Awards of Excellence

Gold Award

Standards New Zealand NZS4404:2010 Review

Entered jointly by Brett Gawn, CPG Wellington and
Greg McBride Harrison and Grierson, Tauranga

This is a large, 257 page standard document that seeks to deliver high quality land development outcomes for clients and communities throughout New Zealand. NZS4404 will influence concept design and final project presentation for years to come. It involved the complete rewrite of the road and landscape and reserve sections and the updating of stormwater management, the impact of climate change and sea level rise and the utilities section. The final document had to meet the exacting standards required of the NZS4404 Review Committee.

The Public consultation stage involved presentations at seminars and professional organisation workshops and the writing of a number of articles to publicise  the draft and encourage submissions. Nineteen hundred comments were received in submissions from over 100 people and organisations.

The promotion of the new Standard required further presentations to Local Authorities and Professional Institutes encouraging its use by practitioners and Councils. Good levels of satisfaction with the standard are evident from the Standards NZ award to the Review Committee, general support from the large majority of the submissions, early adoption by Councils and good sales of the new Standard.
The assessors in giving this project the Gold Award rated it highly in terms of professional and technical challenges, complexity, innovation, environmental considerations and client satisfaction.

Silver Award

SH20 Waterview Connection

Entered by Mike Pinkerton c/o Aurecon Tauranga

The SH20 Waterview Connection tunnel and Great North Road Interchange is the major component of a very large construction project. The survey scope for this part of the project comprised gap analysis and completion of the topographic model for a detailed design phase and the establishment of a preconstruction deformation monitoring baseline network across the project area.

The project displays a diversity of skills spatial science professional are applying in NZ to assist our infrastructure development. The project met challenging project schedules and high standards of deliverables. The size of the tasks at hand and the tight deliver timeframes made for a large and complex survey project requiring full time intensive programme management.

An innovative approach was taken in using Google Earth, internet delivery of results, laser scanning and software adaptation. Good client satisfaction was achieved with the NZ Transport Agency noting the highs standard of the project deliverables and the adherence to time frames. The project came in below budget which represented a significant saving for the client. The assessors rated this project high in terms of professional and technical challenges, complexity, innovation, and client satisfaction.

Merit Awards

Marsden Park Subdivision

Entered by Paul Newton, Newton Survey

This project involves stage one of Marsden Park residential development consisting of 128 allotments. The project covers all topographical, cadastral, engineering set out, as-built surveying resource consent plan variation, concept and detailed engineering design for earthworks, roads, sewer, stormwater and wastewater reticulation.

Challenges included improving design without compromising the approved non –complying status of the existing consent, improving traffic flow and changing road layout, reducing bulk earthworks and provision of underground service corridors. Features of the project include streetscape and layout, redesign, vertical separation to limit fencing, location of trees within the road formation, low impact stormwater design and future control and maintenance.

 

Lyall bay SLSC Clubhouse

Entered by Landlink Waikanae

This project involves a comprehensive and consent application on a high profile site in a challenging coastal environment. As well as a complex consent the project comprised planning, public consultation, cadastral topographic surveying and the location of mean seal level and its relationship to buildings and green building design.

Challenges and complexity included the resource consent planning process, overall project management, environmentally sustainable design and critical client requirements.

Other Entries


Bronte Downs

Entered by Staig and Smith, Nelson,


This entry involved a coastal development subdivision located in rural Tasman near Nelson. This was sensitive coastal site which is the first subdivision within the Rural 3 zone to be consented to non-notified.

 

The project was completed in two stages namely Stage A, boundary adjustment between four existing allotments followed immediately by Stage B which created seven additional allotments. The project involved design, topographical survey, resource consent, construction and land transfer processes.

Special features include site analysis, land productivity assessment, ecological restoration low impact stormwater design enhancing coastal access and encouraging sensitive future building development.

Hobsonville Point Stage One

 Entered by Harrison and Grierson, Auckland

Stage One of the Greater Hobsonville Point project involves 83 residential lots with infrastructure, landscaping and reserves. The project comprised subdivision resource consent, engineering design, engineering construction observation and administration, subdivision compliance and land transfer survey.

 

A collaborative design process provided underlying structure for development. Key urban design principles include true street frontages, pedestrian and cycle friendly streets, integrated house and land packages to maximise light function, open space and cost considerations.

 

Kotuku Park

Entered by Cardno, Wellington

This project is a staged residential development of 350 sites situated at Paraparaumu Beach on the Kapiti Coast. This project has involved planning, engineering and surveying services and overall land development project management.

The concept plan design was required to accommodate a number of constraints such as the existing residential housing along the beach, topography, existing burial grounds, Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve.

Features of the design roading layout, increased central reserve area, recreation reserve system, stormwater management plan and contamination control.

Nau Mai Business Park & Lifestyle Subdivision

Entered by McCracken Surveys, Hamilton

 

This subdivisional project involved land use consent for a light industrial area and associated earthworks and staged subdivision consents located in a Rural Zone.

The project provided professional and technical challenges arising from the locality of the site, the zoning of the land, the adjacent state highway and the status of the District Plan.


Surveying in the Red Zone, Canterbury Earthquake 2011

Entered by Alistair Greig and Todd Airey Aurecon, Christchurch.

 

This entry is a specific application of surveying in the Red Zone after the Canterbury Earthquake 2011. It recognises the commitment and contribution of a group of surveyors working in dangerous conditions and taking a high level of responsibility towards the rescue operation in Christchurch’s Central Business District.

 

This article documents experiences and activities as information for other surveyors facing natural disasters in the future.

 

This surveying response was both direct to USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) support and also supporting Civil Defence. Surveyors supported both groups with technical support, advice and interpretation of information during a developing emergency where there was a shortage of information.