Over the last 10 years since the most destructive of Canterbury’s earthquakes, former Senior Structural Engineer with HERA (Heavy Engineering Research Association) Charles Clifton has analysed why certain structures (such as the CTV building) failed and what goes into making buildings more resilient under severe seismic stress Through my collaboration with HERA (New Zealand’s Heavy Engineering Research Association), the University of Canterbury Associate Professor Gregory MacRae and Auckland University of Technology Senior Lecturer Shahab Ramhormozian, New Zealanders can be assured that the best structural and civil engineering minds are resolving the challenges around building performance; human safety; and the cost of construction and remedial strengthening in light of what we learned from Christchurch. Continue →

1.8 million kgs of reinforced concrete from the old Auckland Council building would be retained in the construction of a 6 Green Star office space designed for a post-COVID working environment A category one listed heritage building and artwork in Auckland’s CBD is set to become the site of the country’s largest-ever sustainable construction reuse project. Continue →

Asite has launched a new research report on how the construction industry can mitigate carbon emissions through the smart retrofitting of built assets The report responds to the construction industry’s role in the Paris Agreement and focuses on the decarbonization of existing buildings, both residential and commercial. Continue →

New Zealand’s building and construction industry can lift its poor productivity by establishing a digital database on building products, a BRANZ funded report from GS1 New Zealand finds This opportunity is explored in “Digital Product Data for Lifting Productivity” – a major new report from GS1 New Zealand on how such a digital database, or repository, would support the building and construction industry and on feasible steps for its establishment. Continue →

Hamilton will be the first in the Southern Hemisphere to 3D-print concrete on a commercial scale using a robot capable of printing the walls of an average house within one week The robot, imported by local technology company QOROX from CyBe Construction in the Netherlands, can build any concrete structure, including houses, commercial buildings, retaining walls, and landscape features such as planters, sculptures and picnic tables. Continue →

The New Zealand Institute of Building (NZIOB) has announced the winners of the 2020 New Zealand Building Industry Awards, with the University of Auckland’s new Waiparuru Hall taking out the GIB® Supreme Award The New Zealand Building Industry Awards celebrate and recognise an individuals’ professional excellence in the building and construction process of a recently completed project. Continue →

Digital Twin Technology is increasingly being deployed by organisations in the construction industry, delivering organisational cost savings and operational efficiencies as part of their digital transformation journey, says Head of Pacific AVEVA Damien McDade from AVEVA Worldwide, construction is already one of the largest industry sectors. Continue →

Despite the Covid-19 lockdown interruption and delays in shovel-ready projects, many contractors are optimistic about the future according to the 2020 Construction Industry Survey, a partnership between Teletrac Navman and Civil Contractors New Zealand COVID-19 and the electoral cycle are causing short-term pain for civil contractors in the next 6-12 months, but the industry sees a promising future, with record spending on infrastructure projects as a cornerstone to the Government’s economic recovery plan. Continue →

The infrastructure industry has just gone through a blizzard of policy change, with five key bills landing in the final two weeks of the current parliamentary term The Government’s Urban Growth Agenda was designed to address the fundamentals of land supply, development capacity and enabling infrastructure. Continue →

Two major Auckland projects in the New Zealand Upgrade Programme have moved closer to construction with the release of tender document Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has issued the Registration of Interest, to allow shortlisting for construction companies to build stage one of the Southern Motorway improvements between Papakura to Drury South. Continue →

Tiny needle-like fibres that can become airborne if bedrock is disturbed has the potential to cause an asbestos-type disease, scientists warn The fibres come from a mineral called erionite which originates in silica-rich volcanic rock commonly found in many parts of the world and especially throughout the Auckland region. Continue →

A combined plea from three key infrastructure associations garners a partial response from a government accused of using shovel-ready projects for politicking ahead of the election Details of 59 projects were released on July 27 by the government’s Infrastructure Reference Group after infrastructure industry leaders and opposition party MPs had earlier called for the release of the government’s full list of shovel-ready projects. Continue →

The Resource Management Review Panel has recommended replacing the Resource Management Act with two new acts, but can they succeed where the RMA failed? Continue →

Construction and infrastructure leaders are calling for urgency around the release of the government’s full list of ‘shovel-ready projects’ as increasing numbers of workers face redundancy and business confidence amongst construction and infrastructure companies nose-dives Early this month the Government announced it had selected 150 projects worth NZD$2.6b that would create or retain 20,000 jobs. Continue →

A world first, a whole two-storey house was printed in one piece using the largest 3D concrete printer in Europe The two-storey house is located on the premises of Kamp C in Westerlo, Belgium. Continue →

$2.6 billion of the shovel ready infrastructure fund has been allocated to 150 projects, but details on these projects are sorely needed for the infrastructure sector to plan its future workforce needs Ministers Robertson and Jones announced today that $2.6 billion of the $3 billion shovel ready fund has been allocated to 150 projects, with $400m still to be allocated. Continue →

Managing and monitoring waste produced on a construction site needs careful planning. Continue →

With the announcement today that New Zealand is moving to COVID-19 alert level 1 at 11:59 on Monday 8th June, the construction industry has now published a revised standard and protocols for ongoing operations Key changes from alert level 2 to alert level 1 are: The relaxing of physical distancing requirements on site. Continue →

Homeowners, builders and DIYers will soon have an easier time making basic home improvements as the Government scraps the need for consents for low-risk building work The Government is introducing new exemptions to the Building Act in a move save homeowners $18 million in consenting costs each year, though building work must still meet the Building Code, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa announced today. Continue →