Foster Construction Group Limited (Fosters) was awarded National Category Winner, Gold and the Sustainability Award at the prestigious New Zealand Commercial Project Awards in May 2023. The awards, recognising excellence, outstanding workmanship and innovation, were given for Profile Group’s APL headquarters at Hautapu.
Fosters CEO Nigel Sun said that the team knew, from the very start, that this was going to be a great project. “Having worked alongside the Profile Group for many years, we know them to be outstanding clients who set excellent standards. We recognised that the APL Hautapu project would enable us to be part of something special, and it was”.
“It means a lot to our entire team to be recognised for excellence – because it takes a team to deliver on a project of this scale” Nigel continues. “From the architects to our subcontractors, carpenters to roofers and the support team behind them all, the awards recognise collaboration and teamwork in delivering excellence.”
The Sustainability Award is especially meaningful for us; we have worked hard to lead the industry in sustainable practise. APL Hautapu, a 5-star Green Star build, is an outstanding example of what can be done.
Approximately 50,000 sqm in size, this purpose-built facility includes carbon reduction features, passive design features, natural daylight, metering and monitoring, water conservation and ecology improvements. 90% of construction waste was recycled, re-purposed and diverted from landfill.
To gain Green Star certification, the project team influenced every part of the supply chain, thinking differently for the benefit of the environment, community, employees, and future economic benefit. Every material was specifically selected to meet Green Star criteria.
Fosters Sustainability Adviser on the APL project, Jael Clausen, says that the Sustainability Award is another example of collaborative effort.
“A Green Star build takes a real commitment to thinking outside of the square. Without the buy-in of everyone on this project – subcontractors, suppliers, APL, and our own team – we couldn’t have done it.”
The NZCPA Sustainability Award is not an annual award; it is only given out when and if there’s a project entry that deserves the accolade.
“Built between 2019 to 2021, this project set a new benchmark for industrial design and construction in Aotearoa and the continued recognition of this innovation is testament that the outcomes were truly successful,” said Jael.
Indeed, the APL project set a benchmark for Fosters too, increasing their commitment to operating sustainably and changing their approach to every project.
For Fosters Project Manager Fraser Bell, the awards were the best acknowledgement of three years of hard work. Built between mid-2019 and early 2021, delivery was not easy.
“Working during Covid, we had a strict timeframe to adhere to – APL had a manufacturing plant that had to be housed. It took a massive amount of team effort,” said Fraser. “A project of this scale, the volume of materials and works that had to be coordinated onsite… it was a collaborative effort that was both impressive and cool to see.”
Up to 2,000 individuals worked on this project. Delivering excellence, outstanding workmanship, and innovation – making it a success - takes a great team.
