Supporting the Next Generation Through Real-World Experience

We recently welcomed nine Keystone Trust scholarship students from the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago to our Christchurch office.

As a Keystone Trust sponsor, the visit was an opportunity to connect with students who are passionate about building careers in the property and construction industry.

Our National Geotechnical Manager, Jordan Walker, shared insights from his career and experience in the engineering industry before taking the group on a site visit to Lancaster Park , one of our multidisciplinary projects in Christchurch.

“The students were really engaged and asked some fantastic questions. It was awesome to see their curiosity and genuine interest in how projects like Lancaster Park come together. They’re going to be a great asset to our industry” says Jordan.

The visit gave the students an opportunity to see engineering in practice, ask questions and learn more about the different people and disciplines involved in delivering a major project.

It was also a great example of our partnership with Keystone Trust in action. Through the partnership, we hope to provide students with industry exposure, meaningful connections and insights that support their future careers.

Our connection with Keystone Trust began through the internship experience of engineering student and Keystone scholar Harjot Gill. Keystone Trust recently shared the story of how this connection developed into a wider sponsorship partnership.

Read our partnership story on the Keystone Trust website: https://keystonetrust.org.nz/from-internship-to-sponsor-kirk-roberts-journey-to-partnership/

Learn more about our multidisciplinary engineering work at Lancaster Park here.

 

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When Do You Need A Fire Report For Your Development?

 

Many residential and commercial developments require a fire report to support building consent. Engaging a fire engineer early can help avoid delays and keep your project moving.

A fire report demonstrates how your project meets the fire safety requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.

Our fire engineering services, provide consultation to achieve value engineering and identify compliance and approval risk and we safeguard the project’s fire design approval.

Whether you’re designing a new multi-unit development, undertaking a commercial fit-out, or changing the use of an existing building, come to talk to us to find out how we can assist your project.

Common projects that may require a fire report include:

• Multi-unit residential developments
• Townhouses and apartments
• Commercial buildings
• Alterations and additions
• Change of use projects
• Buildings outside the scope of the Acceptable Solutions

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The New Zealand property industry gathered in Auckland last Friday evening for the 2026 Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards, celebrating excellence across the country’s built environment.

We’re proud to share that three Kirk Roberts projects were recognised across community housing, commercial, and education categories, reflecting both the breadth of our work and the strength of collaboration across our teams nationwide. These projects showcase the value of our multidisciplinary approach, bringing together architectural, structural, geotechnical, civil, and fire engineering expertise to deliver successful outcomes for clients and communities throughout New Zealand.

Greenslade Crescent Medium Rise Apartments, Auckland

Excellence Award – Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Community and Affordable Housing Property Award

A special congratulations goes to the team behind Greenslade Crescent Apartments, which received an Excellence Award in the Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Community and Affordable Housing Property Award category. The recognition reflects the project’s success in delivering high-quality housing outcomes that create lasting value for residents and the wider community while demonstrating the impact of thoughtful, community-focused design.

Adrenalyn Motorcycles, Tauranga

Finalist RCP Commercial Office Property Award.

Adrenalyn Motorcycles was recognised as a finalist in the Commercial Office Property category. The project delivered a contemporary commercial facility that supports business growth while creating a bold, highly visible destination that reflects the client’s passion, brand, and future ambitions.

St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland

Finalist – Colliers Project Leaders Education Property Award

St Cuthbert’s College was also recognised as a finalist in the Education Property category. The project enhances campus functionality and supports exceptional learning environments for students, staff, and future generations.

Together, these projects demonstrate the diversity of sectors Kirk Roberts works across and our ability to bring together expertise from multiple disciplines and offices to deliver projects that create lasting value. Congratulations to our clients, project partners, and project teams on this outstanding recognition.

Read more about the 2026 Property Industry Awards and view the full list of winners here:
https://www.propertynz.co.nz/news/all-the-winners-from-the-2026-property-industry-awards
 

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Supporting future talent in property, construction and engineering.

For 2026, Kirk Roberts is proud to partner with The Keystone Trust, a New Zealand charity dedicated to supporting pathways into property and construction careers through scholarships, mentoring, internships and industry connections.

The Keystone Trust helps young people access the education, support and industry exposure they need to build successful careers within the construction and property sectors, while creating strong connections between students and industry organisations across New Zealand.

This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in the future of our industry and supporting the next generation of engineering and construction talent. Through this sponsorship, our team will have opportunities to mentor students, support networking initiatives, and host Keystone Trust events within our offices around the country.

The partnership also enables us to build meaningful relationships with emerging talent entering the industry, including students who have completed internships with Kirk Roberts through the Keystone Trust programme.

At Kirk Roberts, we’re passionate about creating futures and supporting initiatives that help strengthen our industry for the long term. We’re proud to support an organisation creating opportunities for future industry leaders and helping shape a stronger future for the property and construction sector in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

“At Kirk Roberts, we believe in supporting the future of our industry and creating opportunities for the next generation of talent. Partnering with The Keystone Trust aligns strongly with our strategy, our community focus, and our commitment to helping young people thrive within the engineering, construction and property sectors. We’re excited to support students through mentoring, networking and meaningful industry engagement.” Lynda McIntosh, GM Operations, People and Culture.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kirk Roberts as a Keystone Trust partner for 2026. Partnerships like this play an important role in supporting young people into meaningful careers within the property and construction industry. By providing mentorship, industry exposure and real-world opportunities, organisations like Kirk Roberts help our students build confidence, connections and long-term career pathways.” Amanda Stanes, Keystone Trust General Manager.

Who is Keystone Trust?

Keystone Trust helps young people who’ve been held back by inequality get the education they deserve and move into a successful property or construction career.

Since 1994, they have granted over 378 scholarships and awarded around $3 million in scholarship funding.

If a student doesn’t have much money, family support or industry connections, it can be difficult – if not impossible – to get a tertiary education and carve a successful career. But with the right support, these talented young people have the means to thrive and lead our industry into the future. Find out more about Keystone Trust in this video here.

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The Commercial Project Awards were held in Auckland on Friday evening, recognising excellence in commercial property development and design across New Zealand.
We’re proud to share that three Kirk Roberts projects were recognised on the night, taking home two Silver Awards and one Gold Award across industrial, retail, and residential categories.

Gold Award – Residential Category
Greenslade Crescent, Auckland
Our Greenslade Crescent project received a Gold Award in the Residential category, recognising the strength of the multidisciplinary design and delivery behind this development. A fantastic achievement for everyone involved.

Silver Award – Industrial Category
Harvard Industrial Development, Tauranga
The Harvard Industrial Development was awarded Silver in the Industrial category. This project showcased strong collaboration between our architectural, structural, geotechnical, civil, and fire engineering teams to deliver a high-performing industrial warehouse and office facility in Tauranga.

Silver Award – Retail Category
The Railyard, Christchurch
The Railyard collected Silver in the Retail category, recognising the quality and innovation behind this Christchurch development. Congratulations to all involved in bringing this project to life.
These awards reflect the strength of multidisciplinary collaboration across our offices and the commitment of our teams to delivering thoughtful, high-performing projects across New Zealand.

We’d like to congratulate our clients, project partners, and everyone involved in these successful developments.

Read more about the award winners here.

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Advanced fire and evacuation modelling to optimise design and improve building performance.

As buildings become more complex, traditional fire design methods don’t always provide the flexibility or insight needed to achieve the best outcomes.

At Kirk Roberts, we deliver advanced fire and evacuation modelling using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Pathfinder, helping optimise building design while improving usability and enabling greater architectural freedom.

Unlike simplified approaches, FDS modelling simulates how fire and smoke develop and move throughout a space over time.

This allows our team to assess key safety factors such as visibility, temperature, and tenability, providing a much clearer picture of building performance.

“For projects where standard fire design methods fall short, advanced modelling gives us the ability to test real scenarios and optimise outcomes. That often means greater design flexibility and avoiding unnecessary cost, while still meeting the required safety standards.”

Herman Fong, Fire Team Leader Auckland.

Talk to our Fire Engineering team about how we can support your Fire Engineering requirements

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Supporting leadership and collaboration within New Zealand’s geotechnical sector

We’re pleased to share that Kirk Roberts Senior Engineering Geologist, Jason Ward, has been appointed Bay of Plenty Branch Coordinator for the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS).

This appointment recognises Jason’s strong commitment to the geotechnical industry and his active involvement in the local professional community.

The NZGS plays an important role in connecting industry professionals, sharing knowledge, and supporting best practice across New Zealand. In his new role, Jason will help support and grow the geotechnical community across the Bay of Plenty region.

It’s great to see our people contributing beyond project delivery and helping shape the future of the industry.

Congratulations Jason on this well-deserved appointment.

You can read the official NZGS announcement here: https://www.nzgs.org/new-bay-of-plenty-branch-coordinator/

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Growth, projects and a team taking shape in Tauranga

There’s something happening in Tauranga right now. It’s not just growth, it’s momentum. The kind that creates opportunity for engineers who want to step into something meaningful, shape a region, and be part of a team that’s building with intent.

For Mark Weber, recently appointed Regional Manager at Kirk Roberts, that’s exactly what stood out.

After years working across New Zealand and Australia in project and operational leadership roles, Mark was looking for something different.

“I was looking for a company with a genuine point of difference,” he says. “Kirk Roberts stood out on many levels, from our own land developments to an in-house software team. These capabilities give us the opportunity to help create futures in ways many others can’t.”

With the pace of change in technology and development, that combination of capability and thinking was a key drawcard.

A Region That Requires Innovation

Tauranga continues to grow, but it’s not without its challenges. For Mark, that’s part of the appeal.

“There’s some really strong talent in Tauranga, along with great clients delivering high-quality projects,” he says. “It’s a challenging market, and that demands innovation to succeed. That’s where I believe we can add real value.”

Across the region, increasing complexity is driving smarter thinking, particularly as projects respond to rising costs and land constraints.

The Work: Challenging and Evolving

The Tauranga market is seeing a steady pipeline of commercial work, with projects requiring careful consideration around cost, design, and delivery.

“Rising build costs and land constraints are driving some impressive value engineering outcomes,” Mark says. “It makes the work both challenging and rewarding.”

For experienced engineers, that means exposure to a broad range of projects and the opportunity to be part of practical, solution-focused delivery.

Building the Team

Alongside the work itself, Mark’s focus is firmly on the team.

“We’re focused on building a culture of team and customer care, supported by accountability and a solutions-focused mindset,” he says. “With the right people at our core, we’ll deliver strong results and enjoy what we’re doing.”

It’s an environment designed to support experienced engineers who want to take ownership, contribute to outcomes, and be part of a collaborative team.

Why Consider Tauranga

For those already established in their careers, making a move takes careful consideration. For Mark, the opportunity in Tauranga is about more than just the role.

“This is an opportunity to build a genuinely fulfilling career around what excites you,” he says. “You’re supported by a team that wants to see you grow and succeed.”

And outside of work, Tauranga offers a lifestyle that continues to draw people to the region.

“You won’t regret it. It’s a company with a clear direction, a team that genuinely enjoys what they do, and a location that caters to a wide range of lifestyles.”

 

Tauranga Photo by Uran Wang on Unsplash

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Supporting the future direction of engineering in New Zealand

Kirk Roberts is proud to share that our National Structural Manager, Deborah Curd, has been elected to the Board of Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau.

Deborah’s appointment reflects her leadership, industry expertise, and commitment to strengthening the engineering profession across Aotearoa. In this role, she will contribute to representing members and shaping the future of engineering in New Zealand.

We also acknowledge Julio Ortiz for standing in the election, demonstrating the depth of leadership within our team.

Congratulations, Deborah, on this outstanding achievement.

Read more from Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau here 

 

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Three Kirk Roberts projects have been named finalists in the 2026 Property Council New Zealand Property Industry Awards, spanning commercial, residential, and education sectors.

We’re proud to see our projects recognised in these prestigious awards, which celebrate innovation and excellence across Aotearoa’s property sector. This recognition reflects the strength of our partnerships and the technical expertise that underpins every development we support.

Earning finalist status across three categories highlights the depth and reach of our work nationwide.

Our finalists this year include:

Adrenalyn Motorcycles, Tauranga

Finalist RCP Commercial Office Property Award.

 A contemporary workspace delivering efficient, resilient, and future-ready commercial facilities for a growing business.

Greenslade Crescent Medium Rise Apartments, Auckland

Finalist – Hawkins Multi Unit Residential Property Award

A thoughtfully designed, development showcasing community-focused urban living and high-quality medium-density design.

St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland

Finalist – Colliers Project Leaders Education Property Award

A project that enhances campus functionality and supports exceptional learning environment for students now and into the future

Finalists will be acknowledged at the Awards Dinner in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, on Friday, 13 June, where the industry will come together to celebrate New Zealand’s most outstanding property achievements.

This recognition underscores the value of collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence across each project. We’re proud to see these developments represented on the national stage and to work alongside the dedicated teams and partners who help bring them to life.

Congratulations to everyone involved — and best of luck to all finalists.

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