Insights

News and insights from ACE New Zealand.

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Tauranga City Council vs Harrison Grierson and Constructure

This week the High Court of New Zealand publicly released Justice Tahana’s decision on the ongoing High Court case between Tauranga City Council (TCC) and Harrison Grierson Holdings Limited first...... Continue Reading
Contracts

Use eInvoicing for faster payments and improved cash flow

New Zealand businesses are moving to eInvoicing – and now’s the time to get on board.... Continue Reading

Navigating the tough financial climate

The New Zealand economy is officially in recession and we know many of our members are doing it tough, particularly small to medium businesses. Here are our top seven tips for...... Continue Reading

ACE members shine at 2024 Client Choice Awards

We’re a proud partner of the 2024 Client Choice Awards, which recognise best practice in the professional services sector in Australia and New Zealand – and the results are out! ...... Continue Reading

Urgent need to unlock Three Waters funding and certainty

Two thirds of respondents in a Three Waters survey have had contracts either paused, deferred or cancelled in the past six months. The survey, conducted by Water New Zealand and...... Continue Reading
Contracts Media release

Bringing te ao Māori to client projects

In 2006, when Wharehuia Dixon (Ngāti Awa) joined Beca as a graduate civil engineer, the company didn’t have a strong connection to te ao Māori. He was one of a...... Continue Reading
Culture and Environment Sponsored content

Stantec says ACE Award recognised outstanding project delivery

Merit ACE Award winner Stantec views the ACE Awards as New Zealand's premiere engineering awards for consultants. We talk to ANZ Sector Leader, Transportation Delivery Nick Gluyas about how last year's win was fantastic recognition...... Continue Reading
ACE Awards

International fraud in the immigration sector – current risks and how to manage them

International fraud is increasing in the immigration sector with the latest issues affecting both employers and migrant employees. We asked Immigration Director – New Zealand Arno Nothnagel of Absolute Immigration to tell us...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

ACE Awards boost market credibility says Frame Group

Winning Silver and Sustainability ACE Awards had multiple positive spinoffs for Frame Group. Managing Director Jonathan Pringle tells us how the company’s success at last year’s awards helped attract new team members,...... Continue Reading
ACE Awards

Temporary Traffic Management changes - have your say

If you're working in Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) you'll be aware of some important changes with the move to a risk-based approach to TTM which replaces the Code of Practice...... Continue Reading
ACE news

Gold ACE Award shows size no barrier says Index Engineering

With entries now open for the 2024 ACE Awards, Gold award winner Index Engineering encourages other SMEs to enter saying last year's win was a huge achievement and great endorsement of its...... Continue Reading
ACE Awards

ACE Awards encouraged reflection and boosted client relationship says ElectroNet

Entries for the 2024 ACE Awards are now open. We talk to 2023 Silver award winner ElectroNet about how entering the awards encouraged the team to reflect on its achievements,...... Continue Reading
ACE Awards

Why succession planning is crucial for SMEs – with Ian McKnight at BMC

Batchelar McDougall Consulting (BMC) is a specialised structural engineering consultancy based in the South Island that has gone through a transformative process of succession planning. We talk to Chief Executive...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

2024 ACE Awards Convenor Rebecca Jackson talks submissions

Environmental engineer, professional development mentor and coach, and 2024 ACE Awards convenor Rebecca Jackson talks about the consultant’s unique contribution and creating an award-winning entry.... Continue Reading
ACE Awards

Attracting key talent in an ever-changing market

Uncertainty remains rife in the job market and there’s no sign of this changing soon. HainesAttract’s Head of Partnerships Ben Tinker says people are eager for the market to return...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Over and out – why do female engineers exit construction careers?

Kat Jackson’s concern at the fast departure rate of female engineers in the construction industry stems from personal experience. The Mott MacDonald technical director – advisory progressed fairly quickly in...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

The government’s 100-day plan – a mixed bag

The implications are numerous for the professional consulting industry in the coalition government’s 100-day plan (the plan) released in December 2023. Harrison Grierson’s Executive Director and National Land Development Manager Campbell...... Continue Reading
Sponsored content

Using ChatGPT to speed up contract analysis - with Matt Bishop

Matt Bishop’s latest foray into the technology world aligns with his commitment to adapt and lead in a continually evolving construction sector where he constantly seeks to make construction smarter...... Continue Reading
Contracts Technology and innovation

Are you a practice manager? Join our new forum to share ideas

If you’re a practice manager at a consulting firm your work can vary widely, including finance management, HR, data security, general day-to-day office management and more.... Continue Reading
ACE news

How to overcome the main challenges when preparing an AEWV application

Licensed Immigration Adviser Andy O’Dell talks us through the process of recruiting migrant candidates using the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and highlights three key areas for employers to be aware...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

A changing immigration environment – where to find value and use it to your best advantage

Navigating the immigration journey can be challenging and rewarding, but it may also be stressful, expensive and ultimately fruitless. Licensed Immigration Adviser Andy O’Dell knows only too well the issues...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Introducing The Base: The competency framework for consultants in the built and natural environment

What does it take to be a successful professional consultant and how can we develop and retain our people so we’re ready to tackle the sector’s biggest challenges? ACE New...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

The competency framework is a vital tool to develop our people – with Chris Short at CGW

ACE New Zealand has developed The Base: The competency framework for consultants in the built and natural environment to help businesses guide the knowledge and skills required to provide excellent consulting,...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

What do consulting firms need from the next government?

Aotearoa New Zealand voted for change in the 2023 General Election and National and ACT are now working to form the next government. We asked a selection of our members...... Continue Reading

Skills shortage will get worse if Massey University shuts down engineering degree says ACE New Zealand

The Association of Consulting and Engineering New Zealand says Massey University’s proposal to cut its engineering degree is a major blow for an industry desperate for sustainable solutions to alleviate...... Continue Reading
Media release

Futurespace 2023 wrap up

Over 170 professional consultants and their clients attended our conference Futurespace 2023 where only a few weeks out from the election we spoke about the big issues like climate change...... Continue Reading
Futurespace

Aotearoa New Zealand’s best consultants revealed at 2023 ACE Awards

New Zealand’s leading engineering and professional services consultants were celebrated at the 2023 ACE Awards Gala in Wellington on Thursday 21 September, part of ACE New Zealand’s Futurespace conference.... Continue Reading
Media release

Global challenges - a summary from our CE Helen Davidson

With predictions the global economy will continue to weaken over the next year, global challenges in our industry are seen here too in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our CE Helen Davidson...... Continue Reading

Cybersecurity attacks - what to do

Cybersecurity attacks on businesses are becoming more commonplace. It doesn’t matter how big or small your firm is, make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep it safe by...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence Technology and innovation

Meet the 2023 Student Award winners

The Student Award, sponsored by AECOM, celebrates engineering students' written and practical development. ... Continue Reading

Rebecca Liao – 2023 Student Award winner

Studying civil engineering and music at the University of Auckland, Rebecca Liao is one of three 2023 ACE New Zealand Student Award winners. We caught up with her to find...... Continue Reading

Nathania Cheung - 2023 Student Award winner

A natural resources engineering student at the University of Canterbury, Nathania Cheung is one of three 2023 Student Award winners. We caught up with her to find out why she...... Continue Reading

Jannik Wittgen – 2023 Student Award winner

A mechatronics graduate from the University of Auckland, Jannik Wittgen is one of three 2023 Student Award winners. We sat down with Jannik to find out more about what motivates...... Continue Reading

Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist Victoria Mills

The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Tonkin + Taylor, recognises people who have a passion for leadership in the consulting sector, show a commitment to developing themselves,...... Continue Reading

Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist Durgadevi Ragupathy

The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Tonkin + Taylor, recognises people who have a passion for leadership in the consulting sector, show a commitment to developing themselves,...... Continue Reading

Meet our 2023 Emerging Leader Award finalist Cameron Chapman

The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Tonkin + Taylor, recognises people who have a passion for leadership in the consulting sector, show a commitment to developing themselves,...... Continue Reading

Leading through change – with Auckland Airport chief Carrie Hurihanganui

Carrie Hurihanganui became Chief Executive of Auckland Airport in February 2022, a time of unprecedented change for tourism and aviation as New Zealand’s border began to reopen after the Covid-19...... Continue Reading
Futurespace Talent Management

I took a two-week holiday and didn’t check my emails once – with T+T leader Penny Kneebone

The professional services industry is full of driven individuals who work hard to get the best results, but the inability to switch off can have a detrimental effect on wellbeing....... Continue Reading
Mindspace Talent Management

Mindspace, a mental health and wellness programme launched today

Today we're thrilled to announce the launch of Mindspace, a movement for change in the mental health and wellbeing of people in the professional consulting sector here in Aotearoa New Zealand. ... Continue Reading
Mindspace Talent Management

Aotearoa New Zealand’s best consultants vie for 2023 ACE Awards

Major infrastructure projects, historic building restorations and a conservation initiative are among the finalists in the 2023 ACE Awards, which celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s best consultants working in the built...... Continue Reading

Employees now have 12 months to raise a personal grievance for sexual harassment

The timeframe for employees raising a personal grievance involving allegations of sexual harassment has been extended from 90 days to 12 months. We talk to Humankind Associate Director Nicola Dunn...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence Talent Management

Let your clients be the judge – enter the Beaton Client Choice Awards

Client feedback is crucial to ensure your business is operating at its best and the Beaton Client Choice Awards recognise the top performing professional services firms in Australia and New...... Continue Reading

The importance of robust quality management systems - JB Hall case

The current case of JB Hall of Kodiak Consulting is an example of the importance of having robust quality management systems in place.... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

Reasons to come to our upcoming conference Futurespace

Are you planning on coming to Futurespace? Futurespace is our conference in 2023 held in Wellington from 20 - 21 September. ... Continue Reading
Futurespace

International recruitment campaign to attract construction and infrastructure talent to Aotearoa

To help combat the skilled migrant shortage the construction and infrastructure industry is currently facing, we've launched Recruitment Storyteller - a toolkit of targeted videos, social media and digital banners, messages and case...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Setting expectations with the FIDIC climate change charter - with Tracey Ryan

From a young age, Aurecon’s Managing Director Tracey Ryan has been deeply passionate about the natural world. “As a four-year-old growing up in Ireland I would take any opportunity to...... Continue Reading
Culture and Environment

Pulling focus - Morrison Hershfield's response to the climate crisis

The earth’s climate is changing, and so are the roles of engineers. As unpredictable and extreme weather patterns put pressure on the built environment, engineers and consultants are increasingly required...... Continue Reading
Culture and Environment

How to make the most of your client meetings

As the demand to move beyond technical knowledge and offer effective client management grows in the professional consulting sector, it can be a struggle to know how to have purposeful conversations...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Book review: Stolen Focus

ACE's chief executive, Helen Davidson reviews Johann Hari's best-selling book Stolen Focus. ... Continue Reading

Welcome to our newest ACE board members and regional chairs for 2023/24

We are excited to introduce you to our newest ACE New Zealand Board members and Regional Chairs for 2023 - 2024.... Continue Reading
ACE news

Waka Kotahi professional service index updated

The professional services index has now been updated to reflect current labour and overhead costs when working for Waka Kotahi and local authorities in New Zealand. Find out more about the...... Continue Reading

Six Green Star rating for Auckland University building – with Beca

Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland's recent achievement of a world-leading six Green Star design rating for the redevelopment of its Social Sciences building is an inspirational example of team...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

Progressive procurement looks beyond economic benefits

We all know that diversity of thought, goods and services has a huge impact on not only the economic success of a project but also on the social, cultural and...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

How to navigate the impending recession

As we face into an impending recession, everyone is feeling the pinch of high-interest rates and inflation not to mention the effects of the recent extreme weather events on our...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

ACE industry-accepted competency framework

Do you want to be a part of developing the future of consulting skills in Aotearoa? Do you have expertise in Te Ao Māori, operational and business management, delivery, contracts and...... Continue Reading

Winning feels pretty good - with Louisa Bloomer

Winning the ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award feels pretty darn good. Just ask Louisa Bloomer, regional digital practice lead at Stantec who won in 2022 for her leadership quality...... Continue Reading

We need to know more than just the graduate story

There was a real lack of empirical evidence about changes in engineering practice before 2020 until Edna Crossin, Associate Professor at the University of Canterbury initiated a 20-year-long study. His...... Continue Reading

We're looking for a Team Administrator

Due to the volume of applicants we've received, we've brought forward the deadline for applications to Tuesday 18 April - we want to acknowledge and thank everyone who's shown interest...... Continue Reading

How AECOM embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG)

On 4 April, AECOM and their client Waka Kotahi are holding a free webinar for ACE members on ESG (environmental, social, and governance). We spoke with AECOM Associate Director -...... Continue Reading
Culture and Environment

What Ramadan means to me - with Mo Chalabi

Senior digital consultant at Beca, Mo Chalabi begins his month-long fast today for Ramadan. As an Egyptian growing up in Aotearoa, Mo was introduced to Ramadan by his mother as a child and...... Continue Reading

You can't separate work and personal life when it comes to stress

One month on from Cyclone Gabrielle, the brave faces have slowly started to fade and many people are hitting the wall. Tony Harrison, Technical Director of Urban Connection in Hawke's...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Cyclone Gabrielle: Engineering our escape from harm’s way

Events such as Cyclone Gabrielle bring managed retreat to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll need to start having some very uncomfortable conversations about what communities look like in the future...... Continue Reading
Media release

RNZ interview on the recovery and rebuild after Cyclone Gabrielle

ACE New Zealand Chief Executive, Helen Davidson and Beca General Manager of Infrastructure and Transport, Andrea Rickard spoke with Kathryn Ryan on RNZ about the immediate opportunities of rebuilding with...... Continue Reading
Media release

How to talk to your clients in a time of crisis

Livelihoods and communities have been turned upside down after Cyclone Gabrielle. Business expert, Ben Paul says as professional consultants we need to know how to reach out to our clients...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

Cyclone Gabrielle tools and resources

Key tools and resources to assist you in the flooding and cyclone recovery efforts. ... Continue Reading

Tips for assessing natural disaster damage from a legal POV

Having spent over a decade litigating disaster claims for insurers and building owners, barrister Emily Walton shares her tips for our members on what to look out for when assessing...... Continue Reading

Speak at Futurespace 2023 – calling for abstracts

Being a professional consultant means we need to be aware of market trends and solutions. We need to have strong business acumen and cultural competency. We must be aware of...... Continue Reading
Futurespace

A metaphysical shake up - with B Corp Consultant Tim Jones

Tim Jones used to be a medical device salesman before taking the reins at a property consultancy company in Christchurch. However, following the Canterbury earthquakes and the birth of his...... Continue Reading
Culture and Environment

Auckland flooding: How to look after staff and your business in a time of crisis

The flooding in Tāmaki Makaurau over the weekend has left many families and businesses displaced and continues to disrupt the region. While we acknowledge the immense pressure the flooding puts on...... Continue Reading
Talent Management

How to have a happier festive season

It's meant to be the season to be jolly. But for many of us, it's the season for feeling stressed, over-socialised and exhausted. We talked to behavioural scientist, Renee Jaine about...... Continue Reading

A toilet in the middle of nowhere - with Derek Chinn

We've all done it. You're in remote, alpine backcountry New Zealand and nature calls. No one is around, and there's almost always plenty of kawakawa (nature's toilet paper) to help...... Continue Reading

Should you get B Corp certification? Is there a benefit, and do customers care?

Recently MRCagney became the first ACE member to be B Corp Certified. We asked Managing Director Jenson Varghese how they achieved it and what it means. But first, some background on...... Continue Reading
Operational Excellence

The need for long term solutions to Three Waters management

Following the growing controversy around the Three Waters reforms, Gillian Blythe, Water New Zealand CEO discusses the state of the Three Waters Sector and how we can achieve a long...... Continue Reading

Avoid getting your tender proposal binned - how to win bids or at least make the shortlist

Tendering for work and writing fee proposals are core skills for any successful consultant. But they take time and time is money. Today we share tips and tricks to ensure...... Continue Reading

Do you counteroffer if your top employee quits?

Your number one staff member just quit – do you counter-offer? Retaining great staff is vital to an organisation’s success. It is essential for a healthy culture, continuity, succession planning,...... Continue Reading

Mind your pay gaps – tackling inequity through transparency

Gender and ethnic pay gaps are indicators of inequity in the workplace, and while 20 October 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act 1972, it’s clear these...... Continue Reading

Using creative technology and visualisation to rethink how we design and deliver – with Jamie Telford

Creative technologies have the potential to completely reshape the way we approach the design process, from inception through to delivery, and in turn deliver better outcomes for clients and communities....... Continue Reading

Be Well to Lead Well – with Francois Barton

Good leadership requires CEOs and senior executives to be responsible for others wellbeing, but who supports the leaders? We spoke to Francois Barton, the Executive Director of the Business Leaders’...... Continue Reading

For the love of bridges – connecting communities and inspiring clients

Since opening in March this year, the Toki Poutangata Bridge in Westport has become an iconic landmark which links the town centre to the Buller River for the first time...... Continue Reading

Disrupting business - changing the way engineering firms measure success

This September, ACE New Zealand’s Chief Executive, Helen Davidson, travelled to Geneva to attend the FIDIC Global Infrastructure Conference (GIC). Previous FIDIC Conferences have provided a wealth of inspiration in...... Continue Reading

Our Rebrand Journey

Over the last few years, ACE has been on a journey. We’ve evolved into the modern and relevant association you know today. We’re more visible than ever, we’re in more...... Continue Reading

ACE New Zealand Conference and Awards 2022 wrap-up

Thanks to everyone who attended and made this year’s ACE New Zealand Conference and Awards 2022 in Rotorua on 1-2 September such a massive success!... Continue Reading

ACE Awards: Shining the spotlight on Aotearoa's top consulting talent

The innovative contributions of New Zealand’s leading consultants in the built and natural environment were celebrated on Friday 2 September at the 2022 ACE (Association of Consulting and Engineering) New...... Continue Reading

Redefining value - with Maureen Thurston-Chartraw

As Aurecon’s first Chief Experience Officer, Maureen Thurston-Chartraw is leading the organisation’s efforts to continuously create better outcomes for its clients. The first ever CXO within any engineering firm internationally, she...... Continue Reading

The power of storytelling - with David Downs

Attracting and retaining talent during a global skills shortage is difficult, so it’s more important than ever to understand your employee value proposition, as well as how to communicate your...... Continue Reading

The value of YOU – with Shelly Davies

What does a writer know about pricing? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Shelly Davies is a business writer, trainer and keynote speaker who helps her clients cut through...... Continue Reading

Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist - Jordan Reynolds

Two-and-a-half years after launching Tactical Groups New Zealand business, Jordan Reynolds now leads a 12-strong business that is tasked with a range of complex projects. One of three finalists for...... Continue Reading

Gifts in a crisis - with Rabia Siddique

If you’re familiar with international humanitarian, Rabia Siddique’s background then you’ll understand just how qualified she is to speak on the topic of ‘Gifts in a crisis’. If you’re not,...... Continue Reading

Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist - Justine Quinn

As a Technical Director for Freshwater Science and Ecology at Tonkin + Taylor, Justine has led and supported teams of engineers and scientists to successfully deliver projects that have an...... Continue Reading

Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist - Louisa Bloomer

As Regional Digital Practice Lead for Asia-Pacific, Louisa Bloomer brings a New Zealand and Australian perspective to strategic decisions made by Stantec’s global digital governance team. With 4,500 APAC team...... Continue Reading

How the NZS3910 review could lead to productivity gains - with Gavin Shaw

A standard form contract is supposed to be just that – an easy to understand agreement that allows principals and construction contractors to quickly establish general conditions to assign and...... Continue Reading
Contracts

Mind the gap – addressing pay inequity in Aotearoa

Ensuring people are paid fairly is a fundamental human right, however gender and ethnic pay gaps persist in Aotearoa New Zealand.... Continue Reading

Fostering resilience and mental wellbeing in the workplace - with Dr Lucy Hone

Co-Director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience, Dr Lucy Hone is a leading international authority on the topic of resilience.... Continue Reading

Meet our new Diversity Agenda Programme Director

We're delighted to welcome Charlotte Downes to the ACE New Zealand team as our new Diversity Agenda Programme Director. ... Continue Reading

12 firms needed for mental health focus groups

ACE New Zealand has launched a programme of work to raise awareness, empower and support members with their mental health kaupapa, and to grow a movement of mentally healthy workplaces.  ...... Continue Reading

Seeing the bigger picture – why broader outcomes matter

In 2018, Government formally recognised that its buying power could affect and improve cultural, economic, environmental and social outcomes for New Zealanders by changing its procurement rules.   Four years...... Continue Reading

Emissions Reduction Plan calls for thinking beyond engineering solutions

Released this week, Aotearoa New Zealand’s Emissions Reduction Plan contains strategies, policies and actions to put us on a path to a low emissions, climate resilient future. It’s the first...... Continue Reading

The Green List, Accredited Employer Work Visa and sector agreements

Yesterday's announcement of the New Zealand border fully reopening on 31 July is welcome news, and there was a lot to unpack about the immigration reset. ... Continue Reading

Emerging Leader Award creates opportunities for growth – with Simon Fenton

The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Tonkin + Taylor, recognises individuals who have a passion for leadership in the consulting sector, show a commitment to developing themselves,...... Continue Reading

Meet our Nelson/Blenheim Regional Chair Erin McNary

Erin McNary is a senior civil water engineer and project manager at Stantec and the new ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for the Nelson/Blenheim region. She brings extensive experience across a variety of...... Continue Reading

The massive infrastructure task ahead

The Infrastructure Commission has released its first New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy covering 2022 to 2052.... Continue Reading

WFH or around the globe? Why business leaders let their people travel

COVID-19 triggered a seismic shift in how and where we work.... Continue Reading

BIMSafe NZ – taking health and safety to another dimension

How can a 3D model save lives on the construction site? By allowing people to visualise risks more easily and communicate these earlier, says Paul Duggan, General Manager of the...... Continue Reading

What’s left in store for 2022 – with Clint Smith

Is 2022 the year that we move past the pandemic? If so, which topics loom large on the political horizon, waiting to take its place?... Continue Reading

ACE Awards 2022 – calling the best in the business

Highly regarded by both industry and clients, the ACE Awards celebrate the excellent work our members do to create remarkable outcomes for Aotearoa. They’re also a chance to reflect on...... Continue Reading

Engineers wanted for ground-breaking BeLongEng study

A University of Canterbury researcher is calling for people to take part in a longitudinal study that will track thousands of engineers across New Zealand and Australia to better understand...... Continue Reading

Recognising multi-cultural Aotearoa: Aurecon’s holiday swap initiative

Aurecon employees can now swap Easter for Eid – or another day that is important to them, religiously or culturally.... Continue Reading

Going global: Hiring international staff in 2022

With Aotearoa’s border reopening plan getting underway this week, many employers in the professional services consulting sector will be breathing a sigh of relief. We caught up with Ben Tinker,...... Continue Reading

Tūhoe wins Client Award for environmentally friendly road surface

Tūhoe Charitable Trust has been honoured at the ACE Awards for a roading project that incorporated engineering, science and mātauranga Māori.... Continue Reading

Bay of Plenty river rediversion and estuary enhancement wins Special ACE Award

A collaborative project to make Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketū Estuary healthier for people to swim and fish in has won a Special Award at the ACE Awards on...... Continue Reading

‘Design masterpiece’: Auckland’s America’s Cup village wins gold award

The Wynyard Edge Alliance has won Gold at the ACE Awards on Tuesday 22 February for designing and building the America’s Cup Village on Auckland’s waterfront. ... Continue Reading

Beca’s Kiwi team win Gold award for Malaysia skyscraper

Engineering consultancy Beca has won Gold at the ACE Awards for its project Exchange 106, a skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur’s financial district.  ... Continue Reading

Te Hono – New Plymouth Airport Terminal team win Community Award

The team behind Te Hono – New Plymouth Airport Terminal have won an ACE Award for excellence in partnership and co-design.  ... Continue Reading

TEG wins gold award for project to keep meat processing industry safe

Workers at some of Aotearoa’s largest meat processing plants are feeling safer at work thanks to a large-scale project by TEG Risk and Sustainability Services that has won Gold at...... Continue Reading

Responding to COVID cases in the workplace – with Fiona Jones

With COVID-19 cases now in the thousands across New Zealand, the likelihood of a staff member testing positive is no longer an if, but a when.... Continue Reading

Phase 2 Covid-19 response: An update from Waka Kotahi

An update from Waka Kotahi on the Close Contact Exemption Scheme and access to rapid antigen tests. ... Continue Reading

Embracing the potential of computational design – with Louise Wotton

What lies at the intersection of architecture, digital technologies and design?... Continue Reading

Keeping the lights burning bright during Omicron: Business continuity in the time of COVID-19

While it’s no surprise to most, Omicron’s arrival in Aotearoa is forcing engineering and professional service providers to consider how they protect their people while still delivering on their clients’...... Continue Reading

Update on the Wellington Transport Alliance

Great progress has been made towards establishing the Wellington Transport Alliance (WTA) which will see two key partners working with Waka Kotahi, along with a range of specialist providers, to deliver a safer, more...... Continue Reading

How to halve the carbon footprint of infrastructure – with Ian Blair and Brigitte Hicks

Design, engineering and environmental consultancy WSP has announced it will halve the carbon footprint of infrastructure designs and advice provided to clients by 2030. It’s a bold move and a first for New Zealand as we move towards a...... Continue Reading

Are consultants open to liability beyond the 10-year limitation period?

On 1 October 2020 the High Court, in BNZ Branch Properties, departed from precedent and held that the 10-year limitation period in the Building Act 2004 does not apply to...... Continue Reading

The benefits of giving your staff a paid day off – with Jenson Varghese

All MRCagney employees had a paid day off last Friday to recharge and spend time doing something that supports their health and wellbeing.... Continue Reading

Climate Change Charter calls on consulting engineers to aim high

The global body for consulting engineers has released a charter calling on the entire profession to address climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience in the decades to come – and ACE New Zealand has signed up.... Continue Reading

Looking ahead at ACE New Zealand

Over the past three years ACE New Zealand has been going through a transformation journey to become a modern, relevant and recognised organisation with a strong voice for the sector....... Continue Reading

New longitudinal study to track thousands of engineers

A University of Canterbury researcher is leading a new longitudinal study that will track thousands of engineers across New Zealand and Australia to better understand the work they do and...... Continue Reading

Our position on COVID-19 risk management and vaccination

The arrival of the COVID-19 Delta variant means Aotearoa faces new risks that have a significant impact on the continuity of engineering and professional services.... Continue Reading

The time for climate adaptation is now - with Connon Andrews

Connon Andrews has taken on a newly created role at Beca as Market Leader of Climate Adaptation and Resilience. After building an extensive career as a coastal and climate change...... Continue Reading

Infrastructure strategy addresses $75b deficit

The Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga has published its draft 30-year Infrastructure Strategy, laying out its long-term vision for infrastructure in New Zealand and addresses the forecast $75b infrastructure deficit.... Continue Reading

The perfect storm of opportunity – with Gavin Shaw

Gavin Shaw played a key role for Beca in the Wynyard Edge Alliance that transformed Auckland’s waterfront in time for the 36th America’s Cup. Starting with an unknown scope, unknown owner and funding structure, a complex range of stakeholders and...... Continue Reading

Staring down the barrel of burnout - with Gareth Beck

Studies show that investment in mental health and wellbeing at work can increase return six times over. We talk to health and safety advisor and 2020 Emerging Practitioner of the Year Gareth Beck about why employers should care about staff...... Continue Reading

Six things we're reading for Mental Health Awareness Week

The consulting and engineering sector is under increasing pressure. Workloads are high, we are connected far longer than 9-5, and clients are expecting more for less. We know that mental health is a key issue...... Continue Reading

Mental health isn’t about preventing sickness – it's about flourishing

Employers need to provide more than a fruit bowl and a yoga class to create a mentally healthy workplace. We talk to John Fitzgerald at WorkSafe NZ.  ... Continue Reading

Embracing te reo Māori in the consulting sector - with Emily Afoa

We talk to Tektus Pou Whakarae/Director and ACE New Zealand board member Emily Afoa (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto) about why it’s important to embrace te reo Māori in the consulting sector and how firms can show leadership.... Continue Reading

Speaking te reo at the top table can cause a ripple effect – with Brett Ogilvie

We talk to Tonkin + Taylor Executive Leader and ACE New Zealand board member Brett Ogilvie (Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pākeha) about his journey with te reo and how firms across the sector can show leadership.... Continue Reading

What we've learned from a remote working model – with Tony Harrison

A lot of us are working from home at the moment, and for some businesses it’s a permanent set-up as they choose not to have an office base. We talk to Urban Connection director Tony Harrison who shares some insights on how...... Continue Reading

Six ways we’re celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

Here at ACE New Zealand we all use Māori words here and there, but for Māori Language Week 2021 it’s time to push ourselves a bit further. We’ve gathered some links below that relate to our mahi, and we’ll be joining the...... Continue Reading

Meet Otago/Southland Regional Chair Geoff Wigley

Geoff Wigley is a Structural Engineer for Stantec in Dunedin and the new ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for the Otago/Southland region. He talks to us about the engineering industry’s responsibility to help address inequalities in society...... Continue Reading

We're all in it together - with Chief Executive Colin Crampton

We’re hearing from all corners that the latest lockdown has been the most gruelling yet. Working from home is affecting our productivity, and we’re trying to balance managing client expectations with staff wellbeing. We spoke to Wellington Water...... Continue Reading

Five reasons young professionals should attend the Future-Fit Aotearoa conference – and how to convince your boss

Want to go to the Future-Fit Aotearoa conference in February but don’t know how to get it across the line with your manager? We talk to ACE New Zealand Young Professionals Committee members Danielle Gatland, Akshat Malhotra and John...... Continue Reading

Stay connected with workmates during lockdown

Leaders and teams who intentionally focus on relationship-building activities positively impact employee engagement, retention, and productivity. How are you staying connected with your workmates during lockdown? We spoke to communication...... Continue Reading

Business development and marketing during lockdown

How do you stay top-of-mind for your clients and build relationships when you’re unable to meet face-to-face? We get some top tips from business development coach Ben Paul, founder of The BD Ladder.... Continue Reading

Leading in lockdown with Ceinwen McNeil

How do you lead during a lockdown? How do you keep your staff engaged and still deliver to your client's expectations? It's tough, but there is a right way to do it. We spoke to...... Continue Reading

Why ACE New Zealand joined the Construction Sector Accord Network

The Construction Sector Accord Network was formally launched at Parliament on 5 August and ACE New Zealand is one of 130 members so far. Our Chief Executive Helen Davidson provides some insight into why we joined the network...... Continue Reading

Meet our Nelson/Blenheim Regional Chair Marcus Grierson

Marcus Grierson is now a Structural Engineer at Stantec in Nelson after gaining valuable experience in Shanghai and Hong Kong. He’s the new ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for the Nelson/Blenheim region and is keen to hear...... Continue Reading

Resilience and burnout during COVID-19 lockdowns

Level 4 lockdown is here again and this time around we know what to expect – but it doesn't make it any easier, especially when juggling home life. Leadership coach...... Continue Reading

Meet our Canterbury/West Coast Regional Chair Andrew Davidson

Andrew Davidson is Work Group Manager – Structures for WSP in Christchurch and a previous finalist for the Engineering New Zealand Young Engineer of the Year. He's the new ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for the Canterbury/West Coast region...... Continue Reading

Meet our Manawatu Regional Chair Campbell Ogilvie

Campbell Ogilvie is an experienced project manager who leads the WSP Infrastructure team in Palmerston North. He’s the new ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for the Manawatu region and is keen to hear from...... Continue Reading

COVID-19 lockdown and NZS 3910:2013 – the Role of the Engineer to the Contract

With a fresh Level 4 lockdown, a new raft of COVID claims will inevitably follow. It is important that Engineers to the Contract are aware of, and prepared for, these...... Continue Reading

Meet the 2021 Student Award winners

Meet the 2021 ACE New Zealand Student Award winners. ... Continue Reading

Emerging Leader Award 2021 finalists announced

Meet the 2021 ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award finalists. ... Continue Reading

Courtney Chapman 2021 Emerging Leader finalist

Meet 2021 Emerging Leader Award finalist, Courtney Chapman, Associate Structural Engineer at Beca. ... Continue Reading

Glenn Jowett 2021 Emerging Leader finalist

Meet Glenn Jowett, Technical Director & Digital Engineering Advisory at Beca and 2021 Emerging Leader Award finalist. ... Continue Reading

Ryan Orr 2021 Emerging Leader finalist

Meet Ryan Orr, Regional Leader Bay of Plenty and Waikato at GHD and 2021 Emerging Leader Award finalist. ... Continue Reading

Problem solving and passion drive Student Award winner Sabrina Wong

Sabrina Wong is one of three winners of the ACE New Zealand Student Award for 2021. She is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce conjoint degree at...... Continue Reading

From learning quadratics to surveying in Rarotonga - with Student Award winner Matt Payne

Matt Payne is one of three winners of the ACE New Zealand Student Award for 2021. He is in his final year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) majoring in civil and environmental engineering at...... Continue Reading

Engineering with a higher purpose - with Student Award winner Xiaowei Lin

Xiaowei (Lisa) Lin is one of three winners of the ACE New Zealand Student Award for 2021. She is in her final year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at the University of...... Continue Reading

COVID-19 in 2021

How the current COVID-19 restrictions affect the engineering and consulting professional service sector in Aotearoa. ... Continue Reading

Moving to NZ during a pandemic in four steps – with Harriet Glen

Moving from London to Auckland is not as easy as it used to be – but it is possible, says Harriet Glen. She recently landed in New Zealand to take up a programme director role with Auckland...... Continue Reading

How design-led thinking puts communities first - with Mieszko Iwaskow

How can consulting firms ensure people and communities are the main focus throughout the whole design and construction process? We talk to Mieszko Iwaskow, Portfolio Delivery Director (Strategic Programmes) at Auckland Transport, about the benefits...... Continue Reading

Immigration changes needed for vital infrastructure projects, says construction sector

The construction sector is urging the Government to ease immigration criteria so struggling companies can recruit overseas workers for key vacancies to complete vital New Zealand infrastructure projects.... Continue Reading

Why design-led thinking is good for business – with Gary Choromanski

What is design-led thinking and how can it shape the outcome of a project, ultimately saving time and money? We talk to MBIE Senior Commercial Leader Gary Choromanski ahead of our three Design-Led Thinking workshops in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch....... Continue Reading

The real challenge is turning research into practice - with seismic expert, Helen Ferner

A lot of our members are geotechnical and seismic engineers. Chances are you've heard of Helen Ferner, the president of the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) and, until recently, technical director at Beca. With more than 35 years of...... Continue Reading

Paying the piper - consultant liability for contribution claims

Complex, multi-party construction projects breed complex, multi-party disputes, often involving cross-claims and claims for contribution. For the last 15 years, the High Court has generally held that contribution claims, like...... Continue Reading

Deltek Clarity Report finds projects aren't on track and technology adaption is low

The latest Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Report found a small number of architectural and engineering projects are on track and technology adoption was low. We caught up with product director,...... Continue Reading

From design to innovation with Claire Lyons

We've all been there. A project that's not clearly defined, a lot of unknowns, and a lack of data. Messy, complex problems and a group of stakeholders who don't fully...... Continue Reading

Getting the most from your SME

Richard Cuthbert is a director of Management Response Ltd (MRL), specialising in supporting SMEs as they strive to enhance their business operation. Richard explores how SMEs can improve their performance,...... Continue Reading

Budget 2021 includes investment in infrastructure

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has delivered his Wellbeing Budget 2021: Securing our Recovery. The focus of spending was on improving the well-being of the lowest income New Zealanders and the...... Continue Reading

We can bring engineering to life by reimagining what we do - with Tracey Ryan

Managing director for Aurecon, Infrastructure NZ board member and chair of the FIDIC sustainability committee, Tracey Ryan, believes innovation should be at the heart of what we do as consultants...... Continue Reading

Our future is inextricably connected to our ability to work with our Asia-Pacific neighbours – with James Koudounis

James Koudounis is AECOM Client Account Manager to Waka Kotahi and is part of the Asia New Zealand Foundation's Leadership Network. The Foundation provides experience and resources to help Kiwis...... Continue Reading

Occupational regulation of engineers

Yesterday, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) opened consultation on its proposals for the occupational regulation of engineers. This follows previous consultations in 2014 and 2019.... Continue Reading

Atiqa Rashid finalist in design awards

Structural design engineer for Manktelow Consulting Engineers, Atiqa Rashid, is a finalist in this year's National Association of Women in Construction Excellence Awards for her design work on two workshops.... Continue Reading

Litigation when dealing with Australian consultants and engineers - with Kiri Parr

Construction lawyer Kiri Parr knows litigation plays a significant part in Australia's engineering sector. As immediate past president of Consult Australia (the Australian version of ACE) and ex-Regional Legal Counsel...... Continue Reading

Leave a place better than you found it - with Alyce Lysaght

It's no secret Māori and Pasifika are underrepresented across the engineering industry. Despite being aware of this, it can be difficult to know where to learn more about the issue...... Continue Reading

Shaping our future - call for abstracts extended

Are you a thought leader in climate change, sustainability, social responsibility, people and culture, digital and infrastructure innovations or risk? We're on the hunt for inspiring presenters to our national...... Continue Reading

It's essential to push ourselves outside of our envelope of comfort - with Amy Patterson-Horner

2020 ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader finalist, Amy Patterson-Horner is the Business Group Manager for GHD Hawke’s Bay. We caught up with her to get her thoughts on leadership and in her role as...... Continue Reading

Contract risks in consulting and engineering – with Hannah Bryce

A current critical challenge for the consulting and engineering sector is risk allocation. Clients see many of our industry-standard contracts as outdated and modify them because of increasing insurance costs,...... Continue Reading
Contracts

Challenge and encouragement with Dr Paul Wood

On Wednesday 7 April we held the first of our Future-Fit Forums, a suite of ACE New Zealand workshops designed to help you develop and explore new ideas that will...... Continue Reading

Women event a 'wakeup call' for men

On Tuesday night 50 people gathered in the Beca auditorium to discuss how we can encourage more women into STEM. As consultants and engineers, we build and design things for everyone...... Continue Reading

Improve your business writing – with Shelly Davies

Shelly Davies is a business writer, trainer, and keynote speaker who gets her kicks from helping businesses turn corporate jargon into plain language. Last year you told us through our training...... Continue Reading

Stress is not a threat to avoid but a challenge to embrace - with Dr Paul Wood

Paul Wood reevaluated his life when he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. By the time he was released, he'd attained a degree in psychology and philosophy, a master's in...... Continue Reading

The translator - with Rebecca Jackson

Environmental engineer for Tonkin + Taylor and professional coach and mentor Rebecca Jackson is an ACE Awards judge and, this year, co-convenor. Find out more about what she's looking for...... Continue Reading

Auckland Council urged to show financial leadership

On 10 March, our former Chief Executive, Paul Evans, delivered a presentation to Auckland Council focussing on the need for more significant infrastructure investment in its ten-year plan. Here's his...... Continue Reading

Be comfortable being uncomfortable - with Annette Sweeney

Annette Sweeney enjoys being uncomfortable. Whether it's cycling 1,100km across the North Island or challenging herself professionally, you won't see her sitting comfortably for too long. Managing Director and Principal Environmental Engineer...... Continue Reading

Are you the best in consulting and engineering in Aotearoa?

The Oscars of the consulting and engineering community, the ACE Awards are a chance to showcase the best of the best - the work you do to create vibrant and sustainable outcomes for Aotearoa. So what...... Continue Reading

Kiwis in outer space - with Julian Ramsay

Julian Ramsay is your classic, unassuming Kiwi. You'd never have guessed that he helped design an international space radar to track space debris for Silicon Valley clients. We talked to...... Continue Reading

New report identifies industry personnel challenges

We've released our latest report that looks at the personnel challenges currently affecting the consulting and engineering sector. ACE Chief Executive Helen Davidson examines the report's findings on how the...... Continue Reading

Making a difference to people and places is what's important to me - with Mayurie Gunatilaka

Mayurie Gunatilaka travelled the world with her parents before settling in New Zealand in the nineties when there was a strong recruitment drive for engineers outside of the country. She's...... Continue Reading

Choose to challenge this International Women's Day - with Helen Davidson

The theme of this year's International Women's Day is "Choose to Challenge". ''A challenged world is an alert world, and from challenge comes change. So let's all choose to challenge''. New...... Continue Reading

Improve business performance with our ACE Future-Fit Forums

ACE will deliver four new Future-Fit Forums during 2021. Our Chief Executive, Paul Evans, looks at how the forums will help improve business performance and what individuals can expect from...... Continue Reading

Calling all men

In late March, ACE will host an event focused on women in STEM, headlined by acclaimed speaker Alexia Hilbertidou, Girlboss NZ CEO. Outgoing ACE Chief Executive Paul Evans tells us...... Continue Reading

Talk of wage pressure doesn’t show in data

There’s been much talk of increased wage inflation in the consulting sector, with staff requesting hefty increases based on anecdotal market pressures.... Continue Reading

Diversity and inclusion - learn with us

ACE New Zealand has developed a diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy that members can use as a springboard to create their own policy. Chief Executive Paul Evans talks about the value...... Continue Reading

A diverse group of people is much more likely to develop an innovative solution – with Alice Chaplin

New Zealand GM for Coffey and global chair for diversity and inclusion for Tetra Tech, Alice Chaplin is a strong champion for diversity and inclusion in our sector. Find out how Alice...... Continue Reading

Business development plans - client-centric thinking and action - with Ben Paul

Writing a business development plan can be challenging. We teamed up with Ben Paul, founder of The BD Ladder, to help step us through what makes a good plan. Take...... Continue Reading

Engineer by day, rock 'n roller by night - with Kezia Lloyd

An engineer by day, musician by night, Kezia Lloyd was a 2020 ACE Emerging Leader finalist. Head of Specialist Services at WSP, she leads up a team of consultants responsible for acoustics, fire, facades,...... Continue Reading

Facing challenges together - with Helen Davidson

Helen Davidson is the newly appointed CE of ACE New Zealand taking up the role in March. Currently, a general manager at Engineering New Zealand, Helen is looking forward to...... Continue Reading

Balancing the trade-offs in infrastructure in New Zealand - with Ross Copland

Ross Copland has a background in design, procurement, financing, and the delivery of infrastructure as an engineer and an asset manager.... Continue Reading

Management starts with people - with Simon Fenton

Construction Phase Services Lead on the Auckland City Rail Link, Simon Fenton won the 2020 ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award. We sat down and chatted to him about the...... Continue Reading

Kāinga Ora Professional Services Agreement

In November this year, we advised members of the significant concerns we had with an updated version of the Conditions of Contract for Consultancy Services (CCCS) proposed by Kāinga Ora.... Continue Reading

Auckland Young Professionals – meet Kate Fursova

The ACE New Zealand Young Professionals Committee represent people aged 35 years of age and younger in the consulting and engineering industry. We recently caught up with Young Professional Champion,...... Continue Reading

Don't focus on the 'what', but on the 'how'

At the last event for 2020, professional speaker Greg Ward talked to a room of young professionals on how best to present online versus in person. Our newest Auckland Young...... Continue Reading

An authentically inclusive workspace promotes and celebrates all forms of diversity – with David McDonald

David McDonald is a project manager with the water team at Stantec in Wellington. He's also a member of the Asia Pacific Inclusion and Diversity Council and co-coordinates their office...... Continue Reading

The future of our industry is inextricably tied to the development of the next group of leaders

The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award winner will be announced at the ACE Awards, on Wednesday 25 November. We caught up with Doug Johnson, MD of Tonkin + Taylor who sponsors...... Continue Reading

Major award for Canterbury flood protection project

The Waimakariri Flood Protection project has claimed GOLD at the 55th ACE Awards held in Auckland on 25 November 2020.... Continue Reading

A further accolade for the Nelson Airport Terminal

The highly acclaimed Nelson Airport Terminal has been awarded GOLD at the 55th ACE Awards held in Auckland on 25 November 2020. ... Continue Reading

Nelson Airport building project wins major sustainability award

The Nelson Airport Terminal project received a sustainability award at the 55th ACE Awards held in Auckland on 25 November 2020. ... Continue Reading

World-leading Kiwi space radar structure wins major award

The world-leading LeoLabs Kiwi Space radar structure in Naseby, Central Otago has picked up GOLD at the 55th ACE Awards held in Auckland on 25 November 2020. ... Continue Reading

Auckland City Centre project wins major sustainability award

The Access for Everyone (A4E) project received a sustainability award at the 55th ACE Awards held in Auckland on 25 November 2020. ... Continue Reading

Many of us seem good at hiding our pain – with journalist, Jehan Casinader

Jehan Casinader harboured a secret during his celebrated TV career. He was struggling with depression. In his new book, "This Is Not How It Ends", he explains how he found a way through....... Continue Reading

People have different passions and desires, and we must learn to accept these differences – with Sulo Shanmuganathan

Sulo Shanmuganathan is a structural engineer and Technical Director at Holmes Consulting. We caught up with her to find out what drove her to choose engineering as a career and how...... Continue Reading

Designing projects with social value at the forefront of our thinking

Jacobs recently released a thought leadership paper Before & Beyond the Build. We caught up with Sarah Alexander – Principal Consultant, Social Investment and Innovation and co-author of the report, as...... Continue Reading

We have to build more diverse role models – with Emily Afoa

Emily Afoa (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto) is an environmental engineer who became a partner at Tektus Consultants Limited in 2018. We talked to Emily about her career and her experience being a Māori woman in the sector.... Continue Reading

There's no point in turning up with a hammer looking for a nail when a client wants to bake a cake – with Steve Abley

Steve Abley is the founding director of Abley, a firm who designs, develops and implements transportation plans and infrastructure. We caught up with him to discuss how technology has always played a big...... Continue Reading

Successful infrastructure delivery is inextricably tied to community engagement and understanding of expectations

Amelia Linzey is Beca's Chief Planner and a moderator at this month's ReBuilding Nations conference. We caught up with her to look at how the engineering industry is coping as we move...... Continue Reading

The industry works better if we plan ahead – with Van Tang

Van Tang is GHD's general manager, New Zealand and Pacific. We caught up with her to look at how the New Zealand consulting sector is performing and what we can learn from Australia. ...... Continue Reading

Our building code allows us to build unhealthy houses, legally - with Katheren Leitner

Katheren Leitner is the CE of Asthma New Zealand. The standard of homes is a subject that's close to her heart as nearly 600,000 people in New Zealand use asthma...... Continue Reading

New Zealand is an innovative country when it comes to health and safety – with Daniel Hummerdal

Daniel Hummerdal is WorkSafe New Zealand’s Chief Advisor Health and Safety Innovation. He has vast experience in the development of new approaches to improving health and safety performance in a work environment. We caught...... Continue Reading

COVID-19 was a 'real-life trial' of what it's like to work from home - with Matt Harris

Matt Harris is the Associate Principal – South Island Business Manager for Babbage Consultants based in Christchurch. He is also the ACE Regional Chair for Otago and Southland and a Board member of Engineering...... Continue Reading

It’s not just about the money - there are other ways consultants can support our engineering students – with Rosalind Archer

Professor Rosalind Archer is the Acting Deputy Dean of Engineering at the University of Auckland. She is also Deputy President of Engineering New Zealand. We caught up with her to look at...... Continue Reading

The product often hidden - with Sheet Pile New Zealand director, David Broad

As consultants and engineers, you'll probably know that sheet piling was used in the City Rail Link project in Auckland to line a vertical hole for the boring machine to...... Continue Reading

Returning to the workforce after parental leave – with Rebekah Fraser

Returning to work after taking care of a baby is fraught with a range of emotions like feeling daunted, exhausted, overwhelmed and even excited. We spoke with Rebekah Fraser, founder...... Continue Reading

You can't sit back and wait for things to happen - with Maryam Razz

Maryam Razz moved to New Zealand from Iran seven years ago after feeling curious about other cultures and wanting to live somewhere different. She now works for Pedersen Read in Christchurch...... Continue Reading

How the consulting and engineering sector in Australia is weathering the COVID storm

Nicola Grayson is the Chief Executive of Consult Australia (ACE’s equivalent in Australia). We caught up with her to look at how the consulting and engineering sectors in Australia are weathering the...... Continue Reading

Client Choice Awards are a chance to convert clients from critical to being a fan

Dr George Beaton is the Executive Chairman of Beaton Research + Consulting (beaton) with offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Sydney. The company organises and presents the annual Client Choice Awards, which attract entries...... Continue Reading

Mental health in the consulting & engineering industry - with Calibre's Bruce Vincent

The John Kirwan Foundation provides young people with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to mental health issues. By supporting school-aged children, they're building a more resilient workforce for the future. It...... Continue Reading

We can't go on doing things in the same manner that we always have and expect the result to be different - with Adrienne Miller

Adrienne Miller is the New Zealand General Manager for Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). We caught up with her to discuss ISCA’s work and sustainability in our sector. ... Continue Reading

Construction industry's high suicide rate

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke with Victoria McArthur, CEO of Mates in Construction about the high suicide rates amongst construction workers in Aotearoa and how the suicide prevention programme is...... Continue Reading

Without fear, there can be no courage - with Tony Matthews

Tony Matthews lives life to the fullest. A successful project manager for AECOM, an aspiring triathlete, football player and father of three, Tony was recently diagnosed with type 2 bipolar....... Continue Reading

Become an ACE New Zealand Regional Chair

Do you want to develop your leadership skills? Do you want to get exposure to upper and senior management?  ... Continue Reading

Health and safety needs to be a constant focus of the conversation - with Francois Barton

Francois Barton is the Executive Director of the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum. We spoke to Francois about the Forum and how health and safety leadership is impacting the...... Continue Reading

Kathryn Musgrave - dealing with burnout

Kathryn Musgrave was moving positively along her engineering pathway until she realised something wasn't right. She had become mentally exhausted and wasn't functioning in her usual manner. Kathryn talked to us about how she suffered burnout and the...... Continue Reading

The unconventional engineer – with Chad Williams

Chad Williams didn't embark on a career in engineering the conventional way. He started on the tools and proved he's a natural leader and engineer. Find out more about Chad's...... Continue Reading

Calling all Auckland young professionals

We're looking for someone to join the ACE New Zealand Auckland Young Professional Committee. Could this be you? ... Continue Reading

10 Māori words every consultant or engineer should know

Troy Brockbank (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) is a Kaitohutohu Matua Taiao/Senior Environmental Consultant with WSP. We caught up with him during Māori Language Week to learn how easy it is to incorporate Te Reo into our working life. ... Continue Reading

Transparency and certainty needed to close $75B infrastructure deficit

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to one of the biggest economic shocks in modern history. Our government is unleashing massive fiscal stimulus to soften the blow, which will lead to...... Continue Reading

My digital transformation job didn't exist five years ago - with Rekha Kharbanda

Rekha Kharbanda is Digital Transformation Leader at Tonkin + Taylor. She has a background in software development and a broad understanding of digital, innovation, transformation and technology. We caught up...... Continue Reading

Being a regional chair exposes you to commercial activity outside of your 9-5 role – with Hugo Bosman

Self-professed cycling fanatic, Hugo Bosman, uses and designs cycling and walking tracks all over Aotearoa. A civil engineer and project manager, Hugo talked to us about his new gig at...... Continue Reading

What lays beneath Commercial Bay – with Chris Mackenzie

The new 39-storey Commercial Bay development in downtown Auckland opened to the public in June 2020. It includes a 39,000-square-metre office tower and 18,000 sqm of retail space. We caught up with...... Continue Reading

Designers have to step up when it comes to warmer, drier and healthier homes – with Peter Raimondo

Peter Raimondo is a senior Building Enclosure Engineer and podcaster at Oculus Architectural Engineering. We caught up with him to discuss his passion for developing warm, dry, and healthy buildings. ... Continue Reading

Working with iwi – with John Blyth

John Blyth is the Māori  Business Advisory Lead for Beca, helping them to take the next steps in building iwi relationships and collaboration. We spoke to John about his role and how...... Continue Reading

Farewell to Harold White (ACENZ Director 1982 – 1993)

Harold White passed away at Sprott House on August 31st 2020, aged 91.... Continue Reading

ACE New Zealand has a role to play across the full range of challenges - with Ian Fraser

Ian Fraser is the Executive General Manager - Asia Pacific for GHD and was recently elected President of ACE New Zealand. He gave us his thoughts on how he would...... Continue Reading

A love of Lego led Alice to engineering – with Alice Ying

Hanyu (Alice) Ying is one of three 2020 ACE New Zealand Student Award recipients. Alice sat down and talked to us about her love of Lego, Denmark and Geotechnical Engineering.  ... Continue Reading

University can only prepare you for so much - with Githmi Amarasekera

Civil engineering student Githmi Amarasekera is a 2020 ACE New Zealand Student Award winner. We caught up with her to see how her study and career is progressing and why she chose to work as...... Continue Reading

Forensics in engineering - with Devina Shedde

Devina Shedde fell in love with art history and old monuments from a young age. So much so that she studied engineering and art history at the University of Auckland. Devina is one of our 2020...... Continue Reading

Student Awards 2020 finalists announced

The AECOM Student Award winners for 2020 have been decided. The award recognises engineering students who've completed a practical work requirement with an ACE New Zealand member firm and submit an outstanding Practical Work...... Continue Reading

We've launched our new website

We're proud to announce that our new website is now live and features a modern design, improved functionality and easy to access information to help you with your consulting and engineering...... Continue Reading

Deltek Clarity Report findings - with Megan Miller

Megan Miller is the Senior Product Manager for Deltek – a global provider of software and solutions for project-based business. We caught up with her to delve into the background and results of...... Continue Reading

COVID Alert Levels 2 and 3 – What they mean for consulting and engineering businesses

Businesses should be complying with the relevant restrictions as Auckland continues life under COVID Alert Level 3 and the rest of the country is at Alert Level 2 until at...... Continue Reading

Smart Seeds empowers emerging leaders

Luke Krieg is Digital Innovation Manager at GHD and also oversees the operation of the Smart Seeds innovation programme. We caught up with him to find out how the programme is empowering emerging leaders. ... Continue Reading

The prime minister's approach as we recover from COVID-19

ACE New Zealand's Finance Manager, Janet Ziegler, shares her outtake of the Prime Minister's speech on the government's approach as we recover from COVID-19. ... Continue Reading

How to win government work – with George Hulbert

George Hulbert is a director of The Clarity Business. We talked to him about why businesses should place a greater focus on improving your procurement outcomes. ... Continue Reading

Taking a research and evidence-based approach – The Helen Clark Foundation, with Ian Blair

The Helen Clark Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think tank taking an evidence-based approach to stimulate public policy debate and action on issues facing our society. WSP New Zealand is...... Continue Reading

Artificial intelligence in engineering – with Matt Ensor

Matt Ensor is Beca's Business Director for Beca.ai engagement, a service that uses the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in public consultation and engagement. Matt talks about what this product...... Continue Reading

Australia versus New Zealand - with Kiri Parr

Kiri Parr is the immediate past president of Consult Australia, the founder and owner of her Kiri Parr Pty Ltd in Brisbane and is a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne...... Continue Reading

We are all the same people trying to do the best we can – coming out, with Frank MacDonald

Frank MacDonald is the Workgroup Manager-Occupational Hygiene for WSP New Zealand. Recently he realised that being someone different (but still the same as everyone else) was causing him anxiety and fear at...... Continue Reading

Develop a more sustainable business - DETA Carbon Roadmap to 2050

One of the most pressing concerns for businesses is sustainability and how it fits into their current operations. Companies all around the world are seeking opportunities that will allow them...... Continue Reading

Emerging Leader Award 2020 finalists announced

We've selected our three finalists for the 2020 Emerging Leader Award.... Continue Reading

The new normal - with Ceinwen McNeil

CEO of BVT Engineering, Ceinwen McNeil, looks at how the business is changing post COVID-19. ... Continue Reading

It's time for change - with Sina Cotter Tait

Director of Collective Success in Christchurch, Sina Cotter Tait would like to see more equity in our sector for Maori and Pasifika. When she's not championing diversity, she's studying for her PhD and sitting on several boards....... Continue Reading

Cities need to change to cater for people with disabilities - with Bridget Burdett

Chartered engineer and researcher with MRCagney, Bridget Burdett is a leading thinker in inclusiveness and human-centred planning in transport. We caught up with her to talk about inclusiveness in the workplace and how...... Continue Reading

There's real power in the collective voice - with Susan Freeman-Greene

In the five years that Susan Freeman-Greene has been Chief Executive of Engineering New Zealand, a lot has changed. She has seen real value in the collective voice when organisations pull together for the betterment...... Continue Reading

Building your personal brand

Ben Paul helps professionals create and grow their personal brand. He says who you are, what you do and what you stand for is essential for any successful consultant. We sat...... Continue Reading

We must ensure we're inclusive during the decision-making process - with Troy Brockbank

Troy Brockbank (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) is a Kaitohutohu Matua Taiao / Senior Environmental Consultant with WSP. We caught up with him to get his views on diversity and inclusion in the consulting sector. ... Continue Reading

Headscarves and hard hats - with structural engineer Atiqa Rashid

New Zealand welcomed Atiqa Rashid with 'open hands' when she and her family moved from Pakistan five years ago. As the first female civil engineer in the 61-year history of Pakistan Railways,...... Continue Reading

We need to continue to be vigilant with health and safety on the worksite post COVID-19

CHASNZ GM of Health and Safety Innovation, Jon Harper-Slade says we must continue to be vigilant in adhering to health and safety on the worksite. We can't only focus on COVID-19. ... Continue Reading

Encouragement is vital for women working in the engineering and consulting sector says Ida Dowling

When Ida Dowling was elected President of ACE New Zealand, she became the first woman to hold the position. We caught up with her to find out what makes her tick and...... Continue Reading

Flexi-time makes staff more engaged, more motivated and have ownership of their role at Harrison Grierson - with Glen Cornelius

Staff at engineering and design consultancy Harrison Grierson are encouraged to negotiate their working arrangements with management. We caught up with Managing Director Glen Cornelius to see how the system...... Continue Reading

Who is the ACE New Zealand Board?

Our Board provides governance for ACE New Zealand as well as monitoring our performance. They also set our strategic direction, and importantly, protect the integrity of the organisation by ensuring...... Continue Reading

We're proposing changes to the way we appoint our board - here's why

Based on member feedback, ACE New Zealand has been placing a strong focus on ensuring greater transparency around the nomination and election process for our Board. ... Continue Reading

Director at 28 years old after showing an interest in the business of engineering – with Marlo Bromley

Marlo Bromley became the director of DTCE Structural Engineering at the age of 28 after showing an interest in the business side of engineering.  ... Continue Reading

The effect of COVID-19 on HEB Construction with CEO Derrick Adams

Derrick Adams became the CEO of HEB Construction in 2007. We got his take on how COVID-19 has affected the construction industry and how things are likely to change as...... Continue Reading

The challenge of transitioning from student to the working world - with Theodore Carlos

Theodore Carlos is a structural engineer for AECOM in Auckland. In 2016 he was a winner in the student category at the ACE Awards and last year was part of...... Continue Reading

3D Visualisation helps communities, clients and the consultant with Callum Smith

Callum Smith is a Geospatial and Digital Delivery Consultant with Aurecon. We caught up with him to look at his work in the digital and geospatial area, and how he...... Continue Reading

We're rebranding!

Exciting news. Just as people and companies evolve, so do brands. We’ve grown ours over many years and we’re now taking a bold step forward with a new name. The Association...... Continue Reading

We've lost the art of engineering - with Shawn McIssac

Shawn McIssac is one of two directors at Oculus Architectural Engineering Ltd. He spoke to us about some of the biggest challenges facing our sector. ... Continue Reading

The power of stories - with Jehan Casinder webinar

New Zealand journalist, Jehan Casinader explored an unlikely contributor to wellbeing: storytelling in this one-hour ACE New Zealand member webinar The Power of Storytelling. ... Continue Reading

Design our cities for all with Emma McInnes

Emma McInnes is an Urban Designer at Resilio Studio and co-founder of Women in Urbanism Aotearoa. We spoke to her about what we can do to improve the design of our streets...... Continue Reading

Professional Indemnity Insurance - Market Challenges

We've worked with CEAS to develop a report on the professional indemnity (PI) insurance market, the challenges ahead and the things we must urgently address to ensure that PI insurance...... Continue Reading
Contracts

Looking after your mental health as we return to work after the COVID-19 lockdown

COVID-19 is having a significant impact on how we interact with others and how we go about our lives and work. A combination of stress and uncertainty can have a...... Continue Reading

COVID-19 Alert Level 2 - returning to work and the office

Aotearoa will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 at 11.59 pm on Wednesday 13 May.... Continue Reading

COVID-19 has created temporary urbanism on New Zealand streets - with Ellie Craft

Ellie Craft is a keen cyclist, which is fortunate as she designs cycleways for a living at MRCagney - amongst other things! We caught up with Ellie to find out which Auckland...... Continue Reading

What COVID-19 Alert Level 2 means for you

On Monday 11 May, the Prime Minister will announce when Aotearoa moves to Alert Level 2. Until then, we remain in Alert Level 3 and must comply with all relevant...... Continue Reading

Protecting your data with Paul Ramsbottom

Data breaches cause a massive impact on businesses. We caught up with Paul Ramsbottom, the Managing Director of Advanced Solutions International (Asia Pacific) in Melbourne to find out how companies...... Continue Reading

16 April e-News

Our economy is already struggling under COVID-19. So, it's a massive concern to me that some local government entities are taking an austerity-based approach, by slashing projects and spending.  ...... Continue Reading

Don't be afraid. Take the first step of a thousand miles and embrace it - with Quin Henderson

Tūranga is the five-storey central library located in the heart of Christchurch's Cathedral Square and is now the most important public library in the South Island. The project was the...... Continue Reading

What makes the ACE Awards different - with the convenor of judges David Bridges

The ACE Awards are one of our most important events of the year. We spoke to the convenor of judges, David Bridges, as he begins the awards deliberation process. ... Continue Reading

Returning to work with COVID-19 level 3 protocols

Many businesses in our sector have been able to return to work this week after the government lowered the COVID-19 Alert Level from four to three. However, returning to the...... Continue Reading

30 April e-News

In April we surveyed ACE New Zealand members to understand: the immediate impacts of COVID-19, what is driving these impacts, as well as member attitudes regarding the future of our...... Continue Reading

COVID-19 Alert Level 3: What travel is permitted

One of the consistent questions I have been getting is what travel is and isn’t allowed under Alert Level 3.... Continue Reading

Monday to Friday, 8 - 5 doesn't get the best out of employees with Tony Harrison

Urban Connection Director Tony Harrison joined us to look at how a good work-life balance for staff and managers contributes to improved business outcomes. ... Continue Reading

How to return to work in the construction industry during COVID-19 with Jon Harper-Slade

We caught up with Jon Harper-Slade, GM Health and Safety Innovation for CHASNZ to look at the implications of the new COVID-19 protocols on the construction industry.... Continue Reading

COVID-19 Alert Level 3 - what it means for consulting and engineering businesses

We now know the exact date that we will reduce to COVID-19 Alert Level 3.... Continue Reading

An online quiz led Mathew Waghorn to engineering

ACE New Zealand 2018 Student Award winner Mathew Waghorn talks to us about the benefits of winning the award and what life's like as a recent engineering graduate. ... Continue Reading

Raye Powell believes we now have a more sophisticated understanding of the value of women in engineering

Waitangi Wharf on the Chatham Islands was near the end of its structural life and required a significant redevelopment. Raye Powell was part of the team which constructed a 163m...... Continue Reading

Fast track: a year’s worth of digital change in three months with Andrew Maher

We caught up with Aurecon's Chief Digital Officer, Andrew Maher about how COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation at an alarming pace. ... Continue Reading

Two key components for a new way of doing business - people and work, with Andrew Read

Many businesses are currently defining what "business as usual" means as New Zealand battles with COVID-19. Christchurch-based electrical engineering firm Pedersen Read director Andrew Read shares the lessons he learned...... Continue Reading

Making the best out of working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown - with Kathryn Jackson

Kathryn Jackson supported businesses as they returned to 'normal' after the Christchurch quakes. A performance coach at Careerbalance and author, Kathryn says, like the quakes, the COVID-19 lockdown means almost...... Continue Reading

Covid-19 wage subsides for businesses

Since moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 in Aotearoa, the government has changed the way employers apply for a wage subsidy. ... Continue Reading

Miguel Montalla loves engineering's unsolvable problems

We sat down and talked to recent graduate and 2018 Student Award winner Miguel Montalla about his new career at Beca. ... Continue Reading

University can’t teach you everything – with recent graduate Sheryl Wong

ACE New Zealand 2018 Student Award winner Sheryl Wong discusses her leap from university to the professional industry and what it meant to win the Student Award.  ... Continue Reading

2 April e-News

It is an unprecedented time for the construction and infrastructure sectors in Aotearoa. There's already much talk of construction and infrastructure playing a pivotal role in our economic recovery. ... Continue Reading

It’s physical distancing, not social isolation

While we move into the reality of the COVID-19 lockdown, we are hearing more stories about how social isolation is becoming a real burden for some teams.... Continue Reading

Caring for your staff in times of stress

The longer the Covid-19 lockdown continues, the more critical staff care will become.... Continue Reading

Chris Maguire takes nothing for granted

We caught up with Chris Maguire, winner of the Emerging Leader Award at the 2019 ACE Awards. At the time of winning the award, Chris was Stantec’s South Island Group...... Continue Reading

Strategic Masterclass with Alicia McKay

Eloise Angus is our Digital Communications Specialist at ACE New Zealand. She attended the one-day Strategic Leaders Masterclass with Alicia McKay. ... Continue Reading

Tips for managing a remote team

The way we manage a remote work team has never been so important as now as Aotearoa works through the early stages of Covid-19 lockdown.... Continue Reading

26 March e-News

Last week the Government announced the COVID-19 Leave Payment Scheme and Wage Subsidy Scheme to support people who should self-isolate but might be deterred because of financial reasons.  ... Continue Reading

19 March e-News

On Tuesday the Government unveiled a $12.1 billion support package for the New Zealand economy, with almost half of the cash to be spent on a wage subsidy package for...... Continue Reading

How ACE New Zealand is preparing for Covid-19

It’s a time of considerable uncertainty. No one knows what the best way to respond is, but undoubtedly we must take this seriously. So, with that in mind, I am...... Continue Reading

Covid-19 for your workplace

Now that we're in Alert Level 1, the construction industry has published a revised standard and protocols for ongoing operations. View the Construction Health and Safety NZ (CHASNZ) standard and protocols...... Continue Reading

12 March e-News

Covid-19 is still a topic of much discussion, with cases and deaths rising worldwide. In times like this, it’s easy to panic. With that in mind, I’d recommend following articles...... Continue Reading

5 March e-News

The focus, both locally and globally on Covid-19 (AKA Coronavirus) has ramped up over the last week, particularly with the announcement of New Zealand's first confirmed case. In short, it's...... Continue Reading

27 February e-News

We are excited about the ACE New Zealand conference later this year. Here are a few of the details so you can diary the date: Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5...... Continue Reading

20 February e-News

Today, together with Engineering New Zealand and Te Kāhui Waihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, we launched the Diversity Agenda Accord at parliament. Thanks to Minister Julie Anne Genter for...... Continue Reading

13 February 2020 eNews

Diversity Agenda member Aurecon has launched an industry-first with their new parental leave scheme, Shared Care. The scheme provides financial incentives to support secondary carers who play a more active...... Continue Reading

7 February e-News

How much do we need to fill the infrastructure deficit? The Government’s infrastructure investment occupied the headlines last week. It has been billed the single most significant capital expenditure on...... Continue Reading

30 January 2020 e-News

Construction Sector Transformation Plan launched The Government has announced a new action plan to help lift the workforce and productivity to build houses, schools, roads, rail and hospitals throughout the...... Continue Reading

We've rebranded

Exciting news. Just as people and companies evolve, so do brands. We’ve grown ours over many years and we’re now taking a bold step forward with a new name. The Association...... Continue Reading

The Construction Sector Accord requires total commitment

This blog post is written by Paul Evans, ACENZ Chief Executive The Construction Sector Accord was launched earlier this year to transform the industry. The shared initiative between the government...... Continue Reading

Document Automation Pilot for Short Form Agreement

ACE New Zealand, Engineering New Zealand and LawHawk are working together to test automation of our common industry documents, such as the Short Form Agreement (SFA). Early indications are that...... Continue Reading

Heritage EQUIP announcement

Heritage EQUIP is a nationwide programme that provides funding and advice to the private owners of heritage buildings that require earthquake strengthening, and, as you may already know, the Government...... Continue Reading

Construction Directory open to new entrants

The Construction Directory is the Ministry of Education’s national panel of 100 pre-qualified main construction contractors for capital works projects over $500,000. The Directory was originally released to the market in mid...... Continue Reading

Temporary Works Procedural Control: Good Practice Guideline (GPG)

The newly established Temporary Works forum (TWf) have developed the following draft guidance document to the New Zealand Construction Industry, providing a consensus view on how to execute good procedural...... Continue Reading

ACE New Zealand elects first female president

ACE New Zealand has appointed Ida Dowling as its first female President at its Annual General Meeting in Hamilton on Friday 3 August. Ms Dowling replaces outgoing President Mike Kerr.... Continue Reading