK. He contacted Multiplex UK and was immediately offered a role as site supervisor on the West India Quay Marriott Hotel and Apartments. Reporting to a well-respected Australian construction manager – who still remains a friend and mentor – Brendan went from strength to strength developing his experience and ended up taking more responsibility.

Then, at 27 years old, he was promoted to construction manager on what was then the tallest residential tower in the UK. He saw the project through to completion, with the help of his young team. His next project was the 199 Knightsbridge Apartments where he was responsible for seeing the completion of the apartments through to handover. This project eventually won the UK Residential Development Project of the year in 2006 for the high standard of its finished.

In 2005 he was headhunted by Parsons Brinkerhoff to work on the iconic Palm Jumeirah Development in Dubai as a superintendent on the infrastructure works on the island. However, he found the civil role unchallenging and so he took up an offer to work in a senior role for Laing O’Rourke / Kerzner International on the 1539 room Atlantis Hotel. His role and profile on that project opened doors for Brendan in the Middle East and in 2008 he was offered a senior position at Nakeel – as senior project manager on the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

He had responsibility for managing over 160 staff and liaised regularly with the Trump family. His next project was the Abu Dhabi Financial Centre on Sowwah Island, which incorporated four high-rise commercial buildings and the UAE stock exchange. In 2010 Brendan and his wife returned home to New Zealand and he joined Dominion Constructors as project manager on the Audi Terminal project.

Brendan had already had dealings with Alf and Brett Russell through the Metropolis project and he says he had great respect for the company’s family values way they treated people. Brendan says that he sets goals on a personal level outside of work and cites his travels with his partner to far flung places as highlights, including climbing mountains, running a 100km marathon in England, diving in the Red Sea, camping in the Arabian desert, watching Formula One in Abu Dhabi and snowboarding in the Swiss Alps.

Brendan is Dominion’s youngest senior project manager and Brett Russell says Brendan’s work on the Audi project ensured a strong team environment from staff, consultants and subcontractors and met all expectations while maintaining his work / life balance including the pressure and excitement of the birth of his first child.

Progressive Building + info-link Magazine Young Achiever Highly Commended

Hamish Mowat, Fletchers

Hamish completed a BE (Civil) at the University of Auckland in 2006 while also working as an intern engineer at Fletcher Construction Engineering.

His first project as a graduate engineer was the Northern Bushway project. This gave him his first real taste of the construction industry and working with some “pure bred Fletcher men” helped him focus on close relationships with all stakeholders.

Over the next few years Andrew worked on a number of projects as site engineer including the Wellington Airport runway extension and Wellington’s largest commercial office building – One Featherston St. In 2009 Hamish completed as MEngSt (Construction Management) at the University of Auckland. In 2010 he was project engineer on the Hutt Hospital project and was involved in the seismic design and installing base isolation components.

Andrew says this project was extremely satisfying as he was involved from the tender design process right through construction to completion. Richard Coupe, who was Fletcher’s regional manager for Wellington during Hamish’s time, says he has had the pleasure of seeing Hamish grow as he has taken on the challenges that the various roles have given him.

Winning the Hangar project for Wellington International Airport in 2010 was an ideal project for Hamish, says Richard. It played to his technical strengths – structure –while exposing him to the ‘whole of project’ view that the role required. Neil Bennison, project manager for Impact, says Hamish’s role as site project manager on the Hangar project was very challenging but Hamish showed great passion and understanding of the project, which was successfully delivered in nine months.

Since December last year Hamish has been project manager for the Lambton House strengthening and refurbishment project, which is using the latest in seismic design and technologies from the Canterbury earthquakes, with the work taking the building from 50 percent of code to 80 percent. Hamish is currently studying towards becoming a Chartered Professional Engineer of NZ (CPENZ) in Project Management and hopes to complete it at the end of this year.