Rewarding Excellence - Winners Announced At The 2024 NZ Building People Awards

More than 600 construction industry professionals came together on Friday 30 August to celebrate the winners of the 2024 NZ Building People Awards. The gala dinner celebrating the excellence of the people behind the projects, supported by GIB, took place at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki | Auckland.

Natasha Possenniskie served as the Awards Convenor of Judging for the second year running. She says the judging was made even tougher this year with an outstanding level of talent from the nominees. “These Awards demonstrate the immense talent and passion we have within the construction sector. I’ve been struck by how many fantastic people are out there making a difference to the building industry in New Zealand through their exceptional leadership.”

Winners and highly commended finalists, along with a couple of special mentions, were announced across ten categories with a Supreme Winner named to top the evening off. The Resene Next Gen Awards were also announced as part of the evening with three winners and one supreme winner named.

As Institute Chair John Hemi noted, “Things are tumultuous in the industry right now with frequent upheavals and challenges showing no signs of abating. It’s more important than ever to press pause and recognise the people doing awesome things.”

The big winner on the night was Isaac Kett of Frequency who won the Keystone Trust Consultants | Matanga Award category and then went on to be named as the GIB Supreme Award winner. Isaac was nominated for his work as Delivery, Interface and Design Manager on the Pukekohe to Papakura (P2P) Project in Tāmaki | Auckland.

Isaac stood out among an exceptional line-up of winners for his blend of technical expertise, innovative problem-solving, and compassionate leadership.  The P2P project was extremely complex and Isaac’s skills shone through in his seamless project management. Beyond technical achievements, Isaac's genuine empathy and passion for people set him apart. During the colder months of the project, he brought in slow-cooked meals and heaters for the team along with ensuring access to mental health support. The judges noted that Isaac was always willing to go above and beyond, to do what was right for all, and right for the project, rather than taking the easy path.

Another award category aimed at encouraging the younger generation is the BCITO Emerging Leader Award for those 30 and under who are already making a difference as leaders in the construction industry. This year the category was sponsored by BCITO with grants provided by the Institute’s Charitable Education Trust. Joe Burke, Project Manager at Hawkins took out the Emerging Leader Award category this year. As the winner, he took home a grant of $6,000 to further his professional development.

Yu Li, a Civil Engineering PhD student from the University of Canterbury, took out the Resene Next Gen Supreme Award taking home a total of $4,000. Yu’s study focuses on collecting data on how and where roads are used by using a newly developed and cost-effective Internet of Things (IoT) proptotype. The judges were impressed by Yu and said they look forward to seeing the positive impact Yu has on the industry.

Along with the winners of the awards being named, the NZ Institute of Building also took the opportunity to honour four members who have made a significant contribution to the Institute and the industry. Terry Buchan, Hayley Groves and Guy Marriage received Regional Honour Awards and Graeme Birkhead was awarded an Institute Service Medal.

The NZ Building People Awards is run by the NZ Institute of Building, and this was the Awards’ 31st year. The Institute’s Chief Everything Officer Pamela Bell says, “The 2024 awards was a night to remember – and not just for the moves on the dance floor! Hearing the incredibly impressive stories of the winners and all the finalists on the night made me feel so hopeful for the future of the construction industry. The industry is in the hands of some truly exceptional fantastic people who are out there doing some amazing mahi.”

Congratulations to all the finalists, special mentions, highly commended and winners of the 2024 NZ Building People Awards.

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