EG 14/2021

In the limelight Issue 14/2021

Showtime for engineers

Refreshing water Changes flowing for our three waters

No time to waste Key work in waste, recycling and the circular economy

Lessons from Cave Creek What engineers need to know

WINNER BEST MAGAZINE – TRADE

In this issue

14 In the limelight Shining the spotlight on engineers making a difference in New Zealand’s film industry.

20 No time to waste Engineers are behind key innovations and initiatives in waste, recycling and the circular economy.

54 Inside job Taranaki’s Bridget Harrison CMEngNZ CPEng reveals why she loves her job as a Port Engineer.

60 Engineering genius Could this be a real leg up for boardriders?

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Features 08 Refreshing water There’s an urgent focus on fixing our three waters, but how did things get so bad, what fixes are underway, and what’s the ideal future state?

14 In the limelight Shining the spotlight on engineers making a difference in New Zealand’s film industry.

20 No time to waste Engineers are behind key innovations and initiatives in waste, recycling and the circular economy.

26 Distinguished careers Showcasing our six new Distinguished Fellows.

32 Next stop: East Coast Taming – and crossing – the waters.

Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau PO Box 12 241, Wellington 6144 New Zealand P 04 473 9444 hello@engineeringnz.org www.engineeringnz.org EDITOR Jennifer Black editor@engineeringnz.org DESIGN MANAGER Angeli Winthrop ADVERTISING SALES advertising@engineeringnz.org 04 473 9444 SUBSCRIPTIONS hello@engineeringnz.org CIRCULATION ABC audited net circulation for the six months ended 30 September 2020.

New Zealand 13,278 Print ISSN 2537-9097 Online ISSN 2537-9100

Best practice 40 Producer statements explained B2 or not B2, that is the question. Or at least one of the common questions we get about producer statements.

41 Privacy matters How to keep your business, staff and clients safe with the new Privacy Act now in force.

42 Small country, big screen How a lack of money sparked innovation in New Zealand’s film industry.

44 Lessons from Cave Creek Lessons for engineers from the deadly 1995 viewing platform collapse.

46 The dust settles How concerned should engineers be about the fibrous mineral erionite which has been found in rocks around the Auckland region?

48 Intersection Crossing paths with engineers.

EG ONLINE PDF versions of EG are available for members on our website or through our EN.CORE app.

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The inside pages are Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) approved and elemental chlorine free (ECF). EG is printed using vegetable-based inks made from renewable sources. Printing and fulfilment by Printlink.

Please recycle your plastic wrap – it’s New Zealand made and 100% biodegradable.

DISCLAIMER Advertising statements and editorial opinions expressed in EG do not reflect the views of Engineering New Zealand, its members, staff, or affiliated organisations unless expressly stated.

This issue of EG was published in March 2021.

Shorts 50 The secret life of engineers Geocaching explained.

53 Leading questions 54 Inside job Taranaki’s Bridget Harrison CMEngNZ CPEng reveals why she loves her job as a Port Engineer.

56 Bedside table New Honorary Fellow Tania Pouwhare shares what she’s reading, and why.

57 Review 58 Obituaries 60 Engineering genius

03

M+D Crutches: United States

With a type of underarm crutch design spotted on ancient Egyptian carvings from 2830BC, it was about time for a new engineering solution. Industrial designer Max Younger’s father had his leg amputated in 2008, so Max was familiar with the difficulties traditional crutches can cause. Following extensive testing, which included engineering and building a machine to test prototypes by pulling them until they would tear, the M+D Crutches were released. They're made from aluminium and glass filled nylon, using injection moulding and extrusion tooling. They support the user’s weight, evenly distributing it throughout the elbow and forearm. There are unlockable, hinged arm brackets to help increase the user's range of motion.

85 percent

of people feel pain in their hands and wrists from standard underarm crutches

100 million+ pairs of crutches are produced worldwide each year

Engineering Envy #121

M+D Crutches were launched in

A real game-changer for friends with significant mobility issues to participate in a world not designed for their needs.

2015

They have a weight limit of

136kg It took around

1,500 ideas

before settling on the finished product

Chosen by Engineering New Zealand staff

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What they said

05

The power of people

“To get recognition here in a country that means so much to me, I find very humbling.”

Rob Fyfe DistFEngNZ is appointed as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2021 New Year Honours.

“… incorporating antimicrobial grab poles into vehicles could encourage more people to opt for public transport which is generally an environmentally efficient mode of transport.”

Dr Darren Hughes, University of Warwick, United Kingdom, where they’re developing retro-fittable anti-microbial grab poles.

Nau mai koutou katoa.

Flynn Doherty’s award-winning software engineering project at

As I reflect on the year of enormous disruption and upheaval since I stepped into the role of President on the second day of lockdown, I’m aware what a privilege it’s been to lead the engineering profession at this time.

Through Covid-19, as individuals, as a profession and as a country, we’ve faced adversity, uncertainty, and unprecedented challenges. We’ve also seen or created and taken opportunities – for working in new ways, doing things differently and innovating. For me, one of the most important things highlighted time and again over this past year is that people are our most valuable resource. If our people aren’t well, or wellness isn’t assured, then society as a whole can’t operate. As a stark reminder, we just need to look at what’s been happening in some other countries as they struggle to deal with the effects of the global pandemic.

In the past year, we’ve also been reminded of the importance of people having a purpose. Having meaning in what they do for their communities and enjoying

the University of Canterbury helped secure him a role with Rocket Lab.

the synergy created when they work well with their teammates. This is true whether

“For girls to stick with STEM subjects at school, and for women to complete engineering degrees and aim for leadership roles, they need to see what’s possible. I recognise I need to be a highly visible leader who takes her influence seriously.”

The CEO Magazine’s 2020 Australian CEO of the Year, Louise Adams, Aurecon CE Australia & New Zealand.

“It’s an exciting role that enables me to work with a number of other teams to ensure that operators in mission control can effectively monitor, test, and launch the electron rocket.”

we consider engineers applying their expertise to help solve Covid-19-related problems, through to New Zealanders coming together as “a team of five million” as we hunkered down, moved our work online, and pushed through lockdowns in the interests of the greater good.

This month marks a year since New Zealand went into Level 4 lockdown.

And while we don’t know what the future holds, we hope we'll continue to stay safe, move forward, and rebuild the country and the economy. There's a new challenge for leaders of engineering companies: sit back and feel relieved we've made it through, or view this as a great opportunity to redefine some of our intended outcomes. This includes around water sector reform, climate change, ensuring procurement models are collaborative, stimulating the economy and retaining skills with infrastructure projects. And most importantly, getting our greatest resource, people, remobilised. Then we can make some of the changes we know we should've been onto earlier, and knock it out of the park. I know what I'll be doing.

Colin Crampton FEngNZ President, Engineering New Zealand

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14 In the limelight

20 No time to waste

26 Distinguished careers

32 Taming – and crossing – the waters

Features

08 Refreshing water

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EG 14/2021

Refreshing water WRITER MATT PHILP

After decades of underinvestment in New Zealand’s water infrastructure, there’s now an urgent focus on fixing our three waters – drinking, waste- and stormwater. But just how did things get so bad, what’s already underway to fix things, and what’s the ideal future state?

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Havelock North was the nadir of New Zealand’s water woes. Public trust in a water system marred by boil water notices and wastewater spills was already fraying, and the 2016 gastroenteritis outbreak in Hawke's Bay was the last straw. More than 5,500 Havelock North residents became ill and 45 needed hospital care as a result of drinking water contaminated with campylobacter, probably the result of sheep faeces entering the system.

Four deaths were later linked to the outbreak, and the official inquiry suggested that “with only slightly different circumstances… the outcome could have been substantially worse”.

The inquiry’s report has been described by one commentator as a “monument to our complacency” when it comes to drinking water safety. The responsible authorities in Havelock North were criticised, but the

improved environmental outcomes from wastewater and stormwater networks. This year, Parliament is expected to enact legislation that will result in sweeping, system-wide changes, including potentially shifting control of water from dozens of councils to a small handful of dedicated cross-regional water authorities. This is not drip-fed reform, it’s a flood; and it’s not before time.

“I haven’t met a single person who disagrees with the need to focus on reforming water quality and supply,” says Taumata Arowai’s establishment CEO, Bill Bayfield.

“There are a huge number of places around New Zealand where water supply is definitely more than just a bit dodgy.”

According to Allan Prangnell, Executive Director Three Waters for the Department of Internal Affairs, the need for change is urgent.

serious issues identified by the inquiry are widespread and systemic.

“Based on the latest information we have, we’re sitting on a $30 billion to $50 billion infrastructure deficit – and that’s without accommodating climate change adaptation, earthquake risk, and population growth.”

The massive deficit is due to decades of council underinvestment in water infrastructure.

“Among smaller rural provincial populations it’s difficult for councils to invest at the scale you need – this is high fixed cost stuff.

A review then a new regulator Following the 2016 event, the Government commissioned a review of the three waters – drinking, waste- and stormwater. In late 2019, it established a new regulator, Taumata Arowai, to administer and enforce the new drinking water regulatory system, while contributing to

Allan Prangnell, Executive Director Three Waters at the Department of Internal Affairs says the need for change to our water supply is urgent.

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About half our pipes are graded as being in ‘unknown condition’.

– Allan Prangnell

A burst water pipe in 2019 flooded the Interislander ferry terminal carpark in Wellington.

Image: Stuff Limited

“And you’ve also got a lot of metropolitan councils experiencing rapid population growth who have hit their debt limits,” says Allan.

“As well, there’s relatively poor knowledge of the water assets’ condition and performance because they’re all underground. About half our pipes are graded as being in ‘unknown condition’.”

“The view of the government is that this has got beyond the ability of individual councils and communities to resolve. We need a new joined-up approach.”

Meanwhile, however, the Government has allocated $761 million of stimulus funding for immediate investment in water infrastructure and services. Most is going to councils, all of whom have had to agree to participate in the ongoing Three Waters Reform Programme, allocated on a formula of 75 percent population and 25 percent land area.

“The Government has asked councils to give priority to drinking water because that is a public health and safety issue – nearly half the money is going into drinking water supplies,” says Allan. He adds the bulk will be spent on accelerating renewals programmes. All projects will need to be finished by March 2022, reflecting that this is intended as stimulatory funding.

reforming water services we won’t go backwards – given Covid’s impact on council revenues that was a risk. But it’s not a fix.”

He says: “We think this funding will lead to an additional 2,000 jobs in the sector, and it means that while we look at

you fail to deliver safe drinking water, then we will hold you accountable.”

A fundamental shift Longer term, the Government believes safe drinking water will be best achieved by handing control to dedicated entities focused solely on water infrastructure and services. Potentially, the number of authorities providing water to New Zealanders could be reduced from the current 68 to just five. The Water Services Bill also prioritises water source protection and improved environmental outcomes for wastewater and stormwater networks.

At the centre of this new water regime is Taumata Arowai, an independent Crown agent with strong enforcement powers but also a mandate to educate and guide.

Bill Bayfield says the authority represents a fundamental shift.

“Rather than an old-fashioned compliance regime, anybody who takes on the responsibility of treating drinking water and wastewater now has a duty of care.

We will monitor compliance and support you, but if >>

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Troy Brockbank

It’s about looking after the mauri, or life force, of water and making sure it isn’t degraded, but rather enhanced and healthy.

– Troy Brockbank

Te Mana o te Wai From a Māori perspective, water is considered toto, or blood – the blood of the Earth mother Papatūānuku.

“It’s not a coincidence that we refer to a significant accumulation of water as a ‘body of water’,” says Troy Brockbank MEngNZ (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi), civil engineer and Senior Environmental Consultant for WSP. Te Mana o te Wai is a concept that refers to this vital importance of water. Founded in mātauranga Māori (indigenous knowledge), it is embedded in the legislation that created Taumata Arowai, which will be supported and guided by a Māori advisory group appointed by the Minister of Local Government.

In essence, it means water needs to be thought of as having value in and of itself, rather than as a resource to be exploited, and its health takes precedence.

“In the past, we’ve over-allocated a lot of our freshwater resource and drinking water sources. Te Mana o te Wai means we have to ensure we minimise water misuse and curb water loss,” says Troy. He notes it also has implications for how we treat wastewater and stormwater.

“It’s about looking after the mauri, or life force, of water and making sure it isn’t degraded, but rather enhanced and healthy. That may involve some form of land treatment.”

He gives the example of treated wastewater effluent being passed through a rock apron to enhance and improve mauri before it is discharged to an awa (river) or moana (sea).

Troy continues: “Going forward, engagement between iwi/Māori/mana whenua, and government, local and central, will be key to giving effect to Te Mana o te Wai. This engagement will be a huge step in forming manaenhancing partnerships between these parties, decision making, and implementing successful outcomes with the water industry.”

Feature

Infrastructure deficit of

$30–$50 billion Government stimulus funding

$761 million Allocated on a formula of

75 percent population 25 percent land area All projects to be finished by

March 2022 Estimated additional jobs

2,000

Crucially, the onus will be on anyone who supplies water beyond a single household. It’s a major expansion of scope from the current regime, which covers townships of greater than 500 people, and will add perhaps 25,000 previously unregistered water suppliers to the mix.

“Well, you can start with my family,” says Bill.

“Our bach can supply water to more than our household – it can go to the bach next door as well, so we are potentially a water supplier. How many farms are there in New Zealand where water comes into the homestead then goes out to a farm manager’s house or a packhouse?

They’re potentially a water supplier, too.

“So, we are talking about much smaller suppliers who have never been registered or monitored before, and this is going to be a big step up. We’re going to have to work very closely with them to help make it practical and easy for them to lift performance.”

The ultimate goal here is that your drinking water will meet a defined standard no matter where you live. In the case of wastewater, however, regional councils will retain a central role.

“That’s because there’s a huge difference to the standard you might treat wastewater depending on whether you’re going to discharge it into the Mataura River in Southland or the open Canterbury coast or an estuary

at network and system performance and have an overview of the whole of New Zealand.

He adds stormwater is a “trickier” challenge and will require more work.

Not that any of this will be easy. Gillian Blythe, Chief Executive of Water New Zealand, argues that the scope of the reforms demands that everyone works collaboratively.

“It will involve sharing the lessons so that we can all avoid mistakes and learn from good experiences.

Because this isn’t a competition; it’s about ensuring that all New Zealanders are able to turn the tap on and drink safe water.”

in the North Island.”

Bill says for wastewater, Taumata Arowai’s role is to look

without having to compete with other council services. That will surely be welcomed by engineers.”

Implications for the engineering profession Bill and Allan agree the reforms offer new opportunities for engineers.

“As well as water quality, we are looking at the network performance – how much water we lose as we transfer it from storage dam to treatment station to homes,” says Bill.

“That is an issue engineers are vitally interested in.”

Allan cites the Scotland experience, where water reforms produced 4,000 jobs, many of them engineering roles.

“There will be far more specialisation and career pathways in the new water organisations. The other thing is that water will now get the investment it has long needed

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Behind the camera with Disney's Mulan. The blockbuster was largely filmed in New Zealand with input from Kiwi engineers.

Image: Jasin Boland © 2019 Disney Enterprises

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In the limelight WRITER KATHY CATTON

The New Zealand film industry is making a significant contribution to the country’s economy. It’s a continually evolving sector, and engineers are being credited as “an essential part of this evolution”. So where, and how, are they having the most impact?

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While some industries are struggling to keep afloat in the light of Covid-19, the New Zealand film industry is remarkably buoyant. The screen industry is worth approximately $3.3 billion per annum, employing 16,200 people, according to Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni. In July 2020, the Government announced a screen sector support package to protect Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions.

“The Screen Production Fund of $73.4 million ensures more than 230 productions that employ thousands of

Whether it’s virtual production working on 2D and 3D animation using state of the art technology, or building sets and stages, engineers are impacting all of these spaces.

– Annabelle Sheehan

New Zealanders are not abandoned due to additional costs incurred as a result of Covid-19. It also protects an estimated $250 million of public funding already invested in them,” Minister Sepuloni said at the time.

This can only mean good news for engineering, as New Zealand Film Commission Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan says engineers are very much a part of this landscape.

“The screen industry uses all different kinds of equipment around production and post-production,” she says.

“These aspects of construction, visual effects, cameras and lighting are continually evolving in our industry.

Engineers are an essential part of this evolution. Whether it’s virtual production working on 2D and 3D animation using state of the art technology, or building sets and stages, engineers are impacting all of these spaces.”

Fast-paced lifestyle One engineer in particular demand right now is Nick Barnfield CMEngNZ, a structural engineer based in Auckland. After qualifying in 1975, he soon became intrigued by the fast-moving film and live events industry, where sets needed to be built quickly and safely. A chance encounter in the live events arena led Nick to swap his office job for a life touring the world.

“It was an exciting time,” he says.

“We literally sketched out designs on the floor of the workshop of whatever it was we were building and went from there.”

Responsible for the design and build of the first truss grid system in New Zealand in the 1980s, Nick forged the

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way for film and live event crews in New Zealand using stages and grids that could suspend people, cameras, lights and other equipment.

“Once the Health and Safety Act got some teeth, I saw an opportunity to set myself up freelance,” he says.

“My practical knowledge and experience together with an engineering degree gave me the perfect opening into the film industry.”

Now in his late sixties, Nick is looking to the future and is working alongside a “protégé”, Ryan Hayden MEngNZ, to pass on his knowledge to the next generation.

“Ryan is a young mechanical engineer who’s learning fast. He’s bright, he’s keen, and he never gives up,” says Nick.

“That’s what you need in this industry. You have to be passionate about it. There’s no time for contracts or specifications, and it’s demanding, so you need to have a versatility about you, and the ability to develop trust.”

An asset in Auckland Over recent years, Nick has been involved in the redevelopment of the Kumeu Film Studios (KFS) in Auckland, specifically the design and construction of the outdoor ocean tank, indoor dive tank and green screen.

The newly converted screen production complex officially opened in mid-2018.

The 27-hectare site includes a covered underwater dive tank and an outdoor ocean surface tank with a permanent 864m2 green screen. Blockbusters such as The Meg, Mulan and Avatar have all been shot there. And with more major international productions in the making, it’s a massive asset to the industry.

“Most recently, the development of a rigging system allows the production team to control daylight light levels over the ocean tank,” says Nick.

With a volume of 2.5 million litres, this tank is the only one of this size and type in New Zealand and adds to the portfolio of production infrastructure available in the country today.

Engineers take centre stage Neil Kirkland is a film construction supervisor who works closely with Nick, and was heavily involved in the redevelopment of KFS. Originally trained as an architect, Neil often engages engineers to ensure buildings are safe and comply with council regulations.

“Essentially, we are satisfying the council that the work is compliant with local by-laws and the Building Act. The engineer will issue the producer statements to the local authority, typically under Clause 2 of Schedule 1 of the Building Act in the case of most sets,” says Neil.

And it was not just structural engineers that took centre stage in this project. KFS also needed civil engineers to ensure a heated water supply to the tanks, wastewater management and stormwater disposal. With the site being located in a flood zone and water supply coming from bores, there was plenty of complexity in the repurposing project.

1. Construction of the outdoor ocean surface tank and green screen at Kumeu Film Studios. Image: Kim Sinclair 2. Indoor dive tank at Kumeu Film Studios.

Image: Manu One

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1. Film still from Disney's Mulan.

Image: Film Frame © Disney Enterprises 2. Neil Kirkland, film construction supervisor.

3. Structural engineer Nick Barnfield.

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Fast footage Auckland-based software company Moxion won the top engineering accolade at the 2020 Hollywood Professional Association Awards.

The Immediates platform allows film professionals to see footage immediately, from anywhere in the world. Known as “instant dailies”, Immediates enables studio executives to confirm they have the shot required and if not, the actors and crew are still in the building and can immediately reshoot.

“Studios are fearful about data breaches and the release of plot or imagery ahead of the scheduled release date,” says Rory MacGillycuddy, Chief Operating Officer at Moxion.

“Our platform has all the benefits of digital technology while offering world-leading security and distributing to approved viewers around the world within minutes of creation.”

Founded as a start-up in 2014, co-founders Hugh Calveley and Michael Lonsdale have recently hired a Masters graduate in Engineering, with a specialisation in software engineering, to add new features.

“It’s an exciting time to be part of the team,” says Rory.

“We continue to broaden our client base, selling to major US film studios.”

Image: HPA

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Acoustic engineers were also required to advise on how best to keep the noise out. Fire engineers were needed to design fire suppression systems, hydraulic engineers and civil engineers for earthworks, mechanical engineers for air handling, and electrical engineers for dealing with the high electrical demand on the new sound stages.

As complex as the sets are, it’s the camera that is king. Neil explains: “We have to respect the camera. We may need floating walls to allow the camera to move into the set space, or structures with high-access loading capacity. Engineers are essential to help us figure out what structural systems we should use.”

After filming has finished, the team do everything they can to recycle the structural materials.

“There is a big emphasis on recycling materials and to avoid pouring concrete in-situ,” says Nick.

In particular demand right now are machine learning techniques (AI) and software engineers with strong maths skills. One such engineer is Samantha Lok, who has been working with Weta Digital as a software engineer since graduating from Victoria University of Wellington in 2015.

“My degree has helped prepare me for the work I do now. There are many similarities between how software is written at Victoria University and Weta Digital,” she says.

“It’s fun and fast-paced. I specialised in machine learning through my degree, and now I am doing projects in 3D scene reconstruction, which is massive in the movie community right now.”

Samantha is currently seeking to solve the problem of digitally filling in the paint frame when actors on green screens are taller than their digital characters. At present, gaps are filled frame by frame, so her research and testing

“Particularly when we are on location, on farmers’ properties or DOC land, for example. We have to make sure we do everything to ensure a high level of reinstatement.”

Oscar-winning production designer Grant Major also works closely with engineers – structural engineers in particular. He describes his role as “world building”, and he travels worldwide to manage the overall visual appearance of films. In his 45-year career, he’s worked on films including the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mulan and most recently the Netflix series Pieces of Her, based on the best-selling novel by Karin Slaughter.

“We involve engineers in our larger set designs, who help realise their structural integrity,” says Grant.

Being show business, the structures are often unusual and complex. Added to that they can sometimes be located in isolated windy valleys, with historical heritage and planning restrictions. These structures are always temporary.

“We built a mansion façade in the upper Ida Valley in the South Island, where we needed the services of structural engineers to help stand up the building in one of the windiest valleys in the whole country. Being a temporary structure and without an inside, it was a difficult build, and the engineers did a wonderful job for us.”

has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of hours’ work. In essence, she’s creating a more authentic viewing experience.

Samantha Lok

Digital transformation Weta Digital is known for ground-breaking work in visual effects and animation, recognised for performance driven animated characters such as Gollum, Kong, Neytiri and Caesar, and worlds such as Middle-earth and Pandora. And the company understands the importance of engineers.

“I see engineers at Weta Digital as a critical component to the film industry,” says Kimball Thurston, Head of Engineering at Weta Digital.

“Particularly here at Weta, we build many of the tools the artists use. We develop unique solutions that may include custom software developed in-house, or plug-in additions to existing industry-standard software.”

Kimball Thurston

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No time to waste WRITER ALEXANDRA JOHNSON

Engineers are behind a number of innovations in the waste and recycling sectors, from recovering the gold in electrical and electronic waste, to designing smart bins that can work out what’s recycling and what’s rubbish.

EG talks to some of the key players behind initiatives aimed at increasing sustainability.

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An urban gold mine

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Gold. For centuries we’ve plundered the earth in search of it and in the process, devastated habitats and damaged workers and communities. But a new gold source has opened up and it’s in our homes, our offices, and our landfills. Chemical engineer and Engineering New Zealand Emerging Professional Member Joren Angeles and Auckland-based Mint Innovation are playing a pivotal role developing innovative and cost-effective technologies to extract it.

The urban mine refers to the rare metals in discarded electrical and electronic waste.

“We mine, manufacture, consume and finally dispose of these valuable resources,” says Joren.

“The disposal of these resource-rich materials are what make up the urban mine.”

Joren became involved in Mint Innovation early in its commercialisation journey, starting as a summer research intern in 2018 before becoming a full-time engineer in 2019. Its processes are low cost and low impact, using inexpensive chemicals and naturally sourced microbes.

“What attracted me to Mint is that it was turning a brilliant idea into a reality,” says Joren.

“I know that this technology will make a positive impact on the world and reduce our reliance on traditional mines.

Even more importantly, reducing our need to mine will protect reserves and indigenous land. Perhaps we will never be faced with the destruction of indigenous land like we’ve witnessed with Rio Tinto in Australia.”

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1. Chemical engineer Joren Angeles.

2. Mint Innovation's technology extracts precious metals from electronic waste.

Images: Mint Innovation

Mint Innovation begins the process by leaching out the base metals, such as copper and tin, from the freshly ground electronic waste.

“The copper is then extracted from the base metal leachate via electrolysis and the undissolved powder then goes to the second stage of the process, where we further dissolve the precious metals, like gold. We use a special microbe to concentrate the precious metals out of the solution.”

Joren says Mint’s technology and plants are world firsts.

“There is no one else in the world doing what we do.”

She says: “We’ve designed it to be cheap and scalable, enabling us to deploy anywhere and meet the needs of any area.”

I know that this technology will make a positive impact on the world and reduce our reliance on traditional mines.

– Joren Angeles

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The company currently has a pre-commercial plant in East Tamaki with capacity to process one tonne of e-waste per day, to ensure the technology works at a large scale. Now, having proved the viability of the process at this level, it is establishing a 10-tonne-per-day commercial facility in Sydney which will be commissioned in 2021.

Joren says Mint is on the road to realising its ambitious vision “to provide a low cost, sustainable solution to recover precious metals from the urban mine and having a biorefinery in every major city around the world".

Thinking about zinc Chemical engineer and Emerging Professional Member of Engineering New Zealand Jonathan Ring and Canterbury University Associate Professor Aaron Marshall MEngNZ plan to use electrochemical technology to improve the environment for aquatic life in waterways in New Zealand, and beyond. They’re in the process of establishing Zincovery, a company that will use cuttingedge technology to separate zinc from wastewater created from galvanising steel.

The galvanised steel industry produces a waste acid with high concentrations of dissolved zinc and iron.

Currently, in New Zealand and in many other parts of the world, this is neutralised and diluted before making its way to waterways and into landfills.

“Zinc damages aquatic organisms’ organs, such as gills, and causes serious problems,” says Jonathan.

“The current waste treatment does not completely remove the zinc from the wastewater, resulting in wastewater with harmful levels of zinc. However, the Zincovery system is able to extract zinc to a much lower concentration.”

Jonathan says that while there are Intellectual Property protections around the specific process, it is clean electrochemical technology.

“Basically, we selectively remove the metals from the waste by changing their solubility with electrical potentials,” he says.

“There are a lot of people working in this space but very few are using a technology that is similar to ours.

And what we are trying to do is create a system that is competitive even if disposal is very, very cheap.”

He says that in most parts of the world, galvanisers’ waste acid is not recycled at all because it doesn’t economically make sense – galvanisers can dump their waste without financial cost.

“In the central USA for example, they put the waste acid directly down decommissioned oil wells without treating it at all.”

“But,” he says, “in Western Europe and eastern USA, where there are high density populations and stricter environmental regulations, zinc is very expensive to dispose of and therefore recycled. We want to make

Jonathan Ring (left) and Aaron Marshall have big plans for separating zinc from wastewater created from the steel galvanisation process.

Image: Zincovery

this technology available in not only the areas that have recycling, but elsewhere as well.”

Jonathan says they recently closed their first investment round which will enable them to complete their pilot plant in a shipping container at the University of Canterbury.

“This year we will be optimising the process, then we will make our first sale or enter into a joint venture agreement with an industry player to build our first commercial plant.”

Making better recycling decisions Watching rubbish flying in the air on YouTube might not inspire many businesses, but for Carl Lickfold and his team it was the beginning of something new.

“We saw some videos that used 3D cameras to track flying rubbish and a rubbish bin would automatically move along and catch it,” Carl says.

“So, we thought we could be really clever engineers and see if you could have two bins and detect recycling and rubbish flying through the air, then catch it in the recycling bin or the rubbish bin.”

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This went on to the realisation that urban recycling bins are often contaminated, and they set out to do something about it.

“We realised many recycling bins are full of rubbish or non-recyclable items, it all just goes to landfills. Recycling needs less than 5-10 percent contamination or they won’t process it.”

The team has since established start-up ARCubed, and is developing OneBin, an urban bin that uses cutting-edge technology to transform waste management and resource recovery practices.

“We created machine-learning algorithms by training a model to understand different varieties of rubbish,” says Carl.

“AI-powered computer vision systems recognise waste at the point of collection, and sort it into the correct receptacle ensuring only true waste arrives at landfills.”

The technology also educates consumers.

“When collecting everything in the street and taking it to a depot, there is no chance to interact with the person producing the waste. If someone is throwing their rubbish away and making the wrong decisions there is no feedback, it just gets trucked away.”

He says OneBin has a small display screen that informs the consumer of their success or lets them know otherwise.

“Such as, ‘sorry, bottles partially filled with liquid are unable to be recycled. Please empty your bottle next time’.”

Carl says providing this interactive feedback helps people to make better recycling decisions.

He and the team are continuing to work on their business model, but expect to lease their AI bin for a monthly fee, which will be marketed to malls, department stores and city councils.

“We are leading the way here internationally, we can produce natural fibre-based materials that are better than anywhere in the world. And yet the uptake in New Zealand for sustainable practices is relatively low. I realised the importance of developing capabilities beyond just the technical space.” Āmiomio Aotearoa is a collaborative programme that will bring together experts from a wide range of disciplines including materials science, engineering and design, energy, economics, Kaupapa Māori, business, law and regulation, social science, public policy and communities.

“We hope to be able to provide evidence to allow New Zealand to transition to a sustainable country. But along with policy and legislation and other aspects, people are a very important part of this equation. How do we get as many people engaged with this as possible?”

We created machinelearning algorithms by training a model to understand different varieties of rubbish.

– Carl Lickford

Disrupting the business model for industry in New Zealand is not a small ambition, but it’s one that University of Waikato Engineering Professor Kim Pickering FEngNZ and her team have set their sights on.

Kim has been awarded $10.9 million from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to establish Āmiomio Aotearoa, a circular economy for the wellbeing of New Zealand. It’s a research programme that will inform a way forward for the country and how it sources, uses, recycles and disposes of material.

A circular economy looks beyond the linear “take, make, dispose” model and aims to reduce waste and encourage the continual use of resources.

Kim has focused her career on using biological or recycled plastics to create sustainable materials and help reduce plastic in our environment and while her

She says we need a vision of what a circular economy looks like in New Zealand in 10 years’ time.

“Then we need to work back from that and see what’s required at all levels, from materials to business to the infrastructure requirements."

She says it means thinking about the whole ecosystem of New Zealand.

The programme will begin with two major industries, packaging, and building and construction.

“We see these two sectors as very important as they create a lot of waste. We wanted to engage with industries that would have the biggest initial impact on New Zealand, and once we have worked out a way of integrating the technical with the policy, the business, Kaupapa Māori, the education, and legislation required, we want to be looking at a whole game changer in the way businesses operate in New Zealand.”

She says: “Concern about economics is no reason to shirk from transition, with the circular economy predicted

innovations are adopted overseas, they are less so in New Zealand.

to be worth trillions of dollars with early adopters likely to benefit most.”

Working towards a circular economy

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1. The ARCubed team, creators of OneBin. Image: ARCubed 2. The OneBin uses cutting-edge technology to automatically sort waste from recycling.

Image: ARCubed 3. A circular economy aims to reduce waste and encourage the continual use of resources.

4. Professor Kim Pickering.

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Biological materials

Technical materials

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Distinguished careers Engineering New Zealand would like to congratulate everyone who was recently promoted to Fellowship, Distinguished Fellowship and Honorary Fellowship.

We also congratulate our winners of the President's Awards and the MacLean Citation recipient. Here we showcase our six new Distinguished Fellows.

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Dr Andrew Cleland DistFEngNZ

Elena Trout DistFEngNZ

Recent Chief Executive, Royal Society Te Apārangi

Advisor and professional director

Andrew’s early career at Massey University included research in refrigeration, for which he has received several national and international awards. He has held senior academic roles and is a former Chief Executive of Engineering New Zealand. As CE of the Royal Society Te Apārangi since 2014, he has overseen its diversification and modernisation, helping it take on a more bicultural outlook and broaden membership.

In 2014, Elena was Engineering New Zealand’s second female President. She's served in director and chair roles on boards and government inquiries, including as an independent assessor to the Crown. She holds chair and director roles with private and public companies, including being an independent director of the company responsible for managing assets on behalf of Ngāpuhi shareholders. She's noted for her interest in diversity and inclusion, for promoting the value of engineering to society, and for her leadership in transport and energy work. She's the sister of Dr Janis Swan DistFEngNZ, the organisation’s second-ever female Distinguished Fellow.

How do you hope people feel about the work you do?

A CE’s role is to drive constructive change. Do it well, and those who follow have a foundation they can build further changes on. Do it badly, and they reverse what you did. I hope others will value changes that occurred in my time and find their changes can be built from what I had the opportunity to do.

How have you pushed boundaries in your career?

I've found the greatest challenge occurs out of field. In 2019, I travelled to London with members of Turanganuia-Kiwa iwi to visit their taonga taken by Cook and Banks in 1769 and held in British museums. I learnt more from them than I ever could from an engineering text. I think the best learning for engineers is from people who challenge the way our relatively narrow, technically oriented education and traditional values have "wired" us as a profession.

What has surprised you most about your engineering career?

The significance and wide-ranging impacts engineering can have on the social and economic outcomes of communities. It’s not the technical engineering solution itself that’s important but the application of engineering to solve problems for society to benefit. My engineering training has led me to roles in areas that I never had dreamed of when I first started out.

What has surprised you most about your engineering career?

As one of the first two Massey graduates to pass an Engineering New Zealand competence assessment, I was often amused that other engineers assumed I studied at Canterbury or Auckland. The multi-disciplinary nature of Massey’s programme, which gave me the skills to work

How will this recognition help you inspire other engineers?

My career has not taken a traditional route. When other engineers see what I have accomplished since graduating from the University of Canterbury with my Master’s degree, I hope I can encourage them to take a chance, not be afraid, and explore opportunities that may come their way. I also hope to inspire them to be authentic, act with integrity and as a true professional in accordance with our charter of professional conduct. While some people talk about the importance of diversity, I see this being more about a willingness to accept differing views and values to

across and contribute to a variety of fields inside and outside engineering, was a real advantage.

your own, and looking at ways of working out solutions for the wider good.

Feature

Garry Macdonald DistFEngNZ

Professor Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ

Water Market Leader and Business Director, Beca

Pro-Vice Chancellor of Engineering, University of Canterbury

Garry has been involved in some of New Zealand’s most significant wastewater and treatment projects and is a Fellow of the United States-based Water Environment Federation. He’s a former President of Engineering New Zealand and Water New Zealand. He has served on many panels and committees at Engineering New Zealand and has been a member of various investigating and disciplinary committees. He has authored and presented more than 60 technical papers. Outside engineering, he’s heavily involved with Oxfam New Zealand/Aotearoa and Oxfam International.

How do you hope people feel about your work?

I’d like people to see that I’m very passionate about the water environment in Aotearoa and globally. Everyone takes water – access to it and its use – as a natural right, yet we don’t care for it or value it enough. We’re blessed with having some of the best quality fresh and sea water on the planet, but we can do more to enhance it.

How have you pushed boundaries in your career?

I’ve always encouraged my clients to look into the future to the next water improvement project. Even though the assets we’ve delivered have long design lives, we can always add to them to improve environmental and social outcomes. Also, I’ve guided people to not just learn from others’ successes, but also to not repeat their mistakes.

How do you keep learning as an engineer?

I’m actively involved in professional and technical organisations in New Zealand and globally. This keeps me current in my practice fields, allows me to bring new knowledge home and helps me build a wide professional network.

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Jan is noted for strengthening and modernising engineering education and promoting the value of engineers in governance. The Canterbury earthquakes presented significant challenges and she responded by taking the opportunity to do things differently. A 10-year transformation she developed for the College of Engineering grew student numbers and increased research and industry engagement. Jan’s engineering academic career focused on electrical engineering and electronics research in the United Kingdom. She moved to New Zealand in 2009 to take up her current role.

How have you pushed boundaries in your career?

I’ve made it a personal mission to increase diversity in the student body and establish a sense of belonging for the students. During my time in this role, the number of female students in the College has increased by more than 50 percent and we have significantly higher members of Māori and Pasifika students than when I arrived.

What makes you different from other leaders?

I started my own student life studying for a music degree. I then worked for an insurance company while studying maths in the evening, returning to university to study science and engineering as a single parent and mature student. Those experiences shaped how I think about innovation, support others and recognise and develop talent, because I can understand there are many pathways to success.

How do you hope people feel about the work you do?

I hope people think I’ve been authentic and open, and that I’ve created a collegial, collaborative working environment at the university, with plenty of opportunity for new and creative thinking.

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Dr Nicki Crauford DistFEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Independent company director, Chair of Electricity Authority and GNS Science, Director of Watercare Services, CentrePort and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Nicki is sought by both government and the private sector for governance positions in areas of high complexity and risk. She is noted for being an ambassador who exemplifies the value engineers can provide to nonengineering sectors. She is a former CE of the Institute of Directors, and former Deputy CE of Engineering New Zealand, where she was marked by her work on the Code of Ethics and the Engineering Reference group to address questions raised at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

How will this recognition help you inspire other engineers?

When I was approached to be nominated as a Distinguished Fellow, I initially declined as I didn’t feel I had reached the appropriate level. But I realised that in the more than 100-year history of Engineering New Zealand, only two women had been made a Distinguished Fellow, and both came from academic backgrounds. I felt I should seek nomination to highlight the importance of women in engineering. I hope my recognition will show other women they can succeed at senior levels in science and engineering, and use their skills and experience to help organisations succeed.

How have you pushed boundaries in your career?

Essentially I’m a problem solver. I solve business problems using my technical background and logical mindset. I’m not a technical specialist as being a director requires a wide knowledge of businesses and how they work. I have pushed boundaries by applying my skills to new situations and new organisations, and by challenging the thinking of other board members – not just in technical areas but in all aspects of the business.

Peter Millar DistFEngNZ IntPE(NZ) Business Development Manager, Tonkin + Taylor With more than 40 years’ experience as a geotechnical engineer, Peter is noted for his leadership on significant infrastructure projects including the Well-Connected Alliance (Waterview tunnels) and Auckland’s City Rail Link.

Other engineering accomplishments include seismic work on Te Papa and the Parliament Building. Following the Canterbury earthquakes, he joined the governmentappointed review committee investigating three major building failures, and two engineering advisory groups. He also provided expertise to the Royal Commission’s hearing on building management post-earthquakes.

What makes you different from other leaders?

I think engineers often transition to project management roles too early in their careers. I’ve always sought to retain areas of specialist skills. While I’ve endeavoured to show leadership by being constructive and encouraging, I think I’ve also been a role model who stimulates innovation, seeks to identify a point of difference and creates excitement in our team.

How do you hope people feel about the work you do?

I like to think I make a positive difference to projects. By being transparent and focusing on best outcomes for both the projects and the environment, I hope I build trust with clients and others. It’s great to have played a role in many of the major legacy projects of my generation but it’s just as satisfying when young engineers seek my advice.

How have you pushed boundaries in your career?

It’s been exciting to have played a part in the major shift to collaborative partnership procurement models for delivering large infrastructure projects. The opportunity for clients, designers and contractors to work constructively as a team has enabled our industry to build a reputation for achieving extraordinary outcomes.

HOW WAS OUR 2020?

Join us for this year’s Engineering New Zealand AGM.

Hear highlights from the past year, the 2019/20 annual report and financials, and the results of our Board election. You can attend online, or in person.

Save the date – 12.30pm, Friday 26 March.

And stay tuned, there are more details to come. www.engineeringnz.org

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Next stop: East Coast

Taming – and crossing – the waters

East Cape Lighthouse. Image: Tairāwhiti Gisborne

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WRITER RACHEL HELYER DONALDSON

Fertile soil and a sunny climate make Gisborne and the East Coast an agricultural and horticultural powerhouse, with potential for further growth in forestry and tourism.

The Government has selected Tairāwhiti as a key region for investment in local industry and infrastructure, and engineering plays a crucial role.

Gisborne tackles wastewater treatment

Population (Gisborne region)

47,517 Land area

8,386km2 Engineering New Zealand Branch membership

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Did you know…

Gisborne is often referred to as the “City of rivers” as it sits at the convergence of the Waimata, Taruheru and Tūranganui rivers. At just 1,200m, Tūranganui is the shortest river in New Zealand.

When Gisborne’s 1.7-kilometre-long outfall was built in 1964, it was hailed as a world first: the only post-tensioned, precast segmental outfall of its kind. But, aside from the addition of a screening facility in 1990, the offshore outfall was the city’s sole way of disposing of wastewater for almost 50 years.

In 2003, local iwi took Gisborne District Council (GDC) to the Environment Court on the grounds that the outfall’s discharging of raw human waste into Poverty Bay broke the relationship of tangata whenua with moana and kaimoana.

It forced GDC to examine wastewater treatment, explore alternative treatment options and involve iwi in the decisionmaking process.

In 2010, a new wastewater treatment plant at Banks Street was commissioned. It was designed by Beca, constructed

by HEB and employed the “biotransformation” treatment approach using a lowly loaded Biological Trickling Filter (BTF) system to convert human sewage waste to plant matter.

Beca has just completed the Stage 2 design of the treatment plant. The Stage 2 upgrade, estimated to cost around $30-35 million, will clarify and filter wastewater, removing the solids, before disinfecting it using newgeneration ultra-violet lamps. The upgrade's due for completion by June 2022. The next stage, earmarked for 10 years in the future, will be to transfer the wastewater to a polishing wetland for reuse.

Gisborne is in a high seismic zone area and engineering is playing a “massive” role in the design, says Beca Project Manager Rachael Shaw MEngNZ. “We are working on a relatively small site with poor ground conditions, particularly when it comes to holding heavy structures.”

As a result, Beca adopted a highly industrial approach to the treatment.

“It’s meant bringing a lot of our pipes and services above ground and we’ve also gone for very small footprint processes.”

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Ground improvement lattice will be used in areas most sensitive to settlement, with piles and an engineered raft utilised elsewhere.

Social procurement is important to the council, and the physical works contractors are being encouraged to engage locals and support the region where possible.

It also means great gains for the environment. Water is much cleaner – BTF is highly effective at converting organic matter to plant matter, which is removed in the new clarifier and tertiary filters, while UV disinfection kills off faecal bacteria dramatically. The tertiary filters also mean the effluent can be recycled within the plant, significantly reducing potable water use, a first for Gisborne.

“In a water-scarce region, that’s a huge win.”

Rather than wait for a catastrophic event to occur first, this upgrade futureproofs the scheme to prevent flooding.

Futureproofing fertile flats

He says: “Rather than wait for a catastrophic event to occur first, this upgrade futureproofs the scheme to prevent flooding.”

The Poverty Bay Flats cover more than 20,000 hectares around the lower part of the Waipāoa River. The meandering Waipāoa gives the soil its richness but it also means the plains are vulnerable to flooding. It only takes a catastrophic weather event – such as the 1948 floods or Cyclone Bola, which hit the region in March 1988 – to potentially wreak devastation.

As a result, the Waipāoa River Flood Control Scheme is one of GDC’s most valuable assets. Comprising 64km of stopbanks and drainage pipes between Te Karaka township and the Waipāoa river mouth, it protects around 10,000 hectares of fertile flood plain and high-value crops, Patutahi and Manutuke townships, Gisborne, and the airport and hospital.

In February 2019, GDC embarked on a decade-long construction project to upgrade the existing stopbanks, which were built following the 1948 floods. The project will see the stopbanks raised by about 1m (on average), and the crest widened from 1.8m to 4m. More than 1.5 million cubic meters of material is expected to be compacted in place as part of the upgrade. It's estimated to cost $32-35 million and received a $7.5 million boost from the Government’s Covid-19 recovery fund last August.

Local contractors Earthwork Solutions are carrying out construction, including bulk earthworks utilising machine control software and renewal of existing pipes. The project is due for completion in 2031.

The upgrade is designed to account for the effects of climate change until 2090, based on predictions of a temperature increase of 2.1C and sea level rise of 0.67m.

Challenges include understanding seepage risks – spots where the stopbank could potentially fail in a large flood event. But the half-century-old stopbank scheme has been tested before and shown resilience, which is reassuring, says senior project engineer Joss Ruifrok.

“It was overtopped in a couple of locations during Cyclone Bola but there wasn’t a seepage failure from that event. It gives us confidence that the upgrade will

– Joss Ruifrok

withstand a one in 100-year event accounting for climate change effects out to the year 2090.”

Bridge upgrades benefit communities Nearly 600 bridges, including 120 State Highway and 452 local bridges, span Tairāwhiti’s rivers, streams and tributaries. Some date back to the 1930s, and were constructed to varying standards. Many were built with a weight limit of less than 44 tonnes and they cannot support the hundreds of modern heavy vehicles – like the “50MAX” trucks with a 50 tonne load capacity – which now service the region’s forestry and farming industries daily.

“Putting on a ninth axle increases capacity and is more cost-effective, but it does put the trucks up to 50 tonnes,” says WSP Senior Civil and Structural Engineer Jim Mestyanek CMEngNZ IntPE(NZ).

“This means that the open-access bridges may be under-strength for this new fleet of trucks. There’s also quite a number of posted bridges whose capacity is less than general access [45 to 46 tonnes].”

In 2019, WSP, in conjunction with Abley, was commissioned to help identify bridges to undergo major strengthening, based on future freight routes for the logging industry. To do this, Natalia Uran MEngNZ, WSP Work Group Manager – Bridges, looked at logging volumes and business cases and considered the affordability and feasibility of particular upgrades.

“These ranged from putting in new bridges, strengthening existing ones and carrying out sophisticated assessment work.”

They determined 58 bridges for the council to focus on in the short, medium or long term. WSP was chosen to work on strengthening the short-term bridges, as part of the $3 million “50MAX” Provincial Growth Fund programme, throughout 2020. Natalia says opening routes to heavier vehicles will support economic growth.

“Travel is more efficient, more reliable, there’s better accessibility to Eastland Port.”

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1. 3D render of Gisborne's new wastewater treatment plant.

Image: Beca 2. Strengthening work on the Oweka Bridge. Image: Jim Mestyanek 3. Upgrades to the Waipāoa River stopbanks. Image: Joss Ruifrok

Snapshot A karaka tree was the design inspiration for Palmerston North’s He Ara Kotahi – “the pathway that binds us together” – a winner at the 2020 Institute of Public Works Engineering NZ Excellence Awards. The cycle- and walkway crosses dairy farms, forests, pā sites, a military camp, streams and a river and one bridge connects to a raised boardwalk where users walk in a canopy of native trees. Rangitāne designed the pattern on top of the bridge to symbolise the puriri waka, the hole moths make when they burrow into the bark. The koru patterns represent people. Image: Palmerston North City Council

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41 Privacy matters

42 Small country, big screen

44 Lessons from Cave Creek

46 The dust settles

48 Intersection

Best practice

40 Producer statements explained

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Producer statements explained MARTIN PRATCHETT MEngNZ

B2 or not B2? That is the question – or one of the common questions we get about producer statements.

B2 There have been many issues regarding B2, and whether you should sign for it on a producer statement. Typically, no. If you follow New Zealand Standards, they provide a compliance pathway to B2. We’ve published the B2 Durability Guidance and distributed it to most Building Consenting Authorities (BCAs) throughout the country, and you can download it via the members area of engineeringnz.org, along with an example maintenance schedule and B2 letters. Adam Thornton DistFEngNZ IntPE(NZ) and Raed El Sarraf CMEngNZ IntPE(NZ) have also produced webinars for members that will be available on the Engineering New Zealand YouTube channel with other webinars.

in CMEngNZ because it was understood MBIE was likely to recommend repealing the CPEng Act. However, this now appears unlikely, so we sought feedback on both accreditations as part of the CPEng review. While CMEngNZ is a quality mark, a BCA will typically not accept producer statements from CMEngNZ authors, so these engineers need to get a CPEng to review the work and issue a producer statement. It's good practice for the design of all complex works to be reviewed by a Chartered Professional Engineer.

Signing a producer statement BCAs rely on producer statements to confirm someone with a recognised competence level has reviewed the attached calculations and drawings.

Typically, Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status demonstrates that level of competence. While anyone can sign a producer statement, most BCAs will not accept it unless the author holds CPEng. The New Zealand Building Code supports this in section 1.0.3(e). People often ask about Chartered Member of Engineering

Signing rights Can an overseas-based CPEng sign off work in New Zealand, and vice versa? Not usually. CPEng (NZ) status shows you have sufficient knowledge of the applicable New Zealand standards, codes and acts to undertake complex work. It’s also a qualification Kiwi BCAs and regulators can have confidence in. The same applies if you wish to submit work overseas – you usually need to contact the equivalent of Engineering New Zealand in the country where you're planning to work and enquire about certification there. If you're signing off work for an overseas engineer, we recommend you are fully part of the design process. It can be difficult to seek financial redress from an overseas designer or company, so engineers should be wary of relying on design input from offshore. If you’re engaged to peer review a complex project, we recommend you undertake the

New Zealand (CMEngNZ) vs CPEng. Initially, Engineering New Zealand brought

review from the design stage rather than trying to review a completed body of work.

All or part only Engineers rarely undertake the design of every part of a building relating to a particular clause of the Building Act. As a result, you should typically tick “Part only”.

There's more on this on our website.

Bounds of competence As a CPEng, you must only undertake work that is within the bounds of your competence. If you are asked to do work that you haven't done for a while, is outside the scope of your usual work, or involves unusual aspects, it’s a good idea to discuss it with another engineer and ideally arrange a peer review. As a guide, ask yourself: "If I saw this as part of a disciplinary committee, would I find it acceptable?" If not, err on the side of caution. If you’re doing work outside your usual practice area, think carefully about how to manage any gaps in your knowledge.

The Engineering General Practitioners Group has members across many different disciplines who are willing to help when needed it. They run a Slack messaging channel via our website where you can freely ask questions.

Updates We’re currently revising the producer statement series and will put out a draft for consultation soon. More information is available at engineeringnz.org Martin Pratchett MEngNZ is Engineering Practice Manager at Engineering New Zealand.

Best practice

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Privacy matters CHRISTINE ANDERSON

With the new Privacy Act now in force, here's what you need to know to keep your business, staff and clients safe.

On 1 December, the Privacy Act 2020 came into force, replacing the Privacy Act 1993.

The new Privacy Act, like its predecessor, sets out rules for how your business collects, holds and stores personally identifiable information. This does not just apply to your clients; it also includes your employees’ personal information. This includes names, contact details, dates of birth, health and education information, and how the person has interacted with you. It can also include things like photos, videos and internet history.

Appointing a Privacy Officer Every business must have a Privacy Officer. If you have not appointed one yet, this is the first step.

The Privacy Officer will: — Be familiar with the privacy principles in the Privacy Act. — Work to make sure your business complies with the Privacy Act. — Deal with any complaints about possible privacy breaches.

— Deal with requests for access to, or correction of, personal information.

— Act as the business’ liaison with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

No special training or qualifications are required, but they do need to understand the Privacy Act and its principles.

Privacy breaches Privacy breaches include all unauthorised or accidental access to or disclosure of personal information and include losing access to personal information you hold or control. This includes things like system hacks or online vulnerabilities exposing personal information but can include simple things like misdirected emails and using CC instead of BCC. The new Act provides better protection to individuals if there is a privacy breach; your business must report any privacy breach to the Privacy Commissioner that has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm. There are consequences for failure to report breaches, including a fine of up to $10,000 and official “naming and shaming”. If a notifiable privacy breach occurs, your business should notify the affected people as soon as possible after it occurs. Notifying people lets them take action to protect themselves and their information. There may be valid reasons why your business would not notify the people affected; we recommend you seek advice before deciding not to do so.

New powers and penalties The Privacy Commissioner now has greater enforcement powers to ensure businesses and organisations comply with their obligations. The two key new powers in the Act are access directions and compliance notices.

People have a right to access and correct the personal information you hold about them. If someone requests their

personal information and your business refuses or fails to provide it to them, the Privacy Commissioner can compel your business to provide it by way of an access direction.

If your business is not meeting its obligations under the Act, the Commissioner can issue a compliance notice requiring that you act or stop an action. You can appeal an access direction or a compliance notice to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. However, if your business fails to comply, it can be fined $10,000.

Key points to remember Firstly, appoint a Privacy Officer who should check whether your business has robust systems to secure the personal information it holds in physical and digital forms. Check whether your business has systems in place to identify and report privacy breaches. If you have a “near miss”, even if it does not reach the threshold of a notifiable privacy breach, learn from the mistake. Improve systems to prevent this happening again.

It is vital for your business’ reputation and client relationships that you do everything you can to prevent a privacy breach from happening. If it does, do everything you can to minimise harm to the people affected and your business, and let your Privacy Officer know immediately. See privacy.org.nz for more.

Christine Anderson is Senior Legal Advisor at Engineering New Zealand.

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Small country, big screen CINDY JEMMETT

Film is an industry that needs creativity, technical skill, special equipment and financial investment. While New Zealanders have these first two requirements, we’ve sometimes struggled for the latter. But this lack has often led to innovation.

Creative and mechanically minded people have been essential to the development of New Zealand’s early film industry.

The earliest film shot in New Zealand recorded events, people and places in a simple observational manner. Newsreels and footage of local events soon became popular and hundreds of short productions of this type were screened in the first decades of the 20th century.

New Zealand’s earliest surviving film footage dates from 1900 and shows troops departing for the Boer War. Some of the earliest fictional films shot in New Zealand were overseas productions capitalising on New Zealand’s exotic landscape and culture as a drawcard for international audiences.

Through the 1920s, the Government Publicity Office produced films celebrating New Zealand’s scenic charms.

Independent filmmakers were also active and produced films such as The Birth of New Zealand (1922), depicting early European settlement and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Rewi’s Last Stand (1925) tells the story of the battle of Ōrākau in 1864, a major battle of the Waikato War.

Something to talk about In 1929, talkies hit the screens. The technology of recording sound on film was a closely guarded secret and out of the reach of New Zealand filmmakers.

Attracted by both the challenge and opportunity, Edwin “Ted” Coubray set about developing his own sound recording system. He was born in Southland in 1900 and from an early age had a keen interest in film. In his teens he worked as a trainee mechanic and later a film projectionist.

He made his own 10-minute film, released in 1920, and went on to work as assistant cameraman on The Birth of New Zealand.

After six months of experimentation and financial outlay of equivalent to $300,000 in today’s money, Ted was ready to screen the first New Zealand produced talking picture – the first edition of his newsreel, the Coubray-tone news, in January 1930.

In the documentary Mouth Wide Open, Ted, then 94, recalled the thrill of those first successful sound tests.

New Zealand talent abroad In 1938, Rudall Hayward embarked on a sound remake of his 1925 silent film, Rewi’s Last Stand. It was released in New Zealand in 1940, and a shortened version to United Kingdom audiences in 1949.

Following World War II, Rudall, along with his wife and collaborator, Ramai, sought work overseas. Sound recording technology, though established, was still scarce, and with their Auckland-built

portable sound camera, the Haywards easily secured work in England making newsreels and documentaries for the BBC. A triumph of Kiwi ingenuity In New Zealand, filmmaking in the 1940s was dominated by the governmentrun National Film Unit. No further New Zealand feature films were produced until independent film company Pacific Films released Broken Barrier in 1952. The film tells the story of the romance between a Pākehā man and a Māori woman and the disapproval and prejudice their relationship arouses.

Collaborators John O’Shea and Roger Mirams could not afford a sound camera, so shot Broken Barrier using two silent cameras and recorded separate narration giving voice to the characters' inner thoughts. This novel approach was generally looked upon favourably by the press who took it to be a stylistic choice rather than a cash-strapped workaround.

John was a strong advocate for independent New Zealand filmmaking and was involved in the establishment of the New Zealand Film Commission in the 1970s. The Commission assists the production of New Zealand films, ensuring we can continue to tell our own stories.

Cindy Jemmett is Heritage Advisor at Engineering New Zealand.

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Early New Zealand film often capitalised on New Zealand’s exotic landscape and culture.

Image: Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington Ref 1/2115687-F, circa 1930s

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EG 14/2021

Lessons from Cave Creek GORDON HUGHES FEngNZ IntPE(NZ) MARTIN PRATCHETT MEngNZ

It’s more than 25 years since a viewing platform on the West Coast collapsed, resulting in multiple deaths. But why did it happen, and what lessons can engineers learn from this tragedy?

On 28 April 1995, there were 17 Tai Poutini Polytech students and a Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger on a timber viewing platform at Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park on the South Island’s West Coast. But when the platform collapsed, the group plunged about 30m onto rocks below and 14 people died.

A Commission of Inquiry was held, and the Commissioner, District Judge Graeme Noble, reported back in November 1995. This article draws on his report and the evidence presented.

Deck construction The deck was cantilevered out over a 30m ravine to provide the best viewing of Cave Creek. There was no structural or geotechnical engineering design input the deck was designed by a DOC staff member who had trained as a motor mechanic, not an engineer.

No building consent was obtained prior to construction. A retrospective application was proposed but did not proceed.

Platform construction The platform was built by DOC staff. Due to the site’s remoteness, the platform was prefabricated and the components were lifted to the site by helicopter.

The Inquiry found the standard of work was adequate for fastening the decking to the joists but was substandard in the following areas: — Piles were not properly set out and aligned.

— Packers were used for bearer spacing to misaligned piles.

— A nail only dented a pile on one of the bearer joists and did not significantly penetrate the pile.

— Some joist to bearer connections had one nail, others had nails that missed the bearer.

— Either no plan was used, or the plan was not followed.

— Normal construction practice with regard to bearer pile connections was not followed.

— Three piles only were placed in the first line; there was some inaccuracy in pile placement.

verified by testing a full-scale replica.

In summary, the collapse sequence was: — failure of nailed connections — front of the platform started to sink — platform rotated — platform failed — occupants fell 30m onto rocks below.

Platform failure Engineering evidence given at the

The Commission found multiple reasons for why the failure occurred. DOC was under-resourced and didn't have the funds required to design and maintain its structures adequately. Funding (in real terms) was reducing each year. The staff were very committed to DOC and the lack of resources gave rise to a culture of doing more with less. There weren't enough staff with sufficient expertise to effectively and safely carry out DOC's statutory functions and duties. There were insufficient processes in place to adequately manage the design and construction of structures.

As a result, the structure didn't comply with the Building Act. It was designed by someone insufficiently qualified, working outside the bounds of their competence with inadequate supervision. It was built by people lacking expertise, without the supervision of a tradesperson. Finally, there was no construction monitoring

Commission of Inquiry established a failure mode that was subsequently

in place to check the design had been followed.

Best practice

Avoiding the same mistakes Engineering New Zealand has resources for use when developing systems, including Practice Note 14: Design Office Practice, available at engineeringnz.org — Use Engineering New Zealand’s growing library of webinars at bit.ly/engineeringnz_webinars — Subscribe to CROSS-AUS or similar schemes in your discipline. Engineers Without Borders aims to make their failures transparent – read more at reports.ewb.ca — Improved QA – keep it simple.

— Develop a better understanding of human factors for both individuals and organisations.

— Understand our limitations and competence.

— Keep upskilling and learning.

— Conduct peer-to-peer reviews of work.

— Own our mistakes and share them to promote better learning and engineering outcomes – it’s important to revisit past failures so a new generation of engineers can learn the lessons.

What will you start – or stop – doing?

Now's a good time to ask yourself some questions, for example: how does your company check work before it goes out

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Plan view of the Cave Creek platform. Australian Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 15, No.1, 2014: 111-120

the door? Engineering New Zealand has a structural calculation checklist available at engineeringnz.org/resources Also, how do you ensure you’re staying within your bounds of competence? What procedures do you have to resist clients asking you to undertake work you’re unsure of? How do you make sure what you design is built and used properly? How could you start to enable a “just culture” in the workplace? Read about how it started in aviation at bit.ly/just_culture_roadmap and how it was put into practice in a health service at bit.ly/making_just_culture_ reality

Gordon Hughes FEngNZ IntPE(NZ) is a senior structural engineer passionate about continuing learning. He's been key to establishing the Engineering General Practitioners Group.

Martin Pratchett MEngNZ is Engineering New Zealand's Engineering Practice Leader.

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EG 14/2021

The dust settles BILL NEWNS CMEngNZ

How concerned should engineers be about the fibrous mineral erionite which has been found in rocks around the Auckland region?

And is it “the new asbestos”?

Erionite is one of many minerals that occurs naturally and has the potential to cause harm if inhaled, and it has been in the news in New Zealand in recent months.

Erionite only occurs in very specific, rare geological circumstances in Auckland and in some parts of Northland, based on all the ground investigations and analysis that have been undertaken over the years.

As the risk posed by erionite has not been fully quantified, there are currently no workplace exposure limits related to it. A new programme of research to be undertaken at the University of Auckland has recently been funded to address this risk. It is anticipated the research will provide definitive understanding of the spatial distribution, the scale of the risk, and guidance for testing and management.

There has been some questioning in mainstream media over whether erionite will be “the next asbestos”.

I do not consider it to be so, as that mineral (predominantly white asbestos or chrysotile) was used extensively in buildings before anyone appreciated the potential harm from fugitive dust during manufacture, installation and decommissioning.

While I see the risk from erionite itself

because there are some gaps in our understanding, we should be cautious.

If the attention erionite gets helps raise awareness and improves management of the risks to occupational health and safety in construction from all sources of dust, that is not a bad thing in my opinion.

There is a refreshing focus on wellbeing of workers in the industry before, during and after work, and in the long term.

There is a far greater focus on silica dust in the construction sector and tunnelling in particular. For example, in the sandstones of Sydney, but also in quarrying and stone cutting. What sets erionite apart is its apparent “mesolothemia potency”. However, this is based upon relatively limited modelling and data (find out more at ncbi.nlm.nih. gov).

There is currently insufficient evidence to require changes to existing good practices in construction in relation to site investigation and dust management.

However, there is a need to generate reliable data so the scale of risk and potential exposure can be meaningfully considered alongside existing risks and so risk treatments can be determined in view of the health and safety requirements for a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU).

In order to limit exposure to erionite in earthwork and construction activity, we must identify the potential for erionite to occur with geological risk screening.

as not particularly significant in relation to many other generally accepted risks,

Sites should be appraised before work commences. Where ground investigations

include cored boreholes, they should be logged by competent geologists to identify the presence of ash tuffs and zeolitized zones that are cream coloured, fine-grained and massive. In Auckland, these properties are in striking contrast to the enclosing “normal” Waitematā sedimentary rocks, which are grey or brownish-grey coloured, have alternating beds with variable grainsizes, and are often friable. If such zones are identified, further specialised testing is warranted.

Dust generated during construction should be minimised for many existing reasons of occupational health and public nuisance. Typical good practice measures include damping down of operations that generate dust, maintaining exclusion zones, undertaking inspections and ensuring the effective use of personal protective equipment. If there is evidence of the presence of erionite, health monitoring and worker exposure monitoring should be carried out (see worksafe.govt.nz for guidance). Dust generated by construction should also be minimised during spoil disposal and at spoil receiving locations.

Wherever possible, provide testing results to the research team at the University of Auckland to enable improvements in the understanding of the risk that erionite presents (erionite@auckland.ac.nz).

Currently, a cross industry working group is being formed to assist the University of Auckland’s research programme.

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Opinion Bill Newns CMEngNZ is Director of NovoConsult and Chair of the New Zealand Tunnelling Society. He's also a member of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) Working Group on Health and Safety and the ITA Task Group on Tunnelling Incidents. He has 25 years’ experience in heavy civil design and construction project development and delivery for underground infrastructure in Asia, Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. He is an accredited mediator and arbitrator.

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EG 14/2021

Intersection

Intersection After practising as a lawyer, new Honorary Fellow Susan Freeman-Greene became a mediator, which led to her role as Chief Mediator of the Human Rights Commission.

She then moved into leadership roles, most

How do engineering decisions made outside of LGNZ impact your work?

Engineers have an important role as technical experts to provide really good advice and information about both risk

recently as CE of Engineering New Zealand, which she says was “the coolest job ever”.

and opportunity in a number of areas where local government has to make decisions. Some of these are operational and some of these impact wider policy settings as we've seen in the earthquake space, so it is important engineers are heard in some of New Zealand’s hardest challenges. Elected members have to carefully weigh up the options and information engineers provide.

Susan Freeman-Greene HonFEngNZ

How does your work impact engineers?

Three key areas for our work at LGNZ this year will relate to three waters reform and potential resource management reform. The level of disruption in the local government sector puts it at an inflection point and provides us massive opportunity to face into and reimagine the future of local government. As local government is so critical to how we work, live and play – and because engineers are involved in all aspects of design of the world we live in, this will influence the work engineers do, and who they do it for. There are exciting opportunities ahead if we collaborate and work together as professionals, as leaders, with iwi, between central and local government and with our communities.

What do engineers all seem to do so well?

Engineers have a strong work ethic and while exceptions always make the headlines, by far and away my experience was that the profession is incredibly committed to the public good. They care about our safety and as CE of Engineering New Zealand, I was impressed by how they rallied together when called on, as after the Kaikōura earthquake, and always look to raise the professional bar.

How does LGNZ work with engineers?

Local government's responsible for much of our infrastructure and engineers are at the heart of this. The engineering role in the system is vital, particularly as we deal with critical issues like climate change mitigation and adaptation, which will need innovation and problem solving.

A shortage of engineers in, or working with, local government, exacerbated by financial constraints on councils, could have implications for future generations.

As CE, how do you work with engineers?

At LGNZ, where we focus on policy issues that affect our communities and our wellbeing in areas such as water and climate change, my role intersects with engineers as I know first-hand how concerned they are about the same issues. I also have a direct link with the engineering community through my role with the Construction Sector Accord, focused on transforming the construction sector, where local government and engineers are key players. Local government has many different voices and pressures to accommodate. From the outside, it may seem councils “just need get on, procure, consult and build”.

However, there are often a range of tricky issues to navigate, from opposing community voices, to a desire for lower rates or to not take on debt, and a wider range of cultural, environmental, social and economic concerns.

Based in: Wellington Role: Chief Executive of Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) Education: Bachelor of Laws, University of Victoria; Master of Business Studies (endorsed in dispute resolution), Massey University

What are three observations you would make after working with engineers?

It was a privilege working with engineers.

They're skilled, creative problem solvers who want to, and do, make the world better. They’re also immensely humble, which means they often need quite a lot

What do you wish all engineers understood better about LGNZ? We all get very good at talking to ourselves within our sectors, so we don’t always think about – or seek out – other perspectives which might help us make better decisions. Engineering and local government both touch on so many areas of our lives yet can be taken for granted until things go wrong. The flipside is they’re both vital to our communities’ wellbeing so understanding that, and partnering and collaborating, will magnify our positive impact. Also, the legislative complexity

of prompting to tell their stories about the incredible impact they deliver.

local government operates under really is quite mind boggling.

53 Leading questions

54 Inside job

56 Bedside table

57 Review

60 Engineering genius

Shorts

50 The secret life of engineers

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The secret life of engineers Geocaching in Kaikōura. Image: Roelof de Haan

Roelof de Haan FEngNZ IntPE(NZ) Role: Technical Principal, WSP Based in: Nelson Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), Stellenbosch University, South Africa, 1987

Shorts

Roelof de Haan FEngNZ IntPE(NZ) grew up as a supporter of the Stormers rugby union team in Cape Town, South Africa. After university, he was conscripted into military service in the Air Force for two years, then worked as water engineer for 16 years at Ninham Shand. He arrived in New Zealand in 2003. Roelof is a long-serving committee member of Engineering New Zealand’s Nelson Branch and he's involved with the Heritage chapter. He’s also a practice area assessor, supporting the technical development of engineers and graduates.

Outside of work, he explores the world as a geocacher.

How do you explain geocaching to others?

Geocaching is like a worldwide, high tech scavenger hunt using a GPS. People hide containers – often in unusual or interesting places – and post the coordinates online. You download the coordinates and try to find the containers, which are graded for complexity/difficulty of access. Some caches contain trinkets for trade, and “trackables” are moved around towards a goal. More than 642 million “Found it” and “Event Attended” logs have been recorded since the game started, and more than 36,000 events are held annually to share stories and play the game.

When did you first get involved?

In 2012, after getting a getting a GPS for my birthday. Since then, the thrill of the game has never abated.

scavenging around! I try to get involved in a range of categories of geocaches, including puzzle caches, mystery caches and night caches.

Where do you do this?

At home and everywhere I travel worldwide, always trying not to be mistaken as a drug dealer secretively lurking around.

What equipment do you need?

Just a simple GPS or cellphone will do, and of course a billion-dollar satellite system.

The game is managed on the internet at geocaching.com What do you love about it?

The thrill of the hunt, any time of the day or night, and especially achieving “First to Find” status. The game gets you to fascinating places you would otherwise have missed. I also love reading the logbook entries on geocaching.com, and introducing others to the game.

Do you geocache with friends and family?

I have been known to initiate quite a few friends and family into the game, some of whom have even more resolve than I to increase their cache count.

Where has it taken you?

I’ve cached from Auckland to Dunedin, from Adelaide to Perth, in the Nullarbor, Germany, Austria, Singapore and major cities in the Netherlands and South Africa.

What’s the extent of your current involvement?

I do caching whenever possible and I’ll

Does being an engineer bring any advantages to your geocaching?

As an engineer I can spot when something is out of place, such as a suspiciously

keep at it till my wife calls it quits for me after 20 minutes of sometimes fruitless

hollow additional bolt on a water pipe flange. As a firm believer of “getting-

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your-boots-dirty”, I am often able to go to obscure places where work takes me, and tick off a cache that was close by.

Do you know any other engineers with the same hobby?

There are quite a few. At least three in our office, and three more that I know.

Tell us something about this hobby that will surprise most people.

It began in Oregon, USA in 2000 and now there are more than 3 million active geocaches in 191 countries. Even Antarctica has some, and then there is the one, unfound for more than 12 years, in Alaska, and that elusive geocache on the International Space Station…

What else are you interested in outside of work?

I’m an avid genealogist with more than 22,000 family links to date. I’m also captain of my local pistol club, a Toastmasters commitee member and South Island Chair of South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australasia. I’m also on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry and as kidney donor to my daughter, I work to raise awareness of the need for more donors and we welcome anyone stepping forward to get tested.

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Shorts

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eading questions

What makes you a good leader?

Helping people comes naturally to me, but I don’t consider myself a leader. However, it’s an honour and a privilege to have people look up to me and seek my advice – it’s very humbling. The clue could be from my youth, where I was awarded a Governor General’s Award for Leadership in 1967 for my involvement with the YMCA. At the end of each day, what tells you whether you’ve been successful?

Success to me is a wider benefit to all New Zealanders living with safer electrical regulations and standards, which under a team effort with Standards NZ, I have helped push for. Also, sharing my knowledge with other people so they are better informed about electrical safety is the most success I could ask for.

What inspired you to become an engineer?

The late Tom Leong QSM, my mentor and good friend for 25 years, always encouraged me to take my profession and education further.

What’s the most innovative project you’ve worked on?

In the 1990s, McDonalds asked me to improve electrical safety issues within their restaurant kitchens throughout New Zealand. I analysed the risk and prepared a programme to fix it. Here began a project to work out what was required, the cost, the methodology for the upgrades, and the ongoing implementation and management of the system. This enabled me to write the story of this project as a thesis and submit it to the Engineering Associates Registration Board where I was then registered as an REA. How do you connect your work with a sense of greater good?

By giving back to the community with my voluntary involvement with Standards New Zealand I've been able to help contribute to a safer electrical environment for all New Zealanders and strive for the best in electrical safety. My involvement in fire investigation has helped in the development of these standards.

Michael Chopping MNZM CMEngNZ (Eng. Technician) Role: Managing Director, Chopping & Associates Based in: Auckland Education: Electrician, Auckland Technical Institute, 1969; Electrical Engineering Advanced Trade Certificate, Auckland Technical Institute, 1971; Registered Engineering Associate (REA), The Engineering Associates Registration Board, 1999

difficult conversations can be delivered as an education piece, either to clients with an electrical problem, or to industry personnel.

Who opened a key door for you?

Eddie Handricks, Chief Inspector at Auckland Electric Power Board, encouraged me to get my Registered Electrical Technician's licence in the early 1980s, as he was aware of forthcoming changes to the Electricity Act. This by default in 1993 automatically gave me my Electrical Inspectors Registration, which

What mistake have you learned from most?

At 23 my father told me I was too young and didn’t have enough business experience to go into business on my own.

At the age of 40, I realised what he meant.

Who is a leader in New Zealand you admire?

Sir Peter Blake KBE was an inspiration – we were the same age and shared a love of the sea. He built the right boats to win international yacht races and New Zealand has a very high profile with the America’s Cup largely due to his efforts.

The inspiration for building my own boat came from watching him build his own boat, Bandit, then having success winning yacht races.

How do you start a difficult conversation with someone you lead or manage?

I take a no nonsense approach to life, so I

What questions have you been asking yourself lately?

How do I slow down? Do I still enjoy

then inspired me to go and do a “Training the Trainers” course, where I met Tom.

usually just get on with what needs to be said. I'm fortunate in my role that often

contributing to the standards process?

Should I continue providing training?

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Image: Pip Guthrie

Bridget Harrison CMEngNZ CPEng Based in: New Plymouth Role: Port Engineer, Port Taranaki Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), University of Leeds, United Kingdom, 1993

Shorts

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Inside job I describe my role to non-engineers as… the person who does the heavy lift plans, looks after the wharves, designs the roads

In the past year, I’ve pushed boundaries by… applying for the role of Port Engineering Manager. Even though I was

and pipes and keeps the harbour clean.

unsuccessful, I promoted a message that technical engineers are as valuable as managers, and that men and women can be equally capable in the engineering and management fields.

The part of my job that always surprises people is… that I’m the Port Engineer!

Sometimes people call me “Richard” – senior female civil engineers are fairly rare in New Zealand, especially in technical roles. I know of only two female engineers working for New Zealand ports and both of us are at Port Taranaki.

The best emoji to sum up me on a typical workday is…

The best thing I’ve introduced at my workplace is… stormwater treatment for our log yards.

In my role, I always challenge… whether we can find a simpler solution. I always think of the team who will have to operate and maintain anything we install and try to find a solution that makes their job easier.

At work, I’ve never been afraid to… think outside the box to find a solution. One of my favourite solutions was for the New Zealand Red Cross in Sudan. We made a stretcher trolley out of two bicycles so the nurses didn’t have to carry patients over rough ground.

I admire engineers who… find simple solutions to complex problems.

At school, teachers always described me as… a creative thinker and good communicator.

My luckiest break was… almost by accident ending up working here at Port Taranaki – I love my job and the people I work with.

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things I love about my job: — The balance between office and site work – and when your site’s next to a public beach and a Marine Protected Area it’s not a bad place to be!

— Port Engineering’s incredibly varied – we cover everything from car parks and building services to mooring systems for 60,000-tonne vessels and crane lifts of cargo ranging from superyachts to wind turbine blades and offshore industrial equipment.

— I’m problem solving every day – mostly unique problems with no standard solution.

2

The bravest thing I’ve done to get where I am today was… spending six months in South Sudan with the New Zealand Red Cross in 2003 as engineer for two surgical hospitals in a civil war zone. All supplies had to be delivered by plane because of the fighting and landmines in the surrounding region. It was one of the most dangerous and challenging things I’ve done, but by far the most rewarding.

reasons why I chose to study engineering: — As a Year 8 student I did work experience with a civil engineering contractor working on a high security prison in London. I was fascinated by the prison cells being suspended to stop inmates digging through the floor. At that point, I think I was hooked!

— Even though I wouldn’t say I’m a very practical person, I’ve always loved solving problems and civil engineering is all about solutions.

Best career advice I’ve received… grab every opportunity with both hands.

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I’d advise other people interested in my type of role to… join the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure, PIANC, then talk to the engineering team at your local port.

thing I wouldn’t change about my workday: — Looking out of the window as I wait for my computer to fire up in the morning and watching the vessels in the harbour.

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B

edside table

New Honorary Fellow Tania Pouwhare (Ngāi Tūhoe) began her policy career with Women’s Refuge. She moved to London and became Head of Policy and Campaigns for the charity the Women’s Resource Centre.

She returned home to work for Auckland Council, first in strategy roles and then in innovation and “intrapreneurialism” entrepreneurial changemaking within a bureaurcracy. Tania's a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity and a member of the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board.

What’s on your bedside table?

I’m a minimalist – my phone, an art deco lamp and the occasional book.

Tania Pouwhare

What's the current book?

Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe, the real history of Aboriginal Australia. He describes British settlers’ accounts of large permanent settlements, sophisticated aquaculture and fields of grain and yam stretching to the horizon. But even then, the engineering, mechanisation, innovation and productivity were simply explained away as “God’s work”, or unbelievably, in the case of the fish traps, “laziness”. The myth of the hapless, primitive Aboriginal hunter gatherer was convenient because it supported the British claim of terra nullius and the brutality meted out to indigenous Australians thereafter. My daughter loves Young Dark Emu and I wish more writers would make children’s versions of their books.

Role: Manager of Community and Social Innovation, Auckland Council

How does this book help you in your role?

What top book would you recommend to other professionals?

The late Professor Ranginui Walker’s seminal text, Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou Struggle Without End. Although it was revised nearly two decades ago, it is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the history of precolonial Aotearoa New Zealand and how

Education: Master of Arts (Hons), University of Auckland, 1998

The dark emu exists in the milky way.

But unlike European traditions of using

colonisation and neocolonialism shapes Māori and tauiwi (non Māori) experiences

constellations, the emu in the sky isn’t made up of stars, but rather the dark space in between them – the place of unlimited creative potential. This is not dissimilar to understandings of Te Kore, “the void”, in te ao Māori.

Which group of professionals is this book most helpful for and why?

We're at the nexus of tough social, environmental, political, cultural, economic and human rights problems.

If you're working in complexity and want insight and new knowledge to generate innovation and disruption, you’ll need to explore the stars and the spaces.

Shorts

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R

eview

today. It’s relevant to anyone who wants to make a positive difference to this country’s future.

What book has most influenced your career?

Naomi Klein tells a great investigative story that doesn’t mince words yet combines a sense of urgency with hopefulness and optimism. Klein’s call, in her latest publication On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal, to leap to a socially just and environmentally sustainable economy is becoming increasingly urgent.

The awesome A–Z of how stuff works Published by the Wonder Project $35 plus shipping

Ebook/paper copy

Kids’ inquisitiveness reportedly peaks around age four, when studies show they’re asking dozens of questions each day.

And while the number of questions reduces as they get older, there are still many occasions when all the answers aren’t readily at hand.

But there’s a new book that has the answers to many everyday questions, all in one place. How do birds fly? Why do some things float and others sink? Would I weigh the same on the Moon?

This beautifully crafted, hardcover A–Z book by the Wonder Project, Engineering New Zealand’s free programme for schools, designed to get young Kiwis excited about STEM, showcases the wonders of engineering. By explaining how things work, it celebrates engineers, or kaipūkaha, who design nearly everything around us from buildings to phones to safe drinking water. It takes items and concepts from everyday life and explains how they work. While it’s an excellent introduction to engineering for younger minds, there’s plenty to inform, educate and interest all ages. It includes engaging, relatable material children will love, from roller coasters to magnets, ice cream and superheroes. And while it’s educational and informative, it’s definitely fun – you might be surprised when you read about the speed of flatulence!

Library/own Bookmark/turn down page

Purchase your copy at shop.wonderproject.nz

What work-related books are on your must-read list?

Anything by the late Professor Mānuka Henare about Māori and the economy, and more specifically the paradox facing the Māori economy. I really like articles by economic think tank Common Wealth.

A Way Forward, published by the United Nations Development Programme and Dark Matter Labs is another great call to action for a different type of economy.

What do you read for fun?

Strangely, I love anything apocalyptic.

I also like fiction based in New Orleans, one of my favourite cities, and I’ve reread A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole several times now.

Speed read

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Obituaries

David Stanley Brathwaite FEngNZ

Gavin John Alexander FEngNZ

Peter Edward Fraser FEngNZ

1956–2020

1925–2020

Gavin Alexander FEngNZ has been recognised as a highly respected engineer and trail motorcycle enthusiast who has left a significant legacy through his work with the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS), Beca, and in his personal life.

Following his election to Chair of the NZGS in 2013, he was the main driver behind the Society’s response to the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission, including leading the development of the NZGS/Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering Modules. During his tenure as Chair, the NZGS was awarded the Outstanding Member Society of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

In 2017, he was appointed Australasian Vice-President of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

After an early career in land surveying, Gavin moved to London with Arup, before returning to New Zealand with Beca, where he spent most of his career. As a Practice Leader, Principal and Technical Fellow in Beca’s geotechnical engineering group for more than 20 years, Gavin led teams on many large-scale, high profile, complex projects across New Zealand and Asia-Pacific.

Gavin will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He’s been described as a role model, both as a technical expert, and as a kind, gentle man who was thoroughly

Peter Fraser FEngNZ had a long and distinguished professional engineering and business career after graduating from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil). He began his career in 1946 with the Ministry of Works on reconstruction of the Christchurch to Akaroa main highway. After moving to the Christchurch Drainage Board, he lectured at the University of Canterbury. Peter then spent time as Borough Engineer in Papatoetoe, Auckland, before working for a year in London.

On his return to New Zealand in 1962 he co-founded what is now Fraser Thomas Limited and spent 30 years as Managing Director of this New Zealand owned surveying, engineering and resource management consultancy.

He played a pioneering role in the urbanisation of the former Papatoetoe, Ōtāhuhu, Manurewa, and Manukau council areas, and surrounding South Auckland districts, guiding the design and construction of residential and industrial subdivisions, urban and rural roads, and water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure. He was also instrumental in developing national road maintenance management systems and practice. His work on a roads and bridging programme for Papua New Guinea laid the foundations for the company to build an extensive international profile with work in 30 countries.

After retiring in 1990, Peter held directorships and pursued broader

professional in everything he did.

business and civic interests.

1933–2020 David Brathwaite FEngNZ was a multitalented engineer and a leader in concrete and industrial structural engineering in New Zealand. He graduated in 1957 and joined the Ministry of Works and Development. From 1959 to 1964 he was assigned to the Benmore Power Station where he was responsible for the development, testing and construction of the pre-stressed concrete penstocks.

He co-authored a prize-winning technical paper to the Institution of Civil Engineers describing this work. He was also closely associated with the construction of the powerhouse and ancillary structures at Benmore.

For two years from 1965 he was the Ministry of Works Senior Highways Engineer in Dunedin.

He joined the Dunedin consulting practice of what is now part of Stantec in 1967, becoming a partner a year later. His portfolios covered installation and construction of structures and equipment for industrial units, foundation investigations, earthquake damage, landslip and various claims, and valuations. Several circular cement silos and reservoirs involving his concrete engineering expertise are some of his notable projects.

During the Abbotsford landslip near Dunedin in 1979, David was closely involved in advising the Green Island Borough Council, Civil Defence and the Commission of Inquiry.

He was also an active Rotarian, formerly in Dunedin, then in Nelson.

Obituaries

Albert Royals Bossward CMEngNZ

Barry John Butcher DistFEngNZ 1930–2020

1964–2020 Albert Bossward CMEngNZ was a railway mechanical engineer who played pivotal roles in the development of the Auckland and Wellington commuter trains. He began his career in the New Zealand Railways mechanical design office in Wellington before graduating with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Canterbury in 1986.

He was Tranz Rail’s Locomotive Asset Manager from 1999 and Alstom New Zealand’s Locomotive Business Manager from 2002 when rolling stock maintenance was outsourced, then he carried out consultancy work. He was at the production end of delivering the first two passenger trains for Auckland converted from former British Rail carriages at the Hillside workshops in Dunedin. Key project engineering roles then followed on the new Matangi electric multiple units in Wellington and subsequently Auckland’s first electric trains.

Albert developed a good rapport with people he worked with and a good relationship with the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and the heritage rail sector.

A natural artist, he was known for his use of sketches to clearly communicate concepts and ideas.

He’s been described as a professional engineer who had all the skills of a top tradesman in all facets of fitting, turning and machining, along with the skill and practical ability of a technician, draughtsman and designer.

Barry Butcher DistFEngNZ will be recognised for his eminent contribution to both leadership and public works engineering in New Zealand. Born and raised in Lower Hutt, Barry graduated in civil engineering with Honours at the University of Canterbury before joining the Ministry of Works civil design office in Wellington in 1953. He then worked on a variety of South Island hydro projects including three years on the Lake Hawea control project and the Roxburgh power project. This was followed by five years as Inspection Engineer on the Benmore and Aviemore power projects. He was also responsible for the investigations which resulted in the Upper Waitaki power scheme.

Barry became Auckland South Resident Engineer in 1969 and then District Civil Engineer for the Auckland district of the Ministry of Works and Development. He then became District Commissioner of Works in Hamilton for 11 years.

Following his retirement in 1988, Barry became an independent consultant. He undertook work for the World Bank in Tanzania between 1989 and 1993. Within New Zealand, he was engaged as a consultant and chair on work involving a public review of a wide range of state highway, water conservation and energy proposals. He continued this work into his early 80s.

Barry was an active member of Engineering New Zealand and was President in 1990–1991.

His services were recognised by the New Zealand Government with the award of the 1990 Commemoration Medal.

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Engineering genius

Leg up for boardriders Rack’s made up of at least two modules and can store up to five boards

Comprised of a base support and strap system, each module can be shifted and locked at any point along length of the rack

At the moment it’s a design proposal, but could it have “legs”? Student project “Leg Up” won a gold award at the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2020. Massey University industrial design students Thomas Mackisack, Charlie Budd, Ben Fernando created a new design for surfboard vehicle racks to improve the access and storage of sports boards, while allowing for freedom camping. The judges were impressed by the “thorough research and conceptual thinking which generated this refined presentation and well resolved and ergonomically innovative design proposal”. The concept was designed during Covid-19 Alert Levels 4-2, so with limited access to modelling materials, it was modelled in CAD and digitally rendered.

Base support has two layers – upper section features ribbed design made from a polyurethane elastomer, with a compression layer below

Each strap unit can slide and lock along the rack’s width allowing for a range of board placement options

Strap can be tightened with ratchet system, wound back into its housing or locked into place like a seatbelt

Mechanism has slider and retention system so users can easily pull out unit and lower boards in controlled way

Lower section is made from stainless steel, supporting weight and rail for sliding mechanism and straps

ENGINEERING

LEARN FROM MISTAKES. CROSS-AUS is a new way engineers can learn from mistakes and near misses.

It’s a confidential reporting scheme that shares lessons learned from structural safety incidents to help prevent future failures.

Let’s all learn from mistakes and near misses, so they aren’t repeated.

Find out more, report an issue and sign up to receive newsletters at www.cross-aus.org.au