Engineering Excellence Award winners announced
The winners of the 2010 New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards were announced in Wellington on Thursday 24 November at a gala dinner hosted by MC Linda Clark and attended by more than 350 people which was held at the Duxton Hotel. The Winner of the 2010 Supreme Award for Engineering Excellence is the Coronet Peak Ski Area Snow-making Infrastructure and Reservoirs by Hadley Consultants Ltd, NZSki Ltd and TechnoAlpin. The Queenstown economy has been significantly strengthened through this collaborative project which enhances the ability of the Coronet ski field to open and remain open as planned for a lengthened and more predictable ski season. The flow-on benefits are evidenced by significant increases in incoming international flights. Whilst conceptually simple – capturing and using as much as necessary of the water that naturally falls as snow or rain on the ski field region, or is available through groundwater springs – the practical complexities to be overcome were considerable. The mathematical modelling of the water harvesting, storage and use was very detailed. The scale of the pipework and reservoirs necessary, and the need to provide reliable services across a rugged, steep and sometimes unstable landscape and in a highly variable mountain climate were significant. The challenge of storing large volumes of water safely at high altitude was successfully addressed through detailed geotechnical analysis of the land geology. Narrow windows of available construction time demanded a well-planned work programme. This included detailed protocols in regard to vegetation re-location or reinstatement. Air New Zealand Chief Executive Rob Fyfe took the premier individual title, The William Pickering Award for Engineering Leadership. Rob Fyfe completed his studies in mechanical engineering whilst with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He entered the commercial world in 1987 and held a number of management roles in New Zealand before moving […]