All project entries are welcome, whether they relate to industrial or commercial projects, civil engineering, residential or landscaping, and whether they are process- or initiative-based.

Previous winners have included Project Century, Lion Nathan’s new integrated manufacturing and warehousing facility in East Tamaki, which made extensive use of recycled glass as aggregate in concrete, and the Northern Gateway Toll Road, of which every aspect, from design through to operation, considered ways in which to contribute to New Zealand’s sustainable development.

Enter online here.

2009 Concrete³ Sustainability Award Winner Announced

The Northern Gateway Toll Road, a $360 million extension of State Highway One from Orewa to Puhoi, has taken out the supreme 2009 Concrete³ Sustainability Award.

The 7.5km four-lane highway was completed by the Northern Gateway Alliance and is the New Zealand Transport Agency’s largest ever capital project.

Amongst numerous other features the project achieved top honours in concrete sustainability for the concrete lining in the road’s twin tunnels, which made extensive use of polypropylene fibres for fire resistance, and its bridge structures which used timesaving match-cast technology for the first time in New Zealand.

The award, which is part of the Concrete³ initiative launched in 2007 by the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), acknowledges companies whose product, programme or initiative demonstrates excellence in environmental, economic and social sustainability.

CCANZ chief executive Rob Gaimster says the Northern Gateway Toll Road is a truly significant project and the Alliance behind it demonstrated a genuine commitment to large scale sustainable construction.

“All aspects of this project, from design through to operation, have considered ways in which to contribute to New Zealand’s sustainable development. The project’s use of concrete for its sustainable properties, in particular durability and fire resistance, is outstanding.” Rob says.

Noel Nancekivell, Principal Civil Engineer, URS NZ Ltd receives the
2009 Concrete³ Sustainability Award from Rob Gaimster, CCANZ CEO

Three commendations were also announced for projects that excelled in differing areas of sustainable concrete construction.

Excellence in Concrete Construction Innovation was awarded to Allied Concrete Limited for its use of recycled crushed concrete in ready mixed concrete production for the Wellington Zoo Hospital Complex.

Excellence in Residential Concrete Construction was awarded to Cranko Architects Limited for Sustainable House, a stylish private dwelling which took advantage of concrete’s thermal mass for energy efficiency, and its low maintenance features.

Excellence in Commercial Concrete Construction was awarded to Studio Pacific Architecture for Site 7: Meridian Building, New Zealand's first 5 Green Star building, which used concrete as an integral structural material.

Concrete for a Sustainable World - short film

Wishing to take its message “to the next level”, Concrete³ has chosen the power and versatility of film to engage with a wider and more diverse audience.

The short film - Concrete for a Sustainable World - highlights innovations and efficiencies in concrete’s manufacture, along with its inherent attributes in a range of applications, to create an emotional response within each viewer that motivates a more balanced understanding of concrete’s contribution to a sustainable built environment.

Fonted by Samantha Jukes, the film has been divided into five sections for easy online viewing.  Each section is accessible via its link in the menu to the screen's left.

We hope you enjoy watching Concrete for a Sustainable World.

Samantha Jukes - explores sustainable concrete building solutions

Research Demonstrates Importance of Cement & Concrete to NZ Economy

Research into the importance of the cement and concrete industry to New Zealand’s economy has found it contributes nearly $3 billion towards GDP.

A New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) report shows that for the year ending March 2006, the value of the industry’s output was $7.4 billion.  This activity supported 24,000 jobs and created a value add of $2.8 billion – about 2% of New Zealand’s GDP.

The report was commissioned by the Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ).  CCANZ chief executive Patrick McGuire said the research illustrates just how significant the cement and concrete industry is to the nation’s economy.

“A primary aim for us is to ensure that cement and concrete are truly sustainable – environmentally, socially and economically.  The NZIER research proves the industry is more than meeting the economic part of this objective,” Mr McGuire said.

Find out more about the NZIER report - Cement & Concrete Production: Economic Impact Assessment

Brewery Project Takes Out First Ever Cement & Concrete Industry Sustainability Award

A unique building project using considerable quantities of recycled waste glass won the inaugural 2008 Concrete³ Sustainability Award in Rotorua on the evening of Friday 3 October.

Recycled glass as aggregate for use in concrete.

Project Century, a brewery currently under construction in South Auckland, is a joint development by Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd and Mainzeal Property & Construction Ltd for Lion Nathan. The project will use recycled waste glass as aggregate in the building’s concrete structures, and is due to open in 2010.

Left to right: Jeremy Smith (Managing Director, Holcim), Patrick McGuire (Chief Executive Officer, CCANZ), Ross Copland (Project Engineer, Mainzeal), Steve Jackson (Regional Sales Manager, Holcim)

The award, which is part of the Concrete³ initiative launched last year by the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), acknowledges companies whose product, programme or initiative demonstrates excellence in environmental, economic and societal sustainability.

The runner-up in the Concrete³ Sustainability Award was Wilco Precast Ltd, for Sinclair House in Whitianga – an energy-efficient holiday home understood to be the first house in New Zealand built entirely from lightweight precast pumice concrete.

Left to right: Patrick McGuire (Chief Executive Officer, CCANZ)with Andrew Sinclair (General Manager, Wilco Precast Ltd)

Under construction - Wilco Precast Ltd's Sinclair House in Whitianga

Concrete³ Booklet Targets Consumer

A Concrete³ promotional booklet designed to market the benefits of using concrete in residential properties has recently been distributed in two New Zealand lifestyle magazines.

The booklet, Concrete: Comfort | Style | Strength aims to showcase the concrete features of New Zealand's finest new houses.

The 8-page glossy booklet uses stunning imagery and carefully crafted text to emphasise concrete's thermal efficiency (comfort), aesthetic potential (style) and durability (strength).

Each of these properties is illustrated through the use of various category entrants from the annual Registered Master Builders Federation (RMBF) House of the Year competition.

The booklet appeared as an insert in the Aug/Sep issue of Home magazine and the September issue of Your Home and Garden magazine, both widely circulated publications.

To receive a collection of hardcopies email admin@cca.org.nz

The Concrete³ series of print advertisements has been expanded to include the sustainable attributes of concrete above.

As part of the Concrete³ advertising campaign this particular billboard in Penrose, South Auckland was erected to highlight the inherent fire resistance of concrete structures. 

Concrete³ Advertising Campaign Launched

Using the proposition "Concrete - The Responsible Choice", a series of print advertisements demonstrating the sustainable properties of concrete began appearing in selected national trade publications in February 2008.

The two samples above will soon be accompanied by advertisements that demonstrate concrete’s recyclability and contribution to safer roads.

CCANZ Wins 2007 Best Conference Paper Award

Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ) project manager Rob Gaimster was presented with the New Zealand Concrete Society’s Sandy Cormack Award at the 2007 New Zealand Concrete Industry Annual Conference, which was held recently at the Bayview Wairakei Resort in Taupo.

Rob was judged to have prepared and presented the most original and innovative paper on the development of the knowledge and use of concrete at the conference.

Chris Munn of Allied Concrete, who is a former CCANZ project manager, was also presented with the award.

Download a copy of the paper:

The Role of Concrete in Sustainable Development

Hon Clayton Cosgrove, Minister for Building and Construction, recently launched Concrete³, an initiative to raise awareness of the sustainable qualities of concrete.

Spearheaded by the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), the initiative endorses concrete's contribution to New Zealand's sustainable development across all areas of economic, social and environmental endeavour.

Concrete³ aims to assist architects, engineers, policy makers, contractors and clients, as well as others involved with the design, construction and operation of buildings and infrastructure to make more informed choices.

Patrick McGuire (CCANZ CEO) with Hon Clayton Cosgrove, Minister for Building and Construction at the Concrete³ launch, Te Papa, Wellington

To download a copy of the Concrete³ booklet click here

To view the Concrete³ media release click here