44 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Tasman: Marlborough Research Centre - Experimental Vineyard Facility T T Richard Loader Vineyard research facility completed Marlborough Research Centre (MRC) has recently completed the development of an experimental future vineyard research facility on its Blenheim campus that will be a key driver in helping the viticulture industry respond to climate change, increase productivity, improve quality, and drive down the cost of production. The facility is the last of a series of developments on the campus which has created Te Pokapu Waina o Aotearoa — the New Zealand Wine Centre; a hub that includes Plant & Food Research, Bragato Research Institute, Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, Marlborough Wine, and Te Pukenga: Nelson/Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT). While MRC undertook development of the facility, they have leased it to Plant & Food Research who will operate it. The facility will also be used by NMIT to extend its viticulture and wine making teaching capability. NMIT is a pre-eminent viticultural and wine making education provider, attracting students from New Zealand and overseas. “Given its location the facility will be a key research facility for the wine industry which is a $2.4 billion export earner for New Zealand.” The facility encompasses 965m2 which includes a 265m2 teaching and operation area and a 700m2 covered growing area. “The covered system is a large greenhouse manufactured by Canadian company Cravo, and imported into New Zealand,” says MRC Chief Executive John Patterson. “It has retractable plastic sides and roof to control the climatic growing conditions including wind and rain, and houses plants in forty-eight specially designed extractable pots.” Each pot, weighing in excess of three tonnes, is connected to sensors that monitor and control the elements of the growing environment, enabling research on the above and below ground aspects of the vine growth. “That includes grape variety, soil types, different sprays, irrigation application rates — all the things that go into growing grapes — and to manipulate those things to understand the impact of change. It is a national facility that will provide research outcomes for all of the wine industry and the different grape varieties throughout New Zealand.” The new facility is a key piece of infrastructure which sits alongside Bragato Research Institute’s research winery. John says these two assets make the campus unique and a world leader in wine research capabilities. “Given its location the facility will be a key research facility for the wine Industry which is a $2.4 billion export earner for New Zealand. Government is keen on the idea of an export led economic recovery and have this mantra of doubling exports over ten years. “There are several ways of doing that but one is a production led approach. The wine industry can sell everything it produces, but it is constrained by land capacity, especially in Marlborough which is eighty percent of the industry. The only way they can improve export growth is through productivity and yield and this facility will be a key component in achieving that. In addition to productivity the facility will help in how we respond to climate change, improve quality and drive down the cost of production.” John points out that while some of the research into the viticulture industry undertaken at the facility will be transferable across the broader horticulture sector, one of the reasons the covered facility has a height of 10 metres is to enable it to cater for crops other than viticulture. “Plant & Food is a key research provider into all sort of horticulture products, so I think over time the research undertaken here will diversify and provide benefits to the horticulture sector in its entirety.” The development cost $3.4 million and was partly supported by funding from Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment ($900,000), with a further $500,000 invested by NMIT and the balance from MRC. The new facility, which was completed on in May, will be officially opened on the 26th of July. jtbarchitects.co.nz 3 Murphys Rd, Springlands, Blenheim | +64 3 578-9329 www.scottconstructionmarlborough.co.nz Proud to be the Main Contractor for this Experimental Vineyard Project Contact John Tovey: johnt@scml.co.nz to discuss your next project or join our team - construction positions available now Commercial and Residential Building Specialists 2017 & 2019 Gold Winner RMB NZ Commercial Project Awards
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=