On Wednesday 6 September the Wharf 7 Upgrade team proudly accepted the Innovation Award at the 2023 Construction Sector Accord Beacon Awards in Wellington.
The judges commented that “McConnell Dowell and Eastland Port challenged the norms by redesigning the project to save significant cost and embodied carbon while reducing environmental impacts and impact on locals. This is a great example of thoughtful design using an established contract approach with a great outcome for those involved. Really excellent project. A leader in innovation in our opinion.”
McConnell Dowell Project Manager, Mike Bonnette and Eastland Port GM of Infrastructure & Development, Marty Bayley were at the event to accept the award on behalf of the team.
“We are proud to be here accepting this award on behalf of our talented team of designers, engineers, and everyone who contributed to the project,” said Mr Bonnette.
“It was the team’s collective commitment to sustainability that enabled us to make the significant carbon savings we achieved and that brought us here tonight.”
Mr Bayley agreed that early engagement between the designer, constructor, and the Port was key to its success. “The wharf design was significantly refined” and “taking the time to collaborate at the start meant the project had minimal issues and achieved all the outcomes that were important to Eastland Port and community.”
The project was a very visible public asset upgrade in Tairāwhiit/Gisborne so it was important to the team that broader social and long-term environmental outcomes were prioritised.
Minimising the carbon footprint by 13,692 tonnes of CO2e was one of the ways the team made those goals a reality. To find out more about the innovations that led to these massive carbon emission savings click here.
After 18 months of demolition and rebuilding Wharf 7, Eastland Port and McConnell Dowell are proud to announce the successful completion of the Wharf 7 rebuild.
Construction specialist McConnell Dowell built the 255-metre deck-on-pile wharf which has increased the seismic resilience and improved operational longevity.
Eastland Port General Manager Infrastructure and Development Marty Bayley said, “This achievement underscores a significant step to enhance Eastland Port’s infrastructure and build resilience for the region.
“The new wharf will play a pivotal role in accommodating larger vessels and open the door to a range of new trade opportunities for Tairāwhiti.
“It was a massive undertaking by McConnell Dowell, but they have executed it professionally, on time, within budget, and most importantly without anyone being hurt or injured – not something many projects of this size can claim.
“From the outset of their involvement, McConnell Dowell stood out as they looked beyond concrete and steel. They understood and delivered outcomes needed not just for this project but our business and customers, cultivating trust and integrity in the process.”
McConnell Dowell Managing Director New Zealand & Pacific Fraser Wyllie said, “The Wharf 7 upgrade has been all about relationships, between the client, contractor, designer (Worley), and stakeholders, and is proof of how working together yields a greater outcome.
“Working with the designers and the client we were able to reduce the project’s carbon footprint by around 9729 tonnes of CO2e. To put that in perspective you would save that many tonnes of carbon emissions if you took 2192 cars off the road for a year.
“There were challenges along the way including Cyclone Gabrielle but it was cooperation between everyone from supply chain to management to tackle challenges like water shortages that kept the job on track. We were even able to finish a section of the wharf deck early and were proud to play a small part in the Port’s fantastic regional recovery initiative.
“We also developed great relationships with local suppliers and sub-contractors, and leveraged their capability which also reduced the carbon footprint.”
Mr Bayley said, “A critical requirement of the project was to ensure port export operations were not impeded throughout the entire duration of the project.”
“The meticulous planning and collaboration with our operators to ensure this happened within a very congested site is a testament to the expertise and collaborative efforts of the entire project team.
“The completion of this rebuild marks a new era which will support our region's growth and prosperity.
“We already have ten ‘boutique’ sized cruise ships booked into berth on Wharf 7 for this summer.”
Both McConnell Dowell and Eastland Port extend their gratitude to all stakeholders for their unwavering support throughout the project. The collaboration and shared vision have resulted in a remarkable achievement that will continue to benefit the region for decades to come.
See work on the project underway, or click on the links to find out more about the project or the amazing carbon emissions reduction achieved.
David, a Project Manager in our Vic/Tas team took four months of extended parental leave at full pay when his fourth child was born in 2022. This gave David the opportunity to immerse himself in first days of school, kindy volunteering, cricket coaching and library story times.
We genuinely value the importance of balancing work and life. We want our people to be at their best so we can be at our best.
That's why we offer flexible work arrangements and have piloted industry-leading wellness programs with some of our forward-thinking customers.
We’re on a journey to create greater flexibility, improve employee well-being and find new ways to make this industry healthier and happier for everyone.
Our team in Southeast Asia secured two accolades at the recent 2023 WSH (Workplace Safety and Health) Awards.
These annual awards recognise organisations and individuals who have achieved excellence in workplace safety and health.
Our TWRP C1A project won the Safety and Health Awards Recognition for Projects (SHARP). This award recognises large-scale projects or worksites that have excellent safety and health performance and systems.
We also secured the WSH Performance (Silver) Award, which recognises companies that have implemented sound safety and health management systems and safeguarded their employees and contractors across their worksites.
These accolades hold a special significance for us as they recognize our outstanding safety performance, which is a core value our ours.
The awards were presented by the WSH Council and supported by the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore.
Our team at Built Environs are celebrating a Hat Trick of Wins at the 2023 Master Builders SA Building Excellence Awards!
Built Environs was recognised as the 2023 Master Builder of the Year in the Commercial Builder category. This prestigious award is a testament to the team's unwavering dedication, innovative approach, and commitment to excellence in the construction industry.
But that's not all! They also had the privilege of being named the Winner of the Commercial/Industrial Building $50m to $100m category for the Modbury Hospital Upgrade project and the Winner in the Civil category for the Golden Grove Park ‘n’ Ride project.
These accomplishments reflect the dedication, hard work, and innovative spirit of every member of our team.
Well done team and congratulations to all the winners on the night!
For more about Built Environs and these two award winning projects, click here.