Carpentry students help to manage environmental sustainably

Carpentry students help to manage environmental sustainably

Carpentry students from Bay of Plenty Polytechnic have set up a mock site, to showcase managing building sites in a more environmentally sustainable way, as part of an initiative set up by the Tauranga City Council.

Local certified builders, architects and contractors have been invited to visit the site today to learn about new erosion and sediment control guidelines and how to implement them in their day-to-day work.

The Council are introducing the ‘Builders Pocket Guide’ to the local Tauranga building industry which provides practical advice about on-site measures that help them to meet resource consent conditions and prevent waterway and dust-related pollution. The guide was produced by Environment Canterbury in consultation with the earthworks industry.

Council Pollution Prevention Officer, Radleigh Cairns, said the Council wanted a platform to launch the initiative and saw working with the students as a great fit.

“The students set up the site for us to showcase and it was also a great way for them to learn what they’ll have to do in their work,” he said. “We did a site visit and talked about what was needed, then they designed their own controls which we went on to implement.”

He had high praise for the students, “they were great and worked hard,” he said.

The partnership between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Tauranga City Council was a first and one which Cairns hopes to be able to repeat in the future.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Group Leader Carpentry Brian Dillon said it was fantastic to be able to partner with the Council to benefit the students.

“The students got a lot out of working on this project. As part of their course they learn about the need to comply with local council rules and regulations and the Resource Management Act (RMA). Applying some of this in a practical setting helped them get a better understanding of their responsibilities when they enter the trade full time and how working in the building industry can have a major impact on our environment.”

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