The Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility (LNIRIM) programme is a step-change for regional rail. At its heart is Tūhono, a fleet of 18 five-car battery-electric multiple unit (BEMU) trains, the first of their kind in the Southern Hemisphere. These trains will replace ageing diesel-hauled services on the Wairarapa and Manawatū lines, with the first units expected from 2028 and expanded services rolling out from 2030. Alstom has been selected to build and maintain the fleet. 

Beyond the trains themselves, LNIRIM funds the infrastructure that makes a frequent timetable possible. This includes new and extended passing loops, additional stabling in Wellington and Palmerston North, a new depot and stabling facility in Masterton, and selected station and track upgrades. Together, these works create operational flexibility to add services, recover from delays, and reliably meet peak demand.

In parallel, the Wellington Metro Substations Programme delivers the power capacity and resilience the network requires. The Government has committed $137.2 million to renew and upgrade substations across the metro network, many of which are 60–90 years old, specifically to improve reliability and enable future growth in services. This is the quiet, critical backbone for performance, stronger substations will reduce voltage sag, protect assets, and provide headroom for more trains.

The relationship is straightforward. LNIRIM adds new trains and timetable ambition, while the substations provide the electrical capacity and reliability to sustain the enhanced regional rail timetable, as well as timetable enhancements within the Wellington Metro Area for existing metro services.  

Vitruvius is contributing on both sides of this “capacity and service” equation. For the Metro Substations Programme, we are providing civil design services including site access upgrades, building formation and retaining wall design, site security fencing, drainage and flood protection improvements, and new ducting to enable incoming and outgoing power and fibre connections. On the LNIRIM yard upgrades, we have recently been appointed Lead Consultant for the Masterton and Palmerston North facilities. Here, we are coordinating the multi-disciplinary design of stabling, servicing, and operational layouts that will accommodate the Tūhono fleet and support the uplifted timetable. These facilities are pivotal to reliable day-to-day operations and rapid turnarounds between peaks. 

Together, these programmes will deliver cleaner trains, more dependable power, and the infrastructure to run more services more often on the NIMT and Wairarapa lines. The result is better access to jobs and education, stronger inter-regional links, and a network that can grow with demand rather than be constrained by it. That is the promise of Tūhono — to connect and unite communities — and it is a promise Vitruvius is proud to help make real. 

The post Connecting the Dots: Powering a Modern Lower North Island Rail Network appeared first on Vitruvius.

The week of 11 – 17 August 2025 saw two major rail calendar events coincide in New Zealand – these being Rail Safety Week and the Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE). Both of these events are extremely important to Vitruvius, as they promote safety and technical excellence, which are both intrinsic to our DNA.

Those active in the Rail Sector will be well aware of the importance of Rail Safety Week, an annual nationwide campaign run by the wonderful team at TrackSAFE NZ. This year the campaign slogan was ‘Stay off, Stay safe. Tracks are for trains’. The focus was highlighting the critical risks associated with trespass within the rail corridor. All too often, pedestrians venture into restricted areas of the rail corridor to save time. It is not only extremely risky to do so but is also illegal. The only place pedestrians should be entering the rail corridor is at a designated crossing point, where there are controls in place to mitigate hazards from trains.

Vitruvius supported the campaign across the motu, with our teams in Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland handing out flyers to raise awareness about these risks and encourage better behaviour regarding best practice for pedestrians around the rail corridor. Recent TrackSAFE research indicates that almost half of surveyed participants admit to walking across railway tracks outside designated crossing areas. Last year alone these were 642 recorded trespass incidents, resulting in 60 near misses with trains. These sobering statistics highlight the obvious need for increased awareness and drive home the reasons for doing what we do.

In addition to Rail Safety week, the sector also came together in Tāmaki Makaurau on 13 and 14 August where more than 400 delegates gathered for the annual CORE Conference, hosted by our good friends at the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA). The conference was well attended by both Kiwis and Aussies alike, with some really insightful technical presentations. It was a fantastic chance for some of the industry’s brightest rail minds to come together and discuss the future of this critical transport mode. It was also really interesting to see some of the similarities (and differences) in the way we work here in New Zealand compared with Australia.

A highlight for us was seeing our very own Simon Cave present on the European Train Control System (ETCS) Digital Integration, focusing on how developing a digital twin can improve project outcomes by removing unknowns and giving design and construction teams unimpeded access into the virtual rail corridor.

This was the first time CORE has been hosted in New Zealand in 15 years – and at a time when focus on technical rail expertise is really important for our future – reinforcing the conference theme ‘Kaitiaki – Guarding the Future’. A great example of some of the challenges faced by skills shortage in the New Zealand rail industry can be seen in a recent paper released by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) here.

We finished out the week feeling inspired by the passion and effort put into these two events and it really highlighted just how important the rail network is to our country.

If anyone wants to learn more about Rail Safety Week, please visit the TrackSAFE NZ Website here. We’re also really looking forward to attending next years CORE Event which will be held in Adelaide.

Over and out!

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Auckland’s water sector is facing significant challenges, with ageing infrastructure, rapid population growth, and the pressures of climate change placing increasing stress on the infrastructure networks and planning frameworks that we rely on to enable safe and thriving communities. Adding to this pressure is the need to deliver and manage essential infrastructure in ways that are sustainable both environmentally and economically. Meeting this challenge isn’t about doing more of the same. The way forward is about asking the right questions to focus on our most pressing problems and developing opportunistic yet balanced right-sized solutions while building the foundations for tomorrow. 

At the forefront of this effort is Albert Ho, Service Leader – Civil and Water Engineering at Vitruvius, based in Tāmaki Makaurau. A Chartered Professional Engineer with 19 years of experience, Albert has worked with leading water utility organisations across New Zealand and Australia. At Vitruvius, he leads a growing team that shares his passion for problem solving, innovation, and collaboration. Together, they are focused on delivering practical, future-ready solutions that best position Auckland to thrive — now and into the future. 

Vitruvius’ Civil and Water team brings capability across the full spectrum of three waters infrastructure, from detailed design and asset renewals to hydraulic modelling, treatment plants, and pump station projects. Recent work with major infrastructure owners in Auckland, including Healthy Waters, KiwiRail and Auckland Transport, has highlighted the team’s ability to interrogate problems at both asset and network level, applying rigorous engineering analysis to deliver solutions that minimise disruption, optimise investment, and create long-term value. 

Complementing this technical depth, Albert provides strategic and collaborative leadership that ensures projects reflect client priorities and deliver enduring outcomes. He understands how clients make decisions and frames technical advice to support confident choices, drawing on his experience in strategic planning and cross-agency partnerships to bring clarity to complex decision-making and enable the team to channel their expertise into results that matter most for Auckland. This balance of technical rigour and strategic insight positions Vitruvius as a trusted partner to help guide investment and delivery with confidence towards sustainable, future-ready networks. 

The team itself is growing in both capability and presence. Beyond technical expertise, we are recognised for how we work, as collaborators and problem solvers who ask the right questions, and as communicators who turn complexity into clear, practical solutions. 

As Tāmaki Makaurau continues to grow and adapt, the demand for resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective water solutions will only intensify. Vitruvius is committed to being part of that journey, framing the right decisions and delivering quality, whether it is renewal programmes, enabling growth, or strengthening resilience against future pressures. With a combination of technical depth, collaborative culture, and strategic leadership, the team is well placed to help clients navigate complexity and deliver outcomes that matter. Above all, our focus is on enabling safe, thriving communities and ensuring Auckland is prepared for today and for generations to come. 

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Wastewater management in Aotearoa is entering a period of significant change. With national standards for wastewater discharges expected to tighten in the near future, including greater scrutiny on environmental outcomes and a stronger focus on cultural values, councils are being called to rethink long-standing approaches.

Many current discharge consents won’t meet future expectations. Land-based disposal, higher treatment levels, and the reuse of biosolids are quickly moving from ‘innovative’ to ‘necessary.’ For councils, that means preparing early to be able to explore smarter, staged approaches with more flexibility and fewer surprises.

That’s where we come in.

Over the past few years, we’ve steadily expanded our 3 Waters capability, from stormwater planning and potable water design to wastewater renewals and construction-phase support. More recently, we’ve honed our focus on wastewater treatment and disposal, building deep technical capability in the areas we know will matter most: land application, advanced treatment systems, and the beneficial reuse of biosolids.

We’ve also strengthened our team with the addition of Alana Bowmar Service Leader, Civil and Water Engineering and Arno Louw Senior Civil & Mechanical Engineer.

Alana is a Chartered Professional Engineer based in Wellington with national expertise in land-based wastewater application and biosolids management. She’s led technical assessments and consenting strategies for complex municipal and industrial discharges across Aotearoa, helping clients develop solutions that are not only compliant, but culturally and environmentally aligned.

Arno, based in Tauranga, brings specialist strength in mechanical and hydraulic engineering, including pump station design, transient analysis, SCADA integration, and the commissioning of wastewater treatment plants. His practical understanding of how systems are built, operated, and maintained makes him a valuable link between design vision and real-world delivery.

Our goal isn’t just to add technical depth — it’s to help councils respond to change with confidence. That means:

• Understanding where regulatory expectations are heading
• Identifying cost-effective options early
• Designing staged solutions that balance resilience, affordability, and practical operation
• Engaging meaningfully with mana whenua and communities
• Collaborating with contractors and council staff to deliver the best outcome on the ground.

We know that finding the right path forward can be complex, especially with budget constraints and evolving compliance expectations. As a small, agile team, we aim to be responsive, pragmatic, and easy to work with. We bring national expertise, but always keep local context and relationships front of mind.

If you’re looking to review your wastewater strategy, explore land disposal or biosolids reuse, or want a second opinion on what’s possible — we’d love to hear from you.

Alana Bowmar, Service Lead Water (Wellington)             E:  alana.bowmar@vitruvius.co,nz

Scott Williamson, Sector Lead and Director                     E:  scott.williamson@vitruvius.co.nz

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As an incredibly high regarded and nationally sought after Track Designer, Bryce has played a key role in some of our most significant projects. Over the past decade, he was track design lead and designer for the reference alignment of the Auckland City Rail Link (CRL), upgrades to the North Auckland Line, the realignment of Tunnel 21 on the Main North Line (MNL), Wellington Metro Upgrade Programme (WMUP) 6A, and many many more. His expertise of technical delivery through challenging complexities whilst adhering to national standards (that he was one of the original contributors to) have made a huge impact on both Vitruvius and these project outcomes. 

In the early days, Bryce took on some real hands-on challenges – one particularly telling moment was wearing brand-new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the Otira Tunnel for a night of measuring coal and cleaning. A bold choice, in hindsight as the PPE was blackened by coal and ruined!

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• Figure 1: Otira Tunnel
• Figure 2: Kaimai Tunnel – Brattice Door

A unique project was the challenge of designing a brattice door (something he previously had never heard of) for the Kaimai Tunnel Portal, overseeing its manufacture and installation.  This involved not only getting up to speed with the purpose and function of the specialised ventilation door but also overseeing its manufacture and installation. What started as an unfamiliar concept quickly became another challenge he took in his stride – and he nailed it.

One of Bryce’s most rewarding experiences has been his key role in the Kaikōura Earthquake recovery. Being part of the team leading the reconstruction and seeing the transformation firsthand remains a career highlight. His contributions included track realignment design for affected areas and spatial assessments for all tunnels along the route – critical work that helped restore this vital transport corridor. 

Tunnel 18 MNL (Kaikoura)

Bryce’s contribution to the growth of Vitruvius through culture, systems and processes has strongly contributed to where we are now. In 2020, Bryce became the first-ever recipient of the Vitruvian of the Year award, voted on by his peers to honour those who exemplify our company values. In 2024, he was again recognised as runner-up – a testament to his continued impact and leadership within our team. 

Congratulations, Bryce! Your dedication and expertise have helped shape Vitruvius, and we’re grateful for the past ten years. We look forward to many more.

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The Making Space for Water (MS4W) programme is Auckland Council’s response to the extreme storms of early 2023, which led to local and national emergencies, claimed six lives and forced the evacuation of over 7,000 homes. Unprecedented rainfall overwhelmed the stormwater network, leaving many unprepared for the resulting floods.

As part of MS4W, Vitruvius is proud to partner with Healthy Waters to deliver the Overland Flow Path Management (OLFP) initiative, one of seven key projects aimed at improving Auckland’s resilience to heavy rainfall and extreme weather events.

This initiative focuses on ensuring overland flow paths function effectively to reduce flood risks. The work is carried out at both a catchment level (capital works) and an individual property scale, helping water flow safely through neighbourhoods and minimising damage to homes and infrastructure.

Key components of the initiative include:

• Field assessments and a new app to identify and report blockages.
• Community engagement to educate residents on their responsibilities.
• Compliance measures to ensure overland flow paths remain clear and effective.

Both Merci and Albert from Vitruvius are providing the day-to-day project management expertise with Vitruvius also presenting an on the ground assessment team playing a vital role in shaping a flood resilient Tāmaki Makaurau. We’re proud to support this work, which will shape how the city manages stormwater now and into the future.

Photo from left to right Daniel Cho – Civil Engineer, Merci Martin – Civil Engineer, Marc Porter – Civil Engineer, Matthew Sheppard – Senior Civil Engineer, and William Wang – Senior Project Engineer.

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The Gisborne District Council (GDC) FY 2025 Watermain Renewals project focused on replacing 1.95 kilometers of aging asbestos cement watermains as part of the council’s program to address at-risk infrastructure. Vitruvius was engaged to deliver detailed design services, including project management, early contractor involvement, 3D modelling, connection drawings, and tender documentation. 

With a local staff member based in Gisborne, Vitruvius maintained strong communication and provided responsive support throughout the project. This local presence was instrumental in managing stakeholder relationships and ensuring the project stayed on track. Vitruvius expanded on the GDC code of practice by recommending the use of ductile iron fittings and additional Gibault and Dismantling connections in the design, prioritising durability and simplified future maintenance—recommendations that GDC readily adopted. 

Vitruvius delivered six consistent, high-quality drawing packages ahead of schedule, allowing GDC to meet their fiscal goals and prepare for construction within the required timeframe. Safety in Design principles were applied to optimise construction efficiency and reduce risks, ensuring the best outcomes for installation. 

This project demonstrates Vitruvius’ ability to provide tailored, practical, and high-quality engineering solutions that address the unique needs of the client and their infrastructure, further strengthening our reputation for delivering reliable and innovative outcomes. 

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Figure 1: As-built of main at Jellicoe St. Vitruvius design tying into new pipe work

Figure 2: Example of existing service crossings

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Vitruvius was engaged by Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC) to help them deliver a Bio-Filtration Pond designed to service the additional stormwater runoff generated by a new 100 lot development in Ōmokoroa. This project, funded through development contribution fees, played a crucial role in enabling residential growth while safeguarding the quality of stormwater runoff and protecting the receiving streams and catchments.

Vitruvius was engaged to perform a peer review of the design and work in with the incumbent designers to finalise it. This was a tricky design as this is the largest bio-filtration pond in New Zealand, so the design required scaling up a typically smaller system. When up sizing these sorts of systems to a much larger scale, there are some concerns around ensuring its effectiveness. Stormwater360, whose product it was, are providing ongoing monitoring and support to ensure it is effectively treating the stormwater.

The project site required significant preparation before construction could begin. Due to soft native soils, enabling works included clearing the land and preloading it for 6 months. Vitruvius facilitated this by procuring a contractor through closed tender invite. The submissions were then provided to WBOPC with recommendations. Once the contractor was engaged, Vitruvius managed the construction of the pre-load phase on behalf of WBOPDC.

Following the completion of the final design and the preload period, Vitruvius facilitated the procurement process for the pond construction works. This was put out to open tender on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) where Vitruvius was part of the tender evaluation team. During construction of the pond, Vitruvius served role as the Engineers Representative. As the first bio-filtration pond of this scale, the construction required innovative problem-solving and close collaboration among all stakeholders, however Vitruvius was able to facilitate a great team culture and all parties actively worked together for the best interest of the project.  The result was a successfully delivered project that exceeded expectations.

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Vitruvius is proud to have supported Auckland Transport (AT) in delivering the Wiri Depot upgrade project which went into use in November 2024.

The 550m new depot is the main maintenance and stabling facility for Auckland Transports new Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) trains. The project features 10 brand-new stabling roads built by John Holland between October 2023 – November 2024, where Neil Mason acted as the Engineer to Contract, with Henry Watson managing the day-to-day as the Engineer’s Representative.

The entire depot was built up from scratch, covering a number of disciplines containing earthworks, drainage, track, OLE, lighting, signalling, CSR, E&B.

The depot is a crucial part of infrastructure for AT, serving as the hub for the new fleet for the City Rail Link (CRL). Each train visits the depot at least once a month for maintenance, undergoing minor inspections every 1,000 kilometres. As mileage increases, the inspections become progressively more comprehensive, ensuring the fleet remains in peak condition.

Wiri also marks the starting point of the new Third Main Line to be completed by 2025. This additional line will enable freight trains to operate independently of commuter servicers, reducing congestion and facilitating faster, more efficient train journeys.

It was an incredible project to be a part of, being able to watch the depot being built from the ground up.

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The Lillington Emergency Response project for Auckland Council, Healthy Waters puts Vitruvius on the map of the Auckland Water sector. The high priority project, with stakeholders reaching as high as the Auckland Mayor, was entrusted to us based on our relationship with KiwiRail, engineering expertise and commitment to respond. The project addresses the risk of disruption to Auckland’s busiest train line, as a result of a stormwater pipe collapse.

This project showcases Vitruvius’ ability to pull Healthy Waters and KiwiRail together in a rapid, collaborative response to cross sector/discipline risk.  Overall, Vitruvius facilitated contributions from three major public infrastructure organisations, including NZTA Waka Kotahi, and multiple contractor entities, towards a swift and pragmatic solution in mitigating the risks presented in this high-profile project.

A 400mm brick culvert, built in 1946 and spanning 20m, lies beneath the Auckland Rail Network Southern Line and shoulder of the SH1 Southern Motorway, about 500m north of the Greenlane roundabout. The brick pipe asset was deformed, and likely the cause of rail ballast soft spots and sleeper movement directly above. Risk of pipe collapse was mitigated with slip-lining of the old brick asset with a 225mm uPVC pipe, secured with grouting to reinstate the structural integrity of the asset.

The final project outcome is a de-risked stormwater asset that functions as designed, with its lifecycle increased by an additional 50+ years, and the above rail network operating at its full capacity without limitations. The project was completed with praise from the highest level at Healthy Waters. This milestone project showcases Vitruvius’ ability to bridge disciplines and sectors, demonstrating our commitment to Auckland’s critical infrastructure, and further strengthens the relationship with our strategic key clients.

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