Corrections Works Lead Simon Thomson (L), and Senior Project Manager Patrick Dowle (R) at the Property Industry Awards in Auckland.The Department of Corrections has been recognised at not one, but two prestigious construction sector gala awards ceremonies. The Mt Eden Corrections Facility (MECF) Building C Project, represented by Programme Director Simon Thomson and Senior Project Manager Patrick Dowle, took out the Hays Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award at the 2020 Building Industry Awards on 30 September. They then received an Excellence Award in the Civic and Arts Property category at the Property Industry Awards on 12 November.

The awards reflect the outstanding achievement by Corrections and project partners in delivering the new 245-bed remand facility at MECF, which opened earlier this year.

The new facility has an additional 245 remand prisoner beds and some of the most sophisticated sustainability and electronic security features used in New Zealand, along with programme rooms, multipurpose spaces, staff facilities, audio visual facilities, visiting rooms and health facilities.

The building’s environmentally sustainable features include a smart and efficient lighting and cell management control system, rainwater harvesting for flushing water, smart energy metering for electricity, gas, and water, and a chiller heat recovery system that heats up the hot water.

In conferring the Hays Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award, judges said that Corrections was committed to collaboration throughout the project, having established a site office for Corrections staff, Leighs Construction, and consultants to co-habit throughout project delivery.

“The key to the project’s success was in actively fostering a positive, one-team working environment across all partners to the project,” says Patrick. “We also had to overcome significant challenges related to a heated Auckland construction market, challenging ground conditions, and managing consultants.”

The Excellence Award in the Warren and Mahoney Civic and Arts Property category at the Property Industry Awards acknowledged the project’s effective and efficient use of capital in a public building.

Programme Director Jack Harrison was proud of his team’s achievements. “It’s great to be able to demonstrate that the department can deliver complex capital projects to budget and schedule,” says Jack. “Our aim now is to take what we’ve learned from this experience and make sure those lessons continue to be a core element in how Corrections approaches future projects.”

The new Building C at MECF.Corrections Senior Project Manager Patrick Dowle, third from right, with project partners and former Minister for Building & Construction Hon. Jenny Salesa at the Building Industry Awards in Auckland.