The allocation of the $1 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund today is another milestone in the Government’s plan to increase housing supply for a growing New Zealand, Prime Minister Bill English says.
“The infrastructure projects announced today will speed up the delivery of 60,000 houses across our fastest growing population centres over the next ten years,” Mr English says.
“This is another major step forward in our plan to permanently lift the capacity of the construction sector to support a more confident, expanding New Zealand.”
The funding will be allocated across nine projects in five different council areas, Auckland, Hamilton, Waikato, Tauranga and Queenstown.
“I want to congratulate the Councils in these areas for their positive engagement with the fund and the quality of the infrastructure projects they have proposed,” Mr English says.
“These projects will make their contribution to lifting housing supply alongside the Government’s own Crown Building Project, the Special Housing Areas, our planning changes, and the already record levels of new home construction taking place across New Zealand.”
| A Beehive release || July 11, 2017 |||
New Zealand-based ammonia sensing equipment manufacturer Photonic Innovations Ltd. has partnered with ammonia refrigeration system supplier Active Refrigeration.
In a sign of increasing demand for ammonia-based refrigeration systems in New Zealand, locally-based ammonia sensing equipment manufacturer Photonic Innovations Ltd. has partnered with another NZ company, ammonia refrigeration system supplier Active Refrigeration, in their first national distribution deal.
“It is fine timing. Ammonia’s popularity as a refrigerant has increased dramatically due to its green credentials,” said Dr. Ojas Mahapatra, CEO of Photonic Innovations.
Photonic Innovations Ltd. manufactures laser-based ammonia detectors and has recently been encouraged by interest in its products from large and small food processing businesses concerned with safety.
“At the same time health and safety regulations have also tightened to ensure that companies manage the significant risks that comes with ammonia usage. The end result is a strong demand for high quality, reliable and affordable ammonia sensors,” said Dr. Mahapatra.
“We are very excited and proud that we are able to deliver a world-class technology, in fact a world-leading product, for the safety of people who use ammonia,” he added.
Active Refrigeration, which is one of New Zealand’s biggest players in ammonia refrigeration, also sees safety as a top priority, particularly given the increasing number of ammonia systems in use.
“We are proud to partner with Photonic Innovations for nationwide distribution. Active Refrigeration has a history of promoting and installing natural refrigeration solutions with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability,” said Mr. Craig Duff, Active Refrigeration’s managing director.
“We have a strong focus on leading-edge innovation and workplace safety with a nationwide support network. Partnering with like-minded companies such as Photonic Innovations with a paralleled ethos is simply a good fit to support our industry,” he added.
“ It is fine timing. Ammonia’s popularity as a refrigerant has increased dramatically due to its green credentials." – Photonic Innovations CEO Dr. Ojas Mahapatra
Photonic Innovations is encouraged by the demand and sees a growing market for ammonia systems in New Zealand as well as in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
"We plan on having 100 units in the field in New Zealand by the end of the year. We're shipping our first units to Australia next week so that is also a very exciting frontier for us,” said Photonic Innovations Sales Manager Daniel Healy.
“Our products have become extremely popular in Australasia and are gaining ground rapidly. We will make our products available to other parts of the world shortly,” added Dr. Mahapatra.
| A Ammonia21 release || July 10, 2017 |||
Now the first six months of the year are done and dusted, NIWA forecasters have been analysing the country’s weather statistics to see where we stand compared to last year’s record breaker.
If you’ve been feeling a little cooler, it’s because temperatures are notably down on average. The first six months of last year set up 2016 to become the hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 15.2°C. For January to June this year that figure has dropped to 13.8°C. NIWA forecaster Ben Noll says while the first six months of 2017 were 0.02 degrees above the long-term (1981-2010) average, that was nothing compared to the same period last year were a whopping 1.43 degrees above average.
In spite of the cool-down, January-June 2017 still ranks as the 39th-warmest January-June period in the last 109 years, according to NIWA’s Seven Station Temperature Series. Mr Noll says the direction from which the air is coming plays an important role in temperatures across New Zealand. Sub-tropical northerlies tend to draw down warm, humid air while southerlies via the Southern Ocean can pack a chilly punch.
Unlike 2016, January-June of 2017 has not had an abundance of northerly winds. Out of the first six months of 2017, just February and April experienced predominantly northerly winds. Conversely, the first half of 2016 saw five out of the first six months (February through June) have a notable northerly wind bias.
A buoy with the ability to “phone home” has been deployed in Wellington Harbour today to monitor currents, waves and water quality in the harbour.
The buoy is part of a joint project between NIWA and Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) around monitoring Wellington Harbour health. The buoy can deliver real time data of currents, waves, salinity, temperature, oxygen, chlorophyll, ocean acidification and wind. Named WRIBO (Wellington Region Integrated Buoy Observations), it was deployed from NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa this morning, south east of Matiu/Somes Island.
Real time data delivery
NIWA coastal physicist Dr Joanne O’Callaghan has been leading the project and says the buoy’s key advantage is the ability to deliver information immediately.
“The buoy makes a phone call to a computer and sends back data of up-to-date conditions in the Harbour. This means we don’t have to wait for good weather to collect the data which is never easy in Wellington.”
The buoy is three metres high and powered by solar panels. It has been constructed by NIWA’s mooring technician Mike Brewer over several weeks at Greta Point and is the most complicated of its kind in New Zealand waters.
One of its key roles will be to monitor plumes from the Hutt River that wash into the harbour following heavy rain. These plumes carry sediments and nutrients from the Hutt catchment to the Harbour.
“We have not sampled the Harbour routinely before and this will help us learn how much the river influences the harbour waters,” Dr O’Callaghan says.
Analysing water quality in plumes
A number of instruments will be attached to the buoy to enable scientists to analyse Harbour response at various depths. River plumes are only one to two metres thick so there is an instrument just under the surface to capture it. Waves and currents move sediments during storms so there is an instrument near the seabed and two more through the water to know the size of the impact.
“The plumes last for three to five days but the material is in the system for much longer.”
A trial buoy was deployed last September and found that surface salinity in the Harbour gets very fresh after large amounts of rain from events such as cyclones. Water quality instruments observed an algal bloom after ex-tropical cyclones Debbie and Cook.
GWRC coastal scientist Dr Claire Conwell says this is the beginning of a dedicated water quality monitoring programme for Wellington Harbour and the region’s coastal marine area.
“This information will help us to make links between the freshwater and marine environments, and to assess the impacts on water quality of land-based activities,” Dr Conwell says.
“A key focus for us is to also make the data accessible, so we’ll be working with the NIWA team after the buoy is deployed to get the data streaming via our respective websites. In the long run, we’d like to see this sit alongside other data from buoys across New Zealand, forming part of a national network.”
Contact
Dr Joanne O’Callaghan, NIWA coastal physicistPh 04 386 0466
Dr Claire Conwell, Greater Wellington Coastal ScientistPh 04 830 4216
|A NIWA release || July 10, 2017 |||
The globally acclaimed industrial software solution Wonderware is set to be exclusively distributed in New Zealand by Schneider Electric.
The move from Schneider Electric reaffirms its commitment to the innovation and growth of industrial software solutions, with the distribution deal effective as of this month.
There will be a dedicated locally based technical sales and support team in place and global expertise supporting the New Zealand market.
Software director for the Pacific at Schneider Electric, Damien McDade says the company is delighted to be the exclusive distributors of Wonderware, a solution which is currently used in over a third of the world’s industrial and manufacturing plants.
“We have over 500 worldwide experts in the field and combined with local support, it is fantastic for our valued partners and customers to be able to access,” says McDade.
According to Schneider Electric, the reason for the industrial software solution’s popularity is that it is open, easy-to-use, scalable, secure and versatile that ultimately empowers people to connect, control, understand, and optimise their operations.
The addition of the full Wonderware portfolio (which was part of the Invensys acquisition in 2014), now complements the extensive software portfolio offered and distributed by Schneider Electric.
“We look forward to being able to offer our valued partners and customers the extensive range of software options and customise to their requirements both now and in the future,” says McDade.
Schneider Electric says its range of software solutions available to its integrators, partners and end users is expansive and covers everything from entry level to those for complex large scale industrial operations.
Ultimately, it is these new and innovative solutions for the industrial and manufacturing sectors that is helping to keep New Zealand in the game by enabling collaboration and making operations more productive and cost-effective in an increasingly cornered market.
| A Schneider Electric release || July 11, 2017 |||
On Thursday 29 June more than 950 hand-picked students from schools throughout the country and their careers advisors and teachers attended the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation’s Big Construction Tour, which returned for its third year.
Students spent the day visiting some of the country’s biggest construction sites and developments and being introduced to the wide variety of opportunities available in the building and construction industry.
In midst of a nationwide construction skills shortage, this was an excellent way for students to learn the value of a career in the building and construction industry. It also provided a chance for the students to make valuable connections with industry leaders which may open doors to their future careers. Some employees even advised the students of current vacancies in their team and encouraged them to consider applying.
The Big Construction Tour 2017 was held in a number of regions around New Zealand including Auckland, Hamilton, Cambridge, Tauranga, Rotorua, Hastings, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill.
| A BCITO release || July 10, 2017 |||
A record number of Kiwis are looking to the trades to build a career but this is still not enough to meet industry demand.
For the first time in the organisation’s history, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation has 11,000 apprentices actively working towards a qualification.
This is a fantastic milestone but we still need thousands more apprentices in training each year to meet demand,” says BCITO Chief Executive Warwick Quinn.
“New Zealand is in the midst of a skills shortage,” says Quinn. New Zealand’s construction and building sector desperately needs more recruits. It needs 65,000 new people over the next five years to meet new growth and replace people who leave.
There has never been a better time to consider a career in construction, says Quinn.
“We expect this current pressure to continue into the 2020s. Forecasts for the next few years provide confidence for people considering a career in the construction industry and for business owners thinking about expanding their business and taking on more staff.”
The 11,000th apprentice, Aucklander and father of three Daniel Poe, says the trades offer him fantastic career opportunities and job security.
"Building is the family trade," says Daniel. “My father was a builder, I used to tag along with him on jobs. He taught me a lot and was really supportive when I decided to start an apprenticeship.”
Daniel who completed his schooling in Samoa before moving to Auckland, says it is never too late to begin an apprenticeship and is looking forward to gaining his qualification and taking the next step in his career.
“I’m looking forward to becoming a foreman, stepping up and taking the lead on projects. One day I would like to own a business in New Zealand and also find a way to give back to the community in Samoa and the Islands.”
Daniel is employed by FreeStyla Constructors in Auckland which employs about 100 people. His employer Michael Patton says taking on apprentices benefits both sides. “By training my staff I help them to get better at their jobs, earn more money and expand their opportunities. As an employer, training is essential to make my workforce grow.”
“The current environment is hectic and is only going to become more so,” says Michael. “There is a definite shortage of skilled workers in New Zealand so the more people we encourage to join the trades the better.”
BCITO has organised a range of nationwide initiatives in recent months to demonstrate the value of apprenticeships in the building and construction industry. These have included the Not Your Average Tradie Road Trip, their annual Big Construction Tour and the Build-Ability Challenge which is currently underway at secondary schools across New Zealand.
A presentation will be held in Auckland on Wednesday 12 July to mark this milestone.
| A BCITO release || July 11, 2017 |||
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Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242