The Wharf 7 rebuild at Eastland Port won the Innovation category at the 2023 Construction Sector Accord Beacons Awards held at Te Papa in Wellington.

Port general manager of infrastructure and development Marty Bayley and members of the McConnell Dowell construction team were on hand to accept it.

Judges said McConnell Dowell and Eastland Port “challenged the norms” by redesigning the project to save significant cost and embodied carbon, while reducing environmental impacts and impact on locals.

“This is a great example of thoughtful design using an established contract approach with a great outcome for those involved.

“A really excellent project. A leader in innovation in our opinion.”

Mr Bayley said the early engagement between the designer, constructor and the port was key to its success.

“The wharf design was significantly refined and taking the time to collaborate at the start meant the project had minimal issues and achieved all the outcomes that were important to Eastland Port and the community,” he said.

McConnell Dowell project manager Mike Bonnette  said it was the team’s collective commitment to sustainability that enabled them to make the significant carbon savings achieved.

“That’s what brought us to the awards night,” he said. “Minimising the carbon footprint by 9748 tonnes of Co2 was one of the ways the team made those goals a reality.”