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Christchurch Civic Building wins 2012 Supreme Concrete3 Sustainability Awards
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Athfield Architects has taken out the 2012 Supreme Concrete3 Sustainability Award for its extensive refurbishment of the new Christchurch Civic Building on Hereford Street.
The award, presented at the annual New Zealand Concrete Conference in Hamilton on Friday evening, recognised the transformation of what was the New Zealand Post Building into an architectural statement that adds tremendous value to Christchurch, says Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ) chief executive Rob Gaimster.
The judging panel applauded Athfield Architects for the way in which significant changes were made to the existing concrete building, creating spectacular work and interactive spaces without losing the original architectural and industrial heritage.
“This is a truly outstanding example of adaptive reuse, one which demonstrates the flexibility of concrete as a sustainable construction material. It continues the emerging trend in New Zealand of optimising resources and enhancing the built environment through the innovative refurbishment of our existing concrete building stock,” judges say.
The design reconfigured the building’s existing service and transportation cores, and added mezzanines to the main office levels. The existing precast concrete cladding panels from the southern facade were removed, reworked and reused on the northern side to create a completely new extension with double skin facade, and circulation stair and winter gardens behind.
Despite the significant changes, the design retains and celebrates the building’s original Brutalist style. “The new construction materials read deliberately as distinct insertions, to set up a contrast between old and new, providing visual interest and complexity.”
The Christchurch Civic Building is the first to receive a 6 Green Star Office Design rating, further testament to the project’s successful outcome.
On their way to the top prize, the Athfield Architects team were also presented with the Excellence in Commercial Concrete Construction.
The Awards are part of the Concrete3 initiative launched in 2007 by CCANZ and acknowledge projects, products and initiatives which demonstrate excellence in environmental, economic and/or social sustainability for the built environment.
Other category winners
The awards also produced winners in four other categories for projects which excelled in different areas of sustainable concrete construction.
Excellence in Concrete for the Community went to Tennent + Brown Architects for Nga Purapura in Otaki. Te Wananga-O-Raukawa, a Maori tertiary institution, required a building to fulfil its vision for courses focused on improving physical well-being for Maori.
The project strategy involved the extensive use of resilient precast concrete as the primary cladding material. Produced locally, using Otaki gravel, pre-tensioned precast concrete provided a reduced construction programme and minimised lifecycle costs through its durability in a coastal environment.
The building’s most striking feature is the sandblasted patterns on the exterior panels, which communicate the project’s Kaupapa of Māori health and well-being to the wider community.
Excellence in Concrete Innovation was awarded to Allied Concrete Limited for its Recycled Glass Sand Initiative. The company has converted three of its plants to be able to use crushed glass as a sand replacement in a selection of lower strength concrete mixes.
The environmental benefits resulting from the kerbside collection, processing and use of waste glass in concrete include landfill life extension, reduced transportation of recycled materials and conservation of natural resources.
Excellence in Civil Concrete Construction was won by Fulton Hogan Limited for the Huntsbury Reservoir in Christchurch. Following the February 2011 earthquake, which severely damaged the reservoir and resulted in the total loss of stored water from the 35,000m3 structure, the reinstatement of as much water storage as feasible was urgently required.
The design and construction method adopted allowed for the reuse of the existing concrete external walls, roof slab, foundations and floor slab of the existing structure, as well as work to add seismic resilience. The reuse of demolition concrete waste was crucial to the material minimisation plan with concrete crushed on site and reused as fill in various locations.
Excellence in Residential Concrete Construction was awarded to Ponsonby architecture company Matter for a premier residential property on a picturesque but steep site in Point Chevalier, Auckland.
The foundations and the house structure are built around a concrete raft slab and sandwich panel arrangement, with the raft slab offering seismic resilience while also being a key element of the overall passive solar design.
The mass of the sandwich panels also help to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the house’s internal temperature, while providing retaining capability for the site.
Simplicity of design has been realised through the intelligent use of versatile concrete to create a stylish and functional family home on a difficult site.
21 Queen Street wins 2011 Supreme Concrete3 Sustainability Award
21 Queen Street, Auckland. A benchmark for adaptive reuse
Peddle Thorp Architects has won the 2011 Supreme Concrete³ Sustainability Award for its work revitalising the multi-storey office building at 21 Queen Street, Auckland, preserving its concrete frame and core while creating vibrant and thoroughly modern spaces both inside and out.
The award, presented at the ninth International Symposium on High Performance Concrete Design in Rotorua, recognised the ‘reuse – reduce’ strategies adopted by the project principals, which enabled the building’s life cycle to be significantly increased, the embodied energy of its concrete elements to be saved, and the emissions associated with alternative demolition and new build scenarios prevented – all key to achieving environmental sustainability in construction.
Stripping the site’s 14 level 1970’s concrete structural frame of its cladding and fit-out, to form the heart of a refurbished and modern building also underpinned the project’s commercial viability, as well as breathing new life into the urban environment around Queen Elizabeth Square.
Announced in Rotorua on Wednesday 10 August, the Awards, part of the Concrete³ initiative launched in 2007 by the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), acknowledge projects, products and initiatives which demonstrate excellence in environmental, economic and/or social sustainability for the built environment.
On their way to the top prize, the team behind 21 Queen Street also received the Excellence in Commercial Concrete Construction award.
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Through 'reuse and reduce’ 21 Queen Street meets all aspects of sustainable construction
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CCANZ chief executive Rob Gaimster said that through the reuse of a concrete frame building the project met all the economic, social and environmental imperatives of sustainable development, elevating it above a host of outstanding entries in 2011.
“This example of adaptive reuse will quickly become the New Zealand benchmark for what can be achieved in terms of optimum resource management, (embodied) energy efficiency and design potential, through the imaginative redevelopment of our concrete structures.”
Other Category Winners
The awards also produced winners in four other categories, for projects which excelled in different areas of sustainable concrete construction.
Excellence in Concrete Innovation went to engineering firm Structex for the Southern Cross Hospital’s Endoscopy Building in Christchurch, which for the first time in New Zealand utilised post-tensioned concrete PRESSS (PREcast Seismic Structural Systems) technology with U-Shape Flexural Plates. This innovative approach to structural engineering and construction saw the medical facility, which has a Building Importance Level 3 classification, emerge unscathed from the February 22 earthquake.
Southern Cross Hospital's Endoscopy Building, Christchurch. Innovative PRESSS design
Excellence in Residential Concrete Construction was awarded to Daniel Marshall Architects for Elmstone House in Auckland, a contemporary home which makes use of precast concrete over three floors to optimise a steep site and offer comfortable, energy efficient and low maintenance family living.
Elmstone House, Auckland. A sustainable contemporary concrete home
Excellence in Concrete for the Community was won by Golden Bay Cement which is progressively replacing imported fossil fuels with locally sourced renewable alternatives, such as wood biofuel, to help reduce landfill waste as well as carbon dioxide emissions during cement manufacture.
Golden Bay Cement, wood biofuel. Reducing landfill waste and CO2 emissions
Excellence in Civil Concrete Construction was awarded to Downer New Zealand for the DART 9 rail link station in Manukau. Constructed under the Leighton Works partnership, this below ground facility, built entirely of concrete, used advanced secant pile technology and specialised concrete mix designs to realise a vital piece of infrastructure for the wider Auckland community.
DART 9 rail link station, Manukau. Vital concrete infrastructure
Concrete3 Sustainability Awards Showcased
To celebrate the opening of entries for the 2011 Concrete3 Sustainability Awards a brochure outlining the projects, products and initiatives honoured over the past 3-years has been produced.
By offering those involved in building New Zealand’s future a chance to have their achievements recognised and to draw inspiration from others, the Awards help to share knowledge and experience, as well as ensure the construction industry continues to operate in the most sustainable manner possible.
Download [pdf 2.6MB]
2010 Concrete3 Sustainability Award Winner Announced
A special concrete mix designed by Fletcher Construction as part of the Tauranga Harbour Link has won the 2010 Supreme Concrete³ Sustainability Award, presented at the New Zealand Concrete Conference.
Mix "M" at the Tauranga Harbour Link: Stage 2
Designated “Mix M”, the resulting concrete is designed to survive 100 years in harsh marine conditions, and was employed extensively in Stage 2 of the Harbour Link project to form beams used in the off-ramps, bridges and land spans.
Mix M achieved top honours in concrete sustainability for its specially blended and extensively trialled mix of Golden Bay cement, fly ash (a waste product from coal burnt at Huntly Power Station), and microsilica 600, which enabled demanding durability, high early strength, and high workability requirements to be met.
The use of fly ash and microsilica resulted in a significant reduction in cement requirements and a corresponding reduction in the carbon footprint of the concrete beams.
Announced in Wellington last Thursday (October 7) the awards, part of the Concrete3 initiative launched in 2007 by the Cement and Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), acknowledge projects, products and initiatives which demonstrate excellence in environmental, economic and/or social sustainability for the built environment.
On their way to the top prize, the team behind Mix M also received the Excellence in Civil Concrete Construction award.
The New Harbour Bridge - Tauranga Harbour Link
CCANZ chief executive Rob Gaimster said Mix M was a significant step forward in concrete mix design and durability modelling, one which combined enhanced environmental credentials with superior performance.
“Not only was the mix design sophisticated in optimising cement replacement, but by sourcing its fly ash from within New Zealand, and using microsilica slurry rather than more energy intensive powder, Mix M scored additional sustainability marks.”
Graham Frost (Chief Engineer) and Paul Gurran (Quality and Systems Manager) both with The Fletcher Construction Company Ltd, and Rob Gaimster, CCANZ CEO
Other Category Winners
The awards also produced winners in four other categories, for projects which excelled in different areas of sustainable concrete construction.
Excellence in Concrete for the Community was won by Dunning Thornton Consultants for moving Auckland’s Rob Roy (Birdcage) Hotel; a technically challenging project which used a precisely levelled concrete beam runway to relocate a heritage icon for future generations to enjoy.
The historic Rob Roy (Birdcage) Hotel
Excellence in Concrete Innovation went to Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited for the Alan MacDiarmid Building at Victoria University in Wellington, which for the first time in a New Zealand multi-storey building employed the PRESS system, a new technology in seismic and component-based concrete construction.
Alan MacDiarmid Building, Victoria University of Wellington
Excellence in Residential Concrete Construction was jointly awarded to Powered Living (North Island) and Buck + Associates, Architects for two stylish and modern residential properties that offer energy efficient, healthy and comfortable living environments by utilising concrete’s mass as part of a passive solar design.
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Powered Living (North Island), Residential House, Waikato
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Buck + Associates, Architects, Teear House, Christchurch
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Excellence in Commercial Concrete Construction was awarded to Dunning Thornton Consultants for The Customhouse at CentrePort, Wellington's newest five-star Greenstar building, in which concrete helped create an open and flexible office space, with reduced operational energy demands.
The Customhouse at CentrePort, Wellington
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 Supreme 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.
The Northern Gateway Toll Road
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 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@ccanz.org.nz
Concrete3 Advertising Campaign Expanded
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Safer Roads
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Recyclability
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The Concrete3 series of print advertisements has been expanded to include the sustainable attributes of concrete above.
Concrete3 - Takes it to the Streets
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
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Flood Protection
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Thermal Mass
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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
Sustainability Initiative Launched - Concrete3
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