EG 19/2022

Coastal shipping: a re-berth?

What’s involved and what issues could it solve?

Issue | Putanga 19/2022 Light rail at the end of the tunnel A “city-shaping” project for chronically congested Auckland

Green growth in a blue setting How to better use the ocean to improve lives and create jobs sustainably

“I view this role as my contribution back to Māori” Engineer Wharehuia Dixon on his new governance position

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08 Coastal shipping: a re-berth? It was once a thriving business in Aotearoa, so could revitalising coastal shipping help address our supply chain vulnerabilities and transport emissions?

14 Light rail at the end of the tunnel A “city-shaping” project for chronically congested Auckland.

36 “I view this role as my contribution back to Māori” Engineer Wharehuia Dixon on his new governance position.

52 Inside job Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s Rhodes Scholarship recipient Monique Cooper explains why she loves being a product development engineer.

In this issue I roto i tēnei putanga

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14

36

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Features Ngā āhuatanga

Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau PO Box 12 241, Wellington 6144 New Zealand P 04 473 9444 hello@engineeringnz.org engineeringnz.org EDITOR Jennifer Black editor@engineeringnz.org DESIGN MANAGER Alisa McGrath 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 EG ONLINE PDF versions of EG are available for members on our website or through our EN.CORE app.

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

This issue of EG was published in June 2022.

08 Coastal shipping: a re-berth? It was once a thriving business in Aotearoa, so could revitalising coastal shipping help address our supply chain vulnerabilities and transport emissions?

14 Light rail at the end of the tunnel A “city-shaping” project for chronically congested Auckland.

20 Green growth in a blue setting How we can better use the ocean to improve lives and create jobs in a sustainable way.

26 Building a better world An ambitious redevelopment to create a university’s Living Pā.

34 Carmen Doran: CEO and motorsport engineer When she’s not playing a key role in establishing the country’s medicinal cannabis industry, you’ll find Carmen Doran in a pit stop.

36 “I view this role as my contribution back to Māori” Engineer Wharehuia Dixon on his new governance position.

Best practice Ngā mahi papai rawai 40 Intersection Crossing paths with engineers.

41 Sign on the dotted line What to watch out for when you use an electronic signature.

42 As easy as XYZ? How to help bridge the generation gap in your workplace.

43 Understanding your bounds of competence As a Chartered Professional Engineer, how do you know what you don’t know?

44 That ship has sailed, but could it come back? Waterways and coastal routes were New Zealand’s first highways. So why did coastal shipping all but disappear?

46 Any port in a tsunami? The Tonga tsunami in January reinforced the need for tsunami preparation in Aotearoa’s ports and marinas.

48 GPS data to aid evacuations Why the key to understanding evacuation behaviour in wildfires could be in the palm of your hand.

Shorts

Ngā tūhinga poto me ngā pito kōrero 50 Bedside table Earthquake engineering specialist Jitendra Bothara FEngNZ talks about his reading choices.

51 Preview 52 Inside job Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s Rhodes Scholarship recipient Monique Cooper explains why she loves being a product development engineer.

54 The secret life of engineers George Arulanantham ONZM QSM CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) talks about the community work that earned him his latest Royal Honour.

57 Leading questions 58 Obituaries 60 Engineering genius

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Grand Canyon Skywalk: USA

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What they said

A rātou kērero

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Solving society’s problems

“Part of the reason why Ukrainians have performed so well on the battlefield is that they are strong in science, technology and engineering.”

Daniel Bilak, former chief investment adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

“We did well overall as our commitment is very high and is backed up not only with plans and targets but is also supported by excellent research by our academics.”

University of Canterbury Pro ViceChancellor of Sustainability Professor Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ on topping the world in Sustainability Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

“Only a few companies are seriously considering hydrogen peroxide.

Hopefully, by designing these efficient catalysts we can promote it as a viable alternative to hydrazine, and help make the aerospace industry that little bit safer.”

University of Canterbury engineering student Simon Reid is using 3D printing to help turn hydrogen peroxide into a non-toxic rocket fuel for the aerospace market.

Nau mai koutou katoa.

It’s an honour and a privilege to take on the role of President of Te Ao Rangahau, and my vision is for engineers to be the leading professional group, known for creating resilient, sustainable economies and communities, and solving society’s problems. This is achievable as we have the scale to make a big difference, with nearly 23,000 members, a strong national office, and an ecosystem of groups and branches.

With a passion for engineering, I step into this role after more than a decade of voluntary work for Te Ao Rangahau, including as Auckland Branch committee member and Chair, then on the Governing Board. In my “day job”, I’m Managing Director of Tonkin + Taylor Group and Technical Director Water Engineering.

Bringing together my governance experience and industry knowledge, I’ll listen to, and represent, members’ views.

The recent member survey provided good information about what you need, and I’m pleased to see the new online Member Forum up and running.

I see Te Ao Rangahau as a professional home for all engineers and I’ll work hard to make it even more inclusive, championing

our work with the Diversity Agenda and the Wonder Project. I’m also focused on advancing our wider te ao Māori journey.

We welcome Wharehuia Dixon to the Board to help increase cultural capability and create more connection between Māori and the engineering profession – see p36.

I believe the most urgent matter for our profession right now is occupational regulation. Christchurch’s former CTV building has been a stain on our profession and our response had been limited by regulations. Nevertheless, we’re the only ones still pursuing action in this matter as it’s important for engineers’ credibility. We support registration, and the creation of a licensing system for safety critical engineering will give members the tools we need to deliver high quality engineering. We’ll stay close to this as regulations are formed and finalised as we want it to work well for members and to serve society.

I look forward to engaging with you to ensure we understand your needs and aspirations and those of the wider community.

Dr Tim Fisher FEngNZ President, Engineering New Zealand/ Te Ao Rangahau

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20 Green growth in a blue setting 26 Building a better world 34 Carmen Doran: CEO and motorsport engineer 36 “I view this role as my contribution back to Māori”

Features

14 Light rail at the end of the tunnel

Ngā āhuatanga

08 Coastal shipping: a re-berth?

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Container vessel moored alongside Lyttelton Port Company's Cashin Quay.

Image: Lyttelton Port Company

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Feature | Āhuatanga

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Coastal shipping: a re-berth?

WRITER | KAITUHI RACHEL HELYER DONALDSON Coastal shipping was once a thriving business in Aotearoa, with a 34-strong fleet of New Zealand-flagged container ships servicing the country’s many ports. Deregulation in the late 1980s saw an influx of enormous international container ships who undercut local operators. The fleet dwindled away to a single small boat, Pacifica Shipping’s Moana Chief. But could it be part of the answer to addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and transport emissions?

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For the past few decades, the bulk of our cargo containers have been delivered by huge international vessels from North America and Asia. After dropping off most of the cargo in Auckland, they would continue down the country offloading and onloading freight.

But Covid-19 and the resulting global congestion proved New Zealand’s supply chain is particularly vulnerable, says marine engineer and President of the New Zealand Shipping Federation (NZSF) Clive Glover.

The unprecedented port delays had a serious knockon effect for distribution of New Zealand freight.

“We’re seeing shipping lines not prepared to wait at anchor off New Zealand ports, and of services giving up or, sometimes, going straight to Sydney. It’s highlighted our reliance on overseas operators who can come and go with no certainty of service.”

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Set to sail A 2021 report commissioned by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency on the state-of-play of coastal shipping notes New Zealand’s “freight task” equated to 278.7 million tonnes in 2017/18. Of that, coastal shipping carried about 10 million tonnes (3.5 percent).

In terms of cargo containers, 418,470 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEU, were transported in 2019.

The Government has committed $30 million funding for coastal shipping through the National Land Transport Programme to improve domestic shipping services, reduce emissions, improve efficiency and upgrade maritime infrastructure.

Industry players hope to capitalise on this sea change. In late 2021, Move Logistics announced the launch of a regular, inter-island coastal freight service to secondary ports. And Whangārei’s Northport has revealed intentions to increase its container ship handling business.

Coastal shipping is more cost-effective, emissionsefficient and sustainable than other modes of freight transport, says Clive, who is also General Manager of Marine Operations at StraitNZ. A lot of work still needs to be done in terms of emissions, and domestic operators are reliant on the availability of alternative

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fuels. The carriage of freight on coastal ships has a significant advantage due to the fact more freight is carried per unit of fuel required. It is the preferable option for non-time-critical freight, he adds.

“When you calculate the amount of carbon consumed to move a unit of cargo, coastal shipping is the most efficient and comes out on top every time.”

Preventing running aground Clive says a lack of infrastructure helped sound the death knell for much of New Zealand’s coastal shipping service.

Major ports had roll-on roll-off or “ro-ro”, ramps, whereby vehicles could drive onto the vessels, he adds.

“Now it’s effectively a container trade, except for the Cook Strait service.”

Meanwhile, the move internationally towards ultra-large container ships visiting fewer ports means that several of our ports will struggle to accommodate international vessels and have to rely on a domestic coastal operator.

The case for a resilient supply chain extends beyond Covid-19, with New Zealand's exposure to natural hazards, says Beca Senior Technical Director Jennifer Hart MEngNZ. In 2016, SH1 and the Main North Line railway suffered severe damage during the Kaikōura earthquake.

“The logistics chain could pivot. Coastal shipping helped to pick up the slack and freight was shipped from Auckland direct to Christchurch.”

She says our state highways and railways can be vulnerable to landslips and flooding.

“Coastal shipping gives an alternative.”

Sustainability is another driver for taking a fresh look at coastal shipping – although it’s not a new idea. Jennifer references the section on transport, lead-authored by Massey University Emeritus Professor Ralph Sims, in the 2014 IPCC Mitigation of Climate Change Report. The report indicates that direct CO2 emissions from coastal shipping may be less than 25 percent of those from long-haul road transport. And, notes Jennifer, coastal shipping can provide additional benefits such as improved road safety, reduced particulate pollution in our communities, and increased pavement life.

Feature | Āhuatanga

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When you calculate the amount of carbon consumed to move a unit of cargo, coastal shipping is the most efficient and comes out on top every time.

– Clive Glover

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Strait Feronia arriving in Wellington.

Image: StraitNZ Timaru's PrimePort.

Image: PrimePort

Prime position for Scott Base redevelopment Years of investment into land reclamation and infrastructure paid off for Timaru's PrimePort after it was chosen as the main build site for Antarctica New Zealand’s Scott Base redevelopment. Now it’s set to get an additional, multimillion-dollar boost to upgrade some essential infrastructure prior to construction starting.

The $344 million Antarctica New Zealand project will see an entire scientific research station constructed at the Timaru port, to replace the existing base. Once built, it will be shipped to Ross Island in eight modules on an MC-class ship.

Constructing in New Zealand allows for a year-round build, with Antarctica in darkness for six months a year. It also enables the project team to test and commission the buildings before they head south. Leighs Construction will start work once detailed design is finished. Meanwhile, PrimePort will finish upgrading infrastructure and complete enabling work, such as the required wharf, berthing structure and construction site needed to support the project. Timaru City Council has committed $1.5 million towards this. Total spend is “significantly more”, says PrimePort Chief Executive Phil Melhopt.

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Staying bouyant Better port infrastructure will be crucial to supporting a revival of an independent domestic shipping network.

The Waka Kotahi report notes “most” port infrastructure will need rebuilding, to allow for larger ships. Another issue is how freight gets to and from those ports.

A “New Zealand Inc” benefit approach is needed, says Clive.

“No agency or authority oversees all the ports. But smaller ports are going to have to accept that they might have to be part of a hub and spoke network.

For instance, smaller coastal vessels working in Nelson and feeding Tauranga.”

An enlarged service “doesn’t necessarily mean” the wholesale development of new ports or substantial redevelopment of existing ones, says Jennifer. But Aotearoa does have limitations that need looking at.

“There are areas where we do have older infrastructure, and new vessels on order. It also means looking at things like enhancing our current dry docking and ship repair facilities in New Zealand to serve the coastal fleet.”

Investment and support for the industry will be critical.

Clive notes $800 million has been invested in KiwiRail since 2018. In contrast, $30 million is a mere drop in the ocean. Ports and shipping companies will need a “clear signal” from government that it’s worth investing in infrastructure and vessels, says Jennifer.

She says having an integrated national strategy is key.

“It gives confidence for investment and it means we have a coherent long-term strategy. Coastal shipping needs to be part of the integrated logistics and supply chain for New Zealand.”

In order to revive coastal shipping, engineers will be needed to assess existing port infrastructure such as berths, wharves and landside facilities, and the hinterland connections to those ports. The marine and coastal engineering expertise required for this work is in demand in New Zealand, says Jennifer.

Jennifer Hart

Alistair Boyce

The Lyttel(ton) port that could Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) gets around 150 coastal ships a year across the container, cement and fuel trades. The South Island’s largest port would “certainly” welcome new domestic coastal shipping services, says Head of Engineering and Projects, Alistair Boyce CMEngNZ CPEng. LPC would not need to adapt, he says.

“We are already ready. The coastal vessels would use the same infrastructure as the international container ships. For the future, we’re also already consented to create another 18 hectares of reclamation for more container terminal space, and create up to 700m of new, deep-draft container berthage.”

carried by domestic and international vessels. LPC has kept ahead of the curve with a series of development projects. Recent work includes the 2017 construction of Midland Port, a new inland port at Rolleston which, combined with the construction of a second rail siding at the Port, upped the percentage of containers delivered by rail from 3 percent to 20 percent. A 2018 channel-deepening project has “significantly increased our sailing windows”, Alistair says.

In 2021, increased use of the hub and spoke model to feed containers from smaller ports to larger international vessels in Lyttelton boosted LPC’s

The past decade has seen a “huge increase” in coastal container volumes coming through Lyttelton,

container volumes by 15 percent. Alistair says LPC’s engineers “had a huge part to play” to meet that

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Feature | Āhuatanga

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Lyttelton Port.

Image: Lyttelton Port Company

We are already ready.

– Alistair Boyce

increased demand.

Around half of that additional volume was refrigerated containers or “reefer containers”.

“We constructed new infrastructure to service those reefer containers, including low voltage and high voltage power supply installations, new pavements, a relocated light mast and fabrication of tracked mobile platforms to access the stacked reefer containers.”

LPC is currently midway through its $85 million Eastern Development project which creates six hectares of sealed container terminal pavement, four more towers for the dedicated stacking of nearly 400 more reefer containers, and the construction of a new straddle carrier maintenance workshop facility. This

work will increase the terminal capacity to more than 600,000 TEU. Sustainability is important to LPC, says Alistair.

“We look at the ‘whole-of-life’ cost of infrastructure.”

LPC works hard to maintain a “healthy harbour”, undertaking regular monitoring. Its environmental and sustainability team works with iwi and hapū, and the aquaculture industry, such as mussel farmers and fishers. Green port initiatives include the development of inland ports, and a move to a fuel-efficient fleet of straddle carriers.

14 Auckland light rail, artist's impression.

Image: Auckland Light Rail

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Light rail at the end of the tunnel WRITER | KAITUHI MATT PHILP

The recently unveiled light rail plan for Auckland is a public infrastructure project on a scale never before seen in this country. But what do engineers and transport and infrastructure experts think of the plan – does it go far enough?

And what will it mean for engineers?

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Our chronically congested largest city, Auckland, is to be retrofitted with a rapid transit network that, it’s hoped, will take thousands of cars off the road, catalyse new housing close to stations, create tens of thousands of jobs, and allow the city to grow sustainably into the latter decades of this century. In January, the Government announced a tunnelled light rail option, costed at $14.6 billion, that will run for 24km from the city centre to Māngere and on to the airport, with the section from the Wynyard Quarter to Mt Roskill fully undergrounded. Capable of carrying 15,000 passengers at peak (four times more passengers than a dedicated busway or trackless trams) the Auckland Light Rail (ALR) will integrate with existing train and bus hubs as well as the City Rail Link stations. The Government has also signalled it wants to accelerate a new harbour crossing by a decade, and potentially extend light rail to the North Shore and North West.

A “city-shaping” project

Tommy Parker

Eynon Delamere

Tommy Parker is Project Director of Auckland Light Rail, the entity responsible for developing the business case for the project, as well as engaging with stakeholders and partnering with mana whenua. Members include representatives of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, the Ministry of Transport and Kāinga Ora. He describes what’s proposed as less a transport solution, more a “city-shaping” project that represents a fundamental break with Auckland’s historical pattern of sprawling development.

As for challenges, where do you start? The sheer scale of the project presents a major capacity and capability challenge, he says, not least in terms of attracting engineering smarts from here and overseas.

“We’re going to need geotechnical expertise and rail engineers, but there’s also that broader infrastructure provision, the city-shaping component, which is huge and will draw on most engineering disciplines,” he says.

“Yes, there are shortfalls of engineering talent across the globe, but I’m optimistic we can mitigate that risk. It’s about being well planned and utilising the attractiveness of this opportunity. Auckland is a great city for people to come and work in, and this project has all the engineering challenges. If you can’t get excited about it, then you don’t have a pulse.”

He adds: “Other challenges include the issue of carbon reduction. This will play a big part in decarbonising the Auckland transport network, but there’s the issue of embedded carbon during construction. We’re going to have to innovate and stretch ourselves to do the best we can there. We’ve also got to raise the bar in terms of our partnership with mana whenua and the ownership they have and feel for this project. Finally, the social licence for this has to be very broad and genuine, and that’s about being inclusive with the community, the businesses that will be affected, residents and stakeholders.”

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Engaging with Māori In terms of engaging with Māori, that process began with the ALR Chair Leigh Auton meeting with the chairs of 13 of 15 iwi mana whenua of Tāmaki Makaurau – a rangatira to rangatira approach. Running alongside those discussions, there was targeted engagement with mātāwaka – Māori who don’t whakapapa to local iwi but have large populations in the areas where intensification will occur, such as Māngere. Those initial hui resulted in a Māori Outcomes Strategy, or Te Rautaki Huanga Māori, which sets the framework for ongoing partnership.

A consultant supporting mana whenua engagement on the ALR project, Eynon Delamere, says three main themes emerged from the initial engagement with iwi: the significance of the Manukau Harbour and the need to

Engagement will increase as we get into more detailed planning; we will be trying to embed Māori values into the fabric of the project.

– Eynon Delamere

protect its wellbeing; the importance of the environment and protecting taonga and wāhi tapu; and ways in which the project could potentially be a catalyst for growing the Māori economy.

“We’re looking at engaging with Māori at all levels of the project. There’s going to be a Sponsors Board with mana whenua representation alongside Cabinet ministers and the Mayor. Mana whenua will be involved in decision making all the way through,” says Eynon, who believes the Māori perspective will be particularly influential when it comes to sustainability outcomes and the environment.

“Engagement will increase as we get into more detailed planning; we will be trying to embed Māori values into the fabric of the project.”

Māngere Town Centre, artist's impression.

Image: Auckland Light Rail

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Experts respond But what do engineers, and transport and infrastructure experts think of this transport plan?

Bridget Doran CMEngNZ CPEng, Chair of Engineering New Zealand’s Transportation Group, starts by noting that investment in public transport is crucial in growing coastal cities such as Auckland.

“Many Transportation Group members would applaud this project because it’s such a significant statement about the value of public transport,” she comments.

“However, our members may also caution that investment of such significant amounts of money should

long-term strategic planning and the national spatial and urban development programmes for land transport.

Mayurie emphasises the city-shaping vision at the heart of the ALR plan.

“This will shape not only the dimensions of the city and how we move, but how we live within it,” she says.

“It’s about giving people options for how they travel, adjusting the ‘shape’ of the city so that people can choose to live in places where it’s possible to travel easily to work and for leisure without needing to get in a car, and, most importantly, providing opportunities for people

be very carefully weighed up against other, less-expensive options to help everyone access opportunities while fighting climate change and keeping the travelling public safe and healthy. It’s very complex, very political, and our members welcome informed debate.”

Prior to taking on her role as Group Leader for Arup’s New Zealand operations, Mayurie Gunatilaka led teams at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency responsible for

who live in areas not currently well served by transport infrastructure.”

She also stresses the sustainability payoff of the ALR. Currently, the transport sector accounts for 43.6 percent of Auckland’s emissions, and the vast bulk of that is from road travel, she notes.

“Getting more people out of cars and on public transport is critical to help meet our climate goals.”

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Inspiration from outside Auckland-based railway engineering consultant Michael Than CMEngNZ has questions about the detail of the ALR plan, but he likes its scope and ambition. A member of the Railway Technical Society of Australasia with 20-plus years of experience in the global rail infrastructure business, he argues light rail at scale is “almost a no-brainer” for Auckland.

“This is going to hurt now, but in 15 years the city will be so much better for it. It will allow us to grow.”

He says Auckland is ready for this.

“Look at the intensity of bus traffic to the North Shore.

You can deliver much more capacity with tram or light rail. On the engineering side, there are tonnes of studies showing that those modes are much more energyefficient than buses.”

Michael has been involved in rail projects in Australasia, Europe and the Middle East. He was a Paris-based technical manager for French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom (its stable includes the TGV and

Feature | Āhuatanga

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Bridget Doran

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Mayurie Gunatilaka

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Sandringham, artist's impression.

Image: Auckland Light Rail Workers on the light rail project in Lusail, Qatar. Image: Michael Than

Eurostar) for several years, and recently operated as technical reviewer for Alstom on its light rail solution for the coastal Qatar city of Lusail, which includes a mix of underground and surface sections.

There are plenty of overseas examples that ALR could look to for insight, he suggests.

“Copenhagen, for example, which I was a rail engineer on in 1999. There it’s light metro, but it was built in a densely populated area, and there are lessons in that project that could be applied to Auckland.”

Lusail is a different situation, being a new, planned city, but there are technical lessons that could be drawn from that project.

“One is power supply. They used a very sophisticated system with power embedded in the ground, requiring less clearance and smaller tunnels. It’s used in Sydney, too, and is very clean, with no overhead wires.”

dearth of experience in major rail projects.

“It’s not just a question of procuring a system [from an overseas contractor],” he says, adding that the system needs to be maintained and operated once it’s built.

“That knowledge transfer is a very important part of building a transport system.”

Likewise, innovative New Zealand-specific solutions will be key – a point underscored by the way the pandemic has totally disrupted global supply chains.

“Something that works perfectly in Lusail or Copenhagen might not work here. We can take inspiration from outside, but we need to adapt that to local needs.

And engineers will be critical to that.”

He predicts the project will be a boon for engineers.

“There will be opportunities in every aspect of engineering – mechanical, civil, structural, electrical, computer science,” Michael says.

He stresses that knowledge building is going to be a critical aspect of the ALR, particularly given New Zealand’s

“I’d urge New Zealand engineers to have patience and please don’t head off overseas.”

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Waimate Island, Coromandel Peninsula. Image: Paul Barter, Cawthron Institute 2021

Green growth in a blue setting WRITER | KAITUHI MATT PHILP As defined by our Exclusive Economic Zone, this country’s ocean estate is 15 times the size of our land mass. To put it another way, 94 percent of Aotearoa is under water. That presents a massive opportunity, remarks Dr Chris Cornelisen. “The ocean,” he says, “is our future.” So how can we better use it to improve lives and create jobs in a sustainable way?

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Dr Chris Cornelisen

Senior Marine Scientist Paul Barter works on a controller can for a water quality buoy.

Cawthron Institute Electronics Engineer Shaun Graham works on a submersible data logging load-cell shackle. Images: Cawthron Institute

The ocean presents some of the greatest engineering challenges on Earth because of the energy it holds.

– Dr Chris Cornelisen

Feature | Āhuatanga

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innovation. It also highlighted emerging industries, from seaweed farming to developments in artificial intelligence, and suggested that technological innovation will be key to developing a truly blue economy.

Chris is part of the leadership team of Sustainable Seas, and for the past four years has led a Spearhead project for the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge researching precision aquaculture, which draws heavily on electronic engineering. He says engineering is going to be pivotal to a thriving local blue economy, pointing as an example to work Cawthron is doing to research structures for offshore aquaculture farms.

“The ocean presents some of the greatest engineering challenges on Earth because of the energy it holds. Our engineers always say ‘the ocean likes to eat things’.”

Working with the ocean

When Chief Science Capability Officer of the Nelson-based Cawthron Institute Dr Chris Cornelisen talks about the ocean as our future, he doesn’t mean business-as-usual marine-based industries, with all that entails in terms of questionable practices. As part of an organisation heavily focused on aquaculture and environmental research, Chris is intimately involved in the development of what’s been called the blue economy. This is defined by the World Bank as “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem”.

In other words, it’s green growth in a blue setting.

“Looking through a blue economy lens, our marine activities should follow certain principles,” says Chris.

“They’re yet to be defined for New Zealand, but in essence a business following blue economy principles is one that’s not only looking at the bottom line, but also at how it is contributing positively to cultural, social and ecological wellbeing.”

Technological innovation will be key We’re in a transitional phase to this brave new world. In 2019, the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge programme looked at the state of play. It reported that fisheries, aquaculture and shipping are starting to incorporate aspects of the blue economy such as green

How we respond will be different from the approach taken in countries such as Norway, which in the past few years has been deploying heavily engineered platforms in the North Sea for salmon farming. Chris suggests the Aotearoa approach will be about working with the ocean.

“For instance, Cawthron’s Ngā Punga o Te Moana: Anchoring Our Open Ocean Aquaculture Future programme is designing submersible systems which can grow shellfish such as oysters, scallops and mussels in high-energy seas 10km offshore.

He says they’re also collaborating with Plant & Food Research to explore what open ocean aquaculture might look like far into the future.

“In that world, we might have farms that drift with currents rather than fight them. What are the technologies we’re going to need to be able to move farms remotely, possibly even to below the surface when a storm’s coming?”

His project on precision aquaculture, meanwhile, is focused on developing new ways to see and measure.

Right now, he says, working out in the open ocean is “like farming in the dark”. The goal is sensor technology that can measure the right things, find ways to get the data collected back to shore, then engineer it into a form useful to producers.

“Another cool thing that the University of Canterbury has done within the project with our engineers is to turn an affordable, open-sourced Remote Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) into an autonomous vehicle that can scan a farm.”

He says using stereoscopic vision in cameras to navigate, and software called Unreal Engine, which is used for movies and gaming, they’ve created a virtual environment that can be used to train a ROV. “You download software, then let your ROV do its thing.

Salmon farmers might use it to look for holes in their pen structures, for instance.”

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EG 19/2022

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Ecological engineering solutions Other innovations happening in the blue economy have an obvious sustainability payoff. The Cawthron Institute is currently working on what Chris describes as ecological engineering solutions to invasive marine pests and biofouling. There’s a restorative aspect, too.

“Extensive areas of our coast have been ‘hardened’ – think of a port or harbour – where we’ve lost natural character and values such as the ability to harvest shellfish. We can rethink those hardened structures with the materials we use.”

He says: “At Cawthron, we’ve been playing around with 3D-printed surfaces that attract native critters that inhibit invasive species and that could be used to create more rocky reef environments that would increase biodiversity. At the same time, you’d create value for the community by enhancing the collection of kai moana.”

They’re also looking at re-engineering wharves to incorporate bubbling to discourage settlement of pest species.

But New Zealand won’t realise its blue economy potential through innovative engineering alone. Take aquaculture, for instance, where the goal is a $3 billion industry by 2035. We won’t get there without a mindset shift, reckons Chris.

“We need to bridge the gap between tinkering and commercial reality, and we need to collaborate in the truest sense of the world,” he says.

Another point: while New Zealand’s marine businesses are fantastic at innovating solutions to one-off problems, it tends to end there.

“The opportunity globally for the blue economy is huge. So how do we not just solve a problem here, but take that [solution] to the world? There’s a double win opportunity there that we have to maximise, and that definitely takes an engineering way of thinking, not just a food grower mindset.”

Get it right, however, and New Zealand is wellpositioned to build an authentic blue economy, says Chris, who highlights strengths such as mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge).

“When it comes to innovation and engineering, what sets us apart is that layer of cultural knowledge. It’s a powerful thing, especially in thinking about the health of our ocean, what it looks like and what solutions might be.”

Incorporating Māori perspectives and knowledge With 35 percent interest in the seafood industry by value, Māori will be pivotal to how the blue economy unfolds. But how well are Māori cultural values being implemented?

Massey University’s Dr Jason Mika co-led a piece of 2019 research titled Creating a World-leading Indigenous Blue Economy that explored regulatory and policy tools to embed mātauranga Māori in sustainable commercial and customary fishing activities, among other things.

“There’s a deep desire among Māori marine enterprises to incorporate Māori values to the furthest extent possible in their operations,” says Jason, an Associate Professor at Massey’s School of Management.

“They do it by allowing those values to inform their purpose – why they’re in the business of fishing, their strategies – what they do and choose not to do, and how they evaluate their performance. Are they behaving in a way consistent with being a good kaitiaki of oceanic resources?

“Each business is doing it their own way. In the case of a large organisation like Moana New Zealand, Māori values permeate their strategy and their sustainability activities. They’re looking at changing their nets, their harvesting practices, and the methods they use to process seafood.”

Looking more broadly at how the blue economy could evolve, Jason cites the metaphor of the waka hourua, the double-hulled vessel, where te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā combine to move things forward.

“It’s about how we get the best out of both bodies of knowledge – science and mātauranga.”

In practice, that’s not an easy match. Jason notes that Māori communities may have in-depth localised knowledge of the moana.

“But what scope is there for Māori knowledge and perspectives, and particularly of those kaitiaki in local environments, to inform how we manage our marine environment? The system isn’t geared up to do that well.”

What about engineers? How could more Māori knowledge be incorporated into engineering for the blue economy?

“Our engineering schools need to teach this stuff,” says Jason.

“The other thing is for whoever is commissioning new technologies and engineering solutions for the blue economy to insist that Māori perspectives and knowledge, Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, and the rights and interests of Māori communities are part of the process.

“When the private sector is looking for innovation, one of the last places it looks is at indigenous knowledge, yet there are thousands of years of accumulated knowledge about what works and what doesn’t in relation to the environment that could be tapped.”

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Feature | Āhuatanga

There’s a deep desire among Māori marine enterprises to incorporate Māori values to the furthest extent possible in their operations.

– Dr Jason Mika

An experimental shellfish growing structure is deployed at a Bay of Plenty marine farm. Image: Cawthron Institute

Dr Jason Mika

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EG 19/2022

Exemplar: Engineering sustainability

Building a better world

WRITER | KAITUHI RACHEL HELYER DONALDSON The establishment of the first campus marae in Aotearoa, Victoria University of Wellington’s marae, was seen as brave and radical in 1986. In 2018, the University adopted Te Herenga Waka as its official te reo Māori name. And now the University’s marae precinct is undergoing an ambitious redevelopment to become the Living Pā.

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What is it?

— A multi-purpose space for teaching, learning and research for Te Kawa a Māui (the School of Māori Studies) business units and collaboration spaces for staff from other facilities.

— The ground floor, complete with a wharekai (dining hall and cooking area) will play host to visitors and community events.

— Building users can monitor energy and water consumption via visual displays. The roof will be covered in photovoltaic panels to harness the sun. It will also collect rainwater for the building’s entire water system.

Render of the Living Pā from Kelburn Parade, Victoria University of Wellington.

Image: Stantiall's Studio

Can we shift our behaviours and adapt in a space that forces you into being more conscious?

- Rawinia Higgins

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EG 19/2022

The first Professor of Māori Studies, Sir Hirini Moko Mead (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Tūhourangi) saw the marae and the wharenui (meeting house), Te Tumu Herenga Waka, as a “living lab” for staff and students to be Māori and practise their culture and language. Buildings like wharenui have always been teaching spaces, says Professor Rawinia Higgins (Ngai Tūhoe), the university’s Tumu Ahurei/Deputy ViceChancellor, Māori.

“Students get to apply the knowledge they learn in their lectures in real time, and practise culture, in a real situation and in a culturally safe space.”

The current redevelopment of the university’s marae precinct builds on Professor Mead’s original vision, says Rawinia. But the new building will be equally ambitious.

Five colonial villas, which once obscured the wharenui, have made way for the Living Pā – a purpose-built, future-

“More than just a building”

focused living lab which seeks to bring together both mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and sustainability practices.

The Living Pā will be built applying the Living Building Challenge (LBC), an internationally recognised, highly rigorous framework for zero-emission regenerative buildings. The LBC’s guiding principles fit with the kaupapa of te ao Māori (Māori world view), says Rawinia.

Concepts such as equity, health and happiness resonate strongly with the ideas of manaakitanga (showing love and compassion) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship).

Making the world better

1

As a living building, the Living Pā “is more than just a building”, says Rawinia. It’s also about building a community. The Living Pā talks to the tikanga (values) of Te Herenga Waka as a global-civic university that “brings people together for common knowledge purposes”.

A pā offers people a safe space to experience and apply knowledge. Meanwhile the building’s expansive glass panels will allow the marae and wharenui to be seen from the main street.

The LBC makes people think about the resources they are using, and “pushes people outside their comfort zone”, Rawinia adds.

“Can we shift our behaviours and adapt in a space that forces you into being more conscious? Just like in the wharenui, you get to experience that in real time.”

The LBC represents a “whole paradigm shift” for the industry too, says structural engineer Alistair Cattanach FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), director of Dunning Thornton Consultants. It’s a much more ambitious benchmark than a “green” building.

“There are diffferent green building formulas about how to be ‘less bad’ when you build. Under the Living Building Challenge, the world should be better when you’re finished.”

An integrated engineering design is crucial to meet the LBC’s stringent standards, says Alistair.

Environmental engineers eCubed are doing the building services engineering. They’ve designed passive ventilation and a three waters system that captures enough rainwater for all drinking water. Greywater is recycled throughout the Living Pā (used in planters and for flushing toilets). Any surplus is transferred to an adjacent building.

For Dunning Thornton, meeting the LBC mainly involves focusing on the materials used. The design uses minimal steel and concrete and aims to minimise the building’s carbon footprint. Ultimately, the aim is the Living Pā captures, and puts into storage, more carbon than is emitted as CO2 during the building process. To achieve this, engineered wood products (comprising mostly local pine, much of which will be grown in iwi-owned sustainable forests) are used extensively throughout the building. Timber technologies have advanced considerably in the past decade, says Alistair, and hightech cross-laminated timbers (CLTs) feature strongly throughout the design. Its timber frame is made from a combination of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and CLT, designed by Dunning Thornton. It can be easily modified, potentially reducing large-scale waste, and uses lowdamage seismic technology. The Living Pā will be built to seismic Importance Level 3, with steel dampers placed throughout to help absorb earthquake energy.

One of the biggest engineering challenges is creating

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Feature | Āhuatanga

a living building, within budget, in a high-density environment.

“People know how to do an off-grid building in the middle of nowhere, but to do it in the middle of a city is pretty challenging.”

He says there are “all sorts of pressures” on the project due to the pandemic, such as inflation and resource shortages.

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Just 30 buildings worldwide have received LBC full certification, including Te Kura Whare, developed by Ngāi Tūhoe, in the Bay of Plenty.

— Budget: $45 million — Size: 3,000m2 and three storeys — Timeframe: Due to open early 2024

2

The Living Pā is an example of engineering making a difference from the top down and bottom up, he adds.

The LBC requires people to use sustainable products and includes changing the habits of subcontractors. He says the Living Pā will also be “a showcase for sustainability”.

Rawinia is proud of the way the building’s kaupapa has “galvanised and invigorated” the whole university. There’s a sense of pride among Māori staff and students, but also staff and students from across the faculties who use the Living Pā in their learning. An extensive engagement process tapped into the institution’s knowledge capital.

Both the university’s leadership and the project teams are committed to overcoming resource challenges and seeing the project through.

Alistair agrees. He says teamwork is what he’s most proud of.

“Rawinia came up with a vision, and everybody who’s on the project believes in it. It’s challenging but it motivates you to get through anything.”

1.

2.

Render of the Living Pā and Te Herenga Waka.

View of whare kai inside the Living Pā.

Images: Stantiall's Studio

Under the Living Building Challenge, the world should be better when you’re finished.

- Alistair Cattanach

Image: Rebecca Claridge Photography

Architects: Christchurch City Council architects Structural Engineers: PTL Structural Consultants, led by Daniel Moroder CMEngNZ CPEng Quantity Surveyors: WT Partnership Builder: Watts and Hughes Construction

Snapshot Wood glorious wood… it’s got the backing of the Government with the new Timber Design Centre, aimed at helping transform the forest and wood processing sector by increasing the use of timber. And wooden buildings are getting noticed – Kohinga St Albans Community Centre is shortlisted in the Canterbury Architecture Awards 2022. The walls, floors and roof are prefabricated panels of cross-laminated timber, 100–120mm thick and up to 9m long. The timber floor panels are supported on timber piles and bearers, so the only concrete is in the entrance steps.

Can you build the pipeline of engineers?

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Partnership lighting the way to a sustainable STEM workforce Aotearoa has big energy goals. We rank amongst the top percentile for renewable energy use across the world. But there’s still work to be done. To continue building towards a low carbon, sustainable energy future, we need a strong, dynamic and diverse STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) workforce. Getting young people from all walks of life interested in STEM is an important step.

That’s why Transpower has teamed up with the Wonder Project to sponsor their newest free STEM challenge for schools, the Power Challenge. Transpower’s commitment to future-proofing the STEM industry is well-aligned with the Wonder Project’s mission to inspire young Kiwis with STEM and encourage them to consider a STEM career.

The Power Challenge is a fun, hands-on way for young people to learn about the phenomenon of electricity and how it’s generated, moved, and used across Aotearoa. Students will be encouraged to think like engineers as they design and build their own wind turbines and utilise solar panels, and use teamwork, problem solving and creativity to light up a mini town.

The power of collaboration To build the challenge concept, Transpower and the Wonder Project team followed a collaborative, knowledge-sharing approach.

Transpower utilised their staff’s expertise to support the development of hands-on learning activities that partially model their National Grid, and weave relevant STEM concepts into the wider learning material. And not only that, many more of their staff are committed to supporting classes while they run the challenge as Wonder Project Ambassadors, and want to encourage others in the energy sector to follow suit.

“To be able to give back to schools and the education sector has been very rewarding for me. I also find it incredibly enjoyable talking about what I do, how it applies to the real world, and getting kids interested in STEM,” says Transpower’s Samuel Whitaker-Mills of his experience as an ambassador.

A small but successful pilot was run in 2021, and thanks to amazing feedback, Transpower and the Wonder Project are now able to tweak the challenge to ensure it has maximum impact. This year the challenge will be piloted in over 100 schools in Term 3 – delivered in a flexible way to allow for any changes due to Covid-19. Then, it’s time to power on with a national roll out in 2023.

About the Wonder Project The Wonder Project is a free schools programme, designed to teach STEM concepts in a hands-on, engaging way, to build confidence in students and encourage them to consider a STEM career. The overall programme is funded by Callaghan Innovation. Transpower has come on board as the Principal Sponsor of the Power Challenge.

Visit wonderproject.co.nz to find out more

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EG 19/2022

Carmen Doran: CEO and motorsport engineer WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON

There are few new industries in Aotearoa where engineers can be intrinsic to

“The export potentials are huge for cannabis – creating jobs, creating

care professionals.”

She says demand is being driven

their inception, development, licensing and launch – to both a domestic and international market – and all within just a few years. But Carmen Doran is doing just that, playing a key role in establishing the country’s medicinal cannabis industry. And when she’s not doing that, you’ll find her in a pit stop.

research. The global medicinal cannabis market is projected to exceed NZ$60 billion by 2025.”

But what makes our medicinal cannabis industry different to any other?

“In New Zealand we have a sweet spot. We are good at growing things, we know how to solve problems and use technology, and we have care for our people at the core of our culture. Being able to collaborate and bring that different thinking together is where we can really set ourselves apart on the global stage.”

The industry offers unique opportunities for scientists and engineers, and Helius has engaged PhD students and interns to encourage a “talent pipeline”.

“We are such a new industry that if we can take people who are learning on the journey together with us, then that’s a great way of building our talent for the future.”

The company has a 8,800m2 site in East Tamaki where highly controlled cultivation, extraction, manufacturing and packaging processes, along with analytical and research and development labs, take place under one roof.

While locally made products have been available since October 2021, Carmen acknowledges there is still some resistance from the medical profession to prescribe medicinal cannabis.

“Some doctors are against it, some are strong proponents, but there are many who just don’t know enough about it. The endocannabinoid system in our bodies

largely by the public who request it from their doctors.

When Carmen is not overseeing the development of our medicinal cannabis industry, she’s wearing overalls in a pit stop.

“I used to race go-karts as a child and then, from the age of 15, was racing my Dad’s Formula Ford,” she says.

“We both raced at the same meeting and I went faster than him, and his friends told him he either should never let me drive it again, or step back,” she laughs.

More recently however, she’s been on the other side of the pit wall.

“These days I work with drivers and crew to get the best performance and strategy out of car, driver and team. I’m in the workshop, on the radio, or giving strategic advice and insights as to what’s happening in the race.”

She and driver Debbie Chapman took out the 2020 South Island 1 Hour Endurance Championship for their class.

Carmen says car racing management is not so different from being a CEO. “After the race I’m downloading the data from the cars to find ways to improve the car, or the driving style. We are always looking for ways to get better. There are a lot of analogies between car racing and business, using data, stepping back, developing strategy, and always trying to move and improve.”

Carmen says she thrives in areas of change, start-ups and new tech, and her CEO role involves all of this. and even the

was only discovered about 30 years ago so our focus is also on education for health

problems and challenges in this new area excite her.

What draws a mechanical and biomedical engineer, with a global background in leadership roles within pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, to medicinal cannabis?

“It’s the opportunity to learn more about this medicine and how it can improve people’s lives,” says Carmen Doran, Chief Executive Officer of biotechnology medicinal cannabis research and development company Helius Therapeutics.

“It’s an old medicine, but it’s also a new medicine, and there’s so much, from a research perspective, we can do.”

She says the therapeutic application of cannabis is currently focused on anxiety, insomnia and pain, but its chemical compounds affect the endocannabinoid system found throughout the body, including the brain, organs, connective tissue and immune cells. The system is therefore responsible for managing a vast range of physiological processes and Carmen says the additional applications of cannabis are potentially wide-ranging.

The industry offers New Zealand significant opportunities to aid economic recovery after Covid-19, she says.

Profile | Kiwhaiaro

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Helius is collaborating with University of Canterbury biomedical, mechanical and mechatronics engineering students, supervised

by Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase DistFEngNZ, to assess how accurately stress, anxiety and chronic pain can be measured using wearable devices. Geoff says this collaboration seeks to potentially create a significant advance on the objectivity of measurements that can be made in clinical drug trials where cannabis would be effective.

Image: Euan Cameron

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EG 19/2022

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Image: Julie Zhu

Profile | Kiwhaiaro

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“I view this role as my contribution back to Māori” WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON

Engineering New Zealand/Te Ao Rangahau's new Board member Wharehuia Dixon explains why he has taken on a role to help strengthen the growth of te ao Māori in the organisation, and his thoughts on building more connection between Māori and the engineering profession.

From full immersion te reo Māori kura kaupapa (primary school) to mainstream schools, Māori to non-Māori cultural environments, and a rural town to the big city, Wharehuia Dixon (Ngāti Awa) lived his early life in two different worlds.

He was recently appointed to the Board of Te Ao Rangahau to help strengthen the organisation’s te ao Māori (Māori world view) capability and assuage the disconnect between Māori and the engineering profession. He knows first-hand how vital it is for Māori professionals and students alike to see Māori embedded in the profession, their culture and world view recognised, and to see Māori appointed to top leadership positions.

He first became exposed to engineering at about 15 years old.

“The Rotorua City Council was running an awareness day about civil engineering which included site visits. I was good at maths and sciences and working outside appealed to me. From that day I never really looked at doing anything else.”

He says because someone connected him to a local Māori man who was

then the Associate Dean (Māori) of the Engineering School at the University of Auckland, he moved north which was at first overwhelming.

“It was a totally different lifestyle and experience, living in the hostel, trying to navigate all those moving parts of a city and university life when you have a rural background.”

For the past 15 years, he’s been a civil engineer at Beca, working predominantly in airport infrastructure across New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.

He’s currently taking time out to support Ngāti Awa by managing projects on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. Wharehuia says when a colleague alerted him to the new position at Te Ao Rangahau he was intrigued by the aspirations of the Board and the organisation.

“But I asked him if he thought the intentions were genuine, otherwise I wasn’t going to waste my time,” he says.

“There was that level of unease, knowing what past interactions engineering, as a profession, has had with Māori.”

He says in the past it wasn’t uncommon for Pākehā engineering students to make a hash of a haka during pub crawls.

“Māori university students of the time took offence to that, it was a public display of total disrespect.”

He says in general, the history of the relationship between engineering and

prominence of the Western perspective on all things engineering. I don’t think there has been much acknowledgement of Māori in an engineering context”.

Wharehuia often visits Aucklandbased Māori medium schools to encourage young Māori into engineering and other STEM-based careers. He says he was astonished when he started university and his fellow students were answering complicated questions about physics and he wondered how they knew such things.

“We didn’t learn that at high school – I was exposed to the gaps in my own education and I went to what I thought was a relatively modern school.”

And that gap persists, as Wharehuia was recently reminded, when he visited a mainstream school on Auckland’s North Shore.

“I was struck by the difference in the resources and the grasp the students had of science. But I want kids to know that you don’t have to sacrifice te ao Māori, te reo Māori, or your upbringing, to connect with this professional and technical world.”

He says many Māori and Pacific Island students believe engineering is road works and mechanics, because that’s what they see.

“So, high on my agenda is dismantling those perceptions.”

He’s pleased to see more Māori appointed to board positions in high-

Māori has not been good, “such as the

level organisations. “That’s a good step,

38

having more Māori in these prominent roles. I see that as my responsibility to Māori that I’m in this role to promote te ao Māori, te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori. I view this role as my contribution back to Māori.

“I appreciate where Engineering New Zealand is heading, and the opportunity to sit on the Board, and help give some direction to it and have that filter down to the members.”

He perceives his biggest challenge is the lack of time to effect change.

“This is such a big role, the term is for just one year and we’re only going to get skin deep.”

His top priority is increasing the cultural competency of the Board and management, a journey they have already begun.

“The aim is to sort in-house first. It’s a smaller cohort, so we can massage it to suit the context of Engineering New Zealand and how that might filter down into the membership.

“Increasing an appreciation of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and what that means in the context of engineering will be my top priority.”

He says it’s important both Māori and non-Māori embark on learning te reo.

“The more you understand the language the more you inherently understand te ao Māori because they are inherently linked. You can’t learn the language without learning the perspective of Māori and how they view

EG 19/2022

the world, their position in the world, and their connection to the land.”

Wharehuia first spoke te reo Māori during his childhood in Te Teko, a small town in the Bay of Plenty, within both his kura kaupapa and whānau.

“But then at intermediate, my education went bilingual and at high school it went mainstream. By the time I got to university I felt I’d lost my grasp of it. With each increment of schooling, I left a piece of myself behind.”

But in the past five years, with the support of Beca, Wharehuia has refocused on the language and is now doing a Master of Māori Language Excellence at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

“It’s a very valuable skillset and will support me in these particular roles, explaining why te reo is important and how it can help in our day-to-day lives.”

… I want kids to know that you don’t have to sacrifice te ao Māori, te reo Māori, or your upbringing, to connect with this professional and technical world.

– Wharehuia Dixon

42 As easy as XYZ? 43 Understanding your bounds of competence 44 That ship has sailed, but could it come back?

46 Any port in a tsunami?

48 GPS data to aid evacuations

Best Practice

41 Sign on the dotted line

Ngā mahi papai rawai

40 Intersection

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EG 19/2022

Crossing paths with engineers.

Marine physicist Natalie Robinson

engineered solution. We tested it

specialises in Antarctic oceanography and climate change and is looking forward to her eighth trip to Antarctica, planned for later this year. Spending more than a month on the frozen continent at a time, she’s been the science leader five times, and typically works on sea ice – ice that formed from ocean water to a thickness of 2m over the previous winter, but which will break up and melt in the summer. Her work has significantly contributed to understanding the oceanic connection between sub-glacial ice and sea ice regimes. She’s led research on understanding the ocean boundary layer beneath platelet ice, and is a Principal Investigator on a core Antarctic Science Platform project: sea ice and carbon cycle feedbacks. She's passionate about making science accessible to everyone and was named by Forbes as an Outstanding Woman in STEM in 2021.

successfully in field trials in Antarctica over summer, and the sampling system is now ready to be deployed to support our team’s interdisciplinary research in the coming field seasons.

How does your work impact on engineers?

Our scientific community continually seeks to push into increasingly remote and harsh locations, creating opportunities for engineers to respond creatively to new issues. I have seen many examples of engineers excited to use their skills and experience to meet these unique challenges.

How do you work with engineers?

We carry out cutting-edge science that’s crucial for understanding Earth’s changing climate. We do this in the challenging, dynamic and relatively unknown physical environment of Antarctica. Our latest research project required us to collect samples of a delicate two-phase (ice/water) lattice structure known as platelet ice, which constitutes an important habitat of the Southern Ocean. As this was the first time anyone had attempted this,

How do engineering decisions impact on your work?

The interaction of Antarctic ice with the underlying ocean represents the biggest uncertainty in future projections of climate change, hence there is considerable urgency to better understand these processes.

However, if the processes themselves weren’t sufficiently complex, they're also occurring in locations that are extremely remote, with many barriers to physical access, and often concealed beneath hundreds of metres of ice.

We are therefore critically reliant on a collaborative approach between engineers and scientists to come up with creative solutions to unique problems to advance understanding. It wouldn’t be possible to push the boundaries of science in these ways without the input

the sampling required a bespoke

and enthusiasm from engineers.

Dr Natalie Robinson Role: Marine physicist, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Based in: Wellington Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, Victoria University of Wellington, 2001; Bachelor of Science (Hons) Victoria University of Wellington, 2002; Master of Science (Geophysics), Victoria University of Wellington, 2005; PhD (Marine Science), University of Otago, 2012 What are three observations you’d make after working with engineers?

I’ve benefitted from the contribution of engineers at many points in my career. I'm grateful for their forward thinking – often identifying solutions that meet not only immediate challenges, but leave space for issues not yet identified. They're also highly safety conscious – we work in an unusual, hazardous environment so it is reassuring to know that the people designing solutions have an eye on how the personnel operating the equipment will respond to the unfamiliar equipment and conditions. Also, engineers are just as interested in, and motivated by, the science as the researchers, and simply bring a different skill set to advancing understanding of the world we live in.

What do engineers all seem to do well?

Listen hard to understand the fundamental problems to be solved and therefore avoid the temptation to jump in with premature or ill-conceived solutions.

Best practice | Ngā mahi papai rawai

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Sign on the dotted line TIFFANY MATSIS

Long gone are the days when someone’s

engineer cut and pasted the signature

using the title dishonestly.

signature meant they’d physically touched

into a new report, or used the old report as a template leaving the reviewer’s signature in place. Either way, the incorrect impression was given that the reviewer had undertaken a peer review of the new report when in fact he was not involved at all. The engineer was fined and ordered to undertake professional development in office management and professional ethics.

We’ve also seen a case where a small consultancy continued to use a Chartered Professional Engineer’s signature to finish off work after that engineer had died.

This was fraudulent and also an offence under legislation. “Chartered Professional Engineer” is a legally protected title. It cannot be used by anyone other than a properly registered engineer, and anyone using the title incorrectly may be prosecuted and fined by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

In another recent disciplinary matter, an engineer told us her name and credentials were applied to documents without her knowledge. Although the firm had an informal practice controlling who was able to apply signatures to reports, it was not sufficient to prevent mistakes being made.

Although fortunately rare, we have also seen cases recently where an engineer has claimed to be a Chartered Professional Engineer when they did not hold that status. In one case, the engineer had been temporarily suspended from the register but had continued to use the CPEng postnominal. In another case, the engineer had not applied for nor been

Carefully consider who has access to your e-signature. How do you control its use? No matter the size of the consultancy, you should have a written company policy around use of e-signatures, and this should be clearly communicated to all staff. When the signature does not belong to the person drafting or sending the document, that person should not alter the document without prior authorisation from the signature holder. The signature holder should be aware of and approve every document before their signature is used. If e-signatures are being kept on file, ensure these are stored securely and consider who has access to them.

Ensure your email signatures and information are kept up to date if there have been any changes. As a member of Te Ao Rangahau or a Chartered Professional Engineer, you must adhere to the Code of Ethical Conduct, requiring you to act with honesty and integrity and not misrepresent your competence. Treat your e-signature with respect and care; it’s a vital part of your identity and reputation.

and signed that piece of paper. The use of electronic signatures has become increasingly common as we all transition to a paperless, and lately a socially distanced, office. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a few cases recently where the use of e-signatures has gone awry, sometimes resulting in disciplinary action.

An “electronic signature” is any signature in electronic form, as opposed to a paper-based signature in pen or pencil.

Examples can include a scanned image of your actual signature, a squiggle on a screen or a signature created on a tablet using your finger or a stylus. Also, a typed signature at the bottom of your emails, a typed name, or any other form of electronic mechanism indicating your acceptance of an agreement. The act of adding your signature to something has come a long way since our ancestors scrawled an X at the bottom of a contract.

A “digital signature” is a subset of electronic signatures. Digital signatures, however, provide an extra layer of security.

When activating a digital signature, the signer is verified through an authentication process, the data is maintained on a server for cross-checking, and the signature is secured by encryption to prevent it being modified.

So, what can go wrong? We saw an example last year where an engineer had a prior working relationship with a peer reviewer and still had that reviewer’s e-signature on file. It wasn’t clear if the

assessed as a CPEng and admitted to

Tiffany Matsis is Senior Legal Advisor at Te Ao Rangahau.

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As easy as XYZ?

Find out more in “Engaging a MultiGenerational Workforce”, online in July and September. Julia’s people management training includes “Leader’s Guide to Performance Course”. Register at engineeringnz. org/courses-events

JULIA SHALLCRASS

Five different generations now span our

talent. As older workers retire and

bonuses. Ask older employees to mentor

workforce, each with characteristics shaped by their experiences, upbringing and environment. Here’s how to help bridge the generation gap.

Generation Zs head overseas for their Covid-delayed OE, Kiwi employers can expect a decreased labour supply and skill shortage.

So, how do you bridge the generational gap to attract, motivate and retain your talent?

younger staff and share their real-world experiences. Likewise, give younger workers the opportunity to mentor, for example about social media, technology and trends.

Have you ever wondered why some staff choose to meet you in person, while others spend their breaks texting emojis? If your office is like many others across New Zealand, you’ll see a mix of different generations. Studies show that each generation varies in terms of what motivates them, their preferred working styles and how they like to communicate.

Generation Z (1997–2012) were brought up to think critically, creatively and analytically. They’re “digital natives”, exposed to technology since childhood.

Generation Y (1981-1996) or Millennials were the first to grow up with the world at their fingertips. Social shifts have shaped their desire for diversity, sustainability and job transferability.

Generation X (1965–1980) are entrepreneurial and innovative. Quick to question authority, they’re independent and strongly goal-oriented.

Baby boomers (1946–1964) tend to stick to one career within their lifetimes. Many are specialists in their chosen field and are loyal, reliable and committed to their roles.

The traditionalist generation (1928–1945) were shaped by the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s and the World Wars.

Resourceful and conforming, many have worked in one job for life and display strong work ethics.

Employers must bridge the generational gap to attract and retain the brightest

1. Tailor communication styles Are some of your colleagues text-savvy, while others prefer to speak on the phone or meet in person? Research shows traditionalists and Baby boomers prefer phone calls and emails, while 65 percent of Generation Z prefer messaging and emails.

Communication styles are critical to the success of any engineering professional.

There’s no single right or wrong way to communicate, so show your colleagues and staff you’re willing to adapt to their preferred method of communication.

2. Check people’s preferences While research shows differences between the way generations interact, not everyone of a certain generation shares the same preferences. Treat everyone as an individual, rather than assuming their preferences – ask them about their preferred communication method and working style.

3. Create opportunities for mentoring Give teams the chance to mentor staff from different generations. Studies show Baby boomers value sharing their knowledge and experience, while Millennials prefer onthe-job-training and coaching over cash

4. Encourage flexible working Flexible working arrangements are useful for all ages and stages of life. Many Kiwis seek flexibility to balance jobs with family and caring roles, achieve a better lifestyle, or graduate into retirement. While 94 percent of Baby boomers seek flexible working, Millennials are the most prepared to leave their jobs in pursuit of a good work/ life balance and flexibility. As flexible working is one of the most popular benefits for any generation, employers should encourage this.

5. Motivate and reward every generation While all employees want to feel valued and recognised, what motivates them will often depend on their age and stage. Baby boomers report that more money and an innovative environment are reasons to choose a new employer. Millennials crave regular feedback so they can improve, and to work for a purpose-driven organisaton.

Find out what your employees value, then offer a variety of benefits and rewards to motivate and retain staff from every generation.

Director of KiwiBoss, Julia Shallcrass brings more than 15 years’ experience as an employment lawyer and human resources lecturer to her corporate training.

Best practice | Ngā mahi papai rawai

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Understanding your bounds of competence MARTIN PRATCHETT MEngNZ

The Chartered Professional Engineer

where they need to utilise others’ expertise.

Familiarise yourself with the attributes of

mark relies heavily upon an engineer’s understanding and staying within their bounds of competence. But how do you know what you don’t know?

Unconsciously competent – experts.

Often highly competent and specialised, they present to others, lead professional changes, solve tricky issues and conduct peer reviews. They’re often called on in emergencies, trusted to advise quickly and accurately.

There are different ways engineers identify their competence and assess their limits and those of others in their team. One way is using a competence framework or model. These are explicit about the specific knowledge, skills and behaviours that need to be demonstrated for a role and the level to demonstrate (entry, competent or expert) within each competency. This means the frameworks and models can be used to identify what’s required to perform in a particular role and they underpin high-performing teams.

Engineers working outside any formal competency framework can develop their processes and approach to knowing and staying within their competence level.

a modern leader.

— Look at the Bodies of Knowledge (BoKS) for your discipline and see where your knowledge gaps may be.

3. Assess where you think you are for each competency – entry-level, competent or expert? Think of the mistakes you’ve made and lessons learnt. Ask for open, honest feedback from those who know your work.

4. Plan how you will develop your competency gaps, for example: — researching a topic — learning from an expert/mentoring programme — attending a course — joining a special interest group so you can build your networks and find out how others approach similar problems — practising activities and tasks, such as shadowing an expert, and getting your work reviewed.

5. Keep evidence of your ongoing learning and achievement – have regular checkins to get feedback on your progress.

Competence refers to the knowledge, skills and attributes required for a person to undertake their work successfully.

Knowing the bounds of your own, or another person’s, competence can affect the performance or success of an activity or task. Our work is growing increasingly complex, multidisciplinary and specialised. We need to be able to learn new skills, change how we do things and solve problems we didn’t originally train for.

When we say an engineer is competent, we’re making an inference from the information we have about their current or past performance to an expectation of future performance. That inference relates to a range of possible future scenarios.

We have the competence required to do our work most of the time, but we need to know our bounds of competence.

People have four layers of competence awareness.

Unconsciously incompetent – people don’t know what they don’t know.

Research has shown some people have a cognitive bias where they overestimate their ability.

Consciously incompetent – people know what they don’t know, the boundaries of their competence and potential danger spots.

Consciously competent – people know their competence, strengths and areas

Here is a high-level process to follow: 1. Reflect on the type of work you do, and want to do, and the changes and innovation in the profession.

2. List the relevant competencies – present and future.

— Review publicly available competency frameworks similar to your discipline or role. Look at contracts, procurement documents, legislation, rules, materials, reviews and recommendations.

— Ask people you see as experts in the discipline.

— Don’t just think of your technical areas.

There’s an increased specialisation of engineers and we’re expected to work to the highest standards and outcomes.

We need to clearly communicate our knowledge, skills and attributes, plus those we're developing and how we contribute to the overall performance and success of any activity. Read the full version of this article at engineeringnz.org Martin Pratchett MEngNZ is Engineering Practice Leader at Te Ao Rangahau.

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EG 19/2022

That ship has sailed, but could it come back?

CINDY JEMMETT

Waterways and coastal routes were New Zealand’s first highways. Settlements and trading centres flourished around

Wellington and Picton. It provided a roll-on, roll-off freight service, connecting the North and South Island railway networks.

modes of freight delivery and influencing which transport infrastructure was prioritised and developed. In the 1930s,

natural harbours. Overland travel was difficult and slow, and coastal shipping, first by waka and sailboat and later by steam and motorboat, was the main means of transporting goods and people.

Throughout the 20th century, major changes in technology, infrastructure and government policy saw coastal shipping all but disappear.

The vessel could carry 34 rail wagons or a mix of wagons, trucks and buses, as well as 31 cars on an upper vehicle deck.

In its first year of operation it transported 181,000 tonnes of freight, 46,000 cars and 207,000 passengers. The Railways introduced a second ship in 1966, and by 1974 had four roll-on, roll-off ferries on the Wellington–Picton run.

Small one- and two-mast sailing vessels were a common sight around the New Zealand coast through the 1840s–1860s, carrying everything from building materials and fuel, to food and livestock.

By the 1870s, steamers predominated.

Unlike sailboats, they could run to set timetables and offered a reliable freight service. Motorboats, running on diesel rather than coal, were the next engineering advance. These vessels made their appearance in the mid-1920s.

Compared to steamers, they were much more fuel-efficient and did not require stoking.

Containers reduce turnaround times Another innovation in coastal shipping was the introduction of containers in the 1970s. Time spent at the wharf loading and unloading cargo was expensive.

Containers reduced turnaround times significantly by allowing ships to become larger, as savings made by economies of scale were no longer offset by costly time spent at the wharf.

The New Zealand Ports Authority selected a small number of ports big enough to handle the new, large container ships to be fitted out with container handling facilities. Smaller vessels whose bread and butter had been short coastal runs fell away, unable to compete with the container ships for scale or the railways for short-haul convenience and flexibility. By the mid-1970s, almost the only ships left on purely coastal runs carried bulk cargo of cement or oil. These were purpose-built vessels chartered by cement and oil companies.

trucks began to take a share of the short-haul freight business. To protect the state-owned railways, the government introduced distance limits for trucking and used a licensing system to restrict vehicles to carrying specific types of freight within set areas. In 1936, trucking distance limits were set at 48km, but these were extended to 67km in 1961 and 150km in 1977. Deregulation between 1983 and 1986 saw all trucking limits and goods area licensing removed. Trucking offered pointto-point flexibility and used the public infrastructure of the roads rather than specialised port or rail facilities. By the 2000s, most freight in New Zealand was transported by road.

And what of the future? Environmental and social impacts are not always easily measured in dollar terms or counted against a company’s operating costs.

Instead, these are borne by local and central government and communities.

Pollution, noise, congestion, road safety, city liveability, and human and environmental health should be central to decisions around future freight transport.

Could coastal shipping and rail again play a larger part in our freight transport network? History shows us the influence of technology, legislation, and economics.

To this equation we must add our environmental and social values.

Competition from rail and road In the second half of the 20th century, competition from rail and roads saw a sharp decline in coastal shipping. Rail could deliver freight directly to inland settlements. It offered faster, more frequent delivery schedules and did not rely on port handling. Its only weakness was it couldn’t cross the Cook Strait.

This changed in 1962 with the introduction of the Railways Department ship, Aramoana, which operated between

Trucking on Along with new technologies, government policy played a large part in shifting

Cindy Jemmett is Heritage Advisor at Te Ao Rangahau.

Best practice | Ngā mahi papai rawai

45

Nelson wharf scene. Jones, Frederick Nelson, 1881-1962. Ref: 1/2-025918G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

c1920

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46

Any port in a tsunami?

JENNIFER BLACK

The Tonga tsunami in January reinforced

So, as a country, how ready is our port

the need for tsunami preparation in ports and marinas in New Zealand. So how did our ports fare and are we ready for “the big one”?

The tsunami triggered by the eruption of undersea volcano Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai didn’t behave like a tsunami should, says Coastal and Environmental Scientist and Tsunami Hazards Specialist Dr Jose Borrero MEngNZ. He hadn’t expected it to make any big waves as far away as New Zealand, due to our distance from the source.

“This one was unusual because of the air pressure wave caused by the volcano that added energy to the tsunami in ways that we are still working to fully understand.”

While the country’s major commercial ports all fared well, experiencing no significant disruption or damage, Jose says Gisborne did see some large surges. In Wellington, there were some unusual seiches, with Wellington harbour oscillating for “an exceptionally long time”, many hours after the initial arrival of the tsunami. However, one place where maritime infrastructure was hit was Tutukaka on the east coast of Northland.

“It has an affinity for tsunami waves, and it gets strongly affected by what we would otherwise think of as a minor tsunami.”

Even so, the strength of the effects there were bigger than Jose had anticipated, and he’s part of a team looking at ways

infrastructure for “the big one”? Jose says we’ve started to make inroads, but a more coordinated effort between port companies and their governing bodies, such as regional councils, is needed.

“If we do have a major tsunami event, we could have multiple ports impacted at the same time.”

He says there are a range of engineering and maritime safety aspects to consider when looking to mitigate tsunami disasters in ports.

“You need to look at how high the water can go – overtopping – and inundation levels, and the current speeds that can be generated, then compare that with where critical infrastructure is located.”

When it comes to flooding, he says it’s “basically impossible” to prevent.

“You can’t build a wall high enough – well you could, but for the cost and environmental impact, it wouldn’t be cost effective.”

And hardening piers and pilings can only be done up to a point. He says when it comes to extreme events, it becomes very difficult to build things strong enough.

The other option is soft mitigation efforts – measures such as anticipating strong events through modelling, and relocating key assets. Also, having a response playbook of pre-computed tsunami scenarios, a project Jose worked on for the Northland Regional Council with funding from the National Emergency Management Agency.

“We know we’re never going to have the

event is unfolding, emergency managers can go to a page in this book and actually get a sense of what part of the port might be most strongly affected.”

Response plans can include how to assess whether there’s enough time to do an orderly evacuation of ships, and setting up systems for communications and information flow, particularly with tsunamis coming from the Pacific when there’s 10–12 hours' warning.

When tsunamis hit ports, it's the quays, where vessels are moored, that are at greatest risk, Jose says. They can be subject to impact force on the wharf or lateral forces that pull boats off their mooring lines.

“A lot of times we see ports that have sharp bends in their layout or narrow entrances between breakwaters. When a flow goes around a sharp bend, you get very strong currents and spinning whirlpools. This causes ships to rotate, easily breaking the mooring lines.”

Flat areas where containers are stored and log yards are also high-risk areas in tsunamis, due to the possibility of flooding setting containers and logs afloat, where they can become entrained in the flow and act as battering rams, causing more damage in other areas.

In New Zealand, some ports are more at risk of tsunami damage than others. The northern and eastern coasts of the North Island are vulnerable to similar types of tsunamis, especially those created on the subduction zone that sits just offshore, the

to modify the marina to make it less prone to tsunami currents.

exact one that’s in our book, but we can make models of things that could happen

Tonga Kermadec Trench, or the Hikurangi subduction zone.

and make them in a way that when an

Best practice | Ngā mahi papai rawai

47

Sunken boat at Tutukaka, Northland.

Image: Alec Wilde, NIWA

structure, not only will we have multiple ports impacted from earthquake damage, but also from tsunami damage.”

The east coast is also at risk from a major event from South America. While our last big tsunami originated in Chile in 1960, Jose says recent modelling suggests there is greater risk from southern Peru and northern Chile. In August 1868, a large earthquake in this area caused 7m tsunami surges in Lyttelton Harbour.

“An event like that would have the potential to damage all the ports on the east coast, everything from Marsden Point right down to Timaru, with Lyttelton and Gisborne both being strongly affected.”

He says the country’s west coast, where

“If we have a major earthquake on that

prompting ports to place increased focus on tsunami mitigation work. He cites Lyttelton Port Company as an example of a port that has done this well, developing a comprehensive tsunami hazard analysis and trying to relate this to existing probabilistic assessments.

Aotearoa does have tsunami warning systems in place. For distant events, we’re connected with the Pacific Tsunami Warning System, which Jose says serves us well with big earthquake and tsunami events around the Pacific Rim. There’s also the Deep Ocean Assessment and Recording of Tsunamis (DART) tsunameters – a system comprising of a wave-measuring pressure sensor on the

Jose says insurance concerns are

that relays the data to operations centres through a satellite link.

“There’s an array of these around the Pacific Rim. They provide a direct measurement of the tsunami wave rather than us having to infer tsunami heights from earthquake models.”

New Zealand has recently deployed a series of our own DART buoys.

While Jose acknowledges tsunami modelling has its limitations, it is fairly accurate with current speeds and flooding areas.

“The trick is always the time you have available to make an assessment in real time. That’s being worked on in New Zealand, and the DART array is providing an excellent source of data to develop

there are fewer ports, is at less risk.

sea floor connected to a surface buoy

these models.”

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EG 19/2022

GPS data to aid evacuations PROFESSOR DANIEL NILSSON

Could the understanding of wildfire evacuation behaviour lie in the palm of your hand? As wildfire risk is increasing in Aotearoa and around the world, GPS data from mobile phones is one way to improve evacuation safety for wildfire events.

Wakefield and surrounding areas were

This ongoing research is funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grant Programs and conducted by a research consortium involving: — Xilei Zhao – University of Florida, USA — Xiang Jacob Yan – University of Florida, USA — Daniel Nilsson – University of Canterbury, New Zealand — Ruggiero Lovreglio – Massey University, New Zealand — Erica Kuligowski –

Wildfire is becoming an escalating problem around the world – fires are getting more common and severe. This change is driven partly by climate change, but also by the fact that Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), the transition area between wilderness and land developed by human activity, is expanding. In recent years, wildfires have posed a threat to properties and human lives, requiring the evacuation of large numbers of people.

Countries like Australia and the USA have experienced many wildfires in the past. However, in New Zealand, these types of wildfires are less common, but are predicted to increase in both frequency and severity in coming years. Examples of two recent major fires are the 2017 Port Hills fire in Canterbury and the 2019 Pigeon Valley fire in the Tasman District, which required swift evacuation.

To effectively plan for future wildfire events, it’s important to understand how people behave, for example, when they decide to evacuate and which evacuation routes they choose. One way to collect this data is to conduct surveys following a wildfire. This approach was used in a recently completed study of the Pigeon Valley fire. Funded by Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the study was conducted by

asked to fill out a questionnaire about their behaviour during the fire. Although the study resulted in valuable data, there were clear biases in the responses.

People had some difficulty remembering exactly when they evacuated, since they had made decisions under stress. Also, research suggests people’s memories of traumatic events change over time. While, post-incident surveys can provide some useful insights, there’s a need to develop complimentary data collection techniques.

An alternative way to study evacuation is to use GPS data from mobile phones.

When you use a mobile app like a navigation app or a game, your location is typically shared with the app developers.

This data can be purchased from GPS data providers after being anonymised and used to track devices (phones) over a period of time.

The use of GPS data during wildfires is being piloted in a research project involving a number of universities here and in the USA. It focuses on the 2019 Kincade fire in Sonoma County in the States which burned more than 300km2, damaging more than 120 buildings and forcing almost 200,000 people to evacuate.

By using GPS data from before and during the fire, researchers inferred when people started evacuating, their routes, and where they evacuated to. In addition, it was possible to understand how many ignored official evacuation warnings and orders and remained in their homes.

people may not want to admit that they acted contrary to official advice.

Although the GPS data is anonymised, it’s still possible to find the home or start location of each device. Using census data, home location can be used to infer socio-demographic factors like education and household income. The use of GPS data, therefore, has the potential to reveal previously unknown factors that can be used for planning of future evacuation, like which areas first responders should prioritise to get everyone out in time.

GPS data from wildfires can undoubtedly reveal new insights about evacuation behaviour, but GPS datasets can be affected by currently unknown biases. For example, it’s expected smartphones, from which GPS data can be retrieved, are predominantly used by a younger population. Also, if the GPS data is from non-navigation apps, then passengers rather than drivers are tracked. This may mean multiple-person households are likely tracked more often than single-person households. Despite these limitations, using GPS data is expected to reveal new trends and is a

researchers at the University of Canterbury and Massey University. Occupants of

These types of findings can often be difficult to gather using surveys, because

powerful complement to traditional postincident surveys.

RMIT University, Australia — Tom Cova – The University of Utah, USA

52 Inside job 54 The secret life of engineers 57 Leading questions 58 Obituaries 60 Engineering genius

Shorts

51 Preview

Ngā tūhinga poto me ngā pito kōrero

50 Bedside table

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B

edside table

Jitendra Bothara FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) has three decades of experience in earthquake engineering, disaster risk management, post-earthquake response, and research. He’s worked across nine major earthquakes and was heavily involved in the 2005 Kashmir (Pakistan), 2011 Christchurch and 2015 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake rebuilds. He has been an engineering consultant to private building and portfolio owners, and provided advisory services to various governments, the United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank and World Bank. Jitendra is an ardent believer in identifying strong linkages between social and seismic engineering, and linking traditional knowledge with modern knowledge for seismic safety. He has twice been part of a group awarded the FultonDowner Gold Medal, including in 2022.

What’s on your bedside table?

A vintage lamp, some books on public health and philosophy, headphones and my phone.

Let’s focus on those books – why did you choose them?

I like diversity in my reading list. I read about public health as it gives me insights into how the medical field reaches even the most underprivileged populations in inaccessible areas to mitigate the impacts of pandemics and improve general health. I see the same could be applied for improving seismic safety. Philosophy helps me gain insights into human values

Jitendra Bothara FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Role: Director, Resipro International Engineering Limited Based in: Christchurch Education: Bachelor of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 1989; Master of Engineering, University of Canterbury, 2004 and beliefs that guide their behaviour. An incredibly important aspect of disaster risk mitigation is understanding people’s perception of risk, safety and acceptance of solutions.

How do they help you in your role?

Technical reading keeps me updated on research and developments and allows me to learn new skills. The study of philosophy helps me understand the human perspective; culture helps me widen my perspective and address differences in diverse cultural settings. All these assist me to be a better engineer and serve people in more human-centric ways.

People’s right to good health is universally recognised, yet we do not consider safety from disasters as a basic human right.

Public health ensures that even the most marginalised, disadvantaged and

vulnerable populations receive adequate and equitable healthcare. Why should we not aim for the same in disaster risk reduction?

Which group of engineering professionals are these books most helpful for?

All engineering professionals should expose themselves to reading material from a wide range of topics to expand and diversify their perspective. It helps greatly with being able to think outside of the box, improves problem-solving abilities and the capacity to deal with differences.

What is the top book you would recommend to other engineers?

Big Ideas: 100 Wonders of New Zealand Engineering by Matthew Wright presents the fascinating history of the development of engineering in New Zealand.

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P

review

Which books have most influenced your career?

Small Is Beautiful by E F Schumacher, which I read in the early days of my engineering career, was pivotal in my thinking process and gave me a drive to consider the sustainability of any work I do as an engineer. Also, Man’s Search for Meaning by psychiatrist and holocaust survivor Viktor E Frankl. It focuses on human behaviour in the most distressful times and raises the philosophical question of what drives humans to survive even in the most severe environment.

Matariki’s time to shine

Ebook/paper copy

Friday 24 June marks Aotearoa’s inaugural public holiday to commemorate Matariki. Signalling the Māori New Year, it’s a time of celebration and renewal, starting with the rising of the Matariki star cluster. It’ll be the first national holiday to specifically recognise and celebrate mātauranga Māori.

Described as a time of unity, renewal, celebration and hope, people are encouraged to get together with whānau and friends to reflect and to look to the future.

There’ll be events around the country, including Matariki 2022 in Wānaka, featuring a community hangi, workshops, performances and a fireworks display.

If you’re in the capital, one event that coincides with Matariki is the free exhibition Matarau at City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi. Matarau refers to a multi-pronged spear used for fishing and eeling by early Māori. The Gallery says awareness of time, place and experience all drive the work of the artists featured in this exhibition.

Another idea is to check out the film Whina with friends or whānau. Due for release in cinemas on the eve of Matariki, it’s the story of Māori matriarch Dame Whina Cooper who worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women.

Or if you’d rather stay in, you can curl up and watch the series Beyond Matariki on Māori television, where Professor

Borrow/own Bookmark/turn down page.

Rangi Matamua explores the depth of knowledge pertaining to Māori astronomy.

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

Design in Nature: How the Constructal Law Governs Evolution in Biology, Physics, Technology, and Social Organizations by Adrian Bejan and J Peder Zane, and a few books on global health, which my children (both in medicine) have given me to read.

What do you read for leisure?

I enjoy reading world news, particularly about Nepal, where I come from.

Speed read

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52 Image: Auckland University of Technology

Monique Cooper Based in: Auckland Role: Product Development Engineer, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics), Auckland University of Technology, 2020; Bachelor of Business, Auckland University of Technology, 2021

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Inside job

I describe my role to non-engineers as…

My luckiest break was… meeting

coming up with multiple technical ways to solve healthcare needs.

the people at the start-up ThoughtWired while volunteering for a youth programme. From there I got involved in their socially conscious work.

The part of my job that always surprises people is… that I’m encouraged to use the state-of-the-art workshops for home projects.

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

The best thing I’ve introduced at my workplace is… baking afternoon tea.

It’s a fantastic way to network and to understand what’s happening in different teams.

In my role, I always challenge… what is at the root of the problem.

At work, I’ve never been afraid to… ask questions and voice my opinion.

In the past year, I’ve pushed boundaries by… becoming Auckland University of Technology’s first Rhodes Scholar; I will continue my studies at the University of Oxford University in England later this year.

I admire engineers who… have built in intuition for decision making.

At school, teachers always described me as… enthusiastic, well-rounded and conscientious.

The bravest thing I’ve done to get where I am today… moving to Taiwan to work in a robotics lab.

Best career advice I’ve received… doors open through relationships – ensure you invest in people as much as the work itself.

I’d advise other people interested in my type of role to… put in the mahi, ask for help and apply for something that will challenge and engage you.

3

things I love about my job:

— I get to learn about different aspects of engineering and design work each day. I understand customer problems, technical problems, the trade-offs in design, manufacturing at scale, intellectual property protection, partnering with other organisations, how design affects people and the environment… the list goes on.

— As I get exposed to so much, I get the opportunity to find out what I enjoy and where I excel.

— Knowing the product I am designing will make the lives of healthcare professionals easier, provide therapy for patients and has sustainability advantages.

2

reasons why I chose to

study engineering: — I wanted to understand the world in a scientific way and to be able to put this understanding into practice creatively.

— As a volunteer firefighter for approximately five years in Tamaki Makaurau, I was using technology, such as the jaws of life and water pumps. I wanted to understand the intersection of helping vulnerable people and technology.

1

thing I wouldn’t change about my workday: — Each day I am learning and being challenged.

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The secret life of engineers

George Arulanantham ONZM QSM CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Based in: Auckland Role: Senior electrical engineer Education: Bachelor of Engineering, the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 1983; Master of Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, 1992 Photo: Tim Hamilton

Shorts | Ngā tūhinga poto me ngā pito kōrero

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George Arulanantham ONZM QSM CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) began his career in Thailand, then migrated to New Zealand in 1998. He worked first for Flotech Limited, a Kiwi company operating in Europe, North America and Asia, with

and in Onehunga/One Tree Hill Rotary as a director of international programmes.

I’m Justices of the Peace Support Group Coordinator for the Mt Roskill/Three Kings/ Hillsborough area.

How do you manage to juggle this work with your engineering work?

On weekends, I usually wake up between 4am and 5am to do community work such as answering emails and other administrative takes. In the beginning,

roles progressing from engineer to chief engineer, then global service manager. In 2012 he joined Worley, and in 2015 moved to Glidepath where he designs electrical and control systems for baggage and parcel handling systems. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to the community.

What project makes you most proud?

In 2003 I formed a “Poonga” (Tamil community education facility) as a settlement strategy for Tamil migrants and refugees to give these children the opportunity to learn their mother tongue and keep their culture alive.

(2000–09) my whole family (my wife and daughters) were helping in many ways.

What sparked your interest in community work?

I am inspired by my great-grandfather who established a church and a school in my home village 100 years ago (in which I studied my primary education). He donated all of his land and money to build the church and school and died with no property for himself or his two sons.

What do you enjoy most about this type of work?

I often work with people in real need or those who are voiceless, such as refugees, particularly those who come from war torn areas or places where human rights are violated based on religion and race. When I am able to help them get what they need, this gives me a great degree of happiness and satisfaction.

Does being an engineer bring any advantages to the way you approach these activities outside of work?

Definitely. Logical thinking and time management are skills I’ve learnt in my professional life that help me with critical decision making and organising tasks. The codes of ethical conduct that I’ve committed to through engineering institutions have also helped guide my work.

What impact has Covid-19 had on your voluntary work?

It has impacted it in many ways including our Rotary Club street collection for the Cancer Society which had to go online but included a household flier drop. We were also unable to attend the opening ceremony for the school that we built in Vanuatu.

What’s the extent of your current involvement in community work?

I’m involved with the Institution of Engineering and Technology as an

How does your work help celebrate diversity in the community?

By helping keep the Tamil language and culture alive through our children, we can add to the melting pot that is New Zealand. This provides a chance for all New Zealanders to experience

Honorary Treasurer and the Assessor,

diversity at home.

You received a Queen’s Service Medal in 2012 for services to the Tamil community.

Does this 2022 recognition build on the work you did to earn that Honour?

Yes – I’m very proud of the Honour I have received but it is really a reflection of the work that many have done before me, and I hope that many will do after me.

L

Shorts | Ngā tūhinga poto me ngā pito kōrero

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eading questions

Dave Brunsdon CNZM DistFEngNZ CPEng(IntPE)NZ has contributed to many initiatives in engineering and emergency management. In addition to being part of technical committees developing codes and assessment guidelines, he’s led the development and implementation of procedures for managing buildings in an emergency, which have been applied following various natural disasters since 2007. He’s also been instrumental in developing New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue capability, and was pivotal in developing lifelines engineering in Aotearoa. He was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2022 New Year Honours.

What attributes make you a good leader?

The ability to listen and distil the key points from a range of different perspectives. I prefer to lead by supporting and enabling others, noting that an engineering leader doesn’t have to have the sharpest technical mind in the room. A key part of leading in this way is building a team of people capable of working with others, even though they may hold different technical viewpoints.

At the end of each day, what tells you whether you’ve been successful?

It’s all about making small differences.

As you look back on a day, if you have contributed a good idea to a meeting, or just helped people from different arenas connect, that’s when you know you’ve made a small difference.

Who opened a key door for you?

The late Dr Nigel Priestley ONZM – getting the chance to do my Master’s thesis under his supervision and following his recommendation to focus on existing reinforced concrete structures. This was the first New Zealand postgraduate study on this topic and it provided me with a front row seat for a lot of the developments in relation to seismic assessment over the next few decades.

How do you connect your work with a sense of greater good?

Working in emergency management has reinforced the importance of risk reduction as an everyday objective or driver of our engineering work. When we design or strengthen buildings or lifeline networks, we’re reducing the impact of adverse events on the community, be it for earthquake or climate change adaptation.

What mistake have you learned from most?

The last one – it reminds you that you still make them and need to keep learning!

And to keep listening, as failure to listen is the origin of so many mistakes.

Also, the importance of seeking other viewpoints to make sure your thinking isn’t too narrowly focused.

Dave Brunsdon CNZM DistFEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Role: Director, Kestrel Group Based in: Wellington Qualifications: Master of Engineering (Dist), University of Canterbury, 1984; Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), University of Canterbury, 1981 a focus on manaaki – supporting everyone – and being able to challenge the highly structured Civil Defence operations when they weren’t serving his iwi effectively.

What questions have you been asking yourself lately?

I’ve been reflecting on the similarities between preparing for Covid and earthquakes. Both require a strong base knowledge of science and the highest quality of risk assessment and communication. Also, a precautionary approach with appropriate realism and pragmatism that acknowledges uncertainty and takes into consideration the wider economic impact on the community.

Who is a leader in Aotearoa you admire?

Tā Mark Solomon, for his many achievements in leading Ngāi Tahu. His leadership is underpinned by values and respect and based on a nonconfrontational approach. He led his iwi

What are particular leadership challenges in your specialty areas of engineering?

In earthquake engineering, engineers need a better understanding of the uncertainties associated with seismic loading, and how to communicate to owners and occupiers the impacts of this uncertainty on both new design and the assessment of existing buildings. An associated point is communicating more effectively what risk

strongly through the Canterbury and Kaikōura/Hurunui earthquakes by having

information % New Building Standard ratings do, and don’t, provide.

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EG 19/2022

Obituaries

Robert Anthony Peacocke (Bob) CMEngNZ

Bruce Henry Williams CMEngNZ CPEng

1942–2022

1940–2022

Bob Peacocke CMEngNZ has been described as “truly one of the industry greats”. After attending several primary schools in Auckland and Waikato, then St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, Bob studied engineering at the University of Canterbury, graduating in 1966. He also joined Te Ao Rangahau that year, and went on to become a Life Member.

His early roles were with the Ministry of Works in Wellington and Tongariro, followed by projects at Tiwai Point, Kinleith and Hamilton, where he was Area Manager for Hawkins Construction.

His career included working overseas in Dubai, Australia and Western Samoa, focusing on many differing facets of civil engineering and project management, with management a key strength.

Bob was also involved in a range of governance work and was a member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. His contribution to engineering is summed up by a close colleague: “He was principled, firm but fair, technically competent, a good communicator and a successful engineering practitioner.”

Born in Greymouth, Bruce Henry Williams CMEngNZ CPEng moved to Christchurch before starting school.

He studied engineering at the University of Canterbury and began work at Christchurch City Council, where he stayed for about 10 years. His major project there was the Lichfield Street car park which remained after the earthquakes.

Bruce studied transport engineering in Australia before moving to Palmerston North, then to Hastings to work for the council’s roading and engineering department.

In the early 1980s he joined architects Len Hoogerbrug and Paris Magdalinos, creating multidiscliplinary firm Hoogerbrug Magdalinos and Williams. When the partnership dissolved later that decade, Bruce became a sole practitioner, with both his former partners as clients.

He became a “go to” person for many architects, designers, contractors and private clients as well as the transport fabricators. He has been described as a talented, dedicated engineer, a gentleman, and friend to many.

Obituaries | Ngā rārangi ingoa mate

Eric Timothy Smith CMEngNZ

Malcolm Douglass FEngNZ

1927–2022

1932–2022

Eric Smith CMEngNZ joined Te Ao Rangahau in 1947 and went on to become a Life Member, maintaining his commitment to the profession until he died. He began his career in Auckland at the Ministry of Works. His first assignment was the concrete retaining wall along the inner side of Tamaki Drive in Auckland, which still stands today. He then joined Whangarei Borough Council in the early 1950’s and also established his own engineering practice during that decade, incorporating architects. In 1959 he went to Germany to understand glass-making practices and established a glass works in Whangarei.

He witnessed the Berlin Wall being erected while he was in Germany. Eric also spent time in Samoa, first living there in 1967, working for Volunteer Service Abroad, and over the next two decades working on large complex projects including Samoa Parliament House, the extension of Faleolo Airport to accommodate jumbo jets, and a significant coral reef reclamation for a resort.

Eric was a civil structural consulting engineer who had a great interest in pipes and water flow, publishing work on this topic. He was a “computer buff” and remained so until his final days. In the 1960s he’d pioneered using computers in an engineering practice. He’ll be remembered by many for his interest and development of young engineers.

Malcolm Douglass FEngNZ has been described as a principled, courteous and unfailingly cheerful man whose contributions to Aotearoa’s planning, engineering, conservation and arts community made New Zealand a better place. After studying engineering at the University of Canterbury, he began his career at the Whanganui City Council in 1955. This engineering work prompted him to study at Birmingham University, United Kingdom, for a Master of Science in Transportation Planning.

In 1969, Malcolm received Te Ao Rangahau’s Rabone Award for his paper “Traffic Planning and the Functions of a Road Network”.

During the 1980s and 1990s, he was Chief Executive of the Canterbury Regional Council, and Director of Planning at Porirua City Council. In 1998, Malcolm established his own consultancy and continued to assist central and local government. In addition, he was a part-time lecturer and an independent planning hearings commissioner.

In 2007, he published A Wheel On Each Corner, recording the achievements of Te Ao Rangahau’s Transportation Group. He held many committee positions relating to engineering and planning, including Chair of this group.

In 2008, he was given the Turner Award for Professional Commitment. He relished being voted best lecturer by his final cohort of students at Lincoln University, a tribute which sums up his passion for profession, and his gift for sharing it.

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Engineering genius

Propelling Peters to Paralympics podium

University of Canterbury (UC) engineers are behind a ground-breaking aerodynamic design on the sit ski Paralympic medallist Corey Peters used at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in March. Snow Sports NZ approached UC in late 2020, and High Performance Sport New Zealand funded the project. Mechanical Engineering Lecturer Dr Natalia Kabaliuk and three students spent a year improving the aerodynamic design of Peters’ standard, off-the-shelf sit ski. Natalia says: “We’d had great feedback from Corey before the event began, but to see him win medals on the sit ski that we helped design has been incredibly satisfying. I really feel like our work gave him confidence in his gear and just a little bit of extra speed on the slopes that could have been his winning edge.”

Corey Peters told EG that knowing the work led to significant aerodynamic improvements of his sit ski “allowed me to go into Beijing with a massive increase in my confidence, knowing that my equipment was superior to my competition”. He says: “In a sport that is often separated by fractions of a second, any advantage you can get or have over your competition is huge.”

With a baby due in July, Corey's next focus is fatherhood, which he expects might be as challenging as skiing downhill at 100kph.

Improvements involved 3D scanning and printing, machining and fabrication

Seat redesigned from a rounded bucket to incorporate a Kamm tail to further minimise aerodynamic drag

Leg cover streamlined to minimise aerodynamic drag (with help from Dynamic Composites)

Leg cover and Kamm tail features made from carbon fibre composite material

Sit ski features a seat and suspension system mounted on to a single ski

Redesign included managing the high pressures over

Side-wind conditions and yaw angle effects on

Wind-tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics

Improvements led to a maximum of 10 percent

the leg cover and the low pressure wake

the sit ski aerodynamics considered

measured how modified designs reduced drag force

“drag force reduction” in the modified sit ski

Together, we’ll recognise the outstanding achievers within our profession.

Join us at Parliament on 12 August for an evening of food, kōrero, inspiration and celebration.

Purchase tickets now at engineeringnz.org/fellows2022

TOGETHER, WE CAN TRANSFORM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. Te Ao Rangahau challenges engineers to be bold and creative in mitigating, transitioning and adapting to climate change, for a re-imagined and resilient future.

For resources to help you lead the way engineeringclimateaction.nz