Issue | Putanga 31/2025
Elevating aviation engineering
Success despite sector shortages
Cleantech: challenges and opportunities
Who are some of the companies behind New Zealand’s rising clean technology sector?
Outer space, outta Southland
Meet the inaugural Prime Minister’s Space Prize winner
“The potential for timber and wood products is huge”
“We have a climate crisis and we want to use sustainable materials more efficiently.”
“We believe the next leap in aviation safety will come from pairing the strengths of existing human pilots with the benefits of advanced automation.”
“ The ambition is to support interplanetary spacecraft in the next few years.”
“For us, this project has been the essence and heart of engineering: problem-solving.”
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This issue of EG was published in June 2025.
8 Touch wood Thanks to new and developing technologies, we’re merely on the cusp of timber's potential.
14 Multifaceted contribution recognised This new Fellow is motivated by doing right by her tīpuna (ancestors) and her future moko (grandchildren).
16 Elevating aviation engineering
While there’s work to be done addressing critical shortages in the aviation and aeronautical sectors, there are still plenty of engineering success stories on the radar.
24 Cleantech: challenges and opportunities The country’s clean technology sector is on the rise, so what are some of the challenges and opportunities?
30 Outer space, outta Southland Meet the winner of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Space Prize, who has been recognised for both his space-related successes and his work supporting the next generation of engineers.
32 A boost for marine research How clever engineering has helped deliver uninterrupted, upgraded seawater supply for vital marine research.
40 AI agents and engineering How does the emergence of “agentic AI” impact on engineering?
41 Transformative tech A look at the impact of digital transformation on the built environment industry now, and into the future.
42 Enhancing warehouse design A new upskilling programme aims to ensure consistency, safety and quality in warehouse construction.
43 Supporting your voice
44 Rail on board with future How railway engineering and operations are evolving to meet modern day challenges.
46 Intersection
47 Employment matters A look at different employee types plus some proposed government changes to employment law.
Engineering Envy #167
Chosen by Te Ao Rangahau staff
Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay is more than just a botanical wonder, it’s a masterclass in sustainable urban engineering. The 101-hectare park takes pride of place in the heart of downtown Singapore, one of the world’s most densely populated countries. What’s even more surprising is that more than 1.5 million plants from every continent (except Antarctica) flourish at the park.
Visitors are in awe of the Supertrees – vertical gardens up to 50m tall that come alive with a light and sound show at night. Then there’s the Flower Dome, officially the world’s largest glass greenhouse; a tree top walk; one of the world’s tallest waterfalls and plenty more to enjoy in this futuristic park. It has captivated more than 100 million visitors since it opened in 2012. More than 44,000 reviewers on online travel site TripAdvisor have awarded Gardens by the Bay a perfect five stars, including Warren H, who offers a neat summary of this Engineering Envy: “A feat of engineering delivered in the most perfect way…”
I was amazed by its futuristic design, blending nature and technology. The Supertree Grove is a unique and inspiring place with its tall trees and bright lights.
Leigh Pangan – Membership Advisor
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“I think I’m genetically programmed not to enjoy being the centre of attention.”
Beca CE Amelia Linzey has been named as one of the University of Auckland’s Distinguished Alumni for 2025.
“[An] incredible engineering masterpiece that packs a lot in.”
Sydney’s Luna Park CE John Hughes praises the Wild Mouse rollercoaster, renovated after teams translated the 60-year-old original plans written in German.
“Every time we go out and fly, we fly higher, we fly faster. We’re pushing the envelope of what you can do with an aircraft.”
Dawn Aerospace’s Stefan Powell on “rocket plane” Dawn MkII-Aurora, regularly test flying over Canterbury at supersonic speed.
“The trails Steve Gwilliam has contributed to will significantly improve Northland’s health, wellbeing and economic development. He has had a remarkable impact on Tai Tokerau.”
Deputy CE of Herenga ā Nuku, Phil Culling, describes civil engineer Steve’s work on Northland cycle trails.
During the week of our AGM in March we hosted a Branch Chairs’ Forum where I was asked about a phrase in our Vision: Bringing engineering to life. To me, this phrase signifies how engineering solutions are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. Engineering is everywhere, touching every detail of life.
A prominent global theme today is ensuring a sustainable future for our descendants. As the United Nations states, this involves “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In this issue of EG, we showcase a variety of engineering endeavours addressing this challenge, united by a shared commitment to innovation and sustainability. The clean technology sector is prioritising sustainability through innovation. The featured cleantech companies are developing environmentally friendly solutions with the potential to drive economic growth and establish a highvalue export market, paving the way for a greener economy. We also spotlight the use of mass timber in construction. This offers a significantly lower carbon footprint and aligns with sustainable building practices. This issue highlights cuttingedge developments in timber applications, both in construction and beyond. It also
explores research testing facilities and their results. We’re proud to have a timber building at the University of Canterbury, a testament to the design engineers’ commitment to sustainable solutions.
In contrast, sustainable mass transport solutions remain a challenge in Aotearoa, particularly outside urban areas. Yet, sustainable transport is essential to reducing a nation’s carbon footprint. In August, Tāmaki Makaurau will host the 2025 Conference on Railway Excellence, themed Kaitiaki – Guarding the Future. The theme reflects the concept of guardianship over our sky, sea and land, much like railway professionals safeguard rail’s role in sustainable freight and passenger transport.
The many individuals featured in this issue also embody sustainability through their volunteer work and advocacy for workforce development. Their dedication to fostering diverse representation in engineering ensures a holistic and inclusive approach to sustainability.
Finally, we take great pride in celebrating the achievements of our new Distinguished Fellows, Fellows and President’s Award winners, recently honoured at a memorable and colourful evening in Wellington.
Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ President, Te Ao Rangahau
Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau is proud to partner with EECA to enhance member learning opportunities with online modules and webinars on energy affordability, security and productivity – while also providing invaluable support for The Wonder Project Power Challenge.
To learn about partnering with us, get in touch with Luke Pirie, Business Development Manager at luke.pirie@engineeringnz.org
WRITER | KAITUHI RACHEL HELYER DONALDSON
Wood has been used in design and construction for thousands of years, but thanks to new and developing technologies, we’re merely on the cusp of timber’s potential. Crucially, the sustainable development of wood products could reduce energy demand and carbon emissions.
“The potential for timber and wood products is huge,” says Scion senior scientist Professor Tripti Singh, who is also the Director of Australia’s National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life.
“Why wood? It reduces greenhouse gases and overall emissions by capturing and storing carbon throughout its lifespan. It’s naturally replenished, it’s harvested sustainably here, and production of timber products requires less energy compared to steel and concrete.”
One of timber’s main qualities is that it’s lightweight yet strong, she says.
“It offers excellent thermal performance, which helps reduce heating or cooling costs. Additionally, its versatility allows it to be cut, shaped and prefabricated, reducing the cost of construction while enhancing design flexibility.
“Timber is also reusable, and its natural aesthetic appeal remains a key attraction,” says Tripti.
It’s naturally replenished, it’s harvested sustainably here, and production of timber products requires less energy compared to steel and concrete.
– Professor Tripti Singh
The rapid advancement in engineered wood products (EWPs) over the past three decades has been transformative, offering a sustainable alternative to steel and concrete. These materials present a viable option for full structural replacement or hybrid applications, combining the strengths of timber with traditional construction materials to enhance sustainability and performance.
They include products such as glued-laminated timber (glulam) and laminated veneer lumber, and cross laminated timber (CLT). These materials are engineered to meet the structural demand of mass timber construction, with CLT panel dimensions up to 16m in width, 4.5m in height and 0.45m in thickness. These are designed for large-scale applications, offering sustainability and high performance.
“Not only are EWPs strong and durable, they’re biodegradable, recyclable and reusable.”
Advancements in nanotechnology are pushing the boundaries of timber applications even further. By manipulating wood at the cellular level, researchers
can densify it, creating ultra-strong materials. Research conducted at Scion has shown that, through delignification and impregnation processes, timber can be transformed into innovative products such as transparent wood, a potential alternative to glass, with improved insulation properties. Additionally, delignified wood can be combined with biopolymers such as chitosan to create plastic-like, biodegradable packaging, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
The technology is “not brand new” but, as yet, few companies worldwide use it, says Tripti. Companies in China are producing transparent wood from bamboo. German manufacturer Röchling Industries turns beech veneer into a laminated densified wood material, trademarked as Lignostone, for supports and insulation in liquid gas tankers.
In New Zealand, transparent paper produced by delignification is used to package stationery. Additionally, there is growing momentum to produce biodegradable plastic made from fermented wood waste. The process involves breaking down lignocellulosic biomass from wood into fermentable sugars, which can then be used to produce biopolymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates or polylactic acid to be used in packaging or 3D printing among other applications.
Mass timber buildings – large, multi-storey buildings constructed of engineered timber, offering a sustainable and low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel – have been seen overseas for around 10 to 15 years, says structural engineer Dr Andy Buchanan DistFEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ).
He says that, along with EWPs, the other game changer in the wood world has been a revolution in fastening technology. This technology solves one of the biggest conundrums for mass timber construction: how to fix it all together, says Andy, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Canterbury and Principal at PTL Structural & Fire. Prestressed laminated timber, or Pres-Lam, which he and others developed at the University, 15 years ago, is one of the new fastening systems.
Mass timber buildings are still relatively new here, and on a small scale. The country’s first modern mass timber building – and the world’s first building using Pres-Lam to fasten it together – was the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s Arts and Media Building, built in 2011. More recent mass timber projects include Auckland University of Technology’s Tukutuku building. What will be the country’s largest mass timber office building, for Tauranga City Council, is under construction.
It’s now possible to build mass timber buildings higher than 20 storeys, but less than 10 storeys is more economical, says Andy.
Below: The full-scale, two-storey CLT building developed by researchers at the University of Auckland, subjected to more than 100 simulated earthquakes. Photo: University of Auckland
In February, a research team from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering and Design subjected a full-scale, two-storey CLT building to more than 100 simulated “Christchurch-level” earthquakes to evaluate its resilience. Conventional timber connectors, such as nails and screws, were replaced with a Resilient Slip Friction Joint (RSFJ), a damper developed at the University. The RSFJ reduces movement during a quake and recentres the building after shaking.
One of the project’s leads, Dr Ashkan Hashemi CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), a Senior Lecturer in structural and earthquake engineering, says the test
couldn’t have gone better.
“After more than 100 quakes, no damage was observed anywhere.”
The 200 people, mostly structural engineers, who attended the testing came away with “proof that mass timber is a viable option for clients”.
Aotearoa won’t achieve its net zerocarbon target by 2050 unless more mass timber buildings are built. For this to happen the equivalent level of the public funding given to research into concrete and steel needs to be made available to timber, says Ashkan. “If it was not for generous private funder the WIDE Trust, we would not have been able to come this far."
“If timber buildings are really going to make a significant difference to the carbon footprint of the building industry, that’s going to happen, not with one or two skyscrapers, but with hundreds of apartment buildings and office buildings – mid-range buildings that are four to 10 storeys high.”
Hybrid construction is a good solution to getting the best design, while “significantly” cutting carbon, he says. When it comes to seismic materials, Andy says wood is excellent because of its light weight.
“It’s [also] ductile, but it’s no better than steel or hybrid buildings, if they’re designed properly.”
The growth in mass timber buildings has led to concerns around fire risk, says Andy.
“Mass timber is actually very good in a fire, as it chars rather than burns, but the area of exposed timber must be limited, especially for tall timber buildings.”
Mass timber buildings are unlikely to be built on a mass-scale here, he says, until there are financial incentives for having low embodied carbon in a building, as well as “less confusion and more consensus” when it comes to using wood. The Building Code, written in 1992, does not refer to mass timber
buildings nor does it give any specific guidance about timber use and fire protection. Andy says this leads to a tension.
“The architects and the building owners want to see all the wood in the buildings, while the people worried about fire safety want to hide it all with fireproof materials.”
Andy is internationally renowned for his work developing guidance on this issue. He recently chaired an industry working group to produce a new supplement for designing to the building code, and a New Zealand commentary to his international fire safety guide, Fire Safe Use of Wood in Buildings
He says these documents provide best practice guidelines for working with timber, with a “reasonable balance” between the conflicting objectives.
“Industry and most councils are now accepting them.”
New Zealand had many timber railway and road bridges before steel and concrete became the standard for bridge construction in the mid-20th century. Now, just 14 of the country’s 4,200 existing highway bridges are constructed from timber.
The architects and the building owners want to see all the wood in the buildings while the people worried about fire safety want to hide it all with fireproof materials.
– Dr Andy Buchanan
In April, the first state highway bridge built from timber in nearly 50 years officially opened in Waikato. Onetai Stream Bridge, on State Highway 26, is also a prototype for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA)’s Engineered Timber Bridge Initiative, aimed at reducing embodied carbon emissions.
Dr Daniel Moroder CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), who is the Timber Design Society’s immediate past President, is part of that initiative, and, as a technical director at PTL Structural & Fire, oversaw the design and assembly of Onetai’s timber superstructure. He is also a keynote speaker at the 5th International Conference on Timber Bridges in Rotorua in June where he’ll discuss Aotearoa’s history of timber bridges, but, mainly, he wants to look to the future.
“Timber was used in the past and we can use it again. We have a climate crisis and we want to use sustainable materials more efficiently.”
Daniel says lessons learned from the Onetai pilot formed the basis of a forthcoming guidance document for engineers designing timber bridges. There is industry concern that recent progress on timber-related national standards and guidance for the construction industry could stall.
Earlier this year the Society took over Timber Unlimited, a low-carbon initiative set up under the previous government by the Ministry for Primary Industries. Daniel says its paid staff were key to working with Standards New Zealand, but now there’s no funding. It means the Society is back to relying on volunteers to provide guidance to designers and work with policy makers. “We will try to keep Timber Unlimited alive until funding comes in again.”
Turning now to the question of why timber is not used more often, Daniel says: “The reason we don’t is there’s a perception of both high risk and high cost but there’s also a lack of consensus and a lack of guidance.” More consistent information would help project leads take a more informed approach, he adds.
“If done properly, timber is cost neutral in terms of the whole project.”
One of the first products to come out of Prolam’s new testing facility Prolab is the PLX Column. It’s another first for the Motueka engineered wood manufacturer which specialises in timber and steel hybrid structural timber beams and bracing systems.
Managing Director John Woodman says the idea for the PLX Column came from “an architect and a couple of engineers” who wanted a more versatile, but still compliant, bracing option for living areas. It is a single glulam bracing column with a 40x10mm flat steel bar, reducing the amount of width usually needed to provide 100-plus bracing units.
John says many residential and terraced housing new builds have limited wall space for bracing. The additional bracing support means there’s no need for the additional gib board usually required.
WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON
When new Fellow Chantelle Bailey looks back on her journey to date, what is most critical to her is that she has done right by her tīpuna (ancestors) and future moko (grandchildren).
Associate Structural Engineer at Miyamoto New Zealand, Chantelle Bailey FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hāmoa, Lotofaga and Le’auva’a) has had a successful career merging her technical acumen with her cultural philosophy in a range of engineering and governance positions. She’s recently become a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, recognising her multifaceted contribution to the profession, including as a Practice Area Assessor and member of the Competency Assessment Board.
“Receiving recognition at this prestigious technical and professional level is a privilege. I want to be a positive role model to my daughters. Being a Fellow is a nod to my whānau and community who supported me to persevere.”
The proverb “O le ala i le pule, o le tautua” – the pathway to leadership is through service, resonates with Chantelle, who attributes much of her success to her whānau and her community.
“My formative years were steeped in family and sports, instilling in me strong
community values and a sense of service, and they were instrumental in shaping my leadership qualities and guiding my professional journey.”
After high school, Chantelle trained as an aircraft technician in the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF). She says that technically, transitioning from the RNZAF to professional engineering was smooth. “I already had the foundation of technical aptitude, a knowledge of business acumen, and I was an unconventional thinker.”
She says her relationship with the New Zealand Defence Force and her involvement with the Engineering New Zealand Foundation and its wellbeing initiative gave her valuable insights into
Te Whare Tapa Whā, a wellbeing model created by health advocate Sir Mason Durie.
“It represents taha wairua (spiritual balance), taha hinengaro, (mental and emotional), taha tinana, (physical) and taha whānau (family and social). Our connection with the whenua (land) and people forms the foundation.”
Chantelle says engineering projects are also enhanced with Te Whare Tapa Whā.
“If you and your team don’t have balance, then in high pressure situations and unforgiving environments, things like burnout and mistakes with poor decisions, can be detrimental.”
We talk about a culturally safe environment, and the numbers are increasing, but the reality is that it shouldn’t be this hard.
She says if project delivery takes on the same ethos as Te Whare Tapa Whā, we can have robust, resilient infrastructure that supports both sustainable communities and Te Taiao (the natural world and environment).
Chantelle’s philosophy and technical expertise have served her well. In 2016 she was awarded Engineering New Zealand’s Fulton-Downer Silver Medal for outstanding service in engineering.
She embarked on her governance career when an RNZAF mentor encouraged her to join Engineering New Zealand’s Manawatū Branch Committee.
Since then, a range of past and present board positions have included a focus on bringing about positive change for Māori, Pacific people and wāhine.
Chantelle explains that being a voice for those who are not usually represented at the board table can be uncomfortable at first. However, she finds it to be very rewarding, noting that every board, panel and committee she has been on has been professional and supportive. She believes governance is a natural extension of kaitiakitanga (stewardship), an intrinsic principle of Te Ao Māori, and that Māori engineers, and engineers in general, should put their hands up for governance roles.
Chantelle hopes her work will help to pave the way for the next generation of engineers.
“I want to send the elevator back down, to encourage inclusion in the engineering profession. Visibility and normalising this
process are important to reap the benefits of diversity, be that gender, experience or whakapapa.”
She says there is still a lot of work to be done in improving diversity and inclusion within the engineering profession.
“We talk about a culturally safe environment, and the numbers are increasing, but the reality is that it shouldn’t be this hard.”
She says being the only Māori or Pacific person or the only wāhine in a room can be exhausting.
“Justifying and explaining one’s culture can take a toll, and this in itself creates barriers and limits a person’s opportunity to succeed.”
“We refer to this as the ‘cultural tax’ on one’s career – the burden to enhance an organisation’s cultural capability, often at the expense of years at university and falling behind their peers in technical experience and opportunities. This is not
just a concept, but a real and significant challenge, where organisations want to appear as though they value diversity, but obtaining diversity of thought is still a long way off.”
To succeed, she says, we need an inclusive environment without prejudice.
“Executives should encourage senior leaders to embrace open-mindedness and actively support under-represented individuals in engineering,” she says.
“This approach will result in a genuine, holistic, positive impact on the engineering profession.”
Chantelle says that to solve today’s problems, we urgently need diverse engineers to drive long-term strategies and vision.
“It’s crucial that we understand the impacts of our decisions on our mokopuna's mokopuna (intergenerational) and Te Taiao, and diverse perspectives are key to achieving that.”
WRITER | KAITUHI MATT PHILP
While more needs to be done to address critical challenges in Aotearoa’s aviation and aeronautical sectors, there are still plenty of engineering success stories on the radar.
Pilots are the glamorous public face of aviation –the rock stars. But no plane flies anywhere without a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer signing it off, notes Simon Wallace, Chief Executive of the Aviation Industry Association.
“They are a critical part of the workforce, even if their contribution is sometimes overlooked.”
The problem for the industry, not to mention everyone else who relies on aviation (most of us, if we’re honest) is that this critical engineering talent is in increasingly short supply. The shortage preceded Covid-19, but has become worse since the pandemic hit. Last year, the Association partnered with the Workforce Development Council to more closely investigate the numbers.
“We looked at Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and Aviation Maintenance Engineers. There are currently 3,000 working in New Zealand, which is 300 to 500 short to meet demand. Looking forward to 2034, it’s estimated we’re going to need 4,500 and unless a number of things happen, we’re going to continue to have a shortage.
“We’ve got an older cohort of workers that are leaving the workforce and we’re just not replacing them.”
The impact is apparent at companies that rely heavily on engineers, such as Salus Aviation, a full-service maintenance and overhaul business whose history dates back to 1936. Headquartered at Ardmore Airport in South Auckland and with multiple facilities across New Zealand, South Africa and the United States, Salus has a fixed wing maintenance operation in Hamilton and the other locations focused on helicopters. Its 66-strong engineering team includes 28 helicopter maintenance engineers, 28 overhaul engineers, and 10 engineers specialising in fixed wing maintenance. But like others, it’s struggling to fill positions.
“There’s a global shortage of aviation engineers across fixed wing and helicopter, maintenance and overhaul,” says Lisa Holland, Salus Aviation’s General Manager of People and Capability.
“Because we’re predominantly rotary it’s even harder for us, because you have to have the correct ratings to be able to work on helicopters. It’s an ongoing battle.”
To fill positions, Salus has had to rely heavily on overseas talent – 29 percent of its engineers are from overseas. As an accredited employer, the company has been able to sponsor aircraft maintenance engineers, who are included on the Green List, the immigration vehicle that offers fast-tracked residency for people with certain in-demand skills. Unfortunately, says Lisa, the Green List doesn’t yet include engineers who specialise in overhaul work.
“The overhaul guys come in on skilled visas then have to leave. They don’t have a pathway to residency. It’s a real issue for us, because these people are hard to find, we put all this time and resource into training them, then after a certain period they may have to leave.”
Salus is one of only two LTS101 engine overhaul facilities in the world, as well as being the only approved service centre for the Kawasaki Heavy Industries gearbox outside Japan.
“That’s why our turbine engineers and dynamic component engineers are so critical to our business, and why we’re pushing to get them on the Green List.”
and helicopter, maintenance and overhaul.
– Lisa Holland
Salus does run an in-house apprenticeship programme as a way of growing talent locally, but Lisa would like to see more promotion of the career in schools, particularly with senior students.
But plugging the gaps with overseas talent can only be part of the answer. Simon Wallace argues that solving the shortage will in the first instance require funding more places at formal training institutions. Currently, the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s two-year aeronautical engineering programme can only take
32 students a year, while Air New Zealand’s 36-week introductory course is capped at 40 – which is nowhere near enough. Allied to this, there also needs to be far more support for on-the-job training through apprenticeships, he says.
Finally, the industry needs to play its part by promoting engineering as an attractive career option, says Simon.
“We do a lot of that in the pilot space, but arguably we haven’t done enough to promote aviation engineering,” he says, adding that the Association is also aware of the need to work harder to retain existing engineers.
A case in point is the Association’s upcoming annual conference in Wellington in September, where the issue of mental health will be addressed.
“Excuse the pun, but it is something that flies below the radar. Engineers are the ones who are signing off aircraft, and they have a huge level of responsibility. But while there’s a programme called Safe Haven that focuses on mental health for pilots and air traffic controllers, there isn’t an equivalent one for engineers. As an association, we’re working on an initiative that will provide better support for them in that space.”
How do you get bright young talent excited about aviation? For a start, you could highlight engineering’s vital contribution to advances in the industry. We are on the cusp of batterypowered commercial flights. Airports are increasingly electrifying operations, while the sector more generally casts around for new ways to reduce its emissions profile. Engineers are going to have a central role to play.
Advances in the aviation sector
Boston-based startup Merlin Labs is developing a non-human pilot. The company has a strong New Zealand presence, with a subsidiary in Kerikeri (its 20-strong staff includes Design Engineers and Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers) and various contracted Kiwi partners.
Air New Zealand’s onetime Head of Engineering Grant Crenfeldt is CEO of Merlin NZ.
“We believe the next leap in aviation safety will come from pairing the strengths of existing human pilots with the benefits of advanced automation,” he says of Merlin’s work.
“Automation already plays a vital role in helping pilots’ hands, eyes and brains focus on the most critical tasks in the flight deck, but it must evolve from a tool into a trusted partner that enhances decision-making, reduces workload and increases performance.”
We believe the next leap in aviation safety will come from pairing the strengths of existing human pilots with the benefits of advanced automation.
– Grant Crenfeldt
Long term, Merlin’s goal is to enable uncrewed flight on small aircraft, while expanding the number of aircraft supported for reduced-crew operations. But that’s some way off, with plenty of testing, certification, and capability-building still to come. In the meantime, “… we’re working with the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority to certify an autonomous system capable of take-off to touchdown on a Part 23 aircraft”, Grant says.
There are other engineering-led innovations happening in New Zealand that, while perhaps less glamorous than non-human pilots, are advancing the aviation sector. Take Airport Equipment, Australasia’s only manufacturer of passenger boarding aerobridges. A subsidiary of third-generation Hutt Valley firm J&D McLennan Engineering, Airport Equipment’s coups include designing and manufacturing the first aerobridge in this part of the world for the double-decker Airbus A380, which it
unveiled in Sydney 14 years ago. Its most recent innovations include an industry-first autonomous docking solution. Using a camera module fitted to a bridge cabin and connected to a remote intelligent PLC system, Intellidock scans a newly landed aircraft’s door, automatically drives the boarding bridge into initial position, then deploys sensors to ensure perfect docking alignment.
“It’s a bit of a no-brainer because it reduces training time, operator error, and wear and tear on the bridges,” says Design Manager Andrew McLennan, a mechanical engineer by training.
“It’s been big for us, and we now have it installed at a number of different locations throughout New Zealand and Australia.”
Having recently opened a much larger, state-of-the-art factory in Upper Hutt, the company is now primed to pursue its next big thing – whatever that may be.
“There’s a lot more capacity in the new factory,” says Andrew. “The question for us now is how can we channel that resource to make better products? It might be something complementary to the bridges. Or it might be something in a completely different market.”
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WRITER | KAITUHI LAURIE WINKLESS
With the country’s clean technology sector on the rise, EG speaks to engineers at three companies about their game-changing technologies, and the challenges and opportunities they face.
Aotearoa has long been presented to the rest of the world as a clean, green country: a place of natural abundance, where humans and diverse ecosystems exist in harmony. The reality is somewhat less idyllic, and recent changes to government environmental policy, such as a reversal of the ban on oil and gas exploration, and an increase in mineral mining permits, are viewed as posing a significant risk not only to the climate, but also to the country’s green credentials.
Could clean technology solutions, or cleantech, help get us back on track? Global consulting group BCG thinks so. Its Auckland team recently identified five high-value sectors in which, they say, New Zealand could play a leading role. In number three spot is technology that supports the global energy transition.
This assessment is undoubtedly influenced by the vibrancy of our growing cleantech sector. A 2024 report from the New Zealand Cleantech Mission identified 135 companies working in the sector, with each one tackling challenges as diverse as making fusion energy a reality, to decarbonising concrete. But underlying these success stories is some uncertainty, with the decision to disestablish Callaghan Innovation causing ripples across the cleantech sector.
Between 80 and 150 billion items of clothing are now produced each year: that’s more than 10 items for every person on Earth. Worryingly, a growing proportion of these textiles find their way to landfill, releasing greenhouse gases and wasting valuable resources.
Wellington company UsedFULLY is taking a novel approach to tackling this problem. Working in partnership with Scion, it developed a solvent-free process that can turn textile waste into high-value materials. And the team is turning their attention to a global market.
“Textile waste is a material science issue,” says engineer Deborah Crowe, Business Strategist at UsedFULLY.
“People get caught up in the idea that circularity means a product needs to be turned back into itself. We go down to the raw resources, then use those to make something new. The solution is not always a closed loop, it can be a spiral.”
The fibres within consumer textiles are typically cellulose (for example, cotton), petroleum-based (polyester) or proteins (wool), with many textiles using a mix of fibres. UsedFULLY’s technology was initially developed by Scion to recover cellulose from waste timber. It can now process blended fibres, and produce materials ready for use in roading or construction projects.
“New Zealand imports a cellulose fibre from Europe as an asphalt additive for our roads,” says Deborah.
Successful lab tests replacing that cellulose with fibres produced from waste cotton t-shirts led to a real-world roading trial. A small section of The Terrace in Wellington was successfully resurfaced, incorporating the UsedFULLY product.
“And we’ve since discovered that polycotton fibres perform just as well as cotton, sometimes better. It’s exciting because polycotton is probably our largest waste stream.”
Despite this success, Deborah admits that UsedFULLY has had to pivot several times in response to changing –and challenging – economic environments.
“It takes a lot of capex to get cleantech solutions up and running, and that’s proven to be really difficult in New Zealand. We’ve had to accept that our first plant is not going to be built here.”
Instead, they’ve exclusively licensed their technology with Scion, and are looking to Europe and Australia, where textile recycling is not a niche idea, but a mature one that’s having real impact. “It’s one thing to have the technology,” says Deborah. “You need the market forces and policy drivers too. That’s not currently the case here, so we have to be pragmatic and go where the pull is.”
Another innovative cleantech company turning waste into value is Aspiring Materials. From its base in Christchurch, it produces multiple critical minerals and essential materials from one commonplace rock, leaving no harmful waste behind.
Below: Olivine-rich rock is found in abundance throughout the world and is currently used as roading aggregate in New Zealand.
“We start with magnesium silicate-based rocks like olivine, and digest it in acid to turn it into a sort of elemental soup,” says Lead Chemical Engineer Dr Megan Danczyk. “Then we extract each of the elements as individual products.”
The products they extract have numerous industrial applications. For example, silica can be a partial replacement for Portland cement, and magnesium is used in everything from wastewater treatment to alloy manufacturing. Their nickel and cobalt products, which Megan admits were “challenging” to successfully extract from the rock, could find use in high-performance batteries, plus “a few other exciting things that we’re currently working on as R&D”.
At the end of the extraction process, what remains is a salty brine. This, Megan explains, “… goes to an electrolyser, which recycles and regenerates the acid we use for digestion and the base we use to separate the products”. This makes Aspiring Materials’ process a closed loop. “Unlike other mineral extraction processes, we’re using the whole rock.”
Olivine can be widely found across the globe in the upper part of the Earth’s crust, making it easily accessible. And it also exists above the ground, as piles of overburden on existing mining sites.
“In a lot of places, it is mining waste that we can process and turn into valuable, high-purity products,” says Megan.
In March, Aspiring Materials opened its first pilot plant in Bromley, Christchurch, and is already operating according to plan. At full capacity, it will process 250kg of olivine per day, producing industrial-grade magnesium, nickel-cobalt-manganese hydroxides and silica.
“Stage two of the pilot plant build will add on our recycle loop,” Megan explains. This will enable the production of green hydrogen, which could be used to reduce the carbon footprint of New Zealand-made fertilisers, or to produce cleaner shipping fuels.
The olivine is being sourced from the largest olivine producer in the United States, who Megan says produces it in huge quantities in a fine flour form.
“It’s high purity feedstock, but kind of a waste product for them.”
In the medium term, Aspiring Materials plans to expand to the States, with the first commercial plant in Washington State.
“We’re definitely keeping our R&D here in New Zealand,” she says, “and we think it’s also an excellent place to expand the business – we have port access, clean energy and feedstock. But it’s all dependent on funding.”
In a lot of places, it is mining waste that we can process and turn into valuable, high-purity products.
– Dr Megan Danczyk
On the other side of Ōtautahi Christchurch, you’ll find a cool cleantech company – Fabrum. Established in 2004, and home to more than 30 engineers, Fabrum develops game-changing cryogenic technologies and advanced composites that make it possible to produce and store gases such as hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen at such low temperatures, they become liquids.
“Fabrum started as a composites business,” says Chief Technology Officer Dr Neil Glasson CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ). The founders, working on superconductivity research, needed to store liquid nitrogen coolant, and requirements were tight.
“Making containment that is non-conductive, that survives the cold without breaking, and holds a vacuum for a long time is a challenging task. They managed to devise a composite that could do all that, and used it to make containers.”
What began as a scientific endeavour “… really matured into our product offering now”, Neil says.
“That capability is perfectly positioned for producing lightweight liquid hydrogen storage.”
The cryogenic technology came later, around 2014.
“Industrial Research Limited was working on advanced cryocoolers,” says Neil, who spent several years there.
“They patented it and then it came to Fabrum for commercialisation.”
Today, Fabrum’s cryocooler customers are scattered around the world, spanning a range of industries including medicine, aerospace, food and sustainable energy.
Neil, who oversees the company’s research and development, describes its work on hydrogen storage as “quite world beating”.
“The current technology is to use a metallic tank, because that’s better understood. But the main metric for anything aviation-related is weight. Only composite tanks can give you that lightweighting.” He says Fabrum is working with various aviation startups looking to carry hydrogen fuel on-board.
Alongside this, the company has developed a hydrogen
reliquefier that can be retrofitted onto liquid hydrogen storage facilities, and capture the boil-off gas.
“This is a world-first,” says Neil. “When you store liquid hydrogen, you have to vent some gas to maintain pressure. You might be venting up to 1 percent of the product per day. For large facilities, that loss becomes expensive.”
Fabrum is currently working with a customer in the United States who plans to install this system onto hundreds of their storage tanks. Before that can happen, the reliquefier will undergo factory acceptance tests with the customer present. For that, the team will use a unique containerised hydrogen testing facility that they built and unveiled at Christchurch Airport in February.
“Short term, our goal is to keep knocking our projects out of the park. Long term, we want to see our technology licensed and used more broadly. We’re a long way from most of our markets. So, if we want to scale our technology and make an impact on climate change, we’ll need to expand beyond New Zealand.”
In the 2024 Cleantech report, authors identified three major challenges facing New Zealand’s cleantech ecosystem: lack of investment, disconnect from international markets and need for collective growth. As these three cleantech companies show, such concerns are widely experienced across the sector. If we’re to truly be at the forefront of cleantech, those challenges will need to be overcome.
Photo: Jordan Siobhan/Valley Content
WRITER | KAITUHI LAURIE WINKLESS
The engineer who won the inaugural Prime Minister’s Space Prize for Professional Excellence was recognised not just for his space-related successes, but for the work he and his team do to support the next generation of engineers.
It was a friend’s father who first opened Robin McNeill MNZM FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ)’s eyes to the world of engineering during his childhood in Papakura in the 1960s.
“Back then, no one believed anyone in New Zealand could have anything to do with space. But here was Brian [Dr Brian Egan, who taught electrical engineering at the University of Auckland] who had worked at Peach Mountain Radio Telescope, and supported the Gemini missions. He had a profound influence on me, and my introduction to both engineering and amateur radio, both of which have played integral parts in my career development.”
And what a career it’s been to date. Robin’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Canterbury, and decades of expertise in telecommunications and renewable energy, have taken him to places including Tonga, Tokelau and Antarctica. Today, he is CEO of SpaceOps NZ, which provides vital communication links for satellites and an increasing range of other space missions, from their ground station at Awarua in Southland. He describes space operations
“ESA had been looking for a downrange telemetry station for their ATV [Automated Transfer Vehicle] launch campaigns –resupply missions to the International Space Station. Awarua met all their needs in terms of visibility of the trajectory, and honestly, they were surprised that there were people here in Invercargill who understood all their requirements, and could actually build their ground station.”
Because this work predated the establishment of the New Zealand Space Agency, Robin – who at the time was leading Venture Southland’s broadband programme – says he acted as “a defacto space agency for dealing with the Europeans”. The eventual success of the ATV missions thrust SpaceOps NZ into the view of the global space sector. Early on in their development, Robin got a call from “local Invercargill lad” Sir Peter Beck. The founder of Rocket Lab had customers who needed ground stations in New Zealand and he wondered if Awarua could accommodate them.
“The answer was ‘of course’. So Pete’s first customers were our first commercial customers too.” SpaceOps NZ has continued to grow ever since.
was a wonderful opportunity to get access to big antennas.” At Warkworth, SpaceOps NZ now works with Land Information New Zealand to precisely measure the changing location of the North Pole.
“This is critically important to the GPS service in keeping the internet working worldwide.”
The 30-metre dish allows them to look further – to the Moon, and beyond. Robin says they’re now working closely with the new generation of commercial lunar exploration companies, including Intuitive Machines, as well as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“The ambition is to support interplanetary spacecraft in the next few years.”
as “the Cinderella of the space business”. “We’re not very visible or obvious. People forget about ground stations until they go to space, and realise that without an antenna and communications link, their satellite is nothing more than a flying brick.”
SpaceOps’ facility, 11km outside Invercargill, has been gazing skyward since 2008, following the signing of an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA).
“Now, in the space community, you’ll find world maps that feature Awarua, but not Auckland or Wellington, which is quite cool,” Robin says.
In 2023, they extended their footprint. Auckland University of Technology had decided to cease radio astronomy operations at the Warkworth Satellite Earth Station.
“The site has a 30-metre antenna which belongs to Spark; a 12-metre antenna, and an incredibly accurate hydrogen maser clock,” says Robin.
“I was devastated for [AUT radio astronomy professor] Sergei Gulyaev, but it
At the end of 2024, Robin was awarded the inaugural Prime Minister’s Space Prize for Professional Excellence. It was not just for all his space-related successes, but for everything he and his team have been doing to support the next generation of engineers in Southland. He co-supervises PhD and master’s students with the University of Canterbury, employs undergraduate engineering students in summer jobs, and contributes to the Southland Youth Futures programme. Robin also organised a space camp with ESA for local students, and works hard to get space experts into schools in his area.
“I believe that as engineers, we have a responsibility to do this work,” he says.
“Kids start thinking about engineering at a fairly young age. They just need someone to light the spark.”
He continues: “We also want to ensure that our universities are producing engineers with the types of skills and interests that we need in this sector. That, coupled with the lack of money here in New Zealand for work like ours, is the biggest challenge we face.”
The project in numbers
Project timeline: October 2022 – January 2025
Water storage capacity: 200,000 litres
Main storage tanks: Six 30,000-litre tanks and three 10,000-litre tanks
Filter size: Two 3m by 2m commercial filters
Pipework installed: 3km around the site
How clever engineering has helped to deliver uninterrupted, upgraded seawater supply for vital marine research.
Perched on cliffs above the sea, the University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Laboratory has been operational since 1964. However, significant upgrades were needed to provide state-of-the-art aquariums, enabling greater research into ocean life, and the impacts of climate change, microplastics and pollution on the creatures living within it.
“The upgrade represented a fundamental shift in our infrastructure, with water management at its core,” says Boyd Taylor, Operations Manager at Leigh Marine Laboratory.
“The new network includes a sophisticated water delivery system with multiple ‘ring mains’ that now circulate ambient and temperature-controlled seawater throughout the facility.”
The brief from the University required a flexible workspace and a high degree of control over the environmental conditions. The University also needed to maintain continuous seawater flow to the existing research labs throughout construction. Many of the University’s experiments had been running for months or years and couldn’t tolerate interruptions.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our mechanical engineers,” says Grant Price, Director at Heatwave, the mechanical contracting company tasked with designing and delivering the engineering for this project. Grant says while “the seawater engineers” for the project, Beca, provided the main design, Heatwave provided sub-contractor design to make the elements work within the functional brief.
The project’s core involved pumping seawater over 20m up the cliff face, filtering it through specialised filtration systems and reticulating it to the research labs and tank farms. The team needed to replace an existing “spaghettilike” arrangement of low-grade PVC pipes with a robust cold and tempered water system, featuring commercialgrade filters and automated backwashing capabilities.
“At the start of this, it’s fair to say we were not seawater specialists,” explains Charlie Thomas, Project Engineer at Heatwave. “Ninety percent of the work was seawater related. Ten percent was our core expertise of HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning].”
Charlie says they undertook extensive research, including into the installation of similar systems in Australia.
The engineering design demanded precise calculations for polyethylene and PVC pipework, given the highly corrosive seawater environment.
“The black polyethylene pipes expand in the sunlight, so we also needed to account for that in our calculations,” says Charlie. In addition, unions or flanges were needed at 6m intervals along the pipework to allow for cleaning access. Seismic design was also included in the solution, ensuring that hangers for the pipework provided appropriate seismic restraint.
A critical engineering aspect was the redesigned filtration system, which now employs large pressure vessels with 3m by 2m media filters capable of removing particles greater than 10 microns – a significant improvement from the previous 200-micron baseline. The system features automated backwashing capabilities that eliminate manual intervention, particularly valuable during storms when clogging occurs.
“If a storm clogs up the system, it now backwashes more frequently. It senses that it needs to run a backwash cycle and flush the system out multiple times per day, rather than requiring a technician,” says Boyd.
Oskar Katai, Senior Engineer at Heatwave, led the 3D modelling, which proved crucial for fitting complex equipment onto small platforms and coordinating piping
with access requirements, including maintaining a helicopter landing site.
“Being a brand new, state-of-the-art facility, there was high demand from stakeholders to have everything looking top notch,” says Oskar.
“All pipework within the lab is exposed, so we had to colour match and integrate with other services –something that just can’t be shown on 2D.”
Three shore-based pumps now work in conjunction with two land-based pumps. The system now holds over 360,000 litres of seawater in storage on site, comprising of 180,000 litres in tanks and 180,000 litres in a tank, allowing for recirculation if the primary pumps fail.
“This greatly increases our resiliency, which is critical for our research continuity and animal welfare,” says Boyd.
The drainage system represents another engineering innovation, with separate channels for facility runoff and tank water. “We separate impurities in the recycled seawater from the tanks. Each has dedicated drains, with tank water being filtered before returning to the marine reserve, improving environmental protection,” says Boyd.
Control systems architecture provides remote monitoring and operation via networked interfaces and mobile applications. The system includes automated alerts for condition deviations, and enables remote pump control and troubleshooting.
Heatwave’s team agree the project’s success ultimately came down to collaboration between engineers, construction managers and tradespeople with decades of experience.
“We bounced ideas off each other through conversations internally with our site and install teams, talking to builders and sub-trades to come up with the most optimal solution,” says Charlie.
“For us, this project has been the essence and heart of engineering: problem-solving.”
“We’re immensely proud of the project,” says Grant. “We believe it’s central to the current discussions around the strength of New Zealand’s infrastructure. This is a great example of a quality infrastructure design at a leading research facility.”
Professor Conrad Pilditch, Director of the Marine Laboratory, says: “This infrastructure allows scientists to study marine organisms’ responses to various stressors with unprecedented precision.
“For its size, it’s a state-of-the-art facility, ranking as one of the most significant in New Zealand and comparable to international standards. The engineering innovations have provided a massive shot in the arm for marine research capabilities.”
Opposite: Specialist seawater filtration systems with sand/gravel media, and pipework/control system for filtration, backwashing and recirculation.
Above: Pipework and cabling from the seawater shore pump house at the base of the cliff. This pipework rises up the cliff, then reticulates around the perimeter of the site and into the filtration and tank farm areas.
Right: Durable, high-performance stainless steel-housed shore pumps which draw water from the pristine marine reserve at Goat Island up the cliff, into the filtration and tank farm area.
This infrastructure allows scientists to study marine organisms’ responses to various stressors with unprecedented precision.
– Professor Conrad Pilditch
Snapshot Just when you thought it was safe to go to a museum… here comes Jaws: The Exhibition, marking the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s film about a great white shark that terrorises the seaside town of Amity Island. Los Angeles’ Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will host the exhibition which includes original shark design schematics by design engineer Frank Wurmser. The Museum has housed the only surviving full-scale model of “Bruce the Shark” since 2021 and the 7.62m model will remain on view during the exhibition, which opens in September and runs until July 2026.
Tray-dec
Nelson Stud Welding 09 820 9133 sales@nelsonstud.co.nz
The recent rapid emergence of AI agents or “agentic AI” – artificial intelligence systems that autonomously reason, adapt and execute tasks – has significantly reshaped the role of Generative AI in professional engineering. These developments aren’t merely incremental improvements, they represent profound technical shifts in engineering practices.
Agentic AI distinguishes itself from prior technologies by integrating adaptive reasoning processes and the ability to carry out long instructions. It doesn’t merely automate predefined tasks, it autonomously evaluates inputs, formulates logical approaches and executes solutions effectively. Processes previously demanding extensive manual effort such as detailed documentation, comprehensive data analysis, or evaluating and reviewing design options, are now rapidly executed by AI-driven tools with continuously improving accuracy.
As a civil engineer, I’m genuinely impressed by how quickly Generative AI has evolved to deliver accuracy and quality. I believe AI agents will soon become essential across engineering disciplines. As designer and facilitator of Engineering New Zealand’s full-day CPD course “Exploring the power of Generative AI” I show attendees how to automate engineering tasks that were previously so complex and reliant on engineering judgement that they were un-automatable. With the improvements in AI’s mathematical and coding abilities, AI agents can now serve as technical
collaborators for human engineers. I give people the practical skills to create and customise these tools. The in-person course contains a practical session where attendees identify a work task they’d like to automate, then they create a powerful AI agent to do this. For example:
Design verification – using an AI agent to automatically assess designs against, for example, NZ4121, Auckland Transport’s design guidance, and other relevant standards.
Road safety audits – as AI tools are used to rapidly evaluate road designs, using an agent to identify and flag critical safety issues such as inadequate signage or unsafe pedestrian pathways.
NZS 3910 contract writing – getting an AI agent to automatically create an NZS 3910 contract based on the request for tender/request for proposal and scope documents.
Other technical applications created on the course involve automatic generation of analytics dashboards, cost estimates derived from initial project descriptions, asset management plans, and sophisticated environmental data summarisation. Essentially, AI is well-suited to enhance efficiency in any data-intensive engineering task.
AI agents don’t replace traditional verification processes and human accountability. Engineers do raise a number of concerns regarding AI, such as whether AI will eliminate graduate engineering jobs. Unlikely. In fact, AI agents can lift the performance of more
junior staff and for the curious, accelerate their learning. The senior engineer’s role will evolve, focusing increasingly on oversight, guidance and strategic integration of AI technologies.
Engineers are also concerned about whether AI is secure for sensitive data. Yes, with the right tools. You must always know the privacy and data sovereignty of the system you are using. I often advise organisations on which company-wide “Enterprise AI” tool to provide for staff. Engineers also raise questions around prompt engineering. Almost all current Generative AI technologies now use reasoning capabilities and so the AI will work out what is most likely the best objective to meet, so prompt engineering skills are less essential.
Soon there will be thousands of AI agents that engineers can use, with many available for free. In the interests of accuracy, I strongly recommend that organisations create their own, building in their own experience, intellectual property, lessons learnt and client requirements.
The launch of AI-powered chatbot DeepSeek started this transformation towards AI agents. In 2024, it was fine to ignore AI but in 2025, engineers proactively integrating these technical capabilities will establish a new benchmark of productivity, fees and quality.
Matt Ensor MEngNZ is the founder of Kia Ora AI.
Find out more about CPD courses at bit.ly/engineeringnz-learn
BEETHAM CMEngNZ CPEng / D r CHARLOTTE TOMA MEngNZ
A look at the impact of digital transformation on the built environment industry now, and into the future.
Structural engineers in New Zealand are facing significant challenges, with a sizeable infrastructure deficit, economic headwinds, significant natural hazards and a climate emergency. Digital transformation presents an opportunity to equip the engineering and construction industry to address these challenges, driving efficiency, innovation, coordination and quality. Connected design, construction and operations can support the industry to imagine, create and build the structures and cities of tomorrow.
At the biennial Structural Engineering Society (SESOC) conference in Wellington in June, a panel with representatives from the architecture, advisory, construction and research sectors will explore aspects of the impact of digital transformation on the built environment industry.
Alex Hampshire of WT Partners took a whole-of-life approach to the digital delivery of the Heke Rua Archives project. The project team brought its wide range of skills in building operations, facilities management, sustainability and design to ensure the country’s new Archives building was constructed with a holistic view for long-term, resilient operations over the building’s lifecycle. The development pioneered the use of digital twin technology to capture construction documentation. The digital twin will ultimately be used as an operational system to manage the building and its
assets, improving the owner’s asset and facilities management maturity.
HERA is leading a range of projects focused on AI applications for quality management, compliance monitoring, inspections and circular design. CEO Dr Troy Coyle is Impact Leader for the $10.3 million Endeavour supported research project focused on Construction 4.0. She believes the application of AI for automation of consenting and monitoring processes has huge potential to revolutionise the industry. Current processes are slow, inconsistent, prone to human error, and can cause delays and add cost during construction. The potential needs to be cautiously weighed against the risks. Rigorous testing and validation of automation will be essential prior to adoption. Troy will discuss how the HERA research programme will focus on implementing digital technologies while improving quality and consistency.
Construction company Naylor Love is moving to digital-by-default construction, which means defaulting to a practical and accessible digital approach. Modern Methods of Construction Manager Ben Wanklyn is passionate about unlocking efficiencies by acting as a connector between designers and builders. Naylor Love employs simple, user-friendly digital tools such as Cupix, cmBuilder and Revizto to make a real difference in construction. Ben finds that a digital-by-default approach is helping project teams collaborate, reduce administration, track progress and improve construction monitoring, while
not overcomplicating the process, nor scaring people away.
Widely adopted in the building and construction industry, BIM provides a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a building and can be leveraged to enhance collaboration, improve accuracy and reduce costs through better project visualisation, planning and early coordination. Anton Shaw, Automation Lead at architecture firm Warren and Mahoney, is a leader and trailblazer in the built environment sector, driving innovation, collaboration and efficiencies through the application of digital technologies and automation. He says having the right team with the right digital strategy is key to why complex and technical projects like Archives New Zealand are getting delivered on time and on budget.
Implementing digital change presents a challenge and an opportunity. To successfully adopt digital technologies, we need to address challenges such as quality, risk management, skills training and initial investment. Embracing digital transformation while understanding the inherent risks and challenges will set up the structural engineering community to transform to successfully meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Tessa Beetham CMEngNZ CPEng and Dr Charlotte Toma MEngNZ are Organising Chairs of sesoc2025.com
The design of warehouses poses unique challenges for engineers, so a new upskilling programme is aimed at ensuring consistency, safety and quality in warehouse construction.
Te Ao Rangahau has launched a nationwide initiative to enhance engineers’ competency in warehouse design. It stems from the 2023 Warehouse Review which identified critical areas for improvement in structural resilience, seismic performance and regulatory compliance. The initiative aims to align designs with the Building Act, standardise Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) competency expectations, and provide practical guidance through structured training and resources.
New Zealand’s Building Act mandates that all structures meet stringent safety and performance criteria. Due to their large open spaces and reliance on structural integrity, warehouses pose unique challenges. The Warehouse Review found inconsistencies in design practices that resulted in vulnerabilities, particularly following a load path and earthquake resilience. This initiative seeks to bridge these gaps, ensuring warehouse designs meet regulatory requirements and enhance public safety. Here's an overview of why we’re doing this, and what outcomes we expect.
Regulatory consistency for CPEng CPEng applicants and assessors have observed variations in warehouse design
assessment. This initiative will establish clear benchmarks for competency assessments, ensuring uniformity and fairness in CPEng assessment by providing examples of good practice.
Practical education for engineers
Many engineers lack access to free, current, practical warehouse design guidance. This initiative will deliver structured learning through bulletins and training courses, providing essential design knowledge from first principles.
The upskilling programme will be delivered in phases, with bulletins released bimonthly from 2025–2027. Each bulletin will address key warehouse design aspects, combining theoretical knowledge with practical applications. Resources will feature sketches, design principles, common pitfalls and best practice tips. Key topics include portal or transverse frames, bracing or longitudinal frames, baseplates and foundations, mezzanine floors and design eccentricities.
One expected outcome of this work is that warehouses designed using the principles outlined in this initiative will exhibit improved seismic resilience and overall structural performance. This will lead to safer working environments and better protection of stored goods and infrastructure.
Standardised competency expectations will ensure that all engineers seeking CPEng certification demonstrate a consistent skill level. This will improve the credibility of the CPEng designation and support a uniform approach to warehouse design assessments.
The bulletins will be compiled into a practical warehouse design guide for engineers at all career stages. This will foster continuous learning and knowledge retention within the profession.
The dissemination of these bulletins through Engineering New Zealand’s channels and via the Structural Engineering Society of New Zealand’s journal will encourage the widespread adoption of best practices across the industry. By improving engineers’ knowledge, the initiative will contribute to safer, more reliable structures in Aotearoa.
This initiative represents a step forward in ensuring consistency, safety and quality in warehouse construction. It will enhance engineering practices by addressing educational gaps while supporting public safety and professionalism. As bulletins are released and the final guide compiled, engineers will be better equipped to design robust warehouses that meet modern challenges and regulatory standards.
Martin Pratchett CMEngNZ CPEng is Engineering Practice Manager at Te Ao Rangahau.
DIANNE PATRICK
Across the business at Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau, we support your voice in many ways. The focus of this column is on our government advocacy, whereby we use engineering skills and experience to positively influence the direction of key public issues. We are becoming increasingly proactive in our approach by joining the conversation on key public issues early. We do this by bringing evidence and solutions to ministers and officials and by getting engineers on government steering and working groups. Here's a roundup of where we’re prioritising proactive advocacy.
Infrastructure – getting work to market more quickly
We welcome the Government’s commitment to infrastructure investment and reform. However, we know that systemic change takes time, and we are advocating to ministers and officials for immediate action. The slow, variable pace of infrastructure work coming to market is impacting on jobs, and we are losing a much-needed skilled workforce. We are stressing that government agencies need to prioritise and bring forward renewal and maintenance work and break out early works packages from major projects and get these to market quickly. We are also advocating for the Government to actively measure project spend against the infrastructure pipeline to better understand the flow of money into the sector.
Building systems reform – engineering a building system that delivers for Aotearoa Te Ao Rangahau has long advocated on opportunities to enhance the building system and better support the great work of those trying to make progress within current system constraints. While the Government is considering reform, it's timely for us to ensure we bring all our knowledge and expertise to the table. See our position statement on our website for a summary of our views.
The release of Engineering workforce long-term skills shortage: Action Plan 2025
Our recently released action plan developed in collaboration with Waihanga Ara Rau and ACE New Zealand (the Association of Consulting and Engineering) aims to raise awareness of current challenges, actions already underway and planned further work. The plan notes the great mahi of others addressing workforce challenges, but calls for an increasing focus from government and industry on this collective issue of concern.
Submissions, in response to government proposals and draft legislation, continue to be an important advocacy tool, often supplemented with strategies such as partnering with other industry advocates to strengthen our collective voice. Find out more at engineeringnz.org
Dianne Patrick is Acting General Manager, Policy and Advocacy at Te Ao Rangahau.
Test your knowledge around the lunch table. (It’ll pay to read through EG first if you want full marks.)
1. From which language is the word “engineer” derived?
2. Engineering New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Richard Templer FEngNZ has a PhD in which engineering discipline?
*3. The Flower Dome at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay is the world’s largest what?
4. Kiwi physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford, famous for splitting the atom, won the 1908 Nobel Prize in which field?
5. To the nearest $5,000, what is the median total fixed remuneration (across all career stages) reported by 1,564 respondents in the 2024 Remuneration Survey? A) $125,000 B) $145,000 C) $165,000
6. The Signals NZ User Group (SNUG) operates under which larger Technical Interest Group?
*7. Robin McNeill MNZM FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) was the first recipient of what prestigious accolade in late 2024?
8. Engineering New Zealand is the Registration Authority for engineers under what Act?
*9. What’s the total length of pipework installed around University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Laboratory? A) 3km B) 6km C) 9km
10. Approximately how many young Kiwis have been inspired by the Wonder Project – Engineering New Zealand’s free schools programme? (A) 1,400 (B) 14,000 (C) 140,000
*This issue of EG holds the answer you’re after – hunt around and get reading!
Got a question that’ll leave your peers stumped? Submit it to egquiz@engineeringnz.org
JOHN GARDINER FEngNZ
While some of the technology behind railway engineering and operations has been around for many years, the sector continues to evolve to address challenges including decarbonisation, digitisation, asset management and safety, and the risks of climate change.
Rail engineering and technology is one of the earliest of the industrial era engineering disciplines. Though steel wheels on steel rails still form the core – and deceptively simple –technology, railway engineering and operation continue to embrace modern technologies across a broad range of engineering and other disciplines. This includes an ever-improving understanding of the interface between wheel and rail to reduce wear and improve performance. This continues to improve efficiency and productivity as well as helping operators meet the changing requirements of the freight and passenger market. Additional challenges arise from the long life of the assets. For example, some bridges on the New Zealand network date back to the Vogel era of the 1870s, and decisions made now will influence performance for generations.
Improving productivity
One of the key aspects of rail economics, particularly in freight, is the need for larger and heavier trains to improve operating and asset productivity. Engineering has delivered this through
a range of technologies and asset management practices both “above the rail” and “below the rail”.
Starting at the head of the train, locomotive productivity has been achieved through locomotive designs including technologies to improve tractive effort (grip) using sophisticated software systems which control and optimise wheel slip (the low rolling resistance that makes for energy efficiency also provides a limit on the tractive forces), as well as the use of AC traction motors.
Train capacity has been progressively increased by metallurgical and design improvements. They have increased the capacity of drawgear and vehicles to take the significant longitudinal forces arising from the traction and braking as well as
transient loads set up by the complex interactions of vehicle mass and up and down grades. These improvements have been assisted by technologies which provide guidance to the driver about optimum driving patterns which also reduce energy consumption, and in some cases provide automation of the train.
Operating productivity is also improved with higher axle loads. This involves both the wagon and track structure and formations (including bridges) to be able to take the point loads imposed, particularly in the steel-to-steel interface between the wheels and rails. New vehicles and structures can be designed to take the loads – existing structures need considered structural analysis to provide safe uprating of capacity.
Rail is the safest of land transport modes, but expectations are high and with little or no tolerance from public and regulators to accidents (compared with the tolerance often extended to road operators). One of the biggest gains has come from improvements in signalling technology. First generation signals relied on the driver observing and acting on visual commands such as red lights (as does most road transport today). Progressively, this human interface is being minimised by direct use of the signal commands to control the train or override the driver if they fail to action the command. One of the latest technologies is the European Train Control System, known as ETCS, a standard for train control that integrates line side and cab equipment. KiwiRail and local metro operators are introducing the system for equipment used in higher density routes in areas such as Auckland. Challenges remain in lowering the risks where rail and cars and pedestrians meet.
Digitisation of infrastructure, in particular signalling and communications with a systems engineering approach, have improved safety outcomes as well as operational management with an increased ability to manage complex networks and rapidly respond to incidents and keep people informed through realtime information delivery. The Internet of Things and other technologies have opened the extension of the integrated digital world to locomotives and rolling stock.
The next step is the use of AI. Like all parts of the economy, rail recognises the potential value of AI and the sector is now working through how to apply the data from the digital rail world to assist with, and even make, decisions.
The use of digital twins is becoming increasingly established, with realtime examples giving project sponsors confidence in the value of investing in the upfront costs being returned through reduced project risk and lifecycle asset management.
Delivering productivity improvements and major projects requires competent engineers with current knowledge and understanding to design, build and manage these assets, accessing and applying local and international knowledge to each operation.
The Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA), a joint technical group of Engineers Australia and Engineering New Zealand members, provides a mechanism for sharing and developing this knowledge. Since 1981 the RTSA has organised a biennial conference on railway engineering and operational topics. Known as CORE (Conference on Railway Excellence) it is the only conference in the region that provides peer reviewed papers covering all aspects of railway engineering, technology and management. Once presented, all papers go into the Rail Knowledge Bank, a website that contains significant content covering all aspects of railway engineering practice. CORE 2025 will be hosted in Auckland in
August, giving New Zealand’s railway industry the opportunity to showcase achievements and to access the latest in rail engineering and management. The theme is Kaitiaki – Guarding the Future, reflecting the location of the conference, plus the guardianship rail engineers have over rail as a transport solution – sometimes in the light of political and governance indifference.
CORE 2025 received 155 abstracts for consideration, with 90 accepted, 21 reserves and 13 selected as posters. The papers selected provide a good coverage of academic research and applied research and practice, with many New Zealand papers making the cut. The themes emerging include the decarbonisation of rail, implementation of digital tools in projects, maximising life and capacity of existing assets, mitigation of and management of extreme weather events, improving rail safety through improved risk analysis and safety systems. Keynote speeches cover insights from a leading rail freight custome, innovations in track infrastructure and AI.
Rail represents a significant part of the solution to the world’s climate change challenge. The low rolling resistance of steel on steel is the most fuel efficient (and hence the lowest CO2 emissions) of land-based transport. Rail, like all forms of transport, is currently working through the options to decarbonise the sources of traction through a mix of hybrid energy sources, battery, hydrogen and direct electrification through overhead. What is becoming apparent is that there is no global solution, and specific solutions are likely to be very nation- and route-specific. What is also clear is there are many equipment supply companies pushing
their particular technologies – a challenge for engineers to keep analysis to the fore in the face of sales pitches to management. However, rail – like all land-based infrastructure – is subject to the impact of more frequent and intensive weather events and higher sea levels. A lot of effort is being put into making routes more resilient by reducing the risk of landslips near rail routes and improving storm driven water flows near railway embankments and structures.
John Gardiner FEngNZ, Managing Director of Building Confidence Ltd, is Chair of CORE 2025.
As a Relationship Manager with Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Council for the Construction and Infrastructure sector, Kat Ricketts acts as a conduit between the construction and tertiary education sectors to deliver the future workforce that New Zealand needs. Kat’s career has spanned the oil and gas sector, construction and education. In addition to serving on the National Council for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), she is also an active member of the NZ Certified Builders Apprentice Trust and owns BR Commercial Flooring.
How do you work with engineers in your role?
Waihanga Ara Rau along with Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau and ACE New Zealand have recently delivered the Engineering workforce long-term skills shortage: Action Plan 2025
This plan has been developed to address the long-term skills shortage the engineering profession is facing. New Zealand is estimated to need between 1,500 and 2,300 additional engineers each year to meet industry demands and support ongoing economic growth.
How does your work impact on engineers?
This research says that of the 3,400 people starting tertiary study engineering each year, only 855 remain in core engineering roles two years after graduation. Without enough engineers, the personal impact on those who stay can be significant. They face increased pressure to meet deadlines, leading to higher stress levels,
worse mental health outcomes and potential burnout. The lack of adequate support can diminish job satisfaction and morale, making it harder to retain talent. Over time, this imbalance can create a vicious cycle where overworked engineers leave, further exacerbating the shortage and making it even more challenging for those who stay. This action plan sets out how our three entities are working together to address the long-term engineering skills shortage challenges New Zealand is facing. This will continue to be a long-term problem unless there is systemic change as discussed in this report.
What are some key observations you’d make after working with engineers?
New Zealand cannot address our infrastructure deficit, drive innovation-led economic growth, or meet our climate change responsibilities without engineers. We will also be unable to deliver and maintain the infrastructure we need.
What do engineers all seem to do so well?
Systematic thinking – the people I have worked with broke down complex problems into manageable parts and found logical and often very elegant solutions. I appreciated the no-nonsense communication. Cutting the “fluff” ensured that discussions remained focused on solutions and feasibility.
What do you wish people understood better about your role?
The engineering profession and workforce is incredibly important for this country’s development and contributes around five
Kat Ricketts
Role: Relationship Manager, Waihanga Ara Rau
Based in: Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Wellington
Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of Otago, 2007; Certificate in Te Reo (Reo Rua) (L1), Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, 2009; New Zealand Certificate in Carpentry (L4), BCITO, 2023
percent of the Gross Domestic Product. This is in jeopardy and the problem of workforce shortages is compounding. Engineering New Zealand, Waihanga Ara Rau and ACE New Zealand will continue to work collaboratively and report on this pressing issue. We will also continue to reach out to others undertaking work in this space, so we can together develop a systemic approach that is coordinated and effective. We have a range of recommendations from the Action Plan that are well underway and a number of future initiatives to support and increase the number of engineers in Aotearoa. But, the causes of this skills shortage are complex and multifaceted. Addressing the workforce challenges we are facing will require collaboration between professional associations, the government, the education sector and industry.
While employment agreements are crucial and a legal requirement, it’s not necessarily easy to understand the distinction between types of employees. Similarly, given the scale and pace of the Government’s proposed changes to employment law, it hasn’t been easy to keep up here either. Here’s an introduction to both areas.
Every employee must have a written employment agreement that clearly states, among other things, if an employee is permanent, part time or casual. Permanent employees are engaged on an ongoing basis and can be full time or part time. There is no specified end date to the employment, and an employee can terminate the agreement by following the process specified in the employment agreement or otherwise as agreed between the parties. Usually, an employer can only terminate the agreement after following a thorough and fair disciplinary, performance or redundancy process.
A fixed-term employee is engaged for a period of time that concludes either on a specific date or when a specific event occurs, for example when another employee comes back from parental leave.
A casual employee may accept or decline work as it is offered by an employer. While they have no right to ongoing work, nor can an employer require they work on certain dates or times. While the advantage here is the flexibility offered to both parties, it is not a good option for an employer or employee who needs certainty.
All three types of employees have rights to holidays, sick leave, rest and meal breaks and more, and are able to raise a personal grievance.
Employment law is never static and the current Government has indicated it would like to introduce a raft of changes during its term. In relation to personal grievances, these include: Introducing an income threshold of $180,000 for raising personal grievances. This figure will be adjusted annually based on Statistics New Zealand data and is estimated to capture 3.5 percent of the workforce. Employees above this threshold could “opt in” or negotiate other options. Changes to personal grievance remedies. This proposal includes reducing the remedies available for employees who have contributed to the issue/s giving rise to the grievance, leaving them ineligible for reinstatement or compensation for hurt and humiliation.
Employees who have committed serious misconduct would not be eligible for any remedies either.
These proposals are only at the policy stage; however, if they become law, they represent substantial change to the personal grievance regime. The Government has indicated it will introduce a bill this year to introduce these changes. The Government has also set out a proposal to introduce a four-part test to the Employment Relations Act to clarify
if a person is an employee or a contractor. Currently, the only method for determining this is via the Courts.
The Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill is currently passing through the House. In its current form, it proposes that employers and employees could mutually agree to a negotiated exit settlement bringing the employment relationship to an end. This is in stark contrast to the current state, where such a situation is not contemplated by the Employment Relations Act.
Additionally, the Government has indicated its intention to reform the Holidays Act by the end of its current term. Based on the Minister’s comments, any changes will be comprehensive, representing an overhaul of the regime.
The Government has indicated its intent to introduce an Amendment Bill this year in relation to the proposed personal grievance changes and clarity around contractors. While changes to the Holidays Act have been proposed by successive governments, none have been implemented. It will be interesting to see what happens here, and whether changes will finally come into effect. For specific guidance, it’s best to seek tailored legal advice, or go to employment.govt.nz
Gina Ronald is a Legal Advisor at Te Ao Rangahau.
Do you want to minimise your impact on the climate but need a starting point? These nine achievable actions will help you influence decision making and work with your team on innovative solutions.
From taking steps like repurposing existing resources to presenting lower carbon options and preventing what is preventable, you’ll be ready to lead the way to a healthier, climate-resilient Aotearoa.
Explore nine actions today engineeringnz.org/climateactions
50 Inside job
52 Secret life of engineers
51 Inside job
52 Leading questions
56 Bedside table
53 Return on involvement
57 Preview
54 Secret life of engineers
58 Leading questions
56 Bedside table
59 Obituaries
57 One to watch
60 Engineering genius
59 Obituaries
60 Engineering genius
Role: Senior Principal Engineer
Based in: Tāhuna Queenstown
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) University of Canterbury, 1987
I describe my role to non-engineers as… designing and implementing unusual things in difficult, remote places.
The part of my job that always surprises people is… the subtlety and underlying complexity involved in design. There are so many interrelated, sometimes competing, requirements. Frequently we have to develop designs for structures that can be prefabricated in modules “Ikea style”, then transported by helicopter and assembled rapidly in a remote location. Yet the structure needs to resist wind, snow, freezing and still be serviceable and durable.
The best thing I’ve introduced at my workplace is… humour! Workplaces just take themselves too seriously sometimes. Work should be fun, that’s why we do it. I try to make our work thorough, correct but also fun. I have just looked at an earlier drawing I prepared of a structure in a remote site in Fiordland. The drawing has pterodactyls cut and pasted flying in the background. This doesn’t detract from the design and it makes the drawing more interesting.
In my role, I always challenge… preconceived notions. I try to ask: “Why are we building this? How could we achieve the same outcome, and what outcome do we want?” It’s too easy to implement something we have done before rather than looking at the bigger picture.
At work, I’ve never been afraid to… question the project objectives.
In the past year, I’ve pushed boundaries by… questioning what our clients have first asked for. Often clients will bring
a preconceived solution that they want us to implement. Sometimes there are better ways to achieve the result, and blindly following instructions can lead to a perilous path.
I admire engineers who… are able to develop simple, elegant solutions to complex multifactorial problems. This may be as simple as an effective snow-proof door latch, but it also extends to the most effective bridge type in a difficult location.
At school, teachers always described me as… questioning. I recall hating getting an incomplete or insufficient answer.
My luckiest break was… being able to move to Queenstown and consequently chase engineering work in the surrounding alpine environments.
The bravest thing I’ve done to get where I am today… was moving around a lot to accumulate a variety of experience. I spent a year at a site in the Papua New Guinea highlands which had no access by road, followed by work in the middle of Hong Kong.
Best career advice I’ve received was… learn to write succinctly and clearly.
I’d advise other people interested in my type of role to… be passionate about all facets of the job. I need to be passionate about, and understand, the alpine environment, but also enthusiastic about working with our team, working with the client’s team and understanding the client’s business. Also, you need to be keen on the technical aspects of the project such as problem solving, drawing, numerical analysis and writing.
3 things I love about my job:
I have the most interesting job I can imagine – we have variety and are involved with structures like chairlifts, mountain huts and remote bridges.
Our work locations are magnificent. I work on jobs literally on the tops of mountains, at ski areas or other inaccessible back country sites. Some days I ski as part of work, other days I helicopter to remote mountain sites. What could be better? The issues to solve are always multifactorial, complex and subtle. It’s fulfilling to see the solutions that you have developed, finally implemented. Every day we deal with challenges like: “How do I detail this building to resist 300km/h wind, keep out wind-driven snow, resist cyclic freeze thaw conditions but also be able to be modularised and transportable by helicopter, and meet user requirements?”
2 reasons why I chose to study engineering:
As a kid I was always building things and taking machines apart. There was never any doubt that I was going to do engineering.
I love subtlety of design. Developing tricky details, novel approaches and incorporation of the solutions into a single, simple (and sometimes elegant…) solution.
1 thing I wouldn’t change about my workday:
Variety! I have a constant flow of highly varied and really interesting things to deal with.
Melanie Muirson FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) is passionate about road safety and the impact the engineering profession can have on reducing trauma on transport networks. She leads a team of technical engineering experts across the country, having previously led road safety professionals here and in Australia. She has almost 30 years’ experience in road and active modes safety and traffic engineering, resilience and emergency response, and temporary traffic management, working on infrastructure and network maintenance contracts and capital projects on both sides of the Tasman. Through lifeline projects, she’s developed an interest in resilient infrastructure that can be safely and rapidly reinstated after a disaster. She's involved with specialist industry safety and temporary traffic management groups, including the Australasian College of Road Safety’s New Zealand Chapter committee, and has served on local and national committees for Engineering New Zealand’s Transportation Group.
What attributes make you a good leader?
I prefer to lead by example. Whether it is being part of the technical team to get projects delivered, providing support to the team through mentoring and training, or simply being available to listen. Being present and approachable for all team members is important and was one of the characteristics I valued most as a graduate engineer.
At the end of each day, what tells you whether you’ve been successful?
Knowing I have made a difference, no matter how small it may seem. This can be helping a client solve a problem or supporting my colleagues at work.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
I come from a family of builders and architects dating back several generations. I grew up surrounded by plans and going to sites with my father at the weekends. Interestingly, Dad encouraged me to do engineering over architecture as he thought it would provide more opportunities (which it certainly has).
Who opened a key door for you?
I’m very grateful for the support of many people over the course of my career. Marten Oppenhuis has been a mentor of mine for many years, providing constructive feedback, sharing his technical knowledge and passion for transportation engineering, and encouraging me to be an active contributor to the industry.
How do you connect your work with a sense of greater good?
Throughout my career I've been driven to reduce the trauma for all road users by providing safe and legible infrastructure. We need to understand the end user and how they will interpret our designs. If we can prevent fatal and serious injuries so people can return home at the end of the day, that sense of purpose is more than enough.
What mistake have you learned from most?
There are many! Realising as a young engineer that one may not always agree with the people that we encounter through our work and projects. However, understanding and respecting that others have differing drivers and points of view has helped me manage conflict situations.
Role: Technical Practices Leader –Transportation and Senior Principal Transportation Engineer, Stantec NZ
Based in: Ōtautahi Christchurch Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) University of Canterbury, 1996; Master of Engineering (Transportation), University of Canterbury, 2006
How do you approach a difficult conversation with someone you lead?
With compassion, the ability to listen and an open mind. It’s important to understand the person’s perspective and articulate clearly the issues as we work together to find a resolution or compromise.
Who is a leader in Aotearoa you admire?
Sir Peter Blake, for his dogged determination to become one of the world’s greatest sailors. He inspired his teams to achieve success on an international scale we hadn't seen before in New Zealand, showcasing our world-leading technology and skilled people. Beyond sailing, his passion and enthusiasm for the environment lives on.
What key question have you been asking yourself lately?
How can we continue to maintain and improve safety for all road users on our transport networks within a new infrastructure investment framework?
The winner of a new Engineering New Zealand Foundation award recognising voluntary work reflects on a journey of service that began as a child, and will continue as he spends his prize money.
“I was genuinely surprised,” says Christchurch’s Andrew Lamb MEngNZ, the inaugural recipient of the Francis Small Award, presented by the Engineering New Zealand Foundation in recognition of outstanding voluntary service to the profession. He was volunteering when he got the phone call bearing the good news.
“There are so many volunteers out there doing great work – many equally or more deserving. But as the news sank in, I started hearing from people I’d worked with over the years, sharing memories of how I’d encouraged, supported or influenced them. That meant a lot.”
With more than 15 years of voluntary contributions to the profession, from post-quake leadership in Canterbury, to mentoring and committee work, Andrew has been recognised as embodying the award’s spirit of service.
Volunteering is second nature to him –he grew up in a family where service was part of daily life.
“Mum and Dad were both heavily involved – school boards, church committees, local causes. My brothers and I just followed their lead. It felt natural.”
That sense of community found new meaning when Andrew reconnected with Engineering New Zealand after working overseas.
“As a product design engineer with few Engineering New Zealand member peers at the time, I often felt a bit isolated.
Volunteering opened up a much broader network – civil, structural, electrical – and that diversity of thinking and connection was energising.”
His dedication as a volunteer was perhaps most evident following the Canterbury earthquakes. As Engineering New Zealand Canterbury Branch Chair, Andrew played a key role coordinating local engineers and liaising with the Engineering New Zealand office in Wellington. He advocated for members, pushed for communication during a critical period and even built the first version of the urban search and rescue database on his work computer.
“It was incredibly challenging,” he says, “but also so rewarding. Helping shape the local response, organising events and seeing members share knowledge and support each other – that’s when I saw the real impact of volunteering.”
He's quick to point out that volunteering isn’t about personal recognition or profile.
“It’s never been about me,” he says. “But I’ve realised it has shaped my career in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve met people I wouldn’t have otherwise, developed skills and discovered new interests. Sometimes it’s helped me feel grounded through life’s ups and downs. That broader connection to the profession really matters to me.”
Through his work with the Canterbury Branch, the University of Canterbury’s Industry Advisory Board and creating more than 200 Branch events, Andrew has helped pave the way for others.
“I’ve always said: design the events you want to attend. That’s the joy of it –creating something meaningful, alongside people you respect.”
As for his advice to other engineers wondering how to find the time to volunteer: “We make time for what we value. It doesn’t need to be a massive commitment – just find something that aligns with your skills or interests. Start small. Go to a local branch meeting. Help organise one event.”
And to employers or managers concerned about the time volunteering takes, Andrew suggests the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
“It’s an opportunity for staff to develop a wider range of skills that support their personal and career development.”
Beyond engineering, Andrew has contributed to his community through sports teams, environmental projects and, more recently, the local MenzShed and grassroots efforts like salvaging timber from an earthquake-damaged church and distributing it to local charities. He says the experience that had the greatest effect on him brought together his two greatest passions: cricket and travel. In 2015, he spent a month in Sri Lanka with the Cricket Live Foundation, a New Zealand charity improving the lives of underprivileged children through cricket.
Andrew plans to put the $10,000 from his award toward postgraduate business studies with a focus on how technologies like the Internet of Things and AI are shaping the future of work. “It’s a practical way to keep learning and hopefully connect and contribute even more.”
New Fellow of Engineering New Zealand Shirish Paranjape FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) graduated as an engineer in India in the pre-internet era, when logarithmic tables, slide rules and T-squares were among the tools used at university. Throughout his career, first in India and later in Aotearoa, he has been in a variety of client-facing roles, including site commissioning engineer, systems engineer, product development, plus project management and business development, often involving extensive travel. After moving to New Zealand in 2002, Shirish found he had more spare time than he’d had in Mumbai and decided to use it for community work. His community and voluntary work includes being a Justice of the Peace, a Rotarian and one of the Christchurch Peace Train drivers.
How did you get involved with community work?
I became a member, and later treasurer, of the Indian Social and Cultural Club, which led to my involvement with the Christchurch Multicultural Council. After the Canterbury earthquakes, a new Rotary Club, New Horizons, was formed in Christchurch and I became one of its founding/charter members in 2012. The following year, I became a New Zealand Justice of the Peace.
How and why did you get involved with the Peace Train?
Christchurch City Council was seeking volunteer crew members to operate the new Peace Train in 2022. [The Yusaf Islam
Foundation donated a model, ride-on train to the people of Christchurch to recognise the response of support and compassion after terror attacks on 15 March 2019.]
I put my hand up without a moment’s hesitation – after all, this was my chance to fulfil my childhood dream of becoming a train engine driver! On the day of the inauguration, I got a few seconds of fame on national television – enough for friends all over New Zealand to notice.
What do you enjoy most about community work?
I enjoy all my community activities because each of them provides a different satisfaction.
The Peace Train brings a smile to every passenger’s face, whether they are locals or visitors, children or adults, first-time riders or returning passengers.
As a JP, I become part of people’s life journey, even though my involvement may be for a very short time. Many clients become repeat clients and often refer me to their friends and colleagues.
What project/work makes you most proud?
A group of 30 Rotarians from India were doing a “peace rally”, travelling from the Bay of Islands to Milford Sound, staying in Christchurch for one night. My New Horizons Rotary club hosted them, together with many officers of the Rotary District. I managed to get a member of Parliament to “flag them off” the next morning, an event that was covered live on TVNZ’s Breakfast. Later, during their
journey south, the visiting Rotarians reported that a Subway store owner recognised them and provided special treatment, leaving the visitors feeling like celebrities. Also as a Rotarian, my prose, and my daughter Neha’s poem about the unfortunate Christchurch mosque attack made it to the Rotary Down Under magazine, published in Australia.
How do you juggle this work with your engineering work?
“Time-division multiplexing” as an engineer would say! My weekday work hours are dedicated to my professional engineering work. I attend to my JP clients during weekday evenings. The Peace Train operates on Sundays, with Rotary club meetings on Wednesday evenings and Rotary service projects on Saturdays. When a new weekday evening JP service desk recently opened at Christchurch Central Library, I was able to assist.
How would you sum up why you enjoy volunteering in just a few words? I love giving back.
Tell us something about your connection to voluntary work that might surprise people. My family name Paranjape – pronounced paraan-zapay in Marathi (my mother tongue) means “caring for others” or “protecting others” or “being there for others”. (My family often comments that I care more about others than for myself and immediate family!)
Shirish Paranjape FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ)
Role: Senior Associate, Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls, Beca Based in: Ōtautahi Christchurch
Education: Bachelor of Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India, 1982
Role: Senior Front-end Software Engineer, Amazon
Based in: Austin, Texas, USA
Education: Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (First Class Honours), University of Canterbury, 2015
Amy Lin Turner’s career to date has taken her across the globe. After graduating, she joined IBM in Wellington where her interest in tech took off. She moved to Portugal in 2019 to join OLX, then in 2020, she moved to Ireland to work at Amazon Web Services – CloudWatch, followed by a move to Seattle, joining the Alexa team at Amazon Headquarters to work on the Alexa and Amazon mobile apps. In 2024, Amy relocated to Austin, Texas, to join Amazon Fulfilment Technologies and Robotics where she oversees and builds software that helps the company’s fulfilment centres globally stay compliant and safe while serving 310 million+ customers. Amy shares her knowledge and passion for engineering as a mentor, and as a frequent speaker at Amazon’s largest engineering conferences, which she also helps to plan and lead.
What’s on your bedside table?
Table lamp, hair clip, my phone (to quickly look up or ask ChatGPT/Claude about something, read news, make restaurant bookings), water bottle, half-finished book The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith, with a bookmark bought from The Book of Kells Experience (Dublin), charger, our sixmonth-old cat Nori.
How do you stay up to date for your role?
Technology moves at lightning speed –especially in areas like generative AI right now – so it can feel overwhelming trying to stay up to date. I use a few sources to get a solid overview of what’s happening in the space. If something catches my interest, I’ll usually dig deeper from there. The first thing I do when I sit down at work is a five minute scan of tech news. Fridays are my learning day, so I normally grab an article on a topic I found interesting during the week. As engineers, we own the systems
we build, end to end. Staying aware of the evolving tech landscape helps me design with a future-focused mindset. I’m often involved in reviewing or architecting largescale systems, whether it’s greenfield projects or integrating with platforms that have been around for decades (yes, they do exist!). Having that broader context lets me make better, data-informed decisions and gives me the confidence to challenge assumptions and push for more creative solutions when the opportunity arises.
Which group of engineering professionals would benefit most from doing this?
Anyone with curiosity! Have you ever wondered how fast technologies are evolving and how they shape this world we live in? Product managers, analysts, designers – if you’re on the project, we’re all building the same thing. A little tech fluency goes a long way and speaking the same language can help collaboration. Software engineering touches nearly every industry today, and it’s wild to think how much that’s changed in just a generation. Recently, AI and automation have gained a lot of traction especially with concerns around replacing us, though I see these tools as ways to free up time for the more important parts of our work: critical thinking, creativity and decision-making.
What is the top book/publication you’d recommend to other engineers?
Inside Amazon, there’s a wealth of knowledge being shared – newsletters, internal articles, announcements, success stories (Project Kuiper being a recent one) and learning sessions. I always encourage engineers to tap into those, because no team should be working in a silo. Reusability is a big part of engineering smarts, and knowing
what others are doing can save time and lead to better solutions. Externally, I like concise, digestible sources like the online newsletter Techpresso for staying on top of tech trends. I also regularly read WIRED and The Economist. It’s a great way to understand how technology and the global economy influence each other. For me, tech reading is equal parts professional and just plain fun.
What book or podcast has had significant impact on you?
An episode of the podcast Invest Like the Best with Patrick O’Shaughnessy called “Passion & Pain”. The guest was David Senra who has studied legendary entrepreneurs like Enzo Ferrari, James Dyson and Estée Lauder. It wasn’t about tech at all – what resonated was the role curiosity played in each of their journeys.
What do you read for fun?
Crime thrillers and dystopian fiction. I’m currently finishing the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith before diving into the Silo trilogy by Hugh Howey. I also really enjoy aesthetic cookbooks. A favourite gift from my husband was a fourvolume cookbook series from Disfrutar, the world-renowned restaurant in Barcelona. I may not cook anything in it (there is a cocktail recipe with 23 steps, spanning seven days prepping five ingredients!), but I appreciate the incredible amount of effort chefs dedicate to their work, and the photography is absolutely stunning.
SPEED READ
Ebook /paper copy
Borrow/own
Bookmark/turn down page
In a generally flat city, you’ll now find an uphill experience that an engineer key to its creation describes as “exhilarating”. Recently opened at Christchurch Adventure Park, The Rush is a motorised, uphill cable ride. It’s the first of its kind and the brainchild of engineering firm Holmes Solutions, and CEO Chris Allington MEngNZ tells us more.
What do you think engineers will be most excited to hear about this ride and its capabilities?
It is effectively a small autonomous electric vehicle that runs on a series of cables and rails. There is some pretty incredible tech inside that makes it work.
What was the inspiration for this ride? We love creating new experiences for our clients, things people have never been able to do before. Switchback, the tech used in The Rush, was designed to be a platform for these new types of rides.
How was innovative engineering key to The Rush becoming a reality? We needed to create an entirely new technology platform that could generate the experiences we were after. It was a “first principles” approach to engineering.
While creating this ride, what was your biggest eureka moment?
The Switchback technology used on The Rush has the ability to transition off cables and onto rails at high speed. This allows us to turn corners, do spirals and fly in close proximity to things. Creating the ability to do that transition at speed was a real breakthrough.
Holmes Solutions created the Switchback technology – what sets it apart?
Switchback allows us to create unique experiences that no one else can achieve. Our vehicles can soar through the air on cables, accelerating at warp speed and stopping on a dime, and then transition onto rails to turn tight corners and generate high g-forces. It can give you the sensation of flying and the fear of proximity. It really is quite unique.
How would you sum up the process of creating the ride in three words?
Challenging, frustrating, inspiring.
What can thrill seekers expect next?
All I can say is, watch this space: I’ve seen a design and animation of a Switchback-based ride in the US that will blow people’s socks off in 2026.
Peter McCombs DistFEngNZ 1943–2025
Peter McCombs DistFEngNZ was a much-loved family man, well-respected across many community and professional networks, and particularly well-regarded for his outstanding contribution to engineering in New Zealand and overseas.
Born in Christchurch, Peter studied engineering at the University of Canterbury. Both as a professional and as an active member of his community, Peter was renowned for his integrity, his innovative approach, his practical thinking, his mentorship and his ability to get the job done and done well.
Peter’s passion for innovation was exemplified through his roles with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) between 2004 and 2018. He spearheaded Auckland’s Intelligent Transport Systems, integrating technologies such as ramp signalling and traveller information systems into a cohesive framework.
In 1976, Peter and his wife Beverley founded Traffic Design Group (TDG) Ltd, New Zealand’s first – and ultimately largest – specialist traffic and transport planning consultancy. The firm’s success was built on hard work, technical excellence and a profound understanding of community needs, reflecting Peter’s enduring commitment to delivering sustainable, people-centred solutions.
Peter was an inspiring leader and advisor in all aspects of his personal and professional life, an expert at forging strong, constructive relationships and delivering excellent outcomes time and again. He’s been described as someone whose life was a testament to courage, innovation and the power of shared vision and commitment, who achieved and inspired greatness as a person and as a professional, and his legacy as both will be profound.
John Blakeley DistFEngNZ 1940–2025
Past-President of Engineering New Zealand John Blakeley DistFEngNZ was born in Kurow in 1940, adjacent to the Waitaki Hydro-Electric Power Station where his father, Phil Blakeley, was an electrical engineer.
John graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in 1963 and a Master of Engineering (Distinction) in 1964. On a Fulbright Graduate Student Award, he attained a master’s degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois, USA in 1964–1965.
His career included roles as site engineer on the Kaimai Railway Deviation project, head of geotechnical engineering at Beca and Executive Officer of Applied Research at the University of Auckland. He was the inaugural Executive Director of the Centre for Advanced Engineering at the University of Canterbury, and Programme Leader for the Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree at Auckland University of Technology’s Mt Albert campus, where colleagues have summed him up as “a legend”.
From 1977–1980, John was Chair of the New Zealand Geomechanics Society. He was President of Engineering New Zealand (then IPENZ) from 1997–1998, following in the footsteps of his father, Phil, who was President from 1978–1979.
John was made a Distinguished Fellow of Engineering New Zealand in 2005, with the citation noting that his efforts bringing engineering issues to the wider community marked his career as outstanding. He continued to write and publish articles on engineering and technology issues (including energy, electricity and the environment) in leading New Zealand newspapers in recent years.
Patients suffering from the life-threatening, chronic health condition hydrocephalus are treated with a shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid. But there’s a problem: shunts frequently fail, leading to a build up of pressure in the brain that needs to be immediately treated with a new shunt. Then there’s the added complication of a patient having to decide whether they’re experiencing common symptoms of their condition, or actual shunt failure. So, an Auckland neurosurgeon challenged the Implantable Devices Group at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute to help his hydrocephalus patients monitor brain pressure at home. After years of research and development and the start of spinout company Kitea Health, the result is the Kitea ICP Monitoring System, which the company says is the world’s smallest active brain implant. Patients measure mean brain pressure by placing a wand-type reader near the implant site for about 10 seconds and the information helps evaluate whether a shunt failure has occurred. The “first in human” trial – currently underway at Auckland City Hospital – will be completed this year, and preparations are underway for an international, multi-centre pivotal clinical trial required for regulatory approval in the United States.
Implant is injected into the brain during shunt insertion surgery, matched to brain density to ensure it remains in place.
The implant is a tiny sensing computer. Brain pressure is transduced to digital data in the implant by integrated micro-electromechanical systems and digital electronics.
The implant only stores power when a reading is being taken.
A bioinert borosilicate glass enclosure minimises brain reactions to the implant and keeps the electronics and brain isolated from each other to ensure a long, stable lifetime of use.
A custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit enables miniaturisation of internal electronics for a proprietary wireless power and digital data transmission scheme.
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It’s down to the final few. From 30 deserving finalists, nine will take home a 2025 ENVI Award on Friday 25 July. Be there to celebrate engineering’s most inspiring: the educators, innovators and campaigners. The future players, initiators, up-and-comers and collaborators. Engineers with impact. So. Who’s it going to be?
Finalists and tickets at envis.nz
