16 | Ministry for Primary Industries - Leighs Construction Karen Phelps New facility a boost for bio-security The facility is part of Biosecurity NZ’s wider effort to protect New Zealand’s primary industries from bio-security risks. DEVELOPMENT Constructing the new Level 3B Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility in Auckland is challenging in the current environment but this has been mitigated through Early Contractor Involvement. Head contractor Leighs Construction has assisted the team by giving input from a buildability perspective into the project from the start: “Having the lead contractor sitting at the table with the design team to identify and mitigate building issues during construction has enabled forward planning and ordering of materials,” says Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) building lead for the programme Matt Gray. Matt says that demand for importing new plant material has increased dramatically over the past ten years. This is expected to further increase due to innovation and growth in New Zealand’s plant-based industries, changes in consumer preferences and improving pest and disease resilience. Twelve Level 3B PEQ greenhouse units are being constructed, which is expected to relieve some of the backlog of imported plant material bookings, providing additional space to meet the increase in plant germplasm imports requiring quarantine. As MPI is the only current Level 3B PEQ provider in New Zealand the project has huge potential benefits for the New Zealand horticulture industry, ensuring it can continue to grow, says Matt. The facility is part of Biosecurity NZ’s wider effort to protect New Zealand’s primary industries from bio-security risks, and ensure New Zealand continues to be a safe and secure country to trade with. Work commenced on the PEQ facility in March 2022 and the project is due for practical completion mid-2023. Matt says once finished the new facility will be outfitted with the latest technology. “As it’s a transitional facility built to a containment standard, it must be specified, constructed and maintained to ensure that plant material held within the facility and any bio-security risks associated with them are always effectively managed to ensure containment. “A lot of diligence and precise design and construction techniques are required,” he says. “The laboratory envelope is largely complete, the greenhouses are fully constructed and glazed, and the building services installation is well underway.” Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ) Tiakitanga Pūtaiao Aotearoa, a business unit within the Ministry for Primary Industries, is spearheading the project. It leads the country’s bio-security system and takes the lead on MPI’s work to protect New Zealand from new and emerging exotic pests and diseases that pose a risk to the economy, environment, human health, and social and cultural wellbeing, including taonga species, such as New Zealand’s irreplaceable native plants. Matt says the programme is part of an overall business transformation that goes beyond the physical builds. “Horticulture is a very high value industry in New Zealand and this project will enhance its contribution to the New Zealand economy and also protect our bio-security systems and beautiful country.” Fast Facts • The Level 3B PEQ facility is being built at the Mount Albert Research Centre and will support plant-based industries by: • Increasing the ability to screen and test for plant pests and diseases that could threaten primary industry • Providing horticulture sector with greater ability to import new cultivars to support its exports • Assuring global trading partners of our current pest and disease-free status and the ability to maintain this into the future • Improving crops that may do better with the changing climate. “Horticulture is a very high value industry in New Zealand and this project will enhance its contribution to the New Zealand economy and also protect our bio-security systems.” Making Buildings Work For People BTL is a technology company. We design, install and maintain responsive, intelligent and cooperative building management systems that care for your occupants’ safety and comfort and readily adapt to change over your building’s lifetime. P (09) 579 0246 E service@btlnz.co.nz W www.btlnz.co.nz Building Integration Building Automation Integration Solutions HVAC Products Lighting Automation Energy Products IOT After Hours Scheduling Building Performance Data Analytics Planned Maintenance Energy Management BMS Alarm Management Internal Training Information Centralisation Building Smarts Intelligent Buildings Internet of Things (IoT) Big Data Technology BTL is a long-standing partner of the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), with ‘Green Star’ accreditation
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