New Zealand Institute of Building congratulates the winners of the 2022 NZ Building Industry Awards - Darren Cutfield wins the GIB® Supreme Award

The New Zealand Institute of Building (NZIOB) announced the winners of the 2022 New Zealand Building Industry Awards on Friday, 2 September at a spectacular gala evening at the Cordis Hotel, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland.

Chief Executive Pamela Bell said, “The Institute congratulates all this year's winners and finalists, their employers, families and supporters, and our family of sponsors. These Awards showcase and celebrate the commitment of those working right across the built environment and contribute to the Institute’s goal of raising quality across the industry.

“We are really impressed with the entrants who have embraced new technologies and we recognise the positive impact this technology has had on construction programmes. That reflects a global uptake in technology adoption across construction, driven by the considerable investment into companies focused on improving how we design and deliver the built environment."

The GIB® Supreme Award was won by Darren Cutfield from Built Environs NZ for the Auckland City Mission HomeGround Development on Hobson Street, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. HomeGround is the Auckland City Mission’s newly constructed $110 million multi-purpose headquarters. The 11-storey complex includes 80 apartments, a healthcare centre, detox facilities, educational and training facilities, meals and other support networks, including community spaces for the public. The complex uses an innovative Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) solution for most of the structure - a strong, lightweight, renewable and sustainable material. The building is the tallest CLT building in New Zealand and has championed the adoption of mass timber across New Zealand.

The Judges said Darren managed the project’s design and construction from many perspectives, from the philanthropic investor to the multiplicity of users, to the City Missions’ current homeless clients. Darren listened to and directed the project to meet the needs of all involved.

The BCITO Young Achievers Award was awarded to Emma Mannion from Beca. She was recently appointed as Manager – Digital Engineering Advisory (DEA). Her appointment to this newly established role reflects her contribution to the growth of digital underpinning construction projects.

The Judges said Emma is leading change in the industry. She is a role model and an emerging leader within the construction industry. Emma is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Building, Property Council NZ and Women in Property NZ. Significant achievements include the RICS Project Management Team of the Year award, the completion of Growing Greatness: Women in Technology in 2021, and becoming an Information Management Professional: BIM.

The winners of the six Cost-based Category Awards are:

NZIOB Charitable Education Trust: Projects under $4 Million Award
Carl Charlton, C3 Construction, Pacific Coast Village Lakehouse, Tauranga

GIB®: Projects $4 Million -$10 Million Award
Matt Soppit, Naylor Love, Project: Mercy Hospital Level 2 Ward Refurbishment, Ōtepoti/Dunedin

XLam: Projects $10 Million - $25 Million
Nicholas Botha, Kalmar, The Marlborough, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Carters: Projects $25 Million - $40 Million Award
David Featonby, Aspec Construction Limited, Saint Kentigern School, Specialist Facility and Senior Boys Building, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Mates in Construction: Projects $40 Million - $65 Million Award
Sam Gordon, Hawkins, Foodstuffs North Island Head Office, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

BBD: Projects over $65 Million
Darren Cutfield, Built Environs NZ, Auckland City Mission HomeGround Development, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

The James Hardie Innovation Award, recognising innovation in the industry in a project or a new product or procedure, was won by Tim Beresford and Jack Wong from Norman Disney & Young for the AiHear Acoustics Auralisation tool. The tool assists users to hear how a room will sound if various physical parameters about the room are changed during the design phase of a project.

The Judges said that this tool enables designers to make decisions on construction materials, surface finishes, and composite construction methods to deliver the best sound requirements with a high degree of certainty. It will also save significant design time in achieving the required sound quality in buildings.

Ben Tomason from Scope Total Project Partners won the Thermosash Consultants Award for his work on the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery in Whangārei.

Ben was the Lead Engineer and Project Director for German architect Heinz M. Springmann with Grant Harris of HB Architecture in NZ for this project. He had to overcome a series of obstacles, including changing engineering standards and evolving design, leading to a construction cost overrun and delayed completion, compounded by COVID-19.

The Judges said Ben achieved over $10m in value engineering by collaboratively challenging methods, design and thinking, resulting in the successful delivery of this project.

The Hays Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award, which recognises exceptional collaborative partnerships between consultants and contractors, was won by a team working on the Modular Build Programme for the Department of Corrections. The winning team comprised Brendon Keenan, Naylor Love Canterbury; Corde Rhodes, WSP; Joshua Joe-McIndoe, RCP; Elliot Smith, White Associates; and Jeremy Harding, Department of Corrections.

The project involved completing seven Modular prison units across four different sites, three in Waitaha/Canterbury (Christchurch Men's Prison, Christchurch Women's Prison, Rolleston Prison) and one in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington (Rimutaka Prison). The team had to implement the previous contractor’s incomplete design, as well as address quality and design issues.

The Judges said the project team rose to the challenge of picking up and completing complex projects in various stages of completion across four sites, and under considerable time pressure due to the projects being behind schedule. 

Chief Executive Pamela Bell said, “The standard and number of entries in this year’s Awards was particularly impressive, and the projects they have delivered have made a significant contribution to the quality of our built environment.

“This year we had a really healthy number of entries in each category and once again, the calibre of the people being judged by their peers was outstanding. I would like to thank all the Judges for providing; their time, enthusiasm, and expertise in selecting the winners of this year’s Awards.

“The Institute recognises the support the finalists and winners have received from their companies, teams and families, which enabled them to deliver world-class construction projects to their clients and the wider community.”

About the New Zealand Building Industry Awards

Established in 1994, the Institute’s annual Awards programme is sponsored by GIB®. From the outset, the Awards have celebrated and recognised an individuals’ professional excellence in the building and construction process of a recently completed project, as opposed to recognising and awarding the project or completed structure.

The awards are open to any individual or team in the Built Environment whose personal attributes have contributed to the success of a project and who demonstrate individual or team excellence in:

• Management methods and technique.

• Degree of project complexities.

• Any innovations developed during construction process.

• Relationship with the client, architect, authorities, community and work force (employees, suppliers, subcontractors, etc.).

• Delivery of quality outcome of the completed project.

• Project completion on time and within budget.

Simon Barnes is the Convener of Judging. Simon is a Quantity Surveyor with more than 40 years’ experience across a wide range of commercial, residential, industrial and retail developments.

Judging is done in two stages over a two-month period by a judging panel made up of experienced people from a cross section of the New Zealand construction industry.