Standout individuals in the New Zealand building industry have been celebrated at this year’s Building People Awards.
The best in the building business were honoured at the 2025 Building People Awards, held on Friday 8 August in Wellington. From emerging talent to vastly experienced exponents of the trades, Kiwis in construction came together to celebrate and acknowledge excellence at the annual awards event, with CARTERS in full support as a category sponsor.
Here’s who took home top honours in the seven categories awarded on the night.
NEXT GEN SUPREME WINNER
Shanta Persad - PhD Civil Engineering, University of Canterbury
Shanta’s work stands out for its technical excellence, innovation, and commitment to equitable clean energy access. In the future, Shanta plans to expand her solar calculator into a widely accessible planning tool, integrating it into urban design practices both in Aotearoa and globally. She is committed to bridging the gap between research and real-world application, ensuring that renewable energy solutions are embedded into the built environment—especially in communities that need them most. We look forward to seeing Shanta shine as a leader in the future in construction and infrastructure.
Judges said: “Shanta’s commitment to sustainability, equity, and wellbeing is truly inspiring. She’s a leader shaping the future of our built environment.”
CARTERS $10-$50 Million Project Award
James McLean - Project Manager & Engineer, LT McGuinness
Project: Ngā Mokopuna (formerly known as Living Pā), Pōneke | Wellington
James McLean led one of Aotearoa’s most complex sustainability projects, Ngā Mokopuna, with exceptional technical skill, calm leadership, and deep cultural awareness. He guided a young team to deliver a technically demanding mass timber project under the rigorous constraints of the Living Building Challenge. Employing thoughtful and deliberate leadership he fostered a collaborative, inclusive, and stress-aware site culture. Through hands-on workshops and clear communication, he aligned stakeholders and brought vision to life. The client said, “James was THE standout performer in what was a standout project.”
BCITO Emerging Leader Award
WINNER
Lian Versteeg - National Services Manager, Summerset Management Group, Auckland
Lian Versteeg built Summerset’s Services team from scratch, scaling it to four engineers across 13 projects. He led the complex $385M St Johns services design, navigating COVID disruptions and technical challenges. A volunteer firefighter, Lian introduced emergency training onsite and personally delivered generators after Hawke’s Bay floods. A referee called him “critical” to the project, highlighting his valued training workshops.
Lian mentors nationwide and is pursuing a Masters in Engineering Management - combining technical excellence with genuine care as a standout emerging leader.
CONSTRUCTION GROWTH FOUNDATION Consultants
Alex Heperi - Project Architect, Designgroup Stapleton Elliott
Project: Waiaroha Heretaunga Water Discovery Centre, Hawkes Bay
Alex Heperi played a pivotal role in the Waiaroha project, leading the seamless integration of cultural storytelling with technical precision. As the sole Māori design lead, she ensured tikanga and mana whenua values were embedded from the start, not as an afterthought. Her collaborative leadership in co-design wānanga and hui brought together mana whenua, council, contractors, and artists to create a water infrastructure facility that honours heritage while meeting functional needs. Alex’s dedication to cultural integrity, environmental sustainability, and bridging diverse stakeholders made Waiaroha a landmark project.
HUBEXO Collaboration
WINNER
Dave Bintliff - Technical Manager, Norman Disney Young, Andrew Burton - Client Project Manager, RCP, Joe Buxton - Quantity Surveyor, Barnes Beagley Doher, Dani Lake - Project Delivery Manager (Client), Allevia Health, Dean Shanud - Lead Architect, Klein Architects, & Craig Younger - Project Director, Leighs Construction
Project: Allevia Hospital Epsom Redevelopment, Tāmaki | Auckland
The Allevia Hospital Epsom Redevelopment team delivered a technically complex facility, featuring digital operating rooms and hybrid theatres, on time and within budget. They expertly managed construction alongside live surgical environments, adhering to strict noise and vibration limits amid Covid-19 challenges. Their early contractor involvement and values-driven collaboration enabled rapid adaptation to a late-stage design changes. As one referee, said, “This was the most exceptional project team I’ve seen. They were consistently solution-focused and constant communication was the key - It was phenomenal.”
NZIOB CHARITABLE EDUCATION TRUST Under $10 Million Project Award
WINNER
Matt Hope - Quantity Surveyor/Estimator, Callum Quarton - Project Manager, & Benji Solomona - Senior Site Manager at Hawkins
Project: Victoria University of Wellington, William Weir Wing Seismic Upgrade, Wellington
This team, led by Matt Hope, Callum Quarton & Benji Solomona, delivered a seismic upgrade to a live, heritage student residence while overcoming major structural and logistical challenges through innovative engineering, inclusive leadership, and relentless teamwork. Working above the Wellington Cable Car tunnel, they avoided a critical failure through smart redesign, all while keeping the building safely occupied.
Their humility, adaptability, and commitment to others stood out, from Christmas shifts to mentoring interns. Completed on time and under budget, this was heritage restoration at its best: complex, human-centred, and technically brilliant.
BARNES BEAGLEY DOHERR Over $50 Million Project Award
Rhys McKenzie - Project Manager, Hawkins
Project: Site 6 - Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct, Tāmaki | Auckland
Rhys McKenzie delivered the Wynyard Quarter project under relentless pressure, remaining calm and composed throughout. Project challenges included restarting a misaligned build, managing massive integrated fitouts, and re-sequencing works to install an onsite manufacturing plant that ultimately saved time and money. Rhys remained steady throughout the project, never faltering, even through personal tragedy. Described as “absolutely superb” and “the most impressive contractor project manager in the industry,” referees said the project outcome would have been very different if not for Rhys. The judges remarked Rhys “is absolutely extraordinary.”
SOUTHBASE CONSTRUCTION Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Jamie Summers - Project Director, The Building Intelligence Group
Project: Health15, Tāmaki | Auckland
Jamie faced profound personal challenges after suffering a stroke in 2019. While many would have turned inward, Jamie turned personal adversity into powerful impact. Through Health15, he’s delivering life-saving cardiovascular screenings directly to workers on-site, meeting them where they are, in language they understand, and with genuine care. By building trust and removing barriers, Jamie is reaching those who often fall through the cracks. The judges commented that Jamie’s “leadership in Health15 is changing the way health and wellbeing are approached in construction.”
James Hardie Innovation
WINNER (equal)
Patrick Gallego - BIM Coordinator, Naylor Love Wellington
Project: CarbonCore 360, Pōneke | Wellington
Patrick Gallego identified a critical gap in sustainable construction: teams couldn’t track embodied carbon early enough to influence decisions. In response he built CarbonCore 360, a smart, integrated solution combining building information models, carbon databases, and real-time dashboards, giving teams live visibility of carbon alongside cost and programme. Patrick’s work proves that sustainability and performance can go hand-in-hand, and he brings the kind of energy, genuine enthusiasm, and open mindset that’s essential to driving change through digital tools and collaborative processes.
WINNER (equal)
Alex Hampshire - Director - Advisory, WT
Project: Archives Building, Pōneke | Wellington
Alex Hampshire demonstrated outstanding technical leadership in delivering New Zealand’s most advanced digital twin implementation at the Archives Building. He led the integration of complex asset data into a live, operational model—transforming how the building will be managed for decades to come. His approach overcame fragmented systems, aligned diverse stakeholders, and embedded lifecycle thinking from day one. Through hands-on training, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a deep understanding of facilities management, Alex set a new benchmark for innovation, operational excellence, and the future of building performance.
HAWKINS Site Manager of the Year Award
WINNER
Lachlan Grant - Site Manager, Hawkins, Pōneke | Wellington
Lachlan Grant led the complex structural and commissioning phases of Wakefield Hospital, including base isolation, surgical theatres, and critical services integration. He implemented cutting-edge tools like HammerTech, drone scans, and 360° photography, now adopted business-wide. His ability to resolve sequencing, detailing, and post-COVID market challenges was matched by his mentorship, team wellbeing initiatives, and community outreach. The judges said if they were “ever in need of a champion site manager, Lachlan would be our go-to!”
GIB Supreme Award
SUPREME AWARD WINNER
Lian Versteeg - National Services Manager, Summerset Management Group, Tāmaki | Auckland
At just 30, Lian Versteeg is the youngest-ever recipient of the Supreme Award. A technical leader and people-first professional, he delivered the complex $385M St Johns project while building Summerset’s national services team. When tragedy struck and a fatality occurred on site, Lian—also a volunteer firefighter—was first on the scene. He led the emergency response with calm authority, he then guided the team through the aftermath, supporting their wellbeing while managing project continuity with empathy and professionalism.
Lian is shaping the future of the industry through education, mentoring, and innovation. A servant leader with global potential, he is not only delivering for Summerset, he is also developing the next generation of construction professionals across New Zealand and beyond. The judges were deeply impressed by Lian as a star of the construction industry.
