Issue | Putanga 29/2024
Underwater worlds
Boosting aquaculture’s profitability and sustainability
Healthcare: buildings and beyond
Delivering better health outcomes in Aotearoa
Increasing disaster preparedness and resilience
How the past informs the present – and the inevitable “next one”
Sir Peter Beck on space, success and engineers
“We need to think of resilience on a wider front than just earthquakes.”
“Hospitals are large pieces of infrastructure, but ultimately they’re all about helping people.”
“As in any area, engineering can significantly benefit from AI, in terms of the automation of routine tasks, productivity, sustainability, and optimisation.”
“It was essential to integrate this local knowledge into the overall plan and to have tangata whenua involved at the discussion table and decision-making process.”
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This issue of EG was published in December 2024.
8 Increasing disaster preparedness and resilience How Kiwi engineers are learning from past disasters here and abroad and helping to prepare for the inevitable “next time”.
14 “Solve bigger problems” Sir Peter Beck on his journey in the space sector and some of his insights about engineers.
18 Healthcare: buildings and beyond While issues around the nation’s healthcare infrastructure have sparked ongoing debate and record protests, clever engineers and engineering continue to deliver better health outcomes for New Zealanders.
24 Underwater worlds Some of the ways engineers are involved in projects aimed at boosting the aquaculture sector’s profitability and sustainability.
30 Why AI “offers numerous advantages” Why this computer engineer and university lecturer who admits she’s fallen in love with AI believes it can significantly help engineering.
32 “Re-wilding” the waterways
A Northland spillway and bridge flood mitigation project highlights how engineering can be a catalyst for positive change for people and places.
40 Volunteering a “career sabbatical”
While there’s a shortage of volunteers with engineering backgrounds taking up longer-term roles abroad, this insider is adamant it’s a great experience.
41 Partnership delivers new competency framework Why the Recognised Engineers (Dam Safety) project is a great example of partnership.
42 Fuel for thought With the transition to low-carbon and low emission energy carriers and fuels underway, what do fleet owners need to know?
44 Increasing fire safety Practice Note 22 – updated Guidelines for Documenting Fire Safety Designs: the why and the what.
45 AI and IP – who owns the outputs? The rise of generative AI has raised questions and uncertainties surrounding IP – what material should AI “learn” from, and who owns the outputs?
46 Intersection
Chosen by Te Ao Rangahau staff
On the otherwise undeveloped and quiet Māhia Peninsula on the east coast of the North Island, you might catch the odd glimpse of what some consider the peak of human scientific endeavours –a rocket being sent into space. Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1, completed in 2016, is the world’s first and only private orbital launch range. It is capable of up to 120 launches a year and it’s the primary site for launches of Electron, designed to lift up to 320kg to orbit. The Electron is also the fastest commercially developed rocket to hit 50 launches. While it’s not pocket change, the roughly $12m cost to deliver a satellite to orbit from the 50-tonne launch platform in Māhia represents a lower cost than previous services, making private satellite activity a reality for many customers.
Rockets are such an inspiring technological innovation. How cool is it to be able to reach space from our very own backyard?
Renée King – Wonder Project Advisor
New Zealand’s STEM future needs your support, now more than ever.
Aotearoa is facing a skills and diversity shortfall across STEM. 80% of our future jobs will require STEM skills, but not enough young Kiwis are aspiring to careers in the industry.
The Wonder Project was designed to address this problem.
Over 140,000 Kiwi kids have been inspired with STEM through Engineering New Zealand’s free schools programme. After our 2024 challenges:
56% of ākonga were more interested in STEM jobs
88% kaiako noticed an improvement in STEM perceptions
96% of kaiako felt more confident teaching STEM
We need your help to continue delivering impact
In 2023 we lost our government partner, which provided 93% of our funding. An incredible rōpū of organisations have stepped up to support our mission – but we still need to raise $100,000 to deliver our programmes in 2025.
Help rangatahi access quality STEM education now and into the future. Support the Wonder Project today.
Reignite our spark. Donate now
Join the rōpū of organisations committed to inspiring the next generation with STEM.
“Levi demonstrates the qualities sought in entrepreneurial leadership: innovation, vision, resilience, and the ability to execute and scale a complex business idea on a global stage.”
NZ Leadership Awards judges’ comments about engineer and Partly founder Levi Fawcett (29) who accepted the best overall leader award by proxy due to the birth of his son.
“We’re aiming to provide a solution for New Zealand that could rapidly cut its emissions, offset resources that require carbon in their creation process such as steel, and begin reversing carbon dioxide levels.”
University of Canterbury Associate Professor David Dempsey’s project receives $10 million over five years from the Endeavour Fund.
“Kieran is an engineer at heart and brings to the role expertise in setting and executing strategy, driving customer and commercial outcomes, and strengthening key partner relationships.”
Jason Paris, CEO of One NZ, on the appointment of engineer Kieran Byrne as its new CTO.
According to the New Zealand Law Society, the current proportion of women/those identifying as women lawyers in Aotearoa is 55.4 percent. In 2022, for active medical doctors, it was 50 percent, a huge increase from 18 percent in 1980, according to a survey by the Medical Council of New Zealand. Since 1900, these professions have changed from approximately 100 percent male dominated, to near parity between men and women. Engineering, a no-less-valued, demanding, essential profession, has not seen this progress. In 1983, Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau had 5,500 members. Only 30 were women. In 2024, 18 percent of our members identify as women. Why, as a profession, are we so far behind? The Diversity Agenda, the BeLongEng project and others are striving to understand the reasons and change the outcome. The BeLongEng project, with partners across four universities in Australasia, sponsored by the Engineering New Zealand Foundation, will carry out longitudinal studies on engineers throughout their careers to help understand the problem. Younger people do not fully seem to understand the essential role of engineers in benefitting society. I've been asked about this by parents who feel that their daughters can only benefit society if they join the medical profession.
Imperial College, a global top 10 university in the United Kingdom, defines unconscious (or implicit) bias as the associations we hold outside our conscious awareness and control. For example, women engineering colleagues have routinely had new associates assume that they were not the engineer in the room. We are also aware of occasional failures to provide, in accordance with the law, simpler things like smaller safety equipment such as boots that fit, or women’s changing rooms. In the very worst (and recent) case, we have even been asked by Engineering New Zealand members to send male leaders to Member Connect, when the events have been led by senior women in the profession.
While unconscious bias may affect us all, until we acknowledge this and think about our own personal perceptions, women will not be equally attracted to the profession.
In 2024, engineering remains a deeply gendered profession. How have law and medicine managed to change perceptions, demographics and roles within their professions, while we lag so far behind?
Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ President, Te Ao Rangahau
WRITER | KAITUHI RINA DIANE
Like waves crashing to shore, it seems disasters just keep coming – devastating hurricanes in Florida and floods in Spain are just two recent examples. But with every disaster comes the opportunity to learn and to increase preparedness and resilience for the inevitable “next time”. We take a look at the roles engineers play and how best practices evolve, based on experiences here and abroad.
On Boxing Day in 2004, an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a devastating tsunami that damaged coasts of countries across South and Southeast Asia. The series of massive ocean waves caused immense destruction and the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
The Indian Ocean tsunami spurred action to examine and enhance the level of tsunami resilience across Aotearoa, and two decades on, a lot has changed here when it comes to disaster preparedness and resilience.
“It has led to 20 years of advances across most facets of tsunami, especially tsunami warning and preparedness,” says Graham Leonard, a principal scientist at GNS Science whose research centres on characterising and mitigating the impacts of natural hazard events.
Since then, a national framework for tsunami evacuation zones was developed, along with establishing a 24/7 National Geohazards Monitoring Centre. The ongoing transition from geographic information systems to more modern hydrodynamic models for tsunami modelling is also a key change.
Emergency mobile alerts were set up following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake and tsunami and in 2019 a network of DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami) buoys were strategically deployed off the east and north coasts of Aotearoa. These deep ocean pressure sensors can detect a tsunami and help experts provide early warning before it reaches our shores.
The DART buoys proved valuable in picking up signs of tsunami activity and supplying data to estimate the
tsunami threat to our coastlines after the explosive eruption of Tonga’s Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in January 2022.
“The Tongan tsunami highlighted that we need to do more work on our modelling for a volcano source – how big a tsunami might be generated and the mechanisms behind it,” Graham says.
His experience throughout the Asia-Pacific region and in North and South America has helped inform his work in Aotearoa. His contribution to the “long, strong, get gone” educational campaign for earthquakes and tsunamis was inspired by visits to Thailand in 2006, Indonesia in 2008, and Japan after the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. He discovered the importance of regular earthquake and evacuation drills for the community, and that people who evacuated feeling a long or strong earthquake alone or other natural signs, without waiting for a siren or emergency mobile alert, had the best survival rate.
… thousands of people had their lives saved by evacuating upwards inside strong buildings.
– Graham Leonard
Graham is currently working with the New Zealand engineering community on a technique he has studied in Japan called vertical evacuation.
“We could see how valuable buildings were in big, flat coastal areas as a place people could be safe,” he says.
“As long as they were reinforced concrete or steel and taller than the water flow depth, they survived very well. And thousands of people had their lives saved by evacuating upwards inside strong buildings.”
While guidance is already in place for designing new vertical evacuation structures for tsunami loads in Aotearoa, more guidance is needed for evaluating existing buildings “so that the strongest buildings can have a message that people stay in them, leaving enough capacity on the streets for people from weaker buildings to evacuate from a tsunami”, Graham says.
Looking to the future, he hopes for a more holistic approach to disaster preparedness and resilience in Aotearoa.
“I hope we are building our communities and infrastructure in ways that will be less damaged
Opposite: A Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) buoy being deployed in the Southwest Pacific.
Right: Inside the National Geohazards Monitoring Centre / Te Puna Mōrearea i te Rū which provides around-the-clock monitoring of natural geohazards in Aotearoa. Photos: GNS Science
Below: University of Auckland tsunami resilience researcher, Vensel Margraff.
Photo: Engineering New Zealand/Jeremy Hill
Photography
by a tsunami over the next 50 years. And balancing that against other hazard risks too, like coastal erosion, flooding and earthquakes, so that we’re picking the most resilient, safest places for our new buildings.”
Vensel Margraff is a doctoral researcher at the University of Auckland investigating tsunami resilience in Pacific Island communities. As a civil and environmental engineering undergraduate, he developed and applied a spatial framework to assess coastal protection in Tonga. For his doctoral dissertation, Vensel, who won the Outstanding Emerging Professional Award at Engineering New Zealand’s 2024 Auckland Branch Awards, is expanding that framework to include Samoa. He’s putting it to practice, developing geospatial models that incorporate agent-based modelling and machine learning techniques. These models will characterise not only the physical and economic dimensions but also the social dimensions of when a community is impacted by tsunami hazards.
“Hopefully, the work will support policy-makers and decision-makers to optimise resource allocation and improve disaster response strategies locally,” he says.
Vensel noticed that the current state of practice in the disaster response space has been reactive.
“New methodologies only come out when a disaster happens,” he says.
“However, by adopting a resilience mindset, you become more proactive to disasters, which improves the overall preparedness of the community.”
Vensel grew up in Samoa, which makes his research on tsunami resilience all the more meaningful.
“I’ll get to contribute back to my home by designing and implementing solutions there, but also use my experience as a local to extract information about what they need,” he says.
“As I’ve continued in this path, I’ve realised it’s less about how technically savvy your solutions are and more about how contextualised they are to the local circumstances because that is what will make the biggest difference in people’s lives.”
Earthquakes are another natural disaster Aotearoa is familiar with. Throughout his five-decade-long career, structural engineer Barry Brown MNZM DistFEngNZ IntPE(NZ) has witnessed myriad shifts in thinking and practices around earthquake resilience.
Random processes turned into rigorous standards. These include the introduction of limit state codes for structural steel and reinforced concrete, detailing rules for structural members potentially subject to seismic overload, capacity design for permissible collapse mechanisms, and sophisticated software for analysing earthquake response in buildings.
“This promoted a more prescriptive approach to structural design in place of the nominal processes applied previously to achieve compliance,” Barry says.
“Consequently, the structural engineer’s task in designing earthquake resilience into buildings at the end of my professional career in 2020 was much more demanding than it was when I started in 1970.”
These transformations have led to strengthened earthquake resilience here, especially for newly constructed buildings. However, more effort is needed to retrofit existing buildings to meet modern earthquake resilience standards.
It’s also important to accelerate the transition to post-disaster recovery and maintenance.
– Ke Jiang
“The challenge in terms of improving earthquake resilience is that what you can do with a new building you can’t always do easily with an existing building,” says Barry. He adds that residential and commercial buildings also have different resilience considerations because of the different roles they play in our lives – any lack of resilience impacts on us differently as owners, tenants or workplace users.
Measuring a change in resilience is a challenge as well, since it goes beyond a drop in the number of earthquake-prone buildings.
“We need to think of resilience on a wider front than just earthquakes,” Barry says. “We need to consider it in the context of land and natural hazards that might affect that land.”
This year, Barry was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to structural engineering. Reflecting on his career, he’s most proud of his accomplishments as Chair of the Building Industry Authority between 2001 and 2005, supporting the recovery team mobilised in response to the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, and establishing the New Zealand Structural Engineering Society in 1988.
“I’m proud of the way that entity has developed into a force for good and best practice in the structural engineering field.”
In April this year, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rattled Hualien County in Taiwan, its strongest seismic event in 25 years. Dr Ke Jiang MEngNZ, a lecturer in civil and natural resources engineering at the University of Canterbury, travelled to Taiwan on a reconnaissance mission to study the performance of retrofitted buildings after the earthquake.
Ke observed the rapid post-disaster recovery, with the city remaining functional even after the earthquake. She also noted the swift restoration of earthquakedamaged infrastructure, with major structural deficiencies addressed through simple building retrofits.
She attributes this speed to immediate decision-making and efficient damage assessments. Structural engineers promptly appraise and design repairs. Hospitals, schools, and other essential infrastructure are a priority, followed by residential buildings and other structures. Retrofits are partially subsidised by the government.
Ke shares a few lessons learned from Taiwan that can be applied to Aotearoa. For instance, early warning systems and periodic earthquake drills proved effective in reducing casualties.
“It’s also important to accelerate the transition to post-disaster recovery and maintenance,” she adds.
“To do that, we need straightforward guidance for damage assessment of different building types, as well as effective retrofitting techniques.”
With frequent earthquakes and increasingly intense rainfall, Aotearoa is no stranger to landslides. When slips happen, the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team at Fire and Emergency New Zealand is quick to respond.
The team is unique in that it includes geotechnical engineers.
“Engineers being embedded are generally structural engineers because we train for building collapses,” says Dr Jan Kupec FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), a geotechnical principal at Aurecon and USAR engineer.
“It requires a structural mindset and technical skillset to operate in that high hazard environment.”
While Jan is typically deployed when incidents occur across the country, particularly during the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes and more recently during the 2023 flooding in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, he also helps out with missions abroad.
In the wake of the deadly landslide that rocked the Yambali village of Papua New Guinea in May 2024, Jan was part of the team sent to evaluate conditions on the ground. His role involved determining the size of the landslide, its likelihood to mobilise and cause further slips, and who were at risk downstream, among other factors.
“The deployment is a highly dynamic, active environment. You are often with minimum communication to the outside world. You need to do snap assessments and make fast decisions,” Jan says.
Technology is critical in USAR. In the case of the Papua New Guinea landslide, the team used high-resolution satellite images to gather highly detailed topographical information, and deployed drones to capture images
Buckling-restrained brace
NZSEE
Above: Local villagers cross a 200m-wide landslide in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province.
Photo Jan Kupec
and videos. These were processed into digital 3D maps and sent to a team at GNS Science, who combined this information with current and historical aerial photographs and fed the data into numerical models.
These models were calibrated using data from past events, such as the Christchurch earthquakes, avalanches in the Swiss Alps, and observations of landslides in the Wellington region. The model was then able to predict hazard information, including where a landslide started and where it would end up, as well as its movement and behaviour.
“The model was able to predict areas at risk, and that was information we were able to provide to the Papua New Guinea government,” says Jan.
He also worked with local engineers in Papua New Guinea to pass on the information gathered.
These engineers were invited to New Zealand in November as part of a knowledge exchange and capability building exercise.
“The idea is for them to understand how we tackle these problems and what solutions we use, and essentially enable a collaboration,” Jan says.
“We wanted to be part of the solution development and build up capability that enables the people of Papua New Guinea to react to future incidents like this.”
WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON
Sir Peter Beck on his journey in the space sector and his insights about engineers – spoiler alert: they make great businesspeople, but need to think bigger…
It’s the 1980s in Invercargill and a boy is standing outside his home gazing up into the night sky, pondering the origins of the universe.
That boy, recently knighted Sir Peter Beck, became the founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, the world’s second most prolific commercial launch provider (behind SpaceX), which designs, builds and launches advanced rockets and satellites.
“I always knew exactly what I wanted to do. As a child, I had two passions. One was engineering and the other was space,” he says.
“And when those two things collide, you naturally end up building rockets.”
Peter started experimenting with propellants when he was still at school.
“I felt that if I wanted to learn about these things, I had to do it myself. I was very good with my hands, so I went and did a tool and die making apprenticeship at Fisher and Paykel, and the precision of that trade gave me the skills to be able to build rockets and rocket engines.
“The plan was to get a trade, start building engines, and then eventually go to university. I felt that an engineer who has both a good practical and theoretical background is going to be really good engineer.”
After hours, Peter used the company’s workshop and tools to build rockets.
“I gave a rocket bike demonstration
to the Fisher and Paykel Board of Directors. I’m not sure they were fully anticipating what they were about to see. They stood in the carpark and I strapped on my overalls and bicycle helmet and roared past them at 100 miles an hour on a push bike with a rocket engine.”
Would health and safety laws now prevent innovative engineers from such experimental opportunities?
“I hope not. The level of support that I was given there was just incredible. There were a lot of people who put a lot of trust in and faith in me, to be safe, but to experiment.”
After a spell at the then Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and bursting with ideas, Peter went to the United States to secure a job within the aerospace industry. But the New Zealander with no qualifications hit only walls, and on the flight home, recognising that the industry was dominated by large, expensive rockets incompatible with the growing demand for small satellite launches, Peter decided to start his own rocket company.
What gave him the confidence to do that in a small, isolated country with zero aerospace training or industry?
“It was the only logical conclusion I could reach.”
Peter says at first it was a company of one, but then slowly it grew bigger.
“All the engineers who came to work for us were incredibly brilliant and practical. Working on the first rocket that we sent to space in 2009, all were New Zealanders.”
“I don’t think we had any US employees until we shifted to the US in 2013, and the
vast majority of the engineers were New Zealanders for a very long time. Even today, we have 700 people here in New Zealand of the 2,000 staff.”
Peter says rocket building is a risky business.
“But that’s the nature of it – you mitigate as many risks as you can, but not to the point where you stifle any movement forward. That’s the real art here, balancing the magnitude of the risk with moving quickly and doing innovative stuff.”
He continues: “If you look at our two biggest competitors, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, we’re never going to outspend those guys – we’re competing because we hustle more and we’re more innovative.
“That’s in the DNA of the company. If you ask anybody in the space industry, they’ll tell you Rocket Lab stuff always works. We build beautiful things.”
On the entrance of any of its factories, located in Aotearoa, the United States and Canada, it states that Rocket Lab goes to space to improve life on Earth.
“That’s what gets me up in the morning. You can literally put a little box of electronics in orbit around the earth and affect millions of people’s lives in a positive way.”
With 53 launches of the Electron rocket launching 197 satellites behind it, Rocket Lab is now developing the larger Neutron, complete with reusable components, and the Venus Life Finder satellite, which aims to explore Venus’s atmosphere for signs of organic compounds and microbes.
The space industry has recently experienced exponential and intrinsic change.
“When we first started, there was the hope and promise of the democratisation of space – the aerospace industry was owned and managed by governments. In my lifetime, we have absolutely witnessed that shifting. Now, if governments want to do something in space, they throw it open to industry.”
Most recently, Rocket Lab secured a contract with NASA to study the feasibility of retrieving rock samples from Mars.
“That was a government programme which reached the conclusion it was going to cost $11 billion in four years. They opened that up to industry and we have been awarded a study contract to see if we can do it faster and cheaper.”
Does the privatisation of space concern him?
“It’s definitely a new market and SpaceX holds the monopoly, but no monopoly survives the test of time.
“There’s enough regulation and consistency of actors around it that I don’t think it’s too out of control.”
The influence the space industry has on humanity is not to be underestimated.
“Think about space as being a kind of infrastructure,” says Peter. “It’s no different to pipes in the ground. I think a lot of
people don’t realise how much they rely on space infrastructure in their daily lives because it’s hidden. And those who get to participate in it can have huge effect.”
He describes the company as “a lucky business”, adding: “We launch rockets, we build spacecraft and we also sell a lot of components onto spacecraft for just about all of the major NASA missions. The James Webb Telescope, the Mars Curiosity Rover, and the Mars Helicopter, all had Rocket Lab componentry on them.”
When asked what challenges engineers face, he sees none, only opportunity.
“There is huge opportunity for engineers to be a part of some really big programmes and make history.”
He believes having some business success stories encourages New Zealand engineers to design and launch commercially viable innovations.
“And teaching entrepreneurism. A lot of engineers come out of school and go to work, but not many of them think about starting their own business. But engineers make really good businesspeople – we’re very logical thinkers and think on multiple planes.”
He urges engineers to go out in the world and solve the big problems.
If you look at our two biggest competitors, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, we’re never going to outspend those guys – we’re competing because we hustle more and we’re more innovative.
“Don’t solve little problems, solve big problems. The amount of effort, work and pain is exactly the same to solve a little problem as it is a big problem.”
Rocket Lab is actively involved in promoting STEM subjects, including school visits, scholarships and internships.
“We have the ability to engage at a level that very few industries do. Everybody is enamoured with space. I’m yet to witness when you can’t reach the most reluctant student. If you pass around something that’s been to space and back, you watch their eyes sparkle. The space industry gives you that platform to ask really big questions.”
He says Rocket Lab doesn’t draw distinction and encourages diversity of all kinds.
“We’re lucky to have a launch site in the Māhia Peninsula and we have some amazing stories of folks that started off doing things like mowing the lawns who are now incredibly educated and important people within the organisation.”
Does he still gaze into the sky at night and dream of visiting space himself?
“No. I am cursed with all of the knowledge of the risks and none of the courage. That’s someone else’s job.”
Whole-of-life cost was a key consideration for Tōtara Haumaru, with a resilient structural design and options that allow for adaptation and modification in the future.
WRITER | KAITUHI RACHEL HELYER DONALDSON
Issues around the nation’s healthcare infrastructure have sparked ongoing debate and record protests, with underinvestment, ageing assets and deferred maintenance cited as key factors. And our ageing population is just one factor set to place further strain on health-related infrastructure. As public hospitals struggle, private health is increasingly stepping in. But in both sectors, engineers and clever engineering continue to help deliver better healthcare for New Zealanders.
The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission says we must change how we plan, build and maintain our public hospitals if we are to address their ageing infrastructure and meet changing population needs.
One recommendation is that the Government continues to explore non-built options such as repurposing existing assets, shifting from inpatient to outpatient care models, and virtual care, like telehealth.
Health NZ is planning smaller hospital builds and reusing existing infrastructure, aiming to deliver services faster and keep costs down. Nelson Hospital’s rebuild has been scaled down from one large acute services building to a series of smaller, staged buildings.
In September, an estimated 35,000 protestors rallied in Dunedin at the Government’s proposal to downgrade the city’s new hospital build.
“Hospitals are large pieces of infrastructure, but ultimately they’re all about helping people,” says Aurecon buildings leader Jonny Papa CMEngNZ CPEng, Atiu (Cook Islands) descent.
Studies show health infrastructure contributes to wellbeing and has the potential to improve quality of life. That infrastructure includes soft infrastructure services such as skilled staff, data connectivity, the natural environment and cultural norms.
Healthcare is also a fundamental human right. “Many of our big moments in life happen in hospitals. Babies are born there, people get saved, often they die there.”
Jonny, who’s a member of the New Zealand Health Design Council committee, has extensive experience in the health sector, including with new public hospital facility Tōtara Haumaru at North Shore Hospital, which opened in July.
As a structural engineer, Jonny’s work focuses on physical infrastructure, but even this needs to be “patient-centred, accessible to everybody and comfortable”. That can mean letting in more light, using nature through biophilic design, or making spaces feel homely or culturally welcoming.
Engineers are part of a “much bigger ecosystem”, Jonny says.
“We can do a lot, but we can’t do it all on our own. We need to look at it holistically, from the strategy all the way through to the creation of the physical environmental infrastructure.”
Above: Tōtara Haumaru includes new wards and operating theatres designed from a whānau and patient-centred perspective.
Photo: Mark Scowen Photography
Other key aspects of health infrastructure include being flexible and resilient, digitally enabled, and sustainable.
Aurecon aims to help clients get the most out of existing infrastructure by assessing its current state and prioritising their investment decisions. Its approach is dubbed “sustaining capital” and is applied across all sectors, not just health. It can involve reusing, repurposing or maintaining existing buildings and other assets. Jonny says any new-build projects should deliver maximum value.
“They need to be cost-effective and built-for-purpose, but adaptable so they can be repurposed if required.”
A cost-conscious, collaborative approach reduces the chance of budget blowouts and eases the construction process. Early contractor involvement offers advance understanding of construction phase requirements, which is particularly important on large, complex and high-risk projects such as hospitals.
“It enables robust risk management, innovation and public value.”
The Tōtara Haumaru 150-bed surgical facility project even involved selected sub-contractors at an early stage.
Hospitals are large pieces of infrastructure, but ultimately they’re all about helping people.
– Jonny Papa
Healthcare technology and models of care change all the time, so, Jonny says, it was important Tōtara Haumaru’s internal spaces had few structural obstructions.
“If in 20 years they want to change it from ward levels to another use, the structure caters for that.”
Tōtara Haumaru’s light-filled indoor atrium garden has been internationally recognised with a win at the Annual Biophilic Awards. “Nature, fresh air and comfort leads to generally healthier hospitals which means healthier patients,” Jonny says.
Modular, prefabricated design is another trend in healthcare. Aurecon has used this for several Australian projects, including a permanent building for Monash Medical Emergency Department in Victoria. In 2023, Aurecon was part of the team that built a temporary decant space on the roof of Wellington Hospital, while an existing building was refurbished.
“It’s quick, less wasteful as it’s done in a controlled factory environment and can be reused.”
Healthcare robots
Professor Bruce MacDonald’s long-term goal is to design intelligent robotic assistants that improve people’s lives. Bruce is the director of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Automation and Robotic Engineering Science (CARES), which began its healthcare robotics programme around 15 years ago.
He says robots are becoming commonplace in healthcare, particularly overseas, where hospitals deploy service robots to deliver sheets, medication and meals.
CARES has created a fleet of healthcare robots, or Healthbots™, which have been used in New Zealand and South Korea. They have white-moulded plastic bodies, a swivelling head and moveable arms.
An initial trial to help older people saw 25 healthcare robots used at Selwyn Retirement Village in Auckland. Southland’s Gore Health deployed four in 2013. One pre-screened general practice patients, saving four minutes of appointment time. Three went into the homes of high-risk elderly patients, providing medication reminders, medical updates and companionship, and reducing the need for appointments.
CARES’s current focus is social robotics. Technology is developing all the time, says Bruce. “Robots need to show empathy if they’re going to be any use to people, and the conversation is getting much more realistic.”
Above: Auckland City Hospital site progress in 2023; the temporary ramp in the foreground was built using reused precast panels and steel beams.
Left: Construction of two of four new water tanks, and the five-storey Central Plant building.
Below: McConnell Dowell Senior Project Engineer Scott Grace. Photos: McConnell Dowell
Opposite: Front view of Mercy Hospital and the new Gilgit Wing in Auckland. Photo: Klein Architects
When it is finished in late 2025, Auckland City Hospital’s new central plant building, constructed by McConnell Dowell and Built Environs, will be one of the country’s most seismically resilient buildings. With bespoke triple friction pendulum bearings and a 700mm rattle-space around its perimeter, in the event of a natural disaster the central plant will continue to provide the hospital with utilities such as heating, water and gas.
The enabling works included installing 115 foundation piles of up to 26m in a 10-week period. The main works consisted of constructing the 240-metre tunnel and five-storey plant building.
McConnell Dowell Senior Project Engineer Scott Grace says the most challenging part of the build has been working in and around the 24/7 live hospital environment, with its patients, staff, specialist services and emergency vehicles.
“Delivering a high-quality project in the heart of the hospital grounds without disrupting normal activities has been pivotal.”
To achieve this, the project team implemented the least intrusive construction methodology. McConnell Dowell constructed a timber hoarding around the site to contain and limit noise, dust and vibration. They also built a temporary ramp – reusing precast panels and steel from a previous project – across the construction site so trucks could bypass roads used by the public and ambulances. Building the new services tunnel meant strengthening the old tunnel and safely excavating 15m below it.
The building is “extremely high-spec”, Scott says. “That in itself throws up a lot of challenges to ensure everything is planned for and gets executed correctly.”
MercyAscot hospital’s new state-of-the-art Gilgit Wing in Auckland boasts a suite of spacious operating theatres, an intensive care unit and high-dependency unit. Hi-tech features include an airflow system built to the highest-specification DIN 1946-4 standards.
Due to open in early 2025, the new hospital wing is built on MercyAscot’s original site in Epsom, established in 1900. More than a century later, it’s a campus of buildings of different eras and styles, says NDY’s Technical Manager Healthcare David Bintliff, who has an electrical engineering background. He’s spent the past five years overseeing the new build’s building services, as well as a wider Mercy Hospital Redevelopment project. Upgrades to the reception and admissions areas bring a sense of cohesion to the campus.
The hospital’s history and geography – built into the caldera of Mt Eden – set limitations. “It’s very constrained and the engineering has had to be very clever. This is not an easy build.” NDY’s design involved extensive
Southland’s new charity hospital is the legacy of Blair Vining, a cancer care advocate who died of bowel cancer in 2019. The Southland Charity Hospital Trust aims to improve the region’s cancer care, waiting lists and survival rates.
The build involved the conversion and extension of a pub to accommodate the specialist spaces required. Lewis Bradford Consulting Engineers did the structural engineering design pro bono, contributing $40,000 of services in kind, over four years, says director Helen Trappitt FEngNZ.
Helen’s mum died in 2022 of a rare and difficult-toidentify gastric cancer.
“We understand all too well how the timely diagnosis of cancer can impact a patient’s prognosis.”
consultation with hospital staff and user groups, including some of Aotearoa’s leading specialists. A “sandwich building” of four levels includes a plant on the top and bottom floors which feed downwards and upwards, respectively, “in very strategic, efficient ways”.
“It’s a credit to both the hospital and the engineering team.”
NDY’s Health Sector Leader, David Smith, says modern, purpose-built facilities and settings play an important part in delivering care.
“A comfortable environment which replicates circadian rhythms with lighting, temperature and humidity, enhances patient wellbeing and cuts down on recovery time, especially after surgery.
“These aren’t just buildings that are built. They’re well-thought-out and well-planned.”
Aquaculture – the farming of aquatic plants or animals –is said to hold significant economic promise for Aotearoa. Here are some of the ways engineers are involved in projects aimed at boosting the sector’s profitability and sustainability.
Putting eyes underwater. That’s how University of Canterbury Engineering PhD student Tim Rensen describes the programme he’s leading to develop an AI-powered underwater drone capable of automatically scanning mussel farms. It’s a project fraught with difficulties, including a highly dynamic and often hostile operating environment, plus water pressure that is “constantly trying to fill the electronics tube with salt water”. But if New Zealand is going to meet the government-set target of tripling aquaculture exports by 2035 while also ensuring sustainability, these are the kind of challenges that engineers and others are going to have to find answers to.
Tim heads a team of 10 at Christchurch-based startup ŪWAI Robotics that includes electrical, mechatronic and software engineers. Using advanced simulation and edge-AI computing technology, their smart, self-navigating drone is capable of helping mussel farmers to measure mussels – useful for determining harvest times – and predict yields. Even in this initial limited application, the benefits of automation are significant, Tim says.
New farming, monitoring and harvesting methods need rapid and frequent feedback to increase the rate of innovation in aquaculture and fisheries.
– Tim Rensen
“Currently, underwater monitoring must be done by divers, dredges or by hauling heavy and delicate structures out of the water for inspection. Underwater remotely operated vehicles are becoming more common, but they still require an intensely focused pilot and produce terrabytes of visually stunning but useless raw data images. It all makes underwater information expensive, dangerous and not scalable.”
The ŪWAI smart drone, by contrast, eliminates the issue of pilot fatigue, making it a far more scalable solution. As for the data collection and analysis side, Tim points out that ŪWAI originated from a computer vision research group, UCVision, led by Professor Richard Green.
“So, our strength is the automated 3D image analysis to distil critical insights from vast amounts of raw data using
both edge and cloud processing,” Tim says, adding that in addition to mussel farms, the drones could potentially be deployed on seaweed and scallop farms, fish cages, and marine infrastructure, to name just a few applications.
If ŪWAI can successfully commercialise its work, it should help to de-risk aquaculture by introducing far more accurate and effective monitoring for things like invasive species.
“New farming, monitoring and harvesting methods need rapid and frequent feedback to increase the rate of innovation in aquaculture and fisheries,” says Tim.
“This will allow aquaculture farmers, offshore energy producers, iwi and regulators to make the best possible decisions in the face of rapid climate change, enhancing food security, environmental responsibility and sustainability.”
That last point is important. If made economically viable, mussels and other aquaculture products have the potential to replace higher-carbon-footprint protein sources. What’s more, underwater robotics can help to protect our oceans and coastline, according to Tim.
“We strive to make ŪWAI robotics a global company with our core value being enhanced environmental and social sustainability.”
Opposite: Actionable insights are distilled from raw data and delivered to the customer via a secure web interface.
Left: The ŪWAI Robotics team reconfigure underwater robots while testing new features at mussel farms in Tasman Bay.
Photos: University of Canterbury
There is plenty of other work happening around the motu involving the application of smart engineering to aquaculture and fisheries. Among the most ambitious is the Plant & Food Research-led “Cyber-Marine” project, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Endeavour Fund, which is attempting to use AI to create the fish processing factory of the future.
Project leader Dr Susan Marshall says Cyber-Marine begins from the standpoint that we need to think about seafood in a whole new way. Currently, a fish such as hoki is processed for its meat, with the rest discarded or turned into low-value products.
“But around 50 to 60 percent of a fish is not fillet. Based on the biomass, we should be able to make more money out of the non-fillet part, particularly because that’s the material that has all the interesting bioactive molecules, with lots of protein, Omega 3 lipids – all kinds of interesting things. It has massive potential, but most of it goes to make fish oil and fish meal that’s worth about $2 a kilogram.”
Unfortunately, our traditional processing plants are blunt tools, while the material going into them is
enormously complex and varied. Aotearoa has more than 100 commercial fish species, plus there are seasonal changes in composition to deal with. That all presents a huge challenge if your goal is to make full use of the seafood biomass and deliver maximum value. You can analyse the material’s composition chemically, but the results will only roll in long after the harvest has been processed.
The Cyber-Marine vision is that a seafood factory becomes a marine products factory, with AI tools used to calculate the most valuable combination of products based on composition and market knowledge. The biomass would be processed sustainably and efficiently, with extraction carefully sequenced to optimise the raw material, and with nothing wasted.
At this stage, the programme is into the fourth of five years, with researchers focused on compositional analysis of three exemplar species – hoki, mackerel and Greenshell™ mussels. A team at Victoria University of Wellington tackles the AI part, which involves converting an enormous flood of data into actionable insights.
“It is extremely challenging,” concedes Dr Owen Catchpole FEngNZ, Team Leader and Chief Engineer in the Food Processing Team within the Biotechnologies research group at Callaghan Innovation, a partner in the Cyber-Marine programme.
“You have to take the online measurements for marine material going into the factory and tell the factory, which has a suite of processing operations, in what order and how to do the operations to achieve maximum value or volume – both if possible. In future years, the AI might even be able to predict what the market is going to desire, although that’s in the realm of science fiction at the moment.”
Owen, whose background is in chemical engineering, uses the example of Greenshell™ mussels, which are low in oil content but high in phospholipids, prized for their neutraceutical applications.
The AI challenge there is to sequence the processing steps, he says.
“You could start with fat extraction, which might require the mussels to be completely dried. After that, you might process to recover proteins and other valuable things.
Top: Susan Marshall.
Left: Plant & Food Research engineer
Si Thu Paing sets up an experiment in the new 190,000L fresh water flume tank, designed to test performance of prototypes in an aquatic environment. Opposite: The flume tank can be programmed to generate uniform water flow conditions of up to 1.5m/s.
Photos: © Plant & Food Research/ Wara Bullôt
Or you could start by extracting proteins and reduce the biomass until you’re at a point to extract the lipids.
“There might be a market shift, where lipids go down in value and proteins go up, so you could swap around the order of processing operations. The technical challenge is that each processing step exposes the remaining raw material to degradation and yield losses.”
If it works, there’s an obvious economic payoff – higher value exports, maximised revenue. But there’s also a sustainability benefit, says Owen.
“It will ensure full resource utilisation, and far more efficient use of energy and water both on-boat and in processing factories.”
Engineers have key roles to play in the project, from the AI, to plant design, process parameters and designing how material is processed in order to extract maximum value and yield.
“It’s about new technology development and building new factories, fitting things together, monitoring efficiency, water usage, electricity and all those good things,” says Susan, who hopes to have proof-of-concept sorted by the end of October, with prototyping to follow.
“This coming year is when the rubber meets the road.”
With sheltered waterways at a premium, and increasing resistance to inshore fish farms, the next frontier of aquaculture production will be the open ocean. Still, it’s a punishing environment, and warming sea temperatures
only add to the risk. One solution is to build mobile farms, capable of being towed to new locations when storms or temperature variation and conditions threaten, or to optimise seasonal fish growth.
In Nelson, Plant & Food recently unveiled the country’s largest flume tank, which will allow scientists and others to road-test technologies for open ocean aquaculture in a controlled environment. Sixteen metres long and containing 190,000 litres of water moving in a recirculating uniform flow of up to 1.5 metres per second, it has a couple of critical advantages over in situ testing: it’s cheaper and far less risky.
Kevin Patterson, Plant & Food’s Head Engineer on the tank, says it was initially used as part of a precision seafood harvesting project, testing the towing performance of scaled-down models of trawl nets that have been designed to minimise crush and waste. Now the focus is very much on open ocean aquaculture.
Engineering has been central to the flume tank project right from the conceptual design, which involved a lot of computational fluid dynamics modelling to achieve uniform flow, and the construction, which was handled in Christchurch. The biggest challenge so far has been cavitation from the propellors and problems with the propellor ducting.
“The cavitation was so bad that the vibration cracked the ducting welds,” he says, adding that the eventual solution would likely be a new propeller and driveshaft design that will eliminate cavitation.
WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON
Why one computer engineer and university lecturer who admits she’s fallen in love with AI believes it can significantly help engineering.
The message has been broadcast loud and clear: AI is going to reshape whitecollar work, and those who snooze might find themselves obsolete. But according to AI expert Dr Mahsa McCauley, it’s not AI per se that will replace jobs, but the people who know how to use it.
Mahsa, who is Senior Lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology’s School of Engineering and involved with a range of boards, not-for-profit organisations, think tanks and regulatory organisations, says AI technology is moving at lightning speed.
“So much so, that the topic that I put my heart and soul into for four years, translating English to Persian in real-time, is completely redundant,” she says, referring to her PhD which she gained at Massey University following her move to New Zealand from Tehran.
Mahsa says she fell in love with AI for the human aspect as much as getting machines to do clever things.
“AI offers numerous advantages,” she says, “for example, in educational applications it has the potential to significantly enhance human cognitive capabilities.”
She says that for every engineering discipline, there are ways and use cases engineers can adopt.
“Upskilling is essential to understand
AI’s impact on specific fields. If you work in civil engineering, for example, AI and data analytics can drive advancements in smart city development and help tackle sustainability issues.”
She continues: “As in any area, engineering can significantly benefit from AI in terms of the automation of routine tasks, productivity, sustainability and optimisation.”
And it all comes down to data.
“AI enhances our environmental awareness in various contexts. If we collect the right data, it can do the number crunching and processing, and give us a much clearer picture of what is happening.”
She says that in biomechanical engineering, AI technologies are already being used extensively, from the design phase through the entire production line. It all depends on the information you want and the data you have available.
“Let’s say you are launching a new product – AI can analyse data you have from previous years to forecast the new product’s return on investment and identify potential market demographics.”
But it starts with the organisation.
“Organisations need to assess their current data assets, future data collection strategies, and the specific insights they want to obtain.”
While AI helps with upscaling and speeds up processes, Mahsa says the current AI systems available are not decision-making, but support that.
“Maintaining human oversight in AI
processes is critical to ensure we end up with ethical and effective decision-making.”
She says the risks of AI are knowing how to use it respectfully, responsibly and ethically, and the rules around this need to be established before AI becomes more advanced. The European Union has recently created the first-ever legal framework on AI which addresses the risks, and Mahsa is helping set up regulations in Aotearoa.
“I’m sitting on the boards of NZTech and the AI Forum New Zealand, which are providing guidelines to the Government in terms of an AI blueprint and a national strategy.”
According to The IPSOS AI Monitor 2024, in a recent study of 32 countries, we have the second highest level of concern about how AI is going to impact us.
“In New Zealand, 66 percent of people say they feel nervous around adopting AI, while the global average is 50 percent.”
Mahsa is working with the Ministry of Education to advise on introducing AI to the school curriculum.
A decade ago, she established She#, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering women in tech. Recognition for her range of work includes a win at the 2013 Westpac Women of Influence Awards and being named a finalist for the 2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year.
A 2024 recipient of a Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Award, she'll soon spend six months in the United States exploring how AI can transform bee welfare.
Otiria-Moerewa spillway and bridge flood mitigation project
Project cost: $7m
Official opening: August 2024
10+ community rōpū (groups) involved
Modelling indicates bridge and spillway will reduce severity of a typical flood by 75 percent
Part of Resilient River Communities, an initiative focused on developing and upgrading river management and flood protection schemes
WRITER | KAITUHI KATHY CATTON
Northland Regional Council’s Otiria-Moerewa spillway and bridge flood mitigation project highlights how engineering can be a catalyst for positive change for people and places.
In the past decade, the small Northland communities of Otiria and Moerewa have suffered four significant flood events, often flooding homes, marae and the local rugby club to more than half a metre deep. This recurring disaster prompted the formation of the River Liaison Committee in 2017, a collaborative effort between tangata whenua and local government, designed to tackle the flooding issue.
The committee comprised iwi groups, landowners, Regional and District Councils, local hapū, Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and KiwiRail. This project was co-funded by the Council and Kānoa – Regional Economic Development Unit. The goal was to develop a comprehensive engineering solution to manage the 250km2 catchment area effectively.
Civil engineer Joe Camuso MEngNZ, affectionately known as “Uncle Joe” to the locals, was Project Sponsor for Northland Regional Council Te Kaunihera ā rohe o Te Taitokerau (NRC). Alongside a team of 16 engineers – consisting of hydraulic modellers, civil, geotechnical, structural and environmental engineers – an essential part of his role was creating this collaboration between the stakeholders.
“At the very start of the project, kaumātua Murray Armstrong stood up and told us what he had witnessed over the decades and how the natural flow of the water had changed since human habitation,” says Joe.
“It was essential to integrate this local knowledge into the overall plan and to have tangata whenua involved at the discussion table and decision-making process.”
His team’s early observations corroborated local knowledge, suggesting that roads and railroads were obstructing the river’s natural path, redirecting floodwaters towards populated areas.
To address this, the team employed LiDAR technology to create highly accurate topographic maps. This technology provided a digital terrain model of the catchment area and allowed the team to identify the human made environment of roads, railroads, marae and houses.
“We removed the manmade environment, creating a ‘pre-human’ base case.”
This enabled hydraulic and civil engineers to visualise, analyse and compare the impact of human-made structures on flood dynamics. From this base case,
they then looked at ways to mimic Mother Nature and restore Te Mana o te Wai the mana of the awa.
Essentially the project was about “re-wilding” the waterways, Joe says.
“This involved designing a significantly larger bridge – from the existing 18-metre-wide bridge to a 60-metrewide structure – to accommodate floodwaters. The construction of a spillway meant that the flood water was directed from old paleo channels into the main river system of Waiharakeke River past the lava flow, where the river is considerably wider and deeper.”
For Chantez Connor-Kingi, Kai whiri iwituna Senior Advisor – Rivers and Natural Hazards at NRC, the restoration effort was not just about engineering, but about honouring Te Ao Māori and highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity and partnership to achieve success. By restoring the river’s natural flow, the project aimed to restore the river’s mana, reflecting respect for the land and its people.
“The success of the project stemmed from an authentic collaboration based on the principles of partnership outlined in te Tiriti o Waitangi,” says Chantez.
“This was achieved by incorporating both Māori mātauranga (knowledge) and Western science to address environmental concerns, particularly around land use and water management.”
Chantez continues: “Traditionally, such projects involved hiring external providers and not really listening to the people.”
So, a different approach was taken.
“We organised a six-day on-site wānanga, bringing together local hapū members ranging from elders to young children, and a team of in-house scientists and engineers, to learn about the rivers and the land. The presence of Māori for Māori allowed the community to engage in hands-on activities, where everyone could learn from each other.”
The wānanga also facilitated strong relationships between the project team and the hapū, fostering a sense of ownership of, and support for, the project. This high level of engagement proved crucial in navigating potential conflicts and building trust.
“The land for the bridge was Māori-owned, and the project team faced challenges related to historical grievances over land use and compensation,” says Chantez.
“Initially there was resistance. But by listening to the people, we came up with a resolution over an 18-month period, ultimately leading to a fair lease agreement. This agreement included a 100-year lease paid up front, reflecting a commitment to addressing historical injustices and fostering good relationships with the local community.”
Local River Liaison Committee member Pamela-Anne Ngohe-Simon agrees with Chantez, saying: “This project was never just about the flooding for us.”
Pamela-Anne lives just 100m from the spillway and was kaitiaki (cultural observer) during stage one of the project.
It was essential to integrate this local knowledge into the overall plan and to have tangata whenua involved at the discussion table and decision-making process.
– Joe Camuso
“When it flooded, it wasn’t just water that came into our homes, but also the septic tank flooding. It was affecting the health of our people.”
Pamela-Anne says collaboration was key.
“For once the land was not forcibly taken from us under the Public Works Act. This may be a first in New Zealand’s history. This showed a genuine partnership with the community, ensuring that future generations would not face Treaty of Waitangi claims or unresolved grievances. NRC was honourable through this process and wasn’t afraid to fix mistakes.”
Opposite: A construction worker from Ventia compacts material surrounding a pier as part of the Pokapu Road Bridge project.
Photo: Ventia
Left: Bird’s-eye view of the new 60m-long Pokapu Road Bridge under construction.
Photo: Northland Regional Council
Snapshot Longlisted in the landscape and urban design category of Dezeen Awards 2024, this Melbourne playground designed for risky play has Kiwi ingenuity at its core. University of Canterbury-trained engineer Mike Hewson, who left engineering and construction to pursue his artistic work, designed the public playground which, despite having 24 boulders on wheels, has passed rigorous safety testing. The main playground features, which include swings, slides and steel climbing features, were added to the 16-to-25-tonne boulders off-site, before installation.
With the longest-serving workforce in the engineered concrete industry, our knowledge runs deep, and we’ll share it to make your concrete construction or remediation project a success.
40 Volunteering a “career sabbatical”
41 Partnership delivers new competency framework
42 Fuel for thought
44 Increasing fire safety
45 AI and IP – who owns the outputs?
46 Intersection
While there’s a shortage of volunteers with engineering backgrounds taking up longerterm roles with Volunteer Service Abroad, the rewards for those who do so are great, as Sarah Duncan CMEngNZ CPEng explains.
I've known about Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) since I was young and checked for positions intermittently over the years. When I saw the post for a water engineer in Vanuatu, it ticked every box. I'd travelled in the Pacific but never been to Vanuatu. The work meant travelling extensively through the area where I'd be based. It was more of a mentoring role than a technical one, and, as a bonus, there would be diving galore in my free time. I’m now more than halfway through a one-year assignment on the island of Espiritu Santo and it has more than lived up to all of my expectations.
Due to the geography of Vanuatu –83 islands spread out over more than 12,000km2 of Pacific Ocean – centralised government support for even day-to-day works can be difficult. To reach even the less remote communities after a natural disaster can be extremely challenging. Vanuatu is one of the most disasterprone countries in the world, affected by cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. To address these challenges, the Vanuatu Government is attempting to decentralise many systems, including water supplies. The Vanuatu Department of Water Resources (DoWR) gives technical and financial aid to rural communities to either build a new water supply, or to improve their current system. As part of
this assistance, the communities also receive training on how to sustainably finance and manage their supplies, to eventually become self-sufficient, even in times of natural disaster. The main supply issue for rural communities is accessing an adequate source of water. Surface water, groundwater and rainwater harvesting are the best options, but they need proper design and installation to keep them viable into the future. All three options require pipes, tap-stands and storage tanks. But most importantly, they must be simple to install and repair. None of these elements are easily resourced in hard-to-reach rural areas.
My role is “Provincial Water Sector Adviser” and I’m working with the DoWR for Sanma Province, which is made up of 13 islands and located approximately 280km north-west of Port Vila. I’m the only engineer that the DoWR has here, and I work with non-government organisations, water technicians, members of other government departments, communities, and private individuals to help achieve these long-term goals. I provide help and training with site assessments, reporting, water supply design, and upskilling government workers and communities so they can gain the confidence and competencies to keep their water supplies sustainable. It's less about simply solving a water design problem and more about figuring out why previous solutions haven’t worked and how to future-proof the new designs. The water supply systems need to be pragmatic, low-energy and easy to
repair, due to the very limited access to skills, tools and spare parts.
VSA’s goal is to bring together people with the right resources, skills and knowledge so the impact they can achieve during an assignment will remain long after they leave. Long–term assignments are more about building foundations for incremental change, rather than standalone project work. VSA provides amazing support with accommodation, insurance, flights and a generous living allowance. Funding from New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a valuable component of VSA work, and integral technical support for my role has been provided by Engineers without Borders NZ.
There's a shortage of volunteers with engineering backgrounds undertaking this type of long-term assignment work, but it's just as important as the short-term emergency humanitarian assistance provided after disasters because it builds long-term resilience. It's reasonably common for medical professionals to take voluntary overseas placements, but it is not that way with engineers. My opinion is that, outside of family and financial concerns, this is due to both a lack of visibility regarding these work opportunities and concerns around how it will affect career progression. I hope that if more people start talking about the work VSA and other volunteer-reliant organisations are doing, it will become more common for engineers to start viewing these placements as a valuable career sabbatical.
Engineering New Zealand provided the framework to assess and register Recognised Engineers (Dam Safety) who audit and certify potential impact classifications and dam safety assurance programmes, but this was only possible by partnering with Government and experts.
“For years, New Zealand was the only country in the OECD without a regulatory regime for the ongoing management of large dams,” says Engineering New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Richard Templer FEngNZ.
That all changed in 2022 when the Government introduced new dam safety regulations, which came fully into effect in 2024.
“It was essential that engineers with relevant expertise had input into how the new Recognised Engineers would be assessed,” Richard says.
To develop the framework, Engineering New Zealand worked with the New Zealand Society on Large Dams (NZSOLD), a collaborating technical society, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), which oversees the dam safety regulations. MBIE also provided additional funding and support.
“The project was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget,” says Richard. “And it shows the valuable role Engineering New Zealand can play in the development of regulations to improve both engineering practice and public safety.”
Chair of NZSOLD Dr Kaley Crawford-Flett
MEngNZ agrees, saying Engineering New Zealand was “uniquely positioned” to drive the project forward.
“Their dedicated project lead, separate from experts and government, helped all partners maintain a big-picture view, stay on track, and communicate effectively.”
Kaley says that Engineering New Zealand’s experience as the Registration Authority for Chartered Professional Engineers was invaluable.
“Only Chartered Professional Engineers can become Recognised Engineers, and we were able to adapt a lot of the assessment and registration processes and systems already used there,” Kaley says. “That, combined with work NZSOLD had already done to develop best-practice guidance for dam safety, was a big advantage for informing the framework.”
Laura Lumley, Design and Implementation Manager, Building Performance at MBIE, says MBIE recognised it needed to partner early in the implementation of the Building (Dam Safety) Regulations. She says Engineering New Zealand was best placed to lead the work on the competency framework.
“Engineering New Zealand is an important part of the new dam safety measures,” says Laura.
“Pivotal to the success of the project was the ability for us to adapt and vary the scope of the project as we got closer to the Dam Safety Regulations coming into force.
“Open and prompt communication, and monthly status updates, ensured that there were no surprises… and we had
clear line of sight over the progress of the project,” Laura says.
Richard adds: “This is a great example of how the engineering community can partner with government to meet a regulatory need.
“We will apply what we’ve learned here and draw upon the expertise of other technical groups when developing similar competency frameworks in the future.”
Similar frameworks may soon need to be developed.
“We’ve just finished consulting on proposed changes to the CPEng Rules – proposals we’re making to strengthen the system to improve public safety,” Richard says.
“If the proposals are confirmed, they’ll enable the introduction of registration classes.
“The work to develop the competency framework for Recognised Engineers (Dam Safety) is a good template for future frameworks and registration classes.”
Richard says the introduction of classes would provide clarity to engineers, regulators and the public about what specific skills and capabilities are needed to undertake certain types of engineering work.
“Our work with NZSOLD and MBIE on the competency framework for dam safety has been a great partnership and we’re proud of the result,” Richard says.
“It reinforces the importance of getting the profession involved early in the regulatory process and we will repeat that when it comes to registration classes.”
KRISTIAN JENSEN CMEngNZ CPEng
Transport needs energy, and the transition to low-carbon and low-emission energy carriers and fuels is on. But with a range of options plus rapidly advancing technology, what do fleet owners need to consider to stay flexible and agile and avoid getting left with stranded assets?
The transition to economical and effective low-carbon and low-emission energy carriers and fuels may include biofuels, hybrids and battery-electric options, but long-term options could also include different battery systems or chargers, and hydrogen or ammonia variations.
But why change? Transition is not sustainable if we lose employment. To be sustainable, the change must be financially effective and environmentally sustainable. Petro-fuel imports have exchange fluctuations and imported inflation – and then we burn it. This impacts the taxpayer in a range of ways, from health to the balance of payments and taxation. Is there a better way?
Could we build local electrical generation, train local people to operate and maintain these assets and then use the electricity to replace the imported fuel? This could provide a career and a lifestyle, reduce emissions, and improve effectiveness and efficiency.
Why electrify?
Everything needs electricity, whether that is biofuels, hydrogen or batteries. We already have networks, so why not improve those? An important point to consider is that flexibility beats perfection.
Perfection only exists at that snapshot in time. When conditions change, the solution is no longer perfect. The future is changing, so being flexible offers the greatest advantage to the widest range of scenarios – whether that is climate change or power demand. We need a range of generation options – wind, solar and marine – and a system to deliver and store power.
We need to consider our storage options, and factor in major changes that might be coming. We also need to consider how efficient these options are now, and how efficient they’re likely to be in five years’ time.
A nuclear fuel option for transport in Aotearoa is unlikely to succeed from an environmental concern, a political/country framework and the lack of skills. Therefore, the top contenders are:
liquid fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel
pressurised fossil fuels such as LPG or CNG
synthetic alternatives to the fossil fuels
gravity or thermal store in-ground compressed air electricity and batteries electricity and hydrogen.
The decision filter
In a seismically active country, a gravity store that relies on converting potential energy to kinetic energy is a real challenge (and very costly). Aotearoa does not have
deep mining skills with steel ropes. Thermal storage is still being developed. This country has no large mining caverns and no large salt caverns for compressed air.
Synthetic fuels may be considered a suitable transition step (and would defer asset replacement). The feedstock for those synthetic fuels could be biomass. However, that still leaves a tailpipe emission. Based on zero tailpipe emission as a key criteria, we are effectively left with electricity/ batteries or electricity/hydrogen.
Legislative and political considerations
Batteries and chargers are already installed daily. These still have to comply with the relevant legislation, such as NZECP34 and AS/NZS3000 but they are a well-known aspect. Bulk installation of flow-batteries (in the TWh range) may need careful consideration for environmental and resource consents, but nothing that would prove impossible.
On the other hand, legislation still has to be amended for hydrogen, which requires an approved handler for hydrogen (Class 2 hazardous goods). This also requires leak detection, handling/compression requirements and blast walls. These requirements differ by country and are still evolving.
The rapidly changing technology and options
Technology is changing quickly and new options continue to become available. Battery chemistries are progressing rapidly, with 12 major new types. These range from lithium (with reduced rare-earth metal
compositions), sodium and iron with a variety of specific energy densities and advantages and disadvantages (including flammability, weight, charge rates and toxicity). It’s now possible to purchase battery electric passenger vehicles with ranges in excess of 1,000km, and a new breed of battery electric freight trucks can achieve 670km with a gross vehicle weight of 49 metric tonnes. Drag coefficients are down to 0.276 – a spectacular improvement.
Charge rates of up to 16c (this means the charge rate is 16 x the battery discharge rate) are in development in the mining industry, while freight trucks today charge with twin feeds at 870kW giving a 400km range boost in 35 minutes.
But don’t underestimate the impact of a lack of skills on both the future technology and the transition (think coal). In public transport, diesel mechanics have been trained on battery electric buses, enjoying a new career path plus the issue of a laptop instead of a pipe-wrench.
Something that might develop more is a type of battery swap system – a modular system where a battery tray (and associated battery management system) can be replaced and updated to newer high-performance batteries.
The challenges
The difficult metrics are chemistry, specific energy density and degradation. For vehicles, this includes lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM/NMC, also called ternary batteries) which have low cobalt cathodes and higher energy
density. Also, lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4, LFP battery).
For grid-connected storage, a flow battery (consisting of two liquid electrolytes that only discharge when in the energy cell but are inert when separated is ideal for long period storage).
Hydrogen is currently expensive to manufacture, but perhaps a breakthrough will come by 2030. However, there are still maintenance and replacement costs (such as membranes/gaskets and valves).
Life span is another issue. Over time, the capacity of the battery decreases, and some batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. Many commercial manufacturers guarantee their batteries for eight years, so you know it will match the required range/operations at that point.
Capital cost must also be considered. The battery chemistry and production process will determine the capital cost.
Hydrogen as an energy carrier will add specific capital costs, including selected materials such as gaskets to deal with the reactive nature of hydrogen gas under pressure. Hydrogen embrittlement occurs with some metals, and leakage can be a big problem.
Upstream infrastructure demands are another issue – is there available capacity at the selected site, or is additional grid reinforcing required?
There is also the matter of generation to wheel efficiency. The operating cost will be impacted by the efficiency of converting electricity to kilometres. The sensitivity is important, so a lower efficiency process
using an intermediate energy carrier (such as hydrogen) will be greatly impacted by an energy cost rise when compared to a more efficient process.
Storage and range are additional factors. The most efficient vehicle is lightweight, so reducing the mass of the battery or fuel tanks can pay dividends, but may also reduce the range. When comparing technologies, consider all aspects. For battery systems, include the weight of the electronics, charge ports and the like. For hydrogen, include the weight of the tanks (carbon wound epoxy), fuel cell, heaters, controls and filler ports, as well as the battery.
Most fuels and batteries are flammable, so protection from impact is essential. Some energy carriers such as hydrogen require infrastructure such as storage tanks, compression and leak detection. All need fire detection and early warning capabilities.
Whole-of-life cost and emissions must also be considered, although this is tricky as not all data is available regarding manufacturers (including their scope 3 emissions). The logistics of getting things to New Zealand plus in local infrastructure, workshops and operations must all be factored in.
While it’s exciting to see technology rapidly advance, we will see winners and losers in the field ahead as we transition to low-carbon transport energy options.
Kristian Jensen CMEngNZ CPEng is Technical Director – Industrial & Utilities at WSP.
Practice Note 22 – updated Guidelines for Documenting Fire Safety Designs: the why and the what.
Fire engineering is an integral part of the regulatory regime for buildings. Its foundation is rooted in the Building Act 1991 and the supporting Building Code, particularly the C Clauses, which set the criteria for fire safety in building design. Fire engineering was formally recognised as an independent discipline, with a dedicated educational programme launched in New Zealand, in 1994. The original Practice Note 22: Guidelines for Documenting Fire Safety Designs was first released in September 2011, addressing a critical gap in building design documentation.
As fire engineering became more defined, fire engineers began producing fire safety designs to ensure compliance with the Building Code. However, these were often included in building consent applications without being fully integrated into the overall documentation. At times, building consent officers questioned whether the design teams had even reviewed the fire reports. This concern was formally raised in 2007, prompting the development of the first version of Practice Note 22 in 2011. Since its release, Practice Note 22 has helped streamline fire design documentation, leading to more complete building designs, improved collaboration, and faster consent processing. However, after more than a decade, it became evident that further
refinements were needed to enhance its use and implementation. The new objective is to foster better communication and coordination among the entire design team while improving the quality of fire design documentation. This is reflected in Version 2 Guidelines for Documenting and Coordinating Fire Safety Designs. "Fire design documentation” is not just the fire report. It’s also the detailed information included in the building consent documents that demonstrates compliance with the Building Code.
Fire design is typically a performancebased document, outlining the criteria the building must meet in terms of fire safety. The fire report specifies what needs to be achieved, while other members of the design team are responsible for determining how to achieve it. A key aim of Practice Note 22 is to clarify these responsibilities and ensure the fire safety criteria are properly implemented in the final design.
Updating Practice Note 22 involved extensive collaboration between a broad range of stakeholders. The project, led by Engineering New Zealand, included input from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, councils, architects, architectural designers, fire service, specialists in fire design, structural, fire protection, passive fire, façade and building services.
A draft of the revised document was released for stakeholder consultation in May 2024 and was also reviewed from a legal and a liability perspective.
This invaluable feedback led to several significant changes and improvements, including an emphasis throughout the document that fire design coordination is a shared responsibility within the design team. The Fire Engineering Design Documentation table was also revised to further clarify roles and responsibilities within the design team.
The Structural Design Features Report has a proposed new section: Structural Fire Resistance. Appendix C of the updated PN22 document provides information on what to include in the new Structural Fire Resistance section.
A further improvement was additional clarification on expectations for fire design documentation, including responsibilities and the legislative compliance pathway for fire safety.
The Design Coordination Table was introduced as a useful tool to record and summarise the design coordination process and provide evidence that fire design coordination has been completed for essential design elements.
The revised Practice Note 22 will be available at engineeringnz.org
It's a vital resource to ensure fire safety designs are fully integrated into the broader building consent process, meaning better coordinated designs, more efficient consent processing and, ultimately, better buildings.
Carol Caldwell is a Senior Fire Engineer at TM Consultants.
GINA RONALD
Laws around Intellectual Property (IP) exist to protect new or original innovations and creations of the mind. But the rise of generative AI has raised questions and uncertainties surrounding IP – what material should AI “learn” from, and who owns the outputs?
Intellectual Property (IP) encompasses a broad set of rights and can be expressed in a range of ways including copyrights, industrial designs, patents and trademarks. Without these types of property rights, there would be no way to have any control over or own these types of innovative and creative works.
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that automatically applies when a person creates original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works. It often applies to design drawings or drawings showing a product prototype, for example. The material used to “train” generative AI software is often subject to copyright, and the theory goes that this copyright raw material can then find its way into the outputs of the software. Should this material have been “fed” to this software in the first place? And who owns any AI generated content?
In relation to the first question, currently there are global lawsuits from copyright owners objecting to their copyright material being used to train generative AI models. Generative AI software produced material containing the Getty Images watermark, leading Getty Images to allege their images were unlawfully fed
to the AI software, resulting in breach of its copyright. Daily newspaper The New York Times and authors including John Grisham and Jodi Picoult have filed similar claims. There is certainly potential for the outcomes of these cases to radically shape the global legal landscape for copyright and AI.
In terms of New Zealand’s legal situation, there is no default rule around who owns the copyright for AI-generated content. While it is possible for a person to own it based on the Copyright Act 1994, ownership for content produced using AI software can vary based on the terms of use also. Of note here is that New Zealand’s position in relation to computergenerated work is somewhat of an outlier as many countries require a human author.
To add to this, given generative AI software may reproduce material it has been trained on as part of its outputs, it may be difficult for the creator, or the person using the AI software, to be sure that pre-existing copyright work has not been reproduced via their ostensibly new work. As the software often cannot identify source material, it is very difficult for a user to tell if they may inadvertently be in breach of someone else’s copyright material, as that material was used to train the software.
The terms of the software itself may also work to vary the default position under the Copyright Act. If the AI software states in its terms of use that content produced is owned by the software company, this
may negate any rights a person wishes to rely on based on the Copyright Act. However, platforms such as Adobe and Google are going to the lengths of offering indemnities to their product users, in case they find themselves on the end of a copyright lawsuit. Essentially, the situation in New Zealand is not as straightforward as a cursory glance of the Copyright Act might lead us to believe.
Another pertinent question is around who owns data once it has been input into an AI program. What happens if confidential data or data that may then be used for a patented invention is put into AI? Have you lost the necessary quality of confidentiality that must apply to the invention you wish to patent? There are no clear answers here either.
Engineers practising in Aotearoa should exercise informed and reasoned judgement when using AI products, and stay up to date with AI advancements (including via engineeringnz.org).
Both globally and at home, it is unclear how existing IP law applies to both generative AI software and such outputs. But while we have not had any major law change here in Aotearoa, it is unlikely this will remain the case.
Gina Ronald is a Legal Advisor at Te Ao Rangahau.
Crossing paths with engineers.
Andy Blair ONZM is the co-founder and Director of Business and Innovation at Upflow, a geothermal innovation company that builds expert science and engineering teams to provide intelligent solutions to global industry. Her expertise sits in the nexus between science, business and community. Andy is the Immediate Past President of the International Geothermal Association (Netherlands), and Co-founder (2013) of Women in Geothermal, a global movement for the empowerment and advancement of women within the industry. Andy was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours for services to the geothermal industry and women. Earlier this year she was featured in Forbes magazine’s “5 Female Founders Leading The Charge For A Sustainable Future” and in 2023 was one of five global winners of the United Nations 2023 WE Empower Award.
How do you work with engineers?
We bridge the gap between deep science and commercial reality, meaning we do the hard bit in the middle to make ideas and theory stand up in the real world. Our engineers build first-in-the-world pilot plants for a range of sectors, create project management plans, undertake techno-economic studies, and carry out a range of other tasks to derisk commercial investment and operations.
How does your work impact on engineers?
Our work is challenging. We often work in emerging, rapidly growing markets
or we’re building tools to disrupt large, well-established ones. We're constantly trying to build things and execute in rapidly changing commercial and regulatory environments. Our non-negotiable position that our projects offer “more than money” outcomes means that we need highly skilled technical people who are willing to work in the “grey” space and are fuelled by purpose and camaraderie.
How do engineering decisions impact on your work?
A key component to our success is our willingness to say no. Our mantra is “do good sh**, with great people, for the good of the world” and we test every project against that. Our engineers are good at quickly cutting through complex data and noise and distilling information into simple problem statements, from which we can start building solutions. They’re great at bringing cold hard realities to the conversation and sniffing out the hard spots. Our engineering team is fundamental to moving from ideas to action.
What are three observations you’d make after working with engineers?
One of my team said engineers are “impatient scientists”, which feels bang on to me – they keep us moving. There’s a constant tension between deep thinking (science) and action (engineering) which helps us achieve meaningful outcomes (and gives us plenty of material for jokes). They absolutely love a good whiteboarding session.
Role: Co-founder and Director of Business and Innovation at Upflow
Based in: Taupō Education: Bachelor of Science (Technology) (Forestry), 1999, University of Waikato; Diploma of Arts (Spanish), 2018, Massey University
My broad sweeping statements, overt acts of optimism and public praise for their engineering prowess is too cringy and I should tone it down (I won’t).
What do engineers all seem to do so well?
Our engineers can take what they’ve learned from a technical perspective, then step outside that constrained box and creatively solve problems. It’s beautiful to watch it happen.
What do you wish all engineers understood better about your role?
Geothermal itself isn’t the goal. People don’t care about that, they just want to plug into sustainable, ethically produced reliable energy. Geothermal is the medium through which they can achieve that. The same goes for engineering: elaborate, perfectly beautiful engineering isn’t the goal. The goal is smart, relevant and useful solutions that enable great outcomes for people and planet.
52 Secret life of engineers
56 Bedside table
After hours
54 Bedside table
57 Preview
55 One to watch
58 Leading questions
59 Obituaries
57 Leading questions
58 Obituaries
60 Engineering genius
Professor Mark Milke CMEngNZ CPEng worked on solid waste projects in Mexico City and Los Angeles before moving to New Zealand in 1991 to start an academic position. From then until 2010, he specialised in research and teaching in solid waste management. For the past 15 years, Mark’s teaching has focused more on professional issues such as design, communication and professional development. His research is centred around systems-level problems, such as developing technology for centralised exchanges to manage the impact from commercial water use. Outside of work, Mark has a passion for military history board games.
Do you recall the first board game you played?
I would guess Parcheesi, probably from the age of six.
How were you introduced to military history board games?
As a teenager, my friends and I had played about every board game there was around. On a whim, we bought this different-looking game that turned out to be much more challenging to master.
What do these games involve?
Someone studying a particular period in detail and then trying to represent the key decisions and uncertainties with a game. The game components can vary greatly, but a common form is a map with a set of hexagons as a spatial grid and up to 1,000 small square cardboard counters placed on the map to represent units and their status. There are rules to control movement, combat, supply and so on,
dice rolls to resolve your moves, and a set of victory conditions. The bigger games can come with 100 pages of rules and charts.
How many people can play at once?
Many games are developed for two players, but the bigger ones play well with teams of 2–4 people per side, and some are developed for 4–6 individuals.
Who do you play with?
Right now, I play one day a month with a nearby friend. Last year, I played two hours a week on Zoom with someone from the USA. I try to go to a week-long convention in the USA every two years. In the past couple of years there have been three-dayweekend get togethers of 10–20 people in Rangiora, Wellington or Auckland.
Do you have a favourite game?
Operational Combat Series is a set of rules that has been used for 20 different games. It’s focused on World War II land campaigns, with nine game turns a month and rules to cover movement and combat, but also operational matters like supply, replacements, air support, command, reserves and transport. The rules are rich in the sense that you have many different ways to try to achieve your objectives and a lot of unexpected twists from the dice rolls.
How much equipment is involved with this hobby?
The games cost NZ$100 to $300 each, with used copies for less. The games require space and time, so I have a reconditioned map cabinet where I store games in drawers between
plays – pressboard, then paper map, then plexiglass, then the counters.
Do other household members play?
No, but before I got the map cabinet, our cat would enjoy pushing the counters around.
Where are the games created?
Most games are published in the USA, with most players men in their 50s and 60s in English-speaking countries.
What three words best sum up this hobby? Absorbing, complex, drama-inducing.
Is there a competitive pathway?
Some of the older and smaller games have tournaments and ranking systems. There are not tournaments for the games I play, but you learn who the top players are. I’m in awe of some of the players’ ability to play these complex games so well and quickly.
Does being an engineer bring any advantages to the way you approach these games?
Being an engineer and playing these games both involve mastering details and creatively applying them in an interactive complex environment to achieve difficult objectives.
Tell us something about your hobby that might surprise people?
At a convention a group of six of us will spend 70 hours over a week playing one game and not finish it. At the end we’ll step back, tell some great tales about what happened, shake hands and then spend an hour to put it all back in its box.
Role: Professor, Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury
Based in: Ōtautahi Christchurch
Education: Bachelor of Engineering 1981, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, USA, 1981; Master of Engineering University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA, 1984; Doctor of Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, 1990
Charlotte Arcus (née Peyroux) CMEngNZ CPEng
Role: Three Waters Engineer, Tonkin + Taylor
Based in: Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (First Class Hons), University of Auckland, 2014
I describe my role to non-engineers as... helping to ensure our water stays healthy and our people stay safe by designing devices that manage the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff.
The part of my job that always surprises people is… that I am an engineer (a career typically associated with men), especially early in my career. It feels good to challenge those stereotypes, and it’s heartening to see the gender balance in our industry is shifting.
The best emoji to sum up me on a typical workday is…
The best thing I’ve introduced at my workplace is… giving stormwater engineering a spotlight through the “Day in the life of” video I created with Engineering New Zealand’s schools programme the Wonder Project. This led to helping to develop and pilot their latest programme, the Water Challenge.
In my role, I always challenge… engineers to grasp fundamental engineering principles and develop their own intuitive numerical “gut feeling”. We are at risk of becoming too reliant on complex calculations or sophisticated software. Equally important is the ability to question results and have a robust understanding of fundamental principles to enable us to vet budding ideas and potential solutions.
At work, I’ve never been afraid to… keep asking questions. Best practice is often changing and evolving, so keeping up with learning is important.
In the past year, I’ve pushed boundaries by… expanding my professional network by actively connecting with local councils and the stormwater industry, keeping myself updated and driving latest trends and best practices.
At school, teachers always described me as… “just needing to apply herself to reach her full potential”.
My luckiest break was… following through on encouragement to apply for the Water New Zealand Young Stormwater Professional of the Year award. It required a journey of introspection and a renewed confidence in my capabilities.
The bravest thing I’ve done to get where I am today… was when my now husband and I set up a civil services consultancy and worked remotely while travelling Southeast Asia for a year and a half. At the time, I thought: we are leaving our dream job, dream flat and flatmates, a great bunch of friends – this is a crazy idea. But it was worth it for the growth we experienced, personally and professionally.
Best career advice I’ve received… came from our Water Discipline Manager, Sam Reed, who shared this gem by Warren Buffett: “Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.”
I’d advise other people interested in my type of role to… pursue your passions and say yes to opportunities, even if they scare you.
things I love about my job:
E mao ana ki ua, e ua ana ki mao – sometimes it rains, sometimes it shines. I love the variety – each day brings its own unique set of challenges that require innovative engineering solutions, consultancy skills and collaboration.
The impact of our work – seeing the positive ripple effects from the projects we’ve worked on, and realising I'm helping to enhance people’s lives, connect communities and positively shape the city. It offers me meaningful opportunities for growth and purpose.
reasons why I chose to study engineering:
My careers advisor convinced me that a love of physics + maths = an awesome career in engineering, and she was not wrong. I also have a creative streak and wanted a role that could bring together STEM and creativity. I have since found that using creativity and innovation skills alongside physics and maths will take you a long way in the engineering world.
thing I wouldn’t change about my workday:
He aha te mea nui o ta ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata! I feel incredibly fortunate to learn and develop alongside talented, passionate people, committed to making the world a better place.
Alisha and Chris Baddock are married and work together in the same team at Stantec in Christchurch, reporting to different managers. Alisha says that if they weren’t married, Chris would have reported to her, but she’s quick to add that “… obviously Stantec couldn’t have this arrangement”. They’ve worked together in the same office in New Zealand for four years, and prior to that, they worked for Stantec in Vancouver, Canada for three years, but in different offices. During a typical workday, they spend about an hour together over the course of the day. They don’t work on a lot of projects together and while sometimes they sit at adjacent desks all day, there's no need to interact and there are full days in the office when their paths don’t cross. So, what's it like working with someone who knows you well after hours?
What are two great things about working together?
Alisha: Shared calendars! Great for organising travel plans, flexible work arrangements and just the one Christmas party. Also, it makes the kiddos’ juggle –pick ups/drop offs – much easier. We have two young girls aged four and seven. Chris: It is a lot easier to have flexible working when one of us is out of town for projects – because the company has asked us to travel, they are fully supportive of what that means for the other’s availability to work. Also, it’s easier to communicate with someone who knows you so well. You can take “shortcuts” in your language and communication.
And two challenges?
Alisha: Switching off after work. Managing the Electrical Lead to deliver
Alisha Baddock CMEngNZ
Role: Project Technical Lead –3 Waters, Electrical and Process Team Lead
Chris Baddock CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ)
Role: Electrical and Controls Discipline Lead – Water NZ
on said date with my “PTL hat” and not “nagging wife hat”.
Chris: None really – perhaps just navigating perceived biases.
Do your days follow the same routine as each other?
Alisha: Not at all. Chris generally works 5am – 2.30pm and does the girls’ pick up. I do 9am – 5pm and drop off the kids in the morning.
How much time outside of work do you spend discussing work?
Alisha: … neeeever! (*guilty look*)
Chris: About half an hour a day.
How do you maintain a work life balance?
Alisha: Our kids are a pretty great distraction – we love spending time with them and as a family.
What’s the biggest myth about working with your partner?
Alisha: That it’s difficult to manage or challenging. Working together is awesome.
Chris: I agree – it’s nice to be able to have lunch together every day or steal a moment for a jog around the park together during the day.
Who’s more likely to ensure you both get to work on time?
Alisha: Chris.
Chris: Me.
Who’s more likely to pull an all-nighter to meet a work deadline?
Alisha: Chris – I’m very organised and don’t need to.
Chris: Me (occasionally).
Who’s more likely to arrive first at a staff morning tea?
Alisha: Chris
Chris: Me.
Who’s more likely to stay for work drinks?
Alisha: Me.
Chris: Alisha.
How would you describe each other’s job in simple terms?
Alisha: Chris helps turn poop to power.
Chris: Alisha is in charge of making sure everyone else does their job properly.
What would your partner say to someone considering working with their partner?
Alisha: Chris would say it’s great! Your lunch is always made and delivered to you!
(Admittedly we take turns).
Chris: Alisha would say it’s hard not to get distracted by a handsome husband within line of sight all day.
Engineering New Zealand’s recently revitalised East Coast Branch is weighted with post-Cyclone Gabrielle arrivals such as Chair Vinod Sumanarathna MEngNZ. Originally from Sri Lanka, the WSP Geotechnical Engineer has been instrumental in reinstating Branch activity, along with his fellow committee members who are all from other countries. The Branch recently held a quiz night which Vinod says was “a wonderful event with a good turnout”.
Priyani De Silva-Currie
Role: Technical Fellow – Strategic Asset Management, Beca
Based in: Whakatū Nelson Education: New Zealand Diploma in Business, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, 2002; Diploma in Management, NZ Institute of Management 2004; Bachelor of Commerce, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, 2009; National Diploma in Infrastructure Asset Management, Infratrain New Zealand, 2011
Priyani De Silva-Currie has enjoyed 30 years working in local and central government and the private sector. She worked her way up from humble beginnings (her work experience includes timber mill worker, moss picker and apple thinner) to National Leader and Technical Fellow in the infrastructure sector. She’s led three industry organisations (Multicultural NZ, Carbon and Energy Professionals and Āpōpō) and describes herself as “the triple whammy of: woman, non-engineer and brown person working within the engineering sector”. A keen fisherwoman and netball coach, she’s also a champion for the rights of women and greater inclusivity in society. She's Vice President of the International Federation of Municipal Engineers and recently won the Supreme Award at the National Association of Women in Construction Awards.
What’s on your bedside table?
Glasses, water bottle, two phones (work one in case I need to check appointments for tomorrow, plus personal phone which is alarm/source of news/social media), notebook and pen for ideas or “to dos” so that my brain can relax without have to remember everything, EarPods to listen to a calming app without disturbing my husband. Also, Energy: Get It, Guard It, Give It by Lisa O’Neill plus the emotional culture card deck from people and culture expert Denise Hartley-Wilkins and a couple more books.
Let’s focus on the books – why did you choose them?
Energy is one of the forces that drives my being. I seek people, places and things that give me positive energy, so imagine my joy when I was walking past a conference venue in Christchurch one
evening and saw Lisa O’Neill preparing for her show and promoting her new book Energy. I walked in, said hi, and purchased a copy immediately. The cover alone gave me warm fuzzies and it’s a funny, insightful, gratifying read. Too good! I’m also reading Take Your Space: Successful Women Share Their Secrets by Jo Cribb and Rachel Petero. I chose this book because it supported International Women’s Day, and a fellow crusader for equity and equality, Jo Cribb. Also, Conversations with Money – A Love Story by Lynda Moore – my sister-in-law wrote this book last year following the passing of my eldest brother. It’s an insightful, personal reflection into the relationship we have with money and its role in your life and it connects me to my dearest brother in a special way.
How do these books help you in your role?
Energy is a superpower that we can bring into our lives at work and at home. Being present, enthused, focused and receptive all require positive energy. Learning how to find and harness the energy we need, and remove negative energy from our lives, is very powerful. Also, in my career I’ve had to “take my place” in organisations and with peers and colleagues. I found this read inspiring, and the techniques that these women used resonated with me.
Who would these books helpful for?
All professionals would gain value from understanding their strengths and weaknesses – my tip is to just address them just one at a time.
What reading material you would recommend to engineers?
Read the news – I read the news every day, from a wide variety of sources to gain
multiple perspectives. The best thing we can do as professionals is to remain alert, vigilant and relevant to the world around us. Our work to shape the world for future generations relies on us understanding situational context and the pulse of the people in our communities.
What book has most influenced you?
The Wisdom Seeker: Finding the Seed of Advantage in the Khmer Rouge by Pisey Leng. I was fortunate enough to listen to Pisey Leng speak at TEDRaukura. I was amazed at how this young girl who had fought for her life, watched her family die and suffered in the horrific killing fields of Cambodia, became a gentle yet powerful leader of herself and others, finding grace and gratitude.
What work-related books are on your must-read list?
Listen: The Don Rowlands Leadership Guide by Keith Davies. Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F#CK: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
What do you read for fun?
Fiction is where I go to immerse myself in alternative reality and some other world or life. I love a good thriller or mystery these days, but also enjoy science fiction, fantasy and crime fiction.
SPEED READ
Ebook /paper copy: I love to feel the parchment.
Borrow/own: My bookshelves are overflowing.
Bookmark/turn down page: It’s sacrilege to damage a book.
Award-winning energy sector engineer Juliet Oliver’s list of titles include mum, and hormone and gut health expert. And the Co-Founder and CEO of startup Endo45 also describes herself as an “endo warrior”. The endo refers to endrometriosis, a condition that occurs when tissue similar to that found in the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Symptoms can include chronic pelvic pain, painful periods, fatigue and infertility. In Aotearoa, roughly one in 10 girls, women and those assigned female at birth will have endometriosis. Juliet has drawn on her own challenging experience with the disease to create Endo45, a tool to tackle endometriosis. It’s aimed at helping fellow sufferers become “endo fit” and reclaim their lives on their own terms. App users select their goal – for example reducing pain, balancing hormones or regaining energy. The app tracks symptoms and makes recommendations and updates the score as the user tracks towards becoming what’s described here as EndoFit. The app helps sufferers create personalised health plans, with the goal of reaching remission in months. When Juliet spoke to EG in 2021 when she was building the app, she said: “I’m taking my journey and success with the disease and giving that back to people in a way that an engineer would: succinct, precise and easy to consume.” And by the look of it, that’s exactly what she’s done.
Go to endo45.co.nz to download the app.
Tray-dec
New Fellow Andrew McMenamin FENgNZ CPEng has been a structural engineer for nearly 30 years, and while he started his career in Aotearoa, he was first chartered in the United Kingdom nearly 20 years ago. Most of his career has focused on infrastructure projects, and he's worked on structures including the Auckland Harbour Bridge, London’s Marylebone station and two huge projects involving a viaduct on the London Overground railway and a series of bridges in Buckinghamshire. More than a decade ago, Andrew volunteered to help investigate complaints against engineers, and says that although it’s sometimes a difficult task, it has allowed him to work with some fantastic people. “I’ve had to learn how to ask for technical advice – I’ve always worked as a consultant and usually I’m providing the one providing advice.” He also leads a school board and works with the SCAPE Public Art trust where he enjoys helping artists realise their visions.
What attributes make you a good leader?
Willingness to listen, the ability to stay calm under pressure, self-confidence and, above all, sound judgement.
At the end of each day, what tells you whether you’ve been successful?
I know it’s been a good day by the number of people I’ve talked to and the number of problems I’ve helped them solve.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
My grandfather was a civil engineer and he seemed to know everything about roadworks, buildings, railways and pipes – I wanted to design all the stuff I saw out
of the car window on family holidays. Plus, engineers use maths and physics, which were my favourite subjects at school.
Who opened a key door for you?
About 15 years ago, I was lucky to work for Nick Gordge. He has a fantastic grasp of leadership and a gift for mentoring. He got me into some leadership courses, helping me to develop the self-confidence needed for people to want to follow my lead.
How do you connect your work with a sense of greater good?
Well-designed, efficient structures –whether buildings, bridges or bus shelters – help us to support a high standard of living. The efficiency part is key: balancing carbon emissions, money, labour and materials to achieve a whole range of goals that society has set for itself.
How do you approach a difficult conversation with someone you lead?
You have to be frank and show empathy for the other person, because in my experience no one deliberately sets out to do a bad job and neither of you is going to enjoy a negative conversation. It pays to prepare well, because if you become flustered then emotions can take over.
What mistake have you learned most from?
I spent a few years working in England and on a trip home I ended up in a phone call with my boss. A staircase I'd designed couldn’t be built because it was physically impossible to connect it to the supporting wall. I learned a couple of things: (i) if a design looks challenging, always ask
Role: National Technical Director –Bridges/Structures, GHD
Based in: Ōtautahi Christchurch
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)(Hons), 1996, University of Canterbury; Master of Engineering (Civil) 1999, University of Canterbury
someone more experienced to look at your concept before you dive in; and (ii) the time you spend building relationships with your colleagues proves its worth when they willingly pull you out of a hole you’ve dug for yourself.
Who is a leader in Aotearoa you admire?
I recently heard Dr Ellen Joan Ford speak and met her briefly. She’s a moving speaker and has set an incredible example for what you can achieve when you truly commit yourself to a goal – in her case, bringing Afghan interpreters and their families to New Zealand after the withdrawal of Western security forces. She has a great philosophy of leadership, based on her own experience as a woman in a male-dominated organisation.
What questions have you been asking yourself lately?
In no particular order: When will displacement-based design make it into the Building Code? When will New Zealand reach net zero? Where will Team New Zealand defend the America’s Cup next?
1932–2023
Peter Vautier FEngNZ attended Wellington College, where he played an array of sports and became a national chess champion. In 1956 after graduating from the University of Canterbury he took an engineering role at Nelson City Council, which led to the role of Deputy City Engineer. Projects included a grandstand at Trafalgar Park and a sealing and drainage project at Nelson Airport which was adopted by more than 40 airports around the globe. His next role was Engineer and Quarry Manager for cement works Golden Bay, before he moved to Australia to become Head of the School of Mines Engineering Department at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Victoria. Enjoying the role but missing the satisfaction of applied engineering, Peter returned home to become Senior Engineer at New Zealand Forest Products in Tokoroa, where he and his family lived for the next 10 years. He was instrumental in introducing new bleaching, veneer and timber preservation plants during this time. Also in Tokoroa, he was awarded a Sir David Henry Scholarship which entailed five months’ research in Russia, sparking a great interest in travel. Roles with Hawkins Construction in Hamilton then Gillman Partners followed. In 1982 he and fellow engineer Bob Peacocke formed a consultancy specialising in civil engineering and project management work. Peter was best known for his involvement with metallic and electrolytic matters, with a specific interest in corrosion.
Peter also held a range of governance positions over the years including Chair of Waikato Institute of Technology and President of Hamilton Gardens, and had a passion for sport, overseas travel, golf and bridge. He is survived by his wife Marcia, four children and four grandchildren.
Ian Robertson FEngNZ has been described as one of Stantec’s most influential leaders, instrumental in delivering significant company and engineering sector initiatives across his lifetime.
After completing his Master’s degree in civil engineering in 1974, Ian began working in the Ministry of Works’ Hydro team. He then worked for PAE in Germany, before returning to New Zealand and settling in Dunedin with his wife and two daughters in 1980. There, he steered MWH's (now Stantec) business development, including purchasing local authority divestment contracts and entering the transport sector. Ian was also instrumental in forming facilities management company PAE New Zealand, of which Stantec remains a significant shareholder. Ian was a director of this company until his retirement in 2014.
Ian’s passion lay in large, complex projects to which he applied his many skills including project management, design build operate delivery, environmental engineering, risk management, optimised construction and quality assurance. He held numerous project director and alliance board memberships across New Zealand and Australia, including the Paraparaumu wastewater treatment plant, Lake Hayes water and wastewater scheme and the Northside Storage Tunnel (Sydney), alongside wider Asia-Pacific contributions.
Active in the industry, Ian held a number of governance positions, including President of ACE New Zealand from 1992–1994. His skills and insights were keenly sought by graduates and peers alike. Outside of work, Ian was regularly found on the ski slopes near Queenstown with all his family.
1933–2024
Sir Colin Maiden KNZM HonFEngNZ attended Auckland Grammar School and later gained a Master of Engineering at Auckland University College. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1955, he gained his doctorate at Exeter College, Oxford, where he was awarded an Oxford Blue for tennis. He went on to become an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College, and was named Auckland Grammar School Old Boy of the Year in 1994.
Sir Colin's area of research was hypervelocity flight, and he held positions in Canada and the United States, then from 1971–1994, he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Auckland. Upon appointment, he was the youngest Vice Chancellor in the Commonwealth and he went on to serve the longest.
Sir Colin is credited with driving major changes at the University, including transforming the campus and facilities through an extensive building programme, increasing educational opportunities for Māori and Pacific people, and reforming the University’s administrative arm.
During his career he held directorships at major New Zealand companies and served on a number of government boards. His awards include the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal and the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Thomson Medal. He was knighted in the 1992 New Year Honours for services to education and business management.
Dr Ron McDowall ONZM DistFEngNZ was born in Raetihi, and he and his brother Rex were inseparable growing up. The family lived in National Park, Taumarunui, Edgecumbe and Hamilton due to their father’s work. At Fraser High Ron learned practical engineering skills that he treasured and used for the rest of his life. In the early 1970s, he began his engineering career at Swedish engineering company ASEA in Auckland. Soon after, he and new wife Lynda moved to Wellington with ASEA and Ron really learned his trade while working with some other great engineers. In the early 1980s he co-founded McMahon & McDowall Engineering Ltd with his colleague Rod McMahon, and the firm achieved a stellar reputation in the field of electrical and commissioning engineering. A contract to help remove polychlorinated biphenyls sparked Ron’s interest in hazardous waste remediation, for which he became a globally recognised expert. He travelled the world on behalf of the United Nations, cleaning up hazardous material, sometimes in very dangerous situations and with little regard for his own safety.
In his final years, Ron was “full steam ahead” lecturing in leadership, business acumen, decision-making, complexity and sustainability, all wrapped up in the context of strategic foresight. His interests in AI, AGI, and the design of future systems that could have zero impact on the environment, were the foundation for the next chapter that never was. Beyond engineering, Ron was a passionate supporter of music and theatre. He’s been described as a great leader, teacher, mentor and friend to many, whose knowledge and sense of humour will be dearly missed.
This year’s national James Dyson Award winner was also shortlisted for the Global Top 20 for his invention of the medical multitool Cap Snap. Recent Massey University graduate Jack Pugh was honoured that his design had been personally chosen by Sir James Dyson as one of the best. “I take great pride in my design and truly hope it will enhance the safety of our healthcare professionals while contributing to reducing waste in the healthcare system.”
Jack’s invention simplifies the removal of crimp seals from medication vials and safely breaks glass ampoules, reducing the risk of injury while addressing sustainability by decreasing the volume of medical waste sent to landfills.
Jack’s design was developed in consultation with Wellington Hospital’s Intensive Care Sustainability Group.
Adjust jaws to fit the bottle cap then use like a regular bottle opener.
Press slider – ratchets forward – user presses down to release and slide to rear.
Adjustable cap opener jaws fit 16–32mm caps.
Ampoule head ejector –move slider fully to rear to deploy ejection piston.
Stainless steel body is hard wearing, rigid, easy to clean.
Medical multitool designed to reduce the risk of injury for healthcare workers while enhancing operational efficiency.
Combines medicine bottle opening and ampoule snapping into one design.
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