Beca supports IPWEA NZ’s Sustainability through Reform conference

Industry experts from across Beca lent their support to the IPWEA NZ’s Sustainability through Reform conference in Christchurch this week.

As well as being one of the event sponsors, Beca provided speakers on topics ranging from the circular economy and te ao Māori, to climate reporting and carbon reduction, Three Waters and asset management.

Beca’s Priyani de Silva-Currie is IPWEA NZ’s President. She says the conference was an opportunity for the public works sector to gather and consider the many challenges that reforms, climate change, supply chain issues, cost escalations and talent shortages are presenting.

“The central theme was sustainability – not just for the environment but socially, culturally and economically too. We are in the midst of a time of change with reforms across local government, Three Waters, environment and resource management, health and education. It’s an opportunity that we all can leverage, with sustainability taking a leading role. Public works professionals have an exciting part to play in those changes,” she says. 

“This was a fantastic opportunity for Beca to showcase its asset management capabilities and mature standing within this industry. I am very proud of the team who presented papers and prepared award entries for this event. Beca is demonstrating its core values and ethos of make everyday better by contributing strongly across all sectors represented here. Well done!”

Beca’s speakers included:

• John Blyth and Debbie O’Byrne – The Circular Economy and Te Ao Māori: What we can learn from Indigenous Worldviews
• Sarah Lang and Matt Bismark - Raising the Bar through Broader Outcomes: a passing fad or an opportunity for an industry revolution?
• Matt Raeburn: Climate-related reporting using the TCFD framework: an unexpected driver of climate action
• Melanie Liu (with Karl Hjelmstrom, Hamilton City Council): An Unexpected Journey: Improving Hamilton City Council’s Three Waters Resilience to Unexpected Events
• Jako Abrie: Journey as a councillor: Stewarding our Tūrangawaewae in difficult circumstances
• Priyani de Silva-Currie – Guardians of the Galaxy, a whimsical journey through the career of an asset manager
• Tony Anderson – Buildings Are People Too
• Dan Stevens – Re-imagining the Three Waters strategy for Dunedin
• Sam Turner – Realising carbon reduction opportunities in infrastructure – converting opportunities into real savings
• Rae Stewart and Annalise Duffy – Project Pure WWTP Upgrade – Designing for Constructability