44 | Terra Firma Engineering REGIONAL Experienced in all aspects of excavation Mobile: 027 285 7633 Proud to support Terra Firma Engineering Increased demand for Geotech knowledge Terra Firma Engineering can assess whether a site is suitable for development and how potential hazards can be managed. T T Kim Bowden “That’s just councils being more risk averse, and, you know, rightfully so, because there are lessons to be learned...those lessons often realised when we have these big events.” Carving off a rural section or building a home on a hillside can be more complicated than simply finding a good spot for the house. In a region marked by heavy rain events, slips and historic earthquakes, local authorities are increasingly unwilling to leave ground conditions to chance. Enter Terra Firma Engineering, a two-person Nelson-Tasman geotechnical engineering firm often brought in early to assess whether a site is suitable for development and how potential hazards can be managed. “New Zealand in general, we have a lot of natural hazards…there’s a lot going on. Then, within that, Nelson-Tasman is at the higher end of complex,” says engineering geologist Rob Hunter. Rob, who has worked in the industry for more than 15 years, says geotechnical signoff is now often expected on even modest projects. That was not always the case; previously, many decisions were left to structural engineers, council staff or builders. “Now council requires [geotech] input for pretty much all development to some degree. Even just people building in town here — we often need to be involved, even if it’s just a really light touch, just to check things over,” Rob says. “That’s just councils being more risk averse, and, you know, rightfully so, because there are lessons to be learned...those lessons often realised when we have these big events.” In recent times, Nelson-Tasman has been tested mainly by rainfall-related hazards (flooding and landslips), but Rob notes the region is by no means immune to seismic risk (liquefaction, fault ruptures and tsunami) and coastal hazards. For the small firm, workload can mean evaluating everything from landslip and flood risk to whether a rural section has suitable land for on-site wastewater treatment and disposal. “Often, it’s like that real early stage: ‘I want to do a subdivision; where can I build?’ And how big do the lots need to be to fit in everything that they want,” Rob says. “And then the next stage…we’ll come in and we’ll help them manage earthworks and provide foundation and retaining wall designs if they need it.” To keep up with demand across residential builds, small commercial projects, schools and farm subdivisions, the team relies on modern technology. Drones give Terra Firma quick aerial views of changing sites, GPS equipment lets the team capture accurate ground levels without always needing a separate surveyor on site, and publicly available LiDAR and aerial imagery can be pulled into their software to model slopes and earthworks before or alongside field visits. Yet despite the tech, Rob insists the work remains pleasingly hands-on. “It’s all pretty old school,” he says. “We’re out there, we’re looking at the ground, and we’re just providing good recommendations as to how to develop sites.” While the wider economy has wobbled, this specialist niche has kept the business steady following a brief lull early in the year. The duo has chosen to remain small. “We’re not a big corporate…if you call us, we’re going to answer, and we’ll be the ones that do the work,” Rob says. “We kind of offer the full end-to-end service…we don’t get other people to do our CAD drawings, and someone else to do the field work and someone else to do the report.” That direct contact suits their core clientele: everyday homeowners, farmers, and families navigating unfamiliar consent processes. “What I love about this job is we work for mostly mums and dads, and we are too,” Rob says. “Those clients appreciate what you do because typically they don’t really know what needs to be done…they really appreciate you helping them. This is way more satisfying. We just love it.” 03 544 8529 | GRAVEL SUPPLIES • CIVIL WORKS CONTRACTOR CONTRACTING
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