| 31 Gold awards cement reputation Award-winning style: Jimmy’s Point Apartments in Hobsonville Point, above, and below,the Skills Group Highbrook training facility in East Tāmaki. T T Karen Phelps Kalmar Construction: Skills Highbrook Auckland-based construction firm Kalmar has claimed four prizes at the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards 2026 cementing its reputation as one of the country’s leading builders for multi-level residential and education projects. The company swept the residential section with gold awards for three projects — Remuera Gardens Stage 1 Redevelopment, Oakridge Care in Kerikeri and Jimmy’s Point Apartments in Hobsonville Point. It also claimed a silver award in the education section for the Skills Group Highbrook training facility in East Tāmaki. “While each project presented unique challenges, they show what can be achieved when clients, consultants, subcontractors and construction teams work collaboratively from the outset,” says Neil Ball, business development manager at Kalmar. The Remuera Gardens project, valued at $62.5 million, involved adding two premium buildings to a fully operational retirement village in the Auckland suburb of Remuera. Working within metres of existing residents, the company completed substantial underground infrastructure upgrades, including stormwater diversions and wastewater capacity improvements, before structural works commenced. The project also featured a sophisticated multi-material façade combining brickwork, aluminium cladding and plaster finishes across both buildings. “Delivering two buildings simultaneously inside a live retirement village, with neighbours as close as one metre from the hoarding, demands an exceptionally high standard of planning and communication,” says Neil. “Over 1,600 workers contributed more than 330,000 hours on that site, and independent audits consistently showed our health and safety performance above industry averages.” The $31 million Oakridge Care facility in Kerikeri achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating and was completed two weeks ahead of schedule. Neil says a standout feature was the use of fully prefabricated bathroom pods, manufactured in Melbourne and craned into position across all 65 care suites, a first for both Kalmar and the project’s design team. Cross-laminated timber panels, supplied by Red Stag, replaced traditional concrete for suspended floors and stairs, reducing structural weight while supporting the project’s sustainability ambitions. Jimmy’s Point Apartments, a five-level luxury development on the Hobsonville Point waterfront, presented a different set of hurdles. A mid-construction value engineering exercise sought savings of over $1 million at a point when major structural elements were already underway. Rather than compromise the architectural vision, the company worked closely with the client and design team to identify structural efficiencies that ultimately REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT increased apartment yield without sacrificing quality. The terracotta tile façade drew deliberate reference from the neighbouring historic RNZAF Officer’s houses. “The challenge was finding meaningful savings while preserving the integrity of the design. Through collaboration and innovative thinking, the team achieved both commercial and architectural success, delivering a project that sets a new benchmark for waterfront apartment living.” The Skills Group Highbrook project, completed in just three months including the Christmas shutdown period, delivered a purpose-built electrical trades training facility. Custom U-shaped workshop benches and significant mechanical and electrical upgrades were completed on a post-tensioned concrete slab, requiring careful scanning before any new walls could be installed. “These awards belong to our people, our clients, consultants, subcontractors, and everyone who contributed to the projects,” says Neil. “They are recognition of the effort, expertise, and teamwork required to successfully deliver complex projects and create places that provide lasting value for the communities they serve.” • PAPERHANGING • WATERBLASTING • SPRAY TEXTURE • ANTI GRAFFITI • SPECIALIST FINISHES • WATERPROOFING • FIREPROOF COATINGS • ZOLATONE APPLICATION • TRADESMAN QUALITY • REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE PAINT APPLICATION SPECIALISTS WITH COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL & DOMESTIC PROJECTS DECORATING LTD 09 438 5337 admin@mcnabbdecorating.co.nz 2024/25 GOLD
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=