Smart solutions and sustainable design
BTW’s involvement with Green School New Zealand started with advising on site acquisition. It was important that GSNZ chose a site where the school could tuck into the landscape and a site that had good road access.
Important next steps included a drone survey, environmental impact assessments and preparing resource consent applications.
Once consent was granted, BTW provided the civil engineering design for roads, carparks, stormwater management systems, wetlands, water supply, wastewater systems. And undertook surveying of buildings and facilities to ensure accuracy.
Survey data helped us to understand the opportunities. We then presented sustainable design options to Green School. This included swales and wetlands to manage stormwater and provide opportunities for environmental enhancement and secondary wastewater treatment systems using tiger worms to ensure a high level of treatment for wastewater prior to discharge.
Working with an innovative design and tight timeframes BTW had to compile a lot of information and assessments and communicate these quickly. Working collaboratively to find smart solutions was key.
Working on the Green School is a once in a lifetime opportunity and their philosophy is very much aligned with BTW’s. It’s about thinking big picture, challenging the norm and collaborating with like-minded people to achieve something special.
Image credit: BOON