An intricate snow-making system and associated reservoirs on a Queenstown skifield have earned Hadleys Consultants Ltd the highest honour at the New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards in Wellington this week.
At a function on Wednesday night, managing director James Hadley said the company was "very pleased and proud" to be announced the winner of the Supreme Award for Engineering Excellence for its work on Coronet Peak's snow-making facility.
Hadleys also won the Water, Waste and Amenities Award for the same project, "so suitcases were full for the trip home", he said.
"Our entry was made in conjunction with NZSki Ltd as our clients and TechnoAlpin, snow-making specialists of Italy."
Mr Hadley made special mention of geologists David Bell and Roydon Thomson who contributed greatly during the investigation phase of the project.
The construction of the project spanned three consecutive summers and Mr Hadley said he was thankful that his team received professional recognition.
"[I'm] also pleased for Queenstown's reputation and profile - and that the huge investment made by NZSki at Coronet Peak covering both snow-making and base buildings has finally received the formal recognition it thoroughly deserves.
"We are conscious that Queenstown people and the town itself have a reputation for punching above their weight. We are delighted we have managed to maintain that tradition and look forward to continuing it in the future."
The citation for the supreme award said the collaborative project had "significantly strengthened the Queenstown economy" by enhancing the skifield's ability to open and remain open for a lengthened and "more predictable" ski season.
The snow-making facility was expanded to create the largest artificial snow-making facility in the southern hemisphere.
The fully automated snow-making system comprised 203 TechnoAlpin snow guns, which worked in conjunction with pumping stations and reservoirs - with a total 380 million-litre capacity.
After a button is pushed it takes less than 10 minutes for the guns to produce snow.
The system was designed so the M1, Big Easy and beginner areas could be opened within three days of continuous snow-making conditions.
Under optimum conditions, all trails could be opened within 10 days.
