Four WSP projects recognised at 2021 ACE Awards

The COVID-delayed 2021 ACE New Zealand Awards were held online yesterday afternoon, with four WSP projects scooping high profile industry recognition. Hosted by former TV1 newsreader and presenter Nadine Higgins, judged awards were handed out in seven categories.

WSP's work on the Kaituna River re-diversion and and Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketu estuary enhancement received a Silver Award.

Cut off from its natural outlet since 1956, WSP worked with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to help restore the estuary’s freshwater connections, boost its ecological health and stop the process of sand infill. Judges commented on WSP's involvement as being "an exemplar of true collaboration, engagement, planning and consenting".

WSP’s work with the Tūhoe Charitable Trust on the Road to Nature project was also recognised with a Silver Award.

This project saw our Petone-based research unit develop a by-product of the wood pulping process to bind gravel on a remote section of State Highway 38. Judges were impressed with WSP’s pairing of mātauranga Māori and multi-disciplinary science and engineering – and said the solution provides a strong platform for further development of non-bituminous sustainable roading materials.

Rounding out WSP’s Silver Award wins was a long-running earthquake strengthening and upgrade project at Wellington East Girls’ College. Judges recognised WSP for “consulting excellence, delivering a modern, seismically resilient low damage building and an outcome that is sympathetic to the heritage values of the original building”.

WSP's Roading Resilience Management System (RRMS) project was recognised with a Merit Award. The data-intensive project saw work undertaken with Waka Kotahi to improve a 1,000km stretch of state highway in Northland.

Judges singled out WSP's "consulting excellence in enhancing the way roading data was collated and able to be accessed using simple off-the-shelf software tools, providing significant value to the client and the community”.

WSP's specialist consulting expertise was name dropped elsewhere in the Awards ceremony, during Tuhoe Charitable Trust's and Bay of Plenty Regional Council's receiving of Special ACE Awards.

Check out the full list of winners at www.acenz.org.nz/2021winners

This article was originally published on wsp.com - 23.02.22